PRIUS C - 50MPG +

The Toyota Aqua went on sale on Monday in Japan, previewing the 2013 Toyota Prius C in the U.S.  Toyota said the Aqua has a fuel efficiency of 83 miles per gallon on Japan's JC08 test cycle and 94 mpg on the official 10-15 test cycle.  The Aqua is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 72 horsepower and an electric motor rated at 45 kW. The combined output is 98 hp providing 0-60 acceleration in less than 10.7 seconds according to Toyota. The motor is fed power from a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack.
Toyota said it plans to sell 12,000 Aquas per month in Japan.
The Aqua name, which means water in Latin, is "meant to break the conventional image of hybrid vehicles, becoming something fluid and not constrained to any one shape or role — like free-flowing water," said Toyota in a statement. The Aqua targets such vehicles as the Honda Fit Hybrid in Toyota's home market and is designed to attract younger buyers seeking a less expensive hybrid.
The Toyota Prius C concept debuted last January at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, showcasing a "value-oriented" hybrid bound for U.S. showrooms in 2012, said Toyota at the time. The production version is expected to be unveiled in two weeks at the 2012 Detroit show. Pricing has not been announced on the Prius C here.

In Japan,
Toyota's TRD performance division introduced sporty versions of the Aqua.   The Aqua TRD features an aero body kit with front spoiler, side skirts, roof spoiler and rear apron/diffuser. Hardware upgrades are limited to lowering springs, stiffer shocks, larger alloy wheels and chrome exhaust pipes.

HISTORY

A form of waterbed was invented in the early 19th century by the Scottish physician Neil Arnott. Dr. Arnott's Hydrostatic Bed was devised to prevent bedsores in invalids, and comprised a bath of water with a covering of rubber-impregnated canvas, on which lighter bedding was placed. Arnott did not patent it, permitting anyone to construct a bed to this design. The use of a waterbed for the ailing Mrs Hale is mentioned in Elizabeth Gaskell's 1855 novel North and South.

In 1871 a waterbed was in use in  Elmira, NY for "invalids". It was briefly mentioned by Mark Twain in his article which was published in The New York Times on 23 July 1871. Twain wrote: "In the infirmary will be kept one or two water-beds (for invalids whose pains will not allow them to be on a less yielding substance) and half a dozen reclining invalid-chairs on wheels. The water-beds and invalid-chairs at present belonging to the church are always in demand, and never out of service".



www.kuwagen.com

COP17

Since the UNFCCC entered into force in 1995, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC have been meeting annually to assess progress in dealing with climate change.

• The COP adopts decisions and resolutions, published in reports of the COP. Successive decisions taken by the COP make up a detailed set of rules for practical and effective implementation of the Convention.

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP7) to the Kyoto Protocol, are now in progress in the sunny city of Durban, South Africa.

facelift - Prius

Toyota has officially unveiled the 2012 Prius facelift.

On the styling front, the model is distinguished by new bumpers, revised taillights and restyled 15-inch alloy wheels. For a sportier appearance, there's an optional PLUS Performance package with a seven-piece body kit and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Interior changes are minor, but new options include JBL GreenEdge speakers and an Entune Infotainment system.
A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine works with an electric motor to create a combined output of 134 hp (100 kW / 136 PS). This enables the car to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 9.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h). More importantly, owners can expect 51 mpg city / 48 mpg highway (US).

HARTGE

Stainless exhaust systems for the 6 series (F12) Cabrio

HARTGE stainless steel cat back exhaust system
consisting of:
HARTGE stainless steel middle silencer and
HARTGE stainless steel rear silencer
with dual round tail pipes (diameter 90 mm),
left and right, with ABE homologation
for 650i and 650i xDrive

Kindle Fire 8GB

The good: The Kindle Fire is a 7-inch tablet that links seamlessly with Amazon's impressive collection of digital music, video, magazine, and book services in one easy-to-use package. It boasts a great Web browser, and its curated Android app store includes most of the big must-have apps (such as Netflix, Pandora, and Hulu). The Fire has an ultra-affordable price tag, and the screen quality is exceptional for the price.
The bad: The budget price means no premium features (3G wireless, cameras, microphone, GPS, and location services are absent), but the biggest issues are its paltry storage (only 8GB of storage--with no expansion slot), lack of Bluetooth, and dearth of parental controls. Screen brightness could be better, and the app selection doesn't match Apple's or Google's (at least for now). Also, you'll need an Amazon Prime subscription to take advantage of some of the more-unique features.
The bottom line: Though it lacks the tech specs found on more-expensive Apple and Android tablets, the $199 Kindle Fire is an outstanding entertainment value that prizes simplicity over techno-wizardry.

Review:In the world of tablets, there are great products and there are cheap products, but very few great, cheap products. Fortunately, for those of you unwilling to shell out $500 for an Apple iPad 2, and wary of buying a piece of junk, Amazon's $199 Kindle Fire tablet should be at the top of your wish list.

Image may be subject to copyright (THE VERGE).

111111

Egypt will close the Great Pyramid of Giza on Friday to avoid any rituals by a group rumoured to have plans to mark the date of 11/11/11 at the site, an official said.
The decision came "after much pressure" from Egyptian Internet users that strange rituals were going to be held "within the walls of the pyramid on November 11, 2011," Atef Abu Zahab, head of the Department of Pharaonic Archaeology, told AFP.
The Supreme Council of Antiquities confirmed the closure Friday of the tourist site, in a statement that only referred to the need for maintenance following a busy period during Muslim holidays.
The Pyramid of Cheops is the biggest and most famous of the three Giza pyramids. It houses the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu, and is the only surviving one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Numerologists are anxiously awaiting Friday, when the digital alignment of ones occurs at 11:11 am, which some believe will lead to unusual events.
Thousands of people plan to meet at the time around the world for ceremonial dances, and several pages devoted to the date have appeared on social networking website Facebook.
Some attribute the number 11 to paranormal powers that provide a channel of communication with the subconscious, others see a mystical connection between the number and disasters, like the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

11.11.11.11

11:11am LA time

SEMA

The SEMA show is loaded with new cars and new innovations for cars. Consequently, it is difficult for a new introduction to stand out from the crowd. But just possibly, Lexus has accomplished that feat with the 2013 GS F-Sport. A special press conference was held on Tuesday, November 1st, for the media and it was so crowded, this reporter had to jockey and push just to get a few photos.  The new 2013 Lexus GS is probably going to set the standard for all newer Lexus sport automobiles. The F-Sport package features 19 inch staggered width wheels, specially tuned Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS), and new, larger front brakes with high friction pads.  The unveiling of the F-Sport package builds on the introduction of the fourth-generation GS 350 that was made a few months ago at Pebble Beach, California. The F-Sport package is designed to give enthusiasts factory engineered performance at a high level. In addition to the wheels, suspension, and brakes, the all-new package features a sporty 16-way driver's seat and an exclusive Cabernet Red leather interior.

HYBRID 261MPG

The Germans at Volkswagen plan to launch a Diesel-Electric Hybrid Concept called the XL1. The Volkswagen XL1 isn’t a completely fresh idea as the people’s car makers have been at it since 2002 when they launched the 1 litre.
Back then, the car wasn’t something realistic but the XL1 has grown to a point where it can take two people in comfort, and is basically similar to what we perceive as a normal car.
Where it isn’t normal is in the tech. Everything on this car that can be light, is to the extend where it’s as much as science allows it to. Thanks to, carbon fiber, magnesium, aluminium and some serious packaging (see offset passenger seat)the VW XL1 weighs in at just 795kg.
Given how it has a diesel hybrid powertrain and a drag coefficient of just 0.186 (to put that into perspective, the Bugatti Veyron has 0.36 at its best) the VW XL1 can achieve 261 mpg US.
That is not a misprint, 261 mpg on a US cycle can be achieved with this car. Right about now you’re thinking that this car is incredibly slow by all means. In actual fact it’s got just 800 ccs in its TDI two-cylinder common rail diesel engine so you only get 48 horsepower and if you add the electric power the total comes in at 75 but you’re missing one important point.

JPY75.73

The Bank of Japan will discuss additional monetary easing measures to control the impact of a rising yen on the economy when its policy board convenes for a meeting on Thursday, Japanese business daily Nikkei reported. The central bank will consider expanding its 50 trillion yen ($659.89 billion) asset-buying program by around 5 trillion yen to protect the domestic economy from market turbulence, the daily reported.  Additional measures include a possible purchase of longer-term government bonds, expanding the criteria for the program which currently covers those with two years or less to maturity, the paper said.
The yen briefly touched 75.73 against the dollar in New York trading on Tuesday.

VW POLO GTI

The Volkswagen Polo GTI is back. A powerful 132 kW / 180 PS comeback! This GTI lives up to its legendary name: Superior handling properties unified with uncompromising engine dynamics and a maximum of safety. The list of high-tech features runs through the new VW Polo GTI like a common theme. Take the engine: This Polo is powered by a new 1.4-litre TSI with petrol direct injection plus turbo- and supercharging. Textbook downsizing. Power is transferred to the front wheels via a 7-speed DSG, which is standard equipment. An electronic transverse differential lock (XDS) reduces the tendency to understeer and especially improves handling in quick driving through curves.
Equipped in this way, the Volkswagen Polo GTI - available in a three-door and a five-door version - is extremely agile and super efficient underway: Weighing 1,184 kg, the VW Polo GTI accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 229 km/h. At the same time, it is the most fuel efficient and lowest emitting GTI of all times. Combined fuel consumption: just 6.0 litres per 100 kilometres. That is equivalent to CO2 emissions of just 139 g/km.

Toyota AQUA

Not due to officially be unveiled until the Tokyo Motor Show in December, the smallest of Toyota’s hybrids is only 157.3 inches long, 66.7 inches wide and 56.9 inches tall, with a wheelbase of just 100.4 inches.
Power comes courtesy of a 1.4-liter gasoline engine delivering 74 horsepower at 4,800 rpm, and an electric motor capable of producing 45 kilowatts.
Toyota’s brochure says that the C-segment hybrid achieves a fuel economy of 35.4 km/L on the JC08 test cycle, but the Japanese tests are notoriously more optimistic than the EPA’s fuel-cycle tests. Since the 2012 TOYOTA Aqua Hybrid is given a rating by Toyota that is 16 percent more than the official Japanese fuel-economy ratings for the 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS Hybrid, we’d expect an EPA rating of between 58 and 64 mpg.

2013 GS 450h

September 13 marked the world premiere of Lexus' most innovative hybrid technology yet at this year's prestigious Frankfurt Motor Show. Equipped with the second-generation Lexus Hybrid Drive system, the all-new GS 450h consumes less fuel, creates fewer emissions and provides you with more exhilarating performance than you ever expected.

Toyota AQUA = PRIUS C ?

Toyota's rumored Aqua Hybrid: $4000 cheaper than Prius and 94 MPG

Toyota Motor Corporation is rumored to launch a new hybrid compact car Aqua in January of 2012 that will revolutionize the auto industry. The price is going to be much cheaper and the mileage significantly higher, according to a report.


Nothing is known about the design of the 2012 Aqua. However, the car maker says it will be "compact" and the company will be targeting the car to the "younger drivers and women." Thus, Toyota is hoping to expand its customer base by targeting this two growing segments with strong decision making power.
This new hybrid will use the same powertrain as the highly popular Prius, helping to hold down development costs. Featuring a more compact design, the Aqua will not only beat the Prius' 32km fuel economy, but also likely sell for around 1.7 million yen, around 300,000 yen cheaper than the Prius.

PRECIOUS LINE

an exclusive look at the prius c concept

The Prius c Concept has garnered a lot of attention since its world debut at the Detroit Auto Show,  the compact Prius designed for big-city mileage and maximum style.
Meet the new Prius Family from Toyota. There's the original one, the bigger one, the smaller one and the one that plugs in.  They're all a little different, just like us. 

available spring 2012

prius plug-in hybrid

The most advanced Prius yet. The Prius Plug-in combines
an extended, all-electric mode with proven hybrid technology,
so you spend even less time at the pump. see more

available fall 2011

prius v

Has more cargo volume than 80% of small SUVs. [1]
More room for your dog, beach gear or anything else
you might want to tote around town. [2] see more

In the USA, 2010

The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that in 2010, median household income declined, the poverty rate increased and the percentage without health insurance coverage was not statistically different from the previous year.  Real median household income in the United States in 2010 was $49,445, a 2.3 percent decline from the 2009 median.  The nation's official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent, up from 14.3 percent in 2009 ─ the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate. There were 46.2 million people in poverty in 2010, up from 43.6 million in 2009 ─ the fourth consecutive annual increase and the largest number in the 52 years for which poverty estimates have been published.  The number of people without health insurance coverage rose from 49.0 million in 2009 to 49.9 million in 2010, while the percentage without coverage −16.3 percent - was not statistically different from the rate in 2009.

Thresholds

• As defined by the Office of Management and Budget and updated for inflation using the Consumer Price Index, the weighted average poverty threshold for a family of four in 2010 was $22,314.

VW & SUZUKI

The spat between automakers Volkswagen and Suzuki is worse than ever, straining the relationship between the two as Suzuki appears to be publicly ignoring its German counterpart. Bloombergreports that Suzuki executives say they are disappointed in VW’s technology lineup and will seek partnerships elsewhere.  According to Bloomberg, Suzuki has effectively shunned its German partner after Volkswagen referred to Suzuki as an “associate” in its March 2011 annual report. The report also claimed VW could “significantly influence financial and operating policy decisions” at Suzuki. That frustrated the Japanese company, as the partnership was intended for the two automakers to cooperate as equals. Since then, the disagreement has escalated.  Suzuki chairman Osamu Suzuki recently told the Japanese press that he hasn’t found any VW powertrains that he’d like for Suzuki. Instead, the company announced it would buy diesel engines from Italian automaker Fiat, and would pursue other partnerships with different automakers.  Volkswagen reportedly now believes that Suzuki has reneged on its part of the partnership deal by seeking partnerships with Fiat and others. While the company still sees hope for cooperative projects between the two companies, VW chief financial officer Hans Dieter Poetsch has described the tie-up as “under review.”  “Volkswagen is not talking to us,” Osamu Suzuki told Bloomberg. “We have no plans to talk to them.”  Volkswagen first bought a 19.9 percent share of Suzuki in December 2009, ostensibly to permit cooperation between the two automakers. Volkswagen would get an in to the small-car market dominated by Suzuki in places like Asia, while Suzuki could access hybrid and electric-vehicle technology from VW. No such vehicles  have so far been announced.  The two companies have publicly feuded all through this year, claiming that cultural differences were preventing them from working together, and that Suzuki wasn’t interested in Volkswagen’s hybrid or electric-car technology. While neither side is ready to call it quits, for now the bickering appears to be preventing Suzuki and Volkswagen from actually sharing any technology or jointly developing any new vehicles.

Labor Day

Labor Day is a United Sates federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September (September 5 in 2011) that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.

End of summer : Labor Day has come to be celebrated by most Americans as the symbolic end of the summer. In high society, Labor Day is (or was) considered the last day of the year when it is fashionable for women to wear white.

Who's next?

Little remains of the bright promises of reform that swept Japan’s Democratic Party to power two years ago. The ruling Democrats’ choice of Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda to become prime minister — the party’s third since that historic election — is uninspired and unlikely to provide the strong and creative leadership Japan needs to recover from the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster or its longer-term economic malaise.        Mr. Noda was the party politicians’ choice, not the public’s. He avoided stumbles as finance minister over the last year, but his positions on broader policy issues are not reassuring.          His unrepentant nationalism — he argues that Japan’s World War II leaders were not war criminals because they were convicted by an international court, rather than a Japanese one — will further fan tensions with China and South Korea. He wants good relations with Washington, but his low-key leadership will make it hard for him to rally support for the deeply unpopular agreement to relocate the American Air Force base on Okinawa.        Worst of all, he offers no bold solutions for Japan’s chronic economic problems — two decades of sputtering growth, compounded by a global crisis, a rising yen and this spring’s disasters. The tax increases he favors to pay for rebuilding should be deferred until the economy strengthens. Right now, they would plunge Japan into deeper recession and set back global recovery.       Mr. Noda is right to insist that Japan reduce its huge debt burden, but his immediate priority must be reconstruction and reviving domestic demand. He will need to re-energize the drive for market and regulatory reform.       Japan’s last effective prime minister was Junichiro Koizumi, a Liberal Democrat, who retired five years ago. Since then, five undistinguished successors have rotated through the job. We hope Mr. Noda can break that trend.       Washington is weary of dealing with Japan’s revolving-door prime ministers. When Mr. Noda attends the United Nations General Assembly this month, President Obama should invite him to the White House. They need to talk about managing relations with China, how to roll back North Korea’s nuclear program and preventing a double-dip global recession. That is more than can be  handled in a courtesy visit on the sidelines of U.N. meetings.

The fastest man

DAEGU, South Korea
 — The fastest men and women from Jamaica filed out of the bus in single file Thursday: Olympic gold medalists like Veronica Campbell-Brown and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. But those gathered outside were waiting for one sprinter and one sprinter only. As Usain Bolt emerged last with his green ballcap perched at a jaunty angle, he was soon back in familiar formation — at the heart of a fast-moving pack of cameras, boom microphones, security guards and officials as he flashed three fingers to his public.

Bolt, 25, remains his sport’s towering figure and not because he stands 6 feet 5 inches.
“He is track and field at this point and time, and that is a lot of pressure,” the American sprinter Justin Gatlin said this week.
Although Bolt is adopting a less cocksure tone after an underwhelming season by his high standards, his competitors keep proving even more vulnerable. And by the time Bolt walked out of the news conference, it was hard not to take those three fingers more seriously.
The men’s 100-meter field in Daegu, already bereft of Bolt’s injured rival Tyson Gay, keeps shedding talent. Steve Mullings of Jamaica and Mike Rodgers of the United States, who each have faster 100 times than Bolt this season, have withdrawn because of positive doping tests. On Thursday, the supposedly resurgent Asafa Powell, whose time of 9.78 seconds was the fastest of anyone this season, announced his withdrawal through his agent, Paul Doyle, citing the groin injury sustained on July 30 that kept him from racing in London this month.           
The decision to skip the 100 (the final is Sunday) was announced only after Michael Frater, Powell’s training partner, let it slip during the news conference that he had been called on to replace Powell. Looking sheepish, Frater did his best to backpedal when pressed, and Jamaican officials did not immediately confirm the news. Bolt, who appeared on stage later, expressed surprise when asked.
“Asafa is out?” he said. “This is the first I’m hearing about that, so I can’t really answer that question. I saw Asafa yesterday.”       

BOE

As we embark in this new fiscal year, I am honored to represent you on the State Board of Equalization.  To best represent and serve you, I encourage you to sign up to receive our monthly electronic newsletter to keep you abreast of the issues affecting our state.

Even as our state goes through hardship, it is my vision to return California to the Golden State it once was.  I represent 73 cities and over 8.5 million people throughout the Fourth District.  It is my hope to communicate with each and every one of you to inform you of what the State Board of Equalization is doing to improve our state.

An Invitation to Our Annual Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights Hearings

It is almost time again for the Board of Equalization’s Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights Hearings – a forum for you to present your ideas for improving the BOE’s administration of its tax programs.  

JEROME E. HORTON, Chairman
4^th District Board Member

CNN

Tokyo -- The operator of Japan's crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant has detected the highest radiation levels at the facility since the initial earthquake and tsunami five months ago, a company spokesman said Tuesday. The ultra-high levels of radiation were measured Monday afternoon on the grounds of the facility, between reactors No. 1 and 2, Tokyo Electric Power Company spokesman Naoki Tsunoda. The lethal radiation was found at the bottom of a ventilation tower. The power company immediately cordoned off the area and is currently investigating the cause of the high radiation and how it will affect the recovery work at the plant, Tsunoda said.  The radiation levels -- 10,000 millisieverts per hour -- are high enough that a single 60-minute dose would be fatal to humans within weeks. The Fukushima Daiichi disaster occurred when a 15-meter (48-foot) tsunami inundated the coastal plant after northern Japan's historic March 11 earthquake. The flooding knocked out the cooling systems for the three operating reactors and their associated spent fuel pools, causing the reactors to overheat and hydrogen gas explosions that blew apart the building housing reactors No. 1 and 3. Another hydrogen blast is believed to have damaged the inside of the No. 2 reactor, while engineers are struggling to manage an estimated 100,000 tons of highly contaminated water that was used to cool the reactors during the emergency.  Tokyo Electric Power Company projects the situation won't be fully over until sometime between October and January. The disaster has caused Japan to rethink its commitment to nuclear energy, and Germany has since announced plans to abandon atomic power entirely by 2022.

DebT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate emphatically passed emergency legislation Tuesday to avoid a first-ever government default, rushing the legislation to President Barack Obama for his signature just hours before the deadline. The vote was 74-26.

Obama signed the bill little more than an hour later.

Tuesday's vote capped an extraordinarily difficult Washington battle pitting tea party Republican forces in the House against Obama and Democrats controlling the Senate. The resulting compromise paired an essential increase in the government's borrowing cap with promises of more than $2 trillion of budget cuts over the next decade.

"It's an important first step to ensuring that as a nation we live within our means," Obama said after the vote. "This is, however, just the first step. This compromise requires that both parties work together on a larger plan to cut the deficit."

Much of the measure, which the House passed Monday night, was negotiated on terms set by House Speaker John Boehner, including a demand that any increase in the nation's borrowing cap be matched by spending cuts. But the legislation also meets demands made by Obama, including debt-limit increases large enough to keep the government funded into 2013 and curbs on growth of the Pentagon budget.

Continental

German Engineering Since 1871

More than 100 years experience in the development and production of bicycle tyres has made Continental a unique company within the industry. Continental is the only German bicycle tyre manufacturer to produce its tyres in Germany. Knowing this serves as a mighty incentive to our engineers and everyone else involved in the manufacturing process to constantly strive for further innovations.

In our technology and development center in Korbach, we are constantly developing new revolutionary technologies such as the unbeatable Black Chili compound and the ultimate Vectran™ breaker anti-puncture technology, both used at the top end of race sport. These technologies demand sophisticated processes to ensure our legendary end-product quality, and these innovations as well as the new Protection and RaceSport technology for MTB tyres, can only be manufactured in our factory in Germany – “Handmade in Germany”.   In order to offer the best tyre for any application, we rely equally on dialogue with our professional racers, hobby cyclists and everyday bike riders. This results not only in high-end products for top sports applications such as the new Podium TT or the revolutionary downhill tyre “Der Kaiser”, but also tyres for everyday use like the new innovative combination EcoContact/EcoContactPlus as a companion to the latest e-bike trend.

Our heart and soul is behind the phrase “Handmade in Germany”, with all of its products and technologies.

FIFA 2011 Women's World Cup

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP)—Japan has won the Women’s World Cup, stunning the United States 3-1 in a penalty shootout Sunday night after coming from behind twice in a 2-2 tie.

Japan had not beaten the Americans in their first 25 meetings, including a pair of 2-0 losses in warm-up games a month before the World Cup. But the Nadeshiko played inspired throughout the tournament, hoping their success could provide an emotional lift to their nation, still reeling from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.  After being presented with the gold trophy, Japan’s players jumped up and down on the podium, then gathered behind a sign reading “Champions. World Champions.”  “Not one of the players gave up,” said coach Norio Sasaki, who inspired his players before a quarterfinal by showing them pictures of the devastation. “The penalty kicks are always a 50-50 percent chance.”  After easy wins in their first two games in Germany, the Americans lost to Sweden—their first loss ever in World Cup group play. 

Even President Barack Obama was a fan, taking to Twitter himself on Sunday morning to wish the team well.  “Sorry I can’t be there to see you play, but I’ll be cheering you on from here. Let’s go.—BO.”

The White House later released a photo of Obama and his family watching the game.

But the Americans lost this game as much as Japan won it.  Homare Sawa flicked in a corner kick in the 117th minute—earned after 36-year-old captain Christie Rampone raced to clear Yukari Kinga’s chip over Hope Solo off the line. It was the fifth goal of the tournament for Sawa, playing in her fifth World Cup.

Japan had already scored late in regulation to force extra time.

“We ran and ran,” Sawa said. “We were exhausted, but we kept running.”

US$ JPY

US$JPY 78.90000-1.31000 -1.63%

Eurozone finance ministers on Monday vowed to beef up a rescue mattress for troubled economies such as Greece as they went to battle to contain debt crisis contagion threatening to engulf Italy and Spain.  After more than eight hours of talks held as the euro-crisis rattled markets, endangering the single currency area, ministers from the 17-nation eurozone agreed a range of measures to end weeks of widening differences that have fed financial uncertainty.  The ministers "reaffirmed their absolute commitment to safeguard financial stability in the euro area," in a statement that pledged measures "to improve the euro area's systemic capacity to resist contagion risk."  Among them was a move to strengthen the European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) set up in the aftermath of last year's Greece crisis, which has a current lending capacity of 440 billion euros ($A583.24 billion) .  Useful for smaller economies, the fund would be hard put to fly to the rescue of Italy and Spain, the eurozone's third and fourth largest economies.  The combined economies of crisis-hit Greece, Portugal and Ireland represent only half the size of Italy's.

235th

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag.

Fourth of July is Independence Day

NERO

P ZERO NERO

An asymmetric tyre for tuners and the most demanding sports performance drivers: the ideal choice when personalising your car. Ensures driving pleasure and high performance without compromising on comfort.

Available in a wide range of sizes, it not only improves the aesthetics of the most fashionable city cars but also the needs of extreme tuning professionals, with sizes up to 23”.  The attractive tread design has been developed to offer excellent levels of grip and road-holding whilst cornering, as well as reducing the risk of aquaplaning. Excellent handling, maximum braking efficiency and constant performance at high speed complete the characteristics of this Ultra High Performance tyre.

NFC

 

What Is NFC?

NFC is a short range wireless technology that allows enabled devices to share information in close proximity. It’s similar to Bluetooth, but instead of programming devices to work together, all you need to establish a connection is to hold the devices close to each other or touch them together. Once within range (usually 4 cm or less) NFC allows the transfer of data or power in just seconds.

How Does NFC Help?

NFC takes a step towards digitally enhancing your world and making it rich with information and interactivity. Equipped with an NFC smart tag, simple things like posters, stickers and glass become digital data interfaces.

Imagine you pass a poster for a movie you’ve wanted to see. If the poster has an NFC smart tag, you could hold your phone next to the poster and instantly get trailers, clips, show times and links to buy movie tickets online. Or maybe you’re shopping and notice a sticker advertising a 30% discount at your favorite store. Just hold your phone to the sticker and the coupon will be sent directly to your phone. It’s also a great way to quickly copy contact information from a business or friend, and you can transfer data between NFC-enabled phones too.

LME

About a month ago we reported on an inquiry launched into JPM's "anti-competitive" and "monopolistic" practices on the LME which have resulted in artificially high prices for a series of commodities which had been hoarded by the Too Big To Fail bank. Today, the WSJ continues this investigation into a practice that is not insular to JPM but also includes Goldman Sachs and "other owners of large metals warehouses" which can simplistically be characterized as a De Beers-like attempt to artificially keep prices high for commodities such as aluminum, courtesy of warehousing massive excess supply, artificially low market distribution of the final product, while collecting exorbitant rents in the process. Specifically, "Goldman, through its Metro International Trade Services unit, owns the biggest warehouse complex in the LME system, a series of 19 buildings in Detroit that house about a quarter of the aluminum stored in LME facilities. Coca-Cola and other consumers say that Metro in particular is allowing the minimum amount of aluminum allowed by the LME—1,500 metric tons a day—to leave its facilities, and that Metro could remove much more, erasing supply bottlenecks and lowering premiums for physical delivery in the process. Coca-Cola, which has complained to the LME, says it can take months to get the metal the company needs, even though warehouses are allowing aluminum to come in much more quickly. Warehouses, meantime, collect rent and other fees." It is not only Goldman's Metro operations, but includes JP Morgan's Henry Bath division, and naturally commodities behemoth Glencore, all of which are taking advantage of the LME's guidelines and rules which make the imposition of a pseudo-monopoly an easy task. The primary driver of this anti-competitive behavior is the fact that GS, JPM and Glencore now control virtually the entire inventory bottlenecking pathways: "In recent years, major investment banks like Goldman and J.P. Morgan and commodities houses like Glencore have been snapping up warehouses around the world, turning the industry from a disperse grouping of independent operators into another arm of Wall Street. The LME has licensed about 600 warehouses around the world. The transformation has raised questions about whether the investment banks, which also have big commodity-trading arms, are able to use their position as owners of warehouses to manipulate prices to their advantage."And since the outcome of this anti-competitive delayed tolling collusion ends up having quite an inflationary impact on end prices, the respective administrations are more than happy to turn a blind eye to this market dominant behavior which buffers the impact of deflation on input costs. We may have seen the end of the OPEC cartel. Alas, it has been replaced with a far more vicious one - this one having Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan as its two key members.
 

4x4 Diamaris®

Our original equipment tire for high performance SUVs/Crossovers offers sport performance capabilities, handling and grip for vehicles like Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Benefits of This Tire:

• High-Speed Confidence
• Excellent Wet Grip, Outstanding Dry Grip
• Chosen by Some of the World's Best Vehicle Manufacturers

25,000 Mile Manufacturer's Treadwear Limited Warranty
4x4 Diamaris® tires carry an das additional 25,000 mile limited warranty for treadwear or mileage.

PRIUS C

Toyota den Hybridantrieb erstmals im größten europäischen Volumensegment einführen wird – der Kleinwagen-Klasse.

Einen Kleinwagen mit Vollhybrid-Antrieb auszustatten stellte Toyota vor mehrere konstruktive Herausforderungen. Die Konstrukteure mussten den neuen Antrieb ohne Einbußen bei seiner Qualität und bei den Fahrleistungen in das kompakte, extrem effiziente Raumnutzungs-Konzept eines modernen Kleinwagens integrieren, ohne die Geräumigkeit seines Innen- und Gepäckraums zu beeinträchtigen. Sie entwickelten dazu ein umfassendes neues Raumkonzept für die Hybridtechnik.

Die Serienversion der Konzeptstudie Yaris HSD kommt europaweit in der zweiten Hälfte des Jahres 2012 auf den Markt. Der neue Vollhybrid wird im Werk von Valenciennes bei Toyota Motor Manufacturing France vom Band laufen, das den höchsten Standards in Sachen Verarbeitungsqualität verpflichtet ist.

LION

「それぞれの個性をみがいて、

自分にしかない花を咲かせよう」

という桜梅桃李の言葉をテーマにした、

個性豊かな4つ味のフルーツキャンディーです。

桜んぼ、梅、桃、李（すもも）の特徴をいかして、

おいしさを最大限ひきだしました。 

●内容量：80g

FEA

What is Finite Element Analysis?
FEA consists of a computer model of a material or design that is stressed and analyzed for specific results. It is used in new product design, and existing product refinement. A company is able to verify a proposed design will be able to perform to the client's specifications prior to manufacturing or construction. Modifying an existing product or structure is utilized to qualify the product or structure for a new service condition. In case of structural failure, FEA may be used to help determine the design modifications to meet the new condition.
There are generally two types of analysis that are used in industry: 2-D modeling, and 3-D modeling. While 2-D modeling conserves simplicity and allows the analysis to be run on a relatively normal computer, it tends to yield less accurate results. 3-D modeling, however, produces more accurate results while sacrificing the ability to run on all but the fastest computers effectively. Within each of these modeling schemes, the programmer can insert numerous algorithms (functions) which may make the system behave linearly or non-linearly. Linear systems are far less complex and generally do not take into account plastic deformation. Non-linear systems do account for plastic deformation, and many also are capable of testing a material all the way to fracture.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a US federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. Service Members who died while in the military service.  First enacted by an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War . It was extended after World War I  to honor Americans who have died in all wars. Memorial Day often marks the start of the summer vacation season, and Labor Day its end. Begun as a ritual of remembrance and reconciliation after the Civil War, by the early 20th century, Memorial Day was an occasion for more general expressions of memory, as ordinary people visited the graves of their deceased relatives, whether they had served in the military or not. It also became a long weekend increasingly devoted to shopping, family get-togethers, fireworks, trips to the beach, and national media events such as the Indy 500 auto race, held since 1911 on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

G8

Presidents and prime ministers of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States had met in the French resort of Deauville.
They took a tough line with the regimes resisting pro-democratic revolts, warning Libya and Syria to halt the violent repression of their own peoples.
The G8 world powers threw their weight behind the Arab Spring on Friday, intensifying the pressure on Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi and pledging billions for fledgling democracies.
The West's drive to oust Kadhafi was boosted on both the military front, with France and Britain vowing a "new phase" of operations, and on the diplomatic, with Russia joining calls for him to step down and head into exile.

nm engineering

 

Welcome to NM Engineering!

Our sole goal is to improve the driver's motoring experience without changing the essence of what makes MINI a MINI. Every NM Engineering part is designed and engineered in California with manufacturing done between, California, Germany, UK and Japan.
On top of manufacturing NM Eng. parts, we are also Master Warehouse Distributor for many other reputable companies such Koni, Bilstein, Stoptech, Wilwood, K&N Filters, and Hawk Brakes. So please browse our site and do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Wholesale dealers are definitely welcome!

~ NM Engineering Team ~