If the Fiat 500 does as well here in the U.S. as it has in the rest of the world, Chrysler is going to have plenty to celebrate. Fiat just announced that it has sold a staggering 500,000 500s in just three years. To mark the occasion, the company is creating a special edition, complete with fan photos incorporated into the paint. Sadly, only UK residents can submit their pictures, though Fiat says it is reserving a total of 70 percent of the car’s surface for actual owners.
Alfa Romeo is rolling out a similar program to mark a special occasion of its own. The company has officially been in business for 100 years, and as such, it plans on plastering a Giulietta hatch with images from the brand’s history books. Expect to see shots from The Graduate to make the cut, as well as a handful of owner-submitted pictures and celebrity photos, too.
At this point, it’s not clear whether Fiat and Alfa are planning on working up some sort of photomosaic or simply slathering the cars with the photos and hoping for the best. Either way, the finished product should be something to behold. Hit the jump for the details.
Well if that don’t beat all. Apple sold 8.8 million iPhones while Motorola sold 8.5 million last quarter. The crazy part is that those are all, obviously, iPhones while Motorola’s entire line consists of smart and feature phones. Including Droid and Devour.
Apple has eclipsed Motorola as the biggest mobile phone maker in the US, while fresh research tells us iPhone-driven global smartphone sales grew 50 per cent in the first quarter. Meanwhile, over half a million iPhones sold in just five months in South Korea.
Motorola is still doing OK for themselves, which is nice to know, but clearly Apple is doing something right. Like sending private detectives to the homes of 21-year-olds.
Yesterday, President Obama gave his first speech about the current situation in the Gulf of Mexico involving BP, Transocean, and one massive oil spill.
In an odd turn, Obama announced he’d be sending SWAT teams out to all oil rigs and platforms in the Gulf to inspect them, as pointed out by RealClearPolitics. We’re not sure what a Special Weapons And Tactics team is going to do on an oil rig but we’re pretty sure it’ll make good fodder for Tom Clancy’s next book.
More generally though, the broader lesson here is that responding to an environmental disaster is now a Homeland Security issue. A Department formed after 9/11 has grown into an all-encompassing beast, taking over environmental issues that nobody would have imagined would have been in their purview.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: “Earlier today, DHS Secretary Napolitano announced that this incident is of national significance and the Department of Interior has announced that they will be sending SWAT teams to the Gulf to inspect all platforms and rigs. And I have ordered the Secretaries of Interior and Homeland Security as well as Administrator Lisa Jackson of the Environmental Protection Agency to visit the site on Friday to ensure that BP and the entire U.S. government is doing everything possible, not just to respond to this incident, but also to determine its cause.”
Looks like he was for him before he was against him.
Billionaire Jeff Greene, who will reportedly announce his Democratic candidacy for Florida U.S. Senate today, donated $500 to Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kendrick Meek in Nov. 2009, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Now, Greene will be personally threatening Meek’s candidacy for the Democratic nomination. What a difference a few months make.
So who else received cash from Greene last year? According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Greene gave a hefty $30,400 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee last August and $2,400 to Democratic Rep. Paul Hodes, who is running for Senate in New Hampshire.
To: UT Knoxville Faculty and Staff
From: Sally J. McMillan, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Subject: Leading Life of the Mind Discussion Groups
Each fall, first-year students read a common book in the Life of the Mind program. The goal of Life of the Mind is to provide a common experience for freshmen that will help them bond and grow academically, and ultimately improve their chances for success in college. An important part of Life of the Mind is participation in discussion groups led by faculty and staff members during Welcome Week. I invite you to lead a discussion group.
This year students will read a book titled “Mountains Beyond Mountains.” It is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder’s best-selling biography of Dr. Paul Farmer. Topics include Haiti, health, poverty, science, religion, and more. See a review at http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/14/books/a-season-in-hell.html.
We are planning multiple programs related to the book’s themes, including service learning opportunities.
Based on feedback from students and faculty members, we will make a few changes this year that will focus on increased student participation and streamlined processes for discussion leaders. We also will have a “custom version” of the book available for students to purchase at the bookstore. That book will include UT Knoxville and Ready for the World logos and a welcome letter from the chancellor and provost that explains the importance of the Life of the Mind program.
The provost’s office will host sessions for discussion leaders to talk about strategies for engaging freshmen with the book. Leaders also will receive discussion guides and background materials. We are working on developing a Blackboard site that will enable students to submit their Life of the Mind “homework” electronically. This year, we will allow students not only to write essays, but also to submit other creative responses — including drawings, videos, poems, etc. To keep your job manageable, we are working to automate feedback to students so that you don’t have to do any “grading.”
To stress the importance of the Life of the Mind program, we are scheduling discussions at times when there are no conflicts with other Welcome Week activities. Discussion groups will be held from 1-2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 16, and Tuesday, Aug. 17.
Please join us as we reach out to our first-year students. I think you will enjoy this year’s book, and I ask you to contact Drew Webb at [email protected] to volunteer. Please be sure to indicate what day(s) you prefer. We will deliver the UT version of the book to you when we receive it from the printer.
To: Knoxville-area UT Faculty and Staff
From: Sally J. McMillan, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Subject: Leading Life of the Mind Discussion Groups
Each fall, first-year students read a common book in the Life of the Mind program. The goal of Life of the Mind is to provide a common experience for freshmen that will help them bond and grow academically, and ultimately improve their chances for success in college. An important part of Life of the Mind is participation in discussion groups led by faculty and staff members during Welcome Week. I invite you to lead a discussion group.
This year students will read a book titled “Mountains Beyond Mountains.” It is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder’s best-selling biography of Dr. Paul Farmer. Topics include Haiti, health, poverty, science, religion, and more. See a review at http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/14/books/a-season-in-hell.html.
We are planning multiple programs related to the book’s themes, including service learning opportunities.
Based on feedback from students and faculty members, we will make a few changes this year that will focus on increased student participation and streamlined processes for discussion leaders. We also will have a “custom version” of the book available for students to purchase at the bookstore. That book will include UT Knoxville and Ready for the World logos and a welcome letter from the chancellor and provost that explains the importance of the Life of the Mind program.
The provost’s office will host sessions for discussion leaders to talk about strategies for engaging freshmen with the book. Leaders also will receive discussion guides and background materials. We are working on developing a Blackboard site that will enable students to submit their Life of the Mind “homework” electronically. This year, we will allow students not only to write essays, but also to submit other creative responses — including drawings, videos, poems, etc. To keep your job manageable, we are working to automate feedback to students so that you don’t have to do any “grading.”
To stress the importance of the Life of the Mind program, we are scheduling discussions at times when there are no conflicts with other Welcome Week activities. Discussion groups will be held from 1-2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 16, and Tuesday, Aug. 17.
Please join us as we reach out to our first-year students. I think you will enjoy this year’s book, and I ask you to contact Drew Webb at [email protected] to volunteer. Please be sure to indicate what day(s) you prefer. We will deliver the UT version of the book to you when we receive it from the printer.
FoMoCo announced today that the city of Boston became the first municipality in the United States to approve its new 2011 Ford Transit Connect Taxi for the city streets.
“The size, shape and configuration of the Transit Connect make it comfortable for both driver and passengers,” said Mark Cohen, director, Licensing Division, Boston Police Department. “When the Ford Crown Victoria goes out of production next year the taxi industry here in Boston and throughout the country is going to be looking for alternatives. I think the Transit Connect Taxi fits the bill.”
The 2011 Ford Transit Connect Taxi is powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine mated to an automatic transmission. Ford points out that in that form, Transit Connect is expected to deliver an estimated 30 percent improvement in fuel economy versus many of today’s traditional taxis. Ford is also offering a new engine prep packages that allow conversions to both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied propane gas (LPG).
Pending approval, the Transit Connect Taxi will start popping up in a city near you by the end of this year.
Make the jump for the press release for more details.
2011 Ford Transit Connect Taxi:
Press Release:
BOSTON: FORD TRANSIT CONNECT TAXI ‘FITS THE BILL’; BECOMES FIRST CITY TO APPROVE VERSATILE NEW CAB
* The city of Boston says Ford Transit Connect Taxi “fits the bill” as a taxicab, becoming the nation’s first municipality to green-light the new taxis
* Boston paves the way for its taxi owners and operators to put the purpose-built Transit Connect Taxi on its streets later this year
* Transit Connect Taxi was designed for passenger comfort, driver convenience and efficiency; the gas-powered version is expected to deliver an estimated 30 percent improvement in fuel economy over many traditional taxis
BOSTON, April 30, 2010 – Saying the 2011 Ford Transit Connect Taxi “fits the bill,” the city of Boston this week became the first municipality in America to approve the versatile cab for taxi use, paving the way for taxi owners to purchase the new vehicle for their fleets.
“We’re very impressed with the Transit Connect,” said Mark Cohen, director, Licensing Division, Boston Police Department. “It’s the closest thing to a purpose-built vehicle for taxi use that I’ve seen in 25 years.”
Boston, the 10th largest metropolitan area in the United States, regulates which types of vehicles can be used as taxicabs in its city streets. To be approved for taxi use, a vehicle must meet basic size requirements for headroom, legroom and cargo space.
The roomy, flexible interior of the Transit Connect – 2010 North American Truck of the Year – is perfectly suited for taxi service. Its open architecture provides excellent interior headroom and passenger visibility and, with 6.5 inches of ground clearance, passengers step easily through the sliding doors.
With its standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine and automatic transmission, the conventionally powered Transit Connect is expected to deliver an estimated 30 percent improvement in fuel economy versus many of today’s traditional taxis.
Because taxi operators also asked for a version that runs on alternative fuels, Ford is offering new engine prep packages that allow conversions to both compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied propane gas (LPG).
“The vehicle’s cargo area easily accommodates CNG tanks directly behind the second-row seat, still allowing ample luggage storage,” said Gerald Koss, Ford fleet marketing manager.
Both CNG and LPG lower taxi fleets’ operating costs and are better for the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, CNG is less expensive and burns cleaner than gasoline, resulting in 30 to 40 percent less greenhouse gas emissions. Propane also burns cleaner than gasoline.
Built on a dedicated commercial vehicle platform tested to meet Ford’s light commercial vehicle durability standards, Ford’s new Transit Connect Taxi also features a wiring upfit package, vinyl flooring and standard third-row windows – all of which are factory-installed.
“We really tailored the vehicle to provide comfort and convenience for both driver and passengers,” said Chief Engineer Rob Stevens.
He and Koss spent a good part of 2009 taking the Transit Connect Taxi concept to taxi owners and operators in major markets across the United States, gaining valuable feedback that helped Ford further refine the taxi.
“We moved the rear seat back three inches, added a grab handle for passengers to get in and out of the vehicle, and we installed a ventilation unit to heat and cool the second row,” said Stevens. “We also added vinyl seats, which taxi operators said they wanted because of their durability.”
Technology on the go
Ford – the industry leader in the taxi business for decades with the Crown Victoria and Escape Hybrid – also is collaborating with Creative Mobile Technologies (CMT) to integrate premier payment processing and passenger information technologies in the taxi, including an 8.4-inch electronic infotainment and navigation screen that shows cab fares, news, weather, sports scores and stock ticker. The passenger can select programming, following the taxi’s route on a map and scroll through a list of points of interest.
Ford and CMT also are developing strategies for potential integration of Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of productivity technologies for business owners providing a wireless in-dash computer with full high-speed Internet access and navigation.
“Ford continues to invest in fuel-efficient new engines, deliver more technologies and product features in our vehicles, and listen to what people – including taxi fleet operators – really want,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Ford is committed to offering new solutions and maintaining our leadership as America’s No. 1 taxi company.”
The prospect replacing your perfectly fine HDTV with a 3D one just for gaming doesn’t sound like a very practical thing to do. But according to a survey by the Consumer Electronics Association, gaming will be a
“They passed this law that puts a five cent fee on each bag you use at a store. The city’s already made something like $150K off it.”
“Leftie fascists.”
“So I’m standing in line at Giant and don’t have a reusable bag with pictures of basil on it because I’m not a fag. The herb in front of me doesn’t have a reusable bag either. When the cashier asks if he needs a bag he hangs his head down in shame and sheepishly says yes. He couldn’t make eye contact with anyone.”
“So this is the new SWPL status signal, the reusable bag?”
“I hate them all. Anyhow, there’s a line of fifteen yuppies behind me. The cashier asks if I need a bag. With my head held high I proudly say ‘Yes, I want a bag. And double bag the milk.’”
“I like the use of the word ‘want’ instead of ‘need’. Very sly.”
“Thank you. I made sure to scan the line when I said it. I wanted those herbs to cower in fear.”
“Did you grunt a little for emphasis?”
“There was a genital display as well. When you walk down the streets here all the shamed-faced hipsters with plastic bags try to hide them in their coats or behind their backs so people don’t notice. This country needs a good, cleansing total war.”
KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Engineering has given John Prados, professor emeritus in the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering, one of its most prestigious honors, the Nathan W. Dougherty Award. The award was presented at the college’s annual Faculty and Staff Awards Dinner on April 22.
Dr. John Prados (center) and his wife Mrs. Lynn Prados (left) with COE Dean Wayne Davis at the presentation of the Nathan W. Dougherty Award at the College of Engineering's Faculty and Staff Awards Dinner.
A former UT vice president, Prados has served at UT Knoxville for more than 50 years, beginning as a graduate assistant in 1953. He was a full-time professor in the department of chemical engineering for 13 years and, for the next 20 years, he held several administrative positions including associate dean of engineering, dean of admissions and records, acting chancellor of the Knoxville and Martin campuses and acting director of energy conversion programs at the UT Space Institute. From 1973 through 1988, Prados was vice president for academic affairs for the statewide UT system.
Prados returned to the department of chemical engineering in 1989 and served as department head from 1990-93. He served as the senior education associate in the engineering directorate of the National Science Foundation from 1994 through 1997. Prados also has been a consultant to industry, government and more than 30 universities and state education agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Prados earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the University of Mississippi and his master’s degree and doctorate with majors in chemical engineering at UT Knoxville.
The Nathan W. Dougherty Award was established by the College of Engineering in 1957 to pay tribute to Nathan Washington Dougherty, dean of the engineering college from 1940-56. The recognition honors engineers whose accomplishments have enhanced the profession and alumni whose activities have brought acclaim to the university.
After the award presentation to Prados, Bamin Khomami, professor and head of the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering, announced the establishment of the John W. Prados Professorship in his department. The professorship was created by Malcolm Colditz and additionally supported by J. Michael Stone, both of whom are former students of Prados.
The innovative smooth bore design of our 6 Foot CPAP BiPAP tubes keeps noise to a minimum so you get a better night sleep; durable medical grade rubber endcaps create a tight, long lasting seal with less cracking over time than older plastic products.
It seems that the Goldman Sachs executives testifying before Congress this week didn’t do a very good job convincing the powers that be that their investment strategy of recent years was perfectly kosher. Just days after the SEC sued Goldman for civil violations in connection to a mortgage deal that appeared designed to fail, the Justice Department on Friday announced its own criminal investigation into the transaction. The Associated Press broke the story:
Word of the Justice Department action came a day after a group of 62 House lawmakers, including Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., asked Justice to conduct a criminal probe of Goldman. “On the face of the SEC filing, criminal fraud on a historic scale seems to have occurred in this instance,” the lawmakers, mostly Democrats, said in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder.
While this is hardly good news for Goldman, The New York Times points out that the real burden here is on the Justice Department:
Federal prosecutors would face a higher bar in bringing a criminal case against Goldman, whose role in the mortgage market came under sharp scrutiny this week during a marathon hearing in the Senate. In contrast to civil cases, the burden of proof is higher in criminal ones, where prosecutors must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
The stakes are high for Goldman, but they are also high for the United States attorney’s office. Prosecutors from the Eastern District of New York lost a case last year filed against two hedge fund managers at Bear Stearns, whose collapse presaged the turmoil on Wall Street.
This, of course, means that we’ll be reading plenty more about those emails coming out of Goldman’s office in the weeks surrounding the deal in question. And, for exposing the sheer egomania of those running the firm, that can’t be a bad thing.
[JURIST] A judge in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Thursday dismissed a lawsuit against a Michigan judge who ordered a Muslim woman to remove her headscarf in court. The suit was filed in August by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) on behalf of Raneen Albaghdady against Judge William Callahan of the Wayne County Circuit Court. Callahan has a policy against hats in his courtroom, and when he asked Albaghdady to remove her headscarf, or hijab, she did so without objection. Judge Marianne Battani ruled:
This is not a situation where a government actor required removal of a hijab after the wearer asserted her First Amendment rights. There simply is no evidence that Callahan would have required the removal of a head covering if he had known of its religious significance. Although an individual present in the courtroom stated it was a scarf, no one mentioned it was a hijab. No one mentioned that removal would violate Albaghdady’s religious beliefs. Plaintiffs lacks standing given the facts and circumstances upon which Albaghdady bases her claims. Because Plaintiffs lack standing, the Court dismisses this action in its entirety.CAIR is considering filing an appeal.In August, the Michigan Supreme Court issued an order permitting lower courts to use “reasonable control” over the appearance of those who arrive in court, effectively allowing judges to ban certain religious clothing. The court amended the Michigan Rules of Evidence, motivated by the 2006 case of Ginnah Muhammad. Muhammad had filed a suit in a Michigan small claims court where she was asked by Judge Paul Paruk to remove her niqab, a form of veil, so he could gauge her veracity. Muhammad refused, saying she would not take off her veil in front of a male judge, and her case was dismissed. Muhammad filed a federal lawsuit over the incident that was eventually dismissed in 2008. Also in 2008, a Muslim woman in Georgia was arrested and ordered to serve 10 days in jail for contempt of court after she refused to remove her headscarf, upon entering a security checkpoint in an Atlanta courtroom.
Sorry, “web song” buyers: Lala.com now says its service will be shut down on May 31. Whatever Apple is planning to do with Lala, the cloud-based streaming music service it acquired in December, it’s not going to keep the site functioning as it once did.
Established as a CD-swapping service in 2006, Lala repositioned itself as a forward-thinking cloud music site in 2007, offering a storage locker for its users’ MP3 collections while selling 10-cent web songs that gave buyers the right to stream tracks as many times as they’d like. It may have been ahead of its time; while relatively few buyers paid for web songs, the shift from owning music files to streaming them from the cloud (GigaOM Pro, sub req’d) appears to be gaining mainstream approval. Apple’s acquisition of Lala last fall augured a future in which the iTunes software allowed us to play songs from the cloud, although the company has yet to describe what that will look like in practice. Will it merely let us stream the song files we possess from any device, or will Lala’s innovative form of ownership — the ownership of a stream, at roughly a tenth the cost of an MP3 — be echoed in Apple’s new project?
Speculative reports have suggested that a new version of iTunes could appear as soon as June, although Apple has yet to reveal any new agreement with major record labels that would allow cloud-based streaming. (Lala’s license was reportedly non-transferable, should the company be acquired.) Any new agreement could involve a messy renegotiation in which Apple would make new concessions to the labels, as it did last year when variable pricing, DRM and bundling formats were in play.
Apple will issue iTunes store credit for Lala web song purchases as well as outstanding wallet balances.
Privatization, or at least partial privatization, has been tried and has failed in several Latin American countries, as Yeatts notes. His discussion of those failures, as well as the way that government-control of mineral wealth is used to sustain political coalitions – reward cronies, buy off potential opponents – reminded me of the North, Wallis, and Weingast book, Violence and Social Order. I think the North, Wallis and Weingast book, too, provides the framework for identifying what more, in addition to privatization of subsurface resources, is necessary for sustaining growth and development in Latin American countries.
IPS Asia-Pacific is looking for a regional editor to oversee editorial production in the region. IPS Asia-Pacific headquarters is in Bangkok, Thailand but flexibility on location within the region can be considered. The successful candidate will oversee planning and coordination of the Asia-Pacific diary, including budgeting, overseeing project editors as well as maintaining a network of correspondents and stringers in the coverage area.
The regional editor is involved in the assignment of stories to correspondents and stringers, editing of such work consistent with IPS style rules and the transmission of edited stories to the IPS World Service. The editor also liaises with project officers when necessary to ensure IPS Asia-Pacificp’s projects are completed at the standards required.
Applicants are required to have at least five years’ experience editing Asia-Pacific stories, experience in managing/training teams of journalists and have a capacity to manage people and editing processes. Knowledge of other Asian languages is an advantage. The full terms of reference are available from IPS Asia-Pacific administration, to be given to shortlisted candidates.
The closing date for applications is 26 May, 2010. Applicants are requested to submit a CV and samples of three published clippings to asiadesk(at)ips.org.
Applicants not contacted by 15 June, 2010 should consider themselves unsuccessful.
The U.S. economy continued to strengthen in the first quarter of 2010, growing at an annualized pace of 3.2%, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This matched economists’ expectations for real gross domestic product (GDP) growth. The data continues to indicate that the U.S. is in recovery. In particular, the changes in the various contributions to growth make clear that the U.S. economy appears to be on the right track.
First, here’s how GDP growth has looked for the last 16 quarters:
The American Consumer is Back
3.2% isn’t as aggressive growth as we saw in the fourth quarter of 2010, when the economy grew at a 5.6% pace. But at that time, economic activity was mostly driven by companies ramping up their inventories — rather than the American consumer picking up the slack. That changed in the first part of 2010. In Q4, consumer spending only made up 1.2% of the 5.6% growth rate. In Q1, it made up 2.6% of the 3.2%. To put that in perspective, in the final quarter of 2009 consumer spending accounted for only 21% of GDP growth, but in the first quarter of 2010 it accounted for 80%. Since consumers are traditionally responsible for around 70% of GDP, this is an important shift.
The kind of consumer spending that drove the rise in GDP is also encouraging. Some purchases that get cut back on during hard times saw stronger sales, like clothing. In particular, services made up a much larger portion of GDP growth last quarter than in the previous, adding 1.2% compared to just 0.5%. That was due to factors including more restaurant dining and recreation.
Business is Good
Since ramping up inventories played such a major role in growth for Q4, it’s only natural that they would play a less significant role in Q1. But businesses did continue adding to inventories to respond to renewed consumer demand — just not as aggressively. They accounted for 1.6% of GDP growth, compared to a 3.8% contribution the quarter prior.
Interestingly, business investment actually decreased for structures, which may imply that commercial real estate inventory has caused a decline in business expansion-driven construction. All other metrics for business investment rose, however. Equipment and computer software investment continued to be a standout, adding 0.8% to GDP growth.
Net Exports Worsen
The import-export news was mixed. Although the U.S. economy benefitted from additional goods and services being sold overseas, more imports overshadowed the increase. As a result, a net exports actually brought down GDP growth by 0.6%. This contrasts with Q4, when net exports resulted in a 0.3% positive contribution. U.S. consumer and business demand is benefiting global businesses as well as those at home.
Less Government
Finally, government spending had a smaller contribution to economic growth in the first quarter. This is also a good sign, as private enterprise overshadowing government is exactly the kind of trend that indicates real recovery. Government spending actually brought down GDP growth by 0.4%, since there was less of it. That was driven mostly by states spending 4% less. Federal government spending, however, actually increased by a little.
Overall, today’s report is very encouraging. It’s clear that American consumers are opening their wallets again, and even spending on non-necessity items. Business also continued to flourish last quarter, adding to equipment and inventory. Finally, government is generally pulling back its influence, with private growth vastly taking up the slack. The most significant discouraging news from this report is net exports, which isn’t particularly surprising, since American consumers have long exhibited a strong demand for goods and services from overseas. Of course, we should bear in mind that this is just a first estimate and will be revised twice. Last quarter, however, the revisions turned out to be insignificant.
While today’s news provides reason for optimism, challenges still remain for this recovery, particularly in the labor market. For this growth rate to be sustainable, underemployment needs to come down significantly and income growth needs to improve. As businesses growth healthier, those changes should follow — it’s just a question of how quickly.
If you’ve been itching to get your hands on the TELUS BlackBerry Pearl 3G, which is expected to launch within the next couple weeks, then we have good news for you! Best Buy Canada is now taking pre-orders for the Pearl 3G from TELUS. All you have to do is leave a $50 deposit and they will hold one for you, once they’re available. It’s expected the Pearl 3G will run $29.99 with three year contract, or $449.99 without. For more details visit BestBuy.ca or your local store.
You’re reading a story which originated at BlackBerrySync.com, Where you find BlackBerry News You Can Sync With…
With HP poised to bring Palm into their corporate fold, we find ourselves tempering our enthusiasm for the rescue of Palm and webOS with the fear of what corporate culture may entail for the plucky Sunnyvale-based smartphone maker. Specifically, fear that the corporate culture will not just shun, but shut down, the brilliant and creative efforts of the webOS homebrew community that helped prop up Palm to this point.
So HP, while we have faith that you know what you’re doing, we still feel like we need to take a trip down memory lane to make it clear just how much we think homebrew should be important to you. And the story we’re going to tell is yours.
Aphids, those sap-sucking foes of gardeners, come in a variety of colours. We usually think of them as green, but pea aphids sometimes wear a fetching red ensemble. That may not strike you as anything special; after all, lots of animals are red. But the aphid’s colour is unique in a couple of extraordinary ways.
The colour comes from pigments called carotenoids. Animals use them for all sorts of purposes; they act as antioxidants, and they contribute to red, orange and yellow colours. But the pea aphid is one of only a few known species (all aphids) that manufacture their own carotenoids; everyone else gets theirs from their food. But it’s the source of the pea aphid’s ability that’s truly remarkable – it stole the skill from fungi. By integrating fungal genes into its own genomes, it gained a superpower that almost all other animals lack.
These sorts of “horizontal gene transfers” go on all the time in bacteria, but they’re supposedly a rarity among more complex creatures like animals and plants. And yet, scientists have recently documented several examples of such transfers. Rotifers smuggle genes from fungi, bacteria and plants. “Space Invader” genes have jumped across animals as diverse as lizards and bushbabies. One bacterium, Wolbachia, has even inserted its entire genome into that of a fruit fly. And parasites can transfer their genes to humans.
In most of these cases, it’s unclear whether the imported genes are actually doing anything useful. But the story of the pea aphid, told by Nancy Moran and Tyler Jarvik, is very different. The colour of a pea aphid determines the predators that target it. Ladybirds (one of their major enemies) prefer to attack red aphids on green plants but parasitic wasps are more likely to lay their eggs in green aphids, to fatal effect. Colour clearly matters to an aphid, so here is a clear example of a transferred gene shaping an obvious trait in its new host and in doing so, shaping its evolution.
Moran and Jarvik knew that both red and green pea aphids have carotenoids, but their source was a mystery. These pigments dissolve easily in fat but not water, and they’re unlikely to be found in the plant sap that the aphids suck. Aphids carry beneficial bacteria but none of their genomes carry any traces of the genes required for creating carotenoids. And aphids that are cured of their hitchhikers don’t lose their colour. So where do the carotenoids come from?
Fortunately, Moran and Jarvik knew what to look for, since all organisms that make carotenoids, including plants, fungi and bacteria, do so with a common set of genes and enzymes. They also knew where to look, for the genome of the pea aphid had been recently sequenced. Their search yielded seven genes that are clearly involved in producing carotenoids. But to their surprise, none of this septet matched any gene in any other animal genome. Instead, their closest relatives are found in fungi.
Moran and Jarvik think that the original donor was a species of fungus that either infected the ancestors of today’s pea aphids, or formed an alliance with them. Either way, we know that this mystery donor transferred at least two genes to the insects, which have since duplicated into the current seven. And we know that the relocation happened before the pea aphid diverged from the related peach-potato aphid, which has the same genes.
Today, the genes explain the two hues of the pea aphid. The green aphids have carotenoids that are yellow in colour. The red ones do too, but their palette is bolstered by two bright red carotenoids that the green aphids lack. The greens can’t make these extra pigments because one of their seven fungal genes is missing a small sizeable chunk. This broken gene means that the green aphids can’t complete a chemical reaction that converts one of the yellow carotenoids into the two red ones.
The pea aphid’s story tells us that genetic swaps between complex species like fungi and animals are possible, although probably still rare. Before now, scientists did actually try to search the pea aphid genome before for genes transferred from other species. But they only looked for genes of bacterial origin; no one considered that the donors might be fungi, so the carotenoid-making genes were never found.
When Moran and Jarvik searched for other fungal genes, they didn’t find any, demonstrating that such swaps are the exception rather than the rule. But what fascinating exceptions – and the growing number of full animal genomes will surely help us to discover more.
To: UT Knoxville Faculty and Staff
IPS Asia-Pacific
