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Small business losing sales

This is a response to “Tar heel state right to challenge Amazon,” [Opinion, April 22].

I especially like the fact that this editorial described all forms of out-of-state sales, not just the Internet. Most media outlets simply focus on the Internet tax, but it is far more than just the Web.

For decades, my small business has lost sales to 1-800-number, mail-order and catalog-sales organizations. When a Washington state business has a nearly 10 percent disadvantage from the get-go, it is too easy for any purchaser of a small, shippable item to skirt the sales tax.

Please, do what you can to convince our elected officials to stop the nonsense. The UPS could tell you in seconds how much it costs to ship to any ZIP code in the country. It would be simple to have all sellers calculate, collect and remit sales taxes to the ship-to state.

— Bob Lackman, Seattle

Health care costs will raise
projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years and Medicare cuts could put 15 percent of hospitals into the red, according to a new report from the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The full estimates are here (warning: PDF).

The report is generating quite a bit of heat from bloggers, but it’s not exactly new news. The effect of the law is that American health care will cover more (35 million more) and cost more ($311 billion more) over the decade. We knew that.

If we squeeze Medicare payments, they will grow more slowly than the cost of providers’ services, which could make make some Medicare Part A providers unprofitable. That austerity pressures hospitals’ to either find new efficiencies to absorb the cuts or effectively lobby to limit Medicare cuts. Liberals have long hoped for the former. Conservatives have long expected the latter. Again, we knew that before this report.

This projection of 2019 doesn’t blow up our expectations, but it’s not the main story, anyway. The key issue for health care reform optimists is what happens after 2019. The excise tax creeps. The exchanges swell. We fire a slew of arrows at the medical inflation monster, from the independent Medicare counsel, to comparative effectiveness research, to the innovation center. Will the arrows hit and stick? We don’t know. We only know that two months ago, we had an empty quiver and 40 million uninsured Americans. And now we have a law.

PS: Here’s the key graph from the report:

Time to engage!

With less than a month left for the scheduled legislative session, it is clear that the focus of the General Assembly has been public education. And I don’t mean in a loving and supportive way.

From the onset, we saw a determination to pass pension reform that would jeopardize the ability of the state to recruit and retain teachers.  Next up was the imposition of medical assistance in schools that essentially mandates that trained teachers administer medication to children in schools.

The assault continued with an initial resistance to changes with the FOIA bill and protections for our higher ed and ESP members’ performance evaluations.

The most recent attack has come in the form of a voucher program for Illinois. The effect of the proposal could mean a diversion of nearly $100 million from public education and have a detrimental impact on suburban and downstate school districts.

We have just come off of a very successful Rally Day, but now is not the time to rest. Now is the time to engage. Legislators will need to continue to hear from their local constituents about the impact of their decisions and how they in so many ways have undermined public education with their votes.

Now is the time to remind them that they are going to have to wear the jacket for increased classroom sizes in the fall if they don’t pass a proposal for new revenue. They are the ones who will be held accountable for teacher reductions that could top 20,000.

Now is the time to remind them that the accountability they so often call for will be coming from the folks back home.

Vouchers

On Thursday, the House Executive Committee heard testimony on SB 2494, (Meeks/Joyce) the Chicago voucher bill. The bill creates the Illinois School Choice Program, which provides that any student enrolled in a Chicago Public School that is performing in the lowest 10 percent shall be eligible to receive a voucher equal to the foundation level per pupil, which is $6119.

IFT and IEA provided joint testimony that focused on the failed efforts of other vouchers programs across the country and the financial impact upon school districts across the state.

IEA testified that in 2004, the District of Columbia created a new scholarship program to provide low-income residents, with a focus on those attending schools in need of improvement or corrective action under ESEA. The program provided a scholarship worth up to $7500 that could be used to cover the cost of tuition, school fees and transportation to a private school.

Here were the findings of the Institute of Education Sciences:

1. After 2 years, there was no statistically significant difference in test scores between students who were offered the scholarship and students who were not.
2. The program had a positive impact on overall parent satisfaction but not to student satisfaction and safety.
3. Twenty-six percent of those offered the scholarship never used it. Reasons ranged from lack of available space in the private school they wanted to attend, the participating school did not offer services for their child’s learning or physical disability or special need, or accepted into a charter school.

As a result of these findings and others, on March 16 the U.S. Senate rejected a bill to reauthorize the D.C. voucher program.

SB 2494 passed out of committee and is on the House floor. However, due to many questions about the funding, it faces an uncertain future. IEA, IFT and CTU along with a number of other education partners are vigorously working the bill.  See our Voucher fact sheet here.

Student assistance health Needs

HB 6065 (Steans, D–Chicago) creates the Care of Students with Diabetes Act and asks teachers and school personnel to volunteer to administer medication to students.

The IEA is opposed to this legislation. The bill passed out of the Senate public health committee unanimously and will be heard by the full Senate. Please contact your state Senator and express your concerns about this bill and ask them to vote “NO”.  See our fact sheet – HB 6065.

Background:

• Creates the Care of Students with Diabetes Act.
• Defines a “delegated care aide” as a school employee who has volunteered to receive training in diabetes care and to assist students in implementing their diabetes care plan.
• Requires a parent or guardian to submit a diabetes care plan for a student with diabetes who seeks assistance with diabetes care in the school setting.
• Provides that a delegated care aide (teacher or school personnel) shall perform the activities and tasks necessary to assist a student with diabetes in accordance with his or her diabetes care plan.
• Delegated care aides are authorized to provide assistance by a student’s parent or guardian and serve under the supervision of the principal.  The intent is to have the parent or guardian choose the teacher to be the designated care aide.
• Allows self-administration of medication by a pupil with diabetes.

IEA supports:

• IEA believes that only certificated school nurses or licensed health care professionals working under the direct guidance of a certificated school nurse should administer medication and provide medical treatment and health care to students. All education employees should be protected from civil liability regarding administration of medicine.
• IEA recognizes that emergency situations may require non-medical personnel to step in and believe all education employees must be trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of such imminent life-threatening conditions and how to properly administer first aid in such situations.
• IEA can support some sort of training, within the confines of institute days, that covers how a school district wants to respond to children with medical emergencies. Such training is most appropriately conducted by a certified school nurse.
• IEA supports a task force (HJR 46 and SJR 112) to look at all school health issues (asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, food allergies, etc.).  Such a task force would allow us to discuss in detail the needs of students and how to best approach them. This would also allow input from experts in the field.

Mandates

HB 4711 (Maloney, D–Chicago) provides that no school district is obligated to comply with any statutory or regulatory mandate or requirement unless it is funded with a separate appropriation for the school year during which the mandate is required.  IEA is opposed to this bill that passed out of the Senate education committee unanimously.

While IEA opposes any future mandates that do not have a clear and specific source of revenue, we encourage the legislature to find the revenue before they pass the mandate.  Several legislators in committee stated that this bill would allow them to continue to pass statewide education policy, and if funded was not provided, the local districts could decide if they want to comply with the laws or not creating a patchwork of laws implemented across the state.

IEA supports two task forces that have been proposed to look at past and future mandates and we are currently attending meetings regarding this issue.  Please see our Unfunded Mandate position statement and an IEA fact sheet on HB 4711.

HB 4209 SA#1 (Garrett, D-Lake Forest) – Creates the Instructional Mandates Task Force charged to explore and examine all instructional mandates governing public schools and to make recommendations concerning the propriety of all existing mandates, the imposition of future mandates, and waivers of instructional mandates. It also establishes a moratorium on the passage of legislation that imposes instructional mandates on the public schools in this state through Jan. 2, 2012. The 15-member task force includes a representative from the IEA. The IEA-supported bill passed the Senate education committee unanimously.

Four-day school week

HB 4886 (Black, R-Danville) would allow a school district, by resolution of its board, to operate on a four-day school week plan approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. The IEA-opposed bill did not receive enough votes to get out of the Senate education committee this week.

Freedom of Information Act

HB 5154 (Lightford, D-Maywood) would prohibit the disclosure of performance evaluations under the Freedom of Information Act.  The scope of this proposal had been agreed to during the negotiations on Race to the Top but was amended in the House.  The Attorney General’s office is opposed to the bill.  This IEA-supported bill passed out of the Senate labor committee on a partisan roll call vote 7-3, and now goes to the full Senate for consideration.

SURS credit for furlough time

HB 4644 (Bomke, R-Springfield) would allow for university employees that took either a mandatory or involuntary furlough day between the July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2011 to establish credit for that time off in SURS.  The employee would be required to pay the employee and employer contribution, plus interest.  The bill as amended passed the Senate pensions and investments committee unanimously and now proceeds to the Senate floor.  The IEA supported this legislation.

School waivers

SJR 114 (Smith, D-Canton) is a resolution concerning driver education waivers.  The Senate passed this resolution unanimously.  It will be considered next Thursday by the House education committee.

The following school districts were granted behind-the-wheel driver education waivers for one year only:

Additionally, Elgin School District U-46 was approved to substitute four hours of behind-the-wheel instruction with 16 hours of simulator use for one year only.

All physical education waivers which would waive students from receiving the daily activity required by law were approved, as were all driver education fee requests exceeding $250.

Race to the Top

ISBE is moving ahead in the application process for the Phase II “Race to the Top” application. There were only 42 percent of the school districts that returned the memorandum of understanding and the reviewers noted this in the Phase I application. The deadline for the Phase II application is June 1. ISBE has set a May 24 deadline for signed MOU’s and recommitment forms.

IEA will be holding the following one-hour webinars on the RTTT Phase 2 process:

• Tues., April 27, at 1 p.m. for staff
• Tues., April 27, at 8 p.m. for IEA governance (board of directors and local presidents)

Please check your e-mail for the call in number and web connection.

What’s next

We only have two weeks before the scheduled adjournment deadline of May 7.  Beginning Tuesday, both the House and Senate are scheduled to be in session until the bitter end.

As public policy, Take Back Our Time will only keep clock ticking

I read the column “The New Pursuit of Happiness” [NWThursday, April 22] and was astounded by how much progressives do not like this country.

Many progressive want to put down the United State’s success and then implement public policy to slowdown our successes. If they and groups such as Take Back Our Time want to work less and pursue other passions, then by all means do it —just do not request it to become a public policy.

Our great nation was built with an adventurer’s dreams, pioneering spirit, innovative entrepreneurship and the greatest work ethics in the world. We do not need public policies to make us happy. Do not worry about how I live my life.

The United States uses its wealth to allow our citizens to spend more time doing volunteer work and contributing more to world charity efforts than any other country. If we were not a rich in finances and caring people, this world could not count on as much assistance as it gets.

I am not saying the Take Back Our Time is not a good idea, but it is a private choice and not for public policy.

— Todd Welch, Everett

Deported mother? Not our problem

This is a response to “Mom deported 3 years ago wins chance to come back” [page one, April 20].

Give me a break, the key word here is “wins.” Our immigration laws are not a game. You do not “win” a chance to come here. You apply legally through our system and you are granted the right to become a citizen of our country.

Ana Reyes made some bad choices. She came here illegally, had children, got deported and now “wins “ a chance to come back?

We have become so beyond politically correct that we have lost sight of that fact that this is not a game. Wasting our tax dollars, court time and energy on an illegal immigrant who got mixed up with another illegal immigrant is not our problem.

— Lynn Durfy, Seattle

Media coverage of immigration one-sided

Why must editorials that deal with immigration be so one-sided? “Don’t fence immigration reform” [Opinion April 21].

Many who identify themselves as progressives follow the conservative tactic of seeing things in black and white instead of looking at the various sides of an issue.

How many of the world’s 7 billion people could this country accommodate? How many of the world’s unemployed do we want to hire given our own high unemployment level? Do we have such an overabundance of resources that we do not need to worry about ever running out? Can one even advocate some reasoned ideas on immigration or must one worry about being branded racist and xenophobic by our elected official, Jim McDermott?

Unfortunately, when the media, which are supposed to be objective, place so much emphasis on one side of an issue, of course that is the side that seems right, even if that side is based mostly on emotion and is short on reasoned information.

— Jack Pedigo, Seattle

Published April 22, 2010
By Tri-City Herald staff

Columbia Basin College in Pasco is participating in the national Cesar E. Chavez Registry Blood Drive Challenge.

The College Assistance Migrant Program Alumni Association is organizing the challenge to promote the engagement of Latino college students as community organizers in a national campaign.  Last year, hundreds of first time blood donors were recruited.

This year, students enrolled in the CAMPAA service learning and leadership program will expand their efforts to educate their campus community about the critical need for organ and tissue donors.

CBC’s registry drive will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday.  Registration can be completed online by going to www.DonateLifeToday.com/schools.

Students are competing with several colleges to see which campus can show the most school pride through registered donors.

Register no later than April 30 for your donation to count in the competition.  Awards will be presented to the winner in May.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Published April 22, 2010
By the Tri-City Herald staff

View the sun, stars and moon during a free viewing of the heavens Saturday at the Moore Observatory at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.

Day and night activities are planned at the observatory in celebration of National Astronomy Day. Viewing begins at 6 p.m. with an observation of the sun and sunspots using a variety of solar telescopes provided by CBC and the Tri-City Astronomy Club.

Stargazing begins around 8 p.m. using the Moore Observatory’s 16-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.

In addition to the viewing, inside the observatory, videos will be shown of various galactic phenomenon.

The Moore Observatory is in the northwest corner of the CBC Pasco campus.

For more information, call Frank Murray at 542-4835.

Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.

Streets dangerous, high risk for collision and injury in business district

I recently had an encounter with an Everett Police Officer. According to the law, no person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk in a business district in downtown Everett, on Colby Avenue. This occurred at 8 a.m. on Sunday morning, when there were hardly any people downtown — only many parked cars.

The road conditions are very dangerous to bicyclists in the business core due to the character of the angle in car parking and the bike lanes behind these vehicles. As a motorist backs out of one of these stalls, the bicyclist and motorist are not able to see each other until the car has already backed into the bike lane and a collisions could easily occur. That has happened before.

Not all cities in the state have adopted or enforced this state law. Seattle, for instance, has much more pedestrian and bicycle traffic in its city core, yet bicyclists are not prohibited from using sidewalks, as long as pedestrians are given the right away and the bicyclist is riding in a careful and prudent manner.

This law discourages people from using their bicycles and going downtown in general. With our growing obesity rates, we all need to encourage people to park their cars and get out and exercise more. Allowing bicycles on city sidewalks brings more business downtown and as a former restaurant owner, I appreciate that we should do all that we can to help business owners succeed.

In addition, the less motor vehicle traffic we have, the less money we have to spend on car-related issues such as the effects of pollution, traffic management and providing more car parking stalls.

This state law is being arbitrarily applied and enforced by cities throughout the state. I believe that the intent is to protect pedestrians during business hours. It is overreaching to prohibit all bicycles from city sidewalks at all times. The very least I would like to see is to amend this law or enforced in a way so that the road conditions and character of the foot traffic on the sidewalk are considered. This is good and needed for our environment; bicycle safety is needed to bring more people and business to downtown Everett.

— Steve Corotas, Everett

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Ford

Ford has announced a recall of some 33,000 vehicles due to faulty front seat manual reclining mechanisms. The recall affects certain 2010 Ford Fusion, Explorer and Explorer SportTrac models, as well as 2010 Mercury Mountaineer and Milan vehicles. Both the Blue Oval and NHTSA are concerned that during an accident the mechanisms could fail and cause the back of the seat to move toward the rear of the vehicle, resulting in a possible injury.

While no injuries have been reported as a result of the defect, NHTSA found that the seats don’t meet federal standards for head restraints and must be replaced. Ford will replace the hardware free of charge. For more information, visit NHTSA’s website.

[Source: Associated Press]

Ford recalling 33,000 vehicles to replace… seat recliner? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When you’re grilling, nothing’s more handy than a digital thermometer…except maybe these: Tongs that incorporate a very fine temperature probe so you don’t need to fiddle with multiple tools. More »

As Annie notes over at sister-site TreoCentral, Palm has let loose that they’re going to be roving the country, handing out Pre and Pixi accessories, Palm stickers, and who knows what to people they see using webOS devices out in public spaces. In other words – be a little flamboyant when you use your phone, it just might get you noticed and get you swag.

Palm says that these roving bands of accessory-gifters could appear in any country. We suppose these ‘random acts of wow’ could be pretty sparse, given the wide net.  If only Palm had a way of tracking down webOS users in the wild to help improve those odds (We KID! We joke!).

Thanks to everybody who sent this in!

Mike Konczal of the Roosevelt Institute and the blog Rortybomb has a useful chart and paper outlining what to demand from Sen. Chris Dodd’s (D-Conn.) financial regulatory reform bill — the provisions that will ensure financial security — along with the chances of each provision making it into the final legislation.

The effort that seems most secure? Derivatives reform. The effort that seems least secure? A provision ensuring banks put all relevant liabilities clearly onto their balance sheets, as well as too big to fail and hard leverage cap requirements.

Continuamos con la prueba del Citroën C5 equipado con el motor 3.0 HDi V6 de 240 CV y cambio automático de seis relaciones. En principio del diseño y del espacio interior, temas que tratamos en la segunda parte de la prueba no tenía pensado hablar, puesto que ya hemos hablado de la habitabilidad y del diseño del Citroën C5 en la prueba que realizamos hace unos meses.

Pero si tenemos que matizar cambios tanto en los acabados como en el diseño exterior, puesto que nuestra unidad no es un C5 convencional, destacando las llantas de 19 ” o el acabado interior con cuero integral. Por tanto de una manera algo más breve que habitualmente nos vamos a centrar en el diseño de este C5 y para aquellos que quieran ver en detalle el interior de esta berlina siempre pueden leer la prueba del anterior C5.

Diseño exterior

Una de las cosas que más llaman la atención exteriormente de este C5 de 240 CV, son las llantas, que para este modelo calza unas de 19 pulgadas, una medida en mi opinión desmesurada (con unas de 18″ sería suficiente) pero que llaman la atención por el diseño, nada convencional y con tintes deportivos.

Otro de los elementos que es propio de esta versión de 240 CV son las dos salidas del tubo de escape con formas rectangulares y que le aportan mucho carácter a la imagen exterior del C5. Por otra parte también tendremos los cromados propios del acabado Exclusive, del marco de las ventanillas parte inferior de la puerta y los tiradores.

En definitiva, el diseño musculoso y con personalidad que tiene el C5 se ve acentuado por los pequeños retoques que le dan un toque más deportivo o incluso diferente, distinguiendose de otros C5 que podamos ver por la calle.

Diseño interior

Si exteriormente tiene pequeños detalles que lo diferencian, por dentro en la práctica no tiene muchos detalles que lo diferencien del C5 que ya hemos probado. Pero se da la casualidad que nuestra unidad tenía como extra el pack de cuero integral, que incluye un nutrido grupo de elementos de equipamiento y de acabados.

Los asientos son de cuero microperforado (nada que ver con los de cuero normal), eléctricos con regulación para cualquier postura, (ver detalle) porque creo que es uno de los coches que tiene más reglajes para el asiento: podemos desplazarlo a lo largo, en altura, el respaldo, e incluso la parte superior del respaldo sólo (cuenta con dos zonas en el respaldo con ajuste eléctrico) y por último tenemos el ajuste lumbar que es eléctrico y desplazable, en conclusión es imposible no encontrar tu postura en un C5 con asientos eléctricos.

Pero además de los asientos de cuero, de un tono más bien marrón y una calidad a la altura de cualquier marca premium, también cuenta con el salpicadero completamente forrado en cuero, junto con las puertas que tienen también zonas forradas en cuero. Eso se traduce en que es prácticamente imposible dar con alguna zona que tenga un plástico duro y de mal tacto, puesto que el cuero de gran calidad inunda todo el habitáculo y pese a que los asientos no son ventilables (pero si calefactables) al ser microperforado no se hace pesado con el calor.

Pero además, por si nuestro viaje a bordo de esta berlina se empieza a hacer molesto para nuestra espalda, este C5 incorporaba un sistema que se anunció cuando se lanzó esta generación, pero que no me había coincido probar, y es el masaje en el asiento del conductor (ver detalle). Pero bueno, tampoco podemos tomar al pie de la letra lo de masaje, puesto que en la practica usa el apoyo lumbar para desplazarlo por la espalda y ajustándolo con mayor o menor profundidad. Muchos preguntareis que utilidad tiene, es un extra que está bien cuando viajas mucho, porque llevas ya un rato con la espalda pegada al asiento y lo accionas un tiempo y te descansa algo más la espalda, pero tampoco es un sistema que me guste llevarlo demasiado tiempo conectado porque llega a cansar.

Independientemente a estas curiosidades que tenía nuestra unidad de pruebas, el espacio interior del C5 sigue destacando por el espacio sobretodo en las plazas delanteras con asientos que son más bien butacas y con una postura de conducción muy cómoda. Mientras que en las plazas traseras el espacio ya está algo más comprometido sobretodo en altura, (aun así sigue siendo una auténtica gozada el viajar en las plazas traseras si no eres muy alto) y la visibilidad también se ve algo comprometida por causa del diseño, volvemos a emplazaros a leer la prueba del C5 2.0 HDI de 138 CV Aut. que publicamos hace unos meses donde hablamos más pormenorizado del interior de esta berlina y de su habitabilidad con un maletero de 439 litros.

Para finalizar con el analisis del diseño tanto exterior como interior del C5, comentar que el equipamiento que trae a mayores este pack de cuero integral y del que daremos buena cuenta en la tercera parte, cambia bastante el interior del C5 convirtiéndolo en una auténtica berlina premium con 240 CV bajo el capó y unos materiales de primera calidad.

Citroën C5 3.0 HDi V6 240 CV

Fotos | David Taboada

PhoneDog just can’t cram every bit of analysis, in-depth coverage, and tip/trick/how-to goodness onto our home page. So we’ve built a few more home pages to hold it all.   Whether it’s Android, BlackBerry, Apple, or T-Mobile stuff that makes you tick, we’ve got the goods.

Here’s what’s going on right now on PhoneDog Media’s network sites: Today’s iPhone, BBerryDog, DroidDog, and TmoNews.

iPhone 4G leaker gets free trip to Germany

Colleges say “No” to iPad

Vid: App Review – RedLaser

White BlackBerry Bold 9700 and Crimson Pearl 9100 dummy units showing up in Rogers stores

BIS 3.1 details leaked in PDF

Op-Ed: Missing the standby function?  Not a chance!

Your destination is on the right; Garminfone finds T-Mobile

HTC’s Sense Espresso makes an appearance on myTouch Slide

A pair of Androids for Telstra

Friday afternoon random thoughts

This is just cool!

Sunday upcoming phone news

Hartford Courant columnist Rick Green says the state should eliminate the Lieutenant Governor’s position and the $110,000 salary that goes with it.

Some future governors, including Democrat William A. O’Neill and Republican M. Jodi Rell, have held the lieutenant governor’s position before stepping up to the state’s highest elected office. Rell served in the post for about 10 years, while others – including A Connecticut Party member Eunice Groark and Democrat Kevin B. Sullivan – have had much shorter tenures.

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-green_lt._governor_0423.artapr23,0,3864648.column

In a related matter, business entrepreneur Lisa Wilson-Foley of Simsbury, who is running for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, announced Friday that she would refuse to accept any state money if she is elected to the post.

“The office has a $500,000 annual budget. Eliminating the $110,000 salary, plus a full-time state trooper driver and car and one staff position will trim the lieutenant governor’s office budget by nearly 50%,” Foley said in a statement.

She also announced that after serving for two years, she would start evaluating whether the lieutenant governor’s office needs to be abolished. If so, she would work for the following two years on a plan to carry out the abolishment.

“Families around Connecticut have had to tighten their budget belts during this economic downturn,” she said in a statement. “State agencies should have to do the same.”

Wilson-Foley has created a web site at www.wilsonfoley2010.com.

A BMW apresentou no Salão do Automóvel de Pequim o seu conceito Gran Coupe um veiculo que, apesar de seu nome, não é um cupê e sim uma carroceria sedã apresentando características visuais de um cupê. Alem da possibilidade de se tornar um veiculo de produção da BMW, o conceito também serve para apresentar as linhas básicas do futuro Serie 6.

Apesar de serem reveladas fotos do conceito, a BMW no momento ainda não divulgou detalhes técnicos do modelo, apenas revelou suas medidas de 5 metros de comprimento e uma altura menor que 1,4 metros. De qualquer forma, caso ele venha a ser produzido, o conceito BMW Gran Coupe enfrentará concorrentes de qualidade como o Passat CC, Aston Martin Rapide e o Porsche Panamera, todos incluídos na recente categoria dos cupês de quatro portas.

Utilizando a plataforma do BMW Serie 7, ainda é especulado que o modelo poderia utilizar as motorizações de oito e seis cilindros movidos a gasolina e a diesel. Seu design conta com uma grande parte dianteira, com um enorme capô e faróis com desenho agressivo. Sua tampa do porta-malas é parecida com o do Serie 6 e sua lanternas traseiras utilizam-se de Leds em sua iluminação e lembram bastante a do novo Serie 7.

Conceito BMW Grand Coupe

Fonte: Auto123

Sirius XM Radio announced earlier today that a free Android app will be released in May giving subscribers access to over 120 channels via their Droid or Nexus One. (Presumably the Incredible and all other Android 2.1 devices will be compatible as well.)

If you aren’t a current subscriber the app will carry with it a 7-day trial subscription so you can test it out and see what you think. Once your trial is over there are a number of options for subscriptions and depending on how much programming you are after the monthly fees range from $6.99 to $19.99. If you want to look into it further you can check out all the available packages over on Sirius.

Here’s their quick rundown of features for the app:

• Listen to over 120 channels of SIRIUS XM Premium Online programming on the go, even while surfing the web or checking email.
• Bookmark SIRIUS XM Premium Online channels for fast, easy access through a “Favorites” function.
• View the current channel plus what is playing on all other available channels via the “Lookaround” function.

Nothing too earth shattering in the way of functionality, but if you enjoy Sirius XM Radio this should be a welcome addition to your app collection.

One major caveat is that the following content will not be available through the Android app; MLB Play-by-Play, NFL Play-by-Play, SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, and Howard Stern. Depending on your interests that could be some fairly compelling content that they are withholding so just keep that in mind. It’s also somewhat interesting as my understanding is that once Flash 10.1 is enabled on Android you should be able to just navigate to the Sirius website and listen to any and all of the content you have subscribed to.

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Payrolls may finally be creeping higher, but Americans are more scared than ever of losing their jobs.

Gallup’s poll of employed Americans found that 21% think it is likely they will be laid off in the next year. Only 38% are confident they won’t be laid off. Both indicators are at record levels and getting worse.

Rising fear shows the average American does not believe in the recovery.

Don’t miss: 12 Reasons Americans Are Incredibly Angry About The State Of The U.S. Economy

Join the conversation about this story »

Kevin Rose. Digg founder. Android convert. [via Twitter] Thanks, bdizzel1982

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Back in February Google announced that the company would be deploying 1 Gbps fiber to the home connections for a lucky community or two. Google’s plan is to create a playground to test next-generation ad delivery and to explore fiber deployment options. The announcement has been nothing short of a PR miracle for Google — the resulting clamor created by the thousands of cities eager to be the target market has kept the Google brand consistently present in the media every single day since and all without a single byte being delivered. The network itself will operate under an open access model, with Google inviting ISPs to come in and compete, and this week Google’s Minnie Ingersoll extended an invitation to Comcast and AT&T to participate:

"We (sic) definitely inviting the Comcasts, the AT&T service providers to work with us on our network, and to provide their service offering on top of our pipe — we’re definitely planning on doing that. Our general attitude has been that there’s plenty of room for innovation right now in the broadband space, and it’s great what the cable companies are doing, upgrading to DOCSIS 3.0, but no one company has a monopoly on innovation. We’re looking for other service providers to be able to come in and offer their service on top of our network so that residents have a choice when they open up their accounts. They get the connection from us, and then they have a choice as to who they subscribe to."

While that’s sweet of Google, it’s unclear that the nation’s wealthiest carriers will want to come over and play today. These are companies who spend millions of dollars each year lobbying to eliminate competition of any kind — and probably aren’t keen to participate in a trial designed (in part) to highlight how competition keeps prices low, keeps service quality high — and organically limits network neutrality violations. The nation’s wealthiest carriers already disliked Google for the company’s positions on everything from network neutrality to white space broadband. They, of course, see (correctly) that products like Google Voice pose a serious disruptive threat to traditional cash cows, and these carriers spend a lot of time smearing Google by using outsourced policy wonks.

These same carriers will probably feel even less cooperative after being subjected to several months of national coverage with one central theme: they aren’t providing the broadband speeds or prices people want. Keep in mind too that part of this network’s purpose will be to collect a mountain of data — the kind of data these carriers don’t like to share (congestion, bandwidth delivery costs, etc.) all of which will be useful to Google in their political battles against these same operators. While Google has repeatedly stated they aren’t interested in being an ISP or in expanding this project beyond 50,000 to 500,000 users — this new network (whenever it actually gets built) might be a more suitable playground for smaller ISPs; smaller ISPs eager to show what open access and competition can really do for a community in an environment free of the influence of the usual assortment of monopoly/duopoly carriers.

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