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I actually had decently high hopes for Vevo, the partnership between Universal Music and YouTube to create a website for official music videos (currently from three of the four major record labels). I mean, I always figured that eventually the labels would screw stuff up, but I thought it actually had a shot at maybe being useful. The fact that Universal put Rio Caraeff in charge seemed like a good sign as well, since Caraeff seemed like the sort of music industry exec who understood the new marketplace for music, and wasn’t encumbered with the “old ways” of doing things. But rather than a useful site, Vevo has basically been a cookie cutter version of what you would do if the record labels created their own YouTube. That is, it took none of the good parts of YouTube. Hell, it didn’t even take the ability to handle a lot of traffic. For the first few days after it launched, Vevo just didn’t work at all.

Its latest screwup was that it didn’t include its preroll ads in the YouTube API, meaning that others who used the API could access and repurpose Vevo content without the ads, and even show the content outside the US (which Vevo currently does not allow). It didn’t take long for one enterprising startup, Muziic, to do exactly that. Muziic has received some attention for basically using the YouTube API to create an iTunes-like experience out of YouTube videos (it also gets attention for being founded by a 16-year old). Muziic sent out an announcement this week about how it was using the YouTube API to add Vevo content, meaning you could access Vevo videos without the preroll ads and outside the US.

Vevo’s first response? To send a cease and desist. At the very least, it wasn’t a legal nastygram, but a more friendly cease & desist sent by Caraeff himself. But “cease” what? Muziic was using the API as designed, and even though Caraeff admits that Vevo is quickly scrambling to change the API, he still says Muziic needs to cease from using the Vevo logo or referencing the company’s name. But Muziic used the name in an accurate and descriptive manner. It accurately noted that it was now offering Vevo content — without ads and outside the US — all legally via the use of the API provided by YouTube/Vevo itself.

Muziic’s co-founder responded to Caraeff’s email over at Hypebot, saying that he “was as shocked as anyone when I realized there were not yet any “pre-roll” advertisements for Vevo content in the API,” but since it was how the company set up the API, it seems perfectly reasonable to use it that way. He also notes that he had reached out to Vevo prior to this to try to work out an arrangement with the company and got no response.

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The debut album from pop newcomer Ke$ha has been circulating the Interwebs for a couple days now — and for good reason — Ke$ha currently holds the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 with her record-breaking first single “Tik Tok.”

“Tik Tok” sold 440,000 downloads over the Christmas holiday — a 175% increase of the week before — setting a new record on the Billboard charts for the “Most Ever Digital Single Sales for a Female Artist.” The smash hit has sold a massive 610,000 downloads since its iTunes debut earlier this month.

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc.

Kelley Blue Book (KBB) strained the data from its voluminous cache to come up with the year’s 20 most researched cars, and the five brands that got the most attention. This will probably come as a surprise to precisely none of our readers, but Honda and Toyota dominated the upper reaches of the list. Together they made up all of the top five and nine of the top ten — Nissan‘s Altima squeezed into ninth.

The secondary ten provided more model mix, with three Fords and two Chevrolets making up the domestic squad. Midsize cars also made a return to buyers’ attentions, after last year’s list was overrun by fuel sippers. You can read KBB’s press release on the data after the jump, and see a high-res gallery of the twenty leaders below.

[Source: Kelley Blue Book]

Continue reading KBB lists its “most researched” new cars and trucks in 2009

KBB lists its “most researched” new cars and trucks in 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There are many hair loss remedies that one can try today. Though some of them have been proven to be more effective, all of them have worked at one time or the next. Depending on your genetic makeup, and your reason for experiencing hair loss, one product may work better than another. You may have to try a couple different ones to find the one that best works for you. Start with the most popular (discussed below) and see if you have good results.

There are two hair loss remedies that are being used by the biggest percentage of the population. They are Rogaine and Propecia. Men and women alike are both using Rogaine, as they produce a cream for both genders. Propecia focuses solely on helping out women who are experiencing hair loss. The reasons for hair loss vary and in women, the most popular cause, next to genetics, is hormonal changes.

Rogaine has been one of the most popular hair loss remedies since its inception. Rogaine for men and women is a topical cream that is applied directly to the scalp. This cream helps to enlarge hair follicles, which stimulates hair growth. It is a fairly basic principal, but works rather well.

Propecia on the other hand is an oral medication that is specifically for women. Propecia helps to block hormones that cause hair follicles to shrink. Hormonal changes in women can cause hair loss, so Propecia focuses in on blocking out hormones that may have a negative effect on the scalp. Propcia works rather well for women that are balding.

There are also many natural supplements that are taken as hair loss remedies. Visiting your local pharmacy or supplement store is a good place to start if you are looking for natural supplements to add to your prevention plan. These stores also offer special shampoos that can serve the patient well. Proper care of the hair and scalp is one of the most overlooked hair loss remedies. An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure.

Visiting with your family physician or with an experienced professional can also be a great place to start. These professionals have been exposed to hair loss problems over many years, so they will be able to prescribe the best hair loss remedies. Only a professional can decide if you need a prescription strength remedy or if an over the counter product would help.

People who notice hair falling out, thinning, or appearing in large amounts on their comb or brush should consult a dermatologist. With correct diagnosis, many people with hair loss can be helped. A dermatologist will evaluate a patient’s hair-loss problem to find the cause so they can determine whether the problem will resolve on its own or medical treatment is needed. Baldness or hair loss is usually something only adults need to worry about. But in a few cases, teens lose their hair, too — and it may be a sign that something’s going on.

More than half of men and women in the United States experience hair loss. About 30% of people have hair loss by age 30 years, and about 50% have hair loss by age 50 years. Hair loss is so common that most of the time it is considered a normal variation and not a disease. Other animals closely related to humans, such as the chimpanzee, also lose their hair.

The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter (less than half an inch) per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time. About 10 percent of the hair on your scalp, at any one time, is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place.

Some people prefer to let their baldness run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still others choose one of the medications and surgical procedures that are available to treat hair loss. Before pursuing any of these treatment options, talk with your doctor about the cause of and best possible treatments for your hair loss.

Treatment for Hair Loss

Minoxidil (Rogaine): This over-the-counter (nonprescription) medication is approved for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. Minoxidil is a liquid or foam that you rub into your scalp twice daily to grow hair and to prevent further loss. Some people experience some hair regrowth or a slower rate of hair loss or both. Minoxidil is available in a 2 percent solution and in a 5 percent solution.

Styling hair to cover the areas with the most hair loss is effective for mild cases. Washing and styling the hair will not cause further hair loss. For more severe hair loss, wigs and hairpieces can provide good results if you are willing to try them. Either of these options can be used in combination with medications or surgery if the results of styling or the hairpiece alone are not satisfying.

The American Hair Loss Association recognizes that hair loss is an extremely emotionally distressing disease that can make those afflicted particularly vulnerable. For this reason, The AHLA recommends against purchasing any hair loss product that is not approved by the FDA or recommended by The American Hair Loss Association.

The lasers emit light directly from the laser source. No light is lost on the way to the client. The technique used in HLTC’s laser therapy has many advantages compared to other equipment such as high efficiency with low power requirements for appropriate doses. It is the very best on the market. HLTC’s laser therapy is easy to operate. Simply lower the hood over the client’s head using the regulator. Press the START button and treatment begins. HLTC’s laser therapy indicates the end of treatment with a beeping signal.

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December 30, 2009

VANCOUVER- Joyce Murray, MP for Vancouver Quadra and Official Liberal Critic for Amateur Sport and the Vancouver Olympics issued the following statement on the Conservative Party’s prorogation of Parliament and avoidance of responsibility:
“The Olympic Games are about the athletes, the thousands of volunteers, and the communities that make these Games possible. The Olympics should NOT be about the politicians.

Yet, the Conservative Government has chosen to use the Vancouver 2010 Olympics for political gain. With the Mr. Harper’s request to prorogue Parliament in order to attend the Games’ festivities, 35 bills, various committees, and issues are at stake and needed government action will be delayed, if not lost.

Mr. Harper is trying to use a get-out-of-jail free card and avoid inquiry on the transfer of Afghan detainees – for which Conservative Parliamentarians have failed to attend the last two meetings.

If Mr. Harper wanted to support to Canadian athletes, he would support the democratic institutions that this country is founded upon. Canada’s Olympic athletes have worked the entire lives to represent their communities. It is shameful the Prime Minister is using them to serve his partisan objectives.

A successful and memorable Games in no way requires Canada’s politicians to stop working and ignore important decisions on the various bills and work by different committees.
While Canadian athletes strive for gold, the Conservative government has failed to reach podium. This failure in leadership will cost the country hardship and money waiting for important decisions.

And this time, Canadian voters and taxpayers are the losers.”

-30-

Review: 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10 reminds us we’re in the wrong tax bracket

Is it the penultimate everyday supercar or a defanged Lambo for two-thirds the price? We put the R8 V10 through the wringer for a week to find out if it deserves a top spot on our lottery list.

Video: Our Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10 cameos on The Smoking Tire

The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah broke his leg while hooning in the snow. So who could possibly replace the one-legged wonder for the latest episode? One Dr. Lieberman, with a bad jacket and worse facial hair.

Spy Shots: First look at 2012 Hyundai Veloster?

Spies catch a camo’d hatch testing on the track. Could it be the all-new Hyundai Veloster? We think so and so do a few well placed sources.

Also of interest:

• Quebec drivers face hefty fine if they don’t drive on snow tires
• Ford dealers say Kuga should be named Escape in U.S. – Do you agree? [w/POLL]
• No 2010 Kia Borrego, model’s future uncertain
• Video: 2011 Volvo S60 is one shapely Swede
• GM reportedly extends bidding deadline for Saab, production to restart?

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

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 12.30.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I frequently write up lists of things you should do when you are cleaning your house. However, a list of don’ts is equally important and, in some cases, a matter of life and death. Here are five things you should never do when cleaning your house.

• Mixing bleach and ammonia – It isn’t just an old wives’ tale. Mix these two cleansers and you’ll make a deadly gas. It is so deadly that it was actually used in warfare. Read every cleanser bottle before you use it and be careful not to use one that lists bleach and one that lists ammonia at the same time. (Even people who should know better sometimes forget about the danger of mixing the different cleaners. A friend of mine saved her unconscious housekeeper’s life when the housekeeper mixed the two. She glanced into the bathroom as she was walking by and saw the housekeeper collapsed on the floor. She covered her face with a towel, dragged the unconscious housekeeper from the bathroom and called 911.)
• Cleaning the toaster or any other appliance while it is plugged in – Some people think that if you haven’t hit the on switch, there’s no power going to the appliance. That is simply not always true. Play it safe and pull the plug.
• Cleaning things by hand without gloves – I didn’t really think about how important it is to avoid handling all the cleansers without gloves until I caught an episode of a tv talk show that had a dying woman on there who had an obsessive compulsive disorder with a cleaning problem. She was literally killing herself with all the constant scrubbing and scouring because the cleaners were getting into her body. So, wear those plastic yellow gloves and use tools that help you avoid coming in contact with chemicals. (Or go green, which is what I prefer to do. I have to use more elbow grease to get the results I want, but vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and other natural products can make things sparkle just as much as toxic chemicals do.)
• Keeping rooms closed up after you’ve cleaned with non-green cleansers – If new research shows that using air fresheners can be unhealthy for us, imagine what ammonia or bleach does for our air quality. Air out you rooms.
• Leave cleansers and other chemicals out unattended or leave them sitting in sinks or toilets – If you have kids or pets, you should always be sure to put containers away with the lids securely on and should make sure you don’t leave cleaners in sinks and toilets. No matter how hard we try to prevent it, cats and dogs drink out of toilets. Kids splash in “pretty” sink water. People knock over containers. Stay safe and keep your family safe by putting stuff away.

Do you have any tips for things you should avoid when you are cleaning your house?

Photo: SXC

Post from: Blisstree

Five Things You Should Never Do When Cleaning Your House

California is poised to meet its lofty renewable energy goals — at least on paper. Right now, 200 renewable energy products totaling 70 gigawatts of energy are under consideration in the state. Not all of them will pass muster — but their equivalent will need to be built in order to make the grade. That’s more than eight times the current 8,000 megawatts of renewable generation already in the works. Here’s the full list of projects that have been pitched so far.

Utilities are already scrambling to meet Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s mandate, requiring them to generate one-third of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. And not all the usual suspects qualify as renewable. For example, hydropower — accounting for 11.7 percent of California’s energy production — will not count toward these goals due to silting and environmental problems caused by damming rivers.

By the end of 2010, about 53 projects are expected to break ground — out of a pool of 250 that applied for grants under the U.S. stimulus package. The largest of this group is a 1,000-megawatt solar thermal development in Riverside County, Calif. Out of the top ten largest projects receiving government packing, eight are solar — indicative of the state’s preference for therm and photovoltaic solar generation. Only a handful of the 53 are wind plants, and only one is geothermal.

Of the projects not applying for recovery act funds, almost all of them are proposed to be build on land controlled by the federal Bureau of Land Management. Historically, the BLM has fewer regulations than other land management agencies. This could mean that more of these projects will actually get built, rather than getting bogged down in permitting disputes. Fortunately, this batch includes most of the larger projects, approaching a gigawatt in size.

Based on the sheer volume of proposals, and the impetus provided by state policy, it looks like California is getting ready for a big wave of renewable development in 2010. As the 2020 mandate looms, more projects will probably be pushed through that wouldn’t have typically made it by regulators.

As it stands, many utilities are looking to make power purchase agreements with out-of-state energy providers. In the next few years, this trend should shift — especially as well-funded solar projects spring up in California’s Central Valley and desert regions.

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It’s a little known fact — the Earth’s geothermal resources could satisfy the world population’s power needs many times over. So why is it only generating little over 10 gigawatts of power globally? The prime reason: Few companies have figured out how to make the capital-intensive plants economically feasible. But geothermal conglomerate Ram Power may have found an answer with its new development in Nicaragua.

The company, based in Reno, Nev., is embarking on a 72-megawatt geothermal project in the Central American country (PDF) — a big leap forward considering that it has only built a 10-megawatt facility in the past (also in Nicaragua). The new plant, expected to come online in the start of 2012, will be broken into phases to help shoulder the enormous cost.

To pay for the first phase, which will build 46 megawatts of capacity, Ram has closed a $77 million credit facility provided by a gaggle of lenders, including the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, Cordiant Capital and Export Development Canada. It adds this sum to an undisclosed amount of equity it raised previously. This segment of the project is slated to complete by April 2011.

The second phase, kicked off soon thereafter, will expand the plant’s capacity to the full 72 megawatts. This should be completed by the end of 2011. Both phases will be using flash Fuji Turbine Generators. If the first phase of the plan proves successful, Ram believes that financing the second should come easier.

Also helping Ram’s case is that its basically a consortium of to-tier geothermal companies. In October this year, Ram Power, Polaris Geothermal, Western GeoPower and GTO Resources decided to join forces. As a single unit, it also has plans to buy or build another 50 to 100 megawatts of generation within the next year or so.

Utilities are already taking notice. Ram has scored power purchase agreements with Southern California Edison for up to 400 megawatts of future geothermal generation.

As an industry, geothermal power has been growing by 3 percent every year on average, since 2005. The largest obstacles are still economic. Capital costs for a cutting-edge geothermal facility run above $4 million per megawatt installed.

Once capital is raised though, the energy itself costs about a nickel per kilowatt-hour — even cheaper than nuclear power. Geothermal also produces less waste and is better for the surrounding environment than a lot of other sources of renewable energy. This makes it seem like a bargain.

of course, this bargain is predicated on the presence of readily-available geothermal energy. To date, the overwhelming majority of the Earth is not well-suited to this tpe of generation. It’s either too expensive or the terrain isn’t appropriate. Going forward, it will be up to innovative organizations like Ram to overcome these obstacles and fully tap geothermal’s potential.

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When we profiled three-year-old startup EcoFactor in November the company said it was in the process of raising its Series A round. Well, today the company filed a document with the SEC that says it is in the process of raising $4.5 million, and has already raised $2.39 million partly from Claremont Creek Ventures (CCV’s […]

Although temperatures have risen throughout the globe, they’ve gone up most dramatically in the Arctic. Past warm periods indicate that deciduous tree expansion into the Arctic is a common occurrence when the region warms up, so a new study has looked into the impact trees could have on the regional climate. As expected, the increase of the leafy trees would result in less reflective ground, but the study suggests they could also induce more cloud cover and an increasingly warm surface and ocean that have more turbulent weather patterns.

Studies of climate change suggest that deciduous trees will eventually expand into the Arctic region, a notion that is supported by paleontological studies of the region’s past warm periods. The currently forested parts don’t change from evergreen to deciduous—rather, deciduous trees expand into areas that currently lack other vegetation. The authors of the new paper estimate that the Arctic region could be warm enough to support a substantial population of deciduous trees within the next 10 years.

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Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart are expecting a baby girl according to PEOPLE. Despite stepping out with an obvious baby bump in September, “The Noxzema Girl” and “Dr. McSteamy” had not formally announced the pregnancy until now. The couple has been married since 2004.

I meant to avoid lists or anything like them, but I did intend to mention in the last post that while I read many great books for young readers this decade, two really stuck it to me, made me feel like I needed to be a better writer and (I hope) nudged me in that direction. You’d like to think at the age of 40 and being a published author, you’ve pretty much shaped yourself as a writer and are beyond the realm of influence, but I am not. The two books were The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson and When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Besides originality and cleverness and good storytelling, what both books impressed me with was the courage of the authors to do something weird and difficult and trust young readers to keep up. They raised the bar for all of us.

And while I’m at it, I might as well say that Jeff Kinney’s books make me laugh and that Mo Willems’ books just make me happy.

MiFi be darned – the Sprint Overdrive is coming to town. 

As a result of the 4G WiMAX rollouts taking place across the country, internal training has begun for what is said to be a dual WiMAX/EVDO portable hotspot.  The Sierra-made unit is said to offer a microSD card slot, support for location services, and a 100 foot range.  Pricing and availability is unknown, but with CES coming next week, I’m sure we’ll hear more about it. 

4G WiMAX internet with 3G as a backup.  Sounds good to me!

Via Engadget Mobile

MiFi be darned – the Sprint Overdrive is coming to town. 

As a result of the 4G WiMAX rollouts taking place across the country, internal training has begun for what is said to be a dual WiMAX/EVDO portable hotspot.  The Sierra-made unit is said to offer a microSD card slot, support for location services, and a 100 foot range.  Pricing and availability is unknown, but with CES coming next week, I’m sure we’ll hear more about it. 

4G WiMAX internet with 3G as a backup.  Sounds good to me!

Via Engadget Mobile

-Break out the earplugs, Flavor Flav takes autotune to another level with his heartfelt love song “I’ll Never Let You Go.” Maybe he should stick to the VH1 chitlin’ circuit……..

-Teddy Riley — a pioneering producer of the New Jack Swing-era of ’90s R&B — is accused of beating his teen daughters with a guitar from the Rock Band video game…..

-Bennifer has been voted the “Worst Celebrity Couple of the Decade…..”

-For those who care: One day, Denise Richards “will spill her guts about EVERYTHING….”

-A former Ohio police chief has been sentenced to two years in prison in connection with a break-in at the home of the Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick surrogate…..

-Brooke and Charlie fight to save their fractured marriage. Yeah, good luck with that…..

-The JoBros, Dunzo?

-An aspiring web developer ends up living on the streets of San Francisco…….

-Say buh-bye to Central Park’s Tavern On The Green…..

-Despite her critically-panned line of pasties for Ungaro, Lindsay Lohan is expanding her leggings line to include other articles of clothing…..

-The car featured in the Back To The Future movies is for sale on eBay……

–Steven Spielberg, Nicole Kidman and Sam Worthington have joined the list of celebrity presenters at the 2010 Golden Globe Awards……

-Diddy’s offering drunkards in NYC and Vegas a free ride home this New Year’s Eve…..

–Complex’s Top 25 Sports Moments of 2009…..

-Colin Farrell’s newborn son has been baptized in Poland….