meet Lexie.

looking for a name for my new baby.

“There is no one quite like Barbara Kingsolver in contemporary literature,” raves the Washington Post Book World, and it is right. She has been nominated three times for the ABBY award, and her critically acclaimed writings consistently enjoy spectacular commercial success as they entertain and touch her legions of loyal fans.

In High Tide in Tucson, she returnsto her familiar themes of family, community, the common good and the natural world. The title essay considers Buster, a hermit crab that accidentally stows away on Kingsolver’s return trip from the Bahamas to her desert home, and turns out to have manic-depressive tendencies. Buster is running around for all he’s worth — one can only presume it’s high tide in Tucson. Kingsolver brings a moral vision and refreshing sense of humor to subjects ranging from modern motherhood to the history of private property to the suspended citizenship of human beings in the Animal Kingdom.

Beautifully packaged, with original illustrations by well-known illustrator Paul Mirocha, these wise lessons on the urgent business of being alive make it a perfect gift for Kingsolver’s many fans.

High Tide in Tucson is available at Amazon for $7.96. To Order click here
Amazon Product Pages contain a lot of other details on this product as Customer Reviews, Sales Ranking, Special Offers, Alternate products that customers are going for and much more.Want to read these details? click here

Want to get some other Format / Binding / Version? You can search for them from here

Other Products of Interest

• Small Wonder
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
• Homeland and Other Stories
• Animal Dreams
• Pigs in Heaven

Mr. Christopher from Buy Cars Here.com with some great news for Audi and Subaru owners (and even Hyundai). Auto club RACV has tested a huge breadth of vehicles and has announced its findings of vehicles that were the most difficult to steal. The results were very interesting. The scores range from 0 to 120, with 120 being the highest a vehicle could score against being broken into, stolen and then “re-birthed”.

Of all the vehicles tested, Audi and Subaru faired the best making it extremely difficult for thieves to get away with doing any of the three. The absolute worst vehicles were from Honda and Nissan although both of them faired incredibly well on the fuel efficiency side. The highest score out of all the breeds was the Audi S5 Coupe that walked away with an astonishing 117 points out of 120 scoring 100% theft resistance score. Almost all of Audi’s models scored in the 100’s. So who were the top 10 regardless of size or class? All of the top 10 scores with exception of only one were in the Large category;

1. Audi S5 Coupe – Score 117 (Large Category)
2. Audi R8 Coupe – Score 115.5 (Large Category)
3. Porsche Cayman S Coupe – Score 113 (Large Category)
4. BMW 335i Coupe – Score 112.5 (Large Category)
5. Audi A3 3.2 Quattro 5 Door Hatch – Score 112 (Small-Medium Category)
6. Subaru Impreza WRX 5 Door Hatch - Score 107 (Large Category)
7. Subaru Impreza STi 5 Door Hatch – Score 107 (Large Category)
8. Audi TT Coupe – Score 105.5 (Large Category)
9. Mini Cooper S 3 Door Hatch - 105.5 (Large Category)
10. Tie – FPV FG Ute and FPV Sedan - Score 104.5 (Large Category)

Is your car not on the list? See if it even qualified as theft resistant and download the entire report right here.

Overall Winners;
Large cars: Hyundai Grandeur Sedan
People movers: Subaru Tribeca five-door wagon
Four-wheel drives: Audi Q7 five-door wagon
Luxury vehicles: Audi A8 4.2 V8 Sedan
Small cars: Hyundai Getz five-door hatch (all models except SXi)
Small/medium cars: Audi A3 3.2 Quattro five-door hatch
Medium cars: Subaru Liberty five-door wagon

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Šīs dienas rīts atkal man bija sācies agri, jo cēlos jau 6:00 un ar uzticamo kumeļu uz darbu izbraucu 6:35. Lietus nelija un likās, ka diena sākusies visnotaļ pozitīvi. Nonācu pie Vaiņodes ielas pagrieziena uz Salu tiltu. Apstājos, jo deg sarkanais. Iedegas zaļais un es uzsāku braukt, bet pamanu, ka aiz manis esošais Hyuindai Getz uzsāk strauju un es pat teiktu nedaudz pārdrošu manevru manis apdzīšanai jau pagrieziena laikā. To viņam atļauju un pats iekārtojos vidējā joslā Getz automašīnai atstājot kreiso, malējo braukšanas joslu. Nu nepatīk man tādi mazi auto un kā jau ierasts nedaudz vairāk uzspiežu uz gāzes pedāļa, lai laicīgi atrautos un pats pēc kāda brīža ieņemtu sev tik ļoti iecienīto kreiso braukšanas joslu. BET, kas TEV dos… Getz ne tikai turās līdz, bet arī manāmi iestresso par iespēju uz Salu tilta nonākt pirmajam. Spiežu es, spiež viņš, bet nekur atrauties nespēju… vel pēc nieka 20 metriem Getz man kā stāvošam aiziet garām… tas ir ŠOKS!!! Nu labi, atzīšos, ka pēc tam uz Salu tilta viņu tomēr izpogāju, bet tomēr tas bija ŠOKS!!!

Hyundai Getz vs Volvo S60 = 1:0

Sevi gan mierinu ar domu, ka nespiedu pedāli grīdā līdz galam, jo tomēr visumā esmu mierīgs braucējs, bet tas nemaina faktu, ka braucot ar 4 ātrumu virs 100km/h neizdevās iegūt lielāku paātrinājumu, kā Getz šoferītim

Šobrīd jau skatos gan Hyundai getz specifikācijas, gan Volvo s60 tehniskos datus, bet mana aklā mīlestība pret Volvo markas automasīnām laikam liedz ieraudzīt kur Getz ņēmis to pārdabisko braukšanas spēku, kādu rādīja šodien uz šosejas

Leading Japanese automakers Toyota Motors are expected to roll out six new cars to the Indian auto market. The models will hail from different car segments including compact sedan, hatchback, diesel and SUV. Toyota is all set to give a tough competition to other car makers in their respective segments. Compact sedan powered by a 1.3L engine will be their first launch will compete with Tata Indigo CS and Maruti Suzuki’s Swift Dzire. Other models would be hatchbacks and sedans in competition with Suzuki’s Swift and Hyundai’s Getz.

The next generation of Corolla is expected to roll in by September this year and diesel corolla in 2010. The company also has plans to drive Fortuner SUV, with a price tag of Rs 16 lakh, to the Indian market in 2009.

Ondertussen is mijn Hyundai Getz alweer van het toneel verdwenen. Hij heeft plaats gemaakt voor een Renault Mégane.

Ne zwarte.

Eerste indrukken zijn wel positief, alleen dan dat de vorige bestuurder (zeg niet te gauw, tis weer een vrouw) de rechterkant toch wat geabimeerd heeft. En de nummerplaat vanvoor heeft, samen met de bumper, een close encounter gehad.

Vreemde ervaring is wel het gebrek aan een oldschool sleutel, die bij de Mégane vervangen is door een plaatje en een startknop. De regensensor lijkt mij ook niet goed te werken, en de lichtsensor doet de koplampen pas aanspringen als ik normaal gezien al lang met mijn licht op zou rijden.

Maar toch, comfortabele wagen met een mooi interieur.

De wagen is uitgerust met een 1.5 dci motor met 86pk, dus ongeveer dezelfde motor als de Getz. Hij rijdt wel een stuk minder vinnig, maar daar hecht ik niet zo veel belang aan.

Wel een sterk voordeel is de wegligging. Hij manouvreert zich met gemak door de bochten, zonder al te veel snelheid te verliezen. Plezant.

We kunnen er weer efkes tegen.

von Dominique Omakowski

Kibbutz Givat Brenner

Tel Aviv

Yaffo

See Genezareth

Jerusalem

Totes Meer

Afgelopen maandag was mijn laatste dag bij mijn vorige werkgever en daarmee ook mijn laatste dag in de IT sector evenals mijn laatste dag met de mondeo.

Na de wagen ’s morgens te hebben afgegeven en nog wat tijd gestoken te hebben in overdragen kon ik aan mijn afscheidstournee beginnen.

Vreemd gevoel toch, een beetje alsof je je eigen begrafenis bijwoont.

Gisteren dan begonnen bij mijn nieuwe werkgever (met den deze als collega) en ook een nieuwe wagen gekregen. En ook al wist ik dat ik niet meer in de weelde van de mondeo zou baden, had ik dit ook niet direct verwacht: een Hyundai Getz.

Dit is mijn wagen voor de 2 volgende weken, om dan naar mijn definitieve wagen te gaan. Wat dat gaat zijn weet ik zelf nog niet, aangezien het niet zelf te kiezen is, maar ik laat het wel weten.

Terug naar de Getz.

Ik heb nog een tijdje in een Renault Clio rondgereden (het voorlaatste model), en ook al ligt de Getz in dezelfde klasse, was toch mijn eerste gedacht: “ga ik daar wel inpassen?”

Wanneer ik ’s avonds naar huis reed wist ik het antwoord op deze vraag: jazeker. OK, het zou fijn zijn zou de zetel 1 standje verder naar achter kunnen, maar het belangrijkste is dat als ik rechtop zit, ik het plafond niet raak.

Daarbij is de Getz een stuk vinniger als ik had verwacht! Met een 1.5 CRDi motor en 88 pk’s ben je zo een eind weg met deze wagen. Hij ligt ook zeer goed in de bochten. Daarbij moet je je boxen niet doen scheuren om tegen 120 per uur nog iets van je radio te kunnen horen. De wagen is zelfs verrassend stil.

Dus, ook al past hij bijna in de koffer van de mondeo, ik stap zeker niet met tegengoesting in de auto ’s morgens. Als je in deze klasse een wagen aan het zoeken bent, ga er eens mee rijden!

En nu maar hopen dat zijn ruitenwissers blijven werken…

If you are an Aussie and you tired of waiting for the big car manufacturers to produce electric cars you are in luck. Blade Electric Vehicles (BEV) in Castlemaine, North West of Melbourne, are now selling converted Hyundai Getz.

BEV started prototyping in 2005 and commenced production of electric Getz last year. They’ve converted nine cars to date and more conversions are under way

While BEV do custom electric conversions the Getz is their standard production model and BEV are hoping forward thinking government organisations will show some leadership and start filling their order book soon.

The conversion involves replacing the internal combustion engine with a 40Kw three phase AC motor. The power source is between 55 and 65 lithium ion phosphate batteries in series. Each battery has a nominal output of 3.2V and the whole lot can be recharged in nine hours using a standard 10 Amp 240V power supply. You can read more specifications here.

If you are seriously interested in owning an electric Getz, or Blade Runner as they are known, you can see one for yourself and take one for a test drive by contacting BEV. Alan Gray, owner of a Blade Runner, had the following to say about his new electric car:

Beautiful. Snappy and responsive with great acceleration.

This article in The Age has more on Alan Gray and his Blade Runner.

Update (03 Mar 08): My cute new electric car? It’s a little ray of sunshine by Alan Gray in The Age

Source: Blade Electric Vehicles

On Thursday, we gained control of one of the most dangerous Israeli weapons in the rather wide arsenal. No, we don’t have shwarma breath… We got a car.

Or, at least, we’re babysitting one for a coworker for the next month until we begin leasing one of our very own from my company. Either way, a fresh, new freedom has been born with this addition to the family and its name is: unlimited petrol.

In the States, I never explored the topic of ‘company leasing’; I always assumed company cars meant your company gave one to you and covered the costs.

Here, it means you have the option of leasing through your company with certain benefits. They may cover your petrol and take care of your insurance. But you do pay towards it out of your salary and it definitely adds up. It all depends how far you have to travel for your job.

I was on the phone to my dad the other week, telling him about this deal. He asked what kinds of cars were offered. I excitedly told him we were going with the smallest (and cheapest), the Hyundai Getz, but for the next month – for the move – we’d have access to a big, bad Ford Focus.

He started laughing and when I realized why, I joined in. Here I am, American born and bred, boasting about a Ford Focus to help us move apartments. I guess that’s some kind of absorption/integration hurdle I’ve passed.

The actual driving in Israel hasn’t been as much a challenge as I had anticipated (tfu tfu tfu). Then again, I haven’t been up North yet.

Sharing a car with someone is actually harder. But we’ve got big plans for traveling to the far corners of this land for as long as we’re lucky enough to afford this luxury.

a lot of people have been asking ‘why’d you buy the toyota yaris’ so i thought i’d do a bit about it.

first things first, the obvious car in that category to buy would be the renault clio. since every young professional i’ve ever known has bought into the clio vibe, i just couldn’t do it because it didn’t make me feel like a pioneer, like i had discovered a product all for myself. also, to be honest, i find their advertising seriously patronising… not sure about the clio’s stuff specifically but the megane’s pseudo-french ‘Shake your Booty’ – seriously? you really want me to buy your car so i can shake my booty? just thinking the words ’shake your booty’ makes me cringe. no deal. as for the actual car itself – the ads created some serious barrier to access, couldn’t bring myself to test drive one. pity, coz they’re lookers, the renaults.

the peugeot 207 was tempting, although my peugeot-owner friends are never satisfied with service quality, or attention to customer complaints, or even with the quality of the car. they’re an unhappy lot, though i believe service has improved in SA of late. as sexy as the brand is, i’m not at the point where i can afford to mess around on basics like, does the car work?

next on the list is VW Polo, which are cute little cars but i find VW to be quite outdated on the whole. also every second person drives them. that, and the fact that they get stolen all the time – not really practical in South Africa. again, i’m not at the point where i want to be messing around with insurance companies who may or may not pay out.

then we have the Hyundai Getz, and while it’s a rad little car it’s still a Hyundai and i don’t want to be like the girl in the ad who keeps telling Officer Bob to take his hand out the window. i’m also not a fan of the body shape – too square and clanky. ‘clanky’ is just the word that comes to mind when i look at the Getz.

also on the list are Fiat’s offerings but their body design is also completely unappealing to me so i didn’t even go there. the Multipla nearly made me choke on my own tongue when i first saw it – awful.

a close contender was the Ford Fiesta, because of the value for money and the many happy customers i know. while i was looking for a car my friend Kate was too, and she ended up with the Fiesta, but having driven around in hers i found the Yaris to be infinitely more spacious inside. again, Yaris beats Ford when looking at something as shallow as the body. but i am shallow like that, and it was a close call.

Opel Corsa - the new shape is better than the old one, though my ex boyfriend bought a corsa and we want to move forward in life, no? also it’s a bit pricey for what you’re getting. though the car i traded in was an Opel and exceptionally reliable. don’t have much bad to say about the car except for the associations with an old life.

those were the cars i looked at. the other little mini toys cars out there are not really cars in my opinion, and a major factor that i haven’t mentioned yet is safety – i am safety obsessed, therefore the airbags and side impact beams and high mounted engine in the front all working towards keeping me in one piece while out on SA roads made me very happy with my purchase. and the Yaris is the nicest design of all the hatches out there are present in my opinion, barring the peugeot, although their headlights are looking rather beady-eyed in comparison to how the other manufacturers have put a spin on what was their trademark.

and now you know.

*Update* I also first took a liking to Toyota during the final montage of the final episode of 6 Feet Under, where everyone dies and Claire drives off in a  Toyota Prius. 6 Feet Under is one of my all time favourite shows, and that scene also got me thinking about hybrids and the feasibility of environmentally aware cars being normal and for the first time seriously considering driving one.