Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen

Ford underscores its love of electric cars, spends $135 million to make them happen

Ford really, really wants you to know that it's big on electric cars. Really. To that end, it's putting $135 million where its mouth is as part of the design and production for the electrified vehicles rolling out to dealer lots this year, such as the Focus Electric. A new research building in Dearborn is also being renamed as the Advanced Electrification Center to emphasize the uniform dedication to EVs and hybrids among the 1,000 researchers that call the Center their home away from home. We already know that the company plans to triple its manufacturing capacity to make 100,000 of the cars a year by 2013, but many of the supporting aspects are getting their own lift, Ford adds: it's hiring more engineers and doubling its battery testing capacity. The checklist of improvements you'll find after the break reflects some braggadocio on Ford's part, especially while it tries to stretch its jobs claims, but it's good news all the same. If the expansion keeps the likes of GM and Tesla on their toes, drivers hopefully win as a whole.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/15/ford-underscores-its-love-of-electric-cars-spends-135-million/

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John Lennon's Imagine encapsulate so many modern objections to ...

When people stop believing in heaven they often create hell on earth

Last night, watching the Olympic closing ceremony, like millions of others , I heard a digitally remastered John Lennon singing Imagine. The song was familiar, but the words took me by surprise.??These words encapsulate so many of the modern objections to religion and faith, that it seems a good idea to present a few counter-arguments.

To ?live for today? is precisely what we all do, all of us, believers and not. Christians do not neglect present exigencies just because they believe there is a afterlife. Rather, the call of eternal life makes this world more, not less important. To claim that Christians do not care about today, so wrapped up are they in what is to come, is to confuse Christianity with millenarian cultists, which is what we are not.

Heaven and hell, by the way, are not places ? they are states. Heaven is the state of seeing the Beatific vision; hell is the state of being utterly cut off from God. The idea of these being places either above or below us is persistent, and has its roots in Classical literature, but is certainly not taught by the Church.
Again, the nation-state may well engage in war with other states, but it is important to realise that the nation exists to defend and protect its citizens. Anarchy, in the classical meaning of the word, is envisioned as some sort of utopia, but in practice, where the state withers away, anarchy of the most non-benign type succeeds. Look at Somalia today. Look at Lebanon in the time of its civil war. Look at England under King Stephen. The withering away of the state does not lead to peace ? but the complete opposite.

As for religion withering away and leading to peace ? have a look at some of the avowedly atheist states of the twentieth century: Albania, the People?s Republic of China, and the Soviet Union. No rational person would ever choose to live in such a society.

What about ?no possessions?, then? Property is theft? ?No need for greed and hunger?? Is this really saying that all poverty and hunger is caused by people selfishly hoarding the world?s resources? Funnily enough it is at this point that John Lennon says something that Catholics may recognise. The Church teaches:

In the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labour, and enjoy their fruits. The goods of creation are destined for the whole human race. However, the earth is divided up among men to assure the security of their lives, endangered by poverty and threatened by violence. The appropriation of property is legitimate for guaranteeing the freedom and dignity of persons and for helping each of them to meet his basic needs and the needs of those in his charge. It should allow for a natural solidarity to develop between men.

So, Lennon is onto something here, though he is wrong to see property as creating hunger, when ownership of property should in fact guarantee a minimum of prosperity ? and in fact the greatest famines of the twentieth century were caused by collectivisation in the Soviet Union and China.

As for the brotherhood of man, that is a Christian idea, but as my old RE teacher told me, it is only possible under the Fatherhood of God. Generally speaking, when people imagine there is no heaven and no hell, and no God, they start doing the most beastly things to each other, and creating not Utopia, but Hell on earth.

Source: http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2012/08/13/john-lennons-imagine-encapsulate-so-many-modern-objections-to-religion/

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20 TV Shows With the Most Social Media Buzz This Week

Stop us if you've heard this one before: The Olympics are completely dominating social TV. Sound familiar? That's because the Games have indeed taken over the social TV charts for a third straight week.

We're not surprised that social media has been a constant stream of Olympic chatter. Between the memes, the upsets and the popstar comebacks, there was nary a moment unworthy of tweeting.

[More from Mashable: Every Citizen Has a Life in the New ?SimCity?]

SEE ALSO: 10 Unforgettable Moments From the Olympics Closing Ceremonies [GIFs]

The closing ceremony took home gold for Games programming; with a count of nearly 14 million for overall social activity, it topped the opening ceremony's social momentum by some 5 million mentions. Track and Field events also stirred conversation, as fans threw their support behind self-proclaimed legend and record-holding Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, as well as British Somali icon, distance runner Mo Farah.

[More from Mashable: Sesame Street Parodies Popular Video Games in New DVD [EXCLUSIVE]]

We've got to hand it to Love & Hip Hop Atlanta and WWE Monday Night Raw; these two programs are the only ones that maintained spots on the social TV charts throughout the Olympics. And of course, we can't forget about #10 on the cable chart, Air Jaws Apocalypse; it was the first program to air during Discovery's Shark Week 2012. If we know the Internet -- and we like to think we do -- sharks will be taking over the charts next week.

The data is courtesy of Trendrr, which measures social media activity related to specific television shows (e.g. mentions, likes, check-ins) across Twitter, Facebook, GetGlue and Miso. To see daily rankings, check out Trendrr.TV.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, subjug

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/20-tv-shows-most-social-media-buzz-week-014030498.html

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It really is absolutely vital to sustain a healthful weight to allow your body to carry out efficiently and adequately. Nevertheless in today?s time men and women often supersede their healthy weight with comfort and instant gratification on the subject [?] ? Read the rest of this entry?

Source: http://www.turkishspine.org/shopping-and-product-reviews/08/07/23/

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Spam Blocker to Help You Get Rid of Suspicious Messages | Best ...

Luckily, IT experts have come up with different varieties of spam blocker to overcome this challenge.

Spam electronic mails refer to digital communications received from a number of questionable origins. While many organizations make use of the Internet to market their goods and services, some misuse it and send out suspicious attachments. Opening these might initialize malware that unlawfully get personal and delicate material.

Spam email messages talk about automated mail messages coming from a few questionable sources. Although organizations make use of the Internet to promote their products and services, some abuse it and send out questionable attachments. Launching these might initialize malware that illegally obtain personal and sensitive details. Modern technology authorities developed anti spam software to resolve this problem. As increasing numbers of businesses want a slice of the online market, the utilization of spam could also grow. With this, people?s need to utilize software program that disables spam might also reach new heights.

Spam 101

Spamming is an act of mailing spam, and spammers are those who perform this activity. Figures show that in the year 2011, there were about seven trillion spam messages sent on the internet. This marketing system is a popular choice among organizations, as this doesn?t need a pool of staff or big budget to carry out. What a spammer needs are email addresses, which can be acquired through illegal means. Receivers could have a difficult time tracing the email sender. This is often disastrous particularly when a virus penetrates a network.

The Internal Market Commission of the European Union approximated that spam communications have cost different industries -10 billion in damages. California legislature, on the other hand, approximated that spam has caused damages worth around $13 billion. As the extent of the damages from spam reaches new levels, many look for useful methods to help them get rid of this annoyance.

Protecting your business from spam

There are many spam blocker software which can help firms guard their email systems and company network. Today, this software that fights spam is must-have in each and every device and programs people and businesses use.

Many wonder what enables spam blockers to handle their functions. Computer specialists employ integrated solutions of blocking. Individuals could set up these filtration systems on their own computers to handle and shield their email program. These filters check out each email you receive and monitor malicious files, viruses, and worms. Additionally, there are more efficient varieties of computer software that obstructs spam. Every tool gives special filtering process that protects important business files. The machine inspects electronic mails for any delicate phrases, keywords and symbols. The continual monitoring of an anti spam software will make sure no spam will likely make its way to a person?s or company?s inbox. Additionally, it checks outgoing messages for suspiciously big files, as this may mean sensitive information are being sent to some parties without the company?s approval.

As spam cost people and institutions time and money, individual users and firms must act and install anti-spam software in their email system. This will make certain all sensitive devices are safe and no sensitive files or information falls into the hands of the wrong people. Identity theft and intellectual property rights violations aren?t unusual crimes online. It would be disastrous if you or your company become victims.

Try to find companies offering anti-spam services as soon you have a network set up. Select the ideal anti-spam tools which will protect you from this online discomfort.

Source: http://bestarticlesportal.com/2012/08/spam-blocker-to-help-you-get-rid-of-suspicious-messages/

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Residents describe terror of Iran quake, 250 die

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Residents of the zone in northwestern Iran hit by powerful twin earthquakes described moments of terror and panic with birds crowing loudly in warning seconds before the ground shook. As the death toll rose Sunday to more than 250 with entire villages leveled, rescuers called off searches for survivors and turned their attention to caring for the 16,000 people left homeless.

At least 20 villages were totally destroyed in the quakes on Saturday that were followed by some 36 aftershocks, state television reported. Ahmad Reza Shajiei, a senior government official in charge of rescue operations, said more than 5,000 tents have been set up to shelter the thousands of displaced who spent the night outdoors.

"The moment the earthquake hit, it was like a snake biting from underground. It was the worst experience of my life," said resident Morteza Javid, 47, from Ahar.

"The walls were shaking and moving from side to side. It took about a minute before I could run out of the house," he said. "Seconds before the earthquake, crows were making a lot of noise, but I didn't understand why. It was only after the quake that I learned the crows were warning us." Javid said he drove more than a dozen injured people to hospitals during the night.

State television said at least 250 died. The semiofficial Mehr news agency quoted a local official who put the toll at 277. State TV said 44,000 food packages and thousands of blankets have been distributed in the stricken area.

In Washington, the White House press secretary sent a message of sympathy for the victims.

"Our thoughts are with the families of those who were lost, and we wish the wounded a speedy recovery," it said." We stand ready to offer assistance in this difficult time."

The U.S. and Iran are locked in a bitter fight over Tehran's disputed nuclear program, which the West suspect is aimed at producing weapons. Iran denies the allegation.

The U.N. also issued a message of sympathy and offered aid.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that Saturday's first quake was magnitude 6.4 and struck 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of the city of Tabriz at a depth of 9.9 kilometers (6.2 miles). State TV quoted local Crisis Committee chief Khalil Saei as saying the epicenter was a region between the towns of Ahar and Haris, about 600 kilometers (350 miles) northwest of the capital Tehran.

The second quake was a magnitude 6.3 and struck 11 minutes later, the USGS reported. Its epicenter was 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Tabriz at a depth of 9.8 kilometers (6.1 miles).

The quakes hit the towns of Ahar, Haris and Varzaqan in East Azerbaijan province, state television reported. In addition to 20 villages destroyed, more than 130 others sustained heavy damage, state TV said.

The aftershocks were felt in a wide region near the Caspian Sea, causing panic among the people.

Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes. It experiences at least one earthquake every day on average, although most are so small they go unnoticed. In 2003, some 26,000 people were killed by a magnitude 6.6 quake that flattened the historic southeastern city of Bam.

Television showed images of people being evacuated on stretchers, while others were treated for broken limbs and concussions. Dozens of families were sleeping on blankets laid out on the ground in parks. Some were crying, and others shivered from the cold in the mountainous region hit by the quake, near the border with Azerbaijan.

More than 1,100 rescuers worked through the night to pull out those trapped under rubble and to reach some of the more remote villages affected. Some 15 dogs were brought in to search for survivors.

By afternoon, state television reported that search operations had ceased. The government's attention shifted to providing shelter to the homeless and removing debris from the buildings destroyed.

Officials said the search was ended relatively quickly because the remote area is sparsely populated.

Naimeh Alapour said she ran out of her house without the mandatory Islamic headscarf when she felt the earthquake. Alapour, 35, lives in Tabriz, the provincial capital, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the epicenter of the earthquake.

"I simply took my kid and ran down the steps. The elevator was out of service. I don't know how I walked nine floors down. It felt like this was the end of the world," she said.

Officials have announced two days of mourning in East Azerbaijan province.

Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said the government will allocate funds to rebuild the houses destroyed in the quake, aiming to complete the construction before the arrival of cold winter temperatures.

Najjar said the plans aim to construct buildings resistant to earthquake. Most of houses in rural areas are built of mud, and they can crumble when even a moderate quake hits.

According to Najjar, several foreign countries have offered assistance, but he said Iran doesn't need outside help and can manage the situation. He did not name the countries.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/residents-describe-terror-iran-quake-250-die-185447704.html

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Factors to Consider Before Choosing a CMS | Internet Contents

A content management system, which is more commonly known as CMS, is software that you run on your own server in order to handle and publish all your website content easily, from HTML files, images, etc.

CMS makes the process of updating and uploading your content much simpler and easier, plus it gives you the added bonus of being able to easily create a dynamic, automated website.

Choosing the right content management system to use is probably one of the best things you can do for your website, but you have to know what factors you need to take into account before making your final decision.

The important questions

It probably sounds like a wise move to integrate a CMS into your Web management activities, but don?t make your decision based on that detail alone. You would need to figure out various things first. Ask yourself do I really need a CMS?

What kind of website will I be putting up/do I already have? Is it a blog, an online shop, a news website, or an image gallery?

What is the website updating and maintenance process like at the moment and how could it become more efficient?

Will further improvements and upcoming features on the site, such as interactivity tools, message boards, or even Flash movies, work well with a CMS?

What other elements of my website should my CMS be capable of handling?

The important thing is to know how your website can benefit from a CMS and how the CMS can streamline Web management for your group. Once you?ve established what kinds of capabilities you?re looking for, then you can start actively choosing your CMS.

Commercial vs. open source vs. custom-made

One of the first issues Web developers have to face is what kind of CMS they should select, and the first question is whether to go with a commercially-produced CMS, a free open-source CMS available for downloading online, or to have in-house programmers create a CMS from scratch. Each one has its own unique set of features and advantages, but also comes with its own problematic issues.

Commercial content management systems tend to make developers shrink back because of their thousand-dollar price tags, which is why only the biggest names in business tend to opt for a commercial CMS. The New York Times, JP Morgan Chase, ScotiaBank, and Sun Microsystems are just a few of the companies whose websites are working with a commercial CMS. The best part about a commercial CMS is that you can get regular updates, new plug-ins, and have regular tech support working for you. Unfortunately, it doesn?t lend itself easily to any modifications you might want to have done on the system.

Open-source CMS tend to be a heavy favorite with individual website developers because they?re easy to download, install, and run. There are open-source CMS out there that fulfill a particular function, such as those which target blog sites or online stores.

The main challenge of using open-source CMS is the fact that they don?t always tend to be very stable systems. Programmers are usually developing them on the side, and this doesn?t guarantee that the system will be regularly updated or repaired because it?s possible that software development can be halted or resumed depending on the creator?s whims.

Many companies also choose to have their own CMS developed in-house, or they may hire a development company to build it. This is favorable because it allows for flexibility and can integrate the very specific needs of a website. You will also be able to freely access the source code, make needed changes, and integrate additions to the CMS. However, it may prove to be much more time-consuming than simply buying or installing one, plus you might also need a dedicated team to fully develop and test its functionalities and conduct the site migration.

Other CMS factors

It doesn?t stop there. Once you?ve figured out for what purpose the CMS will be used, what kind of features you need, and what kind you want for your website, you would then have to determine other factors. These factors may include how user-friendly it would be, which people in your team will be using it, its simplicity of use for the non-technical members of your team, its capability of handling your website?s load, and its capacity to provide ample support and documentation, among other considerations.

CMS hunting grounds

Now that you?ve figured out what kind of CMS you have in mind, it?s time for you to get out there and start looking for the perfect one for your website. There are many sites offering CMS advice, comparisons, tips, and news about upcoming products as well as updates to systems currently out in the market.

Sites like Builder.com and CMSWatch.com provide more than adequate information on the subject which The CMS Matrix (www.cmsmatrix.org) allows you to do a search for the right CMS for your needs, and you will even get to see an exhaustive list of presently active CMS on the website.

You might also want to go straight to the CMS developers themselves to learn about how their system works and check out their demo pages, too. You can also look through the sites of Web design and development companies, since a lot of them also build content management systems bearing their brand and usually offer extensive how-to guides and support.

Making the right CMS choice in itself can be a long process, but it is undoubtedly worth it to take the time to understand everything a CMS can do for your website.

Factors to Consider Before Choosing a CMS

Jeremy Gislason is a leading expert on membership sites, marketing and online business. Do you want to market and sell all of your products faster? Take a FREE Test Drive of the MemberSpeed CMS Software here: http://www.MemberSpeed.com

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Source: http://www.econtentz.com/contents/internet-and-businesses-online/cms/factors-to-consider-before-choosing-a-cms/

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Weekend Special: Underwater Torpedo Adopted by A Group Of Traveling Mammals

Why Mark Peters and his friends Jeremy, Dave and William had a torpedo onboard their fishing boat, I don't know.

These four guys were looking for tuna 20 miles off Santa Cruz, and not doing too badly. In the first minute of this video, shot last week on Aug. 6, they catch a nice fish. Then they take the torpedo, which Mark built to carry a GoPro high-definition camera, drop it in the water, and something crazy happens.

Their "torpedo" isn't a blow-up-the submarine device; it's just a thin underwater missile that can streak through the water just below the surface and record video ? a kind of underwater moving camera ? and suddenly, about 1 minute 40 seconds in, company arrives.

I won't say anything more. I want you to be surprised.

Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/08/11/158590568/weekend-special-underwater-torpedo-adopted-by-a-group-of-traveling-mammals?ft=1&f=1007

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