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Toast some slices of baguette in the oven, slap on a spread, and call it a night. We love any appetizer we can serve on toast rounds (crostini, if we’re getting fancy). They’re easy for guests to pick up and eat in one or two bites, and you can really make them out of anything—tapenade, thin slices of meat, cheese and a drizzle of honey, you name it. Here are 10 options that would be great for a holiday party.

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Love ’em or hate ’em, the gun-toting criminal duo of Kane and Lynch are back. Square Enix Europe has released a full-blown debut trailer for the upcoming action game, giving gamers a glimpse of the events prior

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, SUV, Porsche

Techart Porsche Cayenne Turbo – Click above for a high-res image gallery

There’s something magical about 200 mph. The double century has become a benchmark for modern supercars, although it takes just as much courage as pavement to do the deed. As we found out at World Class Driving earlier this year, sometimes that isn’t even enough. Techart, the well-known German Porsche tuner, recently headed to the Nardo test track in Italy to see if they could break the 200 mph mark in one of its more unlikely speed demons: a Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

Obviously, an SUV isn’t exactly the ideal vehicle to reach terminal velocity, but it seems to be a popular trend lately. Just last week we told you about the Brabus GLK V12 that reached 200.3 mph at Nardo thanks to its 750 horsepower twin-turbo V12. The Techart Cayenne Turbo with just 680 horsepower wasn’t quite as fast — 321.2 km/h or 199.5 mph, but seriously impressive nonetheless. Techart is still declaring a world record, though, claiming the title of the planet’s fastest “full size” SUV. Trivial? Yes. Pointless? Undoubtedly. But wealthy soccer moms that rejoicing during their daily commute on the autobahn. Learn more about the Techart Cayenne Turbo and its record-breaking top speed run after the jump.

[Source: Techart]

Continue reading Techart Porsche Cayenne Turbo closes in on 200 mph at Nardo

Techart Porsche Cayenne Turbo closes in on 200 mph at Nardo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In September 2008 and a year later in September 2009, two chilling reports came out that Iceland was thinking of ditching its future hydrogen economy in favor of battery electric vehicles.

The first report asked the question, “Could the hydrogen dream be dying? At a Reykjavik conference this week, Driving Sustainability ’08, Iceland announced plans to team up with Mitsubishi Motors to supply the country with a fleet of tiny i-MiEV electric cars (which have a range per charge of about 100 miles with lithium-ion batteries).

The second and most recent report proclaimed, “Iceland Switching Gears from Hydrogen Fuel Cells to Electric Cars”. Iceland’s President Olafur Grimsson stated, “There seems to be a slowdown in the development of hydrogen cars from the big players. We believe that electric cars may be better suited to transform our transportation fleet in a short time than hydrogen.” Oh, really.

According to an article published today coming out of Reykjavík, Iceland, there are 10 more Ford Focus FCV cars coming to Iceland in December 2009. Iceland is part of the European Union Hydrogen Highway and when those fuel cell vehicles are delivered, Iceland will have a total of 22 hydrogen vehicles in that country, making it second only to Germany in the EU.

It’s true that Iceland has had a less than desirable economy starting with last year’s global banking meltdown. It’s also true that the automakers have had to temporarily pull resources. Even Mitsubishi had to delay sending their i-MiEV electric cars for testing because of economic problems with that automaker.

But, just as the naysayers try to keep killing off hydrogen cars from the future landscape, the automakers, fuel companies and government advocates fight back and put hydrogen cars right back on track. Is hydrogen dead? Far from it. This is only the beginning of a clean and green hydrogen future to come.

As heads of state begin to arrive, the mood remains quite anxious in Copenhagen.  Significant amounts of negotiating text still remain in brackets and unresolved.  Clearly political level help is necessary.  Information suggests that in fact high level talks began in the past few days from respective capitals.  There will be little time for informal negotiations once all key heads of state arrive, so ministerial negotiations will need to continue in parallel as it is unrealistic to expect all nuances of climate policy text to be taken care of at the highest level.  Heads of state will only be asked to address the bigger picture issues: targets & timetables for reductions, finance and a timeline for achieving a legally binding agreement.

Connie Hedegaard, the Danish President in charge of the UN meeting, resigned as a procedural matter today and will be replaced by Danish Prime Lars Loekke Rasmussen who will be responsible for shepherding heads of state towards a political agreement.  There is confusion on the way forward as once again a higher level political text is emerging from the Danes with a lack of clarity on how it links the working group negotiations text.  It was a similar move by the Danes last week with the now infamous "Danish Leaked Text" that halted negotiations for a full day.  The G77 and China are vocal today with their displeasure on any delinking of negotiating text processes from a political agreement text.  But time is short and there is no threat to suspend negotiations as of this moment.

Environmental non-governmental organizations under the umbrella of the Climate Action Network believe three key things must occur for the high level portion of the COP to succeed:

• The US is too focused on legal wrangling.  Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama must take the negotiations out of this defensive stance.
   
• China needs to step up, and become part of the international response not just provide a pledge to do things domestically.
   
• The EU needs to increase its level of ambition, going to 30 percent reductions below 1990 levels in the medium-term and put forward a long-term financing proposals.

In plenary today, heads of state have begun to make a series of speeches to set the stage for final negotiations.  While most have stayed with generalities, the most constructive engagement came on the issue of finance from the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia, speaking on behalf of the African Union.  Zenawi set a positive tone stating “we are not here to take moral high ground but to negotiate.”  For many observers this represents an important change in tone that could help repair the North-South divide that has poisoned the Copenhagen negotiations at times.  Likewise the White House confirmed President Obama spoke with Zenawi just a few days ago.  Prime Minister Zenawi presented a concrete way forward on the contentious issue of climate finance for developing countries:

• A fast action fund of at least $10 billion 2010-2012, placed in a trust fund composed of an equal number of donors and recipients.  40 percent earmarked for Africa.  The African earmarks should be managed by the African Development Bank and the fund should launch no later than mid-2010.
   
• Longer-term financing should start by 2013 and reach $100 billion annually by 2020 and include creative mechanisms to raise funds including Special Drawing Rights from the International Monetary Fund.

Zenawi said that Africa’s scaled back expectations are designed to achieve reliable funding and a seat at the table in the final days of negotiation.  Yet he also warned that this more flexible position should not be confused with desperation as “Africa will not accept a political agreement that is empty words.”  Whether one agrees with the positions put forward by the Prime Minister or not, they do represent a sign of practicality, compromise and specificity that will be required to get a deal done.

by Jenny Kinne MS, RD, LDN, CLC, clinical nutrition specialist in Gastroenterology/Nutrition.

It’s beginning to look and feel a lot like the holiday season! With celebrations of all sorts just around the corner many people find themselves asking, how do you balance healthful eating with all the tempting treats and fun foods? Here are some tips to keep up healthful habits but also enjoy your holiday favorites.

• Add color to your holiday spread by incorporating fruits and vegetables that are in season. Examples include: sweet potatoes, winter squash, broccoli, cranberries, pear, pomegranates and clementines/oranges. Try adding these in a salad, main entrée or dessert.
• Choose lean protein sources, such as turkey or chicken breast, fish, beans or legumes as your main entrée and pair with steamed vegetables.
• Try calorie free beverages such as sparkling water or water with a fruit garnish instead of juice and soda.
• Make some traditional holiday recipes healthier by changing some ingredients. Make adjustments slowly to favorite recipes, substitute one ingredient at a time so you can make sure the recipe works. If you can’t alter the recipe to be healthier, enjoy the classic but try to be mindful of the portions. Common substitutions include:
  • egg substitutes or two egg whites used in place of a whole egg
  • applesauce in place of oil in baked goods
  • for dips, sauces and toppings choose non-fat or low fat dairy products
  • try adding raisins or nuts to bread or cookie recipes.
• Keep in mind food safety! Don’t keep dishes out of the fridge for more than two hours.
• Try to have a small snack before heading out to a holiday party to avoid over-doing it.
• Stick to a normal eating schedule, include breakfast and lunch on days where there is a main holiday meal, and be sure to include fruits, vegetables and whole grains! Skipping meals can lead to over eating. This will allow you to enjoy your holiday meal in moderation.
• Eat slowly. It’s important to enjoy the foods you’re consuming. Many of our favorite holiday dishes are family favorites that you may not have on a daily basis. If you eat slowly you’re more likely to sense when you’re full; if you eat too fast you can miss your body’s cues and over eat.
• Move the conversation away from the food area to avoid grazing.
• Children and adults tend to eat more when watching TV. Enjoy the holiday meal with the TV turned off.
• Moderation is key. It’s okay to try all foods, just watch the portion sizes.
• Offer to prepare a healthful dish or appetizer if you’re attending a holiday party. Some simple dishes like a vegetable platter with low fat dip or whole grain crackers and cheese are always a great choice.
• Try to be active during the day. When possible, outdoor family activities, like taking a walk, sledding or ice skating are always fun!

The holidays are such a wonderful time for celebration and enjoying time with friends and family. With a little preparation and thought you can enjoy the season even more by choosing healthier options with a balance of traditional holiday foods.

Do you know how many calories you consume during a holiday meal? Health Castle has a list of how many calories are in the most popular holiday foods and gives tips on how to trim some of the calories off.

Related posts:

1. Back to school: Make it a healthful start to the new school year
2. Put downtime on your family’s to-do list this holiday season
3. Shopping for toys this holiday season? Here are some tips for buying safely

Friday I made the mistake to saying that I thought down payment assistance programs had vanished, going the way of the Ivory Billed Wood Pecker or the lavish mortgage banker Christmas party. It turns out that seller-funded DPA’s are a thing of the past (i.e. Nehemiah, Ameridream, etc.) but some programs are very alive and well.

One originator wrote and said, “In my opinion, those DPA’s were deceitful and enabled a seller to give money to a 3^rd party to give to an unqualified borrower to get the problem off the hands of the seller. In essence, they were creating smoke and mirrors for the seller to give the down payment to a buyer for 100% financing.” Another wrote, “As far as I know, the only acceptable DPA’s allowed today are government (local, state) or charitable organizations (i.e., Chase sponsored redevelopment projects) that do not allow for seller funded deposits.” And “DPA’s have not disappeared. They are on our rate sheet but these programs are not the ones of yesteryear.  Many programs are allowed – they are NOT the Nehemiah types with seller contributions, but rather government charity types.”

Lastly, “Housing assistance programs are being used widely and are not seller funded, but money available to thru the national stabilization program.  They are used with FHA loans and are purchased by Chase, BofA, and GMAC’s correspondent lending channel. $15k – 20k of free money in the form of a silent second at zero interest rate, and a maximum DTI of 41% makes the risk attractive to loan servicers.  Homebuyers go through an education process required by the program, and the money must be paid back if the house is sold or converted to a rental property.”

The SAFE Act – some folks wish that it would just go away. But it won’t. A check of HUD’s website (and remember that HUD is responsible for enacting licensing standards) shows a proposed rule that sets minimum standards for state licensing of loan officers and mortgage brokers. “To comply with the Act, states must put in place a Loan Originator Licensing program that requires originators to take an education course, pass a test, and undergo civil, criminal and financial background checks.  States have until July 31, 2010, to have their loan originators licensed under the SAFE Act criteria, unless they already have them licensed under a different system.  If already using a different licensing system, they have until December 31, 2010, to bring them in line with the Act’s requirements.” Anyone interested should visit HUD’s site here.

more news on 125’s, FN-Freddie’s future, rate predictions, lock volumes, rates and economy, and joke of the day  … <<< CLICK HERE

When was the last time you checked into PlayStation Life? Y’know, that icon on your XMB that’s right next to Home? Now that it got this nifty little update, you might have more reason to access the

When high production and superior cleaning are at the top of your priorities list, Viking’s Rubber Belt Blasters are the clear choice.

Available in standard 1.5, 3, 6, 12, 16 and 20 cubic foot capacities, with custom sizing also available to fit specific applications.
These machines are ideal for high speed processing of parts that can be gently tumbled in the blast mill’s cushioned rubber cavity.

STANDARD FEATURES:
“Viking Guard” belt braking system stops belt rotation in the event of a jam to keep parts from tearing the belt
Utilizes VK PowerMax high velocity, center-fed blast wheels
Pneumatic blast cabinet door (Models 600 and 1200 only)
5-30, HP blast wheel configurations
Fully adjustable lip type airwash separator ensures optimal abrasive cleaning

Abrasive flaps on a solid resin center, which mounts directly onto machine shafts.
Centers with recesses can be supplied on request.
The flexibility of the abrasive flap wheel allows unexperienced operators to obtain optimal grinding results.

Ø 100 – 800 mm
width 20 – 100 mm
density loose and elastic (P5) to dense and hard (DOP)
grit 60 – 500

applications:
manual and automatic grinding complicated,
contured or flat parts of pots,
door handles, hollow-ware,
food containers, sinks, tubes

Jet Edge’s patented Dual Pressure Valve® greatly increases waterjet cutting productivity by allowing waterjet operators to control water pressure independent of the waterjet pump.

With the remotely-mounted Jet Edge Dual Pressure Valve, waterjet operators can run multiple waterjet tables simultaneously at various pressures with a single pump. Operators also can perform low-pressure piercing operations without waiting for the water jet pump to raise or lower to the desired pressure, saving time and reducing wear and tear on pump components.

The Jet Edge Dual Pressure Valve will operate with any manufacturer’s waterjet pump, cutting head, or waterjet cutting system, and is fully configurable for pressure change ratios. Connection points are standard 60,000 psi-type. The Dual Pressure Valve is pneumatically operated and must be used in conjunction with another normally closed on/off valve or cutting head.

More Information
For more information about the Jet Edge Dual Pressure Valve, visit http://www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343), 763-497-8700 or e-mail [email protected].

About Jet Edge
Established in 1984, Jet Edge is a global designer and manufacturer of waterjet systems for precision cutting, surface preparation and coating removal. Jet Edge systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries, from the world’s leading airlines to automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturers, machine and job shops. Jet Edge waterjet systems are proudly made in the U.S.A. For information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, e-mail [email protected] or call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343).

The latest addition to the BEx beacon range from E2S is an ATEX approved high output 21 Joule Xenon beacon. Available with a choice of six lens colours (Red, Amber, Yellow, Blue, Green and Clear), it is designed to give a high output for areas where a brighter alarm signal is required. Certified for use in Zones 1 & 2 and 21 & 22, it is suitable for the great majority of hazardous areas and its powerful beacon is especially suitable for use in outdoor areas in bright sunlight. Utilising a twin Xenon tube, it can be configured to produce a single full power flash, a double strike flash or an alternate flash; a 2nd stage alarm is available if required.

Manufactured from corrosion resistant, copper free LM6 aluminium, which is phosphated and powder coated, it is sealed to IP66/67, and therefore suitable for both onshore and offshore applications; the twin xenon tubes are mechanically secured to provide protection against shock and vibration. 24 and 48VDC and 115 and 230VAC voltage versions are available.

E2S is the world’s leading independent signalling manufacturer. Based in West London, England the company designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of signalling products for industrial, marine and hazardous area environments. Visit www.e2s.com to download detailed specification sheets.

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) will retire “nomad,” the university’s longtime wireless network. In order to continue to access the Internet through UT’s wireless network, you will need to move to one of the new wireless networks, “ut-open” or “ut-wpa2.”

Starting on Tuesday, Jan. 5, OIT will begin reminding wireless Internet users of the upcoming change. On that day, if you are still using the “nomad” network, you will need to open a web browser in order to get connected. At that time, you will be directed to an information page about the wireless changes before continuing to your browser’s homepage.

For more information about these networks and for assistance in connecting to them, visit the OIT Help Desk Knowledge Base, http://oit.utk.edu/helpdesk/kb, or contact the Help Desk at 974-9900.

Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Audi, Celebrities

All we really want to do at this moment in time is make a never-ending series of N’Sync jokes. But we don’t know any. So instead, let’s talk about how Audi has just picked Justin Timberlake to be their new spokesman. What’s JT doing specifically? Seems as if the four interlocking rings folks are gearing up to do some sort of “extraordinary Internet campaign” for the A1 and “That’s where Timberlake will play a leading role.”

Just yesterday, we published a report that the new Audi A1 will possibly not be coming to the U.S. Obviously, a star of Timberlake’s caliber will be able to effectively move metal outside of our shores. But we have to wonder if Audi’s naming Timberlake its brand ambassador doesn’t kick a little sand into the eye of the A1-is-not-for-here theory. After the all, the guy started his music career on Star Search and later as a Mouseketeer. It seems fairly apparent that Audi would make a move like this if us American types are in fact getting their small premium city car. Then again, we’re not really up on our star watching and our Significant Others tell us that JT is an international phenom. In any case, at this moment in time, we just don’t know what to think. Press release after the jump.

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Justin Timberlake named new Audi “brand ambassador”

Justin Timberlake named new Audi “brand ambassador” originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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By Joe Strupp
EditorandPublisher.com

The newspaper industry got too complacent with its success years ago, says Warren Buffett, and failed to change its business model to grow with the times.

“It is so easy when you’ve got a wonderful business,” Buffett told E&P during a recent interview. “Complacency is pretty easy and it is why they weren’t looking over their shoulder at what was happening.”

Buffett, the billionaire owner of The Buffalo News and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, spoke with E&P for an upcoming story in our January issue on the News, which he has owned since 1977.

Saying his interest in owning a newspaper “is not totally rational,” Buffett says he is content with just one. But he also sees that the industry as a whole did not properly utilize the Internet when it came on the scene.

“When the Internet came along, you gave away your [online] product for free and charged for it in another place [print],” he says. “I’m not positive what you would have done differently, but not figuring out some kind of business model was a mistake.”

Buffett, who sits on the board of The Washington Post Company, also points to circulation revenue as a missed opportunity: “They should have probably tried to get more revenue from circulation over the years. Newspapers were essential years ago,” he states. “If they had trained [readers] to value it more, they might have had a model that worked in this environment.”. . READ FULL STORY

The search market is moving along, following the trend of the recent months, and it’s likely to be that way for the coming months as well, at least until the deal between Yahoo and Microsoft starts getting some real traction. Google continues its slow upwards crawl, Yahoo loses even more market share and Bing sees a small uptick, as usual for the last half of 2009.

The comScore numbers for November show Microsoft’s Bing going over the 10 percent milestone to get a 10.3 percent market share in the US, for the first time in quite a while, and showing that the new search engine can be considered a success by some standards. Bing is up from 9.9 percent in October and from 8 percent in May, the month before Bing’s arrival onto the scene. Microsoft’s Live Search, Bing’s precursor, had 8.3 percent market share in November 2008.

Yahoo dropped for another month and by a huge margin as well, managing to attract just 17.5 percent of the searches in the US in November, a full 0.5 percentage points lower than October’s 18 percent. The search engine, which has taken the back seat in Yahoo’s corporate strategy, has seen better days managing to get 20.1 percent of the market in May and 20.4 percent a year ago.

Google, in the mean time, is not only not feeling the ‘pressure,’ it’s actually gaining market share a… (read more)