Happy New Year 2012

 Happy Chinese New Year 2012 - Year of the Dragon

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The start of the celebration begins on January 23rd, 2011 and it's that date right now over in China! We'd like to wish all of our readers a Happy Chinese New Year. This means that many tech companies over in China and Taiwan will be closed for the holiday. Enjoy the time off!

The Year 2012 is the 4709th Chinese year. The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (he was not the first emperor of China). The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C., therefore China will enter the 4709th year on January 23, 2012. 2012 is the year of Dragon. Some people say 2012 is a Black Dragon or Water Dragon year. This is because the Stem-Branch Calendar is connected to the Five Element theory.

VW up!

The German automaker confirmed a five-door version of the pint-sized vehicle was headed to market, and VW even went so far as to show off the "Cross up!" at the Motor Show in Frankfurt.  The production version of the "Cross up! five-door" will stick fairly close to the concept and will ride on a similarly tall suspension.  That should give the vehicle more of a mini crossover appearance instead of a small hatchback.   Information on drivetrain options is suitably scarce at the moment, but we expect the five-door Up! to roll off of the production line with the same engines as its shorter three-door kin. That means buyers should be able to tick boxes for either a 59-horsepower gasoline engine or a brawny 74-horsepower gas powerplant.  

U.S. market:

A company executive has informed, “The Golf and Jetta are as small as we’re going to go, for now”.

TOKYO Auto Salon 2012

Makuhari, JAPAN  -- TOYOTA 2000GT ―the first full-blown Japanese sports car born in 1967 (only 300units built)― as a solar Electrical Vehicle and exhibits this “2000GT SEV” at Tokyo Auto Salon 2012 during the event.     With emerging concerns for environment and energy, it is natural for the automobile industry to produce earth-conscious and fuel-efficient vehicles today. Pursuing functionality and efficiency is not enough, however: providing the excitement and pure driving enjoyment offered by old-time cars will appeal to a younger generation that demands fun and has turned its back on the automobile.

(with 17inch wheel)

The TOKYO Auto Salon is an annual auto show held in January at the Makuhari, Japan for Performance and custom dress-up parts and technology display. This show is the largest auto exhibition in the world.  There are over 600 vehicles for display with over 300 companies, associations, and schools. There are also after-market parts manufacturers, custom shops, care manufacturers, automotive businesses, and automotive vocational schools. There are not only customized vehicle and after-market manufactures, there is also live entertainment.

MINI ROADSTER

BMW's Mini brand unveiled its new Roadster convertible on Monday, calling it a fun-to-drive and modern take on the open-top sports car.  When the two-seater goes into production, it will be the sixth vehicle and second convertible in Mini's lineup.  Mini executives told journalists at the North American International Auto Show press days in Detroit that the Roadster will incorporate Mini's traditional go-kart handling with state-of-the-art fuel efficiency and safety technology.

Here are the details:

POWER: The Roadster will come in three different models, ranging from the Cooper Roadster with 121 horsepower, to the Cooper S Roadster with 181 horsepower and the John Cooper Works Roadster, with 208 horsepower.

SPEED: The Cooper Roadster can go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds and has a top speed of 124 mph.

LOOKS: The Roadster features a classic cloth roof that opens and closes manually and tucks neatly behind the seats when open. A range of two non-metallic and six metallic paint colors are available for the car's exterior, but in keeping with British Roadster tradition, the roof remains black.  Owners can also add sport stripes in three different colors for a personal touch. Light-alloy wheels come in 15-, 16- or 17-inch versions depending on the model.  The car also comes with an active rear spoiler built into the tailgate that automatically extends when the vehicle reaches 50 mph.

Detroit Auto Show 2012

It's the first auto show of every year and it's always a big one. The Detroit Auto Show, officially the North American International Auto Show, takes place from January 14-22, preceded by several private days, including the press preview on January 9th and 10th. Notable debuts at this year's event include the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ in US-spec trim.

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".



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