Toyota recalls 2.3M US vehicles to fix gas pedals
"NEW YORK – Toyota said Thursday it is recalling 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. to fix accelerator pedals that can become stuck, the latest in a string of quality problems that have bedeviled the Japanese automaker.
The recall affects the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequoia.
The latest move comes just months after Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 4.2 million vehicles over concerns that accelerator pedals could become lodged under floor mats, causing sudden acceleration. That problem was blamed for several crashes, including an accident involving a Lexus that accelerated to more than 120 mph before crashing in San Diego, killing four people.
But Toyota said Thursday's recall is due to potential problems with the actual gas pedal mechanism, causing the accelerator to become stuck regardless of whether the vehicle contains a floor mat. Toyota said in certain rare cases, the gas pedal mechanism wears down, causing the accelerator to become harder to press, slower to return or, in some cases, stuck.
In a letter to federal safety officials dated Thursday, Toyota said the problem appeared to be related to the potential build-up of condensation on sliding surfaces in the accelerator system that helps drivers push down or release the gas pedal.
Toyota spokesman John Hanson said the automaker does not yet have a solution to the latest problem but is working to develop one. Hanson said the company is unaware of any accidents or injuries due to the gas pedal problems associated with Thursday's recall, but could not rule it out for sure. He said the recall "came together very quickly," and said Toyota will soon be contacting owners directly about the matter.
Hanson added that all of the vehicles involved in the latest recall contain a gas pedal system that comes from a single supplier. He declined to identify the supplier or say whether Toyota would continue doing business with the supplier.
"Responsibility for this in the end is ours," he said."
(Yahoo)
January 21, 2010
Myspace Doing Some House Cleaning . . . . .
MySpace Cuts Three Senior Tech Execs
"MySpace has cut three senior tech executives from its staff, we’ve learned. We’re hearing that those affected are VP of Media & Entertainment Technology Kevin Freund, VP of Engineering Lucas Buck (who writes on his LinkedIn page that he was one of the original programmers who built MySpace), and VP of Engineering Sheetal Patel.
We’ve confirmed that those individuals are no longer with the company. MySpace provided the following statement:
“Our intent is to foster an environment of innovation and nimbleness that is centered on our user and our product. Today we’ve realigned our technology team against specific product lines to make it more efficient and allow us to bring new experiences to our users faster.”
We’re hearing that the cuts are part of a restructuring of technology and product that’s being conducted by Chief Product Officer Jason Hirschhorn and Chief Technology Officer Alex Maghen."
(TechCrunch)
"MySpace has cut three senior tech executives from its staff, we’ve learned. We’re hearing that those affected are VP of Media & Entertainment Technology Kevin Freund, VP of Engineering Lucas Buck (who writes on his LinkedIn page that he was one of the original programmers who built MySpace), and VP of Engineering Sheetal Patel.
We’ve confirmed that those individuals are no longer with the company. MySpace provided the following statement:
“Our intent is to foster an environment of innovation and nimbleness that is centered on our user and our product. Today we’ve realigned our technology team against specific product lines to make it more efficient and allow us to bring new experiences to our users faster.”
We’re hearing that the cuts are part of a restructuring of technology and product that’s being conducted by Chief Product Officer Jason Hirschhorn and Chief Technology Officer Alex Maghen."
(TechCrunch)
Another Uber Rare And Very Expensive Ferrari Up For Sale . . . . .
Rare Ferrari 400 Superamerica up for auction; could fetch $5 Million
"The Ferrari 400 SuperAmerica was originally unveiled in 1959 at the Turin Motor Show in Italy as a more powerful replacement for the outgoing 410. During the new car’s lifetime only 46 examples were built, with only six being short wheelbase convertibles. This particular model that will roll across the auction block on May 1st just so happens to be the last one ever constructed and adding even more to its classic car’s collectibility is that it is the only to featuring a set of sport style covered headlights and is expected to be sold for around $5,000,000.
The 400 SuperAmerica is powered by a 4.0 Liter Gioachino designed Ferrari V12 that produced 340 HP at a screaming 7000 RPM and could accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 9.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 174 MPH. The auction will take place at The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco and is part of the RM Auction circuit."
(TopSpeed)
"The Ferrari 400 SuperAmerica was originally unveiled in 1959 at the Turin Motor Show in Italy as a more powerful replacement for the outgoing 410. During the new car’s lifetime only 46 examples were built, with only six being short wheelbase convertibles. This particular model that will roll across the auction block on May 1st just so happens to be the last one ever constructed and adding even more to its classic car’s collectibility is that it is the only to featuring a set of sport style covered headlights and is expected to be sold for around $5,000,000.
The 400 SuperAmerica is powered by a 4.0 Liter Gioachino designed Ferrari V12 that produced 340 HP at a screaming 7000 RPM and could accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 9.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 174 MPH. The auction will take place at The Grimaldi Forum in Monaco and is part of the RM Auction circuit."
(TopSpeed)
Another Reason Why Drugs Will Remain Illegal . . . . .
A Common Cut in Cocaine May Prove Deadly
"According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, levamisole has become increasingly popular as a "cut," or diluting agent, in cocaine and possibly some heroin. It is now found in 70% of all cocaine seized in the U.S., up from 30% in 2008. Unlike most cuts — usually inert or relatively harmless substances like the B vitamin inositol, which are added by lower-level dealers looking to stretch supplies — levamisole appears to be added to cocaine from the outset, in the countries of origin. The substance has been found in various concentrations in cocaine analyzed in countries around the world, from Switzerland to Australia. And urine tests of cocaine users attending a drug clinic at San Francisco General Hospital in 2009 — one floor above Graf's office — found that 90% of samples were positive for levamisole; similar tests in Seattle revealed that 80% of cocaine users there had levamisole in their systems.
"If it's showing up in all those different places, that's a prima facie indicator that it's happening at the highest levels of production," says Craig Reinarman, a sociologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who has long studied cocaine. But since cocaine is illegal, there's no easy way to remove levamisole from the supply chain. Law enforcement could instead target large purchasers, possibly putting pressure on dealers to switch to other cuts."
(Time)
"According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, levamisole has become increasingly popular as a "cut," or diluting agent, in cocaine and possibly some heroin. It is now found in 70% of all cocaine seized in the U.S., up from 30% in 2008. Unlike most cuts — usually inert or relatively harmless substances like the B vitamin inositol, which are added by lower-level dealers looking to stretch supplies — levamisole appears to be added to cocaine from the outset, in the countries of origin. The substance has been found in various concentrations in cocaine analyzed in countries around the world, from Switzerland to Australia. And urine tests of cocaine users attending a drug clinic at San Francisco General Hospital in 2009 — one floor above Graf's office — found that 90% of samples were positive for levamisole; similar tests in Seattle revealed that 80% of cocaine users there had levamisole in their systems.
"If it's showing up in all those different places, that's a prima facie indicator that it's happening at the highest levels of production," says Craig Reinarman, a sociologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who has long studied cocaine. But since cocaine is illegal, there's no easy way to remove levamisole from the supply chain. Law enforcement could instead target large purchasers, possibly putting pressure on dealers to switch to other cuts."
(Time)
This Company Is Now Enforcing A Super Strict Hiring Policy . . . . .
Hospital Hiring Goes Up In Smoke
"Starting on February 1st, 2010, Memorial Hospital of Chattanooga, TN will only hire non-smokers. Applicants who apply for employment at the hospital will be tested for nicotine use, and even the use of the patch or nicotine gum could make an employee ineligible for hire at this hospital, or cause the hospital to rescind an offer already extended if the potential employee tests positive for nicotine."
(AOL)
"Starting on February 1st, 2010, Memorial Hospital of Chattanooga, TN will only hire non-smokers. Applicants who apply for employment at the hospital will be tested for nicotine use, and even the use of the patch or nicotine gum could make an employee ineligible for hire at this hospital, or cause the hospital to rescind an offer already extended if the potential employee tests positive for nicotine."
(AOL)
So You Want To Be A Gigolo Huh . . . . .
How to Pick Up A Rich Girl
Get these tips and date for fun and profit
The older, the easier
The stereotype of a "snobby little rich girl" is probably one of the most apt stereotypes out there -- everyone under the age of 25 is already too cocky for their own good and add a stack of hundreds and a lifetime of pampering to the pile and you've got one super entitled, very bitchy girl.
But as rich girls age, that edge of entitlement is replaced with a softening boredom with their lives in general. And thanks to easy living and some light (to major) plastic surgery, this cougar with cash to burn is a tight, tight package waiting for you to be her dangerous hobo (anyone who pulls in fewer than 6 figures a year is a hobo to a rich girl).
That's not to say you can't crack the nut that is a young rich girl. But the amount of effort it takes to pull that move off isn't going to repaid by the fruit of your labor. Because young rich girls don't give head. So aim OLDER.
Talk the talk
You don't have to drop a wad of cash on a rich girl and you don't have to be dressed in the finest of Italian leathers (in fact, skip the finest of Italian leathers, dude). But if you don't TALK like you're a rich guy (and like you've been a rich guy all your life), you're going to go down in flames.
Rich people don't take vacations. They "holiday." They don't have couches. They have "sofas." They don't talk about doing the dishes or cleaning up after themselves because they all have "a girl" who does that stuff for them. The 1993 Will Smith film "Six Degrees of Separation" has a great primer on how to expertly fake it like a rich guy.
The goal here isn't to memorize canned dialogue and try to impress the rich girl in question. You just need to confidently converse as if you've had money in the bank your whole life and make sure to not raise any red flags with phrases like like, "Man, SPAM is tasty!" or "I have to get home early to see if my food stamps were delivered."
Spend big...once
Rich girls are, first and foremost, girls. And like with any girls, a little chivalry goes a long, long way. So be prepared to plunk down some bucks for a swanky meal, some drinks and bottle service at a lounge your rich girl likes to frequent on weeknights.
But don't start gritting your teeth just yet. Once you've proven that you can hang, paying the check just becomes a matter who's quickest to the draw. And since you're not a rich guy, don't be a credit card cowboy. Let her pay. Trust us, she won't notice. When there are that many zeroes in your account (with a number at the left side rather than the right of said zeroes), a $1500 bottle of vodka is nothing.
Letting her pay after your initial encounter isn't being dishonest... you never said you were rich. You were just telegraphing that you know about the finer things in life and spending lots of money on said things (no matter who gets the tab) doesn't cause you to flinch.
Be frivolous and mean
Rich people have few real, everyday problems. Yes, they have relatives who get sick and yes they have their mini crises (just look at the Lohans... yick). But do rich people ever have to worry about losing their jobs? No. Do rich people ever have to wonder if they'll have enough money to cover their mortgage? Of course not... they probably don't even have mortgages. They own the banks, after all.
And a life without those little worries causes rich people to lose what us poor folk call "perspective." And no "perspective" means you're in for an easy, boring life. So what do the rich do when they get bored? They do frivolous shit and then they're mean to each other.
If you want a primer in rich girl frivolity, just rent "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Or look at Paris Hilton's life story -- it's all tanning, boats, wasting cash, doing drugs and having lots and lots of sex. The fun part is, you don't have to partake in all the frivolous activity... just be there when it goes down and jump on board when it comes to the sex part.
After bouts of frivolous fun, rich people turn on each other and get catty and mean. Who can blame them... they're bored out of their mind. If you were set for 10 lifetimes, you'd probably start some bizarre PR feud with your best friend too. When the mood turns sour with your rich girl, don't take it personally. Just diss her harder than she disses you and wait a week. Then call her up, feign some tears and apologize. She'll be back in your arms, asking you which Italian Count you're a descendant of in no time.
Have fun...then flee
Rich people can slum it and poor people can live it up. But no one jumps their social class ever, really. Just ask the parents of your rich girl... they had to earn their cash the hard way and they still think like you and your ilk, which is why they loathe their daughters hard partying, fast spending ways.
Unless the rich girl is a gem in the rough, she's going to be little more than a fun lost weekend or two. Don't get attached. Even if she falls for you and, against her parents better wishes, the two of you get hitched, you're going to be in for a miserable life... you'll never be able to provide for her in the manner she's used to. And if she's cool slumming it for the rest of her life, well then buddy, she was never a rich girl at all... she was a phony, just like you. Which means you're perfect for each other!
(MadeMan)
Get these tips and date for fun and profit
The older, the easier
The stereotype of a "snobby little rich girl" is probably one of the most apt stereotypes out there -- everyone under the age of 25 is already too cocky for their own good and add a stack of hundreds and a lifetime of pampering to the pile and you've got one super entitled, very bitchy girl.
But as rich girls age, that edge of entitlement is replaced with a softening boredom with their lives in general. And thanks to easy living and some light (to major) plastic surgery, this cougar with cash to burn is a tight, tight package waiting for you to be her dangerous hobo (anyone who pulls in fewer than 6 figures a year is a hobo to a rich girl).
That's not to say you can't crack the nut that is a young rich girl. But the amount of effort it takes to pull that move off isn't going to repaid by the fruit of your labor. Because young rich girls don't give head. So aim OLDER.
Talk the talk
You don't have to drop a wad of cash on a rich girl and you don't have to be dressed in the finest of Italian leathers (in fact, skip the finest of Italian leathers, dude). But if you don't TALK like you're a rich guy (and like you've been a rich guy all your life), you're going to go down in flames.
Rich people don't take vacations. They "holiday." They don't have couches. They have "sofas." They don't talk about doing the dishes or cleaning up after themselves because they all have "a girl" who does that stuff for them. The 1993 Will Smith film "Six Degrees of Separation" has a great primer on how to expertly fake it like a rich guy.
The goal here isn't to memorize canned dialogue and try to impress the rich girl in question. You just need to confidently converse as if you've had money in the bank your whole life and make sure to not raise any red flags with phrases like like, "Man, SPAM is tasty!" or "I have to get home early to see if my food stamps were delivered."
Spend big...once
Rich girls are, first and foremost, girls. And like with any girls, a little chivalry goes a long, long way. So be prepared to plunk down some bucks for a swanky meal, some drinks and bottle service at a lounge your rich girl likes to frequent on weeknights.
But don't start gritting your teeth just yet. Once you've proven that you can hang, paying the check just becomes a matter who's quickest to the draw. And since you're not a rich guy, don't be a credit card cowboy. Let her pay. Trust us, she won't notice. When there are that many zeroes in your account (with a number at the left side rather than the right of said zeroes), a $1500 bottle of vodka is nothing.
Letting her pay after your initial encounter isn't being dishonest... you never said you were rich. You were just telegraphing that you know about the finer things in life and spending lots of money on said things (no matter who gets the tab) doesn't cause you to flinch.
Be frivolous and mean
Rich people have few real, everyday problems. Yes, they have relatives who get sick and yes they have their mini crises (just look at the Lohans... yick). But do rich people ever have to worry about losing their jobs? No. Do rich people ever have to wonder if they'll have enough money to cover their mortgage? Of course not... they probably don't even have mortgages. They own the banks, after all.
And a life without those little worries causes rich people to lose what us poor folk call "perspective." And no "perspective" means you're in for an easy, boring life. So what do the rich do when they get bored? They do frivolous shit and then they're mean to each other.
If you want a primer in rich girl frivolity, just rent "The Talented Mr. Ripley." Or look at Paris Hilton's life story -- it's all tanning, boats, wasting cash, doing drugs and having lots and lots of sex. The fun part is, you don't have to partake in all the frivolous activity... just be there when it goes down and jump on board when it comes to the sex part.
After bouts of frivolous fun, rich people turn on each other and get catty and mean. Who can blame them... they're bored out of their mind. If you were set for 10 lifetimes, you'd probably start some bizarre PR feud with your best friend too. When the mood turns sour with your rich girl, don't take it personally. Just diss her harder than she disses you and wait a week. Then call her up, feign some tears and apologize. She'll be back in your arms, asking you which Italian Count you're a descendant of in no time.
Have fun...then flee
Rich people can slum it and poor people can live it up. But no one jumps their social class ever, really. Just ask the parents of your rich girl... they had to earn their cash the hard way and they still think like you and your ilk, which is why they loathe their daughters hard partying, fast spending ways.
Unless the rich girl is a gem in the rough, she's going to be little more than a fun lost weekend or two. Don't get attached. Even if she falls for you and, against her parents better wishes, the two of you get hitched, you're going to be in for a miserable life... you'll never be able to provide for her in the manner she's used to. And if she's cool slumming it for the rest of her life, well then buddy, she was never a rich girl at all... she was a phony, just like you. Which means you're perfect for each other!
(MadeMan)
When Will Politicians Learn To Keep Some Things Private . . . . .
Here’s a Better Look at the Goods Possessed by Scott Brown’s ‘Available’ Daughters
"A tipster who is friends with Scott Brown’s daughter Ayla was nice enough to send us this photo of her and her sister Arianna posing with their now-Senator Dad while clad in sexy bikinis. In lieu of Brown, who conservatives are already hoping with run for president in 2012, pimping out his “available” daughters during his victory speech last night, isn’t this just a little, oh, I don’t know, FUCKING CREEPY? Also, you must visit Ayla’s Myspace page and her HOT purple website. It’s like taking a web time machine back to the internet stone age."
(AnimalNewYork)
"A tipster who is friends with Scott Brown’s daughter Ayla was nice enough to send us this photo of her and her sister Arianna posing with their now-Senator Dad while clad in sexy bikinis. In lieu of Brown, who conservatives are already hoping with run for president in 2012, pimping out his “available” daughters during his victory speech last night, isn’t this just a little, oh, I don’t know, FUCKING CREEPY? Also, you must visit Ayla’s Myspace page and her HOT purple website. It’s like taking a web time machine back to the internet stone age."
(AnimalNewYork)
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