Category: News

Judging by the comments you made on our 2011 Honda CR-Z Detroit Auto Show debut post, you guys don’t seem too impressed by Honda’s new hybrid hatchback. We haven’t driven the CR-Z (and probably won’t for a while), but we’re praying that its better than the Insight we drove last month.

Nonetheless, Honda seems pretty keen on letting people know that the CR-Z will be fun to drive hybrid. In a new video released today, Honda engineers let us know what their inspirations were when producing the CR-Z hybrid.

Some quotes in the video that may surprise you:

• “We therefore wanted to realize the agile handling of the Mini…”
• During the development of the CR-Z we have driven many cars and have also bought several cars for comparison and benchmarking – the Mini, the Scirocco, but also a Lotus Elise.”
• …”and set the body stiffness at a similar level to that of a Civic Type R.”

Check out the video for more.

Refresher: The 2011 Honda CR-Z is powered by a 1.5L i-VTEC mated to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist hybrid system. It produces a total of 122-hp and a maximum torque of 128 lb-ft when mated to manual transmission (123 lb-ft for CVT models). Fuel-economy is estimated at 31/37 mpg (city/highway) for the manual model and 36/38 mpg for the CVT model. Sales begin in the second half of 2010.

2010 Detroit: 2011 Honda CR-Z:

2010 Detroit: 2011 Honda CR-Z:

All Photos Copyright © 2009 Stephen Calogera – egmCarTech.

– By: Kap Shah

About 2,000 of 10,000 workers at a Wintek branch in East China are striking over rumored cancellation of bonuses and use of a dangerous substance in the production of screens—screens used by Apple, Nokia and others.

It’s not totally clear how this will affect production, especially since Wintek is claiming that they’re no longer using n-hexane (a banned substance that workers claim caused death and paralyzation of workers) and that bonuses won’t be cancelled after all. But evidently the workers ain’t buying it, because this strike looks pretty severe. Hopefully the workers and management settle the problems and will be able to get back to work. Because if they don’t, western gadget makers will definitely struggle to get their devices to market. [Engadget]

Michael Scott points us to a blog post by a political science professor, Jeff Yates, who in a previous life had been a lawyer. In the blog post, he discusses the social norm within academic circles of freely sharing data used in research, and wonders if there shouldn’t be some sort of intellectual property protection on the data. He isn’t claiming that there definitely should be — he’s just exploring the topic, and questioning whether or not it makes sense.

Of course, as many proponents of open research and open education systems will tell you, it’s difficult to see why such data should get any sort of protection or how that actually helps towards the goal of the pursuit of knowledge. Countless studies have shown that having more folks examine and analyze the data is a much better way of speeding up the process of getting to more interesting findings. Slowing down that process seems quite counterproductive to everyone involved. If some of the issue is that it’s “unfair” for others to do research on data they did not collect, that can and should be mitigated by giving credit where credit is due. In academic circles, citations and giving credit is a lot more standard (and respected). It doesn’t always work, but it certainly can mitigate any “downside” to sharing data. If someone else makes a giant breakthrough with the data you collected, there’s no reason the original data collector can’t use that fact to his or her advantage — especially in getting future grants or publicity.

The other claim, of course, would be that without such protectionism, there is less incentive to collect that data. On that subject, we actually have quite a bit of empirical data that suggests this claim is simply incorrect. The US does not have database rights, while Europe does (such rights are loosely similar to what is being asked for here — providing some sort of protectionism for “sweat of the brow” collection of data, rather than any creativity put on top of it), and yet when you compare similar database industries in the US to Europe you quickly discover that they’re much bigger in the US than in Europe.

The reasoning makes sense, once you think it through. Because the data are not locked down and can be used in many more ways, the data become a lot more valuable, and open up many more opportunities for lots of companies to benefit. That leads to more experimentation and more innovation… and greater demand for the data itself. From that there are plenty of incentives to make sure the collection of the data is continually enhanced, because it benefits so many people downstream (in economic terms, it’s an example of the Coase Theorem at work).

Now, while the economic setup in the academic world may seem to be slightly different (researchers aren’t necessarily trying to maximize revenue), the overall incentive structure remains effectively the same (and money is still a part of it all). Freeing up your data so that more people can analyze it increases the overall value of the data and is more likely to lead to additional breakthroughs or interesting findings from that data. In turn, that can lead back to more interest for the original data collector and more opportunities to do more or to be involved in more relevant projects. Locking up the data, on the other hand, takes away many of those incentives for no clear benefit.

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In the words of the great Paul Mooney, “Taylor Swift is on everything, including my nerves!” Nevertheless, the entertainment world can’t get enough of 2009’s “It Girl.” The serenading sweetheart makes her feature film debut in the romantic comedy, Valentine’s Day — in theaters Feb. 12 — and fans can expect an earful of Swift’s famous vocals on the film’s official soundtrack.

Take a listen to “Today Was a Fairytale…..”

O modelo já está marcado para ser lançado nos próximos meses, mas não vai ser só mais uma reestilização, o Classic vai receber novas linhas, quase iguais as linhas do antigo Chevrolet Sail vendido no China.

Diferente do antigo Classic, o novo vai contar com faróis com desenhos mais modernos, nova grade dianteira com gravata dourada, além de contar com faróis de neblinas, acompanhados por pára-choques com uma nova entrada de ar.

A marca ainda não anunciou qual o motor será usado no modelo, seu lançamento só deverá ser anunciado a partir do meio do ano.

Fonte: Carplace

Filed under: Hybrid, Videos, Hatchback, Honda

Take a look at the specs and it’s easy to dismiss the 2011 Honda CR-Z out of hand. Despite its hybrid drivetrain, the 1.5-liter four coupled with its electric motor churns out a lackluster 122 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque and only nets a combined 37 mpg. That’s far from enough to set enthusiasts hearts aflutter or goad hypermilers out of their Prius and into what’s essentially Insight 2.0 (ignoring Honda’s four-door Toyota-fighter for the moment).

The only (cold) consolation for enthusiasts desperate for a CRX redux is a six-speed manual taking the place of the optional CVT. And we’ve yet to get an official curb weight for the NA-spec model. So…

What was Honda’s mindset when it created the CR-Z? If you can believe the marketing frippery in the video after the jump, it’s all about “fun-to-drive.” According to Terukazu Torikai, the chief engineer for chassis dynamics on the CR-Z, Honda benchmarked several vehicles during the development of its new hatch, and not only was Mini mentioned a few times, Honda drove everything from the Volkswagen Scirocco to the Lotus Elise. Torikai goes on to say that “the performance of the Elise kept on inspiring us throughout the whole development process.” That bodes well from both a handling and steering perspective, but we remain lukewarm on the prospects until we finally get a stint behind the wheel.

Continue reading Video: Honda engineer talks CR-Z, says Lotus Elise was an influence

Video: Honda engineer talks CR-Z, says Lotus Elise was an influence originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Denmark’s audio manufacturer TC Electronic launched a new tuning pedal at this year’s National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) trade show in California. Guitarists needing to do a quick tuning tweak will be now able to strum all six strings at once and the Polytune will advise if any are in need of some attention…

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Despite the reputation that First-World populations have for consumerism, a new study has shown that citizens of emerging countries are twice as likely to purchase and use consumer technology within the next year. They are also more willing to pay a premium for environmentally-friendly consumer electronics, and value innovative new products over brand loyalty. The study was conducted by Accenture, a global management consulting firm, and its findings will have profound implications for the consumer tech marketplace…

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By Elana Roth* ACCRA, Jan 19 (IPS) Juliana Kweais has a small scar on her bottom lip, from the first time she witnessed an abortion. The sharp blow to her mouth was delivered by her grandmother, after the then-13-year-old Kweais had asked why her auntie had given "birth" to a bloody sack.

Kweais's eyes glaze over as she recalls that painful night, almost 20 years ago. Her aunt had been unmarried, and their family too poor to support another child.

By swallowing a herbal medicine of ground stones, and abrototo, pepre, and hentea – leaves mostly found in the forests of rural Ghana – her aunt went into labour, she recalled.

Non-medical abortions are frequent in Ghana, where abortion is illegal. Yet, as more people witness the suffering and deaths of women who've attempted unsafe abortions, more international organisations are trying to provide birth control, or to exploit legal loopholes to carry out abortions.



In Ghana, abortions are rarely permitted, and only in situations of rape, incest, or risk to the life of the mother or child.

Rather than pressure the government to legalise abortion, groups of health experts are working toward making medical abortion available to Ghanaian women in various circumstances that could allow the government to look the other way.

Groups such as Marie Stopes International, a UK-based reproductive health care organisation, run several maternal health clinics, charging little or nothing to women here.

"The last thing vulnerable women need is picketers outside clinics holding anti-abortion signs," said director Faustina Fynn-Nyame.

A clause in the law that allows abortions in cases where childbirth might cause "injury to (the mother's) physical or mental health," gives such clinics an opportunity to provide safer medical abortion services in circumstances where having a child could cause mental anguish.

But government officials have warned that only physicians, not advocates, will be allowed to decide what constitutes "anguish."

Information Minister Zita Okaikoi said in an interview that "there should be no abortion because a girl wants to finish her education. Abortion is not legal, and we are by no means changing it." Girls have been known to drop out of school if they get pregnant.

Marie Stopes's operations manager, Ebenezer Aryee, said "ignorance and lack of resources" fuel the unsafe abortions. The organisation is tackling this, he said, by providing inexpensive family planning – and medical abortions when necessary. The procedure costs 25 dollars. Condoms are free at the clinic, and birth control pills and similar shots cost only 35 cents.

Ghana has a high maternal mortality rate, a measure that reflects a woman's risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth or a month afterward.

There were 560 maternal deaths per every 100,000 live births in 2008 – a rate slightly better than the sub-Saharan average of 900 per 100,000 live births, but more than 50 times higher than in the United States, where the rate is 11 deaths per every 100,000 births, according to World Health Organisation data.

Ghana's health minister, Major Courage Quashigah, has declared maternal mortality a national emergency. While the exact number of deaths resulting from unsafe abortions is disputed, some advocates believe it is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of maternal deaths here.

"Even one maternal death is unacceptable, if that women was your mother or sister," said Vice President John Dramani Mahama, after a screening of a reproductive health documentary here in the summer of 2009.

When pressed on the idea that safe abortions should be more widely available, he said, "I believe it is important to create avenues for those who want it to get it."

Activists aren't optimistic that his sentiments will translate into a change in the law. And they aren't pressing for it, either. But they do want the law amended so that doctors who perform abortions will be protected from potential prosecution. Many doctors fear severe punishment, such as life in prison, if a procedure injures or kills a patient.

Many women say the few doctors who would quietly perform an abortion charge as much as $500 – several months' salary for many Ghanaians. Others hesitate due to their religious beliefs.

Despite the traumatic incident she experienced as a teenager, Kweais, now 31, claims she has had 10 non-medical abortions herself, by using various concoctions. She said she kept becoming pregnant by an abusive boyfriend she was trying to leave.

"I feared going to the hospital," she said. "That they would say 'no', and then arrest me."

*Special to IPS from NYU Livewire

Mitsubishi will be unveiling the Euro-spec version of its ASX all-new compact crossover at the 80th Geneva International Motor Show in March. The ASX seats five, and can be expected to leave a very small carbon footprint with its all-new Euro 5-compliant 1.8L turbocharged direct-injection diesel engine which comes with “Automatic Stop & Go” and 6-speed manual transmission…

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Game theory has become a useful way to evaluate strategies for survival in evolution scenarios. In a new study, scientists set up a model where human players engage with each other and compete for resources, and can change their strategies for doing so in various ways. They found that as more rounds of the game were played, the human players developed a tendency to imitate the best player, causing the players as a group to tend to play the game the same way. This implies that in evolution, as one member of a species enjoys more and more success, its methods become hard to ignore for the others, which will eventually follow its lead.

Evolution is a popular application of game theory, in particular to see how trends and strategies for survival spread among a group. In this situation, survival isn’t based on an absolute indicator of fitness, but instead on evaluating how others in the same community are faring based on their actions. Because of this, it is important to figure out how certain survival strategies come to be adopted. One popular method of representing this scenario is with a situation called “the prisoner’s dilemma.”

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By Elana Roth* ACCRA, Jan 19 (IPS) Juliana Kweais has a small scar on her bottom lip, from the first time she witnessed an abortion. The sharp blow to her mouth was delivered by her grandmother, after the then-13-year-old Kweais had asked why her auntie had given "birth" to a bloody sack.

Kweais's eyes glaze over as she recalls that painful night, almost 20 years ago. Her aunt had been unmarried, and their family too poor to support another child.

By swallowing a herbal medicine of ground stones, and abrototo, pepre, and hentea – leaves mostly found in the forests of rural Ghana – her aunt went into labour, she recalled.

Non-medical abortions are frequent in Ghana, where abortion is illegal. Yet, as more people witness the suffering and deaths of women who've attempted unsafe abortions, more international organisations are trying to provide birth control, or to exploit legal loopholes to carry out abortions.



In Ghana, abortions are rarely permitted, and only in situations of rape, incest, or risk to the life of the mother or child.

Rather than pressure the government to legalise abortion, groups of health experts are working toward making medical abortion available to Ghanaian women in various circumstances that could allow the government to look the other way.

Groups such as Marie Stopes International, a UK-based reproductive health care organisation, run several maternal health clinics, charging little or nothing to women here.

"The last thing vulnerable women need is picketers outside clinics holding anti-abortion signs," said director Faustina Fynn-Nyame.

A clause in the law that allows abortions in cases where childbirth might cause "injury to (the mother's) physical or mental health," gives such clinics an opportunity to provide safer medical abortion services in circumstances where having a child could cause mental anguish.

But government officials have warned that only physicians, not advocates, will be allowed to decide what constitutes "anguish."

Information Minister Zita Okaikoi said in an interview that "there should be no abortion because a girl wants to finish her education. Abortion is not legal, and we are by no means changing it." Girls have been known to drop out of school if they get pregnant.

Marie Stopes's operations manager, Ebenezer Aryee, said "ignorance and lack of resources" fuel the unsafe abortions. The organisation is tackling this, he said, by providing inexpensive family planning – and medical abortions when necessary. The procedure costs 25 dollars. Condoms are free at the clinic, and birth control pills and similar shots cost only 35 cents.

Ghana has a high maternal mortality rate, a measure that reflects a woman's risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth or a month afterward.

There were 560 maternal deaths per every 100,000 live births in 2008 – a rate slightly better than the sub-Saharan average of 900 per 100,000 live births, but more than 50 times higher than in the United States, where the rate is 11 deaths per every 100,000 births, according to World Health Organisation data.

Ghana's health minister, Major Courage Quashigah, has declared maternal mortality a national emergency. While the exact number of deaths resulting from unsafe abortions is disputed, some advocates believe it is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of maternal deaths here.

"Even one maternal death is unacceptable, if that women was your mother or sister," said Vice President John Dramani Mahama, after a screening of a reproductive health documentary here in the summer of 2009.

When pressed on the idea that safe abortions should be more widely available, he said, "I believe it is important to create avenues for those who want it to get it."

Activists aren't optimistic that his sentiments will translate into a change in the law. And they aren't pressing for it, either. But they do want the law amended so that doctors who perform abortions will be protected from potential prosecution. Many doctors fear severe punishment, such as life in prison, if a procedure injures or kills a patient.

Many women say the few doctors who would quietly perform an abortion charge as much as $500 – several months' salary for many Ghanaians. Others hesitate due to their religious beliefs.

Despite the traumatic incident she experienced as a teenager, Kweais, now 31, claims she has had 10 non-medical abortions herself, by using various concoctions. She said she kept becoming pregnant by an abusive boyfriend she was trying to leave.

"I feared going to the hospital," she said. "That they would say 'no', and then arrest me."

*Special to IPS from NYU Livewire

By Elana Roth* ACCRA, Jan 19 (IPS) Juliana Kweais has a small scar on her bottom lip, from the first time she witnessed an abortion. The sharp blow to her mouth was delivered by her grandmother, after the then-13-year-old Kweais had asked why her auntie had given "birth" to a bloody sack.

Kweais's eyes glaze over as she recalls that painful night, almost 20 years ago. Her aunt had been unmarried, and their family too poor to support another child.

By swallowing a herbal medicine of ground stones, and abrototo, pepre, and hentea – leaves mostly found in the forests of rural Ghana – her aunt went into labour, she recalled.

Non-medical abortions are frequent in Ghana, where abortion is illegal. Yet, as more people witness the suffering and deaths of women who've attempted unsafe abortions, more international organisations are trying to provide birth control, or to exploit legal loopholes to carry out abortions.



In Ghana, abortions are rarely permitted, and only in situations of rape, incest, or risk to the life of the mother or child.

Rather than pressure the government to legalise abortion, groups of health experts are working toward making medical abortion available to Ghanaian women in various circumstances that could allow the government to look the other way.

Groups such as Marie Stopes International, a UK-based reproductive health care organisation, run several maternal health clinics, charging little or nothing to women here.

"The last thing vulnerable women need is picketers outside clinics holding anti-abortion signs," said director Faustina Fynn-Nyame.

A clause in the law that allows abortions in cases where childbirth might cause "injury to (the mother's) physical or mental health," gives such clinics an opportunity to provide safer medical abortion services in circumstances where having a child could cause mental anguish.

But government officials have warned that only physicians, not advocates, will be allowed to decide what constitutes "anguish."

Information Minister Zita Okaikoi said in an interview that "there should be no abortion because a girl wants to finish her education. Abortion is not legal, and we are by no means changing it." Girls have been known to drop out of school if they get pregnant.

Marie Stopes's operations manager, Ebenezer Aryee, said "ignorance and lack of resources" fuel the unsafe abortions. The organisation is tackling this, he said, by providing inexpensive family planning – and medical abortions when necessary. The procedure costs 25 dollars. Condoms are free at the clinic, and birth control pills and similar shots cost only 35 cents.

Ghana has a high maternal mortality rate, a measure that reflects a woman's risk of dying during pregnancy, childbirth or a month afterward.

There were 560 maternal deaths per every 100,000 live births in 2008 – a rate slightly better than the sub-Saharan average of 900 per 100,000 live births, but more than 50 times higher than in the United States, where the rate is 11 deaths per every 100,000 births, according to World Health Organisation data.

Ghana's health minister, Major Courage Quashigah, has declared maternal mortality a national emergency. While the exact number of deaths resulting from unsafe abortions is disputed, some advocates believe it is responsible for 20 to 30 percent of maternal deaths here.

"Even one maternal death is unacceptable, if that women was your mother or sister," said Vice President John Dramani Mahama, after a screening of a reproductive health documentary here in the summer of 2009.

When pressed on the idea that safe abortions should be more widely available, he said, "I believe it is important to create avenues for those who want it to get it."

Activists aren't optimistic that his sentiments will translate into a change in the law. And they aren't pressing for it, either. But they do want the law amended so that doctors who perform abortions will be protected from potential prosecution. Many doctors fear severe punishment, such as life in prison, if a procedure injures or kills a patient.

Many women say the few doctors who would quietly perform an abortion charge as much as $500 – several months' salary for many Ghanaians. Others hesitate due to their religious beliefs.

Despite the traumatic incident she experienced as a teenager, Kweais, now 31, claims she has had 10 non-medical abortions herself, by using various concoctions. She said she kept becoming pregnant by an abusive boyfriend she was trying to leave.

"I feared going to the hospital," she said. "That they would say 'no', and then arrest me."

*Special to IPS from NYU Livewire