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Join us October 15 & 16, 2010 for the 25th Annual IEA-ESP Conference at the Doubletree Hotel in Oak Brook, IL.  Download the brochure below.

Friday Evening:

• Registration will be held from 3:00-7:00 p.m. with a Dinner Buffet available from 5:15-7:45 p.m.
• The sessions will end on Friday evening at 9:00 p.m. In addition, the IEA will be providing a D.J. from
• 9:00-Midnight for those of you who want to kick up your heels.

Saturday:

• Registration will be available starting at 7:00 a.m.
• There will be a FULL BREAKFAST BUFFET from 6:30-7:45 a.m.
• The Program this year will be during breakfast and sessions will start at 9:10 a.m.
• There will be NO LUNCH PROGRAM. The Conference will end at 3:20 P.M.

Registration Fee:

There will be a registration fee of $50 per local registering. You may send as many members as you wish for this $50 fee.

Brochure:

ESP Fall 2010 Conference Brochure

For the first time since December 2006, both the Case-Shiller 10-city housing index, and the 20-city housing index, show year-over year growth.  That’s good news . . . but don’t pull out the Veuve Cliquot just yet.  There’s a lot of variation in those numbers.  More than half the cities in the 20-city index still show year-over-year declines; it’s just that a bunch of the other cities showed big bounces, particularly in California. 

Of course, California was one of the bubbliest states, so that’s great news . . . but Las Vegas was still free-fallin’ for most of 2009.  Overall, aside from the “dead cat bounce” in California, and my own city with its government expansion in full flower, the downside news is worse than the upside.

And there’s still the big open question of what happens as the government withdraws its support from the housing market.  The expiration of the tax cut has triggered something of a frenzy in DC–we made an offer on a house at above the ask, only to be beaten by a still-higher all-cash offer.  When that abates, along with the seasonal spring boost, the cities that have improved may look more sluggish, and the cities that were still falling may find it harder to turn things around. 

A little further down the road, eventually the government is going to have to stop using the FHA as the backstop for bad idea house purchases.  We easily qualified for a conservative conventional mortgage, but there’s a lot of ultra-low downpayment stuff still out there, and I was shocked at the amount that my allegedly stodgy credit union was allegedly willing to lend me–extremely unhealthy multiples of my income, even with a good downpayment.  The fear is that the housing market can’t recover without the government continuing to heavily subsidize a whole lot of low-downpayment loans; there’s too little home equity out there, and even less in the way of savings.

So take all these figures with a grain of salt.  But even well-salted, it’s better than a continued decline.

The  plutonium-grade 5-series, the M5, goes on sale next spring. Unlike the current car, the fifth-generation M5 will have a downsized, turbocharged V-8 that is shared with the X5 M and X6 M. But the move from a 5.0-liter V-10 to a 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8 results in a power increase from 500 horsepower to more than 555 (some sources place the number closer to 600). Torque will jump from today’s 383 pound-feet to a more shovetastic 500.

Keep Reading: 2011 BMW M5 – Feature

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Square Enix has a lot to be happy about. Their Cavia-developed action-RPG, Nier, has been selling like hotcakes in Japan, especially the PS3-exclusive version.

What it is: Chevy’s restyled B-segment car, which will slot into the lineup between the upcoming Spark and Cruze. The concept shown in Detroit featured an aggressive fascia, 19-inch wheels and tires, various aerodynamic add-ons, and a modified interior that would likely be featured on an RS version of the Aveo, should Chevy build it.

Keep Reading: 2011 Chevrolet Aveo RS – Feature

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Great table here from the folks at Bespoke showing how various sectors of the market have fared since 2007.

What’s really impressive is the consumer discretionary — in third place, 12.5% below all time highs — but way better than what folks might have expected as recently as a few months ago, when talk of the “new frugality” was still all the rage.

See all the charts at Bespoke >

Join the conversation about this story »

BMW and Audi, the two German premium brands have their daggers drawn at each other and no one is in the mood to spare the other. The already popular ad campaign war between the two has now headed to Hong Kong where BMW is a tiny bit ahead after buying a huge ad space — where they display the new BMW 5-series — directly above the Audi showroom in Hong Kong.

And from what we can tell, this board effectively displaces the Audi dealership from viewing. Those following this battle closely will remember the two premium German brands competing with billboard adverts in the US, too, in California. Considering the ongoing battle, this sure is an impressive move by BMW while Audi needs to figure out the source that gave BMW the ad space. We wonder what will be their next step.

What it is: A droptop version of Chevy’s reborn pony car.

Keep Reading: 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible – Feature

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The Chevrolet Volt: Around Town and Beyond

The First Pre-Production Chevrolet Volt Built at Detroit-Hamtramck Drives Off the Assembly Line

Pre-production Chevrolet Volts are being built at the Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant to test the assembly process.

Watch as the very first Volt build at Detroit-Hamtramck rolls off the line, driven by plant manager Teri Quigley.

What it is: The inevitable roadster version of Ferrari’s mid-engine 458 Italia.

Keep Reading: 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia Spider – Feature

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The Commission’s Green Paper on the future development of the Trans-European Transport Network, published in February 2009, launched a review of the TEN-T policy.  Based on the work of six expert groups dealing with specific issues of TEN-T planning and implementation, the Commission elaborated a proposal for a new methodology for TEN-T planning. Working Group 3 on Intelligent Transport Systems and New Technologies suggested that alternative fuelling solutions (including related networks) by providing parallel options in order to maximise decarbonisation (CNG (compresse d natural gas), LNG (liquefied natural gas), LPG, hydrogen, fast charge, battery exchange stations etc.) should be included in TEN-T road projects as a condition for eligibility.
 The Commission Working Document “Consultation on the future trans-European transport network policy”, which includes as main elements a  planning methodology and some ideas on how to enhance the effectiveness of instruments for TEN-T implementation, invites stakeholders to express their views and constitutes the second important milestone of the TEN-T policy review process.  All Member States; regional and local authorities; infrastructure managing companies in the different transport sectors; transport service providers / operators in the different transport sectors; research institutes; financial institutions; non-governmental organisations; business associations; as well as citizens are welcome to contribute to this consultation. The consultation closes on September 15 for more information consult the TEN T website.

Audi Perfection – The unique Audi quality

Audi: For more than a century, perfection down to the last detail is a standard for us.

A handful of fun things that shouldn’t pass unremarked:

• Natalie Wolchover, an aspiring science writer, has started a fun blog called Facto Diem. For those of you who didn’t attend Catholic school, that’s Latin for “Fact of the Day.” (Or a close enough facsimile.) I didn’t even know there were that many facts in the world!
• In the more venerable sections of the blogosphere, Chad Orzel is running a poll concerning the most amazing application of lasers. Considering that “death ray” is not among the options, it’s a pretty good list.
• We should also link to Scientia Pro Publica #27, over at Melliferax. (Clearly Latin is the lingua franca of the science blogosphere.) Most of the posts involve living things in some way or another, but they should nevertheless be of interest to those of us with more inorganic inclinations.

Drats! We were so hoping to have some promising news to report on Bret Michaels’ condition after Extra TV’s interview with the rocker’s seemingly upbeat dad early Tuesday.

Sadly, it seems the Poison star and Celebrity Apprentice contestant may have taken a turn for the worst. Bret will soon be undergoing surgery to relieve swelling around his brain, a family insider spilled to television newsmagazine Entertainment Tonight.

“His condition is said to be deteriorating following a massive hemorrhage he suffered last Thursday,” the site writes.

A rep for the site has also stepped forward to deny reports that the rocker died.

“There’s a rumor out there that Bret passed. It isn’t true,” says the rep.

In the meantime, speculation continues to mount that Bret’s potentially-fatal aneurysm may have been triggered by his recent appendectomy or the injury he suffered after being struck in the head by a prop at the 2009 Tony Awards last June.

What it is: A small front-drive, four-seat coupe to replace the Tiburon. Hyundai will position the car below the rear-drive Genesis coupe.

Keep Reading: 2011 Hyundai Veloster – Feature

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Will a ruling in Ontario that would eliminate payments to pharmacies from generic companies spill over into legislation in Quebec?

Analyst Irene Nattel of RBC Dominion Securities believes it is premature to change her take on Quebec-based pharmacy chain Jean Coutu Group Inc. at this point based on the possibility of future changes in the market.

“Improved sales and productivity from the generic drug operations should drive higher gross margins again [in the fourth] quarter,” said Ms. Nattel, who rates the shares Sector Perform with a target price of $11.

She is anticipating earnings per share of 18¢, compared with 15¢ in the same period last year.

As for Shoppers Drug Mart, which opposes the Ontario government’s plans and has warned it might have to cut staff and close stores (the chain memorably cut pharmacy operating hours recently in London, Ont., the riding belonging to provincial health minister Deb Matthews), Ms. Nattel has maintained her Outperform rating on the shares but shaved her target price to $47 from $48. She is predicting earnings per share of 56¢, a penny above consensus.

Hollie Shaw

Apparently jealous of the attention KFC was getting with the Double Down, IHOP (or International House of Pancakes if you’re not into the whole brevity thing) has rolled out Pancake Stackers — a five-layer calorie bomb that dares to sandwich cheesecake between two pancakes.

So yeah, it’s a pancake, then cheesecake (with the crusts cut off), another pancake, then one of the following: strawberries, blueberry or cinnamon apple compote, then whipped cream topping.

Explain your devilish creation, IHOP:

With our latest promotion, IHOP took the value we’re known for and topped it with one of America’s favorite flavors — cheesecake… We’re pleased to offer guests a delicious new way to stack up the fun this spring as they celebrate moms, dads, grads, or just a simple escape from their every day.

The Pancake Stackers are only available through June 20, but only because those of us who choose to eat them will no longer be able to leave the house.

IHOP Layers on the Cheesecake With New Pancake Stackers [Marketwatch]

What it is: A redesign of Mercedes’ low-slung stylish sedan.

Keep Reading: 2011 Mercedes-Benz CLS – Feature

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Tanner Foust drifts his Rockstar Energy Drink Scion TC Drift Car on a legendary stretch of Mulholland Highway known as “The Snake”.

Watch Tanner unleash his 600hp NASCAR V8 powered Scion drift car on this famed road. There were no rehearsals and most of the film is of Tanner¹s first run on a clean stretch of road. And, yes, the road was closed.

WARNING: The following video was performed by a professional driver on a closed course. Do not attempt what you are about to see

The grandstanding of some Attorneys General never ceases — even when they created the “problem” they’re now grandstanding against. Case in point: Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and his crusade against Craigslist. Two years ago, Blumenthal blamed Craigslist for prostitution ads that appear on the site. Blumenthal, as the state Attorney General should know about the law, right? He should know that he has no legal basis for this complaint, and that under Section 230 of the CDA, Craigslist is not liable for the actions of its users. In fact, legal attempts to pin the blame for such ads on Craigslist have been quickly dismissed on just those grounds. Even more importantly, from a common sense standpoint, Blumenthal should realize that when police work with Craigslist in partnership, they’re able to use it as an effective tool to track down lawbreakers who use the site.

But that doesn’t get headlines.

Instead, Blumenthal, based on no legal basis whatsoever, used his soapbox (along with some other attorneys general) to get Craigslist to changing its policies on “adult” advertisements. Whereas, previously, those ads had been free, Craigslist now required that anyone putting up such ads pay for them with a valid credit card, eliminating many of the ads and making it much, much easier to track down whoever placed them in the first place. You would think that would make the AGs happy. Six months later, however, the AGs were still upset, and got Craigslist to change again, boosting the fee on such ads from $5 to $10 and reviewing more of the ads.

Almost all of these moves came in response to public posturing and baseless legal threats from Blumenthal. So what’s he doing now?

He’s apparently doing more public posturing and issuing more baseless legal threats, because Craigslist stands to make an awful lot of money from these ads — the very same ads that Craigslist only started charging for because of Blumenthal’s pressure:

“I believe Craigslist acted irresponsibly when it unilaterally decided to keep the profits from these posts,” Mr. Blumenthal wrote in the letter…

Yes, and I believe Blumenthal acted irresponsibly when he put bogus grandstanding pressure on Craigslist to put in place the tollbooth in the first place. At what point does he recognize that Craigslist isn’t the target here. It’s the people using Cragslist to break the law — and that Craigslist is more than willing to help law enforcement track down those law breakers?

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