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After two years as a bridesmaid in Consumerist’s Worst Company In America tournament, it was finally the cable company’s time to walk down the aisle when it was handed the WCIA crown this morning. And now that Comcast has tasted victory, it’s not asking for seconds.

In a statement released after hearing this morning’s news, a rep from Comcast says the company is taking it seriously:

We’re working everyday to improve our customers’ experiences with us, including offering a Customer Guarantee that’s backed by significant operational changes. We’ve taken steps over the past two years to improve our product reliability and service, and if a problem does occur, we work to quickly to resolve it, find the root cause and make changes so it won’t happen again.

Do you believe Comcast has the ability to turn things around and escape the WCIA finals next year? Or are the problems too ingrained to be repaired in such a short time?

And what of the NBC Universal acquisition? Comcast has said nothing here to quell reservations and concerns about the consolidation of a major broadcast and cable network with the country’s largest cable provider.

We genuinely hope that Comcast isn’t merely paying lip service to the negative PR of being crowned Worst Company In America. Because, as you may have noticed, our readers don’t care about rep statements or good intentions; they just want you to provide a quality service for a reasonable price.

Comcast ‘wins’ Consumerist worst-company tournament [Washington Post]

Filed under: Hatchback, Ford, UK

Having driven the 2011 Ford Fiesta on more than one occasion, if there’s anything it doesn’t lack, it’s flash. However, Ford’s UK arm saw fit to imbue the standard three-door model (which we won’t get a crack at in the States) with a new body kit, 17-inch matching white wheels and contrasting stripes. Combined with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, new handbrake cover, gear knob and “Motorsport-branded” floor mats, it all adds up to create the Fiesta S1600. What? You were expecting the ST already?

Although the 1.6-liter four-pot remains the same, as we noted in today’s First Drive, the Fiesta could use a bit more oomph in the horsepower department, and to that end, UK consumers can order their S1600 with the Ford-approved Mountune engine upgrade which boosts output another 20 hp, dropping the Fiesta’s 0-60 mph time by two seconds.

Ford’s limiting the S1600 to 650 examples, available now from dealers for £16,645. Or, you can just wait for the ST to really exploit the Fiesta’s exceptionally competent chassis and suspension. Make the jump for the details.

Continue reading Ford UK gets new tarted-up Fiesta S1600

Ford UK gets new tarted-up Fiesta S1600 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Rick Pearson at 7:19 p.m.

The Illinois Republican Party is stepping up its general election fundraising by featuring former Alaska governor Sarah Palin at a Chicago-area fundraiser May 12.

Palin, the 2008 running mate to GOP presidential contender Sen. John McCain of Arizona, remains both controversial and a draw.

She is scheduled to be at the Westin O’Hare in Rosemont for 2 hours that day and state Republicans are trying to make the most of it.



For $25,000 donated or raised, a donor gets to be part of a private round table during the first half hour, including a photo. A $10,000 donation or fundraising bundle nets a photo and participation in the next half hour’s VIP reception.



A general reception will follow at $500 per person or $750 per couple, but no photo.



State Republicans just had a successful fundraiser last week featuring National Republican Chairman Michael Steele.



No word yet on whether the GOP’s U.S. Senate candidate, five-term North Shore Rep. Mark Kirk, will attend the Palin event. During the primary, Kirk sought some encouraging words from Palin during a previous Chicago visit, an attempt to blunt concerns that he was too moderate to woo conservative Republican primary voters. Palin did not respond.

First Drive: 2011 Ford Fiesta aims to be the new subcompact king [w/video]

The Ford Fiesta is finally coming to the States, and we get our first crack at the U.S.-spec model through the streets of San Francisco.

Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid competes first shakedown at the ‘Ring [w/video]

Porsche continues to tow the company line that a hybrid 911 isn’t in the cards, but after seeing the GT3 R Hybrid tackling the track, we suspect that a gas-electric sports car from Porsche is right around the corner.

Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa live in the flesh

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 made its debut at the Villa D’Esta Concours this weekend, and the tube-framed TZ3 is another rolling masterwork of Italian design.

Also of interest:

• 900 people reportedly on the books for Porsche 918 Spyder
• Videos: Hyundai shows off direct-injected V6, four-cylinder, eight-speed automatic
• New poll reveals Americans think U.S. builds better cars than Asia
• Spy Shot: Gordon Murray’s T25 city car caught
• Hertz reportedly buying Dollar Thrifty car rental rival for $1.17B

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 4.26.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I think we have a pattern. After T-Mobile and Motorola suffered some bad PR from previous software updates, it looks like the company has adopted a new policy for rolling out OTA updates. Starting today, T-Mobile began testing a new software update for the CLIQ XT with a limited number of users in order to monitor feedback before a broad release.

Several carriers like Sprint often do internal testing for new software updates, but T-Mobile is the first to offer a public beta for their latest firmwares. T-Mobile is allowing 1000 users who frequent their forums the chance to download a new CLIQ XT update so they can carefully watch the feedback that comes in.

The latest CLIQ XT software is up to version 1.31.44 and the firmware remains at Android 1.5. A future upgrade to Android 2.1 is planned for Q2 2010.

Related Posts

• T-Mobile rolls out new software update to Motorola CLIQ users
• Hands on T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ XT (Quench)
• T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ loses keyboard, gains XT, launches 3/10
• CLIQ updated but still outdated
• Verizon Devour OTA update now available

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Nurburgring

The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was recently spotted getting its final tuning at the Nurburgring Nordschleife. The final production model will be revealed later this year.

Click here for more news on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Refresher: The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be offered with two new powertrains including Chrysler’s new flexible fuel 280-hp Phoenix 3.6L V6 which increases fuel-economy by up to 11 percent. The range will be topped off with a 5.7L HEMI V8 making 360-hp and a maximum torque of 390 lb-ft.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee at the Nurburgring:

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee:

– By: Omar Rana

Source: PistonSpy (via AutoBlog)

Posted by Monique Garcia at 6:59 p.m.

Gov. Pat Quinn declared again today he will fight for an income tax increase before lawmakers leave Springfield in coming weeks, despite criticism from a budget watchdog group and lack of support from fellow Democrats.

Quinn responded to a report from the Civic Federation that criticized his budget proposal for failing to make tough cuts before seeking a tax hike. He disagreed with their conclusion and said the tax increase is crucial to maintaining state funding for public schools.

"We’ve got to have good schools, good education, and this governor is going to fight until the last dog dies for schools and for education and for children," Quinn said.



But when asked how he will persuade reluctant legislative leaders to call a vote on his tax proposal before adjourning in a matter of weeks, Quinn offered only generalities about his relationship with House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. Like Quinn, they are Chicago Democrats.



"I talk to them all the time, we have a good relationship, we’ll be talking tomorrow," Quinn said. "My expectation is as we go through this remainder (of) April and into May, that we will get proper resources for education (come) hell or high water."

It's a bad week to be an anti-soda activist. In New York, a Big Apple physician penned an editorial against the Governor’s proposed soft drink tax, writing that there’s no authoritative science to back up its promised health benefits (something we’ve been saying for a good long while).  Elsewhere in the Empire State, a soda “buyback” in the Bronx patterned after a similar firearm-reduction initiative netted just one bottle of soda—and it was a zero-calorie drink, which wouldn’t fall under the scope of the tax, anyway. Likely, most people who aren't anti-soda crusaders understand that the implicit comparison of sugary drinks to guns doesn’t hold any water.

Farther south, city councilmen in Philadelphia have soured on the mayor’s proposed 2-cents-per-ounce drink tax. “It's fair to say it's dead,” says Councilman Frank Rizzo, a sentiment that five other sources also confirmed for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

All of this left “Twinkie tax” inventor and soda tax shill Kelly Brownell to beg Philly politicians to impose some kind of tax. “There is room to compromise and still get considerable health benefits,” he pleaded.

It seems to us that these two local governments have caught onto the fact that soft drink taxes aren’t about health—they’re about filling bureaucrats’ coffers while “public health” activists like Brownell use Americans as experimental guinea pigs. Their prospects for succeeding? Pretty flat.

Filed under: China, Buick, Beijing Motor Show

Over the course of the 20th century, the so-called “developed world” changed faster than at any time in recorded history, but not all parts of the world changed at the same pace. Late in the century some regions attempted to catch up, most notably China and India. In the process of doing so, they didn’t follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and cultural differences have meant that some things have been a bit different – including automotive retailing.

During our visit to China for the Beijing Motor Show, Buick offered to take us on a visit to a local dealership to see how things are done a bit differently. At first glance, the Buick dealer we visited on the northwest outer reaches of Beijing didn’t appear radically different from what you might encounter in the United States. A somewhat small showroom (at least compared to some of the larger American stores we’ve seen) contained eight cars, including each of the market’s currently available models. Read on to see how things diverged.

Continue reading Beijing 2010: 90% of Buicks in China bought for cold hard cash

Beijing 2010: 90% of Buicks in China bought for cold hard cash originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for hard disk? Oh, buddy boy, have I got a deal for you. You want MBs? I’ve got 10 fat ones right here. Five, if you’re not a heavy user. And you’ll never believe the price… [RustyLime via Reddit] More »

// CAMPBELL ROBERTSON and NEW ORLEANS — Coast Guard officials said Monday afternoon that the oil spill near Louisiana was now covering an area in the Gulf of Mexico of 48 miles by 39 miles at its widest points, and they have been unable to engage a mechanism that could shut off the well thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface.
More at the New York Times…

The Black Rock Rangers are Burning Man’s non-confrontational mediating agency, made up of trained volunteers who help to resolve disputes within our community, and bridge the gap between the ethos and the culture of our citizens and the needs and responsibilities of law enforcement. It didn’t start how you might think …
1990 was the first […]

Today may be World Intellectual Property Day, but this past Friday was also apparently World Book and Copyright Day (quite a bookended weekend for government monopolies on knowledge!). Bas Grasmayer points out that UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is supposed to be focused on “promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture” oddly chose Friday’s “World Book and Copyright Day” to launch an “anti-piracy observatory.”

This is bizarre for all sorts of reasons. An organization focused on encouraging education and international collaboration seems like the last place that would be supporting locking up information through government-granted monopolies. This “observatory” appears to have little interest in determining whether or not stronger copyright actually promotes international collaboration through education, science and culture — and simply assumes it must. Given that the actual evidence on this particular topic — especially in developing nations where you would think UNESCO would be most concerned — suggests exactly the opposite, it’s quite troubling that UNESCO would take this particular position. It’s a position that harms developing nations solely to benefit a few corporations. That doesn’t seem like a position UNESCO would support.

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The Wall Street Journal, which has waded into a fierce battle for local New York readers with the New York Times, has turned to the uber-hip social networking service Foursquare for some reinforcements. The Journal announced today that readers can get news and reviews about local spots in the Big Apple through a partnership with Foursquare, and can win special badges that have been created for the newspaper, including the “Urban Adventurer” and “Lunch Box” badges. It seems like an interesting extension of the Journal’s core mandate to deliver news and information, but the important question is whether it will help the paper in any tangible way.

The news and review items are tagged by the Journal with specific locations, so that when a user checks in at that spot with Foursquare, they appear as related “tips.” A recent visit to the Journal’s page on Foursquare showed that news items included one about the George Washington Bridge:

Police were told to stop and search would-be subway bomber Najibullah Zazi’s car in Sept. 2009 as he drove up to the bridge — but waved him across without finding two pounds of explosives hidden inside.

There was also one about a local restaurant called Aureole:

For lunch, served from noon to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, the most popular entrees are the miso Alaskan black cod ($26) and the grilled burger with bacon and pickled ramp dressing ($19)

And local attractions such as Citi Field:

Watch out for the Mets’ power-hitting outfielder Jason Bay: He’s one of the 10 streakiest hitters in baseball, either very hot or ice cold — and, so far this season, the latter.

Interesting links, but are they relevant to users of Foursquare? That’s hard to say. The restaurant news was 12 hours old, and the George Washington Bridge item appeared to be about something that happened a year ago. There were also items about new events at the Lincoln Center, how Alex Rodriguez is the slowest runner on the New York Yankees, some info about The Mark Hotel’s financial woes and some SEC financial news tagged to the headquarters of Goldman Sachs.

This isn’t the first partnership Foursquare has formed with a news outlet; earlier this year, it signed a deal with Metro News International to provide news items related to local venues in Toronto, and more recently the location-based social networking provider did a deal with the Financial Times to offer points to students who check in at specific locations (Harvard, the London School of Economics, etc.) which can later be redeemed for access to articles behind the paper’s paywall.

The Journal’s experiment with Foursquare is worth applauding, if only because there is so little experimentation coming from some traditional media outlets. But it’s still an open question as to whether it will have tangible results for the WSJ. Are Foursquare users potential Journal subscribers? Will the paper pursue potential advertising connections with Foursquare locations in addition to offering reviews and/or news? That might be better done via Foursquare or Yelp, since they are in that space already — and so what kind of payoff does the Journal get from these partnerships apart from looking cool and hip? Perhaps that is enough for owner Rupert Murdoch.

New images have leaked of what could be Motorola’s first 3D Android phone. A similar device was spotted last week which looked more like a prototype, but these new images appear to be final hardware. We say this because the new phone (MT810) now sports the China Mobile logo.

The speculation of a 3D-capable device stems from Motorola’s recent patent application for a three dimensional display.

A section of the patent reads:

“An optical element is disposed, for example, molded or laminated, within the first housing. The optical element allows light to pass through, from the display to a side of the housing for viewing. While the display present images in two dimensions, the optical element changes the image viewed therethrough to appear as three dimensional. The optical element is a plurality of lens, preferably made of polymer lenticule, but may also be other types of optical structures, for example, electro-wetting lenses or parallax barriers.”

As you can see from the images below, this new Motorola phone has a transparent cover on top of its display. If you read through the entire patent, many of the features they describe match up nicely with the form factor of this device.

Nintendo is planning to launch their 3D handheld gaming system this year, so it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to see Motorola do the same. The 3D effects for the Nintendo 3DS are speculated to be based on autostereoscopic imagery generated by LCDs with parallax barrier technology, which is the same material mentioned in the Motorola patent.

Related Posts

• Will Motorola’s next Android phone offer 3D?
• Motorola to integrate Skyhook location services for new Android phones
• If you want to be a NFL player, you need to learn to use MOTOBLUR
• Verizon Devour OTA update now available
• Motorola updates Android 2.1 timeline, no Devour upgrade is planned yet

it’s not just debt crises on the European periphery that the continent has to worry about.

The economy still really sucks.

This slide from Whirlpool’s (WHR) latest earnings presentation — the earnings report that pushed the stock to an all-time high — is rather telling.

Basically the world looks like: Asia and Latin America are hot. North America’s coming back modestly and Europe remains dormant.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• This Whirlpool Chart Is The Craziest "V" We’ve Seen Yet
• How Could This Be A Recovery With Caterpillar Sales Like These?
• Caterpillar: The Rest Of The World Is Coming Back Fast, But Boy, America Is Horrible

Speaking at a labor conference in Washington today, Hilda Solis went after Massey Energy for the company’s role in the explosion that killed 29 miners in Montcoal, W.Va., earlier this month. But the Labor secretary also laid some of the blame for that tragedy on federal regulators and policymakers for failing to enforce the safety measures that Massey has such a long history of violating.

“The science is there, the technology is there. But it’s about the employer,” Solis said at the Fairfax hotel near D.C.’s Dupont Circle. “And yes, it’s also about the regulations and the enforcement.”

Here we are in the 21st Century, and these things are still going on. … We have to have teeth that will encourage people to take care of employees in the work place.

After the speech, a handler whisked Solis away before I could ask any questions about what teeth she had in mind.

Light as a feather, slim-line and very stylish, the Sweet Dreams Sleep and Relaxation Mask is a molded contoured sleep aid that offers full comfort without any pressure to the eyes. Mask features concave eye pockets to keep the sleep mask away from your eyes and allow for normal blinking and air circulation. Conveniently folds up into a complimentary 4 x 6 satin drawstring pouch with a pair of soft foam Earplugs. Mask Construction: Molded soft foam, surrounded by a polyester interlock fabric. Mask fastens with an adjustable velcro strap Care: Hand wash in cool water. Lay flat to dry.

View Dream Essentials Sweet Dreams Contoured Sleep Mask Details

Snore-Ex’s anti snoring mouthpiece is an oral appliance also referred to as a Mandibular Advancement Device. The simple custom-fit mouthpiece positions and holds the jaw, opening airways for maximum airflow, thus reducing or eliminating snoring vibrations. More specifically, it provides a forward-positioning for the tongue, which is connected to the lower jaw. This increases airflow and minimizes the most common snoring cause – soft palette vibrations in the rear of the mouth. This is for adults only. Actual color of the travel case may vary (blue or white).

View Stop Snoring Mouth Piece – Anti Snore Device Sleep Apnea Cessation Aid Details