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Dr. Johnny
Desoto Children
A companion story to The Fire Talks
DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.
"Oh Man!" Johnny gasped his eyes wide and his mouth open.
"What is it Johnny? Are you okay?" Roy reached instinctively for Johnny's wrist which was surreptitiously jerked away.
"What are you doing?" Johnny glared at his partner.
"You…uh…you were suddenly very pale." Roy stammered.
"I was not!"
"Yes. Yes you were." Roy stated matter of fact. "What's wrong with you anyway?"
"I just remembered something." Johnny nervously responded. He didn't want to admit to Roy that he had forgotten that today was the day he was supposed to take Jenny and Chris to the Halloween carnival at the elementary school, and that he had promised to wear a costume.
"Remembered what?" Roy pressed his obviously agitated colleague for an answer.
"Nothin'."
"I don't think it was nothin' that made all the color drain right out of your normally tan face." Roy pulled the squad to a stop beside the hydrant. Johnny jumped out of the door before Roy could ask him any more questions. They had a job to do. Johnny pulled open the door to the storage compartment that held his turnout coat. He swung it over his head and slid his arms into the sleeves while moving out of the way of the engine. Stoker slowed down long enough for Johnny to grab the hose from the bed and loop it around the base of the hydrant. The engine pulled up in front of the burning structure. Johnny quickly set up the hydrant and waiting for the signal from Mike to let the water flow. Once he had the pressure flowing to the engine he jogged over to the squad to retrieve his SCBA. Roy made eye contact with him long enough to let him know they were not finished with the conversation they had left unfinished in the squad. Johnny shuddered at the thought that he would have to admit to his best friend that he'd forgotten to get a costume.
He was supposed to pick up the Desoto children right after they got off shift. The carnival started at 9 and even if he hurried straight over they would not get there right when it started. He didn't even have time to go by his apartment to get his cowboy hat and boots. That would have been at least some kind of costume he thought, but he wouldn't have time. He could keep his uniform on and go as a fireman, but all the kids at the elementary school already knew he and Roy were firemen; that would only disappoint his two favorite children in the entire world.
"Make a fast sweep of the main floor." Captain Stanley directed them. Johnny must have hesitated for too long before following Roy into the building. "Gage?" Cap looked at him with expectation.
"Right Cap." Johnny turned red from the tips of his ears all the way down his neck. He could feel the heat radiating from his face. He quickly ducked his head and followed Roy. He had to get his mind on the job. The kids would just have to wait.
Once he passed into the building he knew that finding survivors would be a miracle. The heat was oppressive and the flames seemed to be everywhere. Roy tapped him on the shoulder and pointed down the hallway to the left. Johnny nodded his understanding and he set off to begin his search while Roy turned down the other direction. They knew time was limited. If they had any hope of rescue they had to act fast.
A few short minutes later both men bound from the heat carrying the two missing workers. Both felt a little singed around the edges, but glad to be out in the cooler air. Johnny had his facemask over the victim's. Deep raspy coughs shook his thin frame. Mike Stoker brought the oxygen from the engine and replaced Johnny's facemask handing it back to the paramedic who gratefully took a few quick breaths to clear his smoke filled lungs. The two paramedics worked quickly to get the two victims cared for and in route to the hospital with Roy attending them in the ambulance. Johnny gathered the debris left from the IV's and blankets that Mike had spread on the ground. While he worked he thought about the Desoto children waiting at home for him to pick them up.
He remembered how excited they had been when they asked him if he would take them to the carnival.
"Please Uncle Johnny. Please say you'll take us. I'm going to be a Princess and Chris is going to me a Muskateer. Mommy made our costumes for us months ago." Jennifer tugged on his pant leg.
Chris looked expectantly at him. "It's my last year in elementary. It would be really cool if you took us instead of Mom and Dad."
How could he have refused after that type of reasoning? He caved in and agreed. "Okay, I'll go."
The kids were thrilled. "Yay! I love you Uncle Johnny! I really do!" Jenny jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. Chris even 'too old for hugs' wrapped his arm around his waist in a quick embrace.
"What am I gonna do?" Johnny asked out loud to the empty squad as he pulled away from the curb.
He didn't realize Mike could hear him. "You say something Johnny?" Mike called from beside the engine.
Johnny waved and nodded his head and continued his departure. "Man I've got to come up with something." He spoke again. His thoughts drifted to where he was going. 'What can I get at the hospital or the station that I can wear? Has to be the hospital, that's different from what we usually wear. Maybe I could be an orderly. Nah that's stupid. An ambulance driver, but that's too much like an orderly. Come on Gage…think.'
He drove the squad into the drive at Rampart and backed into the bay. He sat in the squad staring out the windshield when suddenly he had an idea…a stroke of genius really. Dixie and Dr. Brackett were not working today, because of a fundraising event the hospital was hosting. They were in charge of the Halloween Gala and would be spending the day overseeing the setup. That meant that Dr. Brackett's lab coat would be in his office. A huge grin spread across Johnny's face and he slid out of the squad and literally bounced into the Emergency entrance.
Roy glanced down the hallway looking for his partner when Johnny appeared at the end of the hall. He was grinning like an idiot. 'What are you up to now?'
Johnny came up beside him bouncing on his feet. "Hey Roy."
"Hey." Roy sipped his coffee.
"I…uh…can you….ah…I need…"
"What Johnny, you need to what?" Roy's eyes sparkled as he teased his partner. He knew when Johnny was uncomfortable and enjoyed teasing him.
"Shh…be quiet Roy." Johnny looked from side to side. "I need to sneak in Brackett's office."
"Sneak in Brackett's office…for what?" Roy said aloud.
"Would you be quiet?" Johnny said through clenched teeth.
"Okay…so why do you need to get into Brackett's office?" Roy whispered conspiratorially.
"I need to borrow his lab coat." Johnny whispered back. "But first I need to get some scrubs. I'll be right back." With that he turned around and hurried down the hall.
Roy chuckled at Johnny's behavior and took another sip of his coffee. 'You forgot to get a costume didn't you Junior.' He watched Johnny disappear into the staff locker area. A few minutes later Johnny's head popped out from behind the door. He looked both ways before slipping out with a bundle of green under his jacket. Roy laughed when Johnny almost ran out the door toward the squad. Then came back around the corner trying to act normal…whistling off tune and swinging the HT from its strap.
He sidled up beside Roy and nudged shoulders. "Keep an eye out for Dr. Early or Nurse Betty. I'm going in."
Roy nearly choked on his coffee. "O…okay."
Johnny turned and walked softly toward Brackett's office. Nurse Betty came out of a treatment room and greeted the sneaking Paramedic. "Hi Johnny."
Johnny jumped and turned so quickly he almost tripped. "Oh…hi Betty. I was….uh. I was going…I mean…excuse me." He stumbled down the hall and pushed his way into the men's room.
Roy couldn't help the laughter that nearly bowed him over.
"Hi Roy, what's so funny?" Betty asked as she moved behind the nurse's desk.
"Um." He cleared his throat and tried to regain his composure. "Uh just watching Johnny. You scared him half to death."
"Yeah I guess I did. I didn't mean to startle him." She smiled. "Excuse me. Dr. Early needs this in treatment three." She disappeared down the hall and into treatment room three at about the same time Johnny's head poked out of the men's room. Roy couldn't contain himself. He laughed so hard, he spit coffee into his hand.
Johnny darted down the hall and into Brackett's office just as Dr. Early came out of the treatment room. "Hi Roy, those people you brought in are doing well. I'm going to keep them overnight for observation, but they should both be fine."
"Thanks Doc." Roy smiled wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.
"Where's that partner of yours? He still at the scene?" Dr. Early poured himself a cup of coffee.
"He's around here somewhere." Roy choked out.
"Are you all right?" Dr. Early looked at the choking paramedic.
"Coffee went down the wrong way." Roy nodded as he spoke. "I'm good." He tried another sip seeing Johnny's eyes peeking from behind Brackett's door. "Hey is there any more of that?" He blocked Dr. Early form seeing down the hall.
Johnny saw Roy move to block the exit from the nurse's station and took that moment to dash out of Brackett's office. Just as he gained access to the hallway, Betty came out of the treatment room. He quickly turned and hid the white bundle with his jacket as he rushed out the door taking a glance over his shoulder to make sure she didn't see what he had.
"Roy, let me out." Early chastised. "I need to get back to work. What are you doing anyway?"
Roy cleared his throat and backed up. "S…sorry Doc. I just thought some more hot coffee would help my throat." He looked down the hall and saw Johnny's back going around the corner. "Guess I'll just go see if Johnny is waiting in the squad." Roy turned and made his escape from Rampart. When he got to the squad Johnny was waiting for him. "What in the world were you doing?"
"I had to have something to wear for your kids Roy." Johnny said exasperatedly like Roy should know what he was talking about.
"Wear for my kids?" Roy asked confused.
"Yeah, I'm supposed to take them to the carnival." Johnny looked at his watch. "Thirty minutes ago."
"Oh yeah, I guess we had better hurry then." Roy smiled. He'd known all along what Johnny was up to, but it was more fun to play dumb.
"Yeah, especially since we went off shift fifteen minutes ago." Johnny said into his hand as he stared out the window. "Drive fast would ya?"
"Sure thing." Roy smiled as he pulled away from Rampart. "Anything for my kids."
Johnny grinned back to him. "Yeah, anything for my niece and nephew." The two men chuckled. "Now hurry up would ya?"
As soon as Roy backed into the station Johnny was out of his seat and the door slammed. He ran to the dorm with two bundles of white and green and in a few minutes that seemed like seconds he was running for his Rover dressed in green scrubs and a lab coat with Dr. Brackett's name badge. His stethoscope hung around his neck. "I'll see ya at your house Roy." He yelled as he climbed behind the wheel. He started the Rover and tore out of the parking lot. Roy hurried to his Porsche hoping to catch up to his partner before he left with Jenny and Chris for the carnival.
Johnny pulled up to the curb and jumped out of his Rover almost running to the front door of the Desoto home. He knocked hurriedly and waited. Jenny and Chris threw open the door excitedly. "Oh Uncle Johnny!" Jenny yelled. "You remembered your costume!"
"You look cool!" Chris exclaimed. "Real cool Dr. Johnny."
"That's Dr. Gage to you." Johnny smiled. He felt like he had done okay by the Desoto children.
"Kids let Uncle Johnny come inside for some coffee before you go. I know your dad wants to see your costumes. Besides I want to take some pictures." Joanne called from the kitchen where she was pouring Johnny a much needed cup of coffee.
"Okay Mommy! But we have to hurry." Jenny called to her mom. "Daddy's home too!" She called from the door. "Hi daddy!"
Johnny came inside and plopped down at the kitchen table. Roy joined him. "So…Junior, you pulled it off."
"Yeah, I guess I did, but don't ever tell Brackett I borrowed his lab coat. Okay?" Johnny said nervously.
"I won't. I don't think he'd ever believe it anyway." Roy said.
"Come on over here Johnny, I want to get a picture of you with the kids in costume before you go." Joanne smiled at her husband's best friend. "It's so nice of you to do this. I want a memory of it."
Johnny knelt down between the two Desoto children. He wrapped one arm around Jennifer the Princess and one arm around Chris the Muskateer. Johnny the doctor was all smiles in his "borrowed" scrubs and Lab coat. Joanne snapped the picture that now adorned the Desoto living room.
Who knew that Joanne would put THAT picture on the shelf by the fireplace for everyone to see? Certainly not Johnny, even though it was one of his favorite pictures with Jenny and Chris.
Who knew that the next year Johnny would be recuperating from a serious head injury that would bring Dr. Brackett himself to the Desoto home for breakfast? And that he, himself would see the photo of Johnny and the Desoto children in a Halloween picture with Johnny wearing his labcoat. Who knew?


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HHV x adidas TERREX x Lexx6000
Sunday November 7th, 2021
At HHV, the passion for music runs in our DNA and we feel most at home in the place where music and streetwear come together. That's exactly why we teamed up with Lexx6000 for our latest collaboration with adidas Terrex.
Carhartt WIP RELEVANT PARTIES – Mahogani Music
Wednesday June 16th, 2021
The latest episode of the Carhartt WIP RELEVANT PARTIES podcast series takes us to Detroit. We get to dive deep into the musical history of Motor City as we take a closer look at the origins and impact of Mahogani Music, the label founded by DJ and producer Kenny Dixon Jr., a.k.a. Moodymann.
Carhartt WIP pres. RELEVANT PARTIES – Ed Banger Records
A brand new episode of Carhartt WIP's RELEVANT PARTIES is out – This time featuring a conversation with Parisian record producer, DJ and former artist manager Pedro Winter a.k.a. Busy P.
Carhartt WIP pres. RELEVANT PARTIES – Exit Records
Wednesday April 14th, 2021
Carhartt WIP drops another episode of the RELEVANT PARTIES podcast series in which we get to meet DJ and producer Darren White aka dBridge, founder of Exit Records, a label that has shaped UK club culture and the genres of drum and bass, jungle, autonomic, hip-hop and soul like few others.
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Adrian Sherwood, UK's legendary dub music redord producer and founder of On-U Sound tells host Chal Ravens his story of how a reggae-fanatic teenager went on to become one of the most influential figures within the world of dub, experimental, Raggae, post-Punk, electronica and Hip Hop.
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The latest episode of Carhartt WIP RELEVANT PARTIES is dedicated to Amsterdam-based label Rush Hour. Since its founding in 1997, Rush Hour has been a hotbed of music culture, responsible for outstanding sounds of the genres Afrobeat, Brazil, disco, jazz, soul, as well as house and techno.
Butter Goods x Charles Mingus
Friday February 12th, 2021
This season, Butter Goods is paying tribute to one of the all-time greats of jazz: Charles Mingus. Honouring and celebrating the life and works of the jazz legend, the brand has created a limited tribute collection in collaboration with the artist's estate and the Jazz Workshop, Inc. Join us for a glimpse into the genius of Charles Mingus written by Gereon Klug.
journal.wav No 7 – Charles Mingus Tribute
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The sixth episode of RELEVANT PARTIES is dedicated to NYC's DFA Records, one of the most influential record labels of the 00s. The Juan MacLean and Shitrobot, longtime artists of the label, reminisce about its formation in New York City back in the days, in an era before social media and streaming platforms.
Vans x Anderson .Paak – Drop 2
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Khan Vs. Peterson Results Live, Round 7: Amir Khan Called For Pushing, Point Deducted
By Mike Prada Dec 10, 2011, 11:45pm EST
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The main event of Washington D.C.'s first major boxing fight in 18 years pits IBF and WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan defending his crown against D.C.'s own Lamont Peterson at the Washington Convention Center. The fight is taking place in Peterson's hometown, a rarity in boxing since he is the challenger. Joe Cooper is the referee for the bout, which began shortly after 11 p.m. Here is a recap of the seventh round.
Amir Khan has begun to go back on the offensive, landing a couple combinations in the first minute of the seventh round. Peterson was able to get Khan on the boards soon thereafter, landing a right hook to Khan's face and forcing him to the ropes before he was finally able to get out.
Peterson did get Khan on the boards after the one-minute mark, but wasn't able to land any solid punches. But that soon changed. Peterson did hit Khan with an uppercut, causing Khan to bleed by his nose. Peterson then hit Khan with a hard right hand, then pinned him on the boards and hit him with another hard right hand right at the end of the round.
At the end of the round, Khan was docked a point for pushing, which he contested heavily. That gives the round, 10-8, to Peterson.
For more on the Khan vs. Peterson fight, including live results throughout the bout, visit this StoryStream, Bad Left Hook and MMA Nation.
Lamont Peterson Appeals WBA Decision Ordering Rematch Against Amir Khan
Lamont Peterson Appeals WBA Decision To Order Rematch With Amir Khan
Khan Vs. Peterson Results Live, Round 6: Amir Khan Continues To Use His Speed


Where new technology has rendered earlier designs obsolete, modernization should be considered.
Any installation with motor generator sets (Ward Leonard speed control) is a candidate for modernization.
Any installation using two speed AC motor drive is a candidate for modernization.
Hydraulic machines are not candidates for modernization since there is nothing new in hydraulic valves. The electrical control systems, however, are often dated and can benefit from replacement.
An hydraulic unit with an in-ground cylinder is a definite candidate for conversion to a roped hydraulic or to a traction machine since there is no guaranteed way of ensuring the longevity or safety of the buried cylinder.


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One Star Blows up Twice; Giant Magellan Telescope Update; ALMA Observes How Our Sun Will Die
Help support Deep Astronomy by getting a month's free trial at The Great Courses Plus: http://ow.ly/AVDF30fiZ33 Consider supporting Space Fan News: https://patreon.com/DeepAstronomy to ensure you get current space & astronomy news each week! In t
Published on 11th Nov, 2017
Help support Deep Astronomy by getting a month's free trial at The Great Courses Plus: http://ow.ly/AVDF30fiZ33 Consider supporting Space Fan News: https://patreon.com/DeepAstronomy to ensure you get current space & astronomy news each week! In this episode, astronomers observe a star that has gone supernova, not once, but twice; the Giant Magellan Telescope starts casting its fifth mirror segment; and ALMA provides us with the most detailed image of a red giant star ever produced and gives us a glimpse of the fate of our own solar system. Links to this week's stories: http://www.keckobservatory.org/recent/entry/LCO_supernova http://www.gmto.org/2017/11/giant-magellan-telescope-organization-casts-fifth-mirror/ http://www.chalmers.se/en/researchinfrastructure/oso/news/Pages/Alma-image-of-red-giant-star-gives-a-surprising-glimpse-of-the-Suns-future.aspx Space Fan News Theme by Stephen Dubois available for download here: http://ancienteyesmusic.com Follow DeepAstronomy on Twitter: @DeepAstronomy Like DeepAstronomy on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeepAstronomy/ Like Space Fan News on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpaceFanNews/ Follow DeepAstronomy on Google+ http://google.com/+DeepAstronomy http://google.com/+TonyDarnell


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Dr. Carhart-Harris and his colleagues examined the effect of psilocybin – which is a psychedelic drug that activates the brain's receptors for serotonin, or the "happiness" hormone – in 19 patients in whom conventional anti-depression therapies did not work.
All patients had been diagnosed with "treatment-resistant," or severe, depression. As part of the research, they received one 10-milligram dose of psilocybin, and another dose of 25 milligrams a week later. Participants were also asked to fill in a clinical questionnaire, wherein they reported their experience.
All 19 patients showed significantly decreased depressive symptoms 1 week after the treatment. After 5 weeks, 12 of the 19 patients showed lasting benefits and were therefore deemed to be "responsive" to the treatment.
The whole-brain analyses performed by the researchers showed a decreased cerebral blood flow in the temporal cortex, including in the almond-shaped amygdala, or the brain's so-called fear hub, which processes our "fight-or-flight" response.
The findings point to a "reset mechanism," the authors propose, in which the brain's networks are picked apart and put back together again.
"Psilocybin may be giving these individuals the temporary 'kick-start' they need to break out of their depressive states, and these imaging results do tentatively support a 'reset' analogy," Dr. Carhart-Harris continues.
"Similar brain effects to these have been seen with electroconvulsive therapy," he adds.
"Through collecting […] imaging data we have been able to provide a window into the after effects of psilocybin treatment in the brains of patients with chronic depression," explains Dr. Carhart-Harris.
Therefore, future studies should "challenge and develop" the findings of this research, the authors write.
過去の投稿前 Medical News Today: How can you cope with a cancer diagnosis?


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Iraq Economic Progress
Kuwaiti Trade Minister arrives in Iraq to discuss establishment of free trade zone
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by rocky on Wed 20 Feb 2019, 3:08 am
The Minister of Commerce and Industry and Minister of State for Services of Kuwait arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday heading an official delegation on a two-day visit to discuss the establishment of a free trade zone and the signing of an agreement.
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Commerce said in a press statement read by "Economy News" that the Minister Khalid Al-Roudhan will meet during his visit to Iraqi President Barham Salih, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and Parliament Speaker Mohamed Halbusi.
It will also hold an open meeting with several Iraqi bodies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Transport, Industry and Minerals, the Central Bank of Iraq, the General Authority for Border Ports, the National Investment Authority, the Fund for the Reconstruction of the Affected Areas and the General Administration of Customs.
Al-Roudhan will meet with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Al-Ani and will hold a meeting with the Union of Chambers, the Federation of Industries, the Federation of Businessmen, the National Business Council and the Economic Council to discuss means of developing trade relations between the two countries.
The minister is accompanied by an official delegation comprising representatives of several governmental bodies including the Public Authority for Industry, the Direct Investment Promotion Authority, the Competition Protection Authority, the Kuwait Ports Corporation, the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The delegation also includes representatives from the World Bank, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the General Authority for Investment, the Kuwait Fund for Development, the General Administration of Ports, the General Authority for Roads and Land Transport, and the Silk Development Agency.
Baghdad wants to expand the free zone between Iraq and Kuwait similar to that with Jordan
[size=36]Baghdad wants to expand the free zone between Iraq and Kuwait similar to that with Jordan[/size]
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BAGHDAD (Reuters) -
Trade Minister Mohammed al-Ani said on Wednesday that Iraq wants to expand the free zone into a joint industrial zone, similar to the one recently opened between Iraq and Jordan.
"Visiting the Kuwaiti delegation today will break the stalemate in trade relations between the two countries and elevate them to higher levels," Al-Ani said in a statement to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) on the sidelines of his reception with Kuwait's Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalid Al-Rowdan.
"Iraq welcomes the idea of establishing a free zone between the two countries because it will add many citizens to the two countries and enhance trade cooperation between them," Al Ani said, "likely to reach smooth agreements in this regard."
He expressed Iraq's desire to "expand the free zone into a joint industrial zone, similar to the one recently opened between Iraq and Jordan," adding that "an important principle in the relationship between the two countries is the existence of a joint industry."
Kuwaiti Minister of Trade and Industry Khalid Al-Roudhan arrived in Baghdad on Monday for a two-day official visit to meet with senior Iraqi officials to discuss ways of developing trade relations between the two countries.
The Kuwaiti Minister of Trade from Baghdad: Our visit is aimed at resolving all trade obstacles with
[size=36]The Kuwaiti Minister of Trade from Baghdad: Our visit is aimed at resolving all trade obstacles with Iraq[/size]
Baghdad -
Kuwait's Minister of Trade and Industry Khalid Al-Roudhan said on Wednesday that his visit to Iraq aims to resolve all obstacles to activating trade between the two countries and moving them to good levels.
"Iraq today, after its victory over terrorism, seeks to develop its economy," Minister Al-Roudhan said in a speech during an official talks with his Iraqi counterpart, Mohammed al-Ani, in the presence of senior officials from the two ministries. He added that "cooperation with Kuwait in this Stage that would benefit both parties. "
"The level of trade between the two countries currently does not rise to the level of the developed relations between them and must be upgraded and developed."
The Kuwaiti minister,
He also noted that "the presence of many obstacles to the development of trade movement," stressing that his visit "today reflects a sincere desire to resolve all these obstacles."
He said that his visit would "witness meetings with several competent governmental bodies and the Iraqi private sector. Representatives from the Kuwaiti private sector will meet with their Iraqi counterparts." The two countries have a golden opportunity to increase the volume of trade exchange and achieve a good partnership between them.
On Wednesday, Kuwait's Minister of Trade and Industry Khaled Al-Rawdan arrived in the Iraqi capital Baghdad for a two-day official visit to meet with senior Iraqi officials to discuss ways of developing trade relations between the two countries.
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Re: Kuwaiti Trade Minister arrives in Iraq to discuss establishment of free trade zone
by weslin3 on Wed 20 Feb 2019, 7:55 am
Thanks Rocky for all of these articles.. Sounds like Kuwait is wanting to set matters of trade straight with Iraq.. Hope and pray all goes well.
Abdul Mahdi: Iraq and Kuwait a great opportunity for economic cooperation
by rocky on Wed 20 Feb 2019, 2:13 pm
Information / Baghdad
Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said on Wednesday that Iraq and Kuwait have a great opportunity to cooperate economically and develop relations between the two countries.
"The relations between Iraq and Kuwait are exceptional and are dominated by cooperation, goodwill and a common desire to develop them in all fields that serve stability, development and economic prosperity," he said in a statement received by his media office.
"Iraq is moving steadily to overcome the difficulties of the past and the effects of devastating wars, and we have the task of building in cooperation with its brothers and establishing economic and trade partnerships for the benefit of our peoples and the region in general," he said during a meeting with Khalid al-Rowdan, minister of commerce and industry, The model of the agreement between Iraq and Jordan and the establishment of a joint industrial zone, and willingness to work with the State of Kuwait and to cooperate more and activate border ports and provide all the facilities and facilities for investors.
Abdul-Mahdi expressed his appreciation for the Amir's positions and wisdom and his support for increasing and expanding relations of cooperation with Iraq.
For his part, the Kuwaiti Minister of Trade conveyed the greetings of the Amir of Kuwait to the Prime Minister and his emphasis on Kuwait's support for the stability and reconstruction of Iraq and the success of the plans of the Iraqi government and the desire to raise the level of trade exchange and involve the private sector and establish partnership relations between the two countries. End 25 n
Presidency confirms the follow-up to the decisions of the Kuwait Conference
Information / Baghdad ...
The Presidency of the Republic, on Wednesday, the need to follow the decisions of the Kuwait Conference for the reconstruction of Iraq.
"President Barham Saleh received at the Peace Palace in Baghdad today the Kuwaiti Minister of Trade and Industry Khalid Al-Roudhan and his accompanying delegation. During the meeting, a number of issues of mutual interest were discussed, The level of trade and economic exchange and the exchange of experiences and joint coordination in all fields. "
Saleh stressed the importance of following up what was adopted at the Kuwait conference for the reconstruction of Iraq, stressing the necessity of enhancing trade cooperation between the two countries and means of developing it to achieve economic development for the benefit of the two friendly peoples.
"Iraq has a serious desire to open up to its Arab, regional and international environment in the economic and industrial fields, in order to enhance its position and realize the aspirations of its people," he said.
For his part, Roudhan stressed his country's keenness to develop relations with Iraq and the willingness of Kuwaiti companies to invest and rehabilitate infrastructure in its cities. Ending / 25
Abdul-Mahdi declares Iraq's readiness to establish an industrial zone with Kuwait
Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said that Iraq is ready to work with Kuwait in accordance with the model of the agreement between Iraq and Jordan and the establishment of an industrial zone.
"The relations between Iraq and Kuwait are exceptional and are dominated by cooperation, goodwill and a common desire to develop them in all fields that serve stability, development and economic prosperity," Abdul-Mahdi said during a meeting with Kuwaiti Trade Minister Khalid Al-Roudhan.
He added that Iraq is moving steadily to overcome the difficulties of the past and the effects of devastating wars. We also have the task of building in cooperation with our brothers and establishing economic and commercial partnership for the benefit of our peoples and the region in general. He pointed to the model of the agreement between Iraq and Jordan. Border ports and provide all facilities and facilities for investors.
For his part, the Kuwaiti Minister of Trade stressed the support of Kuwait for the stability and reconstruction of Iraq and the success of the plans of the Iraqi government, and the desire to raise the level of trade exchange and engage the private sector and establish relations of partnership between the two countries and the two neighboring peoples.
Iraq and Kuwait sign a memorandum of joint bilateral cooperation in all fields
by rocky on Fri 22 Feb 2019, 2:42 am
Thursday 21 February
announced that the Iraqi Ministry of Trade, Thursday, has signed with Kuwait , a report of the joint bilateral cooperation in all fields, noting the agreement on the mechanisms of economic integration and resolving the outstanding problems between the two countries.
The ministry said in a statement received by Alsumaria News, a copy of it, " Iraq andKuwait signed a memorandum of bilateral cooperation in all areas, and agreed on mechanisms for economic integration and resolving the outstanding problems between the two countries."
"The Iraqi-Kuwaiti agreement is a first step in the right direction to activate economic and trade relations and overcome the problems of the previous stage," the ministry said.
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by chouchou on Fri 22 Feb 2019, 3:05 am
Parliament Sadr 7 FakeNews airways parliamentary boeing Kuwait 1 4 dinar opening 6 reveals electronic 8 customs N3 Integrity 5 12 delegation discusses 2 companies 3
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Beyoncé at American Airlines Center, 12/9/13: Review
Kiernan Maletsky
| Concert Reviews |
Kiernan Maletsky | December 10, 2013 | 8:31am
Beyoncé is somewhere near her eighth outfit of the night, and the fabric of this one is made to look like so many brass pipes. She's singing "Crazy in Love," which is appropriate, because no one has ever resembled a human horn section as much as Beyoncé on "Crazy in Love."
This is the grand finale. She used a remixed version of "Countdown" for the climactic costume change interlude, which is to say she didn't even really play one of the 25 most exhilarating pop songs of the last decade. That's the kind of thing you can get away with when you can follow it up with two of the five most exhilarating pop songs of the same span.
The best part of the "Countdown" clip was that it involved splicing in Jay-Z's "I got the hottest chick in the game wearing my chain" line from "Public Service Announcement." This tour is called the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, but you're more likely to walk away from it calling Jay-Z Mr. Knowles. The "PSA" line is pretty much the only airtime Jay gets at this show, and it's used to further demonstrate Beyoncé's power. And he pays for it a few minutes later during his second and final cameo on the backing track when he gets to introduce her ("It's your girl, B") but not himself ("It's your boy, Young," which is excised from the mix) on "Crazy in Love." All hail Queen Bey. Long may she rule.
So we go from "Countdown" to "Crazy in Love" to "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On it)," and it is complete, adoring pandemonium inside American Airlines Center, every single person flipping his or her left hand back and forth in the air as fat strips of gold confetti fly 30 feet into the air in every direction from the stage. It is the second time this exact tour has come to Dallas this year, and I'd go again if it made a third stop before New Year's Eve.
See also: The ten best shows of the summer
The Mrs. Carter World Tour felt like a victory lap on day one. She's been doing this well for a long time, before she was a teenager in Destiny's Child, before the solo break, before every boy and plenty of girls closed their eyes and saw her striding down the middle of a street in a white tank and Daisy Dukes. Before Kanye West interrupted Taylor Swift to say what everyone was thinking, before she took on over a hundred million Americans sitting in front of their TVs with a triumphant snarl at Super Bowl XLVII, Beyoncé was preparing for her ascension from Houston.
There are misconceptions about being from Texas. It involves Southern hospitality but Eastern Seaboard ambition and puritanical personal responsibility. The ideal Texan smiles warmly and does not allow others to shoulder her yoke, and Beyoncé is that.
She's got more to say, presumably, but she's already fixed her flag on Pop Mountain and our state's best ambassador spent 2013 traveling around the world, giving people a chance to kiss the ring in person.
And now, she's 97 dates into a 107-stop tour that earned $55.6 million by show number 36. The first run of U.S. dates sold out basically instantaneously. She wound up playing three shows in London to meet demand, and sold out the Superdome in July.
See also: Beyonce at American Airlines Center, 7/6/13: Review
So by now you know the CliffsNotes. The backing band is all women. The backup dancers are all women except Les Twins from Paris, France, and they possess unusually delicate features. The interlude clips are Victorian. In the key one, halfway through the 90-minute show, she delivers a monologue about female sexuality, about its ability to "manipulate and to celebrate."
Her backup dancers don't smile much; she smiles only slightly more often, only when the audience has earned it. When Beyoncé dances, it's not for your pleasure but for hers. You're welcome to join her if you like.
The "encore" -- now such a perfunctory part of every concert that it no longer even pretends to be necessitated by the demands of the crowd -- begins with an a capella rendition of one of the most vocally challenging songs ever written: Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," its diva credentials further certified by Whitney Houston. Beyoncé, cast in stark relief by a spotlight beaming from behind her, drills it, taking the gymnastic tempo liberties reserved for people utterly in command of these high notes. Lip-sync this, she might be saying, if responding to critics were the kind of thing someone like Beyoncé has time for.
Beyoncé Setlist: 12/9/13, Dallas, Texas INTRO: I Been On Run the World (Girls) End of Time INTERLUDE: You Are a Queen If I Were a Boy Get Me Bodied Baby Boy Diva INTERLUDE: Naughty Girl Party Freakum Dress Why Don't You Love Me 1+1 Irreplaceable Love on Top Survivor INTERLUDE: Countdown Crazy in Love Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) ENCORE I Will Always Love You Halo Green Light / Suga Mama
See also: -The Top Ten All Time Best Replacement Lead Singers in Rock and Roll -Songs That Have Hidden Messages When Played in Reverse -The Ten Best Music Videos Banned by MTV
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Wealth That Can't Be Deleted
Posted On May 13, 2016 By Dave Gonigam
Hackers hit the digital equivalent of a bank vault…
… So what chance does your measly online bank account have?
Another question: Is this latest hack the work of Kim Jong Un, Sooooper Genius?
The truth about "good manufacturing jobs," continued
Corporate chiefs scheme to shear investors: Zach Scheidt reports from Vegas
Senators' "solution" to long TSA lines
What we don't know about Trump… being right or being happy, gold edition… a secret coded message (!)… and more!
Wait a minute — we're supposed to believe the North Koreans are master computer hackers and financial thieves?
"Thieves have again found their way into what was thought to be the most secure financial messaging system in the world and stolen money from a bank," reports The New York Times. "The crime appears to be part of a broad online attack on global banking."
The perps broke into SWIFT — the international payments system that any large institution transacting in dollars needs access to. SWIFT is issuing a notice to its clients today saying the victim was a commercial bank — whose name it will not disclose. (Nor will it disclose how much money vanished.)
The tactics appear similar to a still-unsolved theft of $81 million in February from the central bank of Bangladesh — by way of both SWIFT and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
Make no mistake: This is no garden-variety financial hacking, in which the thieves snag a few million credit card numbers and PINs.
The money was taken "not from a large number of customers, but from the banks themselves," says the Times. "It is as if the thieves used their hacking skills to reach inside a bank vault."
Researchers at BAE Systems, the big British defense contractor, say the tactics also bear the fingerprints of whoever hacked into Sony Pictures in late 2014. "The overlaps between these samples provide strong links for the same coder being behind the recent bank heist cases and a wider-known campaign stretching back almost a decade."
BAE is being circumspect about naming a culprit. But we remember well the FBI's attempts to pin the Sony hack on North Korea — revenge, we were told, for a craptastic Seth Rogen movie set in North Korea that no one even remembers 18 months later.
As we said at the time, many cyber-experts found the FBI's "evidence" wanting. Some of them said an inside job by a disgruntled Sony employee was more likely.
Anyway, we're just waiting now for some federal agency or mainstream media outlet to blame the hermit kingdom for this latest cyberheist. A government that for all its nuclear bluster still can't pull off a missile test without screwing something up. A government that in the best of times can't feed its own people.
Besides, remember how Kim Jong Un's regime tried to wow us with its technological savvy in 2013? This remains one of our favorite photos in The 5's nine-year history…
Caption when we ran it the first time: "And the left arrow takes you back to the page you just visited."
We have no more idea who pulled off this latest hack than you do. But it does underscore a point Jim Rickards has been making for a while, most recently in his latest book, The New Case for Gold.
"As a 21st-century investor, I don't want all my wealth in digital form. I want some of my wealth in tangible form, such as gold.
"You can't hack gold, you can't digitally delete or erase gold and you can't infect it with a computer virus, because it's physical."
"If it can happen to SWIFT, it can happen to you," Jim underscored to his readers this week. "The solution is to own physical gold." As usual, Jim recommends it make up 10% of your portfolio.
[If you already have your 10% allocation: Readers of our newest service, Rickards' Gold Speculator, are coming out of the gate fast.
Charter subscribers were told on Monday to pick up shares of a junior gold miner called Kaminak Gold. Yesterday came word that Kaminak is being bought out by one of the big boys, Goldcorp. Result — a 33% gain in three days.
That's just a hint of the power behind the MIDAS system Jim and his team developed to identify the junior gold plays with the most explosive potential. As Jim has said all week here in The 5, opportunities like this in the junior gold space come along only every 10 years or so. And they don't last long. Jim walks you through the MIDAS system when you click here.]
The week's stock market action is ending with a whimper — none of the major U.S. indexes moving much. As we write, the S&P 500 is off four points, at 2,060. Gold has perked up a bit to $1,270. Crude has retreated below $46.
The big economic number of the day is retail sales — up 1.3% in April, way better than the "expert consensus" had figured. But traders aren't impressed, not after the profit warning Macy's put out on Wednesday. At last check, XRT, the big retail ETF, is down another 1% today.
One other economic number of note — producer prices. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says they rose 0.2% last month, a bit weaker than expected in view of rising oil prices. Year over year shows no change. If the Federal Reserve is looking for signs of inflation to justify a June interest rate increase, they're not here.
Elsewhere, we see International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde — the "enforcer" of the "Shanghai Accord" — is in London lecturing Britons about the "pretty bad to very, very bad consequences" if they vote next month to leave the European Union. Did the thought occur to her that someone in her position saying something like that might, you know, backfire?
Confirmation that "good manufacturing jobs" aren't all they're cracked up to be: One in three U.S. manufacturing workers is on the dole, says a new report from the University of California. Wages, it says, just aren't up to snuff.
"Historically, blue-collar jobs in manufacturing provided opportunities for workers without a college education to earn a decent living," say the researchers. "For many manufacturing jobs, this is no longer true."
In five states, more than 40% of manufacturing workers are collecting food stamps or Medicaid or some similar program — Arkansas, Texas, California, Georgia and Mississippi. "The reality is the production jobs are increasingly coming to resemble fast-food or Wal-Mart jobs," says Ken Jacobs, one of the study's co-authors.
The numbers reinforce another study we spotted 18 months ago — which found the inflation-adjusted wages of U.S. factory workers had fallen 4.4% in the previous decade, three times faster than the overall workforce.
"I'm noticing a significant increase in the number of speakers focusing on strategies and opportunities for investors to generate income," writes our Zach Scheidt from the annual MoneyShow in Las Vegas.
"That makes sense considering the exceptionally low interest rates around the world and the negative interest rates that have been introduced in Japan, Europe and a few other economies. So income is a hot topic for investors who need to generate cash to cover life expenses.
"But it's also a hot topic for corporate executives who ultimately make the decision of whether to pay dividends to investors or not."
Indeed, the number of companies cutting their dividends in 2015 grew 39% from the year before. And the first quarter of this year was the worst for dividends since the "Great Recession."
That said, "Corporate executives have the money to pay dividends," Zach tells us.
"But instead of paying cash to us as investors, these corporate executives are spending the company's money to buy back shares of stock."
Sometimes buybacks are a good thing. Zach likes Apple's recent moves to buy back shares while their price is in a momentary slump. "But unlike Apple, many blue chip companies are paying premium prices to buy back shares of stock," he says. "This is incredibly wasteful, and it is a slap in the face to income investors like us who count on dividend payments to generate cash in our accounts.
"It's a challenging time for income investors," Zach tells his Lifetime Income Report subscribers, "but our positions are holding up very well and there are still plenty of great opportunities for us to invest in."
Proof that government solves every problem by creating a new one: Members of Congress want to speed up the airport security lines by… having the airlines drop their baggage fees.
We see there were hellish security lines last night at Chicago Midway. As we mentioned last week, they're the consequence of a bad bet by the TSA. The agency cut staff, figuring legions of travelers would sign up for its PreCheck get-past-security-faster program. They didn't.
Now Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) have written a letter to the airlines asking them to waive their fees for checked baggage this summer. The way they figure it, baggage fees inspire people to bulk up their carry-ons, and that's slowing down the lines.
Oy… We're no fans of the airline industry, but the response from Jean Medina of the trade group Airlines for America strikes us as logical. "The majority of customers who check a bag do not pay to do so. Further, the model of charging customers for services they use and value, like checking a bag, dates back to 2008; this is not a new phenomenon."
Anyway, if the senators' harebrained "solution" turns into law, count on higher airfares…
"If you knew anything about Trump, you'd know he hires the people who can do the job," writes a reader after we noted last Saturday that Trump hired a Goldman Sachs alum to oversee his fundraising. "The likelihood that there's a political element to this choice is vanishingly small.
"Commenting on politics is necessary for those of us in the financial world today, unfortunately. However, like all comments, the first requirement is to have a clue."
The 5: Ah, but it's what we don't know with certainty that has us most concerned. Yes, Trump has styled himself as the "outsider" — which is a very good place to be relative to Hillary Clinton.
"But," Agora founder Bill Bonner wrote two months ago, "we find it hard to imagine that The Donald hasn't already made a deal with the 'powers that be.'
"His career was forged in the white heat of the building trade — with mafia-run unions, along with banks and regulators in Las Vegas and New York hammering him.
"He denies it. But he depends on all of them — the government, the banks and the system of bubble finance — to keep his fortune intact.
"He knows how important they are. And he knows how they operate.
"Donald claims to be one of the greatest deal-makers in history. It is hard to imagine that he hasn't made the most important deal of his life."
"The rallies are being capped," writes one of our crankiest readers after our latest exploration of the gold market yesterday.
"All you have to do is look at the 'commercial' short positions to see they're selling naked short in big volume to keep the price suppressed every time there's a big spike in price. RECORD short levels. Not worthy of mention?
"How anyone presumes to opine on the gold market without even mentioning the COT [Commitments of Traders] report is incredible to me. Are you stupid or just lazy? Do you just want to defend the validity of your chart signals at all costs? Do you simply not want to acknowledge the manipulation and the dominant effect it has on price … if not trend?
"Charts don't lie? The hell they don't. Why do you think every breakout gets sold instead of bought?
"Absent the suppression, prices would be screaming higher."
The 5: Every breakout gets sold instead of bought? You're saying gold is destined to crash back to the $1,050 levels of late last year? Gee, we're confused…
More to our point: Jim Rickards opines all the time about the gold market without ever mentioning the COT reports. And he takes a back seat to no one when it comes to dissecting gold market manipulation.
The COTs are a touchstone of people who are perpetually angry that gold hasn't already reached the stratosphere. And to justify their fury, they pore over these weekly figures from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission — many, we suspect, while sitting in their boxers in mom's basement. Some, we bet, still don't own any bullion.
Meanwhile, people following the guidance of Jim Rickards and his team bagged a 33% gain in three days on a junior gold stock that's getting bought out.
It comes back to a question we pose now and then, probably not enough: Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy? (And make money?) You can choose happiness (and money) right here.
"Really? Those were ellipses??" a reader writes as our punctuation thread improbably stretches into a third day. "DAMNIT!!
"I thought it was a secret Morse code puzzle to a new stock pick that would make me millions of dollars before the beginning of next week.
"I have been correlating the location of the signals (ellipses) in your publication for the last month or so.
"Here is how it reads so far:
T E DEEP S ATE GO ERNM NT IS A READ IN YO R
SH RTS. G T L TS F TO LET P P R AN R N FO TH
HILLS .
"Not sure what it means yet… three or four letters more should do it."
The 5: It means be sure to drink your Ovaltine.
"Sobriquets"… "Ellipses"… Love The 5," writes our final correspondent.
"I don't read 5% of what comes through my inbox but always at least TRY to read The 5. Even when the content is dull, the vocabulary and grammar are impeccable and the diatribe (is that the right word?) is clever, sarcastic and witty. Usually agree with your viewpoint, and get news and financial info here too, often first. Usually get a smile or two as well."
The 5: We're flattered that we cut through the clutter for you. But we do wonder sometimes about anyone who appreciates our peculiar stream of consciousness…
P.S. Alas, the SWIFT hacking got in the way of our plans today for a deeper explanation of how Jim Rickards sees gold growing eightfold, to $10,000 an ounce. (Eventually, anyway. Not soon enough for the cranky reader above.)
That's how it goes when we react to breaking news, as is our wont. We promise, we'll get to the $10,000 gold discussion sometime next week. Jim goes into it a little bit right here… but only by way of spotlighting a short-term opening in the gold market that allows for much more than eightfold gains.
Indeed, a $10,000 stake following Jim's strategy has the potential to grow to $1,680,384. But only if you hold off on bullion purchases for now. Jim explains at this link.


Picture of Oliver Davies. Links to the original post on Oliver Davies's blog and to One-Month Money on Amazon.
Beyond being one of the many possible ways to eliminate the zero lower bound, I think of this as designed to put a straightjacket on velocity so that it is exactly once per month or 12 times per year. This then helps guarantee that one can hit one's nominal GDP target, since MV = PY, and M is tightly controlled through 100% reserve requirements.
My view is that, once one eliminates the zero lower bound, central banks that are consciously targeting nominal GDP could probably do a pretty good job of hitting those nominal GDP level targets without such draconian measures, so that "one-month money" is probably not necessary to stabilize the economy. But it is always good to have a backup plan (in what I consider the unlikely case) that it is very hard to hit nominal GDP targets even after the zero lower bound is eliminated in the way I have advocated.
Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of speaking with Miles Kimball. For those unversed in the who's who of the economics world, Miles is a Professor of Economics and Survey Research at the University of Michigan and blogs at Confessions of a Supply-Side Liberal and Quartz. As one of the few professional economists who believe our monetary system is in dire need of an overhaul, he has developed a proposal for removing the Zero Lower Bound (ZLB) without outlawing cash. In a gist, Miles' proposal would allow the central bank to implement a deposit fee on its cash window, thereby creating a negative rate on physical currency. Miles is also the first person with academic credibility to read my book, and his feedback, delivered over a marathon phone call that lasted nearly three hours, was very positive.
Let's start with Miles' elegant reframing of how a neutral monetary system would work. Neutral money affects two variables: the Money Supply (M) and the Velocity of Money (V), which, crudely speaking, means the amount of times the money supply is spent during a given time period. As anyone with exposure to introductory macroeconomics will know, the Money Supply (M) multiplied by the Velocity of Money (V) is equal to Prices (P) multiplied by Quantities (Q), which is also known as "nominal GDP. " The equation looks like this: M*V = P*Q = nominal GDP.
So how does neutral money work? It's pretty simple. Step 2 of neutral money (expiration) fixes V at a constant, since every dollar in circulation (M) is guaranteed to be spent exactly once each month. Simultaneously, Step 1 (100% reserve banking) gives the central bank direct control over M. With V fixed, a 10% increase to M will also boost M*V, and hence nominal GDP, by 10%. In other words, under neutral money, the central bank has direct control over nominal GDP, or aggregate demand. If the central bank doesn't want demand to fall, then demand won't fall. No ifs or buts or maybes.
As I have enormous respect for Miles' work, I was greatly encouraged by his acknowledgement that neutral money would achieve its stated goal of ending the business cycle. Does this make Miles a neutral money convert? Not quite. Or not yet. As someone who has pitched his plan to eliminate the ZLB to a number of central banks, he understands the importance of politics. And as far as monetary overhauls go, neutral money is undeniably radical, more so than his ZLB proposal. Miles therefore concluded that a system like his would need to demonstrably fail before consensus could be reached on adopting neutral money.
Quite frankly, I couldn't agree more. While a chapter in my book explains why neutral money is superior to negative cash interest rates, my thinking has evolved slightly since publication. The choice shouldn't be between neutral money or negative cash interest rates. Rather, we should first try to eliminate the ZLB, which is easier to implement, and then, if that falls short, we should adopt neutral money.
Does this conclusion mean we should shelve neutral money until a negative cash rate system fails? Not at all. Neutral money, although the most radical, is also the most soundproof. As Miles' mathematical reframing proves, neutral money is guaranteed to work. We should therefore think of neutral money as the last stage on the road to a more perfect monetary system, with these other proposals as important milestones along the way. Each proposal, whether Kimball's, or Buiter's (who proposes abolishing cash altogether), or even 100% reserve banking, will dramatically reduce the political hurdles blocking the adoption of neutral money.
So how might it all play out? Obviously this is highly speculative, but it could look something like this. In stage one we might adopt Miles' system, which removes the ZLB. In a second stage we might implement 100% reserve banking, which would improve the stability of a monetary system where rates can turn negative. At this point, with fractional reserve banking removed, and with the public accustomed to negative rates, the only remaining political hurdle would be expiration — an inconvenience which, by that time, should be considerably diminished by technology.
So like all explorers setting out on an expedition, we should be prepared not just for the first, second, or third leg, but also the last. And that means we start thinking about practical implementation of neutral money today.
My conversation with Miles ended on a rather flattering note. He asked if I would be interested in writing a sequel (of sorts) to One-Month Money. In it I would focus on all the problems that would still remain in an economy free of business cycles. Miles has spent a lot of his time thinking about these supply-side problems, and wants a platform on which to properly express his ideas.


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Coca-Cola® named Official Soft Drink of Gateway Motorsports Park
February 23, 2017, St. Louis – Gateway Motorsports Park today announced a new, multi-year agreement with The Coca-Cola Company. Coca-Cola will serve as the exclusive soft drink provider of Gateway Motorsports Park. Coca-Cola products, including soft drinks, water and teas will refresh race fans and guests at every Gateway Motorsports Park event, including Verizon IndyCar Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series races.
"We are proud to partner with Coca-Cola as the Official Soft Drink and Official Water of Gateway Motorsports Park," said GMP Vice President and General Manager Chris Blair. "Coca-Cola is the world's most popular soft drink and their revered brand is the most recognized throughout the world. They are recognized as the world's most effective marketers and their support of NASCAR and NHRA make them a perfect fit for our facility and its continued growth."
Coca-Cola products including Coke®, Diet Coke®, Coke Zero®, Sprite®, Gold Peak® coffee and tea, Dasani®, POWERADE® and Mello Yello® will be available at Gateway Motorsports Park events at the start of the 2017 racing season.
"We are incredibly excited about this new partnership with Gateway Motorsports Park," said Chuck Wyant, St. Louis Market Unit General Manager, Coca-Cola Refreshments. "We look forward to leveraging our joint marketing activities and brands to drive beverage growth and refresh customers at Gateway Motorsports Park."
About Gateway Motorsports Park
Gateway Motorsports Park is the home of INDYCAR, NASCAR and NHRA racing in the St. Louis region. Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis and covering more than 200 acres, Gateway Motorsports Park is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. Gateway Motorsports Park's facilities include a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, 1.6-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility and a 14-acre, multi-purpose dirt off-road venue.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our company's portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. Our billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
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U.S. Cross Country Championships 2009/2010
Kincaid Park is located amongst breathtaking hills in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a park that is known for its magnificent hiking trails, festivals and most importantly, twenty miles of spectacular cross country skiing. It is therefore no surprise that it won the bid to host the U.S. Cross Country Championships for 2009 and 2010. The announcement was welcomed with great excitement from the locals in Anchorage and especially the skiing community based here.
When ConocoPhilips decided to sponsor the U.S. Cross Country Championships and place a bid to host the event in Anchorage, the Nordic Skiing Association Anchorage immediately supported their initiative. Kincaid Park lies just within the city limits and will not only give the local skiing community the opportunity to compete, but the economy of Anchorage will be boosted by the influx of skiers and supporters.
The Nordic Skiing Association Anchorage will be hosting the event, and skiers will find the conditions to be exciting and closely resemble what can be expected from Callahan Valley in Vancouver, where the 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be held. Competing here will therefore be great practice and preparation for those athletes who will be competing in the Winter Games. In the past, the Nordic Skiing Association Anchorage has always delivered quality skiing competitions, especially cross country events. With competent hosts and a brilliant competition venue, the U. S. Cross Country Championships is guaranteed to be a thrilling and successful event. And in addition to organization and venue, competitors can look forward to receiving wonderful support from the Anchorage locals, who are generally big fans of cross country skiing.
The upcoming U.S. Cross Country Championships will be held from the 3rd to the 8th of January 2009 and is a key event for skiers to show off their skills to be selected for the U.S. Olympic Cross Country Team. The Sprint (Classic) will take place on the 3rd of January, with the 10/15 kilometer Freestyle event taking place on the 5th, the 7th will be the 5/10 kilometer Classic and on the last day, competitors will take part in the Team Sprint (Freestyle).
Anchorage is seen by the entire cross country skiing community as the perfect venue for the 2009 and the 2010 U.S. Cross Country Championships, and spectators will be out in their hundreds, braving the cold, to watch some of the top skiing athletes battle it out for top position.
alaska championships cross country kincaid park nordic olympic skiing


The common scenario is an owner that runs out of money before the project is finished, the abandoned construction abandoned like steel skeleton against the landscape. In such circumstances, it doesn't make sense for the owner to assigned into bankruptcy. The initial effort will be to restructure the owner's business in order for operations to continue. A continuing business concern is seen as creating value not just to pay off debts but to support the economy overall. It is for this reason that proceedings are usually commenced under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).
CCAA proceedings are optimistic; underlying a proposal under the CCAA is the belief that with some help, an insolvent company can continue business. The Court acts as gatekeeper, monitoring the actions of the insolvent company and keeping creditors at bay until a final agreement can be reached to pay of the debts.
The priority of creditors is changed in a CCAA proceeding. The insolvent company needs money to continue operations—this is provided by the Debtor in Possession or "DIP" financer. Since the DIP financer is essentially saving the project, it is given super priority over all other creditors. So, if and when the insolvent company starts to make money again, the DIP lender gets paid first.
Next in line are secured creditors. For construction projects, they would include any contractor or subcontractor that registered a lien before the date of the CCAA proposal.
Unsecured creditors rank at the bottom when it comes to repayment, behind the DIP lender and the secured creditors. Unsecured creditors include any contractor or subcontractor that did not register a lien. This means that most trades and suppliers on these types of projects rank last.
Often, contractors and subcontractors will be asked to continue their contract work to complete the project. Anything done after the date of a CCAA proposal is considered to be under a new contract. As part of the CCAA proposal, the insolvent company has an obligation to ensure that payments are made for any new work supplied. Further, a contractor or subcontractor retains the right to lien or claim for any unpaid amount.
So, what can a contractor or subcontractor do? If a CCAA proposal has been made, the answer is, not much. It is very important that the contractor or subcontractor—by itself or through counsel—monitor the CCAA proceedings to make sure that it is counted as a creditor. That way, when the Court makes a distribution of the owner's assets, the contractor's or subcontractor's debt will be included. Before that time, the options are limited—in some cases, holdback funds may be pursued or a trust claim may be brought.
The most important thing is for a contractor or subcontractor to take action before a CCAA proposal is made. If there's a delay in payment, it is important for the contractor or subcontractor to find out why. Acting quickly can make all the difference. The take away here is to keep on top of what's happening on the project and to get the right help when you think there might be a problem.
CCAA proceedings in the course of construction projects are complex. The above is a general overview of proceedings and should not be considered legal advice. It is recommended that you seek legal counsel to discuss your options. If you have any questions relating to this article or wish to discuss your particular concerns, you may reach the author at ahatsios@kmblaw.com or (905) 276-0420.


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Home / Features / 2004 Los Angeles Auto Show
2004 Los Angeles Auto Show
New Year celebrations start early on West Coast
BMW 6-Series Features
by writers: Jeff Bartlett photographers: Brandy A. Schaffels January 30, 2004
Los Angeles claims the annual honor of first major show of the year, no matter how painful the timing can be for the auto industry. This year's event sandwiched around New Year's day, giving the media (and you!) an earlier peek than usual at the latest concepts and near-future production cars. A timing downside appears to be a limited number of significant unveilings. Sure, there were a number of enticing new machines, but just not the sheer volume seen at Detroit and the major international events. General Motors dominated the event, with the greatest number of significant new machines, from the Hummer H3T to the crossover "sport van" twins. Join us for a tour of the car-filled halls of the LA Convention Center as we revisit some familiar concept vehicles and examine the latest rides.Vote for your favorite production vehicle and concept car in our online polls. (Click on images to enlarge.)
Acura explores enthusiast territory with this sharp TL project car, boosting power, improving handling, and bolstering its urban image. The most obvious changes include a two-inch wider stance, one-inch lower ride height, massive 21-inch wheels, more angular front fascia, and flashy grille. The rear features similar changes, with a sporty fascia, eye-catching exhaust tips, restyled decklid spoiler, and new taillight treatments. Internal modifications, augmented by high-flow intake and exhaust, elevate power from 270 hp to over 300 hp from the 3.2-liter V-6. While this demonstrates the TL's extreme potential, Acura now offers an A-Spec kit, complete with a track-tuned suspension, 18-inch wheel/tire combo, and full aerodynamic package. This kit is dealer-installed and covered by full factory warranty.
The BMW X5 gains more power for the 2004 model year, with the top V-8 now displacing 4.8 liters and producing 360 horsepower. BMW claims swift a six-second 0-60-mph time for this high-performance package. The now-midrange 4.4-liter engine receives numerous enhancements for the new model year, including several refinements adapted from the prestigious 7 Series sedan. The X5 benefits from the new, intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive system that can infinitely vary the distribution of forces to the front and rear axles. The system works with onboard sensors, monitoring yaw rate and steering input, to predict when stability control intervention or motive force distribution is required. While the hardware marks the most significant updates, the exterior has been modestly updated for the new model year.
Making its North American debut, the new BMW 645Ci Coupe promises power and performance wrapped in gorgeous, contemporary styling that is among most attractive application of the automaker's current design language. The first BMW to wear the 6-Series badge in more than a dozen years, the new model is powered by the same 4.4-liter V-8 engine found in the luxury 745i, and offers three different six-speed transmissions, including one sequential manual gearbox. BMW promises 0-60-mph times in just 5.6 seconds, and a top speed electronically limited to 155 mph thanks in part to a judicious use of lightweight materials keeping the car at a 3528-pound curb weight. Additional niceties include an adaptive cruise control that maintains a programmed distance from the car ahead, swiveling headlights for improved visibility, and run-flat tires. Key options will include Dynamic Stability Control, Dynamic Drive suspension, and Active Steering, making the 6 Series a technological tour de force. The coupe is priced at $69,995, and the convertible model will debut in Detroit.
With Oldsmobile retired, premium minivan responsibilities are to be handled by Buick. Excuse us, this is a crossover sport van. Not to be confused with the minivan-based Rendezvous crossover sport/utility, think of the Terraza as a macho trying to shake the pervasive minivan stigma. Powered by a 3.5L/200-hp V-6, the Terraza will be offered in front- and all-wheel drive. Attention to safety sees the fitment of 16-inch, anti-lock disc brakes at each corner, traction control, and stability control. A traditional minivan interior is treated to premium trim, with abundant use of wood grain and chrome accents. The third-row folds flat, though not into the floor, leaving a slightly higher than normal load surface.
After an extremely long model span, Chevrolet will soon replace the Cavalier with the all-new Cobalt. Based on the Delta platform, the Cobalt will be offered in coupe and sedan forms, with a total of eight trim levels. The configurations will include base, LS, LT, and SS levels, with the striking coupe also to be offered in SS Supercharged form. Each distinct model includes a specific interior, powertrain, suspension, and wheels, ranging from 15 to 18 inches. Cobalt standard features include A/C, electric rear defogger, AM/FM/CD stereo, and driver information center. Available features include heated leather seats, power sunroof, XM Satellite Radio, MP3 playback, and OnStar. Chevrolet sees this car as both an opportunity to regain mainstream market share and make inroads into the sport compact enthusiast realm. For a clear hint at the SS Supercharged model, look at the 205-hp Saturn Ion Redline.
The beach-ready Dodge Kahuna seems more at home in LA than it did in frosty Detroit last year, when the six-passenger vehicle debuted. A modern interpretation of the Woodie, the Kahuna is pure fun, with maple laminates, retractable canvas top, and short, dune-friendly overhangs. Even the paint name is in the surfing spirit, Point Break Blue. Inside, the "big wave" theme continues, with a flowing wave design seen in the shaping of the instrument panel, as well as its switches, door panel detailing and seat forms. There are three rows of flexible seating, two of which can be turned into tables if needed, and a Sto & Go load floor. For mechanicals, the Kahuna is fitted with a minivan suspension and turbocharged 2.4L/215-hp four-cylinder engine.
This baby Hummer brings the brand's defining cubist styling and rugged abilities down to a more affordable and garage-friendly size. Riding on a 118.6-inch wheelbase and measuring 74.5 inches wide, the H3T embodies the classic Hummer proportions - wide stance, low roofline, and wheels at the corners. Pushed outward, the 34-inch tires and 11.5 inches of ground clearance gives the H3T a staggering 51-degree approach angle and a 50-degree departure angle. For rigidity, the cab and 5.5-foot bed are engineered as a single structure. Power for this concept comes from a turbocharged Vortec 3500 I-5 engine producing 350-horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Other notables include side access doors for cargo bed, power-operated fabric sunroof, extensive use of aluminum trim, hose-out rubber floor, Nike-inspired interior materials, and docking stations for portable MP3 player and GPS units.
The rear-drive Lexus IS 300 doesn't get the street cred the car deserves. Despite its modest 200-hp rating, the sedan and wagon each offer a more rewarding driving experience than the numbers suggest. Rod Millen Special Vehicles built this project car by tapping the GS 430 parts bin, pulling out a 4.3-liter V-8, six-speed manual transmission, and rear suspension. Power reaches the pavement through Michelin Sport Cup tires fitted to 18-inch Speed Star SSR wheels. Vented, cross-drilled Brembo disc brakes provide the stopping power. The exterior is dressed with a Rhys Millen Racing front lip spoiler and side skirts, along with an IS 300 rear spoiler. The Mark Levinson-designed entertainment system also pushed to new heights boast 720 watts creating a discrete 7.1 surround sound experience through 20 speakers. For us, the only sound system needed in this car is the exhaust.
Porsche extends the breadth of the Cayenne range with a new six-cylinder variant expected to be priced well below $50K. The first V-6 ever offered in a Porsche produces 247 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 229 lb-ft of torque at 2500 rpm. This engine will be offered initially with a six-speed Tiptronic S, to be joined next calendar year by a six-speed manual transmission. Porsche claims this Cayenne will run 0-60 mph in 9.1 seconds with a 133-mph top speed. Although a more affordable SUV, it will still pack the Porsche Traction Management and Porsche Stability Management systems that give the big V-8 versions such impressive all-terrain ability. The ride-height-adjusting air suspension and Porsche Active Suspension Management will be available. Pound for pound, this may be the best Porsche value since the 924.
Through a product-sharing initiative with fellow GM partner Subaru, the 9-2X promises to catapult the Swedish division into the premium end of the white-hot sport compact market. The 9-2X is a modestly restyled Impreza, with a distinctly Saab front end. The Fuji-sourced drivetrain remains unchanged, offering a base 2.5L /165-hp naturally aspirated flat four and WRX-shared 2.0L/227-hp turbo flat four. Each engine is backed by a choice of five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission, with power routed to all four wheels. The 9-2X will be offered in sedan and wagon forms when it goes on sale in July 2004.
Saturn is finally getting the broader vehicle portfolio the no-haggle division has always needed. This next addition is a crossover minivan, which is a corporate twin to the Buick Terraza also unveiled in LA. Seeing the Relay as a chance to snare import minivan intenders, Saturn expects the more rugged appearance to have greater appeal than the typical Mom box. The base Relay counts a six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system, OnStar, power heated mirrors, remote keyless entry, and rail system for storage modules among its standard features. The uplevel RELAY adds body-color door handles, a six-way power driver's seat, rear HVAC controls, and a convenience package that includes a cargo area storage module, floor mats, power rear quarter windows, and a theft-deterrent system. Like the Buick, the Relay is powered by a 3.5L/200-hp V-6.
Toyota pushes the impressive Corolla to the next level for 2005 with the XRS sport sedan. The chassis is enhanced with a more aggressive setup that includes increased rate coil springs and shocks, and a Yamaha-sourced front connecting rod damper. As a result, the ride height is lowered a half inch, and both pitch and roll have been reduced. For motivation, the XRS will be fitted with a specially tuned version of the 2ZZ DOHC engine found in the Celica GT-S that boasts improved midrange torque, a notorious weakness of this 1.8L powerplant. As in the Celica, this Corolla will boast a six-speed manual transmission. The sporting character carries over to the steering, where a special rack has been developed for improved response. The XRS can be visually distinguished with its 16-inch wheels, color-keyed grille bezel, and unique badging. Likewise, the interior features model-specific enhancements, including sport seats, silver-colored center cluster and switch plates, and leather-like shift boot with a leather shift knob. The XRS is schedule to go on sale May 1, 2004.
A legend reborn, the 2005 Ford GT made the show circuit this past year commemorating Ford's 100th anniversary. But in LA, Ford announced the price, ending many months of speculation - $139,995. Yes, for one. The GT has raced into production since its show stopping concept introduction at the 2002 Detroit show. The first "production" vehicles were displayed at Ford's centennial celebration this past June, though full production doesn't begin until summer 2004. One of these first cars was sold at the Christie's Auction of Exceptional Motor Cars at Pebble Beach, California, for $557,500, with the net proceeds going to charities. The Ford GT is powered by a hand-built aluminum 5.4-liter DOHC supercharged V-8 producing 500 horsepower and 500 lb.- ft. of torque.
The Maserati Quattroporte returns to the United States with an all-new, Pininfarina-penned design. Following on the heals of the successful introductions of Maserati's Coupe and Spyder, the Quattroporte is slated to fill a conspicuous void in the Italian automotive industry. First indications are that the Quattroporte will live up to its promise of proving the Italians can compete with the Germans in the premium luxury market. Extravagance and performance go hand in hand, as the latest Trident-marque offering is sumptuously furnished with a tailored leather and wood interior to complement the curvaceous design. As expected from a sports car manufacturer, the Quattroporte sedan can motor to 60 mph in just over five seconds.
Best known for its over-the-top Mercedes-Benz conversions, the Bottrop, Germany-based Brabus has turned attention of its Chrysler tuning group to the Crossfire, the cousin of the Mercedes-Benz SLK. Shown in Los Angeles was the 3.8-liter variant, said to produce 300 hp. The Brabus make-over program includes a sport suspension, wheels, stainless steel exhaust, interior accessories, and a full body kit. No official word on whether the 6.1-liter V-8 model will pass the federal muster and come to these shores.
The 2003 Detroit showstopper, Cadillac's Sixteen has the super-sleek, nearly over-the-top Cruella DeVille styling that still has us reeling. The concept showcases a 13.6-liter, 90-degree V-16, an all-aluminum pushrod engine with 16-8-4 cylinder cutoff. General Motors says the XV16 is good for 1000 horses, 1000 lb-ft. and 20 mpg on the highway cycle. The hood opens gullwing-style, like the hood on Caddy's first V-16 in 1930. The aluminum-steel chassis employs high-arm SLA suspension up front and independent semi-trailing arm suspension in the rear. Fortunately, four-wheel steering enhances the Cadillac Sixteen's maneuverability. The front and rear brakes are six-piston calipers with 16-inch rotors. At 223.3-in. long, with a 140-in. wheelbase and an overall height of less than 54 in., this car has the looks and proportions (along with the power) to put Maybach back on the boat.
Chrysler designers continue to explore heritage-inspired designs, combining classic cues into a modern machine. The latest example is the Airflite concept, first shown in Geneva. The Airflite brings together coupe-like styling and five-door hatchback practicality, in this Crossfire influenced concept. Based on a shortened version of the LX platform, the Airflite features a 3.5-liter V-6, shared with the 300M. The Airflite's interior employs nautical-inspired themes, creative use of materials and unique "floating" components, including seats, instrument panel and armrests, to create an open, elegant passenger environment. The most striking interior element is the dominant center spine that connects the interior from front to back. The satin silver-colored center console appears to be a structural member that ties the two sides of the car together.
The five-seater embodies the Super Sport heritage in a modern sedan, with the 21- and 22-inch wheels pushed out to the corners for a muscular stance. Seeming to draw design influence from Ferrari, the SS is all-American underhood with a 6.0-liter/430-horsepower V-8 touting GM's imminent Displacement On Demand technology scheduled to appear in some 2005 models. The independent suspension features driver-adjustable shock damping. Inside, the gear shifter is console-mounted in the SS tradition, with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifting in the sport mode. There is a built-in child booster seat in the center rear, and the entire rear seats fold flat for extra cargo space. For additional mobile entertainment, the SS features three DVD players (one behind each seat headrest and a center mounted unit above the console), plus obligatory XM Satellite Radio and OnStar system.
Built with Bruno Independent Living Aids, this Monterey features front- and second-row Bruno Turny passenger seats that rotate 90 degrees, power out of the vehicle and down. This allows a person to sit in either seat before entering the Monterey. Both seats are operated by individual hand-held controls and have a weight capacity of up to 330-pounds. Both seats can be easily removed to restore the Monterey back to its original condition without compromising the resale value. The rear of the Monterey houses a new, fully adjustable Bruno Offset Fold-Away powered scooter lift that is capable of raising and storing a scooter or wheelchair weighing up to 200-pounds. Ford Mobility Motoring offers people with physical disabilities comprehensive roadside and financial assistance of up to $1000 for the installation of adaptive equipment on new Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicle purchases or leases.
Ford Motor Company combines hybrid electric vehicle technology with an advanced fuel cell to create a highly efficient, zero-emissions Ford Focus FCV sedan. The four-passenger Ford Focus FCV uses a Ballard fuel cell that converts chemical energy into electrical energy using hydrogen and oxygen. The electrical energy then powers the vehicle's electric-drive motor, producing only water and heat as byproducts Together, the new battery pack, regenerative braking, and storage tank help increase the driving range of the Focus FCV to between 184 and 200 miles. The hybrid electric power system also gives the vehicle the "off-the-light" zippiness of a more conventional sedan and a top speed governed at 80 miles per hour. More than a high-tech concept, these Ford FCV sedans are already being used in fleets in the United States and Canada.
One of six new Ford and Lincoln-Mercury cars that will launch in 2004, the Ford Focus will receive design and engineering improvements for the 2005 model year. While Europe receives a truly all-new Focus based on the global C1 platform shared with the Mazda 3 and Volvo S40/V50, North America will instead have an evolved current-generation car. The American-market Focus will be offered in four unique body styles carrying simpler model and trim designations, including a three-door hatchback (ZX3), a four-door sedan (ZX4), a five-door hatchback (ZX5), and a station wagon (ZXW). New for 2005 is a Focus ZX4 ST performance sedan (shown), that marries chassis components from Ford of Europe's Focus ST170 and the SVT Focus with a 2.3-liter/151-horsepower Duratec engine, which boasts 30 percent cleaner emissions than the 2004 models. Focus receives a front-end treatment with styling cues taken from the Ford's soon-to-be-unveiled flagship sedan, the Five Hundred. (It also reminds of the European Mondeo.) Other changes include an all-new interior, designed to be clean and modern looking, with four different color themes and plenty of functional storage.
First seen as the AUTOnomy concept presented at the 2002 NAIAS Detroit Auto Show, and evolving at other shows since then, GM's Hy-wire concept is the first vehicle to combine a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system with drive-by-wire technology. Essentially, the fuel cell construction enables a skateboard type of chassis to contain all of the vehicle's propulsion, transmission, steering, and braking components so that flexible body styles can be customized to meet the user's various lifestyles. By-wire technology replaces mechanical linkages between driver's controls and powertrain/chassis units with electrical cables to allow revolutionary new ways of controlling essential driving functions. While this has been seen at numerous other shows, it is such an innovative concept, we had to share it one more time.
Recently shown at SEMA, the MazdaSpeed MX-5 Miata is being seen for the first time by the general public here in Los Angeles. Fitted with a ball-bearing single-scroll turbocharger and an air-to-air intercooler, the 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine now makes 178 hp at 6000 rpm - 25 percent more than the normally aspirated Miata. To handle the extra power from the turbocharging system, the engine block and cooling system have been modified, and the manual transmission, clutch, pressure plate, driveshaft, and differential all have been optimized. These engine modifications, combined with a durable short-throw six-speed gearbox, MazdaSpeed sport-tuned and lowered suspension, and 17-inch Racing Hart aluminum alloy wheels shod with Toyo Proxes R28 205/40R17 80W high-performance tires all make for a quickest, most agile Miata to date. The MazdaSpeed MX-5 Miata will go on sale in select North American markets in spring 2004, priced at $25,500 with cloth interior ($26,200 with leather), thousands less than a BMW Z4 and promising nearly the same horsepower.
British sports car maker Lotus announced its plans for U.S. market growth begining with the 2005 Lotus Elise, a two-seat convertible that goes on sale this May for $39,985. The first all-new Lotus for the American market since the Elan debuted in 1990, Lotus boasts the 190-hp Elise offers more than 100 horsepower per liter to produce sub-five-second 0-60 mph times. Sourced from Toyota, the high-revving 1.8-liter 2ZZ-GE engine for the American market is both powerful and efficient, returning more than 30 miles per gallon. Claiming to be the first production car in the world with a bonded and extruded aluminum chassis, the Elise was developed using technology borrowed from the aerospace industry to produce an extremely lightweight and exceptionally rigid chassis that is the backbone of its incredible performance claims and key to its athletic agility.
Combining elegant coupe lines with practical sedan functionality, the Vision CLS splits hairs to create an interesting hybrid. The CLS showcases the 265-horsepower bi-turbo diesel engine that is both fuel efficient and strong, capable of pushing this sizable car 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds. A full complement of Mercedes technology is featured, including the 7G-tronic seven-speed automatic transmission and bi-xenon Active Light System. Since its introduction in Frankfurt this past fall, Mercedes-Benz has announced that the CLS will be offered in the U.S. market for 2005. The production CLS500 will be powered by a five-liter V-8 engine and feature much of the high-tech componentry exhibited on the concept vehicle.
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A sleek crossover between a recreational and touring kayak, the Expression 11 features a stable and manoeuvrable design that is built to handle a multitude of water environments - from lakes, ponds and bays, to slow rivers and mild coastal waters for the more experienced paddler.
Designed with beginner to intermediate paddlers in mind, the Expression's paddling performance builds confidence and skill and is the ideal stepping stone into the world of touring. The hull design of the Expression 11 is a perfect balance of overall stability without sacrificing manoeuvrability. The shorter length is more user-friendly for people who don't want to mastered a longer touring kayak.
Other touring features include the TruTrak skeg system, adjustable padded thigh braces and an up-swept bow that helps shed water for a drier ride. The cockpit size is inviting and gives paddlers room to move freely, while the ergonomically engineered Zone outfitting provides the kind of comfort needed for a day on the water.