THE BLANKENSHIP POST

WTF is wrong with America? We are $15 trillion in debt, 9% (or likely 13%) unemployment, education is poor, housing market is down, totally dependent on foreign oil, lame duck President and Congress, AND we have people fighting over a TV on Black Friday????

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All it took was a handshake! NBA - Yahoo! Sports

2011-11-26T06:33:00.001-08:00

via sports.yahoo.com

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Happy Thanksgiving From Wheels

2011-11-24T06:27:00.001-08:00

via wheels.blogs.nytimes.com

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Steve Jobs: A difficult patient – The Chart - CNN.com Blogs

2011-10-25T18:43:00.001-07:00

via thechart.blogs.cnn.com

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Epitaph Cruiser « Antenna Magazine #bike #cool

2011-10-25T18:29:00.001-07:00

via antennamag.com

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This is pure politics. You want access to a 20+ million TIV, than give us your technology. Pressured by China, Automakers Will Launch Electric Cars | Global News - Advertising Age

2011-09-29T15:23:00.001-07:00

In the past few months, numerous global automakers have disclosed plans to let their Chinese joint ventures produce electric vehicles. General Motors, Daimler AG, Suzuki Motor Corp., Volkwagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. all have said that they will build EVs in China.
Why are these companies jumping in? It's not to satisfy consumer demand for EVs. In fact, EV sales in China are virtually nonexistent.
The automakers are doing so because Beijing wants them to.
If foreign automakers want to expand operations in China, they must do two things. They must share their EV technology with their Chinese partners -- which happen to be state-owned companies -- and they must help those partners create new local car brands.
When these requirements were unveiled last year, foreign automakers initially resisted. That's why it took companies like VW longer than expected to win Beijing's approval to build new assembly plants in China.
This year, the foreign automakers finally came up with a smart idea. They could make EVs in China, and these EVs would be launched under new brands created for their China joint ventures.
This allows them to kill two birds with one stone: They will produce EVs in China, and they will create new Chinese brands to sell them.
How will they do this? Details are scarce, but the automakers have dropped some hints. At the Beijing auto show last year, Volkswagen unveiled the E-Lavida, an electric version of the Golf-based sedan that VW produces in China. This month, VW followed up with the news that its new Tantus brand -- to be shared with its joint-venture partner SAIC Motor Corp. -- will market an EV. The company offered no further details.
Meanwhile, GM recently announced that it also will produce an EV jointly with SAIC. The company offered no additional details, although it said the new vehicle wouldn't be the Volt. However, the mystery vehicle might be an EV version of the Chevrolet New Sail sedan, a prototype that GM displayed last year.
In August, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced plans to produce an EV jointly with partner Dongfeng Motor Corp. under the new brand Venucia. Mr. Ghosn offered no further details, although he noted that the new vehicle wouldn't be the Leaf.
Other global automakers are expected to take a similar approach. Most likely, their first Chinese-produced EVs will be based on existing gasoline models already produced by their joint ventures. And these vehicles will spawn fancy new brands like Venucia.
Very soon we'll hear that other global brands, including EV-wary Hyundai Motor Co., will announce plans to build EVs in China.
Is there a Chinese market for these green vehicles? The answer is not yet, due to the prohibitively high prices of EVs and the lack of a charging station network.
But this is not important. The foreign automakers will introduce EVs anyway, because they want China's approval to expand production capacity. And they are finally starting to get it.
After waiting for a year, VW received permission from China's central economic planning agency to build a new plant in south China's Guangdong province. And a few days after it signed its agreement to develop an EV with partner SAIC, GM announced plans to build a new assembly plant in the northeast Chinese city of Shenyang. To be sure, GM CEO Dan Akerson insisted that China's government did not pressure it to share the Volt's technology.
Some analysts have speculated that the foreign companies won't bring their best EV technology to China. Instead, they'll do the minimum necessary to meet Bejing's requirements.
Wouldn't China's state-owned automakers pressure their foreign partners for the latest EV technology? The international joint ventures have been lucrative for the state-owned companies, notes one veteran auto analyst who asked not to be named. As long as those ventures grow, the Chinese partners have no incentive to rock the boat.
Private Chinese automakers -- companies like BYD, Geely and Great Wall -- are a different matter. They are lean and hungry, and they want the best technology right now, if not sooner.
Indeed, BYD has managed to negotiate an EV joint venture with Daimler. But the others have been frozen out, and Beijing isn't especially concerned about them. The private carmakers will have to fend for themselves.
Automotive News China.
-

via adage.com

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Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action - YouTube

2011-09-20T11:40:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

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Road Gets Bumpy for GM in China #ev #auto #technology #global

2011-09-18T10:03:00.001-07:00

By SHARON TERLEP

WSJ's Sharon Terlep describes GM's efforts to establish itself in China, where more than 16 million cars were sold last year. AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

As the world's biggest car maker powers ahead in the world's biggest car market, it's hitting bumps in the road.

General Motors Co. next week will hold its board of directors meeting in Shanghai, where it has its main China joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. It is GM's first board meeting in Asia and only its fourth ever outside the U.S. The meeting will stretch over three days and include plant tours and a town-hall gathering with employees.

But even amid the pageantry, the difficulties of doing business in China are coming into focus for the car giant. One recent example: GM would like to bring its Volt electric car into China. But Chief Executive Dan Akerson said he refuses to share electric-car technology in exchange for hefty consumer rebates from the Chinese government that would juice sales of the vehicle.

"There are technology risks, there are relationship risks, there are business risks. I am sure China will do what's best for China," Mr. Akerson said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "But you ignore China at your own peril."

The lure is China's astonishing growth. In 2000, just over a million light vehicles were sold there. Last year, that number hit 16.6 million, surpassing the U.S.'s 11.6 million. J.D. Power and Associates predicts by 2018 the Chinese market will reach 33 million vehicles—more sales than the U.S. and European Union combined. Low labor and production costs have meant juicy profit margins in China.

All of that has kicked Western auto makers into high gear. GM's cross-town rival, Ford Motor Co., plans to build four new plants in China by the end of 2015, launch 15 new vehicles and double its dealers in the country. Volkswagen AG, the No. 2 auto maker in China behind GM-SAIC, has made China the center of its global growth plan and is investing heavily there. Hyundai Motor Co., meantime, is in talks with Chinese partner Beijing Automobile Industry Holding Co. to create a China-only brand that will focus on electric cars.

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Reuters
GM CEO Dan Akerson, shown at a Beijing news conference earlier this year, says auto makers ignore China at their peril.

But that euphoria is increasingly tempered. Industry executives say they are fretting the race to build plants will lead to a glut of factories down the road, much like what eventually contributed to the collapse of the U.S. auto industry. And they worry about the heavy hand of the Chinese government, which requires foreign companies to partner with and split their profits with local companies as a condition of doing business in China.

Ford's expansion plans would more than double its presence in China. The auto maker hasn't decide how far it will go to appease the government when it comes to sharing technology. If Ford starts selling electric cars in China, a company spokeswoman said, "we would determine how much, if any, technology we would share with our joint venture at the appropriate time."

"The potential of China is incredible but there are significant restrictions coming on board and some obstacles and roadblocks to really tapping into that full potential," said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with IHS Global Insight. "It could implode if something goes wrong and everybody has put their eggs in one Chinese basket."

There are other speed bumps in China.

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Auto-sales growth slowed this year after the Chinese government took steps to slow momentum, including a cap on how many new vehicles consumers could buy. The Asian Development Bank this week cut China's economic growth forecast to 9.3% for the year from its previous estimate of 9.6%, though even the lower number is blazing fast compared with the sluggish economies in the U.S. and Western Europe. Analysts, in turn, have cut auto sales forecasts for China.

Another issue: Chinese auto companies want a bigger share of their home market, and are expanding at a rapid pace. China-based auto companies had a 29% share of the Chinese market in 2010, the lowest rate for home-grown companies in any major auto market, according to consulting firm AlixPartners. In Japan and South Korea, local auto makers had a 95% share of the market; in the U.S. it was 43%.

Then there's overbuilding. In a recent survey of global auto executives by research firm KPMG, a quarter said they expect China to have 20% more automotive capacity than needed within the next five years.

Li Shufu, the chairman of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, China's biggest privately owned car firm, said overcapacity is a concern, but his company is pressing ahead with expansion anyway. Since Geely bought Sweden's Volvo Cars from Ford last year, the Swedish car maker has green-lighted an assembly plant in the southwestern city of Chengdu and has plans to build another in Daqing, in northeastern China. Volvo's goal is to sell 200,000 cars in China by 2015, more than six times the 30,000 it sold there last year.

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Bloomberg News
This GM assembly plant is in Shanghai, site of the company's board meeting next week.

"There are too many brands, too many companies there and some will not survive," said AlixPartners managing director John Hoffecker.

GM's Mr. Akerson compares China today with the U.S. in the early 1900s, when the market was exploding and companies around the world rushed in. In the U.S., companies raced to build factories and add brands and models to meet demand until eventually there were more vehicles than demand. Dozens of U.S. auto companies went out of business. "In the U.S., we had a boom and we had a bust and, like it or not, that will happen in China," he said.

Mr. Akerson is determined to grow in China and is prepared to invest billions to do so. He said the company will build three factories in the next several years and is weighing plans to locally produce several Cadillac luxury models for the Chinese market.

GM was one of the first auto makers to move into China in 1999. With its SAIC partnership and other joint ventures, GM is China's largest vehicle manufacturer with around a 13% share of the market. GM China sales are up 5.4% this year. Last year sales grew nearly 30%.

Early on, GM readily accommodated demands from the government and its Chinese partners because it was eager to beat rivals into the market. The company helped its partners build factories that were mirror images to ones in the U.S. it spent decades perfecting.

But Mr. Akerson has drawn the line when it comes to the Chevrolet Volt, one of the company's engineering crown jewels. GM plans to begin selling the Volt in China starting later this year. In order for GM to qualify for a government subsidy of $19,000—roughly half the price of the car—GM would have to share the secrets of at least one core technology behind the Volt with a Chinese auto company. GM declined. Mr. Akerson figures GM will take a sales hit as a result.
—Jeff Bennett, Vanessa Fuhrmans and Mike Ramsey contributed to this article.

via online.wsj.com

What's the cost of doing business in China? GM is learning, as it attempts to protect it's electric vehicle technology (the Volt).

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Cadillac's electric Converj concept given greenlight | The Car Tech blog - CNET Reviews

2011-08-11T19:14:00.001-07:00

via reviews.cnet.com

Can't wait to see the specs. 150 mile range would be great!

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Apple's NYC 'cube' store remodel goes seamless | Apple Talk - CNET News

2011-08-11T19:11:00.001-07:00

via news.cnet.com

Simple beauty.

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Apple has more cash than the federal government | The Ticket - Yahoo! News

2011-07-30T13:21:00.001-07:00

Paul Sakuma (AP)
Who's ready for iAmerica?

As the BBC has reported, the software company Apple has more cash on hand than the United States federal government, according to the company's financial records.

Apple's quarterly financial report shows that the company responsible for the iPad, iPod and the iPhone now has $76.4 billion in reserve cash, while the Treasury Department is sitting on just $73.7 billion.

The feds could probably learn a thing or two from Apple's success. Congress remains embroiled in a debate over spending and whether the federal government, which currently owes trillions in debt, should be allowed to borrow even more. International credit rating agencies have threatened to downgrade the national debt for the first time in the nation's history if Washington doesn't come up with a solution to lift the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling while implementing a concrete plan to get the nation's financial house in order.

Meanwhile, Apple's financial report shows that the company's profits, even through the last recession, are booming.

via news.yahoo.com

Seems reasonable since the U.S.A. is bankrupt. There's a hard reality that we fail to acknowledge which is the fact we don't "make" things like we used to in America. We need to get back to making things, spending less and saving more.

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Jerry Jones, are you watching? This is how it's done. Really Big D: Mavericks top Heat for NBA title

2011-06-12T20:13:00.001-07:00

MIAMI (AP)—For Dirk Nowitzki (notes), the resume is complete. He’s an NBA champion.
For LeBron James (notes), the agonizing wait continues for at least one more year.

Love the coaches comments; we don't run the fastest, we don't jump the highest, we aren't the best shooters, but we trust each other and are a team.

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$25,000, 350-mile-per-charge electric car could be reality by 2017, DOE says | Greenspace | Los Angeles Times

2011-05-13T21:20:00.001-07:00

via latimesblogs.latimes.com

I had a wonderful time today at Exposition Park attending w/The CODA an event celebrating the 500th EVSE installed by Coulomb Technologies, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

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World Football: Ranking the Top 25 Free-Kick Specialists on the Planet

2011-04-24T10:50:00.001-07:00

via bleacherreport.com

My vote is for Roberto Carlos who blends power with amazing bending ability.

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I found a nice archive of All Things Lakers - Los Angeles Times

2011-04-24T10:24:00.001-07:00

Read player bios from the Times' Sports staff:

Jim Pollard

via projects.latimes.com

An in-depth look at the past and present of the Lakers, the 16-time NBA champions. Here you will find a bio for every player who ever wore a Lakers uniform, in L.A. and Minneapolis. Every statistic, every season, every title, every Hall of Famer.
Want to know who has worn No. 24 or any other number in Lakers history? Click on the uniform number on the player bio pages and find out. Want to know every Lakers player that went to UCLA? Click on the school name to find out. Every center? Can’t remember the entire roster of the Showtime-era Lakers? All the information you’ve ever wanted to know about the Lakers is just a click or two away.
So revisit your favorite Lakers team, your favorite Lakers player, and discover just how rich their history is.

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LA Times calls it a "marketing move"

2011-04-22T10:22:00.001-07:00

via theweeklydriver.com

Last week we announce our first corporate anchor store will be located at the Westfield Century City Mall. Opening this summer, consumers will find an EV Bar, Technology center, EV community, and Test Drive Center. Of course, consumers can buy The CODA via online purchase process at the store.

This is the first phase of our retail strategy. The second phase we include an alternative sales network, which will include other auto distributorships or dealership chains.

So grab a latte, visit the EV Bar, and take a test drive in an electric car. It's all part of a new automotive experience.

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Spy Photos: 2013 BMW i8 Vision EfficientDynamics Cold Weather Testing

2011-03-19T12:24:00.001-07:00

via blogs.insideline.com

It will be interesting to see how close this pre-production concept stays at production. Trippy A and C pillars, no B. Love the grill.

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Our Favorite Battery Nonsense @codaautomotive #EV

2011-02-24T11:33:00.001-08:00

via codaautomotive.com

We love technology at CODA, and blended with a good sense of humor, can make for a great environment. Check out our Battery VP, Phil Gow, talk about the industries common nonsense and watch a cool video about CODA's battery.

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Who Gives the Most Trusted Recommendations? - eMarketer #socialmedia

2011-02-18T08:14:00.001-08:00

via emarketer.com

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Check out this Video from our friends over at @GOOD: Everything You Need to Know About Electric Cars #ev

2011-02-17T20:36:00.001-08:00

via good.is

Provides a good Electric Vehicle 101 from our friends at GOOD.

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CODA Automotive Taps New CEO

2011-01-21T14:55:00.000-08:00

Big day for us at CODA Automotive. The maturation of a car company, and electric car company. Phil beings the automotive manufacturing and operational skills we need to get to the next level.

40+ Things You Need to Watch in 2011 via Mashable

2011-01-09T16:09:00.001-08:00

via mashable.com

I am surprised electric vehicles is not listed.

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Infographic of te day: Facebook vs. Twitter social demographics #socialmedia

2011-01-09T16:07:00.001-08:00

via wallblog.co.uk

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Electric Car Maker Coda Raises $76M As Competition Rises - Venture Capital Dispatch - WSJ

2011-01-05T22:00:00.001-08:00

via blogs.wsj.com

This announcement couldn't be more important (i.e. oxygen). Game time, go big or go home.

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Learn HTML5, JavaScript and CSS With Mozilla's "School of Webcraft

2010-12-18T09:34:00.001-08:00

via mashable.com

How cool is this? Learn a skill that will carry you into the future for free.

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Will CODA win the EV race? Battery experts say Yes!

2010-10-12T09:17:00.001-07:00

via mnn.com

Karl Burkart points out a significant advantage for the CODA vs competitors. It's all in the battery system, and the CODA battery system isn't "moody" like the competitors. In other words, CODA's battery is dependable and reliable due to a sophisticated thermal management system. With the CODA, you get 120 mile range anywhere in the U.S., anytime of year. The competitor battery, well, depending its mood, could vary in range by 52 miles (low of 48 up to 100).....that's significant. Over the course of a year, that's like going from CA to NYC and back....then to Vegas!

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Snapshot of Digg.com Top News page this morning. I guess anything goes these days.

2010-10-02T09:36:00.001-07:00

Just paused a moment to scan the Top News page of Digg.com this morning. I noticed that a paid (sponsored) ad was listed as number 3 article. I also noticed the word "fuck" prominently displayed as a top news trending article. I thought that's what acronyms are for (WTF?). Lastly I find it completely ironic that there is a banner ad for the movie The Social Network. Today's social web is becoming more and more a collection of nonsensical garbage and media waste.

Sean Blankenship

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Google Places Brings a Smile to a Dental Practice - #Google Small Business

2010-09-20T19:43:00.001-07:00

via googlesmb.blogspot.com

No wonder small to mid-size business owners are intimidated or confused about the new media landscape. There are several tactical options out there, and most are free. But finding, learning and implementing these social or new media tactics can be daunting. This is a great little case study about Google Places, a location based marketing service that is, yes, free.

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Twitter.com redesign mirrors useful parts of iPad client @arstechnica

2010-09-17T13:59:00.001-07:00

via arstechnica.com

My favorite SN tool just got better. Now the big question: website or app? Lucky for me I use the iPad Twitter app, which essentially reflects the new twitter.com features. But strategically Twitter is furthering their pursuit to maintain tight control over their UX and customer base.

Video, Photos, contained links, and other nice features make this SN tool rock!

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Greedy Forwarding? Nodes? Leave the Internet alone please! Plan to organize the Internet turns out to be a pipe dream @arstechnica

2010-09-09T11:02:00.001-07:00

via arstechnica.com

This is fascinating. But it goes against the exact nature of the Internet. While theoretically it makes sense, fastest route from point A to point Z is a straight line. The very idea of creating directional nodes goes against the design of the World Wide Web (think Berlin Wall), and could potentially "kill" huge zones of the Internet. If the so called 'Greedy Forwarding" design fails, it could impact everything from eCommerce to Emergency Response systems. Imagine if it impacted Google Maps, and a fire truck was routed to the wrong location. Anyhow, some things are better left alone until they break (i.e. nature).

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Tracking Google's Acquisitions: Infographic Timeline of Google Company Purchases

2010-09-07T08:38:00.001-07:00

via scores.org

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Would you pay $45,000 for an electric vehicle? Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold--How to Please an EV Battery | Fast Company

2010-08-19T08:12:00.001-07:00

via fastcompany.com

What are the most important factors in considering an electric vehicle?

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Shame alert! Sean Blankenship - University of Phoenix Preparing for the challenges of an ever-changing industry

2010-08-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

via phoenix.edu

Don't say I didn't warn you, I'm going to milk this! UOP posted two videos w/cameo appearances from Dawn and the boys on the official website http://www.phoenix.edu/cmp/icons/sean-blankenship.html! Anyhow, hope you enjoy it was a great time.

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University of Phoenix TV Spot #1 called Anthem. And yes, I'm going to milk this.....#tv #myfirst

2010-07-24T13:16:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

You can't blame me for being excited about my first TV commercial. It also is for a good reason, as UOPX provided me opportunities in life for which I am grateful. I received my MBA in 1995 on campus, before the University got pulled into the whole online mess.

Next month my solo :30 spot starts running, and it features the CODA All-Electric Sedan, which is changing the way we think about transportation.

Enjoy, as I am going to work this for all its worth!

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World Cup Scoring Is Way Down. Why? Well I'll tell you. #worldcup

2010-06-15T21:11:00.001-07:00

via worldcup.si.com

This whole nonsense about the ball has to stop. It reminds me of when the NBA changed balls a few years, it took two seconds of adjustment and it was a non-issue. Strikers don't care about the difference in the ball, it doesn't change their tactics or ability to score. Soccer players have played with difference size and quality of balls their whole life.

What has made a difference in the first 14 games is really the defensive schemes and the weather. Yes, the weather has tightened the game up as well as muscles. It's cold, and that naturally contracts the game and field. As far as the defenses, coaches are doing much better preparing for the opponents star players and offensive schemes. In fact you see most teams are dropping sometimes 8-9 players in the box, which compresses the game play. that will change on the coming games as managers make adjustments to spread the field wide.

One of the only examples so far in how to stretch the game wide was demonstrated by Germany. They utilized their young legs by stretching the field wide, making long runs, and great distribution from the mid-field. Wonderful game to watch.

Look for more goals this week, and in the upcoming second matches. Things will loosen up.

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How a Soccer Star Is Made @nytimes #wc2010

2010-06-06T17:47:00.001-07:00

via nytimes.com

It takes a cultural shift.

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Mobile app usage on the rise, even among non-smartphones #mobile

2010-06-03T20:53:00.001-07:00

The mobile app craze has really taken off thanks to the growing popularity of the iPhone, Android phones, and BlackBerrys among consumers. Even among users who are still using "feature phones" (basically your standard cheap phone), mobile apps are taking off, but in understandably lower volume than their smartphone counterparts, according to the latest data from Nielsen.

While the most popular app list is very similar among the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, and other smartphones, their order of popularity differed slightly. Facebook sat in the number one spot for all smartphone varieties except for Android OS, where it took second place after Google Maps. Music-related apps—such as iPod on iPhone OS, and Pandora on all of the OSs—were popular, as were weather-related apps, according to Nielsen's 4,200-person sample.

The average number of applications installed on smartphones sat at 22 over the last month, while feature phones had about 10. When broken down by OS, iPhone users had the most apps (37), followed by Android (22). BlackBerry users had an average of 10 apps, tying the OS with your average feature phone user. And, unsurprisingly, feature phone users were the biggest fans of games—after all, there isn't much else available for your standard cell phone.

Nielsen says that 21 percent of wireless users in the US had a smartphone at the end of 2009, up from 14 percent at the end of 2008. "With smartphones expected to overtake feature phones in the US by 2011, the popularity of mobile apps will only grow," wrote Nielsen.

via arstechnica.com

Do mobile phones need browsers?

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The best 3:00 spot ever! #NIKE WRITE THE FUTURE - FULL LENGTH VERSION #wc2010

2010-05-21T08:05:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

Play beautiful my friends!

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Crowd Sourcing gives way to Curation - Why Content Curation Is Here to Stay #movingbeyondsearch

2010-05-09T10:46:00.001-07:00

via mashable.com

Interesting perspective on how creation and curation live together to make a more relevant search model and better economic model. Social search will become the best practice, as curation begins where today's search algorithms end. Do you want to know what everyone else ordered (fish) off the menu at a restaurant, or do you want an editorial on why they ordered the fish?

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So how has my brand performed over time? Google beats Twitter to the punch. Google search across the Twitter archive. #theblankenshippost

2010-04-29T08:18:00.001-07:00

via googleblog.blogspot.com

Admittedly I am a Twitter advocate. Love the communication tool. In fact, I get most of my news from Twitter, both professionally and personally. This weekend I did a mobile search for a product, and to my delight I found a real-time Twitter feed in the search results. And by real-time I mean a streaming roll of Tweets. Mashup? This is mashup on steroids. Very powerful to the consumer, crowd sourcing gone wild. While yes, I am a marketer, the last thing I am thinking about is how to leverage this tool for my brand. In fact, as a marketer what I am concerned about most is how NOT to ruin this experience with ads.

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The Face of Change? - Unexpected Governor Takes an Unwavering Course @nytimes #arizona

2010-04-26T08:44:00.001-07:00

via nytimes.com

IMHO there needs to be balance. Saying there will be profiling, when there already is, is not an argument against. Rather providing a legal means which ensures tax payers don't take the hit makes sense. Remember, most of us migrated.

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Let the games begin! Apple vs Microsoft vs Google. Can't we all just get along? #geekout

2010-04-17T15:25:00.001-07:00

Sean Blankenship

pairaces@yahoo.com

Twitter: @pairaces

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We all need to get a little selfish! Climate Change - Building a Green Economy #emitgood

2010-04-12T21:40:00.001-07:00

via nytimes.com

This picture says it all. Doing "good" is a selfish thing, yep. We all need to be a little more selfish. Regardless of the debate around the environmentalists and controversy over the scientist touting global warming, we need to simply use our common sense. Remember smog alerts during P.E.?

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Sharing an amazing night - Paul McCartney Live Hollywood Bowl March31. YouTube pairaces channel

2010-04-01T21:04:00.001-07:00

via youtube.com

No words can do it justice. Genius, pure genius. Enjoy!

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Based solely on the picture, I'd say Geely won. Geely Hopes to Boost Volvo Globally #picturesaysathousandwords

2010-03-29T07:34:00.001-07:00

via online.wsj.com

Most likely very good for Ford's bottom line, the sale of Volvo to China's Geely intrigues me only because they think within 4-5 years they can take sales to 1 million units globally. Increased sales is always the case when you read about new OEM owners of course, that's how they get shareholders and governments to fund these projects. What makes Geely so bullish? Why does Geely think they can do what Ford couldn't? Don't they know VW has plans to sell 1 million units in the U.S. alone? Who's market share are they going to steal?

Well the reality is they won't sell 1 million Volvo's in 405 years. while they think they can rely on domestic sales to achieve that lofty goal, the market is much different, and "safety" as your lead unique selling point hasn't been a domestic priority. Good luck.

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Don't ruin a good thing @Biz - Coming ‘Soon’: Twitter’s Business Model - Digits - WSJ #socialmedia

2010-03-27T11:22:00.001-07:00

via blogs.wsj.com

I love Twitter because it is simple and effective. I use the analogy of a door knob, immensely useful but simple in design. Twitter keeps thing simple, or within 140 characters. Get to the point, say what you have to say, and get on with it. I don't have to read a lot of diatribe. So please Biz, don't ruin a good thing. Keep you business plan for monetization true to your product.

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Things that make you go hmmm? New video: The Story of Bottled Water #green

2010-03-24T21:37:00.001-07:00

via green.yahoo.com

Not sure the eye burning chlorine smell that hits me from my tap water influences my decision moving forward, but this video certainly makes one think about tap water in a different light.

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Could apps kill the browser? The rise of the app entrepreneur #web

2010-03-21T16:20:00.001-07:00

via news.bbc.co.uk

At some point will apps make the browser obsolete? Crazy to think, but interacting with a Brand via an app is fast, easy, and smart. No long form content needed here, just to the point brand interaction.

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Another example proving my notion that social media is not a real term. It's technology. The Technology Chronicles : #Apple working on "iGroups" #socialmedia application

2010-03-19T07:48:00.001-07:00

via sfgate.com

Very cool, simple technology application that proves my ongoing position that there is no such thing a social media. Media has nothing to do with technology.

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Spring Break It Down - Shout out to my friends at P&O.

2010-03-18T15:31:00.001-07:00

via springbreakitdown.com

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#Ford Introduces New Taurus-based Police Car

2010-03-17T21:26:00.001-07:00

via autos.yahoo.com

Awesome! Make it available to public. I'd love to jump curbs in my daily driver.

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If you've never heard The Eric Tessmer Band out of Austin, TX than you're missing out. #rock #sxsw

2010-03-14T15:38:00.001-07:00

via erictessmerband.com

Last night in downtown Austin I was lucky enough to stumble upon a live show at www.bdrileys.com. After listening to MC Frontalot long enough to feel my ears start to bleed, we headed up to 6th street in search of a live rock band. From a distance I heard the sound of my favorite musical instrument, a Fender Stratocaster, just being ripped up. I grabbed a seat and my favorite mothers milk, and was blown away by The Eric Tessmer Band.

Rock blues for sure, this guy has a Stevie Ray Vaughan sound with a strong Pink Floyd undertone. And this dude shreds, bouncing from power cord to riffs that had the whole place just mesmerized.

Thanks for an amazing night Eric, and if you are reading this John Mayer (not!) look out for this guy he could be your next opening act!

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Yeah, I saw #MCFrontalot at the #Gawker Media event at #sxsw last night, stormtroopers and all....

2010-03-14T15:20:00.001-07:00

via cnn.com

Ever imagine hearing Thomas Dolby meets Moby mashed with Eminem? Well I witnessed that last night at the Gawker Media event held at SXSW. The actually music or mixes were good, what ruined the act was the actual singing or rapping. Not to mention how hard this guy is trying to be nerdy with the spotlight strapped to his head. Anyhow, this was ridiculously annoying.

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This is why CMO's should never be surveyed - Marketers Buzz About ROI - eMarketer #digital #roi

2010-03-12T07:22:00.001-08:00

via emarketer.com

This is why syndicators should not survey CMO's. Just look at the two charts, while the CMO's place the holy grail word of mouth at the bottom of importance, they plan on spending the largest YOY increase on word of mouth. WTF?

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Attention all creative agencies, you better bring your "A" game! PixieTea video using iPhone3GS. Amazing. #youtube

2010-03-11T08:28:00.001-08:00

via gizmodo.com

"If I only had the time in the day." Well, I probably still couldn't pull this off. With a few dollars and a huge creative brain there is nothing you cannot do these days. This should be a warning shot to all creative agencies out there, with your high paid creative folks you better bring your "A" game!

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Can This Car Dent the #Prius? #WSJ

2010-03-10T08:20:00.001-08:00

By 2050, there could be two billion cars on the road—twice as many as there are today—and 40% of them could be electric. That's the view of Peter Voser, the chief executive officer of oil giant Royal Dutch Shell PLC.

It may seem far-fetched that such a big change in the automobile business could come about in just 40 years. But bigger shifts in technology have happened in less time. Judging how cars will look and run six to eight product generations down the road is a tricky business, as I was reminded last week during a brief trip to the land where the auto industry's future is best glimpsed: California.

A decade ago, gas-electric hybrid cars were exotic rarities on the U.S. road. The first-generation Honda Insight was introduced to the American market in 1999. The first Toyota Prius arrived in 2000. Today, you can rent a 2010 Prius at Los Angeles International Airport as easily as renting a Chevy Malibu.

My rent-a-Prius accelerated when I wanted it to and stopped when I commanded, and it averaged about 50 miles a gallon in mostly freeway driving between LAX and The Wall Street Journal's ECO:nomics conference in Santa Barbara, where I had an appointment with a car that aspires to go the Prius one better by eliminating the need for gasoline entirely.

That car is the first model from Coda Automotive Inc., a Santa Monica, Calif., start-up that wants to combine U.S. engineering and quality control with Chinese manufacturing to overcome the cost barrier that has kept modern, street-legal, all-electric cars out of the reach of most U.S. consumers.

I took a ride in a prototype of Coda's first car, which is based on a Chinese-made Hafei Saibao sedan. The vehicle, assembled in Tianjin, is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. late this year. Kevin Czinger, Coda's CEO, said he hopes to have sold 14,000 of the all-electric cars in California by the end of 2011. Target price: somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000, after tax credits.

If the Coda car hits the market as scheduled, it will be one of a wave of electric or mostly electric cars—the Nissan Leaf, the Chevrolet Volt, the battery-electric Ford Focus, a plug-in Toyota Prius, an electric Mini Cooper and possibly others—due to hit the market over the next one to three years.

Mr. Czinger is a passionate advocate for his concept, but he recognizes some of the pitfalls that threaten the latest effort to create a mass-market electric car industry in the U.S.

Electric-car makers should "under-promise and over-deliver," Mr. Czinger says, especially when it comes to the range of their vehicles. Coda's car is designed to go 100 miles between charges, he says, and Coda is basing that claim on the most aggressive of the federal government's standard road tests. He warns that electric-car makers risk disappointing customers if they base a range claim on a government test that is less representative of real-world driving.

A car that sells for about $30,000 and offers just 100 miles of driving between charges may not sound like a big deal, but such machines haven't existed until now, Mr. Czinger says.

Coda has some big-name backers in the U.S. and China. Its Chinese battery manufacturer is backed by China National Offshore Oil Corp., the big Chinese government oil company, which is investing heavily in electric-vehicle battery technology.

The first-generation Coda car looks like a generic, midsize Asian sedan. So far, U.S. consumers seem to prefer green cars that have distinctive looks and broadcast their identities as low-carbon, high-tech cars. That's one reason why the Prius outsells all other hybrid models.

Someday, Mr. Czinger says, he wants to see a new generation of Coda cars made in the U.S. For now, Coda's initial sales goals for the U.S. are modest. Mr. Czinger says many of the first sales will be to the fleets of corporations interested in showing a commitment to the environment.

In certain ways, Mr. Czinger and Coda hark back to the auto industry's earliest days, which are brought to life in exhibits the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. In 1901, for instance, an L.A. native named Carl Breer built a tiny, two-cylinder steam carriage, making many of the components himself.

In less than 15 years, Henry Ford was cranking out Model Ts on moving assembly lines, and cars made the leap from the technological fringe to the mainstream of the American economy. Mr. Breer went on to become an executive at Chrysler Corp., leading the design of the Chrysler Airflow—a radically aerodynamic car that arrived about 50 years too soon—and lived long enough to see Detroit's muscle-car glory days.

It's no sure bet that electric cars will displace internal-combustion cars on a mass scale, especially if oil stays cheap and abundant. But it's equally uncertain that the relatively slow pace of automotive innovation between 1950 and 2000 will be the norm going forward.
—Email: joseph.white@wsj.comPrinted in The Wall Street Journal, page D3

via online.wsj.com

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Coda Helps Define Future of Electric Cars #ev #electriccars

2010-03-09T18:38:00.001-08:00

Ok, this is the last of the shameless plugs for my company. We are getting excited as this venture is REAL!

http://online.wsj.com/video/coda-helps-define-future-of-electric-cars/58CD6E3...

Drivers find electric cars have enough range - #electricvehicles #ev #green

2010-03-09T10:27:00.001-08:00

via msnbc.msn.com

Whether it's a plug-in hybrid or all-electric vehicle, daily Mini-E drivers are finding 80-100 mile range perfectly normal.

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ECO:nomics: The Economics of Electric Cars #wsj #ev

2010-03-09T07:38:00.001-08:00

Kevin Czinger, president and CEO of CODA Automotive, and Ann Marie Sastry, CEO of Sakti3, discuss the economics behind widespread introduction of electric cars. The two spoke with WSJ's Jeffrey Ball at the 2010 ECO:nomics conference in California.

http://online.wsj.com/video/economics-the-economics-of--electric-cars/5C4D8E8...

http://online.wsj.com/video/economics-uncovering-the-next-big-thing/032E8F68-1FB0-4829-9091-0BED4FCF949F.html

Using Computing Might, Google Improves Translation Tool #google #matrix #future

2010-03-08T21:48:00.001-08:00

via nytimes.com

I ask you this, but with out translation, what good would communication be? The future of mankind rests in the balance of translation, and Google's 'Matrix" has the key.

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The kids riding shot gun in the Sandcar

2010-03-06T17:43:00.001-08:00

After a day of desert destruction, I have sand in places I didn't know existed!

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I know exactly how he feels - Hamstring curse ends Owen's World Cup dream #worldcup #manu

2010-03-06T12:58:00.001-08:00

via news.yahoo.com

This sucks. It's the exact injury that ruined my World Cup dream!

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The Oscars From the Top of Trailer Park Inc. #oscars #hollywood

2010-03-05T17:10:00.001-08:00

Great view from the top of trailer Park Inc. building. An amazing production no doubt, but the grid lock is crazy. I'm standing next to Brad Pitt while taking this photo (not really).

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Daytona 200, Back When They Raced On Sand #daytona #racing

2010-03-04T13:34:00.001-08:00

Check out #161. This guy was doing the Superman long before @TravisPastrana! Albeit, it's a rolling Superman (Travis does it doing a 360 over an 60' jump). And look at the guy in the lead, dude has a suicide shifter. And they are on sand! Freak'n sick.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/03/1948-daytona-200/##ixzz0hFEYE9Tk

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Facebook Founder In No Rush to 'Friend' Wall Street #social

2010-03-04T07:35:00.001-08:00

via online.wsj.com

All I'm say'n is "play that immunity idol" dude or risk being voted of the Island!

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Google Earth Takes on the Oceans - Video Library - The New York Times #google #earth

2010-03-03T14:44:00.001-08:00

via video.nytimes.com

The Matrix 3.0

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Manchester United Fans Protest Malcolm Glazer With New Colors.#manu #AIG #fail

2010-03-02T08:23:00.001-08:00

via online.wsj.com

The big USA corporate machine is losing in the U.K. Saddling Manu U. with $1b in debt will ultimately be the undoing for Glazer. Having said that, even worse is the fact AIG is the title sponsor on the beloved Reds jersey. AIG symbolizes everything that's wrong with corporate America.

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Is this the home of the 2010 World Cup, or District 9?

2010-03-01T21:34:00.001-08:00

Rich/poor divide: This shantytown in Alexandra township is about a 10-minute drive from Johannesburg's upscale northern suburb and financial center, Sandton.

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My Heroes - USAToday Photo

2010-03-01T21:26:00.001-08:00

U.S. Marine Lt. Scott Holub carries an Afghan national army soldier who was shot in the leg during a battle with the Taliban on Feb. 20 in Marjah.

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DILBERT by Scott Adams

2010-02-28T09:17:00.001-08:00

There's something here for everyone in Sunday's Dilbert!

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Lotus Hybrid concept one-ups Tesla Roadster and Chevy Volt - Sweet ride!

2010-02-27T12:33:00.001-08:00

via news.cnet.com

With good looks, and 0-60

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Cellphone Applications Let Shoppers Point, Click and Buy

2010-02-27T12:15:00.001-08:00

via nytimes.com

Soon we can window shop 24hrs a day. Not only that, we won't have to deal with sales personnel. Imagine being able to walk through a car lot without being stalked by a sales person?

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CodeOrgan discuss how it translates Web page code into instrumental songs

2010-02-27T11:59:00.001-08:00

This reminds me of when I first played Led Zeppelin IV backwards!

http://cnn.com/video/?/video/tech/2010/02/25/intv.code.organ.cnn

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Apps Keep Going And Going: Is Burnout Coming?

2010-02-26T18:44:00.001-08:00

via mediapost.com

Not sure about burnout. I like apps because I don't have to navigate my mobile browser to interact with a brand. Maybe apps replace mobile browsers?

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Facebook reassures Credits developers, gets patent on news feed | Technology | Los Angeles Times

2010-02-26T18:02:00.001-08:00

via latimesblogs.latimes.com

As the article states, Apple takes a 30% cut from it's own app store. So that in itself is really not a surprise. Aligning with PayPal makes sense, ease of use and secure.

What I am interested in however concerns the possibilities of linking Facebook Credits with Facebook Connect. That would launch an virtual economy based on the Facebook mass, and allow Facebook to basically create a branded online currency.

We'll see, but I am sure they are getting ready.

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Hummer's End Leaves Indiana Workers In Limbo : NPR #hummer #dead

2010-02-25T18:02:00.001-08:00

via npr.org

An image that will represent an era of American consumer excess. R.I.P.

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CODA AUTOMOTIVE SELECTS GOODNESS MFG AS ADVERTISING AGENCY OF RECORD TO LAUNCH All‐ ELECTRIC CAR. #codaauto #all-electric #ev

2010-02-24T11:06:00.001-08:00

Santa Monica, Calif., February 24, 2010 – CODA Automotive, a California‐based electric car and battery company, announced today the selection of goodness Mfg as its Agency of Record. Goodness Mfg’s role will be to support the launch of the CODA all‐electric car in late 2010 and CODA’s on‐going strategic and creative brand development. Responsibilities will include strategic planning, creative content development and production, media planning and buying, digital, social media and experiential marketing.

“Goodness Mfg is just as passionate about ending the dependence on oil as we are and preserving the environment for future generations,” said Kevin Czinger, President and CEO, CODA Automotive. “We look forward to working together with goodness Mfg to show Americans that there is a fun, safe, and affordable way to accomplish these goals.”

Goodness Mfg is known for creating powerful, emotional connections between brands and consumers, which made them a perfect match to help CODA jumpstart the electric car movement.

“There are many exciting challenges in accelerating the adoption of all‐electric cars, and we are thrilled to have goodness Mfg along with us for the ride,” said Kerri Martin, Chief Marketing Officer, CODA Automotive. “We chose goodness Mfg because of their strategic smarts, creative excellence and an understanding for the need to quickly adapt to the ever changing world, without being weighed down by traditional agency silos. Goodness Mfg’s new agency model reflects the same innovative thinking as CODA’s model of doing business differently in the auto industry.”

As an American automotive company independent of the oil industry, CODA Automotive is leading the charge to accelerate the adoption of the electric car era by taking an unconventional and customer‐centric marketing approach. Recognizing the inefficiencies of the traditional automotive business model and the opportunity for reinvention, CODA will sell directly to consumers and deliver a unique customer ownership experience in order to build a community of passionate electric car advocates.

Recently, goodness Mfg was acquired by Trailer Park, one of the largest integrated, digital production companies in North America, forming a new agency model that combines agency creative and services with production, all under one roof. This allows ideas and communication to get to market faster, which is critical as branding becomes more about the hundreds of micro‐interactions with consumers versus just one campaign.

“We couldn’t be happier or prouder to be teaming up with CODA to end dependence on oil and usher in a new era of electric cars,” said Tom Adams, goodness Mfg Executive Creative Director. “To do good is a core tenet of goodness Mfg, and we couldn’t think of a more perfect partner and perfect cause to do that with.”

Work for CODA Automotive is expected to break this spring.

About CODA Automotive: Headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., CODA is working to reduce dependence on oil and leading the way to a cleaner future by building 100% electric cars and transportation battery systems. CODA is working in a smart, inter‐dependent way with a number of leading global technology and manufacturing companies to quickly and efficiently bring electric drive

technology to market and jump start the electric car movement. Through its exclusive transportation and electric utility storage battery joint venture with Lishen Power Battery, CODA is also a leading designer and large‐scale manufacturer of power battery systems. The American engineered, globally built CODA all‐electric car will be available to consumers in 2010.

About goodness Mfg: goodness Mfg, a Trailer Park Company, is a hybrid agency that combines award winning creative talent with one of the largest digital production studios in the country. Located in Los Angeles, Calif., the agency is housed within a 65,000 sq ft production studio with over 300 full‐time employees. Most recently, gMfg received extensive praise for its launch campaign and website for Google’s Nexus One phone. Additional clients include Lucas Arts, Pearl Izumi, New Line Cinema, Netflix, and American Cancer Society.

Contact:

Kara Saltness

Marketing & Communication Director

CODA Automotive

T (310) 390‐4890 Ext. 311

ksaltness@codaautomotive.com

Dan Harary

Asbury Communications

Representing goodness Mfg

T (310) 859‐1831

dan@asburypr.com

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Sweet Ride - Quick Shout Out to my Friends at Mazda #mazdausa

2010-02-24T09:24:00.001-08:00

Sean Blankenship

pairaces@yahoo.com

Twitter: @pairaces

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TED2010: Ten fascinating people you've never heard of #cnn

2010-02-24T09:11:00.001-08:00

via cnn.com

We all could benefit from "playing" a little more.

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10 best cars: Consumer Reports - Family Sedan: Nissan Altima #memories

2010-02-23T07:33:00.001-08:00

via money.cnn.com

I'm allowed a little nostalgia. This was my baby.

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Toyota's U.S. Chief Says No Problem With Electronics #auto

2010-02-23T07:07:00.001-08:00

By JOSEPH B. WHITE
WASHINGTON%u2014Toyota Motor Corp.'s U.S. sales chief, James Lentz, plans to tell members of a House panel investigating the auto maker's handling of sudden acceleration complaints that the company is "confident that no problems exist with the electronic throttle control system in our vehicles."

Mr. Lentz said Toyota believes that sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles were caused by improperly placed floor mats and "sticky" accelerator pedals.

Reuters
Jim Lentz, Toyota's president of U.S. sales, speaks at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

More on Toyota

Full Text: Testimony by Toyota's Lentz
Support for Toyota's Leadership Wavers
Subpoenas Hit on the Eve of Hearing
LaHood: U.S. Doing 'Thorough' Review of Car Electronics
Heard: Toyota's Used-Car Problem

Opinion

Akio Toyoda: Back to Basics for Toyota

The testimony sets up a clash with lawmakers who have said in advance of today's hearing that they believe electronic faults can't be eliminated as a cause for incidents in which Toyota vehicles surged out of control.

In his prepared testimony, released by Toyota ahead of a hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee Tuesday morning, Mr. Lentz apologized for the company's failure to move more quickly to address safety problems.

"Put simply, it has taken us too long to come to grips with a rare but serious set of safety issues, despite all of our good faith efforts. The problem has also been compounded by poor communications both within our company and with regulators and consumers," Mr. Lentz is expected to say, according to the prepared testimony.

"We acknowledge these mistakes, we apologize for them and we have learned from them. We now understand that we must think differently when investigating complaints and communicate faster, better and more effectively with our customers and our regulators," Mr. Lentz is expected to say. Mr. Lentz will cite recent actions by Toyota to recall Toyota Prius and other hybrid models and certain Toyota Tacoma pickups to address safety concerns.

Mr. Lentz's testimony indicates that Toyota is prepared to stand by its position that reported sudden acceleration incidents involving its vehicles are linked to two mechanical problems covered by recalls the company has announced. One involves floor mats that can come loose and trap the gas pedal. The other involves accelerators that can become worn and "sticky," or stuck.

Affected Models

Review details on models in each recall.

View Slideshow

Escalating Problem

Track the NHTSA-Toyota relationship.

View Interactive

Recall Roadblocks

Timeline of major U.S. auto recalls

View Interactive

More photos and interactive graphics

Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D., Calif.) and subcommittee chairman Bart Stupak (D., Mich.) on Monday criticized Toyota in a letter for resisting the possibility that problems with Toyota vehicles were caused by electronic faults. Some safety advocates and representatives of accident victims suing Toyota have said that some accidents involving sudden acceleration in Toyota or Lexus vehicles cannot be explained by either of the problems Toyota has identified.

Mr. Lentz's testimony is scheduled for the first of two hearings this week. On Wednesday, the House Oversight and Government Reform committee is scheduled to hold a hearing at which Toyota President Akio Toyoda is scheduled to testify.

In an opinion piece published by The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Toyoda acknowledged that the auto maker had stumbled badly. "It is clear to me that in recent years we didn't listen as carefully as we should%u2014or respond as quickly as we must%u2014to our customers' concerns," wrote Mr. Toyoda.

Toyota faces multiple investigations of its handling of the sudden acceleration and other safety issues, which have led to recalls affecting more than six million vehicles.

Journal Community
discuss

%u201C Integrity...virtually impossible to get back once lost, for good reason. %u201D
%u2014Marcus Pratt
The company disclosed Monday that it has received subpoenas from a federal grand jury in the Southern District of New York and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Department of Transportation is investigating whether the company violated rules governing disclosure of safety problems, and has said the auto maker could face a civil penalty.

Toyota also faces numerous law suits from plaintiffs who say they have suffered physical or economic damages.

Toyota executives are seeking to use the hearings this week to start a process of rebuilding the company's reputation. A group of about 100 dealers is expected to fan out on Capitol Hill today to support the company, and remind law makers of the thousands of jobs that could be at risk if Toyota can't reverse the damage done to its U.S. sales by the recalls.

Write to Joseph B. White at joseph.white@wsj.com

via online.wsj.com

Jim Lentz is sticking to the party line. Well, after the dust settles from numerous investigations and law suits, which will take time, will Lentz still have a job for his loyalty?

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Twitter, Facebook use up 82 percent | Digital Media - CNET News

2010-02-22T18:35:00.001-08:00

via news.cnet.com

Apparently, we need to get a life.

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Tiger Woods Photo

2010-02-21T19:03:00.001-08:00

via news.yahoo.com

A picture is worth a thousand words. Or in some cases just two "I'm Sorry."

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Stargate Studios Virtual Backlot Reel 2009 RT @CurtDetweiler

2010-02-21T16:06:00.001-08:00

via youtube.com

Is society killing the six senses?

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Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T11:47:00.000-08:00

Getting ready for the traditional Thanksgiving break. So many wonderful things to be thankful for this past year. The great hunting trip I finally went on with my mom and her husband, fantastic experience. My brother moving to OC and being a part of our lives again. And my boys, doing so well in high school and sports. And of course my beautiful wife for being the rock that holds us all together. Thanks to everyone, and here's to good health.

Do you ZooLoo?

2009-07-08T09:42:00.000-07:00

My ex-CEO, Jeffrey Herzog (iCrossing founder), just launched his new venture ZooLoo.com. Looks promising in providing a one-stop-shop for all personal needs. Positioned as a 'personal portal' registered users get a personalized domain name, with tools to build out a portal including blogging, multi-media and iPhone apps.

What do you think?

iCrossing Release POV on Macrosoft's Bing Search Engine

2009-06-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

Microsoft’s Bing released – Initial Considerations:

Microsoft’s release of its new search engine, Bing, demonstrates their commitment to compete aggressively in the search space and reinforces their belief that search is a key element of consumer interaction, loyalty and web experience. They clearly are focused on Google, more so than Y! and this is supported by several similarities to Google’s search UX as now seen on Bing.

In all, competition between Y!, MSN, and Google benefits consumers and advertisers as the result of this competition should be a better search experience with stronger consumer engagement and utility. Incorporating advertising programs into this experience will always be a focus due to its revenue potential, however, leading with the best user experience first, and then building advertising solutions into that experience has proven to be the model for success.

The following are a few key, initial points of consideration in regards to Bing. Keep in mind it’s early and refinements are likely but given what is currently available in the market, here are the key considerations:

(1) Live Search is dead. Microsoft is sending all search traffic to Bing – even when you type in www.live.com in the URL bar. Whatever impact Bing is going to have in the long run, it’s the search engine getting all the traffic that Live Search got just last week.

(2) Bing almost always shows highly visible links to competitors on branded searches. Almost all branded searches have a “similar to this” section on the top right, where it looks like the brand’s top competitors are listed this is likely to decrease CTR on branded terms and increase comparison shopping by users. Furthermore, it’s clear that it is focusing on the most significant competitors – so the consequence is not going to be the same for different brands. For larger, more established brands, they would be more likely to show on competitor branded searches than lesser known brands. So lesser known brands will have a reduction in branded click traffic because of an increase in diverted traffic to competitors, but will not have a corresponding increase in traffic from its competitors. In other words, smaller brands get hurt and bigger brands get helped by this system.

(3) Bing often limits or downgrades the visibility of sponsored listings. It looks like Bing is still in a very experimental stage, so the SERP varies significantly depending on the search, but it appears that in many cases the sponsored listings have more limited visibility than they did on live search. On several branded searches we performed, the paid listing was not showing on the top of the page, but instead far down the page on the right hand side – well below the fold. Further, the paid listing was far less visible than the “similar to this” links. This is area where we believe we will see refinement in the user experience and SERP page construction. We believe expect the outcome will be that Bing will balance consumer engagement and utility with appropriately prominent placement of paid search listings that are relevant and useful to consumers.

(4) Bing encourages search refinement. This change, long touted as one of the primary purposes of the search engine, looks like it will have less of an impact on paid search than the other changes above, but it does look like users will be more likely to refine their searches on Bing, which should increase searches on more specific terms and give increased importance to the management of tail keywords. Further, the way in which Bing handles paid search listings over the course of users’ search refinement may prove to be a key performance driver or limiter.

Clearly we’ll know more when we start seeing performance data, but from here it looks like there could be some substantial changes to sponsored listing performance.

Early News on Bing Search Engine

2009-06-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Being respectful (mindful) of Microsoft and it's new search engine Bing, below are some early key points that came directly from our account rep at Microsoft. In general we noticed a drop off in ads, as well as PPC and Natural search traffic (large drop offs), so we inquired. Here is what we are told from Microsoft:

• Paid listings must meet a minimum CTR threshold of .08% to be considered relevant enough to show. This means fewer ads, but also less competition.
• If the organic listings are notably more relevant than the paid listings, then no ads will show.
• If one organic listing is notably the most relevant of all listings (for example when searching for a specific company), then sometimes that organic listing will show as the “best match” with links below it to the most requested pages on the site
• In the left column, there are now links to the most common related searches or sub-searches. This is based on the top most-requested searches related to that item.
• When searching for certain types of information, like a popular car model, the most requested facts will sometimes display near the top of the page
• Most of the changes in algorithm and ad layout have already been rolling out over the past month. Our advertisers have been impacted by this differently depending on the competitiveness and relevance of their ads. It's too early to have any definitive results about any of this however, as some additional algorithm changes continue to be implemented with the release of Bing.

Wolfram Alpha is Cool!

2009-05-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

The latest search engine to hit the digi waves is Wolfram, a self described computational knowledge engine. Note, it is very picky on syntax, so be patient. Using some basic keywords, I learned a few things about my surname for instance. Want to know NFL stats, no problem. Mathematical equations, all day long. While this is not going to displace Google, it will create new awareness around the power of search.

U.S. to forgive about $10 billion in loans to GM

2009-05-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

As GM shares hit an all-time low of $1.01 today, the brain trust in Washington actually wants a 50% ownership stake in exchange for waiving $10b (that's billion) in debt. But don't worry, Obama doesn't want to "run" GM.

Well, that's sobering.

Obama To Use GMAC TO Save GM and Chrysler

2009-05-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

GMAC will be the new Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae. Obama will use a government controlled and owned GMAC to provide low cost auto loans to GM and Chrysler buyers. This will hurt Ford, which has chosen to be a good corporate citizen by not accepting the government bailout, in favor of restructuring their own debt.

Additionally, by the government bailing out GM and Chrysler (read: Chpt 11 don't have to pay back debt)they will be at a significant advantage to Ford who has chosen the path of actually paying back it's lenders. So much for doing the right thing!

Display and PPC Work Best Together

2009-05-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

Makes me ask the question: Is common sense an acceptable form of measurement?

Obama's Plan for GM and Chrysler Nothing New

2009-04-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Couldn't have said it better myself!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124096698307566437.html

Microsoft to one up Twitter and Facebook

2009-04-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

Microsoft is preparing a service called Vine that has all the elements of Twitter and Facebook with a very local focus. They are running a pilot in the Seattle area. Check out the link http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2009134578_microsoft_debuts_vine_in_seatt.html

I Don't Want to Own GM!

2009-04-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

Seems as though the government auto task force is leaning towards a deal with GM that would allow the failing automaker to swap about $27b in debt for GM stock. That's just great, another fine example of the current administration letting the tax payers clean up yet another failing business.

GM announced "accelerated" plans to lay off 21,000 factory workers, shut down Pontiac, and close half of its dealer body. While these are all steps in the right direction, they wouldn't be doing it if they weren't begging for more hand outs from the government. Fact is the good 'ol boy’s network would be steady as she goes otherwise.

Insiders know, GM and Chrysler are a train wreck internally. Their mentality on products and marketing are archaic at best, and the dysfunction that exists inside management is beyond repair.

Again, they need to hit the "delete" button. Start over.

Today's Auto R.I.P.

2009-04-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Chrysler, Dodge, Pontiac, Saturn, Hummer, Buick and UAW.