Category: News

Previously Wi-Fi Sync, the clever app that allows folks with jailbroken devices to sync to iTunes over Wi-Fi, was only for Mac users and iPhones. But now Windows lovers and iPad owners can join the fun as well. More »










IPhone – Wi-Fi – Apple – Wi-fiSync – AppStore

A researcher from the UK’s University of Reading has warned of possible future infection issues for recipients of medical implants. The cause for concern is not biological, though. Dr. Mark Gasson’s disquiet relates to the fact that as implants become more sophisticated, the computerized systems running them could become prone to virus attack. And to prove his point, the good doctor purposely infected a chip implanted in his hand with a virus, which subsequently spread to an external communication system…
Continue Reading Scientist infects himself with a computer virus

Tags: Chip,
Implant,
Rfid,
Security,
Virus

Related Articles:

• Lasers to combat AIDS
• Happy Birthday to the virus
• Lab-on-a-chip device offers early detection of avian flu
• New flu vaccine could provide immunity against all strains of influenza virus
• Coating technique helps bionic implants fit right in
• AIDS-preventing gel to protect women in resource-poor areas

Both via KurzweilAI.net, and both as a follow-up to my previous post on killing tumors with gold nanoparticles.

First up is using carbon nanotubes as a radiotherapy delivery system:

Nanocapsule delivers radiotherapy

PhysOrg.com, May 26, 2010 Oxford University chemists have encapsulated radionuclides within carbon nanotubes and set new records for highly concentrated in vivo radiodosage, while demonstrating zero leakage of isotopes to high-affinity organs, such as the thyroid. Artist’s rendition of nanocapsules (Gerard Tobias) Read Original Article>>

And second is using nanoporous particles as a molecular therapy deliver system to tumors:

Nanoporous Particles Deliver Novel Molecular Therapies to Tumors

PhysOrg.com, May 26, 2010 Using nanoporous silicon particles, two teams of investigators have created drug delivery vehicles capable of ferrying labile molecular therapies deep into the body, creating new opportunities for developing innovative anticancer therapies. Read Original Article>>

by Keith Schneider.

On Friday, May 21, President Obama gathered in the Rose Garden the
chiefs of his transportation and environmental departments to take the
next big step to leverage federal climate policy and clean energy
investment to spur new job growth.

The president directed Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson to draw up new rules that make heavy trucks much more fuel-efficient and produce less global warming gases.

“This standard will spur growth in the clean energy sector,” Obama
said. “We know how important that is. We know that our dependence on
foreign oil endangers our security and our economy. We know that
climate change poses a threat to our way of life. We know that our
economic future depends on our leadership in the industries of the
future.”

Response in Michigan

Three days later, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm was in Ypsilanti, midway between Detroit and Ann Arbor,
to praise executives of the Ford Motor Company. Ford is spending $10
million to retool one plant in Rawsonville to assemble battery packs
for next generation clean vehicles, and $125 million more in another
plant in Sterling Heights to build electric drive transaxles. The $135
million investment, made possible by $62.7 million in federal clean
vehicle grants from Obama’s 2009 stimulus act, will lead to 170 new
jobs, said Ford, and bring work currently occurring in Mexico and Japan
back to the United States.

“In a global economy we are fighting for every single job,” said
Gov. Granholm.  “We are not going to turn our back on the manufacturing
sector. We are not just going to be a nation that teaches each other to
dance or cuts hair. We are going to rebuild this country by having a
strong manufacturing sector. And it starts right here. “

The two ceremonies, occurring 500 miles apart, are the latest public
manifestations of a little recognized but exceptionally productive
political partnership between the president and Michigan’s governor
that is reshaping the American vehicle manufacturing sector, and
starting to produce big consequences for energy use, climate action,
and job production.

$6 Billion For batteries

Since Obama has taken office, Michigan has attracted roughly $6
billion in manufacturing investment focused on building batteries for
electric vehicles. Last August, after the president announced that the
Energy Department was awarding $2.4 billion in grants for battery
development and manufacturing, Vice President Joe Biden personally
travelled to the Detroit region to confirm that more than half, $1.3 billion,
would be spent in Michigan and contribute to developing 19,000 new jobs.

LG
Chem, the Korean battery maker, received $151.4 million from the
Department of Energy for the $303 million battery plant it is building
in Holland, near the Lake Michigan shoreline. The plant will
manufacture the power packs for the Chevy Volt, the plug-in hybrid that
General Motors says it will introduce later this year.  The LG Chem
plant opens in 2012 and is expected to employ 400 people.

Johnson Controls received a $299.2 million federal grant to make nickel-cobalt-metal
battery cells and packs, as well as produce battery separators in a
plant it also is building in Holland, Michigan in a joint venture with
Saft, the French battery maker. The project is expected to employ 550
people by 2014.

In all 17 new battery plants are either under construction or
nearing groundbreaking in Michigan, according to the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation, a state agency. Toda America,
a Japanese manufacturer of battery components, broke ground in Battle
Creek in April for a $70 million plant, half of it financed by federal stimulus funds, that will initially employ 60
people. A123 Systems,
an innovator of battery technology incubated at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology, is building two plants just outside Detroit.

Efficiency, emissions rules supported

It’s understandable that Granholm and auto industry executives are
enthusiastic about the state’s embrace of clean car technology. They
also support, after decades of resistance, the new efficiency and
emissions reduction rules. The regulatory standards have the effect of
producing new markets and force vehicle manufacturers to modernize
their thinking to compete. The convergence of new technology, new
regulation, and big federal and state investments has produced several
thousand new jobs announced to date. Each is viewed as precious in a
state overwhelmed by the downsizing of the auto industry and a riptide
of manufacturing job losses over the last decade.

In Washtenaw County, where Ford’s Rawsonville plant is located,
14,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared since 2001, according to county
figures. The state has lost a total of 800,000 jobs since 2000, half of
them in manufacturing according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Michigan has led the nation since the middle part of the last decade in
the rate of joblessness, which currently measures 14 percent, but also
is improving since it’s high of more than 15 percent late last year.

“These have been a really tough eight years for everybody. We’ve all
gone through it,” said Granholm on Monday. Then, brightening, she
added, “but today we are sending a message to the world. You can be
competitive manufacturing in the U.S. and in Michigan.”

Indeed, at times in her public appearances, Granholm appears almost
giddy about the germination stages of what could be a new era of
vehicle design and production in Michigan.

Big markets For clean vehicles

First are the market analyses that consistently predict big domestic and global markets for clean vehicles. In 2009, Deutsche Bank estimated that global sales of electric, hybrid, and other alternative fuel and advance technology vehicles stood at 1
million and could rise to 1.3 million this year, a 30 percent increase.
J.D. Power and Associates recently estimated that sales of
hybrid-electric vehicles could reach about 1.3 percent of an estimated
67 million light vehicle sales worldwide this year.

DTT Global Manufacturing Industry group estimates that by 2020,
electric vehicles and other “green” cars will represent up to a third
of total global sales in developed markets and up to 20 percent in
urban areas of emerging markets. “The drive for e-mobility is on the
rise and not only affects the automotive industry, but also other
related industries such as energy and resources,” Martin Hoelz,
Deloitte Germany partner and Global Automotive Affinity Group Leader
for DTT Global Manufacturing Industry group, said in a news release.

Ford alone plans to launch five new all-electric or hybrid
gasoline-electric vehicles in the U.S. by 2012 and in Europe by 2013.
One is an electric commercial van, the Transit Connect. Two others are
plug-in hybid electric sedans.

The second reason for Granholm’s fervor about clean vehicles is the
daring new clean energy and climate policies that the Obama
administration is steadily delivering to support them. She has
personally played a big role in that delivery system.

Following her 2006 re-election on a promise to produce new jobs, the
two-term Democrat seized on clean energy to leverage Michigan’s heavy
manufacturing prowess. Michigan approved a renewable energy standard
that required utilities to generate 10 percent of their power with
clean sources by 2015. It established a 21st century jobs
fund that provided millions for job growth, a good share focused on
attracting clean energy development. And it set aside $1 billion for
tax incentives to lure battery makers.

In 2008, candidate Obama campaigned on a message that envisioned a transition to the low-carbon economy that would wake up American industrial innovation, generate jobs, make the nation more secure, and
reduce the threat from climate change. He introduced his New Energy For America strategy in August 2008 in East Lansing, Michigan, a state that embraced the same ideas and had a governor who could deliver the votes to help send him to Washington.

A political partnership

Their relationship, at least in public, seems genuinely warm.
Granholm is routinely on the White House list of candidates for the
Supreme Court. Obama is a regular visitor to Michigan, appearing with
Granholm most recently on May 1 to deliver the commencement in front of 90,000 people at the University of Michigan, the largest crowd
the president has addressed since the Inauguration.

The partnership, in policy terms, has been substantive in ways
little noted in Washington or the nation. The Obama administration has
passed legislation and administrative rules to support the development
of a clean vehicle manufacturing sector that Granholm is determined to
base in Michigan.

The 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act contained over $3 billion for clean vehicle development including $2
billion for battery development, and $1.3 billion for electric and
alternative fueled vehicles. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has sent
Michigan substantial funds from a $25 billion clean vehicle
manufacturing account approved late in the Bush administration. The
Obama administration also has supervised the $50 billion investment
that taxpayers made to keep GM and Chrysler in business, making it much
easier to direct the companies to pursue new product lines since the
U.S. essentially owns both.

The president and his advisors, lastly, are ordering up the
administrative rules to ensure that the next generation of vehicles do
more with less. A year ago, Obama directed Secretary LaHood and
Administrator Jackson to develop rules for improving fuel mileage and
reducing greenhouse gas emissions in light cars and trucks beginning
with the 2012 model year. The government issued the rules on April 1
and the EPA estimated the new standards would save 1.8 billion barrels
of oil from 2012 to 2016, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900
million metric tons.

Big savings

Both are significant. The annual fuel savings, nearly 400 million
barrels, represent roughly 7 percent of all the oil used in America in
2006, according to the World Bank. The emissions reductions, roughly
180 million tons annually, represent over 3 percent of all carbon
emissions the U.S. produced in 2006. Last year in Copenhagen and
elsewhere, the administration said it wanted to cut greenhouse gas
emissions 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020. The clean vehicle rules
will help the U.S. reach that goal.

The new heavy truck rules that Obama ordered last week should also
produce substantial fuel and emissions savings. Heavy trucks, according
to industry analysts, consume more than two million barrels a day, or
about 12 percent of current daily use in the United States, and produce
a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions related to transportation.

“America has the opportunity to lead the world in the development of
a new generation of clean cars and trucks through innovative
technologies and manufacturing that will spur economic growth and
create high-quality domestic jobs, enhance our energy security, and
improve our environment,” the president said in a memorandum
accompanying the May 21 Rose Garden ceremony.

He added in his public remarks: “I believe that it’s possible, in
the next 20 years, for vehicles to use half the fuel and produce half
the pollution that they do today. But that’s only going to happen if we
are willing to do what’s necessary for the sake of our economy, our
security, and our environment.”

That message has reached deep into Michigan’s reviving vehicle
manufacturing sector. Lenawee Stamping, a producer of metal stamping
and welded fabrications is expanding a plant in Tecumseh to accommodate
more production of GM’s clean electric vehicles and produce almost 140
jobs. Magna Holdings of America, a designer and manufacturer of
automotive components and systems plans to invest $49.2 million to
expand its operations in four Michigan cities to produce electric car
systems and 500 more jobs, according to the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation.  Tenneco Automotive, which makes emission and
ride control products, is spending $15.6 million in Michigan to
manufacture next generation emissions systems that help manufacturers
comply with the new federal rules and generate 185 new jobs.

During a conference call with reporters on Friday after the White
House announcement, Gov. Granholm praised the new standards and said
Michigan was starting down the low-carbon path with promising results.
“We are particularly pleased that it will be one national standard and
not a patchwork of state by state regulations. That sends the right
market signals,” Granholm said, adding that her state is on its way to
becoming the “world capital of electric vehicles.”

Related Links:

The Climate Post: BP oil spill washes up on Potomac shores

A chat with energy analyst Trevor Houser about how to assess climate legislation

Obama preaches green tech gospel to California choir

I really like the idea of a birthday cake that doesn’t need any frosting to say “happy birthday” and is still clearly a birthday cake, as opposed to your average, everyday cake. After all, it’s nice when birthday cakes are a little bit special for the occasion. So, this silicone Birthday Cake Pan really appealed to me when I first heard about the design. It is a silicone pan that bakes the words “happy birthday” right onto a cake. I couldn’t resist trying one when I had the chance, to give the pan a dry run before I baked a real birthday cake in it.

The cake pan is good looking and performs like most silicone pans do, meaning that it is a bit floppy and really needs to be braced on a baking sheet when you put it in the oven. But it does work as advertised and cakes come out with a big “happy birthday” around the outside of each layer, as you can see below. There are a few minor things to note about this pan if you decide you want one, however. First, the impressions in the cake pan are not very deep, so denser cakes, brownies and even fudge are going to give you the best results. Second, some cakes will stick in the corners of the letters a little bit, so make sure that your cake cools completely in the pan before turning it out. Finally, even though the pan is nonstick, greasing and flouring the pan will help the cake come out even more easily and will give the letters some definition.

It’s a fun pan to play with and I like the fact that it doesn’t require any frosting to dress it up for a party. All you need is a quick dusting of powdered sugar will help the design stand out. I’ll be using it for brownies in the future because a denser recipe will give the design a clearer result and, frankly, brownies with a birthday message might be an even bigger hit at a party than a cake!

Here is a list of upcoming content scheduled for the Xbox LIVE Marketplace*
Please see the blog post I’ll make for each of these for pricing and/or regional availability.

Xbox LIVE Deal of the Week:

May 31: Movie Mania

Xbox LIVE Games on Demand:

June 1: Soulcalibur IV

June 1: Medal of Honor Airborne

Xbox LIVE Arcade:

June 2: Snoopy Flying Ace, 800 points

Xbox Avatar Marketplace:

June 3: Snoopy Flying Ace collection

Plus, The COD MW2: Resurgence Pack will be available on June 3rd for 1200 points

 

You may want to follow my Twitter account if you want to be reminded when many of the above items become available.

*Current schedule. Subject to change. All content may not be available in all Xbox LIVE regions.

There’s many ways your credit card can be stolen and exploited, but this is one of the more sophisticated: In this WIRED video, Detective Bob Watts of Newport Beach Police Department shows how crooks take your credit card numbers they steal off the internet and turn a blank plastic card into something they could swipe through a Best Buy scanner or plunk down at a fancy restaurant, complete with holograms and embossing. Using these techniques, one criminal ring racked up over a $1 million in fraud before they got busted.

RELATED: One Hacker’s Audacious Plan to Rule the Black Market in Stolen Credit Cards [WIRED]

Results reveal that the invasive species may not be as immediately threatening as certain local politicians and activists had previously argued.

No Asian carp turned up after a massive fish kill last week in the Chicago-area canals, officials announced Tuesday, suggesting that the threat of the invasive species isn’t as immediate as was feared. While more than 40 species of fish were found, none were the high-flying fish.

Regional politicians had argued the canals threatened to let the menacing fish into the Great Lakes.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources workers poisoned a two-mile stretch of the Little Calumet River and spent five days scooping up and sorting through the resulting 100,000 pounds of dead fish. The $1.5 million operation was the second such fish kill; a similar $3 million effort conducted in December turned up only one Asian carp.

Meanwhile federal biologist Duane Chapman has conducted research that found Asian carp tend to sink when poisoned, and told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it could take time for any poisoned carp to surface.

Asian carp have infested large stretches of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in recent years, touching off a political battle over whether the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal should be sealed off from Lake Michigan to prevent the fish from getting into the lake. Scientists fear that the invasive species could drastically alter the Great Lakes ecosystem and devastate its $7 billion sportfishing industry.

In March, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an effort by Michigan’s attorney general to force such a closure—an effort that drew legal support from Ontario and every other Great Lakes state but Illinois.

Water tests using a recently developed technique known as environmental DNA or eDNA had turned up evidence of Asian carp near Lake Michigan.

John Rogner, co-chair of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee that oversaw last week’s fish kill, said more work remains to be done to determine the threat that Asian carp pose.

“We will now look at the entire body of evidence collected thus far, including eDNA sampling results and all of our conventional sampling with nets and electrofishing gear to see if we can draw any further conclusions about the risk of invasion and establishment of Asian carp in Lake Michigan through the Chicago Area Waterway System,” Rogner said.

Sources: Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Read more about Asian carp on Circle of Blue.

That “Top Kill” maneuver that appeared so successful at blocking the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico earlier today? Not so successful anymore:

BP had to halt its ambitious effort to plug its stricken oil well in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday afternoon when engineers saw that too much of the drilling fluid they were injecting into the well was escaping along with the leaking crude oil.

A technician at the BP command center said that pumping of the fluid had to be stopped temporarily while engineers were revising their plans, and that the company hoped to resume pumping by midnight, if federal officials approved.

Back to golf balls?

Steve R. was the first of a bunch of you to send in the news that Hebrew University is suing GM for using Albert Einstein’s likeness in an ad. A separate article notes that Einstein “is among the world’s top-earning dead people” because so many people have to pay to license his image. Apparently Einstein, when he died, left his papers to the university, who is now cashing in. Nice to know that celebrating genius has a price, huh? Copyright is supposed to be about furthering the advancement of science, and here it’s being used to profit off the memory of a great scientist. Update: There’s a good discussion in the comments on the details of this, as it was not at all clear who owned what rights and what was being sued over in the original news articles. But folks have turned up the details, which involve publicity rights — a still emerging area of intellectual property law that differs greatly from state to state.

Permalink | Comments | Email This Story

Joel A. Feder, an expert in social media, is at the MAMA spring rally and happened to witness something very painful.

Last night during a storm that rolled through with hard rain followed by hail knocked down a tree in the parking lot. Unfortunately, the tree happened to land on a brand new Aston Martin Rapide and a Bentley Continental Supersports. While the Supersports got a way with no harm done to it, the Rapide faced a smashed windshield, a broken passenger side mirror and a nice dent on the hood.

Click here for more news on the Aston Martin Rapide.

Refresher: Power for the Aston Martin Rapide comes from a 6.0L V12 engine making 470-hp and a peak torque of 443 lb-ft. Mated to a Touchtronic 2 6-speed gearbox with electronic shift-by-wire control system, the, Aston Martin Rapide can go from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 188 mph.

Tree falls on Aston Martin Rapide:

Aston Martin Rapide:

– By: Kap Shah

Source: Joel Feder

Shots fired! Did Nicole Scherzinger background as a pop dancer and lead vocalist of The Pussycat Dolls (which is by definition a burlesque dance troupe) give the stunning singing star an unfair advantage in her quest for the Golden Mirrorball trophy on the 10th season of Dancing With The Stars?

Niecy Nash sure thinks so!

The actress-comedienne has a bone with Dancing producers over their casting of Scherzinger, who out-waltzed Olympian Evan Lysacek and ESPN’s Erin Andrews to be named DWTS champion on Wednesday’s finale. Nash would have enjoyed crowning a champ who showed progress throughout the competition. However, Nicole, as you may recall, has been hailed one of the best technical performers the show has every seen.

So while Nicole and pro partner Derek Hough are doing victory dances all over the Big Apple, Niecy is getting chatty about her displeasure with the whole thing.

“I like to see the growth,” the former Clean House host — who made it to the show’s Top 5 before being eliminated two weeks ago — spilled to PEOPLE Thursday. “Nicole today is who she was when she got here — she was a great dancer and she still is.”

“There were moments you couldn’t tell her from the pro dancers,” Niecy continued.

But is that such a bad thing? After all, DWTS is a dancing competition. Niecy thinks casting rhythmically-inclined performers, like Nicole, defeats the purpose of a competition.

“Dancing With the Stars is something that resonates with me when the contestants have a journey. I was such a big fan of Kelly Osbourne last year because she had the most transformation,” she added. “I cheer for the people who have evolved. To me, that’s what the competition should be.”

This is a guest post from New Deal 2.0.

With rampant corruption and elitism, America could be following the path of the Roman Republic.

“But, as statesmen, even these better aristocrats were not much less remiss and shortsighted than the average senators of the time. In presence of an outward foe the more eminent among them, doubtless, proved themselves useful and brave; but no one of them evinced the desire or the skill to solve the problems of politics proper, and to guide the vessel of the state through the stormy sea of intrigues and factions as a true pilot. Their political wisdom was limited to a sincere belief in the oligarchy as the sole means of salvation, and to a cordial hatred and courageous execration of demagogism as well as of every individual authority which sought to emancipate itself. Their petty ambition was contented with little.”
– Theodor Mommsen, History of Rome — the quote describes the political class of the Roman Republic’s last decades.

A century ago, Theodor Mommsen was globally renown for his history of the Roman Republic. For some reason, the book went out of print around WWII and never came back. Which is unfortunate, for Mommsen’s chronicles of the last decades of the republic are extremely relevant history for contemporary Americans. Remember, the Roman republic flourished from 500 BC to 50 BC, when it fell at the hands of Caesar. Of course today, if ever an American thinks of Rome, they undoubtedly think of Imperial Rome, the age of the emperors and its inglorious fall chronicled by Gibbon. Yet, Gibbon’s history begins where Mommsen’s ends. The fall of the Roman Republic was well known to America’s founders and its lessons well contemplated, for unlike Imperial Rome, the Republic fell at the height of its economic and military power. By the end, Rome’s politics were eminently corrupt and the weight of the empire that was conquered collapsed the unique system of self-government that had been created.

With most recent examples of the health care bill, the financial industry bill, the continued electoral buying and selling of our elected officials, and the growing ineptitude and corruption of our government agencies (the most recently reported in the MMS) who are responsible for regulation of the oil industry, it is obvious for all who care to look, we are on the same path of the Roman republic. And just as Rome, our political class’ petty ambition is content with little. Mommsen wrote history’s cold verdict on the republic’s fall:

“But, when a government cannot govern, it ceases to be legitimate, and whoever has the power has also the right to overthrow it. It is, no doubt, unhappily true that an incapable and flagitious government may for a long period trample under foot the welfare and honor of the land, before the men are found who are able and willing to wield against that government the formidable weapons of its own forging, and to evoke out of the moral revolt of the good and the distress of the many the revolution which is in such a case legitimate. But if the game attempted with the fortunes of nations may be a merry one and may be played perhaps for a long time without molestation, it is a treacherous game, which in its own time entraps the players; and no one then blames the axe, if it is laid to the root of the tree that bears such fruits. For the Roman oligarchy the time had now come.”

In his last years, Mommsen gave a series of lectures on Rome’s early emperors. When asked why he didn’t put them together in a book, he declared, “It’s too depressing.” The Roman republic’s decline took course over seven decades, from the Gracchi, maybe the republic’s last true reformers, to Caesar. The real question for us is, unlike the Romans, will we stand up and reform our unique system of self-government that has provided so much to us all? Or as Rome, will we simply succumb to a neo-Caesar? I’ve come to empathize a great deal more with the Republic’s last great defender, Cicero. I used to consider him completely politically inept, but over the years, through experience, I have developed a much greater sympathy for the environment in which he toiled. Cicero wrote,

“Long before our time the customs of our ancestors molded admirable men, in turn these men upheld the ways and institutions of their forebears. Our age, however, inherited the Republic as if it were some beautiful painting of bygone ages, its colors already fading through great antiquity; and not only has our time neglected to freshen the colors of the picture, but we have failed to preserve its forms and outlines.”

Joe Costello was communications director for Jerry Brown’s 1992 presidential campaign and was a senior adviser for Howard Dean’s effort in 2004.

Join the conversation about this story »

Via KurzweilAI.net — The latest in fighting cancer with nanotechnology.

Self-Assembling Gold Nanoparticles Use Light to Kill Tumor Cells

PhysOrg.com, May 26, 2010 Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a method for creating supramolecular assemblies of gold nanoparticles that function as highly efficient photothermal agents for delivery to tumors, using a laser beam to heat the nanoparticles above 374 degreesC, the temperature at which explosive microbubbles form. Read Original Article>>

Germany based tuning firm DMC grabs a hold of the Lamborghini Murcielago and outfits it the best way they know how. If you’re a proud owner of one of these machines you can now “spruce” it up with a light weight carbon fiber body alongside white carbon rims. Taking things to new luxurious heights, you can also upgrade the head rests with ostrich leather. Other additions include a re-designed spoiler, new hood, side vents, and a stabilizing diffusor. As for the powerplant, 670 horsepower 6.5 V12 allows this machine to go 60mph in just 3.2 seconds. All while secured in by a red-carbon cage. DMC are taking orders now and first examples are expected to arrive in July.

Continue reading for more images.

Source: James List

Michigan, Quanta Inc.

Looking for an experienced SQE with a BSME or BSEE. Candidates should have some industry diversity in their background other than automotive, such as defense, pharmaceutical, chemical, renewable energy, etc.  Manager is looking for someone that has a strong personality and works well under stress. Must be willing and able to travel.

Please send resume and salary info.

Memorial Day is the first long weekend during which car fans can get out and hit the open road. Whether you want to take an “I just won the lottery” trip or a “Let’s just get outta here” trip, AutoWeek has you covered. First, the dream road-trip cars and some dream trips, then some practical ideas.

Wherever you go, enjoy the ride.

1956 Porsche 550 Spyder

The 550, known alternately as the “Little Bastard” for killing James Dean, and the “Giant Killer” for destroying the competition on the racetrack, sold for only $6,800 new. Today, that number is about $1 million, but replicas can be had for a tenth of that. A road trip with the 550 would take you to Park Cemetery in Fairmount, Ind., the final resting place of the Rebel Without a Cause.

2010 Audi R8 Spyder V10

When the R8 dropped its top at the end of last year, it became one of the biggest hits at the Los Angeles auto show. So it’s no surprise that it makes our summer-car list. A 10-cylinder, 525-hp engine doesn’t hurt either. The first stop on an R8 road trip would be Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, then Laguna Beach.

2010 Bentley Continental GTC

The Bentley convertible will whoosh you away with speed, style and room for four. But don’t stray too far off the main roads; you will need to find gas stations. Often. We think that’s a small price to pay for the royalty that is the flying B. Take it to Los Angeles. Get discovered.

1966 Jaguar E-type

The gorgeous E-type didn’t make its stateside debut until March 1961. By 1966, a 2+2 version with an automatic transmission was available for the connoisseurs who had kiddies. These days, you can score an E-type in decent condition for less than 50-grand. The perfect road trip? A week of traveling the back roads in Coventry, England, the E-Type’s spiritual home.

2010 Aston Martin DBS Volante

What does James Bond take on vacation? Volante, DBS Volante. With a top speed of 191 mph, the DBS is fast enough to dodge raindrops but still slick enough to step out onto the red carpet. Take it Cannes, France. And win yourself a Palme d’Or. Or pick up someone who did.

2010 Tesla Roadster

Sure, you may need 10 of them to make it across the country, but at least you’ll be green! The six-figure roadster goes 245 miles on a charge, less if you’re liberal with the gas pedal. But with the top down and a sub-4-second 0-to-60-mph time, you won’t even care. Ferry it to Costa Rica; it has a tiny eco footprint, and the locals will be happy to have the tourism. I believe la electricidad is the word you’ll need.

2010 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

Even though the top doesn’t go down, this is a serious road-trip cruiser. Not only will it cover distance, quickly, but it will do it with the comfort Mercedes always affords. Take the SLS on a trip to where it’s most comfortable, der Autobahn.

1946 Ford Super Deluxe (Woodie)

Who needs steel when you have wood? The 1940s Woodies were perfect for the surfer generation because they were cheap, they fit a lot of people, and they could be easily fixed with woodworking skills. Same goes for a road trip; gasoline is a lot cheaper when you’re splitting it six ways. Strap on some longboards and travel to Australia; Surfer’s Paradise is at the southern edge of Queensland.

2009 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport

We couldn’t leave the world’s fastest convertible off the list. Each of the Grand Sport’s 16 cylinders accounts for 62 hp and about 57 lb-ft of torque. That adds up to a top speed of just less than 253 mph, with no roof. The only place to take the Veyron is Eyre Highway in Australia. It’s said to be the straightest, flattest road in the world.

2010 Ferrari 458 Italia

The newest edition to the Ferrari family will take you and a friend on the road trip of your dreams–as long as your dreams involve gobs of red paint and blurring scenery. With 562 horses on tap and seven speeds to spread them over, the ultimate 458 road trip would include a drive to Stelvio Pass in Italy. The road’s 60 hairpins and almost two-mile climb are challenges to the even the strongest-willed driver.

The Practicals–What you’ll really be taking

2011 Mustang GT Convertible

The return of the 5.0 in convertible form isn’t just a way to road trip; it’s a reason. The Mustang is well priced and fits four, or three if you’re going to be in there for a while. It has enough cache to get some nods on the highway and enough power to get some revs at a stoplight.

2010 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible

The 2010 Grand Sport is the slightly stronger first cousin of the base model. It gets unique side vents and gently massaged motor to boot. Get it in yellow and look for that 5.0.

2010 Mazda Miata

The Miata is a staple whenever we talk about convertibles for any reason. You know it won’t be left off our road-trip choices. The perfectly balanced Miata is a blast on road trips, as long as you don’t need much luggage. It’s perfect for autocrossing your way across the country.

2010 Chrysler Town & Country

Ha. Ha. Ha. It fits eight, has televisions galore, a stow-and-go table for cards and gets more than 20 mpg on the freeway. That is a road-trip car. It may not get you noticed on the beach, but with all of these goodies, laugh smugly to yourself.

2010 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

If the Jeep was good enough for the Americans to road-trip through Germany, then it’s good enough for you. Get rid of the ragtop and hit the forest trails. There isn’t much a Jeep can’t handle.

For more

Source: Car news, reviews and auto show stories

by Ashley Braun.

Sure, most people living in the Western world could probably definitely do with consuming much, much less stuff. But this Chicago couple demonstrates the extreme: what can happen when a throwaway society like ours throws you away. Turns out you actually can be consumed by your own consumption. (Lucky for them, this pair survived.)

If this isn’t enough to prompt a spring cleaning of your house and your values, then there’s an HGTV show out there for you.

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Today in special interest giveaways, the “jobs bill” edition:

The pending bill still includes a $38 million extension of a
depreciation break for “certain motorsport entertainment complexes,”
otherwise known as the NASCAR break. And television and film producers
would reap an expensing provision worth $46 million over 10 years.

Puerto Rican and Virgin Island rum manufacturers would receive
excise tax breaks worth $131 million over 10 years; a second Puerto
Rican manufacturing break is worth $185 million. American Samoa would
receive a payment worth $18 million “in lieu of (an) economic
development credit,” according to the bill. The bill also extends trade
protections for the domestic cotton industry.

Puerto Rico – American Samoa – Virgin Island – United States – Caribbean