A few weeks ago a neighbor, who is familiar with my ghostwriting past, told me that a Facebook “friend” of his was advertising for a ghostwriter. “She’s a former Redskins cheerleader,” my neighbor said. “And she owns a winery.”

“No thanks,” I answered politely. “That sounds like my worst nightmare,” I thought. The Facebook ad read, in part, “Now interviewing applications for Ghost writers for the true story of  ‘Wine & Roses’…”

What could a pom-pom wielding vintner possibly have to say that anyone would want to read?

Oh, silly, naive me.

As the world now knows, the answer to that question is “plenty.” The White House party crashers are now hawking their story to the highest broadcast bidder, hoping for “mid-six figures” for a network appearance, and in this reality show era, they will probably get it. Who knows what they’ll get for a book contract, or which pink-slipped, buy-out demoralized journalist they’ll bribe to write the thing. 

And I’m not using the word “thing” lightly. It’s hard to know how to characterize a “memoir” that is “written” by a former cheerleader (even this “fact,” among others, is under dispute); the word “memoir” in this case is a misnomer, given that the word comes from Old French memoire, memory, from Latin memoria, and memory seems to have less to do with what these people are selling and more to do with snake oil flapdoodle. In fact, reports indicate that the couple has trouble with memory as well as distinguishing fantasy from fact. To wit: a Washington Post story reports that the investigation into the couple’s party-crashing is “hard on them because they really believe they were invited.”

Oh puleeeze…

When the Salahis turned to Facebook to find a ghostwriter, it was just another desperate act of status-seeking. In Washington, hiring a ghostwriter and manufacturing a memoir or autobiography is in the same status symbol category as snagging an invitation to a White House dinner, driving a Hummer, or having the Jonas Brothers perform at your tween’s birthday bash.  

When the recession hit us a little more than a year ago there was a spate of stories about how this was going to make us all become less materialistic and bring us back to our authentic selves.  Right, I thought. I’ll be canning my own fig preserves and my kid will jettison her Nintendo DS and take up quilting.

Or… maybe not. This morning I just shook my head when I read the Washington Post’s car column. The 2010 Range Rover is named the Autobiography.  “The 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Autobiography is the extreme SUV for extremely affluent people who, to put it mildly, are different from you and me and don’t give a hoot about what we think,” writes Warren Brown.

“What a stupid name for a car,” my husband said.

“Actually,” I replied. “It’s pure genius.”

As for the Salahis, my friend Joel Achenbach has the best idea yet for dealing with these wanna be’s: throw the book at them (but please, not the book contract).

–Barbara

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

- Dr. Joachim Schmidt: “We will continue this positive trend, and we expect sales in the fourth quarter to be above last year’s level.”
- Record sales in China – Schmidt: “We expect Mercedes-Benz Cars to increase its sales in China by more than 50 percent in full-year 2009.”
- Mercedes-Benz USA posts best monthly result since the beginning of the year, with sales up by 21 percent in October
- E- and S-Class sedans maintain market leadership

Stuttgart, Germany, Nov 06, 2009 – In October, global sales were up at Mercedes-Benz for the first time this year. Mercedes-Benz was able to increase sales significantly in October by seven percent to 88,400 units (October 2008: 82,500. The smart brand sold 9,300 (October 2008: 11,300) units (minus 18 percent). With the delivery of 97,700 passenger cars (October 2008: 93,800), total sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars increased by four percent. The October sales increase was due to the E-Class and the new generation of the S-Class as well as to high growth rates in many regions such as North America and Asia/Pacific. Sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles were also above last year’s level in Western Europe.

“We will continue this positive trend in the coming months, and we expect sales in the fourth quarter to be above the level of the same period of last year,” said Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Head of Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars. Contributing to this development will be the new E-Class and the new generation S-Class, as well as the ongoing strong growth rates in the Asia/Pacific region, particularly in China. By the end of September, Mercedes-Benz had already sold more vehicles in China than in all of last year. Says Schmidt: “Mercedes-Benz Cars will continue to grow at a dynamic rate in China, and we expect the increase for 2009 as a whole to amount to more than 50 percent.”

In October Mercedes-Benz once again set a sales record in China, with sales rising by 78 percent to 6,600 units (October 2008: 3,700). As a result, since the start of the year, Mercedes-Benz has been the fastest-growing premium brand in China. In October, Mercedes-Benz Cars also delivered more vehicles than ever before to the Asia/Pacific region as a whole, handing over 14,100 passenger vehicles to customers (October 2008: 10,500) for an increase of 34 percent. High growth rates were also posted in October in Australia (up 22 percent) and South Korea (up 63 percent).

In the United States, October was the best month of the year so far for Mercedes-Benz. Sales bucked the general market trend, rising by 21 percentto 18,200 units (October 2008: 15,000). This was the first time this year that sales were substantially higher than in 2008, and ensured that Mercedes-Benz remains the strongest German premium brand in the U.S. Contributing factors here included the E-Class, deliveries of which tripled to 6,100 units, and the GLK, which was once again the best-selling vehicle in its class in October, with deliveries of 1,800 units. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz posted another sales record in Canada in October, increasing customer deliveries by 28 percent to 2,200 passenger vehicles (October 2008: 1,700).

In the Western Europe region (not including Germany), Mercedes-Benz increased its sales by seven percent in October, thanks in particular to the high increases for the new E-Class. The brand enjoyed strong growth amounting to 55 percent in the UK, with a total of 5,800 units sold.

Sales of new E-Class continued to develop positively in the past month, with worldwide deliveries doubling in October to 17,100 units. Double-digit sales increases were registered in almost all markets. That made it once again the clear market leader in its segment. The company expects the launch of the new station wagon, which can be seen at dealerships starting on November 21, to give an additional positive boost to the E-Class family.

The new generation of the S-Class also got off to a successful start. Worldwide sales of the S-Class sedan were slightly above the previous year's level. Since the beginning of this year, the sedan has been the best-selling sedan in its segment. In China, which is now the biggest market for the S-Class, 1,100 luxury sedans were delivered to customers in October alone, which represents an increase of 12 percent. The sedan also sold very well in Germany, with an increase of 42 percent, and in Japan, where October sales increased by 13 percent. Mercedes-Benz sold 15,100 units of its SUVs worldwide (2008: 14,800), with an increase of two percent. The GLK, which was especially popular, enjoyed mainly double-digit growth rates in the Western European markets.

Overview of Sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars

Copyright © 2009, Mercedes-Benz-Blog. All rights reserved.

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Nov 06, 2009 – In October, global sales were up at Mercedes-Benz for the first time this year. Mercedes-Benz was able to increase sales significantly in October by seven percent to 88,400 units (October 2008: 82,500. The smart brand sold 9,300 (October 2008: 11,300) units (minus 18 percent). With the delivery of 97,700 passenger cars (October 2008: 93,800), total sales at Mercedes-Benz Cars increased by four percent. The October sales increase was due to the E-Class and the new generation of the S-Class as well as to high growth rates in many regions such as North America and Asia/Pacific. Sales of Mercedes-Benz vehicles were also above last year’s level in Western Europe.

“We will continue this positive trend in the coming months, and we expect sales in the fourth quarter to be above the level of the same period of last year,” said Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Head of Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz Cars. Contributing to this development will be the new E-Class and the new generation S-Class, as well as the ongoing strong growth rates in the Asia/Pacific region, particularly in China. By the end of September, Mercedes-Benz had already sold more vehicles in China than in all of last year. Says Schmidt: “Mercedes-Benz Cars will continue to grow at a dynamic rate in China, and we expect the increase for 2009 as a whole to amount to more than 50 percent.”

In October Mercedes-Benz once again set a sales record in China, with sales rising by 78 percent to 6,600 units (October 2008: 3,700). As a result, since the start of the year, Mercedes-Benz has been the fastest-growing premium brand in China. In October, Mercedes-Benz Cars also delivered more vehicles than ever before to the Asia/Pacific region as a whole, handing over 14,100 passenger vehicles to customers (October 2008: 10,500) for an increase of 34 percent. High growth rates were also posted in October in Australia (up 22 percent) and South Korea (up 63 percent).

In the United States, October was the best month of the year so far for Mercedes-Benz. Sales bucked the general market trend, rising by 21 percentto 18,200 units (October 2008: 15,000). This was the first time this year that sales were substantially higher than in 2008, and ensured that Mercedes-Benz remains the strongest German premium brand in the U.S. Contributing factors here included the E-Class, deliveries of which tripled to 6,100 units, and the GLK, which was once again the best-selling vehicle in its class in October, with deliveries of 1,800 units. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz posted another sales record in Canada in October, increasing customer deliveries by 28 percent to 2,200 passenger vehicles (October 2008: 1,700).

In the Western Europe region (not including Germany), Mercedes-Benz increased its sales by seven percent in October, thanks in particular to the high increases for the new E-Class. The brand enjoyed strong growth amounting to 55 percent in the UK, with a total of 5,800 units sold.

Sales of new E-Class continued to develop positively in the past month, with worldwide deliveries doubling in October to 17,100 units. Double-digit sales increases were registered in almost all markets. That made it once again the clear market leader in its segment. The company expects the launch of the new station wagon, which can be seen at dealerships starting on November 21, to give an additional positive boost to the E-Class family.

The new generation of the S-Class also got off to a successful start. Worldwide sales of the S-Class sedan were slightly above the previous year's level. Since the beginning of this year, the sedan has been the best-selling sedan in its segment. In China, which is now the biggest market for the S-Class, 1,100 luxury sedans were delivered to customers in October alone, which represents an increase of 12 percent. The sedan also sold very well in Germany, with an increase of 42 percent, and in Japan, where October sales increased by 13 percent. Mercedes-Benz sold 15,100 units of its SUVs worldwide (2008: 14,800), with an increase of two percent. The GLK, which was especially popular, enjoyed mainly double-digit growth rates in the Western European markets.

Overview of Sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars

Source >> Mercedes-Benz-Blog — Unmistakable. Unique. Classy. Mercedes-Benz. – Mercedes-Benz Boosts Sales by Seven Percent
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For 2010 the Legacy looks more aggressive and sporty. The headlights are angled more, the character lines create a more muscular look, along with bigger wheel arches. The Legacy has a more modern, mainstream, Japanese appearance. It will be more competitive in the midsize sedan segment, but it's aggressive styling wouldn't look at home in a forest carrying mountain bikes like the old Legacy did.

While the exterior doesn't give thoughts of the usual Subaru activities of hiking and kayaking, the interior gives impressions of a more mainstream midsize sedan at home in mall parking lots. Comfortably designed for the driver and passenger with easy to use controls, soft cream leather seats, and class leading passenger space. Steering wheel controls are standard on the 2.5i Limited are well laid out and easy for the driver to use. Subaru's shortcomings in quality with their use of hard plastic, flimsy door panels, and cheap wood trim left me disappointed, while the previous generation Legacy excelled in quality.

Subaru has used it's new Lineartronic CVT transmission in the new Legacy. It provides a very smooth drive with gearshifts that are as smooth as a hot knife through butter. The paddle shifters are possibly the easiest I've ever used for manual shifting and coupled with the CVT provide a smooth ride. The base 2.5 liter engine feels very underpowered. Subaru's have been known to have a tighter suspension and this Legacy is completely different. The drive feels more like an everyday sedan focused more on driver comfort than a Subaru has ever been. Everyday driving is more polished and tranquilizing than the previous generation Legacy. I took the Legacy through some winding country roads where Subarus usually shine, and was very surprised. Clumsiness and body roll plagued the Legacy like an old woman without her walker. The 2.5 liter 170 hp engine made the Legacy feel underpowered and heavy. The other two optional 256 or 265 hp engines would make the Legacy feel more capable for everyday driving. Even with Subaru's all wheel drive system it felt as though it lacked Subaru's willingness to go off road, instead focusing on a smooth and comfortable drive for those city folk.

The redesigned Legacy is a Subaru aimed more towards a mainstream market. It's comfortable ride and cabin make for a pleasing highway and city drive. Aggressive styling coupled with it's soft ride may scare away some loyal Subaru owners and attract a different buyer. The Legacy lacks what makes Subaru a Subaru. It has evolved into a mainstream car, one that won't be found driving through dirt trails or going on camping trips, instead will be at home on highways and city streets.

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Navn:P. Taabbel & Co. A/S, salg af FISK og SKALDYR
URL:http://www.taabbel.dk
Kontaktinfo:
P. Taabbel A/SIndustribuen 37730 Hanstholm
Telefon: + 45 97 96 16 77
Kontaktperson:Jens Danstrup
E-mail:soegeopterimeringssjov@ikompagniet.dk
Vigtige søgeord:fisk, skaldyr, rejer, hummer, rødspætte, laks, frostvarer

Kort beskrivelse:TAABBEL i HANSTHOLM: FISKE- og SKALDYRS-PRODUKTER til catering; rejer, hummer, torsk, laks, sej, rødspætte, krebsehaler m.m. – frostvarer og kølevarer
Lang beskrivelse:TAABBEL i HANSTHOLM leverer forædlede FISKE- og SKALDYRS-PRODUKTER til catering; rejer, hummer, jomfuhummer, torsk, laks, sej, rødspætte, krebsehaler m.m. – frostvarer og kølevarer.

Una immagine del Pigneto, Roma. La città cresce grazie all'integrazione, alla cooperazione tra studenti, professionisti, immigrati e frequentemente il suo carattere aperto è messo sotto attacco per la presenza di tendenze razziste e fasciste. E' necessaria una ripresa dell'attivismo sociale, già molto presente nelle iniziative della popolazione dei quartieri periferici e dei centri sociali che vi operano. Ciò che sarebbe un danno ulteriore è l'ipotesi di risolvere i problemi demonizzando sulla base delle opinioni parte della comunità romana. Gli anni settanta sono finiti e non può funzionare la facile equazione per cui le fasce di abitanti che non posseggono una tradizione progressista sarebbero forcaioli.

Alcuni blog hanno riportato la denuncia di un episodio di violenza avvenuto tra venerdì e sabato in un quartiere noto per le iniziative sociali e piuttosto preso di mira da attacchi di stampo ultraconservatore

 

Pochi spazi su internet hanno riportato un fatto inquietante avvenuto nel quartiere romano del Pigneto, un ambiente abbastanza conosciuto per la sua ricchezza di iniziative sociali e progressiste e sotto attacco da parte delle tendenze ultraconservatrici che percorrono il Lazio. Una decina di persone sono scese da un hummer limousine (che sarebbe una sorta di macchina di lusso blindata o di blindato di classe, a vederlo) ed hanno pestato senza apparente ragione delle persone che avevano partecipato ad una festa di compleanno.

Il Pigneto fa parte di quei quartieri romani dove molti giovani ed associazioni ritessono dal basso una rete di iniziative sociali e culturali sfibrata dalla commercializzazione dell’esistente degli ultimi venti anni e in ultimo dal peso della crisi mondiale sulle fasce sociali meno garantite dalle corporazioni ideologico-sindacali e dalle concentrazioni economiche in Italia. Al Pigneto si sono svolte nel tempo anche importanti manifestazioni culturali di recupero della memoria della Resistenza, indicando che la cooperazione in funzione del futuro tra studenti, immigrati e gruppi civici porta alla luce anche l’attualità della storia in tempi di forti cambiamenti.

L’aggressione indiscriminata ad un gruppo di amici in strada in un quartiere del genere avviene a meno di due settimane dall’irruzione di vigilantes a minaccia dei lavoratori di un noto stabilimento romano di un’azienda con sede al Tiburtino, apparsa anche su queste pagine web, ed è circondata da una miriade di altre notizie di attacchi a persone costrette a dormire in strada, colpite per l’orientamento sessuale (o politico, ma i diversi gruppi radicati sul territorio in strutture occupate o simili sono da una parte e dall’altra più o meno vulnerabili in maniera alterna stando alla cronaca, anche se vi è una oggettiva maggiore frequenza di aggressioni contro le sedi di realtà antagonista progressista).

Nei pochi spazi che hanno riportato la notizia attraverso la denuncia delle stesse vittime dell’accaduto si legge qualche commento sulla situazione generale della città e sulle presunte responsabilità di chi amministra. La logica vuole che coloro che amministrano non possono essere considerati colpevoli a priori sulla base delle proprie opionioni. Anzi, gli ultimi anni hanno visto esempi di apertura da parte del Comune di Roma verso ambienti anche molto diversi per sensibilità dalla nuova giunta di Gianni Alemanno. Questa è la cronaca, non si può negare per il fatto che bisogna ripetere degli slogan.

Quello che è vero, che desta allarme, è che aumenta non soltanto il verificarsi di violenza (non a Roma ma in Italia e non quest’anno ma in questo decennio) ma l’ostilità di questo tipo. Gente che partecipa ad una festa di lusso che attacca altri che si stanno divertendo per strada. Persone che si sentono cittadini più di altri che aggrediscono immigrati. Il lavoro messo nell’angolo. Fatti culturali, l’ordine pubblico non li risolve, la sinistra non rivendica un’alternativa, i media non presentano idee differenti e la società reagisce poco. Il Pigneto, come molte altre vivaci aree romane, rappresenta, per chi vive il Lazio come territorio, un laboratorio dove è chiaro che la società cambia anche in positivo, valorizzando il lavoro, l’integrazione e gli scambi ben oltre le rigidità e delle proclamazioni con le quali l’area progressista si è resa irrilevante e museale in Italia. Si tratta di quartieri che rendono attuale l’antifascismo come sforzo di trasformazione della società.

Le spinte che al contrario perpetuano una visione di classe, razzista e ultraconservatrice rischiano di danneggiare Roma e la sua identità caratterizzata dall’apertura, anche perchè potrebbero stanare tendenze di segno apparentemente opposto, ma che non sono certo dirette a risolvere i problemi: difatti la mercificazione selvaggia, il girarsi dall’altra parte di fronte alle fasce in difficoltà e la violenza a Roma, sono in crescita da anni, non soltanto con una amministrazione che fa gravi sbagli ma episodicamente cerca di comprendere la realtà in cui opera, ma anche quando chi amministrava voleva bene a tutti, ma tra feste del cinema e inaugurazioni di mezzo metro di strada di fronte alle telecamere, concretizzava molto poco di questa benevolenza per le fasce di popolazione che vivono la vera città tutti i giorni.

Aldo Ciummo

Here’s some more content from the IAAPA 2009 show.

Tetris Giant – We first heard about this interesting new Tetris game a few months ago and while it seemed like the perfect game for Western audiences, I was still a little surprised to see it at Sega’s booth. Where the blocks are pretty large the game can go by quickly but when you play against someone else it can be a lot of fun. Otherwise, it’s Tetris with huge joysticks. These are actually interesting as they make use of force feedback. I am not crazy about the price at all however – $10k for a Tetris game, even if it is huge is too much. At least you can project the image onto the wall for a 150″ image, which could be very useful in certain venues. It’s also good to see a puzzle game make it’s way back to arcades so hopefully this won’t keep it’s price tag for very long.

Hummer – After Sega’s Hummer Deluxe came and went I had expected it to end there but some time later they decided to rework the game slightly for a standard format. It’s actually an all right game and it was constantly being played at show. They only had two standard units setup next to two standard Sega Rally 3’s. Graphically the game looks pretty nice, once again proving what they can pull off Lindbergh platform and the boost feature in the game was nice as it focuses on targeting other Hummer’s to smash into them. You collect your boost depending upon things like nice landings and objects smashed so it does feel like Excite Truck in that regard. I admit that I am not as excited about racers as I am other titles at IAAPA(I know how important racers are to any arcade because they earn well, I can’t ignore that but at the same time I believe that it’s important to demand more titles that give us something different and earn well on their own) but this is a pretty good effort for the off-road racing genre that is worth checking out, if not for the racing than just for the destruction factor alone.

Twisted- GlobalVR was at the show after all, even though they hadn’t been listed on an interactive map system for the show (unless I was looking in the wrong place). They didn’t have any new games we hadn’t heard off but they did have their newest release, Twisted: Nitro Stunt Racing dominating the booth in it’s three configurations. The idea behind this one is to gain enough speed to pull off big jumps or to master loops, depending upon the track you race. As such you have unlimited boost at your fingertips, which is a little surprising but I found that overusing it generally results in a crash (not of the software, just your car). One thing I would have liked to have seen is a scoring/ranking system for the jumps, like it was an Olympic event or something (or even like with Sega’s Hummer, which rewards you with boost points for a good landing) – that would make the jumps feel more satisfying. As we’ve seen before the game looks really nice, whether it’s on the 32″ or 42″ screen. Like with Hummer there are so many racers out there to choose from right now that I’m not sure what advice to offer for someone looking to make a pick between all of them but this is a solid effort. The motion version is pretty cool, the base doesn’t go all over the place when you’re racing and I didn’t feel nauseous during gameplay so that’s a plus.

There was some news regarding GVR’s next effort- a major upgrade to NASCAR which they are calling NASCAR 2. In fact GVR is looking for some operators who own the game to test out the new software which adds several new things to the game including a feature similar to the old Wavenet. If you need to know who to contact, drop us an e-mail and we can put you in touch with the right person but you do need to actually own some NASCAR cabinets.

And Speaking of NASCAR, there was an interesting redemption NASCAR based game at the Baytek booth where four players can race against each other around a small track using remote controlled cars.

Don’t worry, I have several more videos to put up, so stay tuned!

UPDATE: Links to other posts with more arcade videos from IAAPA: Sega Racing Classic/Terminator Salvation/Tank!Tank!Tank! / Tecway Developments, InJoy Motion games, Kung Fu Ball / Dead Storm Pirates, Cooking Mama, Big Buck Hunter Pro Open Season, Textminator

Mau merasakan sensasi limusin Hummer H2 supermewah ala seleb tanpa memilikinya? Bisa saja! Syaratnya, sediakan dana Rp 30 juta untuk 10 jam. Itulah yang ditawarkan oleh PT Andi Arta, anak usaha dari Aldira Group yang bergerak di bidang penyewaan mobil mewah.

Mobil berdimensi panjang 8,37 meter, lebar 2,18 meter dan tinggi 2,05 meter ini sengaja diboyong ke Indonesia untuk menyaring konsumen yang ingin tampil beda. Nantinya, PT Andi Arta (AA) hanya akan menyediakan satu mobil eksklusif ini untuk dioperasikan di Bali.

“Kami akan mengirim unit ini ke Bali pada pekan pertama Desember. Setelah itu, sudah bisa dipesan. Sebenarnya sudah banyak yang mau, tapi masih kita susun jadwalnya,” ujar Dionisius Bambang, Direktur AA, di sela-sela peluncuran produk Hummer H2 Limousine ini di ruang pamer RHYS Butique, Radio Dalam, Jakarta Selatan, Jumat (20/11).

Dion menjelaskan, Bali dipilih duluan sebagai sasaran utama penyewaan Hummer Limo karena potensi pasarnya yang besar. Dengan semakin kondusifnya Pulau Dewata sebagai tujuan pariwisata dunia, permintaan persewaan produk ini semakin tinggi.

“Bagi orang yang ingin merasakan sesuatu yang eksklusif, limo bisa menjadi pilihan. Misalnya acara khusus pernikahan. Banyak konglomerat dan artis dunia datang ke Bali. Sayang, kurang terekspos. Ini yang kita bidik,” lanjut Dion.

Hummer H2 Limousine mengusung mesin 6.200 cc, V8, menghasilkan tenaga 325 PS @5.200 rpm, transmisi otomatis 4-percepatan dan gerak semua roda atau 4-wheel drive (4WD).

Fitur mewah yang diusung Hummer H2 Limo ini adalah sunroof, seluruh jok berlapis kulit untuk 15 penumpang, 3 TV LCD, CD/DVD surround sound system, lampu neon di interior, champagne glass holder, kulkas, dan telepon sistem interkom.

Dijual 4,5 Milyar
Bagaimana kalau ada orang yang ingin memiliki? “Bisa saja kalau ada orang yang mau memiliki produk ini. Kita akan impor dari Australia dalam bentuk CBU. Harganya sekitar Rp 4,5 miliar. Syaratnya, harus sabar menunggu (inden) selama tiga bulan,” tutup Dion. Ada yang berminat?

sumber : kompas.com

VIDEO UPDATES WILL BE COMING LATER TODAY/TOMORROW

Well I’m back from IAAPA 2009 and it was an excellent show. I had always heard how large it was but you have to see it (and walk it) to believe it. I am going to start off with some picture updates here since that is a bit easier to get up and later I will be uploading videos to my Youtube channel. I took more video than any of the other shows I’ve been to which in part is due to the amount of content I found there.

Here we go – because this post is going to be quite large when I’m finished with it, I am going to put everything after the post break. Click on the images to see them full-size. Games to look for below: Cooking Mama, Tank! Tank! Tank!, Dead Storm Pirates, Terminator Salvation, Big Buck Hunter Open Season, Sega Racing Classic, Hummer and more.

Cooking Mama (Universal Space). I have video of this as well. It’s intended as a video redemption game for kids and it makes use of a touch screen interface that the player can use either their hands or a stylus to control. It has a very attractive cabinet that makes slick use of LEDs.

GameSetWatch found a video of this by Universal Space on youtube. I am uploading my own video of the same thing although in this video they play it properly

Tank! Tank! Tank! (Namco). This was certainly one of the best games of the show.  If you enjoyed Tokyo Wars even a little bit, this one is right up your alley as it’s Tokyo Wars with major upgrades. The force feedback in the wheel and the seat were done perfectly and it’s not a bad looking game either. I did ask the designers if there was any influence from Earth Defense Force 2017 but it appeared that they had never heard of the game before.Two of the designers are pictured here, they were grabbing people walking by to come and play.Tank!Tank! Tank! begins production for the US in three weeks. I did ask the designers about possible updates for this game int he future and they promised that there will be additional content released for the game at certain intervals via USB stick drives.

Dead Storm Pirates (Namco). This was unexpected and thus a pleasant surprise. While the software is only about 60% finished, what was available to play at the show felt complete and polished and overall it was a very enjoyable experience. Like Let’s Go Jungle it’s a much stronger co-op game than a single player one and the Wheel Action scenes (where you have to steer the ship around objects, etc.) were pretty cool. This game is powered by Namco’s System 357, which is based upon the PS3 and is also used in Tekken 6 and Razing Storm. The game has a heavy Pirates of the Carribean influence throughout, even the captain has a tinge of Johnny Depp to him. Probably one of the coolest sequences I played in DSP is the part where you man the cannons and you get to blast some ghost ships out of the water.

Terminator Salvation (Play Mechanix/Raw Thrills’). This is another one of my favorites from the show. I asked RT why they delay in the game between the arcade release and everything else Terminator Salvation related. They explained that they wanted to get it right (citing the terrible TS game that came out on the consoles) and was willing to take the time to do it. They also see the game attracting more attention due to the Terminator brand than the movie itself, which is a logical thought and honestly all of this pays off. The game is a lot of fun and while the build that was at the show was not complete (the game is scheduled to be finished and released in Februrary) it was excellent. They throw a lot of enemies at you and the theatrics that play out during the levels are well done. I was also pleased with how long each mission was so I expect that this will have a bit more to it by the time that it comes along in Februrary. The cabinet is very sleek and you have to see it up close to really appreciate it. TS will sell for about $9000 and it comes with a 42″ screen and large guns. The clip reloading feature is cool and it works better than I thought it would. And no, the full size Terminator robot does not come included with the cabinets.

Big Buck Hunter: Open Season (Play Mechanix/ Raw Thrills’). This is the new BBHPro update. It looks about the same but where this differs here is the content that they added to the game. It has some really cool bonus games  and uses online features similar to Big Buck Safari. I heard that some people from the LA Zoo were at the show and they were “horrified” by the Big Buck games, Safari in particular. There was a super deluxe BBS setup on the floor as well.

It’s worth mentioning that Guitar Hero Arcade isn’t done yet. There aren’t any details I can get into at the moment but the game will be seeing some updates in the near future, including the promised Coin-Up abilities and more. PUTT Championship Golf and H2Overdrive was also at the Betson booth.

Sega Racing Classic (Sega). The game that everyone’s been talking about was at the show, in a four cab setup. Sega is promising that this is going to cost less than a standard driver – they would be crazy to charge a full modern driver price, especially where this is just emulated code running on RingWide.  The Sega rep laughed when I mentioned the drive behind the RingEdge/RingWide as a console movement that’s going on the internet and denied that there are plans for Sega to do such a thing. While graphically SRC is a let down as well as the fact that they can’t add more tracks to the game, at the very least the cabinet is solid, attractive and the sound system is excellent. I even got a picture of the shifter, just for you guys.

Hummer standard (Sega). This one surprised me as it was actually a fun game with nice, shiny graphics. People were playing it every time I was at the Sega booth and it seemed to be well-liked. Production on this one starts in January. They also had the deluxe version of Hummer there with four units although for some reason only three can be linked at a time. On the other side of the Hummer Deluxe setup they had two SR3 deluxe, two Rambo deluxe, two Harley Davidson deluxe games and Tetris Giant (yes, that is what they are calling it, not Giant Tetris)

Misc stuff: – These are the last of my pictures – Part 2 will include much more from Kevin Williams of The Stinger Report

Galactix – This was a cool video redemption game where the token is essentially your controller. Put a token in and on the screen it fires a missile. Depending on the target you hit it will determine the number of points you earn. It can handle up to six players

Lobster Zone – not just for Japan!

Virtusphere was at the show. It appeared to work well although I didn’t give it a try myself.

While Stern’s booth was lackluster (they only brought one Shrek and one NBA pinball – I was hoping to see a LOTR special edition or a pre-production Big Buck Hunter) there was something notable for pinball at the show – Retro Pinball’s remake of Gottlieb’s King of Diamonds. This is going to appeal more to collectors than operators as pins from this era are something of an acquired taste but it’s cool in the respect that playing the game feels like you took a step back into the past to play one of these old games when they were brand spanking new. I do wonder if Retro Pinball will ever decide to create something original at one point but that probably depends upon how well King of Diamonds does. This game should be released in January.

Bob’s Space Racer’s midway booths – it has been a long time since I visited a big theme park and as such I tend to forget about midway style games like these. I’m also used to seeing rundown midway stuff so seeing this in new condition is impressive.

There were a lot of animatronic displays to see and this horror themed booth was one of the best. I’ll be uploading a video of this display later on

Stay tuned for much more as I begin getting the videos uploaded to youtube!

Owner of a Tuning Shop from Romania, turned his new Hummer H2 with 12 kg of pure gold, in this…

Hummer is being sold to China’s Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery, and they are making plans for an H4 and H5.

The sale hasn’t yet been finalized though, but the deal is that they will pay $150 million (Which seems like very little for an automotive company to me, but Hummer does only have 2 models, so maybe that’s why) and get most of the intellectual property for Hummer. GM will provide contract manufacturing for current Hummer products until the contract ends, at which point it will be up to the Chinese to work out how to manufacturer the Hummers.

Hummer is working with Austrian consulting firm AVL to determine their future. The idea is to make the brand focus on smaller, lighter, more eco-friendly vehicles, so there will be an H4, which will be smaller than the H3, and an even tinier H5. The H4 will be based on the HX concept car (Pictured at the beginning of this article).

So they’re trying to pretty much reinvent Hummer. Their current image is associated with gas-guzzling monsters, and the Chinese want to focus on eco-friendly vehicles. They’ll be putting a lot of money into changing this image, but I’ll miss the old image, that’s what I like about Hummer. They had the guts to go out there and give an image of gas-guzzling monsters in a time when Greenpeace is telling us all to get into a Prius. I wonder if this new image will mean that they’ll have to axe the enormous H2. That would be even worse, possibly the final nail in the coffin.

Source: Jalopnik

После того, как завершится сделка по продаже американского автомобильного бренда Hummer китайской корпорации Sichuan Tengzhong, производитель люксовых внедорожников намерен заняться расширением своей модельной линейки. В планах Hummer, разработать гибридные двигатели, а также выпустить новые модели – H4 и H5. Об этом сообщает The Motor Report.

Hummer H4 будет по размерам меньше модели H3 и будет базироваться на концепте HX Concept, созданном еще под руководством General Motors и представленном в Детройте в 2008 году. Однако дизайн у внедорожника будет совсем иной.

По словам нового главы Hummer Джима Тэйлора, появление автомобиля H4 поможет увеличить продажи бренда. Помочь достижению данной цели может выпуск еще одного нового автомобиля американской марки – это H5.

Но если H4, скорее всего, встанет на конвейер в ближайшие три года, то о дате появления H5 пока ничего не известно. По заявлению автопроизводителя, это будет самый компактный и экологически чистый Hummer за всю историю марки.

As vendas da Hummer seguem em queda. Com 8,5 mil unidades vendidas neste ano, a redução é de 64% em comparação ao ano passado. Para os novos proprietários da empresa, a chinesa Tengzhong, a virada chegará com duas novidades: os modelos H4 e H5.

O objetivo da nova dona da Hummer é torná-la, a partir de 2010, uma marca com cerca de 25 mil unidades vendidas anualmente. Para um futuro em médio prazo, porém, a empresa pretende fazer dois importantes lançamentos. Seu CEO, Jim Taylor, informa que veremos o pequeno H4, baseado no conceito HX e que viria para brigar com o Jeep Wrangler, e o H5, um SUV compacto para enfrentar o Land Rover Freelander.

Com os novos modelos chegando e a procura por veículos mais econômicos crescendo, é provável que os carros atuais da marca percam seu espaço, principalmente o H2. Será?

Sob nova direção conceito Hummer Hx (da foto) pode sair do papel

O Hummer assombrou o mundo na primeira guerra do Golf, nos anos 90. Foi considerado a reinvenção do Jeep, que ajudou os aliados a ganhar a Segundo Guerra Mundial.

Mais tarde a GM lançou três versões do Hummer para o uso civil. No começo até fez suceso, mas depois com o aumento do preço do petróleo e a defesa de carros mais ecológicos fez as vendas cairem drasticamente.

A Hummer acabou vendida para a fabricante chinesa Tengzhong e este ano as vendas dispencaram. Até agora somente 8.500 unidades foram vendidas, uma diminuição de 64% em relação a 2008.

Porém, os chineses não entraram no negócio para perder dinheiro e querem voltar ao nivel de 25 mil carros vendidos já em 2010. O novo chefe da marca, Jim Taylor, revelou ao Automotive News que em três anos a Hummer irá lançar os novos H4 e H5.

O H4, será baseado no conceito HX  e suas dimensões serão semelhantes as de um Wrangler. Já o H5 deverá ser um pequeno utilitário esportivo para brigar com o Freelander, da Land Rover. Como eu disse antes, os chineses não entraram no negócio para perder dinheiro.

sad. Schon mehr als ein Jahr ist es nun her, dass der viel gerühmte amerikanische Schriftsteller David Foster Wallace ums Leben gekommen ist. Sein postmoderner Roman Unendlicher Spaß ist erst nach seinem Tod in deutscher Sprache erschienen, begleitet von euphorischem medialen Getöse: Das Feuilleton hat sich überschlagen, im Fernsehen wurde der ziegelsteindicke Roman präsentiert, die Beiträge in Weblogs sind kaum zu überblicken. In den USA ist Infinite Jest bereits 1996 erschienen, und seitdem hatte sich Wallace mit Kurzgeschichten und Essays vor allem kürzeren Formen gewidmet. Und es lohnt sich, einen Blick über den Tellerrand des wortgewaltigen, komplex verschachtelten opus magnum zu werfen, denn David Foster Wallace tritt dem Leser in einem anderen, deutlicheren Licht entgegen.

2003 ist Wallace von der Zeitschrift Gourmet beauftragt worden, einen Beitrag über das 56. Maine Lobster Festival zu schreiben, ein Festival, bei dem es vor allem um eines geht: das Verspeisen von Hummern. Über viele Seiten schildert Wallace sachlich und detailliert, wie eine kaum fassbare Menge der Tiere in verschiedensten Variationen zum Verzehr angeboten wird, zuvor lebend gekocht im World Largest Lobster Cooker. Die Leser des Magazine of Good Living bekommen zunächst, was sie erwarten: einen Bericht über die populärste Hummer-Sause der Welt. Doch etwa nach der Hälfte des Essays kommt der studierte Philosoph Wallace zu den eigentlichen Fragen, die der kollektive Hummerverzehr bei ihm aufgeworfen hat. Ohne diejenigen zu verurteilen, die Hummerfleisch als Delikatesse genießen, denkt er darüber nach, wie es eigentlich möglich ist, Hummer zuerst bei lebendigem Leib zu kochen, anschließend jedoch mit Genuss zu verspeisen. Geschickt hält er die Leser bei Stange, bis er diese Frage stellt – und nachdem sie bereits Zeit investiert haben, um einen großen Teil des Artikels zu lesen, lesen sie ihn, so ist zu wohl, vermutlich auch zu Ende und weichen den Überlegungen nicht aus.

Sie begegnen einem David Foster Wallace, der mit rationalen, argumentativen Mitteln zu zeigen versucht, dass Hummer entgegen aller Behauptungen vonseiten der Hummerfleisch-Lobby durchaus Schmerzen empfinden können und dementsprechend leiden, wenn man sie dazu vorbereitet, von uns gegessen zu werden. Wallace bewegt sich hierzu in den Untiefen der Psychologie des Geistes und der Biologie. Er sinniert darüber, was es eigentlich heißt, Schmerzen zu haben, und wie wir gerechtfertigterweise davon ausgehen können, dass andere sich in diesem mentalen Zustand befinden, den wir selbst kaum in Worte fassen können. Im Endeffekt, so könnte man seinen Ausführungen entgegenhalten, tappt er schließlich in die Behaviorismus-Falle: Sieht man, wie die Hummer noch etwa eine halbe Minute versuchen, aus dem kochenden Wasser zu entkommen, kann man gar nicht anders, als anzunehmen, was sie erleben, würde ihnen ziemlich wehtun. Dass sie tatsächlich Schmerzen empfinden, weiß man aber natürlich nicht. Es könnte genauso ein einfacher Fluchtinstinkt sein, der auf einer ganz anderen Empfindung beruht, die dem sterbenden Hummer sagt: Das Ende ist nah.

Schön ist jedoch auch das nicht, und ganz unabhängig von Wallace Argumentation kommt man auch auf diesem Weg an den Schlusspunkt seiner Überlegungen: Der Aufforderung, sich Gedanken darüber zu machen, warum wir eigentlich so handelt, wie wir es zumeist eher unreflektiert tun – und darüber, was das Handeln der Hummer-Connaiseure eigentlich mit dem Good Living zu tun hat, dem guten Leben, dass im Namen der inzwischen übrigens eingestellten Feinschmeckerzeitschrift steckt. Diese Appelle scheinen denkbar banal, vage außerdem – und sind gleichzeitig so wichtig. Sie wirken nur deshalb nicht in unangemessenem Maße pädagogisch, weil Wallace sie aus einem Beispiel speist, dessen moralische Tragweite intuitiv einleuchtet. Das Beispiel des Hummers ist schlicht, aber wirkungsvoll: Natürlich kommt der Leser des Essays von selbst auf die Fragen, die Wallace aufwirft. Umso leichter, zu denken, der Autor würde mit erhobenem Zeigefinger tadelnd umhergehen. Doch gerade weil er grundlegende moralische Fragen geradezu naiv stellt, fühlt man sich nicht ernsthaft ermahnt oder zurechtgewiesen. Vielmehr stößt Wallace den Leser auf sich selbst und ist damit wieder bei seinem Thema: Dass wir glauben, die köchelnden Hummer empfänden Schmerzen, liegt daran, dass wir ihr Verhalten so deuten, und zwar weil wir uns ähnlich verhalten würden. Und auch, dass wir Hummerfleisch trotzdem genießen können, liegt an uns, daran nämlich, dass wir den verendenden Hummer im Topf einfach ausblenden. Ebenso blenden wir grundlegende moralische Probleme häufig aus, genau solche, wie sie sich in Am Beispiel des Hummers finden. Das ist ein Grund, sich genauer mit dem Autor von Unendlicher Spaß zu beschäftigen und auch einen Blick in seine kürzeren Schriften zu werfen: David Foster Wallace scheut sich nicht, die einfachen, aber großen Fragen zu stellen.

David Foster Wallace: Am Beispiel des Hummers, übers. v. Marcus Ingendaay, Hamburg, Zürich: Arche 2009. (78 S.)]

Everybody wants to party and it only takes a little booze and a little pill pop before hitting the dance floor and stay there all night jiving and bouncing in a frenzied state. But this can be very hard for someone who still think about his day job tomorrow and instead of enjoying the night, they sit at the bar worrying and more stressed than ever. If you want something to boost your energy for party like party pills, you can now avail it without worrying about addiction and other legal concerns as long as you are above 18 years old.

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Finally after searching the States up and down, we have located a Hummer suitable for our pink Hummer in Perth. We have jut done a deal on a beautiful stretch Hummer that was owned privately in Texas.

This will be the first of a fleet of 6 Hummers we are bringing from the US. They will all be pink and we will be able to bring pinkness and value to the Hummer limos in Perth.

These posts will update you on the process of bringing the Hummer to Perth Western Australia. We have bought the vehicle from a private seller, this means that it has never been used as a stretch limo commercially. It has only 8000k so that means it has barley been run in.

THe first job is to get it sent from Texas where it is now to Los Angeles where it will be sprayed. THen it goes from LA to Melbourne via boat and the conversion happens.

It is in Melbourne that the dance floor and addtional lighting will be put in including karoake and hard drive video player.

Finally after another boat journey it will reach Perth and be ready to ply its trade for the first time as a Hummer limo.

The new caompany will be called Mr Pink and all  6 will be run under the same comapny. It will be quite a sight having that many bubblegum pink Hummers in Perth and the rates will be around 25% cheaper than Hummers currently are in Perth.

You can pop back to the wrodpress blog for regualr updates or see our sister Hummer limos company in Perth at www.perthhummer.com.au

Pink Hummers

There has always been the classic debate about what vehicle is best.  Is it a Ford?  A Chevy?  Certainly, the best manufactured vehicle isn’t a foreign brand.  Well honestly, its way too hard to debate which vehicle is the best.  That is way too hard and completely based on personal preference.  However, I got in another argument today about which all terrain vehicle is the best for off-roading.  Is it the hummer or the Jeep?  I will make myself very very clear.  When it comes to defeating pure off road obstacles and portraying physical toughness, no manufactured, passenger carrying automobile is more durable, reliable or sexier than a Willys Jeep.

Let me set something straight before I begin.  I am a Jeep owner.  In fact, here is a picture of the group I run with.

The group parked on top of the Callahans.

I owe my love for Jeeps to my dad.  He has built many Jeeps, but none as important as his own and two others: my brother’s and myself.  These vehicles are designed to overcome any obstacle that steps in the way.  Here are some examples of what we like to do.

Dad's Jeep pushing the limits!

Derek's Jeep plowing the way.

He made this crick crossing look real easy.

Just goofin' around.

This is NOT a Jeep... but his name is Billybob, so we allow him.

Opening a new road.

Dad striking a pose!

Accidents happen!

Obviously, what we do for “fun” is not “normal.”  We get a rush out of building machines and pushing them to the limit of what they can do versus nature.  It takes guts, skill, knowledge and sometimes, a lead foot.

The Jeep and the Hummer are both military invented tools.  The Jeep was born in 1941 when the military decided that it needed a vehicle to meet certain military needs.  Ford and Willys-Overland Company teamed up to designed the perfect automobile.  Willys designed it,and Ford made it happen!  What they created was the the Bantam BRC 40.

Just look at the Bad-Assery!!!

The term “Jeep” is a mystery.  Most people believe that the term came from the letters the Jeep bore, GP, meaning either “Government Purpose” or “General Purpose.”  These letter where then just shortened to the term Jeep.  However, experts also believe that the vehicle was designed for specific duties and was never referred to as “General Purpose.”   They believe and that the name may have been derived from Ford’s nomenclature referring to the vehicle as GP, G for government use, and P to designate its 80-inch (2,000 mm) wheelbase.

The original Hummer (HMMWV or Humvee) was created in 1992 and discontinued in 2006.  Originally designed strictly for military use, this absolutely massive four-wheel-drive utility vehicle earned its 15 minutes of fame as a civilian conveyance when it became the ride of choice among Hollywood celebrities and professional athletes who thought it oh-so-chic to pilot the ultimate ruff-and-tuff image machine.

The original is not bad looking.

I am not making the claim that a Jeep is better than a Hummer in extreme off-road situations without a STRONG foundation of what it takes to survive driving in these environments.

Both vehicles can handle any muscle you want to throw under the hood.  Although a Hummer will have more space and few modifications will need to be made.  I have seen many Jeeps run with Big Block engines.  The benefit to having a Jeep is that they weigh a couple hundred pounds lighter.  Think about it: if two vehicles are turning the tires at the same speed and velocity up a muddy hill against gravity, which one is going to crawl up easier?  Obviously, the answer is the lighter one.

The thing that sets the Jeep apart from the Hummer is pure dimensions.  The Hummer is longer and fatter than Jeep.  When it comes to narrowly weaving in and out of trees and obstacles, the Jeep takes the cake.

The Humvee’s claim to fame is that it “boasted 16 inches (40 cm) of ground clearance as well as super-aggressive approach and departure angles.  The Humvee could clamber over a 22-inch (56 cm) high obstacle, handle a 60 percent grade and wade through up to 30 inches (76 cm) of water.”

First off, there is only one fact in that statement that a Jeep can’t do itself.  I will accept the Jeeps defeat when it comes to percent grade.  Having a longer wheel base, the Hummer can go up steeper inclines without tipping over backwards.  Jeeps, which are raised above stock level, are taller and a little awkward.

As far as the driving through water, a Jeep with a snorkel and a little customization can do the same thing.  Is there a 22-inch obstacle in the way?  Please, a Jeep can handle that without blinking an eye.  Other than the pure storage capabilities and percent grade, a Jeep dominates the Hummer front ways and back.

I only began to touch on this topic, and I will cover it more in depth in the future.  However, for now, I think this gets the conversation moving.  I am going to leave this Blog with one last argument.  Look at these two pictures and you will understand which vehicle is better.

Cool!

NOT COOL!!!

Co-Branding, as defined by Philip Kotler, is “Two or more well-known brands combined in an offer”. Co-Branding refers to a situation where a product or service offering holds the brand names of both the participants to influence brand preference and incentivise purchase of the product or service in concern by delivering a perception of the existence of the brand values of both the brands involved to the consumer of the product or service. This essentially tries to incorporate the advantages or brand associations of both the brands involved into one product or service offering.

Co-Branding carries a strong list of advantages, partly relating to brand associations and values, and partly with the product or service offering itself. The former is done to enhance customer experience and influence behaviour, the latter is done to incorporate usage of technology or brand attributes like design, aesthetics et al in the product or service in order to offer an enhanced or augmented product or service. New product launches often depend on Co-Branding for establishing market position by having customer identify new brands and their offerings through an already existing brand. This can often be combined with Synergies offered by particular brands. An example of this would be, although in its nascent stage, the Mahindra-Renault partnership where Mahindra’s expertise in the Indian market was used to develop distribution and service channels, and Renault’s product portfolio is used to produce and design cars. Mahindra benefits through Renault’s expertise in producing sedans and hatchbacks for their future portfolios, and Renault benefits in saving huge dealer development costs and having its current mid-size offering, the Logan, being identified as a cheap to run, frugal and reliable automobile, all values housed by Mahindra brands such as the Scorpio and the Bolero. Image re-enforcement has become another common trend in the marketplace where two complementary brands come together and market their offerings together. A very apt example of this would be Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola, or as they call it, ‘Jack & Coke’. When this campaign was carried out in pubs and bars across the United States, Jack Daniel’s was perceived more as a rugged brand or rednecks, and coke has a wider appeal to the youth. The middle ground was the newly legal adults who had experienced Coke for decades, but hadn’t experienced Jack Daniel’s whiskey. This Co-Branding exercise was carried out to appeal to the market in between the typical Coke and Jack Daniel’s markets, i.e., 21 to 35 year olds. It became such a success that Jack & Coke has become a favourite amongst not only the targeted segments of the market, but also with older, more mature audiences. In a nutshell, Co-Branding essentially has to take into consideration the brand partnership that the customer perceives (purpose, advantages), the common values the brands and its customers share and what the co-branding offering means to the target audiences.

Brand Loyalty, when it comes to Co-Branding, is a tricky business. When a service or product offering is similar to the brand value or image offered by the Co-Branded offering, success is often witnessed. An example of this would be the limited edition Tonino Lamborghini Espresso Machine. Only 1000 units were produced, priced at about $1750. Since the offering appealed directly to the Lamborghini target market, it was sold-out within a matter of days. The buyers were not just Lamborghini car owners, they were also people who admired the Lamborghini brand and couldn’t own the car, so the association created with the espresso machine goes a long way in delivering customer delight, even without owning a Lamborghini is truly astounding. However, this can be often fatal to the image of brands as well. The formerly GM owned SUV cult brand Hummer had launched a mobile phone with a company named ‘Fly’. The product was, for lack of a better phrase, inadequate. Where the Hummer brand stood for rugged looks and go-anywhere attitude, the Fly Hummer phone stood for neither. The phone was perceived by the market as flimsy and basic, whereas the Hummer brand stood for all else. The Co-Branding was a failure where even Hummer car owners were also turned off by the entire exercise.

Famous examples of fairly successful Co-Branding include ICICI and Hindustan Petroleum Credit Cards, Lease-Plan and Mondial assistance, Intel with major computer manufacturers like Hewellet-Packard, Dell etc., Acer-Ferrari Laptops, Asus-Lamborghini Laptops, Puma-Ferrari merchandise, Fiat-Mattel Barbie Fiat 500, TataSky digital Dish TV, The Global Fund (Red) with various brands like Apple, American Express, Dell, Starbucks, Hallmark, Converse etc., Jack Daniel’s and TGI Friday’s with multiple Jack Daniel dishes, and the list goes on and on. However, failures have included British Telecom and AT&T, Mahindra-Renault, Braun-Gillette Body Shavers, Fly Hummer Mobile Phones, and many more.

Co-Branding, hence, is a double edged sword, with each side being sharp enough to cut through titanium. Organisations have to be very careful while co-branding and aiming for success simply because of the fact that a wrong move can result in stupendous disasters that may plague the brands involved for a long period of time where the organisation may end up spending millions to revive the brand.

O texto do rodapé em vermelho diz…

“Governador “Suja as negas” demonstra sua força física erguendo uma Hummer H3 com sua bunda.”

Alie's solar-powered hummer

According to CIPORE, Carl ‘Alie’ Smith of Jamaica has built a model Hummer from scratch using kerosene tins and electronic kits. The vehicle, which is powered by a photovoltaic solar panel on the roof, feeding a car battery and inverter, can be driven by remote from as far as three miles away.

The self-taught engineer used electronic diagrams to aid in the development. Costing Smith more than $3,000 (USD) to  build, the model Hummer includes many of the features you would expect to find in a vehicle:

Hummer photovaltaic panel

• chrome door handles
• reclining seats
• working suspension
• real rubber tires
• operating windows
• air conditioning unit

You can totally dismiss TOY ota as a valid car maker, more like liars, crooks and con artists

U.S. criticizes Toyota for 'misleading' (LYING) public in recall

Washington — The government sharply criticized Toyota Motor Corp. Wednesday for its
“inaccurate and misleading”
suggestion that sudden acceleration in some vehicles bound for recall may be due only to improperly fitting floor mats.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's criticism of Toyota's statement is the latest hit to the automaker's reputation from what will be the largest safety recall in its history: 3.8 million vehicles.

NHTSA said Toyota inaccurately suggested in a press release this week that the agency had concluded “that no defect exists in vehicles in which the driver's floor mat is compatible with the vehicle and properly secured,” the agency said in a statement.

“It was never our intention to mislead or provide inaccurate information (BS) . Toyota agrees with NHTSA's position that the removal of the floor mats is an interim measure and that further vehicle-based action is required,” said Toyota spokesman Brian Lyons.

“We are in the process of developing vehicle-based remedies to help avoid the potential for an unsecured or incompatible floor mat to trap the accelerator pedal.”

On Monday, Toyota refuted suggestions that other defects might be causing the accidental acceleration, and pointed to the government's decision not to investigate a consumer complaint.

Bob Carter, general manager of the Toyota-brand division of Toyota Motor Sales USA, told reporters there is “absolutely no evidence” pointing to a defect other than poor-fitting floor mats.

Sean Kane, president of Massachusetts-based Safety Research & Strategies, said Toyota was “waving the agency's denial of the latest petition for a defect investigation like a victory banner.”

While NHTSA hasn't found a vehicle-based defect that is causing unwanted acceleration, “it doesn't mean there isn't one,” he said. “It just means that the agency hasn't found it.”

NHTSA says removing the recalled floor mats is the most immediate way to address the safety risk.

“But it is simply an interim measure.
This remedy does not correct the underlying defect in the vehicles involving the potential for entrapment of the accelerator by floor mats, which is related to accelerator and floor pan design,” the agency said.

Reply

Courtesy of: Lexus

Toyota’s Lexus recently unveiled its highly anticipated and first-ever LFA Supercar at the Tokyo Motor Show.

Lexus announced that their luxury LFA Supercar will go into production this December. Orders are now being taken at http://www.lexus.com/LFA/.

The launch of the LFA high-performance supercar, illustrates a strategic move by Lexus as it enters the exotic sports car market alongside such legendary names as Ferrari, Lamborghini and Aston Martin.

The LFA will offer a bold design structure with an intensely powerful engine that is unlike any other Lexus vehicle on the road today. Lexus is redefining the supercar for the 21st century.

The first Supercar by Lexus redefines the segment with ultimate performance, featuring:
• 4.8L V10 Engine Generates 552 Horsepower for Powerful Rear-Wheel Drive
• Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Helps Provide a Light and Strong Structure

The Lexus LFA supercar will be on display for the first time in North America at two back-to-back premier venues – the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas this November and the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show in December.

In 2010, Lexus will show the LFA Supercar at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Chicago Auto Show, Dallas Auto Show and New York International Auto Show.

As the first Lexus supercar, the LFA serves as the flagship for the F portfolio of Lexus performance models and redefines the supercar for the 21st century. The Lexus F brand complements the core Lexus DNA by emphasizing serious performance. The LFA was carefully developed from a blank canvas by a small and dedicated team of hand-picked engineers that pushed every possible dynamic boundary.

“The development of the LFA was unlike any other Lexus,” said Mark Templin, Lexus division group vice president and general manager. “Minute details were engineered to provide an engaging and serious supercar that delivers impressive performance on and off the race track. Only 500 will ever be built worldwide, and each will be assembled to customer order, offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be part of a small, exclusive group of individuals.”

Courtesy of: Lexus

All 500 LFA supercars will be hand-assembled by skilled technicians in the “Lexus LFA Works” at the Motomachi Plant in Toyota City at a rate of no more than 20 per month.

The rear-wheel drive LFA is dynamically styled and powered by a sophisticated new high-revving 9,000 rpm (redline) 4.8-liter V10 engine that generates 552 hp and 354 lb.-ft. of torque for adrenaline-fuelled 202- mph performance. This specially-developed powerplant is paired with a unique six-speed Automated Sequential Gearbox (ASG) with blazing-quick paddle-activated shifts for ultimate driver control.

Linked by a rigid torque tube for excellent drivetrain integrity, the ASG is located in a transaxle layout over the rear axle for an optimal 48:52 front-to-rear weight distribution. Motorsport-developed lightweight aluminum alloy suspension components are complemented by Carbon Ceramic Material (CCM) brake discs and an innovative electrically assisted rack and pinion steering system.

Lightweight, powerful and balanced, the LFA features advanced Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) construction for its chassis and much of its bodywork to deliver a light, incredibly strong and impact-resistant structure. Rather than outsource this sophisticated materials technology, the LFA team took the radical step of developing its own CFRP processes internally for ultimate quality control and to make a sound engineering investment in the future.

The LFA’s sporty styling is distinguished by coherent lines that flow from roof to sill in a seamless convex to concave line for sophisticated aerodynamics. Its front-mid engine layout, long wheelbase, short overhangs, and snug, low-slung cabin identify it as a supercar.

CFRP also gave the LFA’s designers a far higher degree of design freedom, allowing them to create shapes, curves and edges that would have been impossible with metal. For example, the sharp trailing edges at the rear of the LFA that help provide superlative aerodynamics would not have been possible had traditional metal been used for the bodywork.

A dramatic low-slung cockpit has been intelligently designed and hand-assembled with the finest materials to reflect the car’s driver-centric dynamics. The intimate two-seat cabin has been conceived at every stage – ergonomics, acoustics, materials, comfort, versatility and visibility levels have all been painstakingly engineered – to put the driver at the center of the driving experience.

Production of the LFA supercar will begin in December 2010 with deliveries continuing for the following 24 months.

Consumers may contact the Lexus LFA Information Center at 866-LFA-4794 to express interest, or visit www.Lexus-LFA.com for more information.

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Can Martha Stewart Ever Vote Again?

When and whether federal inmate No. 55170-054, Martha Stewart, ever votes again depends on which of her homes she claims as her primary residence after release from the federal correctional facility. Stewart owns several homes, one each in Connecticut, New York and Maine.

The Fourteenth Amendment grants power to the individual states to determine whether to disenfranchise its citizens “for participating in rebellion, or other crime.” States typically interpret felonies to belong to the nebulous category, “other crimes.”

Most people assume that all felons forfeit the right to vote for life, but only 37 states deny the right to vote to convicted felons who have paid their debt to society. Currently, 48 states and the District of Columbia deny incarcerated felons the right to vote, Maine and Vermont being the only exceptions.

Residency's Role in Reestablishing the Right to Vote

Is it the residence in New York, Connecticut or Maine that Stewart calls home? One of those must serve as her primary residence at any given time, but that has proven unclear in the past, especially to Stewart. In 1991, she told New York authorities that the Westbury, CT residence was her primary residence, claiming that her East Hampton, NY home was uninhabitable. In fact, one of those recitations of the facts took place under oath. In the Christmas issue of her magazine, she must have been confused, because she referred to the uninhabitable East Hampton residence as home. Perhaps the heart of the inconsistency lies in the definition of the word “uninhabitable,” or perhaps East Hampton sells more magazines than Connecticut, but this editorial oversight cost Stewart dearly-in excess of $200,000 in back New York state income taxes, fines, and interest.

If Stewart claims Maine as her primary residence, not only would she be allowed to vote as a convicted felon after serving her sentence, but she would also be allowed to vote by absentee ballot while serving her prison sentence in whatever federal correctional facility Stewart will temporarily call home sweet home. Since Stewart has never claimed Maine as her primary residence either informally or under oath, it's unlikely that she will be the target of any get-out-the-felon-vote initiatives.

If Stewart decided to inhabit her Connecticut farmhouse for 183 or more days of any given year, then she would still be able to vote upon completion of her sentence. Connecticut does not automatically reinstate the right to vote for discharged prisoners. Instead, the felon bears the burden of proof that the sentence has been fully discharged. In addition, the felon must satisfy all fines and penalties levied in connection with the conviction. Until submitting satisfactory written proof to the office of the Registrar of Voters, convicted Connecticut felons cannot vote.

Given that that Stewart plans to serve out the additional five months of her sentence at her Bedford, NY estate, it is likely that she would meet the residency requirement to vote in the state of New York. If Stewart claims her current Bedford, NY estate as her primary residence, her disenfranchisement would end automatically at the conclusion of her sentence or parole, whichever comes first. No further action would be required on Stewart's part.

Regardless of her final destination after confinement, she need only comply with state regulations in whichever state she will call home to reclaim this all-important civil right. Since Stewart leaves little to chance, one wonders how 100% of her homes happen to be located in states that allow convicted felons to vote. Was this an entry on her real estate checklist, falling somewhere between rich, fertile land and rich, old-money neighbors?

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