Category: News

I know I’m not alone in my lust for decent phones with QWERTY keypads.

While I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the company of my touch-screen-only HTC Hero for 7 months now, I must admit that I am looking at other (more well endowed) phones while Hero’s back is turned.

But you know what? She’s ok with that. I guess that’s why we work so well together… even though I dream of the days where I could type without looking at the keyboard.

…and along comes Ally…

She has a full QWERTY, y’know. I like that in a phone, but I need something more than just a QWERTY if I am to consider acting on this whimsy.

Did you say Snapdragon? Oh my. I like those. A friend of mine is currently with a snapdragon-powered thing called Desirée, and he says it’s a whole new experience.

Of course, the Snapdragon is just the beginning: Ally also has a 480×800 AMOLED, a 5MP camera, and 720p video, all running on top of Android 2.1. While those specs are a bit girl-next-door these days, I think I’d like to meet this Ally. Wouldn’t you?

I hear she’s changed her name twice already: she used to be called “Aloha”, and before that she was just “LU2300″. She’s an elusive type, y’see.

In fact, I’ve just told you everything I know. But rest assured, I’ll pass on any details as I find them. I’m sure we’ll become the best of friends.

[via Android Central]

To Massachusetts resident Carla Howell, the only good government is small government.

“[Big government] always makes the economy worse,” she said.

And so, every time she goes shopping she feels she’s only contributing to the big government problem.

“Every time I buy something, I am putting money into the hands of politicians and taking it away from working families,” Howell said on Tuesday right after buying a bouquet of tulips from Heather’s Flower Boutique in Wayland, Mass.

Massachusetts currently has a sales tax of 6.25 percent. Carla, who is a registered libertarian, is now supporting a ballot initiative that would cut it to 3 percent. She says the only way to cut big government spending is to cut big government funding.

“[Cutting the sales tax] will be wonderful for the people of Massachusetts. More people will be back at work. More savings. More people able to take care of their families.”

But not everyone is as excited as Carla about a reduced sales tax.

“If this passes it will be a complete disaster for Massachusetts,” said Donna Kelly-Williams. “Once again we will be passing a burden onto our kids.”

Kelly-Williams is a nurse in Cambridge and a member of the Massachusetts Coalition for our communities, the main group opposing Howell’s initiative. She points out that the cut would leave a $2.5 billion hole in the state budget.

“And we already have a shortfall of $2.5 billion. Where is this money going to come from?”

Kelly-Williams says she already knows the answer.

“I fear devastating cuts to educational services, as well as fire and police safety for our communities.”

In any case it will certainly mandate some tough decisions from Bay state lawmakers who only have about $28 billion to work with each year.

And Massachusetts isn’t the only state to face potential tax restrictions from voters. Twelve other states including Maine, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Oregon, and California all have various petitions circulating that may cut property, corporate and fuel taxes.

And with a bad economic climate, voters are certain to pass many.

“This will mandate cuts that will be devastating,” said Kelly-Williams.

Howell isn’t buying it. “This is the sky is falling defense.”

“These guys,” she said, referring to Massachusetts elected officials, “are addicted to spending. While the economy has been shrinking, these guys have been spending more money.”

She says the only way to stop them, is through a voter mandate.

“This is it,” she said. “They won’t stop on their own.”

Prime Time! NFL Draft Starts Slightly Later!

This was the big selling point of this year’s draft.  The first round will be in PRIMETIME.  I’d rather they promise they make it less boring than watching paint dry, but I guess baby steps will get us there.  No scheduling moves will change the fact that the first round is thirty-two moments of minimal interest punctuated by fifteen-minute intervals of weird-looking men yelling, but the stage is set tonight at Radio City Music Hall for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Due to boredom, I figured I would straddle the line between football fan and recreational TV critic by jotting down some thoughts during the next three-and-a-half hours.  I care more about college ball than pro, but this seems like a pretty happy marriage of the two.  Let’s go.

2:38 ESPN is the proud owner of the world’s largest iPad for the draft analysis.  Wildly unnecessary, but the Minority Report-style movements and screens are pretty cool.  I’m going to give them this one.  Certainly less garish than the Will.I.Am hologram CNN used during the last presidential election.

2:42 They seem to be really celebrating the host city, New York, in the pregame show.  Naturally, that means Jay-Z and Alicia Keys are now bouncing around my skull like a spastic pinball.

2:44 TebowTebowTebowTebowTebowTebowTebow.  Ugh.  I’m not sure when a character ever garnered this much disproportionate attention.  I say “character” because he’s only expected to go late-2^nd, 3^rd round, but has generated more discussion than any prospect I have ever witnessed in my zero years of covering the NFL Draft.  His character supersedes his athleticism.

2:47 Free association exercise: Tim Tebow – heart, character, leadership, integrity, unique, locker room.  The studio hosts are doing the roundtable on Tim Tebow.  Really divisive – opinions range from “can’t make it in the NFL” to “good locker room guy” to “will do whatever it takes to be a champion”.  Actually a fairly intriguing plot line.

2:52 On the opposite end of the spectrum is Dez Bryant, who has all the talent in the world, but is by no means a sure thing due to his prima dona behavior that we see so often from standout receivers.  See also, Keyshawn Johnson, Terrell Owens, Plaxico Buress, Chad Johnson (I can’t bring myself to do it, I’m sorry).  He is being interviewed now, and I can comfortably declare him the anti-Tebow.  That said, the legacy of Randy Moss demonstrates the danger of putting too much stock in a college player’s past. Then again, Ryan Leaf demonstrates the danger of not putting enough stock in a player’s past.  Tricky business, this draft.

2:55 I hope there is a moment in my life that is as exciting as the draft probably is for these prospects.  I’ve never had a camera crew film me watching TV.  As far as I know.

3:08 Sam Bradford seems like a pretty good dude.  .  I hate Oklahoma, so typing that last sentence made my hands cramp a little bit.  He looks like he fake tans, but I don’t FEEL like he does.  Jimmy Clausen had a better year and has the potential to be more spectacular, but Jimmy Clausen seems to be a little more….Roethlisburger-esque.

3:13 “Empire State of Mind” one more time?  OK!

3:28 Mel Kiper just flew off the handle.  Screamed at some other ESPN reporter, brutalizing his picks, then ended with “I respect your opinion”.  You sure about that, Mel?  Mel looks like the type of guy who would go ballistic at his kids if they didn’t finish their vegetables or if they didn’t look at him when they told him about their day.  Not a guy I would want at a dinner party, but definitely a guy I want if I have to watch 4.5 hours of a studio show.  The next time ESPN cuts to him, I hope he’s sharpening a knife and whistling “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”.

3:38 When did young athletes become such tasteful dressers?  Unless Jimmy Clausen shows up in a sixteen-button suit and pocket watch, I’m about to lose 40% of the premise of this piece.  Shit.

4:35 I passed out for a few minutes during the parade of “Hey, look it’s famous NFL players!”.

4:36 The St. Louis Rams are on the clock.  I’m secretly hoping they draft a little-known player called “Black Tim Tebow”, but analysis indicates they will draft Sam Bradford, regardless of whether or not Black Tim Tebow should even exist.  Seems short-sighted to me.  Bradford is talking on his phone and smiling.  Looks like he’s their pick.

4:39 How much do draft tickets cost?  Where do you buy them?  Why does a person want to attend the draft?  “I love seeing commissioners at podiums, but I hate expert analysis of the thing that the commissioner is discussing.”

4:40 Oh man!  Not only is Bradford going to receive a contract with $15mm in guaranteed salary, but he also gets a St. Louis Rams lapel pin, jersey and hat!  This has to be a great day for him.  I would sell the jersey and hat on eBay and keep the cash!

4:43 Detroit is on the clock.  You can’t draft a new hometown, so they’ll probably select a player with their pick.  Sounds like they’re going Gerald McCoy, a defensive tackle, which works for them, cause they need help at every position but QB.  Uh, oh…other tackle is on the phone!   Last minute switch.  They got Ndamukong Suh.

4:47 Suh didn’t look too stoked about becoming a Lion, but I’m still holding out for the “abject horror” look of a player getting selected by an undesirable team.  My dark horse in that category is Jimmy Clausen/Cleveland Browns.

4:49 Coors Light Home Draft has piqued my interest.  I looked it up online and it costs $18 for 16 12-oz beers, which isn’t the bargain I hoped.  In the “pro” column, it’s new, goofy, and wildly impractical.  I’ll take three.

4:54 Gerald McCoy is selected by Tampa Bay.  He’s crying pretty hard.  Would it be legal (provided there is ample time left on the clock) to select a player, witness him crying, then inform the player “we are going to need someone a little tougher than you, crybaby”, then pick a different player?  It wouldn’t?  Ok.

4:56 McCoy has a baby girl.  I don’t think he’s married either.   Tampa Bay just drafted a sinner.

4:57 While ESPN shows graphics of the players skills, shortcomings, stats, etc, they have video of the player on the left hand side of the screen, grinning, playfully tossing a football, and dancing.  There is so much of the draft process I’m jealous of.

ESPN producer: Hello, Penn?

Penn: Yeah?

ESPN Producer: We need you to come down to our studios to film you while you dance in your workout gear.

Penn: Awesome.

5:00 Redskins pick Trent Williams.  Third OU player taken in first four picks.  My only comfort comes from knowing that OU no longer has these awesome players.  I’m also happy that these three won’t be forced to live in Oklahoma anymore.  Meanwhile, Kevin Durant wonders why the leagues leading scorer is forced to live in a three-bedroom apartment that overlooks, well…Oklahoma.

5:03 Kansas City is on the clock.  Made me think of Hard Knocks, which makes me think that a team should be able to forfeit a fifth-round pick to be featured on the HBO reality show.  If a team doesn’t have a fifth-round pick, they are still eligible for the show, but every member of the 55-man roster must kick their punter in both shins.

5:06 (Solemnly staring out the window) It was three years ago that JaMarcus Russell was picked number one in the 2007 NFL Draft.  We will never forget.

5:09 Eric Berry was selected by Kansas City.  Here is what I know about Eric Barry:  He went to Tennessee, he’s a safety, and he’s wearing a shirt/tie combo that would be described as “flesh-colored”.  Not his flesh, mind you.  But mine.

5:11 An ESPN Interactive poll shows 70% of the voters think that Barry’s selection merits an “A” grade.  I bet most of those people voting know even less about Barry than I do.  They probably would have called his shirt/tie combo “salmon”.  Yuck.

5:13 Just came to the realization that nothing interesting has ever, nor will ever happen in the televised coverage of the draft.  I wish I had realized this three hours ago.

5:16 Most interesting stat of the night so far: The average diameter of the watches worn by selections thus far is 3.68 inches.  Unfortunately, this number will almost certainly trend downward in later rounds.

5:17 Russell Okung selected by Seattle.  He’s a left tackle.  Consequently, they are showing a montage of plays that would look totally mundane were he not highlighted in each one.  You know what’s hard, even for a seasoned sports fan like myself?  Figuring out if an offensive lineman is good or bad.  Hindsight is 20/20, but I find it very strange that despite the lack of statistical analysis, scouts are more on the money with offensive linemen than any other position.  Good job, scouts!

5:21 The draft day hats are available at NFL.edu

5:21 Excuse me.  NFL.com

5:22 They’re using the Minority Report board again!  I wonder if a little black ball rolls down if they find out that Colt McCoy is going to kill someone in the future.

5:23 A few of the twists that would make the draft telecast interesting:

• Steve Young claiming that he’s still a better quarterback than 23 year old Jimmy Clausen
• Texas receiver Jordan Shipley confessing that he is the result of an Army experiment to make arms more sexy.
• A player is so excited to be selected that he starts crying.  Blood.
• A player getting selected by Tennessee then seen whispering to commissioner Roger Goodell, “It’s an honor to play where Davey Crockett hung his hat”.

5:28 Joe Haden is selected by Cleveland.  He was weeping like a baby.  Don’t think they were tears of joy.

5:33 Oakland selects Bizarro Jamarcus Russell.

5:34 “The Jamarcus Russell experiment has failed miserably and I don’t think any organization can overcome that.”  – Steve Young

5:35 Oakland’s pick is anyone’s guess.  Oops.  Not anymore.  Rolando McClain.  Linebacker from Alabama.  Father is John McClaine, retired NYPD cop, divorced father of two.

I wish teams drafted more stereotypically.  Oakland’s up?  Draft the egocentric headcase wide receiver.  St. Louis?  Draft a white person!

5:38 Buffalo Bills draft CJ Spiller, explosive RB from Clemson.  An exciting player for an exciting city!!!

5:39 My wishes are that Colt McCoy gets taken by Seattle and that Tim Tebow gets drafted by someone who’s going to use him in the backfield.  White players that get drafted as either receivers or running backs must go by the more specific designation WWR and WRB.

5:43 Why attend the draft when you could throw the craziest party ever at home and have the cameras follow it?

5:47 Denver and SF traded picks.

5:51 Just heard “He’s had some problems at Rutgers”.  I think someone just drafted Tony Soprano.

5:57 Ok. Watching four hours of analysis of something I don’t really care THAT much about is probably enough.  Let’s kill this bitch before I say something racist for the sole purpose of being provocative.  Good night, draft.  Good night, cow jumping over the draft.  Good night, big bowl of mush.

Related posts:

1. Apparently NFL Pre-Draft Questions Include: Is Your Mother a Whore?
2. The Manly Link Round-Up for May 8th
3. Manly Link Round-Up for May 15th

Avatar put me to sleep, but I admire James Cameron‘s thirst for new film technologies. Now I admire him even more after he convinced NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to put back the 3D camera in Curiosity, the next Mars rover. More »

Mankato-based Hickory Tech is expanding to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Fargo, North Dakota. According to the HickoryTech web site…

The network expansion to Sioux Falls and Fargo will add 350 fiber route miles to HickoryTech’s existing 2,400 fiber route miles. These initiatives are evidence of the company’s commitment to grow its Enventis business services and provide cost-effective, high-capacity fiber-based solutions.

They have also been increasing “the capacity of its network between Minnesota and Des Moines, Iowa and is investing in local fiber infrastructure in Des Moines to grow its Enventis business services.”

So it will be interesting to see the growth pattern. They are also hoping to expand or deepen their connections in Minnesota. HickoryTech/Enventis applied for $16.8 million in ARRA broadband grants to extend its middle mile fiber-optic network connecting community anchor institutions across Minnesota to an advanced high capacity broadband network.

Go Auto has an article on Better Place Australia and their plans to start rolling out their network in 2011 – Better Place “on time and budget” for its EV recharge and battery swap site rollout.

BETTER Place Australia CEO Evan Thornley says the electric vehicle infrastructure company will prove sceptics wrong by ‘building it’ rather than ‘dreaming it’ when it starts rolling out its battery-swap and recharge stations in Australia, starting in Canberra in 2011.

Mr Thornley said Better Place was well advanced on its network plan for battery switch sites around the country, with at least one “in key districts and then more detailed site acquisitions to occur” as the rollout of EVs gathered pace.

“Most of those will occur in the second half of 2011 or early in 2012,” he said.

Speaking in Tokyo at the opening of Better Place’s world-first taxi battery swap station, Mr Thornley said he had overcome every obstacle put in his way.

He said opponents of Better Place’s pledge to ‘rid the world’s addiction to oil’ only had fear, uncertainty and doubt to rely on, and the company had continued to grow and attract investment, despite the global financial crisis and the massive trough the world’s car industry was in.

The company believes this momentum will continue as more Australians grasp the fact that – based on average mileages for vehicles – it will actually be significantly cheaper to switch from fossil fuel to electricity when mainstream EV sales commence. …

Accessing ‘clean’ electricity that does not require brown coal or other carbon-releasing methods to make it is also one of Better Place Australia’s core goals.

Mr Thornley – a former Victorian Labor politician – explained that although wind power would probably be the company’s primary electricity source for Australia, the fact that it can come from a variety of generators without impacting the EV infrastructure or the car itself was another benefit.

These other sources will include geo thermal (“certainly if that is brought to industrial scale”), solar thermal, and clean coal technology “if that comes good”.

“We certainly don’t see the availability of premium electricity as a barrier at all,” he said. “We are very confident about plenty of renewable electricity being available.

“That’s an important point about EVs – your energy source is independent. You can move from one form of zero emissions electricity source to another without a single dollar of new investment in the car fleet or the charge network.”

However, Better Place Australia would not comment on whether it supports nuclear power sourcing.

“That’s not for us to comment. If the community decides that is the path it wants to go down, then it does. We are not in the business of advocating one way or another,” Mr Thornley said.

“We see plenty of zero emissions energy sources available today – and on a practical matter there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell of any nuclear power being available in this country within the next 15 years anyway, so if or when it happens we will deal with that then.”

Vodafone UK have put the Google Nexus One up for sale, and there’s no sign of the stock delay reported earlier this week.  The launch marks the first time the Nexus One has been available through a UK carrier rather than demanding buyers import a device from Google in the US.

As for price, that’s likely enough to make US Nexus One owners livid.  Vodafone are offering the Google Nexus One for free with a new two-year contract, as long as you’re spending £35 a month or more ($54).

The Atlantic has a look at Africa and China’s interest in the continent’s resources, asking “Do China’s grand designs promise the transformation,at last, of a star-crossed continent? Or merely its exploitation?” – The Next Empire.

I was about to embark on one of the world’s great train rides, a journey from this muggy Indian Ocean port city, the commercial capital of Tanzania, to the edge of the Zambian Copper Belt, deep in the heart of southern Africa. The official who’d sold me my ticket had seemed puzzled when I asked when the train would arrive at its final destination, and he refused to guess; in recent years, the 1,156-mile trip has been known to take anywhere from its originally scheduled two days to an entire week.

The railroad—known as the Tazara line—was built by China in the early 1970s, at a cost of nearly $500 million, an extraordinary expenditure in the thick of the Cultural Revolution, and a symbol of Beijing’s determination to hold its own with Washington and Moscow in an era when Cold War competition over Africa raged fierce. At the time of its construction, it was the third-largest infrastructure project ever undertaken in Africa, after the Aswan Dam in Egypt and the Volta Dam in Ghana.

Today the Tazara is a talisman of faded hopes and failed economic schemes, an old and unreliable railway with too few working locomotives. Only briefly a thriving commercial artery, it has been diminished by its own decay and by the roads and air routes that have sprung up around it. Maintenance costs have saddled Tanzania and Zambia with debts reportedly as high as $700 million in total, and the line now has only about 300 of the 2,000 wagons it needs to function normally, according to Zambian news reports.

Yet the railway traces a path through a region where hopes have risen again, rekindled by a new sort of development also driven by China—and on an unprecedented scale. All across the continent, Chinese companies are signing deals that dwarf the old railroad project. The most heavily reported involve oil production; since the turn of the millennium, Chinese companies have muscled in on lucrative oil markets in places like Angola, Nigeria, Algeria, and Sudan. But oil is neither the largest nor the fastest-growing part of the story. Chinese firms are striking giant mining deals in places like Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and building what is being touted as the world’s largest iron mine in Gabon. They are prospecting for land on which to build huge agribusinesses. And to get these minerals and crops to market, they are building major new ports and thousands of miles of highway.

In most of Africa’s capital cities and commercial centers, it’s hard to miss China’s new presence and influence. In Dar, one morning before my train trip, I made my way to the roof of my hotel for a bird’s-eye view of the city below. A British construction foreman, there to oversee the hotel’s expansion, pointed out the V-shaped port that the British navy had seized after a brief battle with the Germans early in the First World War. From there, the British-built portion of the city extended primly inland, along a handful of long avenues. For the most part, downtown Dar was built long ago, and its low-slung concrete buildings, long exposed to the moisture of the tropics, have taken on a musty shade of gray.

“Do you see all the tall buildings coming up over there?” the foreman asked, a hint of envy in his voice as his arm described an arc along the waterfront that shimmered in the distance. “That’s the new Dar es Salaam, and most of it is Chinese-built.”

The Age has an article on a community owned wind farm being built in Victoria – Daylesford wind farm goes ahead.

AS big energy companies bemoan a lack of certainty to invest in new power plants, a central Victorian town last night celebrated a deal that will build Australia’s first community-owned wind farm.

After five years of planning, contracts were signed yesterday to build the two-turbine Hepburn Community Wind Park at Leonards Hill, about 10 kilometres from Daylesford.

According to the co-operative behind the project, it will generate 12,200 megawatt hours a year – significantly more than is needed to power the town’s 1887 homes.

Hepburn Wind chairman Simon Holmes a Court said more than 1100 members had invested $7.5 million. Together with a $975,000 state government grant and the backing of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, it was enough to sign a contract with German manufacturer REpower systems to build the $12.9 million farm.

Mr Holmes a Court said the project was based on the Denmark model of small communities owning boutique wind farms. ”Most Australians want to see a meaningful response to the threat of climate change, but many aren’t sure what constructive role they can play,” he said.

”By pooling resources, [we] have developed a model for the low-carbon future that is both low cost – at least four times cheaper than rooftop solar photovoltaics – and brings a significant new business to town.”

Four months after its Scottsdale, Ariz., auction was disrupted by severe weather, Russo and Steele is suing tent company Tri-Rentals for damage caused when a tent collapsed on several hundred collector cars.

In a statement released on Thursday, Russo and Steele said that it was forced to file suit against the rental company to protect its reputation.

The auction firm says its lawsuit cites negligence, gross negligence, breach of duty of good faith and fair dealing. The statement does not say what Russo and Steele is seeking from the tent-rental company.

Russo and Steele’s four-day auction was disrupted on its first night, Jan. 21, when severe weather swept through the Phoenix area with rain and high winds. Scottsdale’s Flood Planning Department had warned the auction house of a potential flooding hazard earlier that afternoon.

According to auction firm’s statement, Tri-Rentals told Russo and Steele that it was reinforcing the tents at the auction site and said they were secure. The auction company also brought in industrial water pumps, ordered concrete barricades and arranged semis and trailers to act as wind blocks.

Despite the precautions, two 800-foot-long tents came loose during the storm’s high winds. One tent was blown from its anchors onto a nearby freeway and the other tent collapsed onto cars entered in the auction.

The damage prompted the Scottsdale fire department to close the auction grounds. The grounds were kept closed for two days, and the auction resumed that Sunday.

For more

Source: Car news, reviews and auto show stories

2011 Ford Fiesta customized by Funkmaster Flex

Funkmaster Flex night, Funkmaster Flex night, Funkmaster Flex night – we’re pretty sure you’ve heard that before if you listen to Hot-97. Well, you can probably enjoy that same sound in a new 2011 Ford Fiesta because the new FoMoCo compact is getting the hip-hop seal of approval courtesy of Funkmaster Flex himself.

The car will appear on an episode of Celebrity Customizer Funkmaster Flex’s new TV show ‘Funk Flex Full Throttle’ which premiers on May 2 on MTV2. As a part of the show, one viewer will get to win the keys to a tricked out 2011 Ford Fiesta customized by Funkmaster Flex himself.

Click here to get prices on the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

“The Fiesta is definitely a vehicle that has major customization potential but also can stand on its own without having to do anything to it all,” said Funkmaster Flex. “Whoever wins this vehicle is going to be hitting the streets in a mean vehicle that has some serious technology on the inside. Ford really got it poppin’ with this vehicle and showed how you can take a small vehicle and push it to the next level.”

For more information on ‘Funk Flex Full Throttle’ or for the chance to enter the giveaway, check out www.fordurban.com by July 2, 2010.

Refresher: The 2011 Ford Fiesta is powered by a 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder engine making 119-hp with a peak torque of 109 lb-ft. It is estimated to deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 40 mpg. Pricing for the 2011 Ford Fiesta starts at $13,320.

2011 Ford Fiesta:

Press Release:

FORD FIESTA KNOWS HIP-HOP, CELEBRITY CUSTOMIZER FUNKMASTER FLEX TRICKS OUT FORD’S NEWEST SMALL CAR

* The all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta will star in an episode of Celebrity Customizer Funkmaster Flex’s new TV show ‘Funk Flex Full Throttle’ which premiers on May 2 on MTV2
* As part of the show, one viewer to win the keys to a tricked out 2011 Ford Fiesta, customized by Funkmaster Flex
* Filmed in Flex’s car shop, viewers will get to learn more about one of the biggest names in the car customization business and see other Ford vehicles customized by Flex including the 2010 Ford Taurus and 2010 Ford Fusion
* On sale this summer, the Fiesta features a vibrant design, 15 class-exclusive technologies and is projected to deliver 40 mpg highway

Dearborn, Mich., April 29, 2010 – The Ford Fiesta has been earning its street credibility since last year’s Fiesta Movement, but now Ford’s newest car is getting its Hip-Hop seal of approval by none other than Celebrity Customizer Funkmaster Flex. The Fiesta will appear in an episode of Flex’s new TV show, ‘Funk Flex Full Throttle’ which premiers this Sunday, May 2, at 2 p.m. EST on MTV2.

The Fiesta will play a starring role in one of the show’s episodes as Funkmaster Flex puts his creative spin on the vehicle that has a strong following prior to its launch. As part of the partnership, one viewer will win the chance to take home the keys to the Fiesta customized by Flex as part of the Funk Flex Full Throttle Giveaway. The customization is set to include features such as a custom body kit, wheels, tires, lowering kit, a Funkmaster Flex signature two-tone paint job and a custom interior.

“Ford has had a partnership with Funkmaster Flex that dates back to 2005 which allows us to become a part of Flex’s world and connect with today’s young urban consumers in a way that is most relevant to them,” said Crystal Worthem, manager, Multicultural Marketing. “Being able to incorporate the Fiesta into a show that will allow us to continue to highlight the customization potential of this vehicle by someone who is an authority when it comes to vehicle customization is exciting for us.”

‘Funk Flex Full Throttle’ is a high-adrenaline tour of music and car culture—the ultimate ride for fans who love to live in the fast lane. During each 30-minute episode, Funkmaster Flex will interview some of the hottest Hip-Hop artists with his signature raucous, familiar style. Flex will also give the artists and viewers a look at his latest car customization projects. Whether Flex is on location during Spring Break, checking out the latest products at the Ford booth during the New York Auto Show or just hanging out in his shop, ‘Funk Flex Full Throttle’ will be there to take viewers inside the Hip-Hop and car customization lifestyle. Entertainers set to make an appearance on the show include Juelz Santana, Fabolous, Mike Epps, Diddy, Swizz Beatz, Nicki Minaj, Jadakiss and Ludacris.

“The Fiesta is definitely a vehicle that has major customization potential but also can stand on its own without having to do anything to it all,” said Funkmaster Flex. “Whoever wins this vehicle is going to be hitting the streets in a mean vehicle that has some serious technology on the inside. Ford really got it poppin’ with this vehicle and showed how you can take a small vehicle and push it to the next level.”

2011 Ford Fiesta: A hit before leaving the gate

Thanks to the success of the Fiesta Movement social media initiative – which has generated more than 6.2 million YouTube views, more than 750,000 Flickr views and nearly 4 million Twitter impressions – more than 125,000 people have already expressed an interest in the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

Going on sale this summer, the all-new Fiesta features an expressive, vibrant design, sharp reflexes, and a global track record that will redefine U.S. small car customers’ expectations. Featuring class-leading technologies and a projected best-in-class highway fuel economy of
40 mpg, Fiesta brings efficiency and convenience together in one package.

It’s also designed to be versatile, personal and adaptable. In fact, Fiesta is delivers best-in-class convenience and connectivity with the segment-exclusive SYNC® voice-activated communications system, as well as an expressive color palette and available graphics.

– By: Omar Rana

Reader Aaron Vader has sent us an email announcing that Lala.com will shut down on May 31. If you are a Lala user, your credits will be converted to iTunes credits. Does that mean that streaming iTunes.com would launch soon? More »

Article Tags: ClimateGate, Comment On Article, Fred Singer, Headline Story

I have submitted a Comment (which I rarely do) to The HOOK-
Oh, Mann: Cuccinelli targets UVA papers in Climategate salvo

“There is a good chance that Virginia’s Attorney-General Ken Cuccinelli will come up with the “smoking gun” — where other so-called investigations have only produced one whitewash after another.

We know from the leaked e-mails of Climategate that Prof. Michael Mann was involved in the international conspiracy to “hide the decline” [in global temperatures], using what chief conspirator Dr Phil Jones refers to as “Mike [Mann]’s trick.” Now at last we may find out just how this was done.

A lot is at stake here. If the recent warming is based on faked data, then all attempts to influence the climate by controlling the emissions of the so-called “pollutant” carbon dioxide are useless –and very costly. This includes the UN Climate Treaty, the Kyoto Protocol, the Waxman-Markey Cap & Trade (Tax) bill, the EPA “Endangerment Finding” based on the UN’s IPCC conclusion, and the upcoming Kerry-Lieberman-Graham bill in the US Senate.

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Welcome to Circle of Blue Radio’s Series 5 in 15, where we’re asking global thought leaders 5 questions in 15 minutes, more or less. These are experts working in journalism, science, communication design, and water. I’m J. Carl Ganter. Today’s program is underwritten by Traverse Internet Law, tech savvy lawyers, representing internet and technology companies.

Play “Q&A: Futurist Paul Saffo Maps and Predicts Society’s Biggest Transformations”

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I’m an optimist about media. I think we’re going to come through this with more voices, more choices, and more reliability. You may not be able to trust specific outlets the way you once did, but it won’t matter because there will be a button where you can chase down authenticity.

Our them is composed by Nadav Kahn, and Circle of Blue Radio is underwritten by Traverse Legal, PLC, internet attorneys specializing in trademark infringement litigation, copyright infringement litigation, patent litigation and patent prosecution. Join us gain for Circle of Blue Radio’s 5 in 15. I’m J. Carl Ganter.

Photos are meant to be shared, by nature, so the multitude of services offering to help you share your pics with your friends is unsurprising. One of the most popular is Google’s Picasa. It allows you to store photo albums online and share the ones you want with the world or just specific friends. And, now, it’s even easier to sprea… (read more)

Thursday evening pool report by Paul West, Baltimore Sun….

At 7:25 p.m. the lower door of the South Portico opened and Malia Obama bounded out in sports attire, carrying a ball at best half the size of a soccer ball, and trailed by her mother with leashed dog in tow. They frolicked on the lawn for a minute or two, then sat on the side of a grassy knoll, waving, as the motorcade rolled past. Bo, sensing an opening, bolted for the moving limos. He obediently turned back almost immediately after being summoned by his young mistress, who ran the other way to the north side of the lawn, tossing her ball and rather quickly nabbing his leash.

That was the best of it for the pool, now holding just off Pennsylvania Ave. in West End outside the luxe Columbia Condominiums, the former Columbia Hospital for Women (2400 block of L St. NW). Obama entered unseen and press coverage of the million-dollar Democratic Party fundraiser was rendered opaque, on the grounds that he is not making “formal remarks.”

A DNC official provided the following table scrap, via email:
The private dinner is at the home of Frank White, a local entrepreneur, early supporter of the President and a National Finance Committee member. The President will not be delivering remarks. Tickets for the dinner were a suggested donation of $30,400 per couple and the event is expected to raise a little over $1 million for the DNC.

Paul West
Baltimore Sun

Brad Pitt has labeled his ex wife Jennifer Aniston “pathetic” after the screen sweetheart posed on the cover of his favorite magazine.

A peeved Pitt has been fuming to friends that Jen has absolutely no interest in architecture and used to tease him about his nerdy obsession with buildings.

“Brad thinks she is pathetic,” a source told US Weekly after Aniston appeared on the March 2010 cover of the magazine. “Brad feels this is all so desperate. It was a ploy to get his attention,” blabbed the insider.

Pitt himself appeared on the cover of Architectural Digest in January 2009 .

Vin Diesel Can Eat It.

The 1985 action classic (in my opinion, anyway) Commando, is getting the remake treatment, says Fox.  It’s being reworked by David Ayer, who wrote Training Day, so while it could be, you know, good, it is very unlikely to be as cool (unless they decide to include the 15-minute montage of Arnold loading guns).  While it is extremely unlikely that Arnold or Alyssa Milano will be reprising their roles, we all hold out hope that the fat, Australian Freddie Mercury look-alike will be returning, chain mail vest and all.

His Agent Says He's Available

This announcement follows news of the Predator sequel/reboot Predators, featuring Adrien Brody and Terminator: Salvation.  It looks like a whole new generation of moviegoers will be privy to the phenomenon that was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1980’s film career.   Without Arnold in any of the films.  Bizarre.

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Last week our guest blogger, Erin Pierce, wrote about Making Every Day Earth Day. In keeping with the theme of doing good things for our planet and going green, my Friday blog is dedicated to trees. The last Friday in the month of April is designated as National Arbor Day.

All around the country there are many schools and organizations carrying out tree planting activities. I remember, as a kid, my teacher had us plant a tree and write a report on our favorite tree. I wrote about the weeping willow in our backyard. My sisters and I used to climb all over that thing. I confess to playing “Tarzan.” I would swing from the vine-like branches doing my best jungle yell. Carol Burnett’s “Tarzan yell” was better, but I think I was a close second.

Our lovely weeping willow began cracking and dying, so it had to be removed. The tree was large and it had to be cut down in sections. My dad did the cutting, but it was our job to hold the rope and pull when needed. Being a bit of a slacker, I wasn’t really holding the rope… actually, I think I was pretending to be a ballerina dancing around. A large branch broke and my sister, who was dutifully holding the rope, was dragged across the yard on her back as the branch came down. I thought that was the funniest thing, but my dad, who was nearly knocked off the ladder by the branch, did not. I got into big trouble. I held a grudge against all trees for awhile, but I eventually forgave them.

If you like trees and/or are interested in participating in Arbor Day, here are some resources to check out:

• Arbor Day Foundation has planting and pruning guides as well as a map to determine the types of trees best suited for your area.
• Climate Change Information
• Climate Change Tree Atlas
• Cooling Your Home Naturally
• How to Prune Trees
• How to Recognize Hazardous Defects in Trees
• Prepare Your Trees for Winter
• Protecting Trees From Construction Damage
• Sierra Redwood Trees
• State Trees
• Trees by Joyce Kilmer
• United States National Arboretum

Throughout the country many schools encourage and educate children on the benefits of planting trees. To see what your state or city is doing for Arbor Day, go to USA.gov and search on Arbor Day and the name of your state.