Thenews's Blog

IBM has set up its first software development lab in Malaysia. According to IBM Malaysia executives, this move helps to accelerate the creation of products for IBM’s Tivoli Netcool software group that focuses on communications service providers.

IBM Malaysia managing director Ou Shian Waei said, “The software development lab highlights Malaysia as an important location to help fulfill our global research, development and business strategy. As a globally integrated company, we are committed to drawing on locally established skills and talent to create value for clients worldwide.”

Ou said, “Research by IDC Malaysia estimates the telcommunications market in Malaysia as being worth US$5,505.9 million [RM17,737.41]. However, companies in this sector are facing a major shift from traditional voice services to non-voice services, such as music and video. Companies are also facing a shift from land lines to voice over IP.”

“The lab here is one of more than 80 development laboratories around the world that give these teams access to the latest technology and talent to research and develop the industry leading software,” said Gilbert Ho, software engineering senior manager for Tivoli software, IBM Malaysia. “We are committed to extending the Vallent product line and integrating them with the broader Tivoli and IBM portfolio.”

The 120 engineers at this latest lab will be developing applications for all Tivoli Netcool Performance Management products worldwide to customers.

Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, CEO of Multimedia Development Corp.—the government agency responsible for ICT initiatives—said the lab is also in line with MSC Malaysia’s aspirations to become a global partner to companies worldwide and to increase the pool of internationally recognised knowledge workers. “This is a great opportunity for local knowledge workers and to make Malaysia a regional hub for information and communications technology talent,” he said

Source:computerworld.com.my/ShowPage.aspx?pagetype=2&artic leid=7780&pubid=4& ;issueid=131 

SK Knights forward Bang Sung-yoon runs the court during a KBL basketball game against the ET Land Black Slamer Tuesday at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul. / Yonhap   He wore a large brace on his left knee, and there were blank spaces by his name on the statistics sheets from the past few months. But other than that, it was almost impossible to tell that Bang Sung-yoon was making a return from a serious injury. Playing in his first Korean Basketball League (KBL) game since tearing a knee ligament in December, the SK Knights' star forward appeared healthy, scoring 32 points in a 96-93 victory against the ET Land Black Slamer Tuesday at the Jamsil Gymnasium in Seoul. Bang drained 8 of 11 shots from the floor, including 4 of 6 from 3-point territory. He also made 12 of his 15 free-throw attempts in addition to contributing six rebounds and six assists. With his help, the Knights improved their record to 24-22 to overtake the Black Slamer (24-23) for sixth place in the league standings. That's especially important because the top six teams qualify for the playoffs, which begin later this month. Bang's comeback from the injury is the latest chapter in a three-year KBL career that has been hindered by a series of ailments and highlighted by a plethora of big shots. The 25-year-old Yonsei University product's most recent injury occurred on Dec. 21 in a game against the KCC Egis. He was coming off a screen, when he lost his balance, twisted his left knee and fell to the Jamsil Gymnasium court in pain. It was discovered that he had a torn ligament that eventually caused him to sit out 21 games. But when Bang returned to the lineup on Tuesday, he quickly regained the shooting touch that's made him one of this country's most explosive scorers. Including that performance, he ranks third in the KBL in scoring this season, averaging 22.8 points per game ― the most of any domestic player. Bang, who played with the Roanoke Dazzle of the U.S. National Basketball Association's Development League (D-League) before joining the KBL, has averaged more than 17 points in each of his three professional seasons in Korea, despite missing games earlier in his career due to shoulder and ankle injuries. Bang won the KBL Rookie of the Year award in 2006 and earned All-KBL honors last season. He is also a member of the South Korea national team. jonsanfilippo@koreatimes.co.kr Source:www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/0 3/136_20198.html

123@koreatimes.co.kr--

Have you heard of latest Friends episode - "The one where a Friends mobile download cost £11,000"?

A British businessman has returned from a 2-day trip to Germany to a record mobile phone bill.

According to reports, his wife had used his "unlimited" phone broadband package to order four episodes of friends, which should have been free.

But this was only if they were received entirely in the UK, and, while the download was still in progress, the businessman travelled to Germany.

The download continued for 12 hours, automatically resuming on his arrival in Germany.

The businessman contacted Vodafone upon his return but has not commented to the press.

Vodafone, however, has said that it informs customers of the charges they can incur when using their phone outside of the UK and will contact them to alert them if they hit certain charges.

But The Times reports it did admit it will take significantly longer to contact customers to warn them when they go over their quote when they are out of the country.

This has heightened the debate about roaming mobile phone charges.

Already, Ed Richards, chief executive of Ofcom, has stated firmly that his organisation is going to intervene to slash fees saying: "We will be looking to take action".

And the European Commission is also going to take a hardline with mobile phone operators.

Viviane Reding, the European Union commissioner for information, society and media, has set the deadline of 1 July for phone companies to cut their fees for downloading data and texting while abroad.

"Sending a text message or downloading data in another country should not be substantially more expensive than at home", Reding has said, adding: "Higher retail charges abroad must be justified or they will have to disappear".

In separate but connected news, Truphone is to abolish its mobile roaming charges worldwide.

In a statement sent to Pocket-lint, it explains: "From anywhere on the planet, Truphone's customers can call countries in its 'Tru Zone', on their mobile, for 3p per minute to landlines and 15p per minute to mobiles".

The 40 countries in the "Tru Zone" include most EU countries, Australia, Japan and Russia.

Calls to some countries - including China, Hong Kong, USA and Canada - will cost 3p per minute to both landlines and mobiles.

Truphone has also killed off roaming charges for receiving mobile calls abroad.

Truphone-to-Truphone calls remain free, no matter where in the world the two parties are.

Source:news.sky.com/skynews/xml/article/t ech/0,,91221-13222,00.html 

The latest annual results for Pearson show that the Financial Times is now in fine health. The country's leading writer on the media, Roy Greenslade, says it is due to the paper's golbal outlook.

Some three years ago, the Financial Times seemed destined for the scrapheap.

Its circulation, especially in Britain, was dwindling. It was still losing money, though not at the levels of previous years. Its journalistic staff were out of sorts. There were continual reports that its owner, Pearson, no longer loved it and would, given the opportunity, offload it.

The paper did have one immense plus because, long before any British paper ever considered the idea, it had adopted a global circulation strategy. But, as an international business paper, it faced the might of the Wall Street Journal, with a sale of more than two million.

More significantly, by launching a US edition of the paper from the Journal's own New York patch, how could it ever hope to compete? In fact, the new FT story is very different indeed.

The latest annual results for Pearson, released on Monday, show that the paper is now in fine health. Its profits have doubled in a year. Margins have improved. There has been a rise in revenue, including a 40% uplift online.

Newsprint sales are bucking the overall downward trend in the developed world by edging up month on month, despite two price rises. Its online users are increasing by the week.

So the paper that know-nothing commentators and analysts claimed was on the company's sell-off list is riding high. Not that you would know it because the begrudgers see it differently, suggesting that the FT has only recently raised its game due to Rupert Murdoch's takeover of the Wall Street Journal. Nothing could not be further from the truth.

The paper is performing well, in both the commercial and editorial spheres, because of strategic decisions taken well before Murdoch's eye ever lit upon the Journal.

No wonder the FT's chief executive John Ridding talks of the paper having enjoyed 'a strong 2007' and that it's 'firing on all cylinders after a series of innovations'. He is pointing to a year in which the pink paper - or salmon paper as it's called in the States where pink has unacceptable political connotations - was named as 2007 newspaper of the year in the What The Papers Say awards.

In the latest Superbrands business survey, the FT was ranked at seventh in the top 500 league, signalling its public impact.

What counts, though, is the journalism. Lionel Barber's editorship has had a beneficial effect. It is a must-read for every private-equity and hedge fund operator, if not in its ink-on-paper version then definitely online.

I spent almost a day at the FT just before Christmas and was struck by the smoothness of its editorial operation. Integration between print and digital is not a dream but a reality, with a unified news desk that operates without a hint of demarcation disputes.

Every FT journalist is imbued with an understanding of the requirements to serve both platforms without a concern about what is right or wrong for each of them. Barber explained: 'We've been teaching the language of integration here for eight years. We carried out the process that took us to complete integration calmly and slowly.'

There has been much innovation too. Alphaville, the blog that has pioneered a daily 'Markets Live' session, attracts considerable interest from traders who engage in lively conversation.

There is one caveat. Barber has arguably faced something of a brain drain as senior journalists such as David Wighton, Tracy Corrigan, Charlie Pretzlik and James Harding have left.

Looking forward, the FT has decided to spread its online participatory wings by introducing a social networking element, a executive forum. 'Fundamentally,' said Ridding, 'it's about connecting with our audience.'

Unlike many papers, though, the FT plans to charge for the privilege of membership. This might sound crazy, but the FT only took a few bricks out of its original online pay wall, allowing greater free access while charging for regular, unlimited use. Yet its subscribers have increased.

Ridding agrees that by serving a well-heeled elite, there is much less risk of the audience deserting. Indeed, Murdoch changed his mind after initially hoping to remove the Journal's pay wall. Business executives will pay for information that could well prove valuable in taking decisions that generate business and therefore in making them more money.

And what of the great Murdoch threat? Thus far, with the Journal playingits cards close to its chest, there is no clear indication of its ambitions. But there is a belief that it has the New York Times in its sights rather than the FT. Anyway, despite the Journal's mammoth print sale, it does not cover business from a global perspective, which is the FT's province.

As Pearson's chief executive, Dame Marjorie Scardino put it: 'We are a niche paper. We are more international, and we think a niche strategy is a more resilient strategy, and different from the Journal.'

The FT's increasing US circulation seems to bear that out, with many thousands of New York business types reading both titles. The FT has also sought to strengthen its US position with last month's acquisition of Money-Media, an online news and analysis company for investment managers and company directors.

Scardino, Ridding and Barber always stress the importance of their affluent niche audience and, if it's not too immodest to mention it, the Evening Standard can also boast an 'affluent and influential' readership.

Why is this so important? Because the papers with the greatest chance of enduring into an otherwise uncertain newsprint future are those bought by the upper echelon of society.

 
Source:www.thisismoney.co.uk/investing-and-markets/ article.html?in_article_id=431926 &in_page_id=3

 

ONA Technologies CTO Eric Newcomer, in SYS-CON's annual round-up of technology predictions earlier this year, had a warning about upcoming fragmentation of the Java market: 

"In the Java market fragmentation will increase rather than lessen. The recent split between JBI and SCA, and the disagreements over Java EE 6 and OSGi will escalate tensions as the pressure increases on BEA/Oracle, IBM, and Sun to take market share from each other in a diminishing market.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has an opportunity to grow stronger behind the leadership of Ray Ozzie and is likely to surprise those who believe the battle for the enterprise is over and Java has already won."

Newcomer's predictions came in the SYS-CON.com feature "Where's AJAX, SOA and virtualization Headed in 2008?" which also included predictions from:Tim Bray, Sun; Joshua Allen,, Microsoft; Dr Adam Kolawa, Parasoft;Bill Roth ,BEA Systems; Brad Abrams, Microsoft; Kevin Hoffman, iPhone Developer's Journal; Ian Thain,Sybase; and Yakov Fain, Farata Systems.

Source:dotnet.sys-con.com/read/479748.htm 

After circumnavigating the whole of the Geneva expo center, a strange force drew us to a minimalistic booth on the west side of the complex. There, we were afforded our first live glimpse of Lamborghini's newest exotica, the Gallardo LP560-4. As its name implies, the gussied-up Gallardo is sporting 560 hp from its new, direct-injected 5.2-liter V10. Hacking off 20 kilos from the curb weight allows the LP560-4 to rocket to 62 mph in 3.7 seconds and on to a top speed of 201 mph, all the while increasing fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions by some 18-percent.

All the official details are available after the jump and we've assembled a high-res gallery of live and press images below.

With the new Gallardo LP560-4, Lamborghini once again sets a higher standard for super sports cars. With its new engine, permanent four-wheel drive transmission and new suspension, it delivers clearly improved performance and dynamics. In parallel, its innovative design takes the classic lines unique to the Lamborghini brand one step further. Powerful elegance has never been so defined before.

The Gallardo LP560-4 is the successor of the most successful Lamborghini model of all time. Approximately 7100 Gallardo models have left the Sant'Agata Bolognese production plant since its launch in 2003. "The LP560-4 will consolidate this success story," states Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. "It will outclass its predecessor in every aspect; its dynamics are distinctly breathtaking and its design sets new standards. With the introduction of the Gallardo LP560-4, we will consistently continue Lamborghini's growth strategy".

The powerful heart of the Gallardo LP560-4 is the new 5.2 litre V10 engine with an output of 560 PS (412 kW) at 8000 rpm. The increase of 40 PS compared with that of the previous Gallardo, and the approximate 20 kilogram reduction in weight, improves the power weight ratio to 2.5 kilograms per PS (hp) and thus enhances performance. The LP560-4 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.7 seconds, its speed at 11.8 seconds is 200 km/h and its top speed lies at 325 km/h. At the same time the new, highly efficient engine enthrals its driver with its direct fuel injection system - "Iniezione Diretta Stratificata". Despite its clearly increased power, fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions have been reduced by a staggering 18 percent.

The engineers in the Sant'Agata-based Technical Department have also improved traction, handling and stability at high speeds. The redesigned four-wheel drive transmission, the new suspension and the optimised aerodynamics as well as the reduced weight and decreased friction between the components, all contribute to the overall improvements in
the vehicle. Thus the Gallardo LP560-4 presents itself as a cutting edge super sports car also suitable for the race-track. The car is also surprisingly suited to long-distance driving and despite its extreme performance capabilities is easy to control whilst maintaining utmost stability.

The Style
Powerful elegance

A Lamborghini is and always will be a highly efficient athlete. Its extreme sensuality is based upon precision, performance and on spontaneous action. A Lamborghini's elegance is that of stark, purist strength. This DNA of the Lamborghini brand is being continuously developed by the Centro Stile in every new car. Thus the Gallardo LP560-4 displays the precise lines and clean surface edges in its distinctly minimalist design. Ornaments or embellishments of any form are alien to it.

Evolution of form systematically follows the demands of function: the newly designed front of the LP 560-4 squats deeply to the ground which contributes to its aerodynamic efficiency. The enlarged and clearly accentuated cooling intakes meet the demands of augmented engine power thus increasing the air circulation vital to a vehicle as powerful as
this. The spoiler, positioned low between the air intakes, improves aerodynamic equilibrium at high speeds.

Characteristic LED – Daytime running light

The new headlights have a characteristic 'daytime' running light integrated beneath the Bi-Xenon lamps: 15 diodes (LED) have been positioned in a Y structure. The same motif appears again in the rear tail-lights. The stop and brake lights have been inspired by the Miura Concept, the Murciélago LP640 and the Reventón and display the Y form three times over.

The completely redesigned rear gives the definition "powerful elegance" a new meaning: rear lights, air cooling vents, bumper and diffuser are arranged in precise positions on the car's exterior, which make the
LP560-4 appear extremely wide and bonded to the road surface. In addition, the streamlined covers left and right of the engine hood accentuate the powerful shoulders and lengthened, stretched lines of the new Gallardo.


Clearly improved aerodynamics

The rear diffuser has been newly designed, is more efficient with respect to its predecessor and, together with the smooth underbody, contributes to the excellent steering stability even at extremely high speeds. In sum, the aerodynamic efficiency with regard to output compared to that of its predecessor has been increased by 31 %. The Gallardo LP560-4 takes
fast curves even more supremely.

The designers in Sant'Agata Bolognese have excelled themselves with the clear-cut, pure, stark lines of the Gallardo LP 560-4. They also have demonstrated distinct attention to detail; the elaborate aluminium cap
for petrol and motor oil are testimony to this, as is the rear camera which has been integrated in a small fin in the independent rear spoiler as well as the finely-crafted grille in the exhaust pipes.


The body

Weight is undesirable in a sports car and a lightweight model encourages the dynamics of such a vehicle. Aluminium is much lighter than sheet steel and this is why the Gallardo LP560-4 is produced with a body in a much lighter but nevertheless more stiff structure: the two-seater car measures 4.34 metres in length, 1.90 metres in width and a mere 1.16
metres in height. It weighs in dry at 1410 kilograms - which is, effectively, 20 kilograms less that that of the previous Gallardo.


The construction of the Gallardo LP560-4 utilises what is known as a 'spaceframe construction method'. Integrally moulded node elements and extruded parts create its frame, and sheet metal plates made out of aluminium have been neatly and securely integrated to form the body. The body is not only extremely light but also torsionally stiff and displays the highest safety characteristics. Thus the basis for the extraordinary handling characteristics of the LP560-4 is formed.

Integrated Pedestrian Protection system

The body of the car also demonstrates extremely high levels of 'passive security'. The Gallardo LP560-4 fulfils the not yet obligatory European directives regarding the protection of pedestrians. Furthermore, the
geometry of the entire front of the car has been optimised with the addition of a special combination of materials behind the front bumper which serve to absorb any impact energy.


The Interior
Luxurious individuality

Despite its low exterior height, the Gallardo LP560-4 welcomes its
passengers with a spacious interior. The sports seats are covered with
either fine leather or Alcantara® (upon request) and provide secure
adherence and support. The position of the seats is very low, typical for
sportscars. There is space behind the seats for luggage which
complements the 110 litre front trunk.

The wide middle console is one of the elements which characterizes the
impression of sporty dynamism in the interior. It accommodates the
standard Lamborghini multimedia system as well as the air conditioning
which can be regulated on both the driver's and passenger's sides.
Between both of these elements lies a newly designed module consisting
of classically elegant flip switches. Seven round instruments in the
cockpit with a new graphic provide the driver with essential engine data
and a multifunctional display between the speedometer and revolution
counter provides the driver with important information.





Workmanship of the highest quality

The Miura and the other models of the 60s were already characterized
by the excellent quality of workmanship which lay far and above the
general standards of that time. Lamborghini has continued this tradition
and even today delivers automobiles of the highest standards. The
Gallardo LP560-4 indulges with the highest quality, aesthetically
pleasing materials. With regard to the leather interior, an array of
different colours and stitching (also in contrasting colours) are available.
As an optional, Lamborghini can deliver the Gallardo LP560-4 with a
further choice of leather and Alcantara® interiors as well as Carbon
Fibre Packages. Here, elements such as the air-conditioning surrounds,
the control panel, the handbrake handle and the gear-stick surrounds are
available in carbon fibre.

Furthermore, the individualisation program, Ad Personam, enables the
customer to create any combination of colour and trim, thus creating a
highly personalised vehicle. After all, the new Lamborghini should
perfectly reflect the owner's lifestyle.


The Engine
Extreme power in every situation

The engine of the Gallardo LP560-4 is a completely new development.
All that remains of the original V10 is the number of cylinders which, in
this performance category, create a perfect and unique synthesis of
torque, force of movement, sporty nimbleness, compact size and low
weight.

The engine has a 5204 cm
3
volumetric displacement which, with 8.000
rpm creates the extreme 560 PS (412 kW). This results in the excellent
performance per litre of 107.6 PS/lt. At maximum torque output, the
engine yields 540 Newtonmeter at 6.500 rpm. The ample torque curve
guarantees outstanding thrust from every engine speed. With an
acceleration of 3.7 seconds from 0-100 km/h and a maximum speed of

325 km/h, the Gallardo LP560-4 shoots into the orbit of the most
extreme and powerful sports cars.

Despite the clearly improved driving performance of this super sports
car, Sant'Agata's engineers were nevertheless able to achieve a
reduction in fuel consumption and CO
2emissions by 18 per cent.
Measured by engine power and performance, the Gallardo LP560-4 e-
gear's average fuel consumption of 13.7 litres per 100 kilometers, is
extremely low.


Perfect weight distribution, class-leading dynamics

The engine in this new model lies lengthways in front of the rear axle –
hence the model description Longitudinale Posteriore. The concept of
the mid - rear engine is unbeatable in sports car production, with the
centre of gravity being displaced next to the vertical axis, thus creating
the car's exceptional dynamics. Furthermore, it creates the basis for the
Gallardo LP560-4's perfect weight distribution with 43 per cent on the
front axle and 57 per cent on the rear. In combination with the
permanent four-wheel drive transmission, superior driving stability and
road adherence are guaranteed in all situations.


Reduced weight for inspirational torque

The crank case of the new ten cylinder of Lamborghini Gallardo is
produced with an aluminium alloy. Separate cylinder liners are not
necessary with this technology: instead, the liners, due to their exposure
to the hard silicone crystals during the production phase, are bored
directly out of the material. The connecting rods are made out of
wrought steel and the pistons are produced from an aluminium alloy. The
consequent reduction in weight, inertia and in friction losses contributes
to the car's inspirational torque.

The engine is unusually wide for a V10, with a cylinder angle of 90
degrees. A definite advantage of this construction is the low centre of
gravity. The reduction of the gravity centre height comes also from the

dry sump layout of the lubrication system which also guarantees the
reliability of the oil supply even during lateral acceleration and on the
race-track.


Direct fuel injection improves efficient combustion

The new V10 uses the direct fuel-injection system "Iniezione Diretta
Stratificata" as an innovative way to optimize performance results in
part-load conditions. Here, the fuel is injected directly into the
combustion chamber through the laterally positioned injector. Combined
with the use of a 'tumble flap' in the intake manifold runners, this
solution guarantees an optimized distribution of the gasoline in the
combustion chamber (higher gasoline density around the spark plug,
leaner mixture close to piston and cylinder liners) and delivers the basis
for a highly efficient combustion system even with stoichiometric mean
mixture composition. The direct injection boosts the extremely efficient
'full load' performance of the V10, reduces its knock sensitivity and thus
enables the very high compression ratio of 12.5:1. The cylinder heads
have been optimised to deliver a very quick gas exchange and the
variable valve control system on all four camshafts improves the charge
efficiency across the entire engine speed range.

Transmission
Superior control four-wheel drive

Such extreme power must be brought onto the streets with extreme
reliability. The driver of a Gallardo LP560-4 can thus rely on the four-
wheel drive Viscous Traction (VT) system, with the '4' in the model name
a reminder of this. Lamborghini already introduced this system with the
Diablo VT in 1993 – and for good reason: four actuated wheels achieve
more grip than two and permit acceleration earlier in the curve exit.

The protagonist in the transmission is the central viscous-coupling which
requires no electronic control. In this special Lamborghini configuration,
the driving torque is distributed between front and rear – generally with
a 30:70 front to rear ratio and, within milliseconds, adapts to even the
slightest variations in road conditions. A mechanical differential on the

rear axle provides up to 45% limited slip and an electronic differential
lock at the front complete the four-wheel drive system.


Superior traction and handling

Not only does the maximum traction take advantage of the permanent
four-wheel drive system, but also the car's clearly superior handling.
Each wheel can only transfer a certain amount of torque to the road. As
the propulsion power is distributed onto all four wheels through the
viscous traction system, more potential for directional control remains -
and reserves in every situation distinguish a perfectly made sports car.

Despite all the engine thrust, changing gears in the Gallardo LP560-4 is
one of the most exciting experiences of driving this vehicle. It is still the
customer's personal preference as to whether he wishes to change gears
manually through the exact 'gate' guides of the six-speed gearbox via the
short gear stick, or whether he prefers to let his fingertips control the
e.gear's paddle-shift system located behind the steering wheel: the
latter solution becoming the preference of the majority of Lamborghini
customers.



Gear change time reduced by 40 per cent

The automated e-gear transmission has been completely redesigned and
improved in all aspects. The complete system has not only been reduced
in weight, but the time employed to change gears has also been reduced
by 40 per cent in "CORSA" mode. The driver may choose between five
different driving and changing programs: in addition to the 'normal'
mode, the Gallardo LP560-4 offers a SPORT programm with its even
more rapid gear changing times and increased number of revolutions.
The CORSA program directs the engine to optimum acceleration. It
permits a greater slip angle and also allows - with maximum safety - the
full dynamism of the LP560-4 to be enjoyed even on a race-track. The
'Thrust Mode' ensures maximum acceleration from neutral while the
angle of the throttle valve and the clutch are here optimally adjusted to

one another. Finally the Automatic mode: here the engine changes gear
in total independence and permits a particularly comfortable mode of
driving.


The Suspension
High-tech parts with Lamborghini know-how

Even the Gallardo LP560-4's predecessor was one of the world's best
super sports cars with regard to handling, precision and driving stability.
However, the latest model provides an even more intense driving
experience: the new suspension improves the car's handling, its driving
comfort and its directional stability at high speeds.

The Gallardo LP560-4's space frame is uncompromisingly high tech. Its
technical production was conceived from motor sport technologies. The
double wishbones made out of aluminium with newly designed
kinematics, while the springs and shock absorbers are tightly adjusted
for grip.

The rear axle now has an additional track rod which further improves the
excellent control of this super sports vehicle. Newly developed elements
are the rubber-metal bearings - authentic high-tech parts - which clearly
improve the special Lamborghini driving dynamics with well-chosen
material combinations and cleverly defined assembly.


Extreme road adherence

The steering rack works with relatively little assisted steering support,
thus bonding the driver closely to the road. This in turn provides him with
an intense experience of power and impulse. The steering has its own
cooling system for the power steering fluid.

Precise, breathtakingly fast, whilst stable and free from surprises, the
Gallardo LP560-4's dynamics assures a sensuous experience. The
LP560-4's tyres (format 235/35 ZR 19 front and 295/30 ZR 19 rear)
appear to bond with the asphalt. Specially developed Pirelli P-Zero series

tyres are fitted: these have a particularly low roll resistance which also
maintains tyre wear at a minimum without, of course, any reduction in
their performance quality. At a speed of over 120 km/h an independently
extended rear spoiler increases the downforce on the rear axle It acts in
association with the specially formed underbody which directs the
airstream under the car.

Optional Carbon Ceramic Brake system

The new braking system acts with brute force. At the front, eight
'Brembo specialist' cylinder callipers grasp the 365 mm diameter brake
discs. At the rear, four cylinder callipers act on the 356 mm brake discs.
In addition, the new disc ventilation system improves the stability in
extreme situations. Optionally, discs made out of Carbon Ceramic are
offered. At the front the CCB (Carbon Ceramic Brakes) discs measure
380mm in diameter and at the rear 356mm. They deliver much improved
performance at a reduced weight. In total, the CCB braking system is
lighter in weight that, at the wheel, improves driving dynamics and
comfort.


The interior and trim

With the Gallardo LP560-4 Lamborghini provides its customers with a
generous and sporty standard equipment package. Direct from the
production line, a customer will find included in his vehicle passenger and
lateral air-bags; a two-zone air-conditioning system with sun regulation;
The Lamborghini Multimedia System including an USB connector; and
sports seats with an electronically operated backrest. In addition to this,
the interior trim includes fine leather and Bi-Xenon headlights with LED
daytime running light. The car is supplied with new Apollo wheels as
standard.


A large variety of options increases the interior comfort of the vehicle,
including a navigation system and a module for TV reception, a hands-
free Bluetooth® phone set, an anti-theft device and a rearview camera.
A further option is the lifting system control of the front of the vehicle

which, at the touch of a button, is raised to enable driving over obstacles.
The new polished cross wheel rims 'Cordelia' or the black Y-rims 'Callisto'
complete the options range. Finally, the engine hood made from glass
creates a showcase for the heart of the Gallardo LP560-4..

The possibilities and different combinations available in the
Individualisation Program Ad Personam are almost inexhaustible. Behind
this program stands the philosophy that a super sports car of this nature
should, after all, reflect the personality of its owner by enabling him to
completely indulge his expectations and wishes. As a consequence,
extreme exclusivity is the trademark of Lamborghini's individualisation
program. "Think the Impossible" states the motto. Ad Personam offers a
host of options in order that a customer may give the car an imprint of
his own style with respect to the interior trim and exterior. A new
highlight in the program are the following three exclusive matt colours:
Nero Nemesis (matt black), Bianco Canopus (matt white), Marrone Apus
(matt brown). The new matt colours underline the clearly defined and
purist precision of the Lamborghini design.

Source:www.autoblog.com/2008/03/04/geneva-200 8-lamborghini-gallardo-lp 560-4-live-and-drool-wort hy/









 

Around 40% of first time buyers aged under 30 in the South East during 2006 received assistance to help finance their house purchase, according to latest Government figures.

Affordability remains a significant problem in the South East.  The provisional lower quartile house price to lower quartile earnings ratio for the South East for the first three months of 2007 was 8.94. This compares to 7.29 for England and makes the South East the least affordable region other than London.

The challenges facing the South East have continued despite a net addition of 34,600 homes to the region’s housing stock in 2006/07 - an increase of 36% on 2001/02 when there were 25,400 net additions.

Hundreds of housing professionals from across the region were presented with the information at the Chartered Institute of Housing South East’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, in Brighton, by Richard McCarthy, Director General of Housing and Planning in the Department for Communities and Local Government.

At the conference, Mr McCarthy outlined the latest progress on the Housing and Regeneration Bill currently going through Parliament, which will enable the Government’s aim to deliver 240,000 additional homes a year by 2016 – a total increase of two million new homes by 2016, and three million by 2020.

Commenting on the current difficulties facing the housing market as a result of the credit crunch and reduced levels of confidence, Mr McCarthy said: “The number of housing starts was down and current housing market conditions were difficult and fragile – but the market had not imploded.”

Mr McCarthy also stressed the importance of keeping current levels of housing activity going.

He indicated Government would be continuing to keep a close watch on the housing market to assess the long-term trends.

Source:www.24dash.com/news/Housing/2008-03- 05-40-of-first-time-buyer s-in-South-East-need-fina ncial-assistance 

Ford took the occasion of the Geneva Motor Show to display the latest variant of the European Focus that we wish we could get in the good ol' US of A, the Pininfarina-built Focus Coupe-Cabriolet. As we reported one month ago in the wind-up to the big show, the Focus CC takes the battle to its European rivals with a folding hardtop, stiffened body and engines ranging from 100 to 145hp, with a 136hp diesel thrown in there too.

Until Ford decides to bring it over the Atlantic, you can look but you can't touch in the gallery below, and read the press release after the jump.

NEW COUPÉ-CABRIOLET TO COMPLETE THE NEW FORD FOCUS FAMILY
• Restyled Focus Coupé-Cabriolet debuts at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show
• New Focus front end with 'kinetic design' styling
• Enhanced interior with high quality materials and new instruments
• Best in class Coupé-Cabriolet luggage compartment volume with roof up and down
• Coupé-Cabriolet completes the line-up of new Focus bodystyles, comprising 3-door, 4-door, and 5-door Sedans as well as Wagon
• Ultra-stiff body to support driving dynamics and steering precision

The new four-seater Ford Focus Coupé-Cabriolet has its public debut at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. The new model joins the three-door, four-door, five-door, wagon and sporty ST models, extending the comprehensive new Focus range and offering the greatest variety of bodystyles for a single vehicle line within the Ford of Europe portfolio. As a final addition to the exciting and fully comprehensive Focus range, the all-new Ford Focus RS high performance model will be launched in 2009.

The newly designed Focus Coupé-Cabriolet with its retractable hardtop will once again be manufactured at the Bairo plant of Pininfarina, Ford's partner in designing, engineering and building the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet. This stylish vehicle is a true four-seater that combines a high emotional appeal with "must have" means for everyday use: With the roof closed, new Focus Coupé-Cabriolet offers a best-in-class luggage capacity of 534 litres. Even with the retractable hardtop stowed in the boot, the new Ford provides a voluminous 248 litres of luggage space under the folded roof.

"As with the generic new Ford Focus, with the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet we also felt the importance of aligning this charismatic vehicle with our 'kinetic design' language as soon as possible," said Stephen Odell, Vice President Marketing, Sales and Service at Ford of Europe.

'Kinetic Design' Styling
"The new Ford Focus Coupé-Cabriolet is a special blend: We felt that the new very 'kinetic' front end design will perfectly complement the timelessly-elegant, Italian flavoured profile and rear end design. The result is a perfect mix of latest level Focus dynamics and the special Coupé-Cabriolet design execution that we had already developed jointly with Pininfarina," said Chris Bird, Design Director at Ford of Europe.

The entire front end design of the new Ford Focus was fully adopted for the
Coupé-Cabriolet: The new three-dimensional bonnet design flows harmoniously into the iconic dual-trapezoidal-grille design, with both the upper and lower grille being equipped with a classy chrome surrounding. The front bumper, lights and front fender designs clearly reflect the latest dynamic Focus styling, but are also tailored to perfectly fit the elegant side view of the Coupé-Cabriolet.

The interior styling of the new Focus Coupé-Cabriolet also received a fresh approach with bold design statements, high quality finishes and hard-wearing materials all completed with a high level of craftsmanship. Most prominent for the driver is a new instrument cluster of a 'binocular' style with instruments illuminated in red.

As with the new Focus, the Coupé-Cabriolet also benefits from the flow through centre stack to the standard 'premium' centre console with an increased stowage volume of approximately 4 litres and a sliding armrest with a travel of 80 mm, both contributing to increased comfort and convenience.

New Technology
A number of new standard driver assistance features have been introduced on all new Focus models with further technology options, and will also be introduced to the Coupé-Cabriolet.

These features include:
• Available 'Ford Power' button for keyless start, plus keyless entry system
• Standard emergency hazard warning light activation system (Info: except Finland and Sweden)
• New optional Tyre Deflation Detection System (DDS)
• New audio connectivity module for external devices and new levels of Bluetooth® and USB connectivity, voice control and navigation systems
• New navigation systems include an affordable navigation option with 'SD' card slot as well as a DVD based system with 7" colour touchscreen
• Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) tuner on Sony radio system available

Powertrains and Series
A fine range of Duratec petrol and Duratorq diesel engines was chosen for the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet: While the 1.6-litre 100 PS/74 kW Duratec petrol is the entry level into the Focus 'wind-in-the-hair' experience, the well acclaimed 2.0-litre 145 PS/107 kW Duratec HE engine is available with a choice of a sporty 5-speed manual transmission or the very comfortable FN automatic transmission for relaxed cruising joy.

The 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi engine has 136 PS (100 kW) and a maximum torque of 320 Nm. To make driving with the 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi engine even more refined and comfortable, specific improvements have been made to its Sound quality and vibration behaviour. This engine – along with all other Ford Focus petrol and diesel engines – benefits from a new insulated, weight reduced cowl panel, for optimum acoustics and a new carpet with a modified heavy duty coating for further sound deadening.
In terms of the series availability, the new Focus Coupé-Cabriolet is once again available with a well equipped entry 'Trend' specification, which can also be ordered in conjunction with a special 'Sport' pack, covering a sport suspension and specially designed 17-inch alloy wheels. Black tinted headlamp housings on the exterior emphasise the sporty appearance of this series.

The top-of-the-range 'Titanium' series also features exterior details like specially designed 17-inch alloys and the black headlamp housings, but also classy interior items like the standard partial leather seats. As an option, full leather seats in three different designs are available.

High Safety Standards
A very stiff bodyshell construction and a precise suspension and steering tuning are the active and solid base for the new Focus Coupé-Cabriolet's safety package. As a part of Ford PrecisionDrive, it helps drivers to intuitively rely on their Ford car in any driving situation. In addition to this very convincing package, ESP has now been introduced to be standard in all European major markets, and complements the very capable four-disc braking system with EBA.

The passive safety also starts with an ultra stiff bodyshell and a rigid passenger safety cell. Without a regular sedan roof structure however, front crash load paths for the Focus Coupé-Cabriolet had to be redistributed behind the A-pillars into the door structure.

As a result, these load paths were significantly reinforced by using high strength HSS 2 steel and increasing the rocker height by 35mm. The load path through the door structure can carry loads up to seven tons – comparable with the cumulated load capability of a Focus four-door at the roof and door structures.
In addition to standard front and side airbags, Ford's new Rollover Protection Device (RPD) system plays a vital role in increasing Focus Coupé-Cabriolet's passive safety performance. RPD is designed to help protect passengers in the unlikely event that the vehicle rolls over. Electronic sensors and a gyroscope are at the heart of the system, and can detect an impending rollover. When this happens, two ultra-strong safety roll bars "fire" into position within a tenth of a second. Combined with the reinforced A-pillars and the highly rigid front window frame, RPD is a reassuring device that provides valuable extra protection for occupants.cc

Source:http://www.autoblog.com/2008/...

"They'll say, 'I saw this ad on TV, and I think I have this medical problem,' " says King, a family physician in Selmer, Tenn., who says he's not bothered by the requests. "It gives me an opportunity to talk with the patient. It's amazing how many don't have the problem" or need the drug they saw advertised.

Billy Tauzin, president of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the industry's lobbying group, says the ads educate patients about diseases such as depression or diabetes and encourage them to see a doctor.

Doctors and health care analysts say those visits also prompt patients to seek the latest and often most expensive drug, helping to drive up spending on health care and raising questions about whether patients need those particular new medications.

The Food and Drug Administration has allowed drug advertising since 1997. After safety concerns led drugmaker Merck to pull its heavily advertised painkiller Vioxx off the market in October 2004, Congress and consumer groups such as Public Citizen escalated their criticism of drug ads.

The industry responded with guidelines it said would improve consumer information. Ads are "less offensive than they were a few years ago, more educational, and they balance a discussion of benefits and risk," Tauzin says.

Prescription-drug advertising is big business. The pharmaceutical industry in 2006 spent $4.8 billion on consumer ads, according to IMS Health, a private firm that tracks sales and marketing. The industry spent $7.2 billion more marketing products to doctors.

Consumer advertising has "contributed to overall increases in spending on both the advertised drug itself and on other drugs that treat the same conditions," says a Government Accountability Office report from 2006. It cites another study of 64 drugs that found for every $1 spent on advertising, sales increased by a median of $2.20.

Endocrinologist John Buse sometimes urges his patients to wait until a drug has been on the market for a while to see whether side effects undetected in earlier studies emerge. "There are a lot of unmet needs in medicine," says Buse, who is president of medicine and science at the American Diabetes Association. "Does that mean these new drugs meet those needs? Not always. Sometimes it's just new, and you're trading" side effects.

New drugs vs. generics

Visits prompted by advertising can propel patients to take more expensive, newer drugs, when lower-cost generics would work just as well, says Jerry Avorn, a professor at Harvard Medical School and author of Powerful Medicines.

If education were the true goal of advertisements, he says, public service spots would fill that need without encouraging people "to spend so many dollars on the most expensive drugs."

Even so, slightly more than half, 53%, of those surveyed by USA TODAY, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health say drug advertising is mostly a good thing, and two-thirds say it helps educate people. Two-thirds say there are too many ads, but only 27% say they are bothered a lot by advertising. The survey of 1,695 adults was taken in January and has a margin of error of +/—3 percentage points.

"Advertising has been a good thing," says Belle Woods, 55, of Bluffs, Ill. "If I hear of a medication I think could help someone, I share that information. Also, I hear all the possible side effects (of a drug) and think, 'Hmm, maybe I'm not going to try it.' "

Gloria Henderson, 59, of Madisonville, Tenn., says some of the money spent on ads would be better used by drug companies to lower prices, perhaps setting prices based on people's incomes. She wants to see TV drug ads banned.

Matt Carr, 64, of Manassas, Va., says drugmakers have a right to market their products. He once asked his doctor about an asthma drug he saw advertised. "He gave me a reason why the one I was already taking was preferable."

Market's high pressure

Advertising is just one factor in rising drug prices.

Overall prices grew about 3.5% in 2006, government data show, spurred not only by ads but also by new drugs on the market and an aging population. In 2006, insurers, consumers and government spent $216 billion on prescription medications, about 10% of the total spent on health care in the USA.

The average price increase masks some sharper jumps in certain types of drugs. Sleep aids — a heavily advertised product — rose 13.8% in price from 2005 to 2006, according to data from Express Scripts, a private firm hired by employers and insurers to handle drug benefits. The data cover people with insurance; the uninsured may have seen steeper increases.

Cholesterol drugs, also heavily advertised, went up an average 5.5% — the average price of a prescription of Lipitor hit $85.68 for a month's supply, according to the Express Scripts data.

King, who is president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, says the three types of drugs he most commonly hears patients request are treatments for impotence, indigestion and restless legs, a condition that causes strange sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move. All three are heavily advertised.

When patients do need medication, King says, he talks with them about the drugs and their costs. "If I can use a less expensive medicine or a generic, I will," he says.

Source:www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-2 9-drugs-inside_N.htm

The government of Canada says it is “very concerned” about the means Israel is employing to defend itself against rocket attacks originating in Gaza.

In a statement that attempted to balance critique of Hamas rocket attacks with criticism of Israeli retaliation, Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier, left, said, “We deplore the loss of life and the suffering on both sides.

“Israel has a clear right to defend itself, including against terrorists plotting attacks. That said, we are very concerned by the impact on civilians of measure taken by the government of Israel, such as increased military operations, restrictions on border crossings and reductions in the delivery of vital goods and services.

“Canada calls on both sides to comply with their obligations under international law.”

Bernier’s remarks came under fire from Israeli Ambassador Alan Baker, top right, and the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC). Both accused the minister of seeking a “moral equivalence” between the two sides, even though Israel reacted only after the launch of numerous rockets into Israel. More than 2,000 homemade Qassam rockets have been aimed at the town of Sderot and other border communities since 2007. Last week, longer-range Katyushas fell in Ashkelon, a city of 120,000 that is home to an electricity-generating power plant.

Israel retaliated with a military incursion into Gaza, from which Israel withdrew in September 2005.

An Israeli man was killed in Sderot, and two soldiers died during Israel Defence Forces (IDF) operations last weekend. More than 100 Palestinians died, including numerous civilians. Israel withdrew its land forces after a few days, prior to a previously scheduled visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Canada-Israel Committee, a pro-Israel advocacy group, said he was “troubled” by Bernier’s comments. “There is no equivalent between what Israel is doing” and seven years of rocket attacks from Gaza into Israel, he said. “The government is not paying enough attention to the nuances and the details. The department is more comfortable in what it sees as a balanced [approach]. That does not reflect reality.”

Baker said he was “disappointed&rdquo ; by Bernier’s remarks. “I think any statement equating Israel’s actions in self-defence with acts of pure terrorism directed wilfully against civilians in towns and villages is misguided and wrong.”

Israel’s operations in Gaza prompted condemnation from the European Union, while UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon accused Israel of employing “excessive” force. In Washington, White House spokesperson Gordon Johndroe said, “The violence needs to stop and the talks [between Israel and the Palestinian Authority] need to resume.”

The fighting brought new challenges to Israel’s strategy of containing violence from the Gaza Strip, and derailed peace talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

The latest surge in fighting began late last week when Hamas rocket crews fired dozens of rockets at Israel after the Israeli Air Force bombed a van carrying five Hamas militiamen who had recently returned to Gaza after undergoing specialized military training in Iran.

The Hamas rocket attacks claimed their first fatality in nine months: a 47-year-old father of four who was undergoing job training at Sderot’s Sapir College after recovering from a kidney transplant. Hamas also fired several Katyusha rockets into Ashkelon. The fatality in Sderot and the Katyusha attacks on Ashkelon prompted Israeli politicians to call for a massive military operation in Gaza to counter what they described as Hamas’ escalation of the conflict.

Israel stepped up its attacks in Gaza, increasing its air strikes, flattening the Hamas-run Interior Ministry and sending Israeli ground troops into areas of eastern Gaza City.

Israeli officials described the crackdown as a “war,” but said a full-scale invasion of Gaza was still a way off. The objective, it seemed, was to kill or capture as many Hamas rocket crewmen as possible and perhaps target the Islamist group’s leadership as well.

“The ultimate objective is to bring an end to the firing of Qassams,” Defence Minister Ehud Barak said.

Though Israel said most of the Palestinian casualties were combatants, the dead included many children and other civilians, and television images of the violence drew censure in the Arab world and beyond.

Bernier said that “Canada is deeply concerned about the current escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip and Israel. It is clear that Hamas and other groups responsible for the growing number of rockets fired on Israel are determined to target civilians and create even more instability and misery These actions are deplorable. Canada calls on those groups to stop immediately for the sake of those suffering both in the Gaza Strip and in Israel.”

Fogel said the government was correct in condemning Hamas rocket attacks but, quoting Winston Churchill, he said it erred in finding equivalence “between the arsonist and the firefighter.”

“We were pleased the government recognized Hamas as the source of violence. We were concerned the statement… [drew] moral equivalence between Israel and the Palestinians, which we don’t believe reflects the government’s position. We’ve asked for a clarification,” he said.

Baker deplored the “double standard” in the international community and the international media. They ignore the “40 to 60 rockets that fall indiscriminately on Israeli towns and villages daily. That does not seem to bother the international community and media very much. But as soon as Israel responds, it’s acting unduly harshly.”

Naresh Raghubeer, executive director of the Canadian Centre for Democracies, a pro-democracy advocacy group, called Bernier’s statement “unfortunate” and “naive.”

“I find it sad and dismaying that the minister chooses to lecture Israel as it seeks to fulfil its sovereign right to protect its citizens. One would have hoped that the minister would have been clear and stood by Israel unequivocally,” he said.

For its part, the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank announced it was scrapping a routine peace negotiators meeting scheduled for Monday.

Though Mahmoud Abbas’ administration stopped short of declaring the peace process dead, the Palestinian Authority president irked Israelis by saying what was happening in Gaza was a “worse holocaust” than what befell the Jews in World War II.

Some Israelis have suggested that toppling Gaza’s Hamas regime might be a perfect opportunity to hand the territory back to Abbas, whose Fatah forces were routed from Gaza last June by Hamas militants who wrested control of the strip.

Some Israeli analysts cited this theory in explaining Abbas’ sudden bouts of anti-Israel rhetoric.

“[Abbas] cannot afford for Palestinians to think he is riding back into Gaza on the backs of Israeli tanks,” Tzvi Yehezkeli of Israel’s Channel 10 news said.

With files from JTA and Ha’aretz.c

Source:www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&am p;task=view&id=14192& amp;Itemid=86 

Setting an all-time record, oil prices rose to nearly $104 a barrel on Monday morning, exceeding their inflation-adjusted high reached in the early 1980s.

Oil futures rose as much as $2.11 to $103.95 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. That level tops the record set in April 1980 of $39.50 a barrel, which would translate to $103.76 a barrel in today's money. Oil futures settled at $102.45.

The surge in oil prices comes at a time when consumers already are feeling economic pressures from rising fuel costs.

The national average price for a gallon of regular-grade gasoline was $3.165 on Monday, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. That is about 18 cents a gallon higher that a month ago and about 70 cents higher than a year ago.

In St. Louis on Monday, regular grade gasoline was selling for an average price of $2.885. In the Metro East, the average price was $3.108.

The run-up in oil and other energy prices "hits deeper and deeper into the consumers' ability to spend. With a lot of households stretched by high food prices as well, it creates real problems," said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors.

Those pressures are in turn being transmitted on to manufacturers and other industries. Builders are building less, the government reported. Manufacturers are cutting back, another report said. General Motors Corp. and Ford Motor Co. said they would cut second-quarter production.

The galloping energy prices are doubly painful as the nation teeters on the edge of recession: High energy costs push companies to charge shoppers higher prices, then those consumers and businesses cut back in turn, dumping more cold water on the economy.

"It's like throwing sands in the wheels of the economy," said Brian Bethune, economist at Global Insight. "Things slow down. There is more friction and there is more complaining."

The complaints could become deafening later this year.

The Energy Department expects gas prices to peak at a record level near $3.40 this spring, and some analysts predict pump prices could rise to nearly $4 a gallon when the busy summer driving season arrives.

Diesel prices, used to transport the vast majority of the nation's goods, are also soaring. Diesel was selling at an average price of $3.51 a gallon Monday in St. Louis, about higher than a month ago and 50 cents higher than a year ago.32 cents

"Bulky items — milk, soda pop, eggs, cheese, fruits and vegetables — probably will have higher transportation costs to bring those items to stores," Bethune said. "How much of that is passed along to customers depends. In terms of overall costs of products, it might not be huge. It could be a few cents. But overall it will add up."

FORCES BEHIND THE SURGE

The latest surge in oil prices is taking place as investors seek refuge in commodities to offset a slowing economy and declines in the dollar, as well as to hedge against inflation.

The dollar fell to its lowest level in three years against the yen on Monday. It also dropped to a record $1.5274 in early New York trading against the euro following steep declines last week.

Speculative buying by oil investors can become self-perpetuating, driving prices higher and attracting even more speculators. But many analysts believe oil prices aren't justified by crude's underlying supply and demand fundamentals, and are due to fall at some point.

While supply disruptions in Nigeria and the prospect of supply cutoffs from Iraq and Venezuela helped boost oil prices last year, domestic oil inventories are now rising even as a number of forecasters are cutting their demand growth predictions due to the slowing economy.

OIL'S FUTURE?

As for where oil goes from here, analyst estimates vary widely, with some predicting an eventual decline to the $65 or $70 range as supplies continue to grow and demand falls, and others seeing oil rising as high as $120 as investment capital continues to flow into oil markets from overseas.

For its part, the Energy Department's Energy Information Administration's latest prediction is that oil will average $86 a barrel in 2008, up 19 percent from 2007, when oil averaged $72 a barrel.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS REPORT.

Source:www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/sto ries.nsf/yourmoney/story/5254D 6F4DF576E1C86257402001356 9A?OpenDocument 

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Hillary Clinton accused Barack Obama on Monday of misleading voters in Ohio while giving Canadians the "wink-wink" over his tough talk about North American free trade.

A memo obtained by The Associated Press suggests Obama's economic policy adviser privately told Canadian officials to look at the Democratic candidate's attack on free trade as "political positioning" rather than policy.

Clinton jumped on the memo as evidence of doublespeak from her rival on North American Free Trade Agreement - a touchy subject in Ohio where blue-collar workers blame NAFTA for huge job losses in the manufacturing sector.

Clinton said Obama's campaign gave the Canadians "the old wink-wink."

"I don't think people should come to Ohio and tell the people of Ohio one thing and then have your campaign tell a foreign government something else behind closed doors," she said in a statement.

"I think that's the kind of difference between talk and action that I've been talking about," Clinton told reporters while campaigning in Ohio.

It raises questions about Senator Obama coming to Ohio and giving speeches against NAFTA." Clinton is competing with Obama for crucial Ohio votes in the Democratic primary on Tuesday. The memo that has become a focal point in the race is the first documentation to emerge publicly out of the meeting between the Obama adviser, Austan Goolsbee, and officials with the Canadian consulate in Chicago. The memo was written by Joseph DeMora, who works for the consulate and attended the meeting. "Noting anxiety among many U.S. domestic audiences about the U.S. economic outlook, Goolsbee candidly acknowledged the protectionist sentiment that has emerged, particularly in the Midwest, during the primary campaign," it said. "He cautioned that this messaging should not be taken out of context and should be viewed as more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans." But Goolsbee disputed the characterization from the conservative government official. "This thing about 'it's more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans,' that's this guy's language," Goolsbee said of DeMora. "He's not quoting me. I certainly did not use that phrase in any way." The memo obtained by the AP was widely distributed within the Canadian government. It is more than 1,300 words and covers many topics that DeMora said were discussed in the Feb. 8 "introductory meeting" between himself, Goolsbee and the consul general in Chicago, Georges Rioux. Tristan Landry, a spokesman for the Canadian Embassy in Washington, said DeMora was not available for an interview Sunday. His only comment on the memo was to say that although consulate officials reach out to U.S. campaign officials to seek their views, "Canada does not in any way seek to interfere in U.S. electoral politics." Obama spokesman Bill Burton said Goolsbee's visit was not as an emissary from the campaign, but as a professor from the University of Chicago. He was not authorized to share any messages from the campaign, Burton said. Burton, who was on the call while Goolsbee described his visit to the AP, said, "It all boils down to a clumsy, inaccurate portrayal of the conversation." Source:cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2008/03/03 /4894286-ap.html

Blogging may help people feel happier and more satisfied with their friends, according to Melbourne researchers.

The findings, from researchers at Swinburne University of Technology, show that after two months, new bloggers felt more socially connected than those who did not blog.

Psychologist James Baker said this suggested that blogging could actually be good for people - helping them to feel part of a community.

"It makes people feel closer and more connected," Mr Baker said.

"That's good because there's been a fair bit of press about the dangers of blogging ... so you'd hope there's some sort of benefit."

The research, conducted by Mr Baker and Professor Susan Moore, is based on two surveys, with the first asking 134 new users of the social networking site MySpace whether or not they intended to blog.

The results, published in the latest edition of the journal CyberPsychology & Behaviour, showed people who intended to blog were more psychologically distressed than those who didn't intend to blog.

They had higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress, were more likely to use self-blame and venting to cope and also less satisfied with the number of friends they had.

Two months later the researchers followed up 59 of the same group of MySpace users, this time comparing those who had blogged to those who had not.

The findings, which have been submitted to a journal, showed the bloggers were happier about the number of friends they had, both online and face-to-face, and were more likely to reach out to these friends for help.

'They felt more socially integrated," Mr Baker said. "They felt that their friends were a better fit and they connected better."

The researchers are planning further research that will look at the experiences of a larger group of bloggers.

Source:www.theage.com.au/news/web/bloggers-feel -more-connected/2008/03/0 4/1204402430340.html 

Copper wire: it's encased in concrete, protected by fencing, signage and patrols.

Still, police said Eddie Castro -- and possibly others with him -- managed to get to the electrically charged copper.

But it came with a deadly price.

Jessie Hernandez witnessed the incident.

"I seen this dude walking," Hernandez said. "He was on fire from the neck down."

Castro's not the only one to break into an Austin Energy substation with the intent to steal copper.

Thieves hit at least eight other substations in Central and East Austin.

Austin Energy already has safety measures in place, and as a result of the latest incident, is installing more.

Ed Clark of Austin Energy said they have increased security.

"We have been increasing our security at substations at any of our facilities with both patrols, things that we do with the wire to make it more difficult to get to, substituting the wire with a blend of materials that make it less valuable," Clark said.

They are also increasing video surveillance, and the central monitoring site is where security personnel keep watchful eyes on substation camera feeds.

"If there's a crime in progress we'll call 911 and APD and immediately request police assistance," Oswald Colon of Austin Energy Security said.

For something less suspicious, they send a patrol.

Right now, only eight of Austin Energy's 65 substations are monitored with cameras.

There are plans to put in more, but that's a costly proposition.

It costs about $80,000-$100,000 to put in cameras at any one substation.

They're also putting in walls instead of fencing on any of their newer locations, but that's a double-edged sword because even though it can keep criminals out, it can also conceal them if they do get in.

But Austin Energy maintains that no matter what it does to protect people and equipment, if thieves want to get in they will.

And those that do, may pay for their crimes with their lives.

Source:www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/def ault.asp?ArID=201860 

 

Israeli forces pulled out of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip on Monday after days of clashes that killed more than 110 Palestinians and dealt a major blow to nascent Middle East peace talks.

Residents in the north of the territory cautiously ventured out from their homes and picked through the rubble as Israeli tanks and ground troops withdrew following the deadliest Israeli military blitz on Gaza in years.

"The operation is winding down. Almost all our forces have already returned to Israel," a military spokesman told AFP.

The bloody assault earned Israel international condemnation for excessive use of force and caused moderate Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas to cut contacts with the Jewish state shortly before US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrives in the region aiming to push revived peace talks.

Since the dramatic escalation in violence last Wednesday, 116 Palestinians, including 22 children and dozens of militants, have been killed, according to Gaza health ministry statistics. More than 350 were wounded.

Two Israeli soldiers were also killed in the clashes and one Israeli civilian died in a rocket attack launched by Gaza militants.

Israel launched the operation on Saturday in a bid to stop near-daily rocket fire from Gaza, where the Islamist Hamas movement -- which is sworn to Israel's destruction -- seized power last June by routing pro-Abbas forces.

"The objective of the operation was to hit those who fire rockets toward civilian population centres in Israel," Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon told public radio.

Ramon expressed "regret" for the "death of innocent civilians" in Gaza, but put the blame on Hamas and other militant groups inside the impoverished, densely-packed territory who fire rockets and mortars into Israel.

Gaza militants fired two rockets as the troops retreated on Monday, with the projectiles falling in the coastal city of Ashkelon lightly wounding one woman, according to Israeli rescue services and police.

Hamas, which admitted to losing some three dozen fighters in the fighting, boasted that the Israeli withdrawal showed the army had failed.

"This retreat is an expression of the failure of the Israeli soldiers facing the fighters of the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters, referring to the group's armed wing.

"This war that was declared by Israel will not achieve its goals," he said, adding that a victory march would be held later in the day in Gaza to celebrate Israel's "defeat."

The violence in and around Gaza sharply escalated early on Wednesday after an Israeli air raid killed five Hamas militants in the south of the impoverished and increasingly isolated territory.

Hamas retaliated by firing a barrage of rockets, one of which killed a civilian in southern Israel, the first such death since May 2007. Rocket attacks have killed 14 civilians inside Israel since the start of the second Palestinian uprising in September 2000.

The clashes reached a peak on Saturday, after Israel sent in a regiment of ground troops in an operation dubbed "Hot Winter" that killed 77 Palestinians in two days.

Amid the bloody assault, Abbas suspended peace negotiations and cut off all contacts with Israel.

The two sides revived peace talks to great fanfare at a conference in the United States in late November, but have made almost no progress since then as a result of deep divisions over core issues of their decades-old conflict.

At least 317 people have been killed in Israeli-Paelstinian violence since then, most of them in Gaza, according to an AFP tally.

The aftermath of the violence will present a challenge for Rice, who is due to arrive on Tuesday in the region for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in her latest bid to advance the halting peace talks.

bur-yad/txw

Source:cwww.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=217886 

function doCorpInfoSearch(corpInfo DictStr){ corpInfoDictWin=window.open('/cm/?corpSelect=cNa me&searchType=company&cor pQuery=' + corpInfoDictStr + '&cHName=' + corpInfoDictStr ,'corpInfoDictWin');corpI nfoDictWin.focus(); }   (MENAFN) The President of Emirates Airlines said that the company will commence operations of its latest fleet member, the Airbus A380 super jumbo aircraft, Bahrain Tribune reported.

Starting from October 1 of the current year, the Dubai-based international airline will operate these aircraft from Dubai to New York, to London Heathrow from December 1 and to Sydney and Auckland beginning February 1, 2009, he said.

Each aircraft on these routes will have 489 seats, 14 of which being in first class, 76 in business and 399 in economy.

It was concluded by the president that the Emirates is the primary customer for the A380s with 58 on order and will take delivery of five of the double-decker aircraft later this year.

 
Source:www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093187644

Audi has developed what it claims to be the world’s “most powerful diesel-powered passenger vehicle in its class” by putting its formidable V12 TDI into its Q7 SUV. Series production of this new SUV will begin later this year, and according to Meena Motiram of Audi SA, although no official dates have been confirmed, the Audi Q7 V12 TDI looks set to arrive in South Africa sometime in 2009.

The six-litre V12 under the bonnet of this Q7 develops 368 kW and a colossal 1 000 N.m torque that is available between 1 750 and 3 250 r/min. It takes this SUV just 5,5 seconds to go from zero to 100 km/h, and can carry on to clock in an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h. Drive is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed tiptronic transmission and the latest iteration of the company’s Quattro all-wheel drive system. Despite this increase in power, Audi claims that its Q7 V12 TDI Quattro requires just 11,9-liters of fuel per 100 km.

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI rides on an aluminum chassis with double wishbones guiding the front and rear wheels. This model also features an air suspension system with new sports-orientated tuning and electronically controlled shock absorbers with dynamic roll stabilization. The air suspension can be adjusted in three settings, and the driver can also adjust the ground clearance of the vehicle, while the tail end of the Q7 can be lowered by 71 millimeters for easier loading.

The cabin is adorned with aluminum inserts, carbon and aluminum trim, along with stainless steel pedals and electronically adjustable sport seats decked out in Verano leather. Among the creature comforts aboard the Q7 V12 TDI are heated front and rear seats and a special lighting package provides ambient mood lighting.

The Q7 V12 TDI’s exterior features LED daytime running lights, a chromed grid in the single-frame radiator grille, a stainless steel underbody protector and newly designed bumper groups. Widened wheel arches are filled with 20-inch alloys, while matt aluminum cover strips frame the windows. The rear is striking thanks to two large oval exhaust pipes and taillights that are set in a dark-coloured background.

In-house entertainment and infotainment is provided by a DVD navigation system, a BOSE surround sound system with pop-up tweeters under the windshield, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Source:www.cartoday.com/content/news/singlepa ge.asp?in=8997 

Unique Internet Marketing System now available on Emerald Coast

Destin, Florida (PRWEB) March 3, 2008 -- There's a new local internet industry connection in Sandestin. WSI (We Simplify the Internet), the worldwide leader and leading edge Internet Consulting and Education company, is proud to announce the launch of a new Internet Consultant office to serve the Emerald Coast.

WSI's latest office will be run by Bob and Susan Frishman, who will provide local businesses with specialized Internet business strategies. The office will supply attractive, fully-functional e-Business solutions at an affordable price to small and medium sized businesses (SMEs). Not just a website provider, WSI offers a complete partnership with businesses, whereby they also offer the development of an Internet marketing strategy, post-implementation support and statistical packages to measure results in their extensive product catalogue.

Susan, a Gainesville native with a Business degree from Florida, has spent over 20 years in the computer software industry selling business solutions for ADP and Hyperion. Bob, an engineer from Cornell, worked for IBM for ten years and then built an entrepreneurial computerized bank automation company from startup to national prominence.

WSI's internationally recognized Internet Consultants assess clients' business needs and opportunities by using the patent pending Lifecycle™ System. The first step is the Internet Business Analysis (IBA) process, during which a consultant will ask direct questions to identify clients' competitive advantage, target markets, online/offline marketing initiatives and objectives of an Internet presence. The client's Internet Solution is then customized -- using services such as consultation, design, development, hosting, optimization, site registration and Internet marketing support, thus reducing business overhead and increasing profit by drawing qualified traffic to a website leading to more customer conversions online.

About WSI:
Through its network of over 1,500 offices in 87 countries, WSI delivers thousands of e-Business solutions to small and medium sized businesses annually. Headquartered in Toronto Canada, WSI is the world leader in providing profitable Internet solutions.

If you would like more information about WSI and/or to receive a complimentary $500 value Internet Business Analysis (IBA), please visit www.wsigreatestsearchprofits.com or contact:

Bob Frishman at bob@wsigreatestsearchprof its.com or call (850) 665-3711
Susan Frishman at susan@greatestsearchprofi ts.com or call (850) 665-3710

# # #

Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.p...

Source:www.emediawire.com/releases/2008/3/prweb 734274.htm

 

The Democratic Party presidential primaries in Texas and Ohio remain too close to call between Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, with momentum sloshing back and forth, a new Zogby International poll for Reuters/C-SPAN/Houston Chronicle two-day telephone tracking poll shows.

As citizens in these two big states prepare to vote Tuesday, neither candidate has been able to break away from the other. These two delegate-rich states are among the last of the big states left in the primary election season, and both candidates stand to split the delegates under the partys proportional delegate apportionment scheme.

The telephone surveys also show Republican front-runner Sen. John McCain of Arizona moving two steps closer to sealing the GOP nomination, as he continues to enjoy a sizable lead over closest challenger Mike Huckabee of Arkansas.

In the Democratic race in Texas, Clinton and Obama saw stability set in among the key demographic groups. Obama leads among men, and the two are essentially tied among women. Clinton continues to enjoy a sizable lead among Hispanic voters, but Obama has made gains in the last day among white voters, where the two are now tied.

Obama continues to enjoy a two-to-one lead among voters under age 30, while Clinton leads 54 percent to 31 percent among voters age 65 and older. Obama continues to lead in the Dallas and Houston areas, while Clinton leads in more rural areas, including southern Texas. But in the key swing area of east Texas, Obama has surged into a tie with Clinton. While he trailed her 45 percent to 38 percent just a day ago, it was Obama 45 percent, Clinton 44 percent in that area at the end of Saturday's polling, but the numbers in that region have been volatile.

In Ohio, there is very little movement as the Democratic candidates have solidified their support among those groups that have come to be familiar supporters of each. Obama leads Clinton among men by a 54 percent to 39 percent margin, while Clinton leads Obama among women by a 51 percent to 42 percent edge. The Obama increase in support among men is likely what has moved him ahead of Clinton.

Obama continues to lead among Ohio voters under age 50, while Clinton remains strongest among voters over age 50. Clinton leads in the rural areas of Ohio and in Cincinnati, while Obama leads in the Democratic bastion of Cleveland and the state capital of Columbus.

In the GOP races, McCain continues to enjoy a big lead in each state, though Huckabee continues to enjoy solid support as the conservative alternative. Among evangelicals in Texas, he leads McCain, 45 percent to 44 percent. Among the very conservative, Huckabee leads, 48 percent to 41 percent, but this represents a gain for McCain.

Among mainline conservatives in Texas, McCain led Huckabee by a 60 percent to 33 percent margin. McCain leads 69 percent to 13 percent among GOP moderates in Texas. In Ohio, McCain appears to be winning over more of the conservative bloc, as he leads Huckabee 66 percent to 27 percent among mainline conservatives. Huckabee leads among Ohios very conservative, 48 percent to 39 percent. McCain leads 68 percent to 23 percent among Ohio moderates. Huckabee does better in the conservative southern tier of Ohio south of I-70, which runs through mid-Ohio and downtown Columbus. McCain is better off in the moderate northern tier.

"The Democratic race has been neck-and-neck in both states, but it has been interesting to watch the volatility under way among Democrats in eastern Texas, which is the swing area of that state," pollster John Zogby said. "There, one day Clinton would be leading, and the next, Obama would have the edge. Whoever wins east Texas on the Democratic side will win the state. But still, it is important to remember that, because Obama holds huge leads in the Dallas area and in Houston, even if he were to lose the state, the split of delegates will be roughly even between he and Clinton."

The Democratic Party survey in Ohio included 761 likely voters and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.6 percentage points. The Texas survey of Democrats included 748 likely voters and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. Both surveys were conducted Feb. 29 to March 2.

The Republican survey in Ohio included 674 likely voters, and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. The Texas survey of Republicans included 628 likely voters, and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0 percentage points. Both surveys were conducted Feb. 29 to March 2. Percentages in charts may not equal 100 percent due to rounding.

The surveys were all conducted using live English- and Spanish-speaking telephone operators working in Zogby’s call center in upstate New York.

Source:www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/mar/03/late st-poll-obama-clinton-spl it-ohio-texas/ 

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WASHINGTON—The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday justified blocking California from cracking down on auto emissions by saying global warming isn't unique to the state.

The long-awaited analysis drew angry ridicule from environmentalists and officials in California and some of the dozen-plus other states that also wanted to implement the greenhouse gas emissions reductions sought by California.

In a 48-page document describing the reasoning behind its December decision, the EPA argues that California doesn't have the "compelling and extraordinary conditions" required for a waiver under the Clean Air Act, because the rest of the nation also suffers the effects of global warming.

"In my judgment, the impacts of global climate change in California, compared to the rest of the nation as a whole, are not sufficiently different to be considered 'compelling and extraordinary conditions' that merit separate state GHG (greenhouse gas) standards for new motor vehicles," says the document, which was signed by EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson and will be published in the Federal Register.

Environmentalists and California officials disagreed, contending that California has been granted Clean Air Act waivers in the past to deal with problems that are also happening elsewhere, such as diesel pollution.

Critics also argued that California does, in fact, have unique problems from global warming because no other state has its combination of wildfire risks, high smog levels, rising sea level and water