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  • Mazda CX-7 2.2 CRTD 173 CV, prueba (Parte II)

    mazda_cx-7

    Seguimos con la prueba del Mazda CX-7 que acaba de estrenar un nuevo motor diesel, el 2.2 CRTD de 173 CV. Como de costumbre puedes ver la primera parte para estar al tanto de todo lo relacionado con el motor y el comportamiento de este SUV. Comportamiento que no presenta prácticamente ninguna pega, y que hacen del CX-7 un vehículo muy sencillo de conducir, cercano a la conducción de un turismo.

    Ahora en esta segunda parte nos centraremos en el diseño del Mazda, que dista mucho de los demás SUV. Además también nos toca hablar de la habitabilidad interior, así como de la calidad de los materiales que nos hemos topado en el interior del Mazda CX-7.

    Diseño exterior

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    El aspecto exterior del CX-7 cuenta con formas y líneas de diseño bastante musculosas. Con sus 4,7 metros de largo, cuenta tintes deportivos como casi todos los diseños de la firma japonesa. Es curioso como incluso a un SUV de este tamaño y características, ese diseño de líneas fluidas y de tintes deportivos le aporta un toque diferente, y alejado de los modelos más conocidos del mercado que pueblan nuestras ciudades.

    Visto desde el frontal da la sensación de ser un vehículo voluminoso o de gran tamaño, pero en la práctica es más sencillo maniobrar con el por ciudad que por ejemplo con un Citroën C-Crosser.

    Con la llegada del motor diesel a finales de 2009 también llego un pequeño restyling exterior con cambios que afectan a la parrilla, más cromados y nuevo diseño de los faros antiniebla.

    mazda_cx-7

    Nuestro Mazda CX-7 estaba equipado con el nivel de equipamiento más elevado, el Luxury, y por tanto venía con unas llantas de aleación de 19 pulgadas y medidas 235/55 R19. LLantas que como ya explicamos en la parte anterior, no eran lo mejor para zonas fuera del asfalto, incluso las llantas de 18″ que vienen con los niveles de equipamiento inferiores serían más recomendables para sacarlo del asfalto, pero bueno tampoco es lo que se busca con este SUV.

    Diseño interior y habitabilidad

    Al sentarnos en su interior, lo primero que nos gusta es la postura de conducción, elevada con una buena visibilidad frontal y con los pedales en posición más horizontal que en otros modelos y muy cómodos también. En cuanto a la visibilidad, pese a que frontalmente es muy buena los diferentes ángulos del diseño del coche no ayudan demasiado a la hora de aparcarlo ni de tener suficiente visibilidad, pero para eso está la tecnología como la cámara de visión trasera o un sistema que nos avisa del ángulo muerto del retrovisor para poder cambiarnos de carril con toda seguridad.

    mazda_cx-7

    Los asientos recogen muy bien el cuerpo, y en nuestra versión eran de cuero y de bastante buena calidad. Por otra parte si nos quedamos con el salpicadero no tiene una formas que enamoren, pero el uso del equipamiento es muy sencillo y con botones grandes y de fácil manejo. Los plásticos que lo recubren todo tienen un buen tacto, y según Mazda están diseñados para que duren sin perder la calidad.

    La mayor pega, quizás sea la concentración de mandos que tiene el volante, por una parte el conductor tiene todo a mano, pero el navegador es una pena que sólo se pueda configurar desde los mandos del volante, puesto que el copiloto podría modificar algo sin distraer al conductor, y la pantalla del navegador es de un tamaño bastante pequeño.

    mazda_cx-7

    No se porque, pero los Mazda siempre han tenido las pantallas más bien pequeñas y cargadas de información y este no es una excepción, puesto que el navegador podría ser algo más grande pero la otra pantalla donde vemos la información de audio y climatización es bastante pequeña también.

    Pero no podemos dejar pasar por alto la intrumentación, que se ilumina en un tono violeta que nos vuelve a dejar claro el espíritu deportivo de este SUV y que es un buen detalle de diseño. Nuestra unidad contaba además con apertura y arranque sin llave, por lo que en su lugar había un mando giratorio que hacía las veces de llave (sin duda me gusta más que el botón).

    mazda_cx-7

    El interior del CX-7 es bastante amplio, si bien, es cierto que hay SUV de menor tamaño y con un espacio similar, pero aún así se puede viajar con el de manera cómoda y amplia. Las plazas traseras cuenta con suficiente espacio tanto para las piernas como para la cabeza, y dos adultos viajarán de manera muy cómoda, mientras que como de costumbre la plaza del medio es más incómoda.

    En general el ambiente interior, en cuanto a calidad de materiales (pese a que hay bastante plástico) es bastante buena y si sitúa por encima de la mayoría de los SUV generalistas, distando bastante poco en calidad de acabados con algunos que se denominan premiums.

    Maletero y huecos

    mazdacx7

    Si nos vamos al apartado de huecos, en la consola central aún encontramos huecos para dejar cosas, pero las bolsas de las puertas son de un tamaño más bien pequeño. En el caso del maletero, cubica una capacidad de 455 litros, una medida que se sitúa dentro de lo normal en el segmento, pero tenemos que recordar que al menos lleva rueda de repuesto de tamaño normal. El CX-7 se puede convertir en una verdadera furgoneta si abatimos los asientos traseros, puesto que la superficie de carga aumenta considerablemente.

    Por tanto tenemos un SUV con un diseño exterior diferente, un interior amplio con bastante presencia del plástico pero que se nota calidad en los diferentes mandos, y un equipamiento de manejo sencillo. En la tercera parte de la prueba, nos meteremos con el equipamiento de este Mazda y los precios, así como nuestra valoración general del modelo.

    mazda_cx-7

    Fotos | David Taboada
    Agradecimientos a Borja por la colaboración en la prueba



  • The Unanswered Questions About Google TV

    Murphy was in the room when Google unveiled its Google TV platform at its I/O developer conference today. The demo was plagued with numerous problems, with remote controls losing sync and questionable content showing up on the TV feeds used to demonstrate Google TVs integration of the Web and the TV. Those snags turned the keynote, which was also used for a much smoother presentation of the new Android 2.2 version, into a three-hour long marathon session, and Best Buy’s CEO  Brian Dunn had a hard time sounding convincing when he said he wanted a Google TV device “right now.”

    However, technical hiccups weren’t the only issues that made the Google TV pitch sound less than ready for prime time. Google also made no mention at all of its new WebM initiative that was announced yesterday, which includes open sourcing its VP8 video codec. And in the inverse, Intel is powering all of the Google TV devices announced on stage today, but the chip maker was notably absent from the WebM announcement. Asked about this at a press conference following the unveiling of Google TV, Intel CEO Paul Otellini said that the first version of the company’s Atom chip won’t actually support any hardware acceleration for VP8, but that the company plans to enable this through software updates.

    Also puzzling was that Google’s video sharing site YouTube played a minor role in this announcement. Google VP of Product Hunter Walk was invited on stage to demo a beta site offering a lean-back experience for YouTube, but Chandra resorted to Sesamestreet.org, and not Sesame Street’s clips on YouTube, to demo some of the device’s customized search capabilities. YouTube representatives weren’t even invited on stage during the Google TV press briefing, and there were no indications that Google has any plans to ramp up its content offerings on YouTube to make it the content repository of choice for Google TV.

    There are also some open questions how Google’s will incorporate advertising into its TV platform. Google CEO Eric Schmidt dodged a question about new advertising formats through Google TV, simply stating that ads on Google TV devices will either be delivered through websites or traditional TV programming. Of course, there’s also a third option, which would be to deliver ads through Android apps optimized for Google TV, which could potentially compete with broadcast ads running on the same screen. Chandra clarified later that there is no immediate plans to roll out such formats when the devices launch this fall.

    And finally there are still unanswered questions about whether content from Hulu will actually play back on Google TV devices once these ship in fall. Hulu search results showed up during today’s demo, but the video site wasn’t actually part of the demo itself. Vic Chandra said during the press briefing that Google TV, in combination with Flash 10.1, will enable the capability to play back any Flash content. However, there’s a caveat: “Sites can make the decision not to enable content,” Chandra added. In other words: Hulu could still lock out Google TV users, just like they did with Boxee in early 2009.

    Image courtesy of Flickr user Ryan Holst.

    Related content on GigaOm Pro: TV Apps: Evolution from Novelty to Mainstream (subscription required)


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  • Pac-Man 30th Anniversary! Last Day At Google Download PacMan to Play Offline

    Pac-Man: Happy 30th Anniversary!Pac-Man 30th Anniversary arrived to its last day at googe search engine, you can still play there with the Logo based pacman game, but if you want to play after google is returning to normal logo you have plenty choices to do it. The Pacman 30th anniversary google special was the biggest success in google doodle history and it deserves an award for this. Keeping alive the oldest video game is easy if you are the biggest search engine and you simply replace the logo with a game.

    So those of you who want to continue playing pacman for free we looked for the download options. You can download the game here, and play it offline when google ends the Pacman Doodle. Hit the iPhone appstore and you can download there Mac-Man which is similar to pacman but its made from apple symbols, I played that game many time and it simply rocks. Macman is free at Cidya so jailbreaked iphone users can get it free, and you always can play for free in various internet portals.

    Still enjoy the google version before you download Pacman game for your computer, hit the insert coin button an play the two player version. Google always amazes us with remarkable things and I think this time they raised the limit with Pac-Man 30th Anniversary craze and interactive Doodle.

    Related posts:

    1. Pac-Man 30th Anniversary! Third Day With Playable Google Logo
    2. Last Day of Pac-Man 30th Anniversary! Enjoy While It Lasts
    3. PacMan 30th anniversary: Google PacMan game

  • Federer vs Nadal on 2010 French Open

    Federer and NadalMay 23: On the Red Courts of Roland Garros, is the start of the French Open 2010 where it will contain the world’s awaited battle between the two best players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Federer is the defending champion of this Open and with the Australian Open title already beneath his belt in 2010, while millions still considers Rafael Nadal as the best clay player of all time and even now.

    Nadal, the former world number one is aiming to recapture the title he lost in 2009. The Spanish professional tennis player won six Grand Slam singles titles, the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles, a record 18 Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments and also was part of the Spain Davis Cup team that won the finals in 2004, 2008 and 2009. Nadal was ranked World No. 1 from 18 August 2008 to 5 July 2009. Nadal was ranked World No. 2, behind Roger Federer for a record 160 weeks before earning the top spot. In 2009, he became the first player to simultaneously hold Grand Slam titles on clay, grass and hardcourt. His success on clay has earned him the nicknameThe King of Clay.

    The Swiss professional tennis player Roger Federer, is ranked World No. 1 (as of 17 May 2010) by the ATP, having previously held the number one position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. Considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all time, Federer has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other male player. Federer has appeared in an unprecedented 22 career Grand Slam finals, and as of January 2010, has reached the semi-finals or better of the last 23 Grand Slam tournaments, a record streak that spans over six years. Federer also holds the record of reaching 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and has appeared in 18 of the last 19. Federer has won 4 ATP World Tour Finals and 16 ATP Masters Series tournaments, two fewer than all-time leader Rafael Nadal. He also won the Olympic Gold Medal in doubles with his compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

    The toughest grand slam would test the limits of the two competitors as they face the challenge of being number one.

    Related posts:

    1. Henin, Nadal Back To Regain Lost Glory
    2. Roland Garros Awaits For Nadal
    3. Soderling Beats Andy Murray at BNP Paribas Quarter Finals

  • Is Aging a Disease?

    Is Aging a Disease?
    Reuters: Is aging a disease? It’s clear that the simple fact of growing older — chronological aging — is relentless and unstoppable. But experts studying the science of aging say it’s time for a fresh look at the biological process — one which recognizes it as a condition that can be manipulated, treated and delayed.

  • Sunday Talking Heads: May 23, 2010

    Sunday Talking Heads: May 23, 2010
    Primary Election Returns, Oil Spill.

    Hurricane Creekkeeper, along with SouthWings pilot Tom Hutchings and his daughter Brinkley, fly out to the source of the BP slick to give us a bird’s eye view of the disaster.  The sadness in his voice is heartbreaking, “We have to do something.  We need every scientific mind in the country working on this, and not just those at BP who are trying to protect the resource.”  (YouTube link, h/t to TalkingStick for the video.)

    There’s a lot of talk scheduled about the primary elections, a little about the oil spill, and some pretty stale roundtables.

    Washington Journal: 7:45am – Alex Isenstadt, Politico.  8:30am – Donald Kerwin, Migration Policy Institute.  9:15am – Victor Cha, Center for Strategic & International Studies, Former Director for Asian Affairs National Security Council 2004-07.

    ABC’s This Week: Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tim Kaine, and the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele. RoundtableSam Donaldson, Cokie Roberts, Donna Brazile, George Will.

    CBS’ Face The Nation: Robert Gibbs White House Press Secretary.  Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Chairman, Republican Conference, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) Democratic Senate Candidate.

    Chris Matthews: Norah O’Donnell, Howard Fineman, Jonathan Alter, Kathleen ParkerTopics: How Can Barack Obama Run Against Washington This Year?  Rand Paul’s Civil Rights Problem.

    CNN’s State of the Union: Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) and Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN).  BP’s Managing Director, Robert Dudley, then Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the Coast Guard.

    Fareed Zakaria – GPS: “[O]ne man’s terrifying experience in Russia — that raises much bigger questions about that country and where it is headed.  Plus, the President of Georgia on dealing with Russia two years after the Georgian war.  And finally, two experts discuss Putin’s Russia.”

    Fox News Sunday: Rand Paul Sarah Palin.  Then, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Tim Kaine, and the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele.  Fox News AllStars: Brit Hume, Mara Liasson, Bill Kristol, Kirsten PowersPower Player of the Week: Ginni Thomas, Founder of Liberty Central /Wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

    NBC’s Meet The Press: Rand Paul ? replacement.  Plus, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA).  Then, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) vs. the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ). Roundtable: Tom Friedman, Paul Gigot, Andrea Mitchell, Bob Woodward.

    Newsmakers: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) explained the source of anti-incumbent sentiment among voters and how it may affect his Party’s majority prospects in the November elections.

    Q & A: Terence Samuel, author of the new book “The Upper House: A Journey Behind the Closed Doors of the U.S. Senate.” It looks at the institution of the Senate and some of its members. Mr. Samuel was chief congressional correspondent for U.S. News & World Report from 2000 to 2005.

    Religion & Ethics: SCOTUS Juvenile Sentencing Decision.  AZ Immigration Law.  Gossip.  Drones and the Ethics of War.

    60 Minutes: Are They Safe? – Chemicals called phthalates found in soft plastic products we use everyday are so ubiquitous, that traces of them can be found in everybody. The government has banned some of them in children’s toys for fear they may be harmful, but are they?  The SEED School – There’s a unique urban public boarding school that’s giving kids from an inner-city neighborhood a shot at college they never had before.  Marty’s Big Idea – Hear the story of the invention of the cell phone from the man whose team came up with it at Motorola. The inventor, Martin Cooper, is still at it, improving the gadget he came up with 37 years ago.

    To The Contrary: Topics: 1- Sarah Palin and Frontier Feminism; 2- Why Latina entrepreneurship is essential to Hispanic wealth and community building.  Panelists: Former EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez; Progressive Commentator Patricia Sosa; Independent Women’s Forum’s Nicole Kurokawa; the Center for American Progress’ Heather Boushey; Small Business Owner Leticia Velez-Hudson.

    Univison’s Al Punto: Dan Restrepo, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council; Juan Hernandez, Expert on U.S.- Mexico Relations and Former Cabinet Member During the Presidency of Vicente Fox; Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the FCC; Barabara Palacios, Former Miss Universe, Entrepreneur and Writer.

    Virtually Speaking: Avedon Carol and Jay Ackroyd.  Big news this week is, yet again, what was supposed to be evidence for a repeat of a 1994 GOP sweep of the Hill turned out not to be. Avedon and I will mock the excuses,then discuss reasonably seriously the role of incumbency in this mini election cycle. Then we will discuss the fascinating question of the new petroleum enriched Gulf ecosystem.

    C-SPAN’s Book TV.

    FDL Book Salon: An End to al-Qaeda: Destroying Bin Laden’s Jihad and Restoring America’s HonorCareer intelligence officer Malcolm Nance proposes a quantum shift in how to eliminate al-Qaeda in less than twenty-four months, while recreating America’s reputation as a force for good around the world.”  Come chat with author Malcolm Nance, 5pm ET.

    FDL Movie Night Monday: Patent Absurdity: How Software Patents Broke The SystemPatent Absurdity explores the case of software patents and the history of judicial activism that led to their rise, and the harm being done to software developers and the wider economy.”  Watch the movie online. Join Luca Lucarini, Director, Cinematographer, Editor; Peter Brown, Producer; and host Lisa Derrick, 8pm ET.


  • Honduran Judges Fight Back

    Honduran Judges Fight Back
    Remember that coup in Honduras last year? Well, a group of judges who were fired after making legal decisions against the widely-accepted-as-illegal coup have launched a hunger strike against their dismissal. The judges say their dismissal was a political maneuver, claiming the high court in Honduras is defending the interests of the coup government and not justice or national interest. —JCL Al Jazeera English: A group of Honduran judges and lawyers have launched a protest after being fired by the supreme court. The men say their dismissal has nothing to do with their performance and everything to do with politics. Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reports from Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital. Read more

    Remember that coup in Honduras last year? Well, a group of judges who were fired after making legal decisions against the widely-accepted-as-illegal coup have launched a hunger strike against their dismissal.

    The judges say their dismissal was a political maneuver, claiming the high court in Honduras is defending the interests of the coup government and not justice or national interest. —JCL

    Al Jazeera English:

    A group of Honduran judges and lawyers have launched a protest after being fired by the supreme court.

    The men say their dismissal has nothing to do with their performance and everything to do with politics.

    Al Jazeera’s Kimberly Halkett reports from Tegucigalpa, the Honduran capital.

    Read more

    Related Entries


  • Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Why Didn’t Rand Paul Fire His Racially Suspect Mouthpiece?

    Earl Ofari Hutchinson: Why Didn’t Rand Paul Fire His Racially Suspect Mouthpiece?
    The news hit last December that there was a racially inflammatory picture of the lynching of a black man next to a smiling cherubic…

    Frank Rich Takes On The ‘Randslide’
    If there is one certain outcome to recent American elections, it’s this: The results will invariably prove most of the Beltway’s settled political narratives wrong….

    AIG Executives Won’t Face Criminal Charges, Lawyers Say
    The Justice Department has decided not to file criminal charges against the former head of a division at American International Group Inc. whose dealings in…

    Republican Charles Djou Wins House Seat In Obama’s Home District
    HONOLULU — A Honolulu city councilman has defeated two Democrats to give Republicans a midterm election victory in the U.S. congressional district where President Barack…

  • Paul Has Been Guest Of Conspiracy Theorist Shock Jock Alex Jones (VIDEO)

    Paul Has Been Guest Of Conspiracy Theorist Shock Jock Alex Jones (VIDEO)
    Kentucky Republican Senate nominee Rand Paul has been a guest on the show of wacky conspiracy theorist radio host Alex Jones multiple times in the past couple years.


    Alex JonesRand PaulConspiracy theoryNew World OrderUnited States

    Presented By:

  • Arnieville pops up in Berkeley

    Arnieville pops up in Berkeley
    Activissts in Berkeley have set up a tent city, called “Arnieville,” to protest recent budget cuts in California. Photos were taken on Saturday morning, May 22, 2010.

  • All of Us Use Drugs, But Only Some of Us Go to Jail!

    All of Us Use Drugs, But Only Some of Us Go to Jail!
    Despite a $40 billion a year "war on drugs," our country is swimming in them. They aren’t going anywhere.

    Despite a $40 billion a year "war on drugs," our country is swimming in them. They aren't going anywhere.

  • Think Twice on Iran

    Think Twice on Iran
    The conventional wisdom in Washington seems to be that the Iran-Brazil-Turkey deal to take about half of Tehran’s enriched uranium out of the country in exchange for access to fuel for a medical isotope reactor was merely a ploy to…


    Class in America
    John Williams runs a site called Shadow Government Statistics, based on the premise that the Federal government has been lying to you since the mid 1990’s about some crucial statistics. His most critical calculation is on unemployment. I have regularly…

    Harvard Needs To Fire Dershowitz & Ha’aretz’ Gideon Levy On The Israel Of Israelis’ Dreams
    The media went into a frenzy this week over some kid who lied his way into Harvard. Big deal. Some 22 year old is incapable of doing the damage to Harvard done by a major law professor who uses his…


    Middle EastAlan DershowitzWarfare and ConflictUnited StatesIsrael

  • Texas Board Of Education Members Largely Stay Silent When Man Says ?Islam Brings Death?

    Texas Board Of Education Members Largely Stay Silent When Man Says ?Islam Brings Death?
    One of the most contentious issues in the debate over what to include in Texas’ social studies textbooks surrounds the separation of church and state. The far-right members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) argue that America is a Christian nation and separation of church and state is a myth. In March, a majority […]

    One of the most contentious issues in the debate over what to include in Texas’ social studies textbooks surrounds the separation of church and state. The far-right members of the State Board of Education (SBOE) argue that America is a Christian nation and separation of church and state is a myth. In March, a majority of SBOE members voted “against requiring high school American government students to learn that the nation’s Founders barred government from favoring or disfavoring one religion over all others.”

    At the opening of yesterday’s session — where the board gave final approval to the social studies standards — far-right member Cynthia Dunbar gave the invocation, in which she used the prayer to pusher her anti-church-state separation agenda:

    Whether we look to the first charter of Virginia, or the charter of New England or the Charter of Massachusetts Bay, or the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, the same objective is present: a Christian land governed by Christian principles. I believe the entire Bill of Rights came into being because of the knowledge our forefathers had of the Bible and their belief in it. … I like to believe we are living today in the spirit of the Christian religion.

    Watch it:

    Additionally, during a session this past week that included debate and comment from members of the public, a man stood up and said, “I have to tell you: Islam is coming, and Islam brings death. So I say, ‘Repent America, repent.’” CNN said that Lawrence Allen, the one Muslim member of the board, called the man out for his “insulting” comments, but not one of the other 14 members complained. Watch it:

    A May 4-12 poll conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research for the TFN Education Fund found that “68 percent of likely Texas voters agree that church-state separation is a key principle of the Constitution.” That number included “59 percent of Republicans, 76 percent of Democrats and 74 percent of political independents believing it is a key principle.”

    Rove Ludicrously Claims Bush White House Never Questioned Opponents? ?Motives? Or Called Them Names
    Former White House advisor Karl Rove made a name for himself as President Bush’s “architect” by employing underhanded tactics to win elections and smear opponents. So it was startling that during a book signing in Oklahoma this week Rove declared that Bush “never allowed” staffers to call their opposition “disparaging labels,” or “question their […]

    Rove3 Former White House advisor Karl Rove made a name for himself as President Bush’s “architect” by employing underhanded tactics to win elections and smear opponents. So it was startling that during a book signing in Oklahoma this week Rove declared that Bush “never allowed” staffers to call their opposition “disparaging labels,” or “question their motives“:

    “President Bush, for example, never allowed a White House staffer or administration spokesman to go out and do what this administration and our predecessor routinely did — that is to engage in calling the leaders of the opposition party disparaging labels and question their motives,” he said.

    As The Oklahoman’s Ryan Dean noted, “In fact, Rove and other members of the Bush administration were routinely critical of opponents to the Iraq war and questioned their patriotism.” In a 2007 speech, Rove directly challenged the “motives” of his political opponents when he implied that Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) intentionally used rhetoric that would endanger American soldiers:

    ”Let me just put this in fairly simple terms: Al Jazeera now broadcasts the words of Senator Durbin to the Mideast, certainly putting our troops in greater danger. No more needs to be said about the motives of liberals.

    During the 2008 campaign, Rove cast doubt on now-President Obama’s patriotism by attacking him for not wearing a flag pin — even though Rove wasn’t wearing one at the time — and criticized Michelle Obama for not showing “adequate enough” patriotism after she had given a lengthy speech professing her love of country.

    And in the very same speech where Rove touted the honesty of the Bush White House, Rove falsely attributed a statement to President Obama that was actually made by Michelle.

  • Hawaii holds special election for House seat; Democrats expect loss in Obama’s birthplace

    Hawaii holds special election for House seat; Democrats expect loss in Obama’s birthplace
    Democrats are bracing for the loss of a House seat Saturday in President Obama’s birthplace of Hawaii, where a special election in a heavily Democratic district has inflamed tensions within the party .


    DemocraticUnited StatesBarack ObamaHawaiiPresident

    Primaries school: What GOP can learn before midterm elections
    Democrats got an election-year wake-up call in January when they lost the Massachusetts Senate seat long held by Edward M. Kennedy. Did Republicans get their wake-up call last week?


    RepublicanUnited StatesElectionsPoliticsDemocratic

    Months of intense negotiations led to passage of financial overhaul bill
    When Christopher J. Dodd arrived at the White House that Wednesday morning in March, he was wrestling with a fateful choice.


    BusinessFinancial servicesBarack ObamaUnited StatesDemocratic

    TALK SHOWS
    Guests to be interviewed Sunday on major television talk shows:



    TelevisionTalk showConan O’BrienTonight ShowTalk radio

    Results of Kandahar offensive may affect future U.S. moves
    The Obama administration’s campaign to drive the Taliban out of Afghanistan’s second-largest city is a go-for-broke move that even its authors are unsure will succeed.


    KandaharUnited StatesTalibanAfghanistanWar in Afghanistan

  • Pac-Man: Happy 30th Anniversary!

    Pac-Man: Happy 30th Anniversary! Who has not ever played the popular ‘Pacman‘? Pac-Man video game that has made thousands of versions and adaptations, now 30 years old. Indeed, it was the May 22, 1980 when the program created by game designer Toru Iwatani Namco for the company began to be distributed by Midway Games in the United States, becoming one of the best known and played video games throughout the world. This is the story of the good old Pac-Man.

    In the late 1970s, the supply of games for gaming machines  was pretty stagnant. Despite still be a very profitable business, much of the available games seemed to be mere “clones” of “Space Invaders” or some sort of space combat. The players began to get bored of shooting pixelated Martians, and demanded something new. In this context appeared with new game mechanics, Pac-Man, and it was completely different to anything known.

    Pac-Man is a product of the Japanese company Namco. The idea of the game was born in 1979, when Toru Iwanati, a young game designer who worked 25 years at that company, was eating. According to legend, Iwanati had just cut a pizza when, to take the first portion, looked what was left of it: a circle with a sort of mouth. At the time he got the idea for a new video game. In early 1980, with the help of programmer Shigeo Funaki and three other company employees, Toru finished programming the videogame, which was dubbed “Puck-Man”, the same name which was its main character. In Japanese, “Puck” comes from the onomatopoeia paku, which corresponds to the sound that occurs when opening and closing the mouth, which is very appropriate for a character who spent all his time eating “pills” white in a maze. On 10 May of that year began to be distributed in the Japanese market, becoming an instant success. Quick reflexes, game maker Midway bought the rights to commercialize in the United States, but decided to rename it. Midway makers feared that some users too “creative” scrape some of the “P” for “Puck” to convert the name recorded in the cabinets of the arcade machines in “*uck-Man.” Thus was born finally “Pac-Man.”

    The reaction of users Iwanati before the game was overwhelming, surprising even its creators.Even the President and founder of Namco Masaya Nakamura, at the time said “I never imagined that Pac-Man were to become an international success of these proportions. Even people who do not know anything about games, know what is Pac-Man. Definitely not imagine that it would become the success it has become. ”

    As mentioned, the underlying premise of the game was unlike anything he had seen so far. A yellow disc with an enormous mouth ran a maze eating white dots. Labyrinth also dwelt called Shadow four ghosts (Blinky), Speedy (Pinky), Bashful (Inky) and Pokey (Clyde), who roamed the halls trying to eat a Pac-Man. These ghosts were, respectively, red, pink, blue and orange. Each had a slightly different behavior. While Blinky was very fast and effectively chasing Pac-Man, Inky was quite slow and often avoided meeting with the main character. Labyrinth also had four “legs” which provided larger Pac-Man “for a few seconds, the ability to” eat “the ghosts.When it ran out of white dots, Pac-Man went to the next level. Despite its simplicity (or thanks to) the game became extremely popular.

    Related posts:

    1. Pacman Game Day – Play Pacman Free Online Or Download and Play Pacman Offline
    2. Celebrate the 30th anniversary of Pac-Man
    3. Pac-Man Celebrating its 30th Anniversary

  • Unified Action Needed Against North Korea

    Unified Action Needed Against North Korea

    A Progressive Agenda to Remake Washington
    David Leonhardt, NYT
    With the Senate’s passage of financial regulation, Congress and the White House have completed 16 months of activity that rival any other since the New Deal in scope or ambition. Like the Reagan Revolution or Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society, the new progressive period has the makings of a generational shift in how Washington operates.First came a stimulus bill that, while aimed mainly at ending a deep recession, also set out to remake the nation’s educational system and vastly expand scientific research. Then President Obama signed a health care bill that…

    Jimmy Carter’s Lesson for Tea Parties
    Sen. Bob Bennett, Washington Post
    Jimmy Carter won the White House in 1976 by riding the wave of anger and disillusionment that followed Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. Carter tapped into that anger with the slogan “I will never lie to you.” An angry electorate, disgusted with Nixon, decided that was reason enough to give Carter the presidency. He won, in large part, because he made it clear that he wasn't Richard Nixon.Pundits called Carter a political genius. 

    Iran: Can Sanctions and Diplomacy Be Combined?
    Tony Karon, Time
    “The purpose of sanctions is to bring the Iranian side to the negotiating table,” said Li Baodong, China's U.N. ambassador, this week, explaining how Beijing could simultaneously support a new uranium-swap deal brokered by Brazil and Turkey and endorse new U.N. sanctions. The Obama Administration appears to have convinced China of its view that sanctions pressure is integral to achieving a diplomatic compromise. That two-track concept of combining punitive pressures with diplomatic engagement may also partly explain the U.S. slap-down of the deal brokered by Turkey and…

  • Good for your buns, good for the environment – Plus exercise bikes that turn human power into electricity

    Summer is right around the corner. This means that the time to make good on that New Year’s resolution to get in shape for the summer is upon us. But while planning your routine to achieve those killer glutes and abs, don’t forget about the effect your workout has on the environment. This CAP repost has some simple tips to keep getting fit earth friendly,  including how you can generate clean electricity during your workout.

    First of all, the great outdoors has some of the most energy efficient—and simple—workouts nature has to offer. Walking or jogging outside requires little waste-producing equipment other than running shoes, and saves precious CO2 compared to a treadmill workout, which uses two pounds of the stuff for a 30-minute run. And if hitting the pavement for half an hour sounds like a drag, combine a brisk jog to the supermarket with a stroll back home while toting your purchases for a workout that gets your heart rate up and helps tone your arms. Gardening, biking, and hiking also offer excellent opportunities for a zero-emission outdoors workout, and plenty of traditional exercises—jumping rope, squats, and pushups, to name a few—are easy to take outside as well.

    If you need a little more structure for your exercise plan, consider joining a gym over buying a home cardio machine, which produces extra waste and gets used less over its lifetime compared to gym machines that are constantly in use. Gyms use lots of electricity to power their machines, air conditioning, and lights, but eco-friendly ones are becoming more and more common. Look for a gym that uses energy efficient equipment, such as treadmills that use about one-third less energy than traditional ones, and lights and televisions that are turned on only when needed. Using refillable water bottles and your own towel to wipe down equipment, rather than single-use disposable ones, can also help keep waste down.

    Some gyms take energy efficiency a step further. The Green Microgym in Portland, Oregon, generates as much as 36 percent of its energy from solar panels and human-powered generators attached to stationary bikes and ellipticals. The Portland gym saved 37,000 kilowatt-hours in 2009 through its use of human and solar power and other energy-saving measures. If you prefer to keep your workout at home, and you’re feeling extra crafty, you can even build your own human-powered generator.

    A vigorous workout will produce  on average of 50 Watts of  clean electricity.   You can also build your own:

    Whether you decide to workout at home or at the gym, choosing eco-friendly gear is a must. Hit up Craigslist or a garage sale for gently used bikes, free weights, or other equipment. Shop around for yoga or exercise mats made of non-PVC material, and look for breathable workout clothes made from organic soy or cotton blends, and recycled rubber-soled shoes.

    This is reposted from CAP.

  • Digital Inclusion, Libraries and Computer Centers: a bibliography

    Thanks to my Aunt Mary (Treacy) with the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information for sending me a great bibliography written by a colleague and friend, Mary Ann Van Cura ( a friend to me and broadband!). It is entitled Towards Digital Inclusion: The Role of Libraries and Other Community Technology Centers and it is available online (as are all of the resources). It’s a good general resource – but really focuses on Minnesota.

    Mary Ann has included research and statistics but I think many readers will be most interested in the guides, toolkits and curriculum she has gathered from libraries and computer centers that have implemented digital literacy programs. It’s a great shortcut for anyone looking to do the same.

  • El Niño could make 2010 the hottest year ever by Jonathan Leake

    Article Tags: 2010 Forecast, John Christy, Met Office

    CLIMATE scientists have warned that 2010 could turn out to be the warmest year in recorded history.

    They have collated global surface temperature measurements showing that the world has experienced near-record highs between January and April.

    Researchers working independently at the Met Office and Nasa are soon to publish data that reveal the trend is likely to continue for the rest of the year.

    James Hansen, director of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (Giss), a world centre for climate monitoring, said: “Global temperatures, averaged over the past 12 months, were the warmest for 130 years.

    “December to February was also the second-warmest of any such period.”

    Vicky Pope, head of climate change advice at the Met Office, said: “It was a cold winter in Europe but, globally, January to March was one of the seven warmest starts to the year on record.

    “This year has more than a 50% chance of being the warmest on record.”

    Source: timesonline.co.uk

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