Thursday, September 27, 2012

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive offers shocking performance — and prices

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive offers shocking performance — and prices

There's nothing exotic about electric vehicles -- not now that every automaker has dabbled in or built a handful, and hundreds of homebuilt EV conversions roam the roads. At least that's what I thought until today, when Mercedes-Benz revealed the production of its electric-powered Mercedes SLS AMG coupe, offering 740 hp, all-wheel-drive and a body that looks like liquid metal. It's price carries quite the shock as well.

While Mercedes has vowed to build an electric SLS AMG, it had to go to such extensive lengths to make sure the electron-powered SLS AMG lost nothing on its gas-powered brethren that the car could be considered all new. Power comes from a levee of lithium-ion batteries developed with the help of Mercedes Formula 1 engineers, packed into the tunnel where the drivelines and transmission used to reside. Using two electric motors on each axle, Mercedes was able to program the SLS AMG so that each wheel can be spun and braked independently -- a trick that should make for impressive handling.

With 60 kWh of battery storage -- the same as the mid-range version of the Tesla Model S -- Mercedes says the SLS AMG Electric Drive can travel about 155 miles on a charge. As there is no comparable all-wheel-drive electric supercar for sale yet in the world, at least until the Audi R8 eTron hits sometime next year. And because electric car owners want to stand out, Mercedes will offer the color above, which it calls "AMG electricbeam magno."

As for the cost: In Germany, the electric SLS AMG will run the equivalent of $536,804, making it the most expensive vehicle Mercedes-Benz has sold since the demise of Maybach; it's also double the price of a new Ferrari 458 Italia. There's no word yet on whether a few wealthy Americans will have the chance to buy the electric SMS AMG.

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5 cars you won't see anymore in 2013

MORE AT CNNMONEY.COM

Discontinuing a car line isn't like closing a Broadway show or cancelling a television series. In addition to hundreds of millions of dollars in sunk cost, a lot of marginal profit is being sacrificed -- the profitability of a car line can actually increase as it ages because the development costs have been amortized.

But at some point, a mercy killing for the weak is required. Sales have fallen too low, another model has come along to replace it in the product lineup, or the car has simply become an embarrassment.

At least two of the three were the reasoning behind Daimler's decision to stop making all five Maybach models in June, six months ahead of schedule. Often compared to an airport executive lounge on wheels, the car never found an audience among either the established or nouveau rich. Its sales had sunk to a pitiable level. Through July, only seven Maybachs had found buyers this year vs. 224 for Rolls-Royce, according to numbers compiled by Automotive News.

Here are some other models that will be breathing their last at one point or another in 2013:

Chevrolet Avalanche

GM is getting ready to launch a new platform for its full-size pickups and decided not to make a reengineered Avalanche one of the spin-off models. Sales of the once-popular truck/SUV combo have been slipping for six years in the face of higher fuel prices and the greater availability of crew-cab trucks. In past years, GM might have kept the old vehicle in production as a "classic" -- its owners are exceptionally devoted -- but that doesn't appear to be in the cards this time.

Dodge Caravan/Chrysler Town & Country

Chrysler is starting the 2013 model year with two minivan brands, but it will likely end the year with just one. Badge engineering is a no-no for CEO Sergio Marchionne, who says customers are smart enough not to be fooled by minor cosmetic differences. It remains to be seen whether the Caravan or Town & Country gets the ax.

Mazda CX-7

A crossover unlike most others, the CX-7 was an outlier in the segment with its minivan-like interior packaged in an aerodynamic shell. It makes way for the smaller CX-5, which is already winning kudos for its efficient use of space and unusually sprightly handling.

Mitsubishi Eclipse

The Eclipse has struggled through the 2012 model year -- only 601 have found buyers since January -- and it will not make it to the starting blocks for 2013. The last one was built in August 2011. Those with long memories will recall that the Eclipse was introduced in 1990 as triplets. Two versions were marketed by Chrysler divisions now defunct: the Plymouth Laser and Eagle Talon. Now a senior citizen by sporty car standards, the Eclipse outlived both of them.

Lexus HS 250h

Toyota stopped building this hybrid in January, though it waited until May to confirm that production was ending. Customers clearly objected to paying a $10,000 premium for what they viewed as an upgraded Prius, and only four HS's were sold in July. Its demise was hastened by the looming arrival of another Lexus hybrid, the ES 300h, which gets to dealers in August.

Four ways Mitt Romney can still win the election

By Scott Bomboy | National Constitution Center – 6 hrs ago

Despite recent trends in public opinion polls, Mitt Romney is far from out of the presidential race, if several historic trends break his way.

The release of new polling data this week from two sources showed the incumbent, President Barack Obama, opening up sizable leads in the key swing states of Florida and Ohio.

If accurate, the gap-especially in Ohio—would put Obama and the Democrats within a handful of electoral votes of a win in November.

The consensus Real Clear Politics electoral map now shows President Obama with a projected 265 electoral votes, with Ohio placed in the Obama win column. The winner needs 270 electoral votes.

By that count, seven swing states remain: Colorado, Iowa, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina and Virginia. Also, RCP has another swing state, Wisconsin, in the Obama column.

But a lot can change in the last six weeks of a presidential campaign. If trends didn’t shift in an election’s home stretch, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and George Bush would have lost their elections in 1960, 1980 and 2000.

Here’s what has to happen for Mitt Romney to get back in the game – if he’s even out of it at this point.

Lesson 1: The latest poll numbers aren’t the final election results

Those two polls, from the Washington Post and CBS/New York Times/Quinnipiac, show what has been a four-point swing in Ohio and Florida toward Obama. The average margin of error for those two polls is 3.75 percent. The other recent poll for Ohio, from Gravis Marketing, puts Obama up by one percent.

Also, in 2008 the Quinnipiac poll consistently gave Obama higher numbers in Ohio than other polls. In late September, Quinnipiac had Obama up by eight points in Ohio, while Rasmussen had McCain with a one-point lead.

The final Quinnipiac 2008 poll in Ohio had with a seven-point lead for Obama; he won the state by 4.6 percent.

The 2008 Quinnipiac poll in Florida had Obama slipping from an eight-point lead in late September to a 2-point margin in late October against McCain. Obama won Florida by 2.6 percent in the election.

So the poll numbers in late September aren’t the final election results, especially in Ohio. In 2004, eight of nine polls in the election’s final week under counted Bush’s win over Kerry in Ohio.

And we won’t get into the 1948 election, which Gallup projected a Thomas Dewey win by four points in the national election. Gallup under counted Truman’s votes by 9 percent.

Lesson two: History shows a national vote can swing late in the game

In this week four years ago, Obama had a three-point lead in Gallup’s national polling over his GOP opponent, John McCain, among regular voters. Obama’s lead grew to 11 percent among regular voters by Election Day.

In 2004, George Bush had an 11-point lead over the challenger, John Kerry, in the last week of September among regular voters. By October 10, Gallup had the national race tied at 48 percent for each candidate. Bush rallied to win the election.

In 2000, Al Gore had an 8-point national lead over Bush among regular voters in late September. That lead slipped to three points by early October. Bush won that election.

Another example of a late election rally was Ronald Reagan’s stretch run against the incumbent, Jimmy Carter, in 1980. Carter had a six-point lead over Reagan late in October as the campaign’s only debate loomed. Reagan made up nine points in the Gallup poll and took it into Election Day on November 4, 1980. Reagan won the popular vote by 8.3 percent on that day.

Lesson three: Debates can be the great election game changer

As we recounted earlier this week, John Kennedy made up six points in the national Gallup poll in 1960 after his first televised debate with Richard Nixon.

Link: How the Kennedy-Nixon debate changed politics forever

And as we explained above, Ronald Reagan made up nine points after winning his debate against Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Those facts haven’t been lost on the Romney camp and the challenger has been using Ohio Senator Rob Portman in his mock debate preparations.

President Obama will spend three days in Nevada preparing for next Wednesday’s debate in Denver. There were reports this week that Obama will spend less time preparing for the debates than Romney, because of his presidential schedule.

And while more people will likely watch the first of three debates, a mistake in any debate can prove costly. Gerald Ford made his “Eastern European” mistake in the second 1976 debate.

Ford went down three points in the Gallup national poll after the gaffe. However, he also made up six points in the election’s final weeks.

Lesson four: The arithmetic is all about the Electoral College

While the national vote is a big indicator of who wins the general election, you can ask former vice president Al Gore about the importance of the Electoral College.

Gore won the 2000 popular vote by 0.5 percent, but lost the Electoral College by six votes.

The fact is Mitt Romney can win the election, even if he loses Ohio and Virginia. He just needs to take the other seven swing states, including Florida.

If Virginia goes to Romney and if Romney also takes Florida, he has a 13-vote cushion in the Electoral College with 283 votes. Five of the remaining swing states have fewer than 13 votes: Wisconsin (10), Colorado (9), Iowa (6), Nevada (6) and New Hampshire (4).

So in the 2012 version of presidential bingo, Obama could “double down” on Nevada and Iowa, and still lose to Romney if the GOP can hold Florida, Virginia and North Carolina, and keep the other three swing states.

While Ohio would be a big loss for the Republicans, it’s not nearly as big as Florida. If Obama takes Florida, Romney needs to win all eight swing states, including Ohio, as his only mathematical option.

And as a final footnote, Romney can win the four biggest swing states—Florida, Ohio and North Carolina and Virginia—and lose the Electoral College by two votes.

The GOP needs to wrap up the smaller states—Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire—to have a significant chance of winning.

The Buick Regal GS 2012 Review

In Auto Reviews, Buick / By Sana Noor / 10 March 2012 / 0 comments

For many years the European manufacturers have tried to develop a car worth the praise and honor and glory that the well known NASCAR used to have. The need to have a car that would not only be easy on the pocket and hard on the fast lane, led to the development of the Buick Regal GS. The year 2012 has great news for people who not only require a car that shows its might but also saves on the escalating fuel prices. The Buick Regal GS is one invention that is not meant to move slowly, its engine is meant for the people who love living on the fast lane. The beauty of this machine is not only in the engine but also on the body works. Indulge in the reviews contained herein and certify that it’s truly the best thing to happen in 2012.

The Buick Regal GS is considered to be the successor of the Buick Regal Grand National. The name change allowed the company to desist from having to make royalty payments to the minds behind the NASCAR. The Buick Regal GS has a front wheel drive, a two liter turbo charges that propels the massive energy to the front wheel to great speeds. The engineers working on this baby are continuously trying to come up with a auto transmissions system. This will greatly replace the manual transmission that is currently installed in the models in the market today.

With the great demand for speed and power, many car manufacturers have come up with various designs that will clearly be a speedy wonder. The Buick regal GS has not been pared either. It has gathered its fare share of competition. The GS competition includes Kia Optima Turbo, and Hyundai Sonata Turbo. These two cars have more power and speed. But their exorbitant prices leave them only affordable to the Big Fish in motor industry. Other notable GS opponents include the Infiniti G25, Volvo S60, Acura TSX and the Lexus IS250. All these cars are not a complete package as compared to the lovely Buick Regal GS.

The designers also burnt the midnight oil to come up with the GS designs. Right from the front to the rear the designers made sure the GS would be top class car. The structural aerodynamics of this car will marvel in any place whenever the GS zoom past. Inclusion of vertical air scoops will not only allow cooling the engine providing the massive torque but also blend the aerodynamics of the GS. The pair exhausts allow airflow into the engine and deliver the desired power. Fog lights have been replaced by innovative LED lamps; a rear spoiler allows improved performance of the 20 inch alloy rims.

So much about the outside, the inside of the Buick Regal GS is total crystal black. An aluminum finish and trimmed panels make the overall appearance to be eye catching. The steering wheel does not disappoint in design either. It I designed to allow one to be in total control of the massive power. LCD displays of all the meters, bolstered front seats, an audio GPS guide and 12 volts output sockets complement the whole interior design With a certified power dense engine, 270 horsepower, 6 speed manual gear shift the Buick Regal GS there can be no speed limit. Get one of the new GS today and feel the power. The cost of the GS is at an affordable range. And with the right financial assistance this baby can be in the driveway waiting for the road rash. Get the desired dealer to get the GS and embrace the newest automotive technology in 2012.

ABC News Tracks Missing iPad To Florida Home of TSA Officer

By MEGAN CHUCHMACH, RANDY KREIDER and BRIAN ROSS | Good Morning America – 9 hours ago

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In the latest apparent case of what have been hundreds of thefts by TSA officers of passenger belongings, an iPad left behind at a security checkpoint in the Orlando airport was tracked as it moved 30 miles to the home of the TSA officer last seen handling it.

Confronted two weeks later by ABC News, the TSA officer, Andy Ramirez, at first denied having the missing iPad, but ultimately turned it over after blaming his wife for taking it from the airport.

The iPad was one of ten purposely left behind at TSA checkpoints at major airports with a history of theft by government screeners, as part of an ABC News investigation into the TSA's ongoing problem with theft from passengers.

The full video report will be seen today on "Good Morning America," "ABC World News with Diane Sawyer" and "Nightline."

We want to hear from you. Tell us about your experience with the TSA by joining the conversation on Facebook.

"This is the tip of the iceberg," said Rep. John Mica, R.-Florida, chair of the House Transportation Committee and a frequent critic of TSA senior management. "It is an outrage to the public, and actually to our aviation system."

The TSA said Ramirez was no longer with the agency as of Wednesday afternoon. In a statement to ABC News, the agency said it has "a zero-tolerance policy for theft and terminates any employee who is determined to have stolen from a passenger."

According to the TSA, 381 TSA officers have been fired for theft between 2003 and 2012.

The agency disputes that theft is a widespread problem, however, saying the number of officers fired "represents less than one-half of one percent of officers that have been employed" by TSA.

PHOTOS of TSA officers charged in connection with theft from passengers.

In the ABC News investigation, TSA officers at nine of the ten airport checkpoints followed agency guidelines and immediately contacted the owner, whose name and phone number were displayed prominently on the iPad case.

Luggage checked at the same airports with iPads and cash went through security undisturbed.

But in Orlando, the iPad was not immediately returned and two hours later its tracking application showed the device as it moved away from the airport to the home of the TSA officer.

After waiting 15 days, ABC News went to the home and asked Ramirez to return the iPad.

He denied knowing anything about the missing iPad and said any items left behind at security checkpoints are taken to lost and found.

The Orlando airport lost and found said there was no record of an iPad being turned in on the day in question.

Ramirez produced the iPad only after ABC News activated an audio alarm feature, and turned it over after taking off his TSA uniform shirt.

His explanation for the missing iPad in his home was that his wife had taken it from the airport.

"I'm so embarrassed," he told ABC News. "My wife says she got the iPad and brought it home," he said.

Moments later, his wife appeared at the door to say she had found it and "no told my husband."

Asked how that was possible given that ABC News tape showed him handling the iPad at the security checkpoint, Ramirez shut the door and has not responded to questions since.

No TSA official, including director John Pistole, would agree to be interviewed by ABC News about the issue of theft and what steps TSA has taken to address the long-standing problem.

In its statement, the TSA said it "holds its employees to the highest ethical standards."

A spokesperson said Pistole has established the Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate allegations of misconduct and that most TSA employees are "honest, hardworking people."

Congressman Mica says TSA management has failed to properly do background checks on the employees it hires as officers, and had earlier this year asked the Government Accountability Office to do a full investigation of TSA's theft problems.

"[If] you're not vetting them before you put them on the job, and allow them to rummage through

Science Proves God

***[Moderator Note] Pahu is no longer a member of Think Atheist. If you would like to add your thoughts to this thread, that is your prerogative; however, the original poster is not able to respond.[/Moderator Note]***

When we set out to explain why and how something happens, we must use the evidence, facts and experience available to us if we are to arrive at a logical conclusion. Using available evidence, experience, facts, observation and experimentation, we know that the universe had a beginning and that before that beginning there was no universe and therefore there was nothing. We know this because of the Law of Causality (for every cause there is an effect and for every effect there is a cause). Based on this law, we can use the following logic:

1. The universe exists.

2. The universe had a beginning.

3. Before the beginning of the universe, there was no universe.

4. Since there was no universe, there was nothing.

5. Since the universe does exist, it came from nothing.

6. Nothing comes from nothing by any natural cause.

7. Therefore the cause of the universe is supernatural.

8. Life exists.

9. Life always comes from pre-existing life of the same kind (the Law of Biogenesis).

10. Life cannot come from nonliving matter by any natural cause.

11. Since life does exist, the cause of life is supernatural.

Many people with a naturalistic worldview assume everything can be explained by natural causes. From the beginning, they reject the possibility of a supernatural cause. Because of this they are left with no scientifically valid answers to the question of how the universe could come from nothing, which is impossible by any natural cause of which we are aware. Many answers have been proposed that go beyond the realm of known evidence, experience, facts, observation and experimentation and therefore enter the realm of fiction.

The same logic applies to life. Using available evidence, experience, facts, observation and experimentation, we know that life only comes from pre-existing life of the same kind.

[color=blue][i]“Spontaneous generation (the emergence of life from nonliving matter) has never been observed. All observations have shown that life comes only from life. This has been observed so consistently it is called the Law of Biogenesis. Evolution conflicts with this scientific law by claiming that life came from nonliving matter through natural processes”[/color][/i] [[url=http://www.creationscience.com/onlinebook/]From “In the Beginning” by Walt Brown[/url]]

Life never comes from non-living matter by any natural cause of which we are aware.

Now that we have seen proof that God exists, using logic based on known evidence, experience, facts, observation and experimentation, we need to see if He has revealed Himself to us. In the Holy Bible there are hundreds of prophecies given by God who is speaking in the first person. In both Bible and secular history we find that those prophecies have been accurately fulfilled. No other writing on earth comes close to doing this! Only God can accurately reveal the future, ergo, He is the author of the Holy Bible. Within the pages of the Holy Bible He reveals His nature, our nature, His relationship to us, our need for salvation and His plan of salvation for us.

The reason the universe and life cannot come from nothing by any natural cause, but can come from a supernatural cause is because God is the self-existent creator of everything and everyone. He is not subject to His creation. He created it and sustains it. It is a mistake to judge God by human standards and human perspectives. God reveals that He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent.

If you are interested in more detailed proof, read, [i]“Evidence that Demands a Verdict”[/i] by Josh McDowell.

What to do in Rhode Island

Little Rhody is packed with 400 miles of coastline and 20 percent of the country’s historic landmarks. Newport is the sailing capital of the world, home to the famed Gilded Age mansions. Providence’s celebrated restaurants, award-winning theatre, and vibrant arts scene is enhanced by an elaborate river-walk. Block Island’s natural beauty beckons you to unwind. Whether you choose South County’s pristine beaches, East Bay’s magnificent coastal bikeway, footsteps through history in Blackstone Valley, or shopping in Warwick, you'll experience authentic Rhode Island.