Monthly Archives: November 2012


A fascinating video about an abandoned community

A fascinating video about an abandoned community

Reshared post from +The Verge

At one point, Hashima had a population density of 139,100 per square kilometer

Watch this: the chilling history behind the abandoned island in ‘Skyfall’
In Skyfall, the Japanese island of Hashima serves as the secret headquarters of Raoul Silva, the well-coiffed Bond villain played by Javier Bardem. In reality, it serves as a sobering reminder of the….

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Wagon – check 4

All-wheel-drive – check
High-revving naturally aspirated V8 – check
Budget – damn!

anybody got $90K to spare?

Reshared post from +Automobile Magazine

This is an +Audi USA RS4 Avant, a car that isn't yet confirmed for the U.S. market, at a Cars and Coffee event in Virginia. A sign of things to come, or a red herring?

Read more: http://bit.ly/PRBtdB
(Photo courtesy +QuattroWorld)

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They lost the electoral college, the presidential popular vote, the senate and popular… 2

They lost the electoral college, the presidential popular vote, the senate and popular vote for the house of representatives (winning the majority of seats only because of gerrymandering). To blame these losses on higher than expected turnout in urban areas is absurd.  

Republicans need to come to grips with the fact that most people in America live in urban areas and address the issues that those Americans face on a daily basis. Until that happens they will continue to lose and with good reason.

Embedded Link

Rep. Ryan: GOP ticket didn’t lose election on budget, Medicare – The Hill’s Blog Briefing Room
I don’t think we lost it on those budget issues, especially on Medicare, said Ryan on Monday. GOP vice presidential nominee Rep.

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The second-generation Ford Transit Connect is coming 7

Three years ago, +Ford Motor Company launched one of the most successful white-space vehicles of recent years with the Transit Connect. The first generation model was pretty utilitarian and although it was available as a 5-passenger wagon it was targeted mainly at cargo market for users that needed hauling capability but didn't need the size of the big, traditional E-Series vans. The Transit Connect offered a more fuel efficient alternative for plumbers, caterers, florists and many utility workers. http://www.autoblog.com/2010/05/05/2010-ford-transit-connect-review/

In 2013, Ford is bringing us an all-new Transit Connect and this time a fully equipped people hauler variant will join the cargo van. The new TC will be available in two wheelbase lengths with seating for five or seven passengers. With the new EcoBoost four cylinder, it's even expected to get over 30 mpg highway. With the second and third row seats folded down, the long wheelbase version can swallow more than 100 cubic feet of cargo weighing up to 1,200 pounds. That means you can load up an entire roomful of flat-pack furniture in just one trip to IKEA.

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Safer cars are harder for first responders to penetrate

As automotive crash safety standards have become tougher to meet over the past 40 years, automakers have had to resort to ever stronger materials to provide occupant protection without getting ridiculously heavy. The problem is the ultra-high-strength steels being used today are often impervious to the jaws of life that first-responders use to pry open the doors after severe collisions. 

Trade group, the Steel Market Development Institute is helping responders learn how to use existing tools more effectively and new tougher tools are being developed.

As Cars Get Stronger, Jaws Of Life Have To Be Tougher
Traffic fatality rates are as low as they’ve ever been. That’s in part because of increasingly high standards set by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and government regulators. More airbags,…

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Chocolate+Peanut Butter=Esprit+SHO V6?

A couple of my favorite cars are the old Lotus Esprit and the first generation +Ford Motor Company Taurus SHO. Now someone has brought the two together by replacing the turbocharged 2.2-liter four cylinder and the fragile and problematic Renault gearbox with the lovely Yamaha-designed 3.0-liter 24-valve V6.

By today's standards, the SHO's 220 hp output is nothing to excited about but in 1989 it was a wonder.  Unfortunately, like the Esprit, the SHO had a fragile gearbox as well, this one sourced from Mazda. This Esprit has mated the V6 with a Porsche gearbox so it should be a lot more durable. 

This could be a seriously fun for someone that likes to live on the edge. 

Lotus : Esprit SHO in Lotus | eBay Motors
Lotus : Esprit SHO in Lotus | eBay Motors

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I've never ordered a Pizza from Papa John's and I won't start now. 5

I've never ordered a Pizza from Papa John's and I won't start now.

Reshared post from +Dan Gillmor

Why there is zero chance that my next pizza order will be with Papa Johns; CEO cutting workers to avoid health care.

Papa John’s CEO: Obamacare likely to raise costs, result in employee’s hours being cut
?That?s what you do, is you pass on costs,’ John Schnatter told Edison State College students on Wednesday. ‘Unfortunately, I don?t think people know what they?re going to pay for this.?

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Hypocritical National Organization for Marriage tries to co-opt muslim bigotry to… 1

Hypocritical National Organization for Marriage tries to co-opt muslim bigotry to stop same-sex marriage

I suspect many of the more extremist Christian members of National Organization for Marriage would just as soon see all Muslims eradicated as cooperate with them. However, that isn't stopping NOM from trying to co-opt the corresponding bigotry of many of the more reactionary folks in the Islamic world to try to hurt companies that support same-sex marriage in the US including Starbucks. 

Frankly I'd like to see a list of companies that provide support to NOM so I can avoid doing business with them. 

AUDIO: NOM pledges to make Starbucks “pay” for support of marriage equality
National Organization for Marriage is pledging to continue its efforts to ensure that companies that back same-sex marriage pay a “price” in Middle Eastern countries that are hostile to gay rights.

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Let's give Justin Zatkoff the attention he clearly craves

Since Justin Zatkoff was so anxious to get attention when he falsely claimed to have been the victim of a hate crime at the hands of liberal thugs several years back, let's not let the web forget about it. He used the DMCA to get my friend +Mark Maynard's blog taken down the other day in an attempt to cover up his past, so if you are a Reddit user, go upvote the story there.  

Embedded Link

How MarkMaynard.com was taken down in a web-washing attempt by false “hate crime” victim Justin Zatkoff : AnnArbor
**This text has been taken from markmaynard.com under fair usage: [http://markmaynard.com/2012/11/my-site-was-taken-down-in-web-washing-attempt-by-fal…

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