Toyota this past week revealed more details of its new 2012 Prius V hybrid wagon - and reaffirmed plans to begin selling the car in the United States this fall, even though it has been delayed in Japan and other markets because of the March earthquake and tsunami.
The first new model in a planned expansion of the brand to create a family of vehicles bearing the Prius name, the V essentially is a crossover version of the midsize hatchback that arrived for 2010 as the third generation of Toyota's groundbreaking gasoline-electric gas saver.
Toyota says the Prius V is designed for "young, active families," giving them a roomier, more versatile alternative to the smaller hatchback. In fact, the "V" stands for "versatility," the automaker says.
It has the same Hybrid Synergy Drive system as the standard Prius, but not quite the same fuel economy - 44 mpg city/40 highway (42 average) versus 51/48 (50 average) for the 2011 Prius. Essentially, the extra bulk is responsible for the lower mileage ratings.
"The Prius V brings leading-edge hybrid technology to customers who need more room and provides more cargo space than 80 percent of all small SUVs," Toyota Division Vice President and General Manager Bob Carter said.
"And because it's a Prius, it produces 66 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new vehicle and will have the best mileage ratings of any SUV, crossover or wagon sold in America," he said.
Toyota already has a larger hybrid crossover, the midsize Highlander, which can be configured for up to seven passengers. The five-passenger Prius V will compete in the compact crossover class, where the only hybrid models offered now are the Ford Escape and its clone, the Mazda Tribute.
Behind the rear seat, the Prius V has 34.3 cubic feet of cargo space, and that can be expanded substantially by folding the rear seatback. Even the front seatback can be leaned forward to accommodate longer items, such as snow skis.
Under the hood is the same 1.8-liter, four-cylinder, 98-horsepower Atkinson-cycle gasoline engine used in the 2011 Prius. There also are two high-output electric motors - including an 80-horsepower unit that helps drive the car and a separate, smaller one that starts the engine and also serves as a generator to recharge the nickel-metal-hydride battery pack.
With the gasoline engine and larger motor working together, the Prius V has a total of 134 horsepower (not all of the engine and motor horsepower is available at the same time).
As with the current Prius, the V model will be able to run on either the engine or the electric motor alone, or a mix of the two. A computer controller manages the drive system, and it uses both automatic engine start/stop and regenerative braking to conserve fuel. Regenerative braking converts the car's rolling inertia into electric power to recharge the battery when the vehicle is decelerating.
There are four driving modes - standard, Eco, EV and Power. In the EV mode, the V can go up to a mile on battery power alone, at speeds up to about 25 mph. This is good for stop-and-go, low-speed driving in downtown city traffic.
When in the Power mode, the V uses more gasoline, but can more easily handle hills and can make faster starts. In the Eco mode, fuel economy is maximized, allowing the car's onboard computer to take care of "hypermiling" chores automatically (as long as the driver lets it). This mode also limits air-conditioner output so it might not be the best choice on the hottest Texas summer days.
The Prius V has a compact exterior, but there is 50 percent more cargo space than in the hatchback. Its EPA classification is "midsize station wagon." The overall look is quite similar to that of the current Prius, but the rear end is squared off like a wagon or SUV.
There is a rear roof spoiler designed to improve airflow, thus reducing drag and helping to save fuel. The car has a 0.29 coefficient of drag, which is on par with many sports cars.
All passengers will have higher seating positions than in the Prius hatchback, making the cabin more like that of an SUV. There are bucket seats in front and a three-person bench in the rear.
For even more utility, the rear seat slides back and forth, and the back reclines up to 45 degrees. The seatback has a 60/40 split so it can be folded down in sections.
Among options will be a plastic panoramic moon roof over the front and rear seats, with power retractable sunshades. The plastic makes it 40 percent lighter than a comparably sized glass moon roof, Toyota says.
Standard features include electric air conditioning, keyless push-button start, back-up camera, parking switch, electronic shift lever and power windows/mirrors/door locks with remote.
There will be a long list of high-tech options, including LED headlights, radar cruise control and the advanced parking-guidance system that can parallel park the car on its own.
Among safety features will be front seat-mounted side air bags, roof-mounted side-curtain bags for both rows, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and an energy-absorbing body structure with impact beams and leg-absorption pads.
Also included is a new front-seat design to help reduce whiplash injuries; electronic stability control, with traction control; and Toyota's new Smart Stop brake-override system (it automatically cuts power to the wheels when the brake is applied, virtually eliminating the threat of a runaway vehicle).
There are several storage areas throughout the interior, including dual glove boxes, a center console with a utility tray and five cup holders. There are bottle holders in the front and rear door pockets, and Toyota says most versions will have an overhead storage bin, suitable for sunglasses or other small items.
Storage bins also are built into the sides of the cargo area and under the cargo floor. There is even a "special space for umbrellas" under the second row of seats, the automaker says.
Available will be a new upholstery material called SofTex, which is designed to resist stains and spills and to take the kind of heavy wear that family vehicles often encounter, Toyota says. This new plastic material weighs half as much as leather or traditional plastic upholstery and is easier to clean.
State-of-the-art electronics and connectivity will be available, including a Bluetooth wireless phone hookup and a USB port for iPods/iPhones or other music devices. The standard audio system will have six speakers and a 6.1-inch color LCD screen, which also will serve as the display for the car's energy monitor and back-up camera.
Optional will be a premium JBL audio system with a hard-drive navigation system. It features Toyota's Entune multimedia system, which includes mobile apps for Web searches, travel services and live weather and traffic information.
No prices have been announced yet, but expect the Prius V to start in the range of $25,000 to $27,000. The 2011 Prius hatchback models range from $21,650 to $28,320 (plus $760 freight and options).
2011年5月25日星期三
Zawawi unveils new Mercedes-Benz CLS
Zawawi Trading Company launched the new Mercedes-Benz CLS at an event aboard a luxury mega yacht in the Gulf of Oman recently. The CLS four-door coupé first debuted in 2003. The new CLS launch event, which also celebrated the 125 years of innovation for Mercedes-Benz, was attended by 150 VIP guests, including senior Zawawi and Mercedes-Benz representatives, government officials, local business leaders and customers. The unveiling on the Loaloat al Behar - or 'Pearl of the Seas' was done by the event’s host Waleed bin Omar Zawawi.
The new CLS will be easily recognised when it hits roads across the sultanate this month, a press release said. With design elements inspired by the breakthrough SLS AMG super sports car, the CLS sports a new scowl courtesy of LED High Performance headlamps, and will be available as a V6 CLS 350, a V8 CLS 500 or a supercharged bi-turbo V8 CLS 63 AMG.
For many years since 2003, the CLS was the only four-door coupé in its class, and has been the choice for 170,000 owners worldwide."Customers across Oman have rewarded Zawawi for our courage in launching a completely new vehicle concept in the market," said Craig Hardie, CEO, Automotive at Zawawi Trading Company. "With its exciting design and refined sportiness, the new edition of the CLS also benefits from the fact that Mercedes-Benz is a whole generation ahead of the competition with its four-door coupé."
The GCC specification CLS 350 will come with an exterior sport package as standard, featuring chromed twin-pipe exhaust system with rectangular tailpipes, five-spoke 18-inch light-alloy wheels with a 19-inch option, rear bumper with matt black painted cover, and sporty suspension set-up. The CLS350 also comes with the option of an AMG Sports Package.
The CLS 500 with GCC specification comes standard with an AMG Sports package, including AMG front and rear aprons, single-wing radiator grill with a chrome/silver louver, and 18-inch five-spoke AMG light alloy wheels with mixed tyre sizes, optionally available as 19-inch.
The AMG Sports package includes three-spoke sports multifunction steering wheel in nappa leather with a flattened lower section; matching black upholstery, seats, head restraints, door armrests and centre console with bright contrasting stitching. In keeping with the sporty styling of the AMG Sports package, the package also features 'AMG' lettering floor mats, brushed stainless-steel sports pedals, and additional 'M' transmission mode for manual gearshifts.
All the engines in the new CLS feature increased performance and torque compared with previous models, while at the same time boasting a level of fuel consumption which has been significantly reduced by up to 25 per cent. Two CLS versions will be available in the Middle East from May; the CLS 500 BlueEFFICIENCY with a V8 engine developing 408hp; and the supercharged bi-turbo CLS 63 AMG, with 5.5lt V8 engine developing 525hp and 700Nm of torque, which can be optionally boosted to develop 557hp and 800Nm of torque via the performance package.
These models will be followed by a V6 CLS 350 Blue EFFICIENCY producing 306hp engine version in September. More than a dozen driving assistance systems on the new CLS help to prevent accidents and reduce the severity of an accident. The Active Blind Spot Assist and the Active Lane Keeping Assist are new. GCC specification CLS models also include as standard Active Parking Assist with Parking Guidance, Memory package, Media Interface, and the COMAND APS multimedia system.
The new CLS will be easily recognised when it hits roads across the sultanate this month, a press release said. With design elements inspired by the breakthrough SLS AMG super sports car, the CLS sports a new scowl courtesy of LED High Performance headlamps, and will be available as a V6 CLS 350, a V8 CLS 500 or a supercharged bi-turbo V8 CLS 63 AMG.
For many years since 2003, the CLS was the only four-door coupé in its class, and has been the choice for 170,000 owners worldwide."Customers across Oman have rewarded Zawawi for our courage in launching a completely new vehicle concept in the market," said Craig Hardie, CEO, Automotive at Zawawi Trading Company. "With its exciting design and refined sportiness, the new edition of the CLS also benefits from the fact that Mercedes-Benz is a whole generation ahead of the competition with its four-door coupé."
The GCC specification CLS 350 will come with an exterior sport package as standard, featuring chromed twin-pipe exhaust system with rectangular tailpipes, five-spoke 18-inch light-alloy wheels with a 19-inch option, rear bumper with matt black painted cover, and sporty suspension set-up. The CLS350 also comes with the option of an AMG Sports Package.
The CLS 500 with GCC specification comes standard with an AMG Sports package, including AMG front and rear aprons, single-wing radiator grill with a chrome/silver louver, and 18-inch five-spoke AMG light alloy wheels with mixed tyre sizes, optionally available as 19-inch.
The AMG Sports package includes three-spoke sports multifunction steering wheel in nappa leather with a flattened lower section; matching black upholstery, seats, head restraints, door armrests and centre console with bright contrasting stitching. In keeping with the sporty styling of the AMG Sports package, the package also features 'AMG' lettering floor mats, brushed stainless-steel sports pedals, and additional 'M' transmission mode for manual gearshifts.
All the engines in the new CLS feature increased performance and torque compared with previous models, while at the same time boasting a level of fuel consumption which has been significantly reduced by up to 25 per cent. Two CLS versions will be available in the Middle East from May; the CLS 500 BlueEFFICIENCY with a V8 engine developing 408hp; and the supercharged bi-turbo CLS 63 AMG, with 5.5lt V8 engine developing 525hp and 700Nm of torque, which can be optionally boosted to develop 557hp and 800Nm of torque via the performance package.
These models will be followed by a V6 CLS 350 Blue EFFICIENCY producing 306hp engine version in September. More than a dozen driving assistance systems on the new CLS help to prevent accidents and reduce the severity of an accident. The Active Blind Spot Assist and the Active Lane Keeping Assist are new. GCC specification CLS models also include as standard Active Parking Assist with Parking Guidance, Memory package, Media Interface, and the COMAND APS multimedia system.
Toyota’s “Ideas for Good” Challenge Concludes
Toyota formally announced the winners of its “Ideas for Good” challenge. Over the course of a few months, Toyota received over 4000 submissions for ideas on how to use current automotive technology for the betterment of mankind in other areas.
Toyota challenged consumers to create new, non-automotive applications using five distinct Toyota technologies that could hopefully be used to benefit our society. This campaign ran from November 8th, 2010 and concluded February 28th, 2011.
Building a Better Bike Helmet submitted by Stu S.: Inspired by T.H.U.M.S., this idea uses Toyota’s technology to assess the strengths and weaknesses of current bicycle helmets and improves upon these designs to protect riders from traumatic brain injuries.
Pure Air submitted by Tim W.: Using the Solar Powered Ventilation System, this idea proposes a way to draw smoke from huts in developing nations, ultimately providing improved health conditions in an environmentally-friendly way.
Power Plant Gym submitted by Birken S.: This idea was inspired by Toyota HSD technology to convert the energy exerted at a gym into electricity. Connecting exercise equipment to a system of resistance cords and turbines, users would put electricity back into their local power grid simply by working out.
Automated Firefighting Extension Ladder Guidance System submitted by Fran O.:
This idea uses the Advanced Parking Guidance System to increase efficiency and precision in emergency situations, reduce risk and decrease the amount of time it takes to accurately position a firefighting ladder.
Touch Tracer Mouse, Keyboard & Monitor submitted by David C.: By integrating Toyota’s Touch Tracer Display into a computer mouse, keyboard and monitor all in one place, this idea allows users to easily toggle between the mouse, keyboard and numerical pad while the heads-up display shows them exactly where their fingers are in relation to the keys.
With their continual excellence in the automotive industry, Toyota has taken another step in building its resume with their unique ideas and consumer relations genius. This challenge created a way for Toyota to allow mankind to give back to mankind. Each winner in addition to receiving their choice of a new Toyota vehicle, was invited to build a prototype of their invention.
Toyota challenged consumers to create new, non-automotive applications using five distinct Toyota technologies that could hopefully be used to benefit our society. This campaign ran from November 8th, 2010 and concluded February 28th, 2011.
Building a Better Bike Helmet submitted by Stu S.: Inspired by T.H.U.M.S., this idea uses Toyota’s technology to assess the strengths and weaknesses of current bicycle helmets and improves upon these designs to protect riders from traumatic brain injuries.
Pure Air submitted by Tim W.: Using the Solar Powered Ventilation System, this idea proposes a way to draw smoke from huts in developing nations, ultimately providing improved health conditions in an environmentally-friendly way.
Power Plant Gym submitted by Birken S.: This idea was inspired by Toyota HSD technology to convert the energy exerted at a gym into electricity. Connecting exercise equipment to a system of resistance cords and turbines, users would put electricity back into their local power grid simply by working out.
Automated Firefighting Extension Ladder Guidance System submitted by Fran O.:
This idea uses the Advanced Parking Guidance System to increase efficiency and precision in emergency situations, reduce risk and decrease the amount of time it takes to accurately position a firefighting ladder.
Touch Tracer Mouse, Keyboard & Monitor submitted by David C.: By integrating Toyota’s Touch Tracer Display into a computer mouse, keyboard and monitor all in one place, this idea allows users to easily toggle between the mouse, keyboard and numerical pad while the heads-up display shows them exactly where their fingers are in relation to the keys.
With their continual excellence in the automotive industry, Toyota has taken another step in building its resume with their unique ideas and consumer relations genius. This challenge created a way for Toyota to allow mankind to give back to mankind. Each winner in addition to receiving their choice of a new Toyota vehicle, was invited to build a prototype of their invention.
2011年5月22日星期日
Cycling booming in capital region
Little Saanich Mountain, way up by the observatory. I'm gasping and panting like a porn movie, but not actually barfing, which -and admittedly I'm no expert here -seems like a good thing.
I'm quite proud of myself, nonbarfwise. First time I rode a big hill, I ended up doubled over with my head in the bushes as my pal Kara leaned on my back with one hand and loudly pondered which part of my breakfast would come up first. She offered to take bets from the other riders.
The two-kilometre climb from West Saanich Road isn't as tough as the really steep hills -Finlayson Arm Road, Munn Road in the Highlands, Willis Point where it snakes up from the bottom of Saanich Inlet -enjoyed by hardcore cyclists, the ones with legs like pistons and butts that could crack walnuts. Still, the observatory is still a nice challenge for the recreational rider.
And lordy but there are a lot of recreational cyclists around the capital these days, as proven by the 1,100 people who have signed up for Saturday's Tour de Victoria. The sport is booming, and for reasons you might not suspect.
Twenty-five years ago, any man on a bicycle was assumed to have lost his driver's licence. Ten years ago, any man in spandex was assumed to have lost a bet. Today they're everywhere. And the man is just as likely to be a woman.
"You look at the demographic of our Tour de Victoria training clinic, it's probably 70 per cent women and no one is under 30," says Bill Fry, owner of the Trek Bicycle Store in Vic West. Don Henderson of Fort Street Cycle concurs; most of the new riders he fits to bikes are female.
Why? It helps to have good role models, and Victoria is awash in the likes of triathletes Kirsten Sweetland and Paula Findlay, Olympian road rider Erinne Willock, Xterra world champion Melanie McQuaid and three-time Canada Cup cross-country champion Mical Dyck, who led the Trek training clinic.
"As a woman, being able to get advice and guidance from another woman, that's a big deal," said Robin Farrell, astride her road bike while preparing for a series of repeats up and down the observatory hill under Dyck's direction.
The new riders aren't puppies, either. Trek's typical customer is in his or her mid-30s or 40s. Martine Norris, 45, is a good example. "My husband passed away three years ago and I needed something to keep me focused." Tall and athletic, she chose triathlon, ended up sticking with the riding and the swimming. "It is easy on the knees," she said while riding the observatory hill with son Philippe, 14. "It works for anybody."
Those knees are a reason many are turning to two wheels. "The surprising demographic is the number of older riders, and by older I mean 55 or 60-plus, who are new, or new again, to cycling," says the Russ Hays bike shop's Martin Clermont. Many are runners whose joints are tired of the pounding. "You can see it in their legs coming in from the parking lot." Lean, fit greyhairs with a bit of a limp.
"The baby-boom generation is coming through," Fort Street's Henderson says. They have a few bucks to spend and like the social aspect of group riding. "Cycling is the new golf." Except their workout is over in two hours, not six, and they don't spend the last hour drinking in the 19th hole.
Farrell, known to radio listeners as half of KOOL FM's Robin and Brian morning team, agrees that it's not all about exercise. "It's the social thing. Don't get me wrong, I love the physical aspect, but I love the camaraderie. Cycling seems to attract fun people."
It hasn't always been that way. For a long time the sport had the reputation of being dominated by -jeez, how to put this nicely? -über-serious scowling dickheads. The only thing geekier than a grown man in spandex is a grown man in spandex who takes himself waaaay too seriously.
Happily, there's been an attitude shift. "A lot of the pretense of cycling has diminished," Clermont says. "It's much more inclusive." Cyclists need not speak Bike Nerd, rhyming off gear ratios like some Lycra-bound Rain Man. It's no longer a capital offence to wear a visored helmet or mountain bike shorts while riding a road bike.
Why? Ironically, Clermont looks to the example set by cycling's hard-eyed superstar. Once Lance Armstrong flipped up his shifters and traded his de rigueur short white socks for long black ones a few years ago, it was OK to break the unwritten rules. He also dragged riding out of the margins. "Lance brought cycling to the mainstream," Fry says. "Suddenly you're seeing cycling on Nike commercials and Michelob commercials."
It helps to have personable local heroes, too. Victoria riders like Ryder Hesjedal, Simon Whitfield and Jasper Blake might ride their bikes like they're stolen, but amble through life with smiles on their faces. "Every time Simon is on TV, or winning an Olympic medal, we sell more bikes," Henderson says.
Hesjedal, voted Canada's cyclist of the decade, has had that effect nationally, says Rob Jones, the Ontario-based editor of Canadian Cycling Magazine and the market research director for the Independent Bicycle Trade Association of Canada. "Ryder Hesjedal doing so well in the Tour de France has certainly got cycling on the map." Jones sees the same surge of young riders as when Steve Bauer won an Olympic medal for Canada in 1984. The core market, though, is people in their thirties and forties who see cycling as their main source of fitness and recreation. "Cycling is a low-impact activity. You can do it your entire life."
What's particularly interesting, both locally and nationally, are the types of bicycles being purchased. Mountain bikes have been the biggest sellers for the past 15 years are so, and still hold a dominant, but shrinking, share of the market. The real growth is in fast, light (and relatively pricey) road bikes, the ones with the curved handlebars and tires as skinny as a runway model. The number of road bikes sold in Canada jumped 17 per cent in 2010. Sales of youth and hybrid bicycles also grew, but the 26-inch wheel category -cruisers and mountain bikes -fell 13 per cent. "A lot of people are realizing that for the riding they do, they don't need a full-fledged mountain bike," Jones says.
The rise of the roadie can be tied, in part, to the advent of events that give cyclists the same semi-competitive opportunities and goals as 10Ks and marathons give runners. The 1,000-kilometre Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock piqued Islanders' interest in cycling, then other, shorter charity events gave them the opportunity to ride. Triathlons are a big driver, too. Now we have the long-distance gran fondos, as they are known, such as the Tour de Victoria, the GranFondo Whistler and this July's brand new Axel Merckx event in the Okanagan. "They're popping up all over the place," Jones says.
It also helps that commuter cyclists are being accommodated. "More cities are making it easier and safer to cycle," Jones says.
Alas, that isn't necessarily true of the capital region, where the roads frequently funnel riders and drivers into sphincter-tightening danger zones. Victoria, with its 2,317 municipalities, might like to think of itself as cycling-friendly, but has nothing like the co-ordinated commuter networks seen in cities like Edmonton and Ottawa. Thank goodness for the likes of the Galloping Goose, Lochside and, soon, E&N trails. "Having the trail system has allowed Victoria to be a better cycling place than it was built to be," Clermont says. (He also says the trails have helped tourism; the rental business in Russ Hays' Sidney store has taken off. "People get off the boat and want to get on a bike and ride.")
I'm quite proud of myself, nonbarfwise. First time I rode a big hill, I ended up doubled over with my head in the bushes as my pal Kara leaned on my back with one hand and loudly pondered which part of my breakfast would come up first. She offered to take bets from the other riders.
The two-kilometre climb from West Saanich Road isn't as tough as the really steep hills -Finlayson Arm Road, Munn Road in the Highlands, Willis Point where it snakes up from the bottom of Saanich Inlet -enjoyed by hardcore cyclists, the ones with legs like pistons and butts that could crack walnuts. Still, the observatory is still a nice challenge for the recreational rider.
And lordy but there are a lot of recreational cyclists around the capital these days, as proven by the 1,100 people who have signed up for Saturday's Tour de Victoria. The sport is booming, and for reasons you might not suspect.
Twenty-five years ago, any man on a bicycle was assumed to have lost his driver's licence. Ten years ago, any man in spandex was assumed to have lost a bet. Today they're everywhere. And the man is just as likely to be a woman.
"You look at the demographic of our Tour de Victoria training clinic, it's probably 70 per cent women and no one is under 30," says Bill Fry, owner of the Trek Bicycle Store in Vic West. Don Henderson of Fort Street Cycle concurs; most of the new riders he fits to bikes are female.
Why? It helps to have good role models, and Victoria is awash in the likes of triathletes Kirsten Sweetland and Paula Findlay, Olympian road rider Erinne Willock, Xterra world champion Melanie McQuaid and three-time Canada Cup cross-country champion Mical Dyck, who led the Trek training clinic.
"As a woman, being able to get advice and guidance from another woman, that's a big deal," said Robin Farrell, astride her road bike while preparing for a series of repeats up and down the observatory hill under Dyck's direction.
The new riders aren't puppies, either. Trek's typical customer is in his or her mid-30s or 40s. Martine Norris, 45, is a good example. "My husband passed away three years ago and I needed something to keep me focused." Tall and athletic, she chose triathlon, ended up sticking with the riding and the swimming. "It is easy on the knees," she said while riding the observatory hill with son Philippe, 14. "It works for anybody."
Those knees are a reason many are turning to two wheels. "The surprising demographic is the number of older riders, and by older I mean 55 or 60-plus, who are new, or new again, to cycling," says the Russ Hays bike shop's Martin Clermont. Many are runners whose joints are tired of the pounding. "You can see it in their legs coming in from the parking lot." Lean, fit greyhairs with a bit of a limp.
"The baby-boom generation is coming through," Fort Street's Henderson says. They have a few bucks to spend and like the social aspect of group riding. "Cycling is the new golf." Except their workout is over in two hours, not six, and they don't spend the last hour drinking in the 19th hole.
Farrell, known to radio listeners as half of KOOL FM's Robin and Brian morning team, agrees that it's not all about exercise. "It's the social thing. Don't get me wrong, I love the physical aspect, but I love the camaraderie. Cycling seems to attract fun people."
It hasn't always been that way. For a long time the sport had the reputation of being dominated by -jeez, how to put this nicely? -über-serious scowling dickheads. The only thing geekier than a grown man in spandex is a grown man in spandex who takes himself waaaay too seriously.
Happily, there's been an attitude shift. "A lot of the pretense of cycling has diminished," Clermont says. "It's much more inclusive." Cyclists need not speak Bike Nerd, rhyming off gear ratios like some Lycra-bound Rain Man. It's no longer a capital offence to wear a visored helmet or mountain bike shorts while riding a road bike.
Why? Ironically, Clermont looks to the example set by cycling's hard-eyed superstar. Once Lance Armstrong flipped up his shifters and traded his de rigueur short white socks for long black ones a few years ago, it was OK to break the unwritten rules. He also dragged riding out of the margins. "Lance brought cycling to the mainstream," Fry says. "Suddenly you're seeing cycling on Nike commercials and Michelob commercials."
It helps to have personable local heroes, too. Victoria riders like Ryder Hesjedal, Simon Whitfield and Jasper Blake might ride their bikes like they're stolen, but amble through life with smiles on their faces. "Every time Simon is on TV, or winning an Olympic medal, we sell more bikes," Henderson says.
Hesjedal, voted Canada's cyclist of the decade, has had that effect nationally, says Rob Jones, the Ontario-based editor of Canadian Cycling Magazine and the market research director for the Independent Bicycle Trade Association of Canada. "Ryder Hesjedal doing so well in the Tour de France has certainly got cycling on the map." Jones sees the same surge of young riders as when Steve Bauer won an Olympic medal for Canada in 1984. The core market, though, is people in their thirties and forties who see cycling as their main source of fitness and recreation. "Cycling is a low-impact activity. You can do it your entire life."
What's particularly interesting, both locally and nationally, are the types of bicycles being purchased. Mountain bikes have been the biggest sellers for the past 15 years are so, and still hold a dominant, but shrinking, share of the market. The real growth is in fast, light (and relatively pricey) road bikes, the ones with the curved handlebars and tires as skinny as a runway model. The number of road bikes sold in Canada jumped 17 per cent in 2010. Sales of youth and hybrid bicycles also grew, but the 26-inch wheel category -cruisers and mountain bikes -fell 13 per cent. "A lot of people are realizing that for the riding they do, they don't need a full-fledged mountain bike," Jones says.
The rise of the roadie can be tied, in part, to the advent of events that give cyclists the same semi-competitive opportunities and goals as 10Ks and marathons give runners. The 1,000-kilometre Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock piqued Islanders' interest in cycling, then other, shorter charity events gave them the opportunity to ride. Triathlons are a big driver, too. Now we have the long-distance gran fondos, as they are known, such as the Tour de Victoria, the GranFondo Whistler and this July's brand new Axel Merckx event in the Okanagan. "They're popping up all over the place," Jones says.
It also helps that commuter cyclists are being accommodated. "More cities are making it easier and safer to cycle," Jones says.
Alas, that isn't necessarily true of the capital region, where the roads frequently funnel riders and drivers into sphincter-tightening danger zones. Victoria, with its 2,317 municipalities, might like to think of itself as cycling-friendly, but has nothing like the co-ordinated commuter networks seen in cities like Edmonton and Ottawa. Thank goodness for the likes of the Galloping Goose, Lochside and, soon, E&N trails. "Having the trail system has allowed Victoria to be a better cycling place than it was built to be," Clermont says. (He also says the trails have helped tourism; the rental business in Russ Hays' Sidney store has taken off. "People get off the boat and want to get on a bike and ride.")
Cycling booming in capital region
Check out a pdf of the 2011 Tour de Victoria map and another story on the event by clicking on the links to the right, under the heading More on this story
Little Saanich Mountain, way up by the observatory. I'm gasping and panting like a porn movie, but not actually barfing, which -and admittedly I'm no expert here -seems like a good thing.
I'm quite proud of myself, nonbarfwise. First time I rode a big hill, I ended up doubled over with my head in the bushes as my pal Kara leaned on my back with one hand and loudly pondered which part of my breakfast would come up first. She offered to take bets from the other riders.
The two-kilometre climb from West Saanich Road isn't as tough as the really steep hills -Finlayson Arm Road, Munn Road in the Highlands, Willis Point where it snakes up from the bottom of Saanich Inlet -enjoyed by hardcore cyclists, the ones with legs like pistons and butts that could crack walnuts. Still, the observatory is still a nice challenge for the recreational rider.
And lordy but there are a lot of recreational cyclists around the capital these days, as proven by the 1,100 people who have signed up for Saturday's Tour de Victoria. The sport is booming, and for reasons you might not suspect.
Twenty-five years ago, any man on a bicycle was assumed to have lost his driver's licence. Ten years ago, any man in spandex was assumed to have lost a bet. Today they're everywhere. And the man is just as likely to be a woman.
"You look at the demographic of our Tour de Victoria training clinic, it's probably 70 per cent women and no one is under 30," says Bill Fry, owner of the Trek Bicycle Store in Vic West. Don Henderson of Fort Street Cycle concurs; most of the new riders he fits to bikes are female.
Why? It helps to have good role models, and Victoria is awash in the likes of triathletes Kirsten Sweetland and Paula Findlay, Olympian road rider Erinne Willock, Xterra world champion Melanie McQuaid and three-time Canada Cup cross-country champion Mical Dyck, who led the Trek training clinic.
"As a woman, being able to get advice and guidance from another woman, that's a big deal," said Robin Farrell, astride her road bike while preparing for a series of repeats up and down the observatory hill under Dyck's direction.
The new riders aren't puppies, either. Trek's typical customer is in his or her mid-30s or 40s. Martine Norris, 45, is a good example. "My husband passed away three years ago and I needed something to keep me focused." Tall and athletic, she chose triathlon, ended up sticking with the riding and the swimming. "It is easy on the knees," she said while riding the observatory hill with son Philippe, 14. "It works for anybody."
Those knees are a reason many are turning to two wheels. "The surprising demographic is the number of older riders, and by older I mean 55 or 60-plus, who are new, or new again, to cycling," says the Russ Hays bike shop's Martin Clermont. Many are runners whose joints are tired of the pounding. "You can see it in their legs coming in from the parking lot." Lean, fit greyhairs with a bit of a limp.
"The baby-boom generation is coming through," Fort Street's Henderson says. They have a few bucks to spend and like the social aspect of group riding. "Cycling is the new golf." Except their workout is over in two hours, not six, and they don't spend the last hour drinking in the 19th hole.
Farrell, known to radio listeners as half of KOOL FM's Robin and Brian morning team, agrees that it's not all about exercise. "It's the social thing. Don't get me wrong, I love the physical aspect, but I love the camaraderie. Cycling seems to attract fun people."
It hasn't always been that way. For a long time the sport had the reputation of being dominated by -jeez, how to put this nicely? -über-serious scowling dickheads. The only thing geekier than a grown man in spandex is a grown man in spandex who takes himself waaaay too seriously.
Happily, there's been an attitude shift. "A lot of the pretense of cycling has diminished," Clermont says. "It's much more inclusive." Cyclists need not speak Bike Nerd, rhyming off gear ratios like some Lycra-bound Rain Man. It's no longer a capital offence to wear a visored helmet or mountain bike shorts while riding a road bike.
Why? Ironically, Clermont looks to the example set by cycling's hard-eyed superstar. Once Lance Armstrong flipped up his shifters and traded his de rigueur short white socks for long black ones a few years ago, it was OK to break the unwritten rules. He also dragged riding out of the margins. "Lance brought cycling to the mainstream," Fry says. "Suddenly you're seeing cycling on Nike commercials and Michelob commercials."
Little Saanich Mountain, way up by the observatory. I'm gasping and panting like a porn movie, but not actually barfing, which -and admittedly I'm no expert here -seems like a good thing.
I'm quite proud of myself, nonbarfwise. First time I rode a big hill, I ended up doubled over with my head in the bushes as my pal Kara leaned on my back with one hand and loudly pondered which part of my breakfast would come up first. She offered to take bets from the other riders.
The two-kilometre climb from West Saanich Road isn't as tough as the really steep hills -Finlayson Arm Road, Munn Road in the Highlands, Willis Point where it snakes up from the bottom of Saanich Inlet -enjoyed by hardcore cyclists, the ones with legs like pistons and butts that could crack walnuts. Still, the observatory is still a nice challenge for the recreational rider.
And lordy but there are a lot of recreational cyclists around the capital these days, as proven by the 1,100 people who have signed up for Saturday's Tour de Victoria. The sport is booming, and for reasons you might not suspect.
Twenty-five years ago, any man on a bicycle was assumed to have lost his driver's licence. Ten years ago, any man in spandex was assumed to have lost a bet. Today they're everywhere. And the man is just as likely to be a woman.
"You look at the demographic of our Tour de Victoria training clinic, it's probably 70 per cent women and no one is under 30," says Bill Fry, owner of the Trek Bicycle Store in Vic West. Don Henderson of Fort Street Cycle concurs; most of the new riders he fits to bikes are female.
Why? It helps to have good role models, and Victoria is awash in the likes of triathletes Kirsten Sweetland and Paula Findlay, Olympian road rider Erinne Willock, Xterra world champion Melanie McQuaid and three-time Canada Cup cross-country champion Mical Dyck, who led the Trek training clinic.
"As a woman, being able to get advice and guidance from another woman, that's a big deal," said Robin Farrell, astride her road bike while preparing for a series of repeats up and down the observatory hill under Dyck's direction.
The new riders aren't puppies, either. Trek's typical customer is in his or her mid-30s or 40s. Martine Norris, 45, is a good example. "My husband passed away three years ago and I needed something to keep me focused." Tall and athletic, she chose triathlon, ended up sticking with the riding and the swimming. "It is easy on the knees," she said while riding the observatory hill with son Philippe, 14. "It works for anybody."
Those knees are a reason many are turning to two wheels. "The surprising demographic is the number of older riders, and by older I mean 55 or 60-plus, who are new, or new again, to cycling," says the Russ Hays bike shop's Martin Clermont. Many are runners whose joints are tired of the pounding. "You can see it in their legs coming in from the parking lot." Lean, fit greyhairs with a bit of a limp.
"The baby-boom generation is coming through," Fort Street's Henderson says. They have a few bucks to spend and like the social aspect of group riding. "Cycling is the new golf." Except their workout is over in two hours, not six, and they don't spend the last hour drinking in the 19th hole.
Farrell, known to radio listeners as half of KOOL FM's Robin and Brian morning team, agrees that it's not all about exercise. "It's the social thing. Don't get me wrong, I love the physical aspect, but I love the camaraderie. Cycling seems to attract fun people."
It hasn't always been that way. For a long time the sport had the reputation of being dominated by -jeez, how to put this nicely? -über-serious scowling dickheads. The only thing geekier than a grown man in spandex is a grown man in spandex who takes himself waaaay too seriously.
Happily, there's been an attitude shift. "A lot of the pretense of cycling has diminished," Clermont says. "It's much more inclusive." Cyclists need not speak Bike Nerd, rhyming off gear ratios like some Lycra-bound Rain Man. It's no longer a capital offence to wear a visored helmet or mountain bike shorts while riding a road bike.
Why? Ironically, Clermont looks to the example set by cycling's hard-eyed superstar. Once Lance Armstrong flipped up his shifters and traded his de rigueur short white socks for long black ones a few years ago, it was OK to break the unwritten rules. He also dragged riding out of the margins. "Lance brought cycling to the mainstream," Fry says. "Suddenly you're seeing cycling on Nike commercials and Michelob commercials."
2011年5月18日星期三
Dobbs Argues E-Verify Should Be Mandatory Because "It Works"
Dobbs: Obama Refuses To Make E-Verify Mandatory Because "It Works." Hosting Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) to talk immigration on his Fox Business show, Dobbs claimed that the E-Verify program is 99 percent effective. He then added: "[T]hat's precisely why your friends and colleagues in Congress and over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the president himself, and the previous president, in all fairness -- refused to make E-Verify mandatory for the very simple reason it works." From the segment:
DOBBS: I think that most Democrats would agree with most Republicans that you -- if you're going to control illegal immigration -- that is, end it -- you have to stop the illegal employer from employing illegally illegal immigrants. It's pretty straightforward, isn't it?
SMITH: Exactly. We have a wonderful program called E-Verify, and employers can check their employees. In fact, over 200,000 have signed up for this program. There are 1,300 more signing up every week, and we need to encourage employers, businesses to use this E-Verify program, and keep those jobs for American workers and legal immigrants as well.
DOBBS: Mr. Chairman, there are going to be a lot of people listening to you and saying, "What do you mean, we need to encourage? Isn't it the law?" And of course --
SMITH: It is not.
DOBBS: -- it's not the law.
SMITH: It is not mandatory, this E-Verify program. I think we need to expand it. We need to make it mandatory for a large number of individuals. But it works. It's 99 percent effective.
DOBBS: Ninety-nine percent effective, and that's precisely why your friends and colleagues in Congress and over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the president himself, and the previous president, in all fairness -- refused to make E-Verify mandatory for the very simple reason it works.
SMITH: It does work and it protects those jobs for American workers and legal immigrants. [Fox Business, Lou Dobbs Tonight, 5/11/11]
E-Verify Does Not Adequately Screen Unauthorized Workers
DHS Study Found That E-Verify Wrongly Cleared 54 Percent Of Unauthorized Workers. In a January 2010 report commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security, research firm Westat analyzed data from September 2007 to June 2008 and found that "primarily due to identity fraud, approximately half (54 percent with a plausible range of 37 to 64 percent) of unauthorized workers run through E-Verify receive an inaccurate finding of being work authorized." From the study:
Westat estimates that overall, E-Verify queries result in an accurate response 96 percent of the time and an inaccurate response 4.1 percent of the time. But only 6.2 percent of all E-Verify queries relate to unauthorized workers. Westat estimates that, primarily due to identity fraud, approximately half (54 percent with a plausible range of 37 to 64 percent) of unauthorized workers run through E-Verify receive an inaccurate finding of being work authorized. As a result, the 54 percent statistic relates only to the 6.2 percent figure ... means that of all E-Verify queries, only approximately 3.3 percent are for unauthorized workers that were incorrectly found work authorized. [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 1/28/10, emphasis added]
E-Verify Has Limited System In Place To Correct Errors, Leaving Workers With Significant Costs For Corrections
DHS Study: "20 To 40 Percent" Of Workers Who Are Flagged As Ineligible "Are Not Informed" Of The Error. According to Westat, "Sixty to 80 percent of authorized workers are informed by their employer of a TNC. (In other words, 20 to 40 percent are not informed of the TNC and receive FNCs.)" Westat further reported:
However, there is good reason to believe that employers underreport noncompliance with E-Verify notification procedures. Among the 82 employers with two or more workers receiving TNCs, 37 had one or more employees who reported that they did not receive an explanation. This may be an overestimate of noncompliance because workers may not recall having the notice explained.
Among the 108 onsite study employers for which the evaluation team reviewed employment verification files of workers receiving TNCs, over half were missing copies of TNC notices for a majority of the workers for whom cases had been submitted to E-Verify. In some of these cases, it is likely that the employer provided the worker with the notice but did not correctly file it, as specified in E-Verify procedures.
DOBBS: I think that most Democrats would agree with most Republicans that you -- if you're going to control illegal immigration -- that is, end it -- you have to stop the illegal employer from employing illegally illegal immigrants. It's pretty straightforward, isn't it?
SMITH: Exactly. We have a wonderful program called E-Verify, and employers can check their employees. In fact, over 200,000 have signed up for this program. There are 1,300 more signing up every week, and we need to encourage employers, businesses to use this E-Verify program, and keep those jobs for American workers and legal immigrants as well.
DOBBS: Mr. Chairman, there are going to be a lot of people listening to you and saying, "What do you mean, we need to encourage? Isn't it the law?" And of course --
SMITH: It is not.
DOBBS: -- it's not the law.
SMITH: It is not mandatory, this E-Verify program. I think we need to expand it. We need to make it mandatory for a large number of individuals. But it works. It's 99 percent effective.
DOBBS: Ninety-nine percent effective, and that's precisely why your friends and colleagues in Congress and over at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- the president himself, and the previous president, in all fairness -- refused to make E-Verify mandatory for the very simple reason it works.
SMITH: It does work and it protects those jobs for American workers and legal immigrants. [Fox Business, Lou Dobbs Tonight, 5/11/11]
E-Verify Does Not Adequately Screen Unauthorized Workers
DHS Study Found That E-Verify Wrongly Cleared 54 Percent Of Unauthorized Workers. In a January 2010 report commissioned by the Department of Homeland Security, research firm Westat analyzed data from September 2007 to June 2008 and found that "primarily due to identity fraud, approximately half (54 percent with a plausible range of 37 to 64 percent) of unauthorized workers run through E-Verify receive an inaccurate finding of being work authorized." From the study:
Westat estimates that overall, E-Verify queries result in an accurate response 96 percent of the time and an inaccurate response 4.1 percent of the time. But only 6.2 percent of all E-Verify queries relate to unauthorized workers. Westat estimates that, primarily due to identity fraud, approximately half (54 percent with a plausible range of 37 to 64 percent) of unauthorized workers run through E-Verify receive an inaccurate finding of being work authorized. As a result, the 54 percent statistic relates only to the 6.2 percent figure ... means that of all E-Verify queries, only approximately 3.3 percent are for unauthorized workers that were incorrectly found work authorized. [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 1/28/10, emphasis added]
E-Verify Has Limited System In Place To Correct Errors, Leaving Workers With Significant Costs For Corrections
DHS Study: "20 To 40 Percent" Of Workers Who Are Flagged As Ineligible "Are Not Informed" Of The Error. According to Westat, "Sixty to 80 percent of authorized workers are informed by their employer of a TNC. (In other words, 20 to 40 percent are not informed of the TNC and receive FNCs.)" Westat further reported:
However, there is good reason to believe that employers underreport noncompliance with E-Verify notification procedures. Among the 82 employers with two or more workers receiving TNCs, 37 had one or more employees who reported that they did not receive an explanation. This may be an overestimate of noncompliance because workers may not recall having the notice explained.
Among the 108 onsite study employers for which the evaluation team reviewed employment verification files of workers receiving TNCs, over half were missing copies of TNC notices for a majority of the workers for whom cases had been submitted to E-Verify. In some of these cases, it is likely that the employer provided the worker with the notice but did not correctly file it, as specified in E-Verify procedures.
Volvo S60 T6 (2010)
A long time ago in a galaxy very much like ours, Volvo designed its cars exclusively with set squares and extolled safety over all else. Today, though, the set squares are gathering dust in Gothenburg and the company has veered to the other extreme. The new S60 sedan has such a slinky, coupe-like roof line that it seriously compromises rear head room for anyone just north of average height, so don't forget to take your hat off.
In addition to its gorgeous shape, the S60 sports plenty of lovely details, including its LED hockey stick tail-lights and the beautiful Sleipner 18-inch alloy wheels that are standard on the T6. LEDs are also used for the driving lights and the indicators on the wing mirrors.
The standard xenon headlights not only shine a piercing light into the night, they follow the driver's steering inputs. Boot space is just passable at 380 litres, with the usable area compromised by the boot lid's arm shields; the rear-seat split folds to enable larger items to be carried, although the seat backs don't fold flat. To save space and weight, there's no spare tyre under the boot floor, just a jack and an inflation kit.
Interior
If you gave us just one word to describe the S60's cabin, we'd pick gorgeous. Should you feel a little more generous, we'd also venture classy and luxurious.
The team at Volvo has taken a page out of Audi's play book and then added a few doses of Scandinavian flair for good measure. The dashboard is soft to the touch, plastic components have a solid, high quality feel to them and the instruments resemble watch faces with embossed lettering.
To our eyes, it helps that our review vehicle had a two-tone interior with cream coloured seats and door inlays, providing both contrast and a brighter ambience. The seats, door trim, arm rests and gear knob are adorned in different, yet wonderfully supple bits of leather that range in texture from coarse or fine grained to buttery smooth or rubbery.
Unless you pay extra the S60's interior is a wood-free zone. The floating centre section of the dash is covered in faux machined aluminnium. In combination with the splashings of matte chrome trim around the cabin, they give the S60 a real air of class.
Features
At the base of the S60 tree is the mischievously named T5 (AU$51,950) that features a 177kW/320Nm 2-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol four-cylinder engine, not the five-cylinder one would expect. Next up is the AU$57,950 D5 that houses a 151kW/420Nm, a five-cylinder turbo-diesel under the bonnet and has all-wheel drive.
The AU$64,950 T6 sits atop of the S60 heap and comes well equipped with all-wheel drive, stability and traction control, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, electric front seats with memory settings on the driver's side, rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors front and rear, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, cruise control and leather seats. Externally, the T6 is distinguished by its standard 18-inch alloys, boot lip spoiler and a bit of extra chrome trim at the front.
Options fitted to our review vehicle include heating elements for the front seats (AU$325); blind-spot warning system (AU$1275); and an AU$4500 bundle containing steerable xenon headlights with washers, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, collision warning with automatic braking, queue assistance and pedestrian detection.
Notable items not fitted to our car are grocery bag holders (AU$200), lane departure warning (AU$2075), Four-C adaptive chassis (AU$4175), and the R-Design package (AU$4200) that features sports suspension, five-spoke alloy wheels, body kit and racier interior elements.
Safety
The standard safety package on the S60 is pretty comprehensive, but aside from City Safety most of the cutting edge stuff is optional. City Safety utilises cameras and sensors mounted high on the windscreen and if it detects an imminent rear-ender, it will brake the car and is able to avoid accidents at speeds up to 30km/h.
Standard are the now regular safety features, like a full complement of airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, stability and traction control, and emergency brake assistance. There's also other Volvo staples, like whiplash protection and flashing emergency brake lights.
The S60's headline act is Volvo's new (and snappily named) Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake that includes pedestrian detection, queue assist and adaptive cruise control. Priced at a not insignificant AU$4175, it's much better value when bundled with xenon headlights and a reversing camera in the AU$4500 Teknik package or with all the optional safety features in the AU$4990 driver support pack.
This system uses a grille-mounted radar and the aforementioned windscreen sensors to add pedestrian detection to its repertoire. If it senses an imminent accident it will first arm the brakes and warn the driver, and if insufficient action is taken fully brake the car. Volvo claims - and last year demonstrated - that at a speed up to 35km/h it can completely avoid an accident, while at higher speeds the system will significantly reduce its severity and possible loss of life.
As the car is able to brake for itself, the adaptive cruise control system is able to maintain your desired speed on steep hills, as well as keep a safe distance from the car in front. In gridlocked city traffic the driver can set a maximum speed and leave all the braking and accelerating to the car; all one has to do is steer and press the Resume button on the steering wheel whenever the traffic starts moving.
Also available is a blind-spot notification system (AU$1275) that uses cameras mounted into the wing mirrors. Whenever it detects a car in your over-the-shoulder blind spot, an orange light is lit next to the base of the windscreen.
Entertainment and navigation
If you've ever cussed and cursed at a previous Volvo entertainment or nav system before, then be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. The S60 and its V60 wagon twin are the first models to feature the company's new Sensus system that will, in time, roll out across the rest of the range.
While there's no on-board music storage, the T6 has a pretty full complement of entertainment options, including AM/FM radio, auxiliary jack, iPod/iPhone-compatible USB port, Bluetooth music streaming and a CD/DVD slot. The 12-speaker Premium Sound system does just that, with nice music reproduction regardless of whether you're listening at sensible or detrimental volumes.
If you're in love with a particular AM radio station, you might have to reconsider your habit, as AM reception is reduced to static when the engine's chugging away. When parked, the S60 is a nice place to watch a video (either on DVD or from DivX files via USB) on the high-resolution 7-inch screen; as an added bonus the Premium Sound system features Dolby surround decoding.
Searching through large music libraries on iPods, especially ones running iOS 4 and above, is a patience exercise that would weary even the most ardent of monks. Bluetooth hands-free works well thanks to the quiet cabin, and the voice recognition system allows you to call people from your phone book without any fussing about with pre-recorded voice tags.
Oddly you can't use the voice system to enter new sat-nav destinations - it will let you choose from previous destinations though. In an annoying twist, the system defaults to adding destinations to an itinerary. Although the system can supposedly learn your preferred routes, it lacks text-to-speech, speed limit info and traffic messaging. Lane guidance and junction view is limited to highways and freeways.
Sensus' interface is nicely designed and, generally speaking, well laid out. Navigating the menus is done either via buttons and a dial on the dash, or a scroll wheel and button combo on the steering wheel, with the latter being our preferred method. There is, however, no home menu nor a mode button on the wheel, so switching between sections or devices requires finding for the appropriate button on the dash.
There are a few other oddities about. For instance, it's not immediately obvious that you can use the T9 number pad on the dashboard to more easily enter nav destinations or search your phone book. Or that switching folders or albums requires you to scroll the wheel or dial whilst on the music info screen, and the press Exit when the current song list comes up.
In addition to its gorgeous shape, the S60 sports plenty of lovely details, including its LED hockey stick tail-lights and the beautiful Sleipner 18-inch alloy wheels that are standard on the T6. LEDs are also used for the driving lights and the indicators on the wing mirrors.
The standard xenon headlights not only shine a piercing light into the night, they follow the driver's steering inputs. Boot space is just passable at 380 litres, with the usable area compromised by the boot lid's arm shields; the rear-seat split folds to enable larger items to be carried, although the seat backs don't fold flat. To save space and weight, there's no spare tyre under the boot floor, just a jack and an inflation kit.
Interior
If you gave us just one word to describe the S60's cabin, we'd pick gorgeous. Should you feel a little more generous, we'd also venture classy and luxurious.
The team at Volvo has taken a page out of Audi's play book and then added a few doses of Scandinavian flair for good measure. The dashboard is soft to the touch, plastic components have a solid, high quality feel to them and the instruments resemble watch faces with embossed lettering.
To our eyes, it helps that our review vehicle had a two-tone interior with cream coloured seats and door inlays, providing both contrast and a brighter ambience. The seats, door trim, arm rests and gear knob are adorned in different, yet wonderfully supple bits of leather that range in texture from coarse or fine grained to buttery smooth or rubbery.
Unless you pay extra the S60's interior is a wood-free zone. The floating centre section of the dash is covered in faux machined aluminnium. In combination with the splashings of matte chrome trim around the cabin, they give the S60 a real air of class.
Features
At the base of the S60 tree is the mischievously named T5 (AU$51,950) that features a 177kW/320Nm 2-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol four-cylinder engine, not the five-cylinder one would expect. Next up is the AU$57,950 D5 that houses a 151kW/420Nm, a five-cylinder turbo-diesel under the bonnet and has all-wheel drive.
The AU$64,950 T6 sits atop of the S60 heap and comes well equipped with all-wheel drive, stability and traction control, dual-zone climate control air-conditioning, electric front seats with memory settings on the driver's side, rain-sensing wipers, parking sensors front and rear, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, cruise control and leather seats. Externally, the T6 is distinguished by its standard 18-inch alloys, boot lip spoiler and a bit of extra chrome trim at the front.
Options fitted to our review vehicle include heating elements for the front seats (AU$325); blind-spot warning system (AU$1275); and an AU$4500 bundle containing steerable xenon headlights with washers, reversing camera, adaptive cruise control, collision warning with automatic braking, queue assistance and pedestrian detection.
Notable items not fitted to our car are grocery bag holders (AU$200), lane departure warning (AU$2075), Four-C adaptive chassis (AU$4175), and the R-Design package (AU$4200) that features sports suspension, five-spoke alloy wheels, body kit and racier interior elements.
Safety
The standard safety package on the S60 is pretty comprehensive, but aside from City Safety most of the cutting edge stuff is optional. City Safety utilises cameras and sensors mounted high on the windscreen and if it detects an imminent rear-ender, it will brake the car and is able to avoid accidents at speeds up to 30km/h.
Standard are the now regular safety features, like a full complement of airbags, seatbelt pretensioners, stability and traction control, and emergency brake assistance. There's also other Volvo staples, like whiplash protection and flashing emergency brake lights.
The S60's headline act is Volvo's new (and snappily named) Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake that includes pedestrian detection, queue assist and adaptive cruise control. Priced at a not insignificant AU$4175, it's much better value when bundled with xenon headlights and a reversing camera in the AU$4500 Teknik package or with all the optional safety features in the AU$4990 driver support pack.
This system uses a grille-mounted radar and the aforementioned windscreen sensors to add pedestrian detection to its repertoire. If it senses an imminent accident it will first arm the brakes and warn the driver, and if insufficient action is taken fully brake the car. Volvo claims - and last year demonstrated - that at a speed up to 35km/h it can completely avoid an accident, while at higher speeds the system will significantly reduce its severity and possible loss of life.
As the car is able to brake for itself, the adaptive cruise control system is able to maintain your desired speed on steep hills, as well as keep a safe distance from the car in front. In gridlocked city traffic the driver can set a maximum speed and leave all the braking and accelerating to the car; all one has to do is steer and press the Resume button on the steering wheel whenever the traffic starts moving.
Also available is a blind-spot notification system (AU$1275) that uses cameras mounted into the wing mirrors. Whenever it detects a car in your over-the-shoulder blind spot, an orange light is lit next to the base of the windscreen.
Entertainment and navigation
If you've ever cussed and cursed at a previous Volvo entertainment or nav system before, then be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. The S60 and its V60 wagon twin are the first models to feature the company's new Sensus system that will, in time, roll out across the rest of the range.
While there's no on-board music storage, the T6 has a pretty full complement of entertainment options, including AM/FM radio, auxiliary jack, iPod/iPhone-compatible USB port, Bluetooth music streaming and a CD/DVD slot. The 12-speaker Premium Sound system does just that, with nice music reproduction regardless of whether you're listening at sensible or detrimental volumes.
If you're in love with a particular AM radio station, you might have to reconsider your habit, as AM reception is reduced to static when the engine's chugging away. When parked, the S60 is a nice place to watch a video (either on DVD or from DivX files via USB) on the high-resolution 7-inch screen; as an added bonus the Premium Sound system features Dolby surround decoding.
Searching through large music libraries on iPods, especially ones running iOS 4 and above, is a patience exercise that would weary even the most ardent of monks. Bluetooth hands-free works well thanks to the quiet cabin, and the voice recognition system allows you to call people from your phone book without any fussing about with pre-recorded voice tags.
Oddly you can't use the voice system to enter new sat-nav destinations - it will let you choose from previous destinations though. In an annoying twist, the system defaults to adding destinations to an itinerary. Although the system can supposedly learn your preferred routes, it lacks text-to-speech, speed limit info and traffic messaging. Lane guidance and junction view is limited to highways and freeways.
Sensus' interface is nicely designed and, generally speaking, well laid out. Navigating the menus is done either via buttons and a dial on the dash, or a scroll wheel and button combo on the steering wheel, with the latter being our preferred method. There is, however, no home menu nor a mode button on the wheel, so switching between sections or devices requires finding for the appropriate button on the dash.
There are a few other oddities about. For instance, it's not immediately obvious that you can use the T9 number pad on the dashboard to more easily enter nav destinations or search your phone book. Or that switching folders or albums requires you to scroll the wheel or dial whilst on the music info screen, and the press Exit when the current song list comes up.
2011年5月15日星期日
Number 1: World Wide Web Consortium
The first sentence on the first World Wide Web site had to explain to visitors what exactly this thing was. It described the Web as a “wide-area hypermedia information retrieval initiative aiming to give universal access to a large universe of documents.” Oh. Nobody could have imagined that would one day include classified war documents, videos of talking dogs, and the ability to stream movies and instant message with friends. Tim Berners-Lee, the soft-spoken Briton who invented the Web in 1989 while working at a particle physics lab in Geneva, came to MIT in 1994 to help create the World Wide Web Consortium, to help spread technical standards for building websites, browsers, and devices (like televisions) that offer access to Web content. His greatest act of all was actually something he didn’t do: patent his invention or extract licensing fees from those who used his ideas – decisions that helped the Web go global in a few years. “The thing spread largely because I didn’t make World Wide Web Incorporated in 1991,” Berners-Lee has said. When Queen Elizabeth II knighted Berners-Lee, he said it showed that great things could happen to ordinary people who took on projects that “happen to work out.”
Number 2: Mapping the body
Remember the Human Genome Project – the first-ever map of our genetic code – in 2000? J. Craig Venter claimed the glory. But a squad led by MIT’s Eric Lander sequenced one-third of it. While most geneticists hunted for each gene they thought was involved in a disease, Lander used fast computers to search for dozens of abnormal genes in a diseased cell. This process has led to the discovery of a whole set of clues to disease. Lander also helped create the Broad Institute, a consortium of MIT, Harvard, and other scientists, now on the cutting edge of genomics research.
Number 2: Mapping the body
Remember the Human Genome Project – the first-ever map of our genetic code – in 2000? J. Craig Venter claimed the glory. But a squad led by MIT’s Eric Lander sequenced one-third of it. While most geneticists hunted for each gene they thought was involved in a disease, Lander used fast computers to search for dozens of abnormal genes in a diseased cell. This process has led to the discovery of a whole set of clues to disease. Lander also helped create the Broad Institute, a consortium of MIT, Harvard, and other scientists, now on the cutting edge of genomics research.
Citizens' Fire Academy Learns About Fire Inspections and Role of AVFD Explorers
It felt like I was standing in the middle of a well choreographed dance. As the bright lights of the fire trucks cut into the darkness, members of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department moved around me with swift efficiency and determination.
We were witnessing a demonstration during the fifth class of the Avon Citizens’ Fire Academy, and watching several firefighting activities simultaneously in the shadows of the parking lot of Company One on Darling Drive.
It was impressive, yet somewhat surreal. I was overcome with a feeling of gratitude for these men, women and youth who put themselves at risk for us on a regular basis.
Seventeen-year-old Tom Sherber is a lieutenant in the Explorers program and has earned over 1,000 volunteer hours during the past three years.
He tightly held a ladder with fellow Explorer Cameron Metz, as a firefighter ascended to the roof at lightning speed.
The Avon High School senior then strapped an ax to a long rope and helped hoist it into her waiting hands.
A few weeks earlier, a firefighter I met described the fire department response to a call as “orchestrated chaos,” which I found very fitting as I stood taking in the activities around me during this chilly spring night.
I was very surprised to learn how critical a role the Explorers play at a scene.
According to Sherber, who plans to study aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech in the fall, Explorers are considered “external firefighters,” who can do most on-site tasks except enter a burning building.
Their responsibilities include readying equipment for inside use by a firefighter, sending in additional air tanks, holding ladders and ropes for tethered firefighters, setting up and manning water hoses and being ready to lend a quick hand wherever one is needed.
The group of about 20 Explorers meets every Wednesday night for training and camaraderie, and over time, said Sherber, they have become part of the welcoming Avon firefighter family.
“They’ve been there for me. It’s a bunch of great people,” said Sherber, who is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician and has applied for a job at the Virginia Tech Rescue Department.
Being part of the Explorer program during high school, he said, has been “a constructive way to spend my time.”
Jill Margolis turned 18 last month and after more than three years as an Explorer has become a junior member of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department. She would like to begin the 160 hours of initial fire-fighting training, but will enter Penn State in September and is uncertain about her time constraints.
She knows, however, that she will greatly miss the friends of all ages with whom she has bonded during her time as an Explorer.
“It’s a different kind of friendship,” she said.
During part of our class, Fire Marshal and retired Fire Chief Jamie DiPace, sans moustache, provided an overview of his job and discussed the importance of residential sprinkler systems.
Calling them “the next step in life-safety in homes,” DiPace quoted studies that show children from six months through early teens often may sleep through smoke alarms.
DiPace said he experienced this in his own home – which he admitted has seven smoke detectors – when his boiler malfunctioned and his daughter never woke up, despite having three within several feet of her bed.
“She slept through them. It was uncanny,” he said.
While the building industry resists regulations that require sprinkler systems in new homes, DiPace said the cost would be “cheaper than putting carpet in your house.”
In case of a fire, he explained, sprinklers would go off in the immediate area of the flames, at a rate of 18 gallons a minute, as compared to firefighters “who come in with a nozzle at 250 gallons a minute.”
A residential sprinkler system, he said, “knocks the fire down, keeps smoke generation down and water damage is a lot easier to clean up.”
The breath of DiPace’s responsibilities as Avon Fire Marshal is daunting. Although Tom Post, an Avon fire inspector, helps out part-time, 900 sites fall into DiPace's jurisdiction for inspections. He is not responsible for one- and two-family dwellings.
DiPace spends hours each week visiting convalescent homes, schools, hotels, apartment complexes, day care centers, restaurants and other buildings in town to ensure that they meet the latest fire code.
He meets with contractors working on renovations, like the Avon Free Public Library project, to ensure safety during construction, as well as builders proposing new projects.
In his role as fire marshal, DiPace is responsible for determining the cause of all fires that the fire department responds to and preparing an incident report for each that eventually ends up in a national data base.
An interesting aside: product recalls often are based on these statistics. For example, if a specific model of toaster oven is determined to be the cause of a significant number of fires, it may be subject to a recall.
DiPace also is the emergency management head for the town of Avon. In this capacity, he is charged with establishing protocols for major disasters, overseeing a community emergency response team, and keeping abreast and implementing the latest state and national response strategies and requirements.
On a regular basis, DiPace and Dennis Bianchi visit fifth grade students at Thompson Brook School to introduce the concept of emergency preparedness. Bianchi is a retired police officer who oversees our program and is a member of the Avon Fire Police.
For me, a poignant moment during our class was when the Rev. Jon Whiting told heartbreaking and heartwarming stories about his experiences as a chaplain and Avon Volunteer Fire Department photographer.
His words were touching and inspiring as he talked about his role at the scene of a tragedy and recalled what it was like at Ground Zero after 9/11.
“It’s an undercover job … a quiet job,” said Whiting, who has been a minister for more than three decades.
For many people in a crisis situation, he noted, "it's important to have a symbolic figure, just to be there as a physical presence."
Whiting takes a gentle approach, telling those who seek his guidance that he is there “to walk with you at your pace, with a confidence that you will get through this.”
“I let people know that there’s more to life than this day,” he said. “The worst things are never the last things.”
Next week we will learn about hazardous materials and experience a smoke-filled building with “white smoke.”
We were witnessing a demonstration during the fifth class of the Avon Citizens’ Fire Academy, and watching several firefighting activities simultaneously in the shadows of the parking lot of Company One on Darling Drive.
It was impressive, yet somewhat surreal. I was overcome with a feeling of gratitude for these men, women and youth who put themselves at risk for us on a regular basis.
Seventeen-year-old Tom Sherber is a lieutenant in the Explorers program and has earned over 1,000 volunteer hours during the past three years.
He tightly held a ladder with fellow Explorer Cameron Metz, as a firefighter ascended to the roof at lightning speed.
The Avon High School senior then strapped an ax to a long rope and helped hoist it into her waiting hands.
A few weeks earlier, a firefighter I met described the fire department response to a call as “orchestrated chaos,” which I found very fitting as I stood taking in the activities around me during this chilly spring night.
I was very surprised to learn how critical a role the Explorers play at a scene.
According to Sherber, who plans to study aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech in the fall, Explorers are considered “external firefighters,” who can do most on-site tasks except enter a burning building.
Their responsibilities include readying equipment for inside use by a firefighter, sending in additional air tanks, holding ladders and ropes for tethered firefighters, setting up and manning water hoses and being ready to lend a quick hand wherever one is needed.
The group of about 20 Explorers meets every Wednesday night for training and camaraderie, and over time, said Sherber, they have become part of the welcoming Avon firefighter family.
“They’ve been there for me. It’s a bunch of great people,” said Sherber, who is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician and has applied for a job at the Virginia Tech Rescue Department.
Being part of the Explorer program during high school, he said, has been “a constructive way to spend my time.”
Jill Margolis turned 18 last month and after more than three years as an Explorer has become a junior member of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department. She would like to begin the 160 hours of initial fire-fighting training, but will enter Penn State in September and is uncertain about her time constraints.
She knows, however, that she will greatly miss the friends of all ages with whom she has bonded during her time as an Explorer.
“It’s a different kind of friendship,” she said.
During part of our class, Fire Marshal and retired Fire Chief Jamie DiPace, sans moustache, provided an overview of his job and discussed the importance of residential sprinkler systems.
Calling them “the next step in life-safety in homes,” DiPace quoted studies that show children from six months through early teens often may sleep through smoke alarms.
DiPace said he experienced this in his own home – which he admitted has seven smoke detectors – when his boiler malfunctioned and his daughter never woke up, despite having three within several feet of her bed.
“She slept through them. It was uncanny,” he said.
While the building industry resists regulations that require sprinkler systems in new homes, DiPace said the cost would be “cheaper than putting carpet in your house.”
In case of a fire, he explained, sprinklers would go off in the immediate area of the flames, at a rate of 18 gallons a minute, as compared to firefighters “who come in with a nozzle at 250 gallons a minute.”
A residential sprinkler system, he said, “knocks the fire down, keeps smoke generation down and water damage is a lot easier to clean up.”
The breath of DiPace’s responsibilities as Avon Fire Marshal is daunting. Although Tom Post, an Avon fire inspector, helps out part-time, 900 sites fall into DiPace's jurisdiction for inspections. He is not responsible for one- and two-family dwellings.
DiPace spends hours each week visiting convalescent homes, schools, hotels, apartment complexes, day care centers, restaurants and other buildings in town to ensure that they meet the latest fire code.
He meets with contractors working on renovations, like the Avon Free Public Library project, to ensure safety during construction, as well as builders proposing new projects.
In his role as fire marshal, DiPace is responsible for determining the cause of all fires that the fire department responds to and preparing an incident report for each that eventually ends up in a national data base.
An interesting aside: product recalls often are based on these statistics. For example, if a specific model of toaster oven is determined to be the cause of a significant number of fires, it may be subject to a recall.
DiPace also is the emergency management head for the town of Avon. In this capacity, he is charged with establishing protocols for major disasters, overseeing a community emergency response team, and keeping abreast and implementing the latest state and national response strategies and requirements.
On a regular basis, DiPace and Dennis Bianchi visit fifth grade students at Thompson Brook School to introduce the concept of emergency preparedness. Bianchi is a retired police officer who oversees our program and is a member of the Avon Fire Police.
For me, a poignant moment during our class was when the Rev. Jon Whiting told heartbreaking and heartwarming stories about his experiences as a chaplain and Avon Volunteer Fire Department photographer.
His words were touching and inspiring as he talked about his role at the scene of a tragedy and recalled what it was like at Ground Zero after 9/11.
“It’s an undercover job … a quiet job,” said Whiting, who has been a minister for more than three decades.
For many people in a crisis situation, he noted, "it's important to have a symbolic figure, just to be there as a physical presence."
Whiting takes a gentle approach, telling those who seek his guidance that he is there “to walk with you at your pace, with a confidence that you will get through this.”
“I let people know that there’s more to life than this day,” he said. “The worst things are never the last things.”
Next week we will learn about hazardous materials and experience a smoke-filled building with “white smoke.”
2011年5月10日星期二
Upper Pontalba Building apartments on Jackson Square are in line for higher rents
Residents of the city-owned Upper Pontalba Building on Jackson Square likely will be paying higher rents by midsummer as the agency that manages the historic building attempts to bring leases more in line with market rates in the French Quarter.
At its monthly meeting today, the board of the Upper Pontalba Building Restoration Corp. will consider a staff recommendation to raise monthly rents for all 50 units in the four-story complex, which range from $560 for a 543-square-foot fourth-floor unit to $2,510 for a 1,688-square-foot unit on the second floor.
The increases, which are expected to win board approval, would be the first in about four years. While the bulk of the suggested rent increases falls into the 20 percent to 40 percent range, a couple would rise about 70 percent, with a handful going up 15 percent or less.
The state-owned Lower Pontalba on St. Ann Street and the city-owned Upper Pontalba across Jackson Square on St. Peter Street were built in 1849-51 by Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba. Arguably one of the most desirable parcels in New Orleans, each building consists of 16 four-story townhouses that have commercial tenants on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors.
The current Upper Pontalba tenant list features some notable names, including former New Orleans City Councilwoman Suzanne Haik Terrell; former U.S. Rep. Claude "Buddy" Leach, the chairman of the state Democratic Party; Ellis Henican, who co-wrote Sean Payton's memoir about coaching the New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl victory; insurance executive John Casbon; and Baton Rouge family court Judge Toni Higginbotham.
But the Pontalba building lacks certain amenities, including parking and security, and some of the units feature less-than-ideal floor plans. The structure also has no handicapped access and no elevator.
'Something for their money'
For more than a decade, the panel of mayoral appointees has raised rents every three years or so, using comparable properties in the Quarter for guidance. A plan to bump up rents by 10 percent across the board was tabled last summer after newly elected Mayor Mitch Landrieu overhauled the membership and the agency's top administrator resigned under fire.
chart-pontalba-051111.jpgView full size
Frank Pizzolato, the new executive director of the French Market Corp. and the Upper Pontalba agency, said he made rent adjustments one of his top priorities after taking over the job in January.
While it's no secret that tenants oppose higher rents, Pizzolato said his agency is legally bound to get fair market value for the city's property.
If the board adopts his plan, Pizzolato said he intends to address longstanding tenants' concerns by reinvesting the extra revenue into security cameras and two full-time positions: a maintenance supervisor and a building manager.
"They're certainly going to get something for their money,'' he said. "This is an old building and this has become an issue of how good a steward we're going to be of the people's property.
"We recognize that this is an incredibly valuable piece of real estate. We can do nothing less than make sure it's maintained properly.''
Pizzolato said he will offer board members two options: one that boosts all rents to levels recommended by a market survey, and another that incorporates the advice of three brokers who said the survey lowballed the value of units with balconies and overestimated the amount renters would pay for other apartments, particularly those on the fourth floor.
The across-the-board increase would raise rents an average 39.2 percent compared with the status quo, and it would generate about $372,000 more annually, assuming the complex is full, records provided by the agency show.
While the change could bring in top dollar, steeper increases also could drive away tenants, Pizzolato said.
"The potential downfall on this is a mass exodus of tenants from the less desirable units and the potential of not being able to fill them at the much higher rents ... resulting in a substantial decrease in revenue," he said.
The other choice, which the French Market staff recommends, "allows us to stay competitive in the market, at the same time generating a good deal more revenue," he said.
At its monthly meeting today, the board of the Upper Pontalba Building Restoration Corp. will consider a staff recommendation to raise monthly rents for all 50 units in the four-story complex, which range from $560 for a 543-square-foot fourth-floor unit to $2,510 for a 1,688-square-foot unit on the second floor.
The increases, which are expected to win board approval, would be the first in about four years. While the bulk of the suggested rent increases falls into the 20 percent to 40 percent range, a couple would rise about 70 percent, with a handful going up 15 percent or less.
The state-owned Lower Pontalba on St. Ann Street and the city-owned Upper Pontalba across Jackson Square on St. Peter Street were built in 1849-51 by Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba. Arguably one of the most desirable parcels in New Orleans, each building consists of 16 four-story townhouses that have commercial tenants on the first floor and apartments on the upper floors.
The current Upper Pontalba tenant list features some notable names, including former New Orleans City Councilwoman Suzanne Haik Terrell; former U.S. Rep. Claude "Buddy" Leach, the chairman of the state Democratic Party; Ellis Henican, who co-wrote Sean Payton's memoir about coaching the New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl victory; insurance executive John Casbon; and Baton Rouge family court Judge Toni Higginbotham.
But the Pontalba building lacks certain amenities, including parking and security, and some of the units feature less-than-ideal floor plans. The structure also has no handicapped access and no elevator.
'Something for their money'
For more than a decade, the panel of mayoral appointees has raised rents every three years or so, using comparable properties in the Quarter for guidance. A plan to bump up rents by 10 percent across the board was tabled last summer after newly elected Mayor Mitch Landrieu overhauled the membership and the agency's top administrator resigned under fire.
chart-pontalba-051111.jpgView full size
Frank Pizzolato, the new executive director of the French Market Corp. and the Upper Pontalba agency, said he made rent adjustments one of his top priorities after taking over the job in January.
While it's no secret that tenants oppose higher rents, Pizzolato said his agency is legally bound to get fair market value for the city's property.
If the board adopts his plan, Pizzolato said he intends to address longstanding tenants' concerns by reinvesting the extra revenue into security cameras and two full-time positions: a maintenance supervisor and a building manager.
"They're certainly going to get something for their money,'' he said. "This is an old building and this has become an issue of how good a steward we're going to be of the people's property.
"We recognize that this is an incredibly valuable piece of real estate. We can do nothing less than make sure it's maintained properly.''
Pizzolato said he will offer board members two options: one that boosts all rents to levels recommended by a market survey, and another that incorporates the advice of three brokers who said the survey lowballed the value of units with balconies and overestimated the amount renters would pay for other apartments, particularly those on the fourth floor.
The across-the-board increase would raise rents an average 39.2 percent compared with the status quo, and it would generate about $372,000 more annually, assuming the complex is full, records provided by the agency show.
While the change could bring in top dollar, steeper increases also could drive away tenants, Pizzolato said.
"The potential downfall on this is a mass exodus of tenants from the less desirable units and the potential of not being able to fill them at the much higher rents ... resulting in a substantial decrease in revenue," he said.
The other choice, which the French Market staff recommends, "allows us to stay competitive in the market, at the same time generating a good deal more revenue," he said.
McCain's Adaptive Signal Control System Reduces Traffic Congestion on San Marcos Boulevard
McCain Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of intelligent transportation systems, traffic control equipment and parking guidance solutions, today announced results measuring the effectiveness of McCain's adaptive signal control software deployed on San Marcos Boulevard -- the City of San Marcos's new "Smart Corridor." The study proved that the adaptive software system significantly improved traffic flow on San Marcos Boulevard, the second busiest arterial in San Diego County.
McCain's QuicTrac™ adaptive control system, aimed at reducing stop-and-go traffic by coordinating signal timing along the corridor, was surveyed for travel time reductions, associated costs and environmental benefits. The study focused on peak travel times both pre-and-post implementation of the signal control software. During peak travel periods the comparisons revealed that delay times were reduced between 19% and 46% depending on the time of day, significantly higher than anticipated. These reduced travel times provide a 7.8% average reduction in fuel consumption, resulting in reduced harmful emissions.
"Previously, the City of San Marcos optimized this corridor to meet the growing demand of this busy arterial. The city expected successful results from the new software system, but no one anticipated these kinds of results," said Jason Stack, principal of Stack Traffic Consulting, Inc. "Typically, we would see similar results on a corridor that has never been optimized, so gaining this level of improvement is outstanding for the City and residents."
With an average of 22,000 to 46,000 vehicles traveling the San Marcos Boulevard corridor daily, the City of San Marcos desired a solution that would provide the maximum benefit to the public at a minimal cost to the city. The McCain adaptive traffic control system surpassed expectations with a 29.7% average decrease in eastbound delay times by distributing on-demand cycle lengths, alleviating stop-and-go traffic. In addition, McCain's solution delivered the City of San Marcos with an 8:1 benefit to cost ration on travel time.
"We are excited to have received results that truly demonstrate adaptive control software's range of capabilities," said Brian Wagner, ITS solutions manager for McCain Inc. "Studies that yield these types of results will further establish adaptive technology as a premier solution in the traffic industry."
About QuicTrac
McCain's QuicTrac adaptive control software operates through the collection and analysis of real-time data from field detectors, loops or video, establishing traffic flow and demand. The software then runs a series of advanced algorithms to determine and coordinate optimum signal timing for the entire corridor. By coordinating traffic signals based on current conditions, the technology provides a series of green lights, expediting groups of vehicles through arterials.
McCain's QuicTrac™ adaptive control system, aimed at reducing stop-and-go traffic by coordinating signal timing along the corridor, was surveyed for travel time reductions, associated costs and environmental benefits. The study focused on peak travel times both pre-and-post implementation of the signal control software. During peak travel periods the comparisons revealed that delay times were reduced between 19% and 46% depending on the time of day, significantly higher than anticipated. These reduced travel times provide a 7.8% average reduction in fuel consumption, resulting in reduced harmful emissions.
"Previously, the City of San Marcos optimized this corridor to meet the growing demand of this busy arterial. The city expected successful results from the new software system, but no one anticipated these kinds of results," said Jason Stack, principal of Stack Traffic Consulting, Inc. "Typically, we would see similar results on a corridor that has never been optimized, so gaining this level of improvement is outstanding for the City and residents."
With an average of 22,000 to 46,000 vehicles traveling the San Marcos Boulevard corridor daily, the City of San Marcos desired a solution that would provide the maximum benefit to the public at a minimal cost to the city. The McCain adaptive traffic control system surpassed expectations with a 29.7% average decrease in eastbound delay times by distributing on-demand cycle lengths, alleviating stop-and-go traffic. In addition, McCain's solution delivered the City of San Marcos with an 8:1 benefit to cost ration on travel time.
"We are excited to have received results that truly demonstrate adaptive control software's range of capabilities," said Brian Wagner, ITS solutions manager for McCain Inc. "Studies that yield these types of results will further establish adaptive technology as a premier solution in the traffic industry."
About QuicTrac
McCain's QuicTrac adaptive control software operates through the collection and analysis of real-time data from field detectors, loops or video, establishing traffic flow and demand. The software then runs a series of advanced algorithms to determine and coordinate optimum signal timing for the entire corridor. By coordinating traffic signals based on current conditions, the technology provides a series of green lights, expediting groups of vehicles through arterials.
2011年5月8日星期日
2012 Mercedes CLS arrives in Middle East
Mercedes-Benz has launched the 2012 CLS 4 door sports coupe in the Middle East. The car was first unveiled at the 2010 Paris Motor Show as reported here by AutoMiddleEast.com.
Drawing design cues from the SLS AMG super sports car, the CLS will be available with a 3.5 liter V6, a 5.0 liter V8 or as a supercharged bi-turbo V8 CLS 63 power horse.
The GCC specification CLS 350 will come with an exterior sport package as standard, featuring chromed twin-pipe exhaust system with rectangular tailpipe rims, 5-spoke 18-inch light-alloy wheels with a 19-inch option, rear bumper with matt black painted cover, and sporty suspension set-up. The CLS350 also comes with the option of an AMG Sports Package.
The GCC spec CLS 500 comes standard with an AMG Sports package, including AMG front and rear aprons, single-wing radiator grill with a chrome/silver louver, and 18-inch 5-spoke light alloy wheels with mixed tyre sizes, optionally available as 19-inch.
The AMG Sports package includes 3-spoke sports multifunction steering wheel in nappa leather with a flattened lower section; matching black upholstery, seats, head restraints, door armrests and centre console with light, and roof liner with contrasting stitching. In keeping with the sporty styling of the AMG Sports package, the package also features ‘AMG’ lettering floor mats, brushed stainless-steel sports pedals, and additional ‘M’ transmission mode for manual gearshifts.
GCC Specification CLS models also include as standard Active Parking Assist with Parking Guidance, Memory package, Media Interface, and the COMAND APS multimedia System amongst a host of other technological gizmos in the car.
Pricing information is not available as yet and we will update that asap. In the mean while, Mercedes Benz TV has come up with this pretty cool video about what catches peoples eyes in the CLS, and believe it – a blonde. Interesting! Check it out.
Drawing design cues from the SLS AMG super sports car, the CLS will be available with a 3.5 liter V6, a 5.0 liter V8 or as a supercharged bi-turbo V8 CLS 63 power horse.
The GCC specification CLS 350 will come with an exterior sport package as standard, featuring chromed twin-pipe exhaust system with rectangular tailpipe rims, 5-spoke 18-inch light-alloy wheels with a 19-inch option, rear bumper with matt black painted cover, and sporty suspension set-up. The CLS350 also comes with the option of an AMG Sports Package.
The GCC spec CLS 500 comes standard with an AMG Sports package, including AMG front and rear aprons, single-wing radiator grill with a chrome/silver louver, and 18-inch 5-spoke light alloy wheels with mixed tyre sizes, optionally available as 19-inch.
The AMG Sports package includes 3-spoke sports multifunction steering wheel in nappa leather with a flattened lower section; matching black upholstery, seats, head restraints, door armrests and centre console with light, and roof liner with contrasting stitching. In keeping with the sporty styling of the AMG Sports package, the package also features ‘AMG’ lettering floor mats, brushed stainless-steel sports pedals, and additional ‘M’ transmission mode for manual gearshifts.
GCC Specification CLS models also include as standard Active Parking Assist with Parking Guidance, Memory package, Media Interface, and the COMAND APS multimedia System amongst a host of other technological gizmos in the car.
Pricing information is not available as yet and we will update that asap. In the mean while, Mercedes Benz TV has come up with this pretty cool video about what catches peoples eyes in the CLS, and believe it – a blonde. Interesting! Check it out.
2011年5月5日星期四
Chrysler 300 has power, panache
Chrysler is back! The jury has been out since the company's brush with bankruptcy and bail-out, but the news that Chrysler is paying back Canada and the U.S., $7.5 Billion in government loans together with the arrival of 16 new or improved models, is proof positive that the third member of the Big Three is alive and well once more.
Leading the charge is the new Chrysler 300. First introduced in 2005 during the partnership with Mercedes-Benz, it signaled a shift from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive for the company's flagship large sedan. Designed in-house by Ralph Gilles, the 300 had an immediate visual impact with its Bentley-esque nose, broad shoulders and commanding presence, heightened by the knowledge that a brooding 340-horsepower Hemi V8 was lurking under the hood.
Fast forward to 2010.
The new 300 retains its basic shape but the frontal aspect has lost the brutish character of its predecessor. The new nose is less square and the revised chrome grille with seven horizontal slats and elegant winged Chrysler hood emblem suggest a new refinement without so much flexing of the muscles. The headlight clusters, for example, have a slimmer, more elegant keyhole shape that better defines the fenders, and feature diamond-like LED clusters for the Daytime Running Lights. Handsome multi-spoke, 20-inch polished aluminum rims complete the picture. Think iron fist in velvet glove.
Four models are offered for 2011, the 300 Touring, 300 Limited, 300C and 300C AWD. Base engine is the new Pentastar V6 that provides Best-in-Class 292-horsepower and delivers 7.3 L/100 km (39 MPG) on the highway. The optional Hemi V8 pumps out 363 horsepower and a meaty 394 lb-ft of torque without becoming a gas-guzzler. Thanks to Fuel Saver Technology, it can seamlessly switch from 8 to 4 cylinders during cruising, earning a remarkable 8.0 L/100 km (35 MPG) on the highway. Standard transmission is a smooth and rugged 5-speed Automatic with Manual Shift Mode.
Our tester was the Hemi-powered 300C finished in Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl with Black Nappa Leather-faced seating. If you think the exterior styling has reached a new level of sophistication, wait until you get inside.
In terms of quality, craftsmanship and convenience - including numerous exclusive or Best-in-Class features - the 300 cabin meets or exceeds a level of luxury found only in the most exotic, and far more expensive sedans from Europe and Japan.
Slip into the driver' seat and get comfortable. The four-spoke, power adjustable steering wheel with real wood upper and leather-wrapped lower sections provides class-exclusive 360-degree heating and fingertip controls for audio, cruise, Voice Command and Uconnect functions. You -- and the front seat passenger -- enjoy heated and ventilated seats with 12-way power adjustments and active head restraints. Power adjustable pedals ensure you can tailor the perfect driving position while two memory settings allow you to set seat, steering wheel, pedals, radio pre-sets and outside power adjustable mirrors.
A Vehicle Information Centre display sits between the main speedometer and tachometer gauges. Controlled by steering wheel buttons it lets you scroll through data such as fuel economy, distance to empty, tire pressures, fluid levels, ambient temperature and compass direction. The main gauges and secondary switchgear are illuminated with soft, soothing blue backlighting.
All four doors open wide to 90-degrees making entry and exit a lot easier than in most competitive sedans while rear seat passengers enjoy tons of head, shoulder and leg room, plus the comfort of heated seats. They also enjoy the largest, two-panel panoramic sunroof in its class and power rear backlight sunshade.
The black, soft-textured dashboard surfaces are complemented by the use of satin chrome and chrome trim to highlight gauges, steering wheel controls and air vents. Polished, Black Comodo Elm panels add a rich quality to the centre console with its chrome trimmed shift gate and covered storage bin with dual heated, cooled and illuminated cup holders. The centre stack is dominated by a bold 8.4-inch touch screen (largest in class) that is the heart of the media system. This is without doubt, the easiest, most intuitive touch screen I have seen in any vehicle. It lets you use your voice-activated Bluetooth cellphone, AM/FM and Sirius Satellite Radio (with one year complimentary service), CD and MP3 player. It even understands commands in English, French and Spanish. The Premium Alpine Sound System features nine speakers and 506 watts of amplified, speed-sensitive volume.
Leading the charge is the new Chrysler 300. First introduced in 2005 during the partnership with Mercedes-Benz, it signaled a shift from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive for the company's flagship large sedan. Designed in-house by Ralph Gilles, the 300 had an immediate visual impact with its Bentley-esque nose, broad shoulders and commanding presence, heightened by the knowledge that a brooding 340-horsepower Hemi V8 was lurking under the hood.
Fast forward to 2010.
The new 300 retains its basic shape but the frontal aspect has lost the brutish character of its predecessor. The new nose is less square and the revised chrome grille with seven horizontal slats and elegant winged Chrysler hood emblem suggest a new refinement without so much flexing of the muscles. The headlight clusters, for example, have a slimmer, more elegant keyhole shape that better defines the fenders, and feature diamond-like LED clusters for the Daytime Running Lights. Handsome multi-spoke, 20-inch polished aluminum rims complete the picture. Think iron fist in velvet glove.
Four models are offered for 2011, the 300 Touring, 300 Limited, 300C and 300C AWD. Base engine is the new Pentastar V6 that provides Best-in-Class 292-horsepower and delivers 7.3 L/100 km (39 MPG) on the highway. The optional Hemi V8 pumps out 363 horsepower and a meaty 394 lb-ft of torque without becoming a gas-guzzler. Thanks to Fuel Saver Technology, it can seamlessly switch from 8 to 4 cylinders during cruising, earning a remarkable 8.0 L/100 km (35 MPG) on the highway. Standard transmission is a smooth and rugged 5-speed Automatic with Manual Shift Mode.
Our tester was the Hemi-powered 300C finished in Brilliant Black Crystal Pearl with Black Nappa Leather-faced seating. If you think the exterior styling has reached a new level of sophistication, wait until you get inside.
In terms of quality, craftsmanship and convenience - including numerous exclusive or Best-in-Class features - the 300 cabin meets or exceeds a level of luxury found only in the most exotic, and far more expensive sedans from Europe and Japan.
Slip into the driver' seat and get comfortable. The four-spoke, power adjustable steering wheel with real wood upper and leather-wrapped lower sections provides class-exclusive 360-degree heating and fingertip controls for audio, cruise, Voice Command and Uconnect functions. You -- and the front seat passenger -- enjoy heated and ventilated seats with 12-way power adjustments and active head restraints. Power adjustable pedals ensure you can tailor the perfect driving position while two memory settings allow you to set seat, steering wheel, pedals, radio pre-sets and outside power adjustable mirrors.
A Vehicle Information Centre display sits between the main speedometer and tachometer gauges. Controlled by steering wheel buttons it lets you scroll through data such as fuel economy, distance to empty, tire pressures, fluid levels, ambient temperature and compass direction. The main gauges and secondary switchgear are illuminated with soft, soothing blue backlighting.
All four doors open wide to 90-degrees making entry and exit a lot easier than in most competitive sedans while rear seat passengers enjoy tons of head, shoulder and leg room, plus the comfort of heated seats. They also enjoy the largest, two-panel panoramic sunroof in its class and power rear backlight sunshade.
The black, soft-textured dashboard surfaces are complemented by the use of satin chrome and chrome trim to highlight gauges, steering wheel controls and air vents. Polished, Black Comodo Elm panels add a rich quality to the centre console with its chrome trimmed shift gate and covered storage bin with dual heated, cooled and illuminated cup holders. The centre stack is dominated by a bold 8.4-inch touch screen (largest in class) that is the heart of the media system. This is without doubt, the easiest, most intuitive touch screen I have seen in any vehicle. It lets you use your voice-activated Bluetooth cellphone, AM/FM and Sirius Satellite Radio (with one year complimentary service), CD and MP3 player. It even understands commands in English, French and Spanish. The Premium Alpine Sound System features nine speakers and 506 watts of amplified, speed-sensitive volume.
Range Rover Evoque in 5-door and Coupé forms goes on sale in September 2011
With a choice of three engines, two body styles, three design themes and a wide range of options and accessories, the new Range Rover Evoque offers customers significant choice across a range of price points.
Land Rover has announced that new Range Rover Evoque prices in the UK will start from £27,955 for an eD4 Pure 5-door 6 Speed manual 2WD model. The 4WD equivalent is priced at £28,705. The top-of-the-range Si4 6 Speed automatic Dynamic coupé with LUX pack is available for £44,320.
The Range Rover Evoque will be offered in both 5-door and Coupé forms and will go on-sale from September 2011. A smooth and refined powertrain line-up is available with a choice of state-of-the-art diesel or petrol engines.
The updated 2.2-litre turbodiesel has 150PS or 190PS derivatives. The 2WD (on-sale early 2012) Coupé version combined with the 150 PS 2.2-litre engine is set to achieve sub 130g/km CO2.
The new 240PS 2.0-litre Si4 petrol engine combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing for exceptional driveability and fuel-efficiency and delivers 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds.
In place of a traditional trim hierarchy, customers can choose from three distinct design themes, which include many features as standard. A wide range of personalisation opportunities are also available, allowing customers to fully tailor the Evoque to individual tastes and requirements.
Options available include 12 exterior colours, three contrasting roof treatments, seven alloy wheel designs, 16 contrasting interiors and a full sized, fixed, panoramic glass roof. A new online configurator goes live today, making it simple for customers to create their perfect Range Rover Evoque.
The Range Rover Evoque is available in two body styles – a Coupé and 5-door. The Coupé provides two individual rear seats, with the option of three-seat bench if preferred. The Evoque 5-door extends the appeal of the model even further by offering greater practicality and family appeal. The roofline stands 30mm higher than the Coupé, which delivers extra head and shoulder room for rear seat passengers.
The Range Rover Evoque is available with a choice of powertrains, both petrol and diesel with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, and, for the first time in a Range Rover, the option of 2WD (front wheel drive) as well as 4WD.
Land Rover has announced that new Range Rover Evoque prices in the UK will start from £27,955 for an eD4 Pure 5-door 6 Speed manual 2WD model. The 4WD equivalent is priced at £28,705. The top-of-the-range Si4 6 Speed automatic Dynamic coupé with LUX pack is available for £44,320.
The Range Rover Evoque will be offered in both 5-door and Coupé forms and will go on-sale from September 2011. A smooth and refined powertrain line-up is available with a choice of state-of-the-art diesel or petrol engines.
The updated 2.2-litre turbodiesel has 150PS or 190PS derivatives. The 2WD (on-sale early 2012) Coupé version combined with the 150 PS 2.2-litre engine is set to achieve sub 130g/km CO2.
The new 240PS 2.0-litre Si4 petrol engine combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin variable valve timing for exceptional driveability and fuel-efficiency and delivers 0-60mph in 7.1 seconds.
In place of a traditional trim hierarchy, customers can choose from three distinct design themes, which include many features as standard. A wide range of personalisation opportunities are also available, allowing customers to fully tailor the Evoque to individual tastes and requirements.
Options available include 12 exterior colours, three contrasting roof treatments, seven alloy wheel designs, 16 contrasting interiors and a full sized, fixed, panoramic glass roof. A new online configurator goes live today, making it simple for customers to create their perfect Range Rover Evoque.
The Range Rover Evoque is available in two body styles – a Coupé and 5-door. The Coupé provides two individual rear seats, with the option of three-seat bench if preferred. The Evoque 5-door extends the appeal of the model even further by offering greater practicality and family appeal. The roofline stands 30mm higher than the Coupé, which delivers extra head and shoulder room for rear seat passengers.
The Range Rover Evoque is available with a choice of powertrains, both petrol and diesel with six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, and, for the first time in a Range Rover, the option of 2WD (front wheel drive) as well as 4WD.
PG & E's CEO Discusses Q1 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript
Good morning, and welcome to the PG&E First Quarter Earnings Conference Call. At this time, I would like to introduce your host, Mr. Gabe Togneri of PG&E. Thank you and have a good conference. You may proceed, Mr. Togneri.
Gabriel Togneri
Thanks, Josh. Good morning, and we appreciate you joining us. Our primary speakers today will be Chris Johns, President of Pacific Gas and Electric Company; and Kent Harvey, Senior Vice President and CFO of PG&E Corporation. You'll also hear from Lee Cox, our Interim Chairman, CEO and President of the Corporation. Other members of the management team are here and will participate in the Q&A.
I'll remind you, our remarks in the Q&A that follows include forward-looking statements based on assumptions and expectations that reflect the information currently available to management. Actual results may differ materially from current expectations. Important factors that may affect our results are described in the reports that we filed with the SEC, including the risk factors and other factors that are in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and our Form 10-Q reports. We encourage you to read them. We'll be filing our 10-Q report for the quarter later today.
The earnings release we issued this morning is available on our website, along with the supplemental earnings tables and including the Regulation G reconciliations. You will want to have that supplemental information available to refer to as we go through the results for the quarter.
And now I'll turn the call over to Chris Johns.
Christopher Johns
Thanks, Gabe, and good morning, everybody. Now, I don't usually open up our call. So it's appropriate to acknowledge the transition that we're in right now. As Peter Darbee stated when he announced his retirement, this change gives the company an opportunity to move forward in facing some of our challenges. Obviously, a key step in that direction will be naming a new CEO. So with us this morning, to offer his thoughts on that, is Lee Cox. Lee has been a key member of the board at PG&E since 1996, and he's been our Lead Director since 2004. As Gabe mentioned, Lee is our Interim Chairman, CEO and President, and we're fortunate to have Lee's experience in this interim role.
So with that, I'll turn it over to Lee.
C. Cox
Okay. Well, thank you, Chris, and good morning, everyone. I know the team has a lot to cover this morning, so I'm going to be very brief. Let me just expand now for a moment on a comment Chris made about a CEO retirement being a chance to move forward.
I want all of you to know that the board and our employees deeply understand and feel in every way how the events of the last year have affected the company. And right now, we're all very focused on doing whatever it takes to fix our problems and then also to regain the public trust. A lot of projects are already underway to do that. The new CEO we're seeking will be someone who can lead our teams to finish the operations turnaround that has really already started. And we also want someone who can personally engage with our many stakeholders and gain their support. So to that end, the search process is moving along well. The search committee is pleased with the quality of candidates, and we're on track to name the new CEO in the coming weeks. But in the meantime, in the coming days, you'll be hearing some announcements about what we're doing to resolve our problems and to regain the confidence of our stakeholders.
Now Chris and Kent are going to be delivering some tough news this morning, and I want you to know that the board believes that they and their teams will be able to solve our problems and then go on to improve operational and financial performance in the future.
So here it goes back to Chris to discuss company operations.
Christopher Johns
Great. Thanks, Lee. I'm disappointed by our first quarter results and our announcement today that we are revising our guidance. As a management team, we're accountable for the overall performance of our company. And as President, I'm accountable for the operational and financial performance of the company, and to assure the necessary changes are made for PG&E to become the leading utility that our management team aspires for it to be. This morning, Kent and I will address the recent developments leading to the revised outlook for the year, as well as our plans moving forward. You can be confident that we are challenging our leadership team to deliver better results.
My remarks begin, as they did last quarter, with an update on activities and plans relating to the gas transmission system and pipeline safety. I will also discuss our nuclear operations in light of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and the winter storms we faced this quarter.
The issues we're dealing with as a result of the San Bruno accident will have a lasting impact on PG&E and across the industry. We continue to help the families and communities affected by this tragedy. We have funded a trust for the city of San Bruno so we can effectively and efficiently continue with the healing and rebuilding process. The entire San Bruno community remains in our thoughts and in our prayers.
This management team is fully committed to PG&E emerging from this experience, both as a better company and as the national standard bearer for safety and operational excellence. We have several years of hard work ahead, and we are taking the actions needed to achieve that goal. We continue to fully cooperate with the various regulatory proceedings and investigations concerning gas pipeline matters. The National Transportation Safety Board held 3 days of fact-finding hearings in March, and we expect the NTSB to issue a final report sometime this fall.
The California Public Utilities Commission is overseeing its own investigation, while also participating in the NTSB process. And as part of their emission, the CPUC appointed an independent review panel to look into PG&E and the commission policies and practices for managing the gas transmission system. We expect that the panel will provide its report to the CPUC sometime later this month.
At the end of February, the commission issued an Order Instituting Investigation, or an OII, to examine PG&E's pipeline record-keeping practices. On April 18, we responded to an initial set of questions posed in that OII. And this included a discussion of pipeline document retention practices. We're going to have to file other responses in the OII during May and June, including documents relating to pipeline maintenance procedures and practices dating back to the 1950s. Because the OII will likely take into account the findings from the final NTSB report, we don't expect the investigation to conclude until late 2011 or even into 2012.
In February, the CPUC also issued an Order Instituting Rulemaking or an OIR, which covers all California pipeline operators. We support the OIR and the CPUC's intent to establish new standards for pipeline construction, maintenance and safety. Responding to a directive that was part of the OIR process in March, we provided the CPUC with information on pressure test records and engineering specifications for our transmission pipelines in the more populated areas of our service territory.
Gabriel Togneri
Thanks, Josh. Good morning, and we appreciate you joining us. Our primary speakers today will be Chris Johns, President of Pacific Gas and Electric Company; and Kent Harvey, Senior Vice President and CFO of PG&E Corporation. You'll also hear from Lee Cox, our Interim Chairman, CEO and President of the Corporation. Other members of the management team are here and will participate in the Q&A.
I'll remind you, our remarks in the Q&A that follows include forward-looking statements based on assumptions and expectations that reflect the information currently available to management. Actual results may differ materially from current expectations. Important factors that may affect our results are described in the reports that we filed with the SEC, including the risk factors and other factors that are in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, and our Form 10-Q reports. We encourage you to read them. We'll be filing our 10-Q report for the quarter later today.
The earnings release we issued this morning is available on our website, along with the supplemental earnings tables and including the Regulation G reconciliations. You will want to have that supplemental information available to refer to as we go through the results for the quarter.
And now I'll turn the call over to Chris Johns.
Christopher Johns
Thanks, Gabe, and good morning, everybody. Now, I don't usually open up our call. So it's appropriate to acknowledge the transition that we're in right now. As Peter Darbee stated when he announced his retirement, this change gives the company an opportunity to move forward in facing some of our challenges. Obviously, a key step in that direction will be naming a new CEO. So with us this morning, to offer his thoughts on that, is Lee Cox. Lee has been a key member of the board at PG&E since 1996, and he's been our Lead Director since 2004. As Gabe mentioned, Lee is our Interim Chairman, CEO and President, and we're fortunate to have Lee's experience in this interim role.
So with that, I'll turn it over to Lee.
C. Cox
Okay. Well, thank you, Chris, and good morning, everyone. I know the team has a lot to cover this morning, so I'm going to be very brief. Let me just expand now for a moment on a comment Chris made about a CEO retirement being a chance to move forward.
I want all of you to know that the board and our employees deeply understand and feel in every way how the events of the last year have affected the company. And right now, we're all very focused on doing whatever it takes to fix our problems and then also to regain the public trust. A lot of projects are already underway to do that. The new CEO we're seeking will be someone who can lead our teams to finish the operations turnaround that has really already started. And we also want someone who can personally engage with our many stakeholders and gain their support. So to that end, the search process is moving along well. The search committee is pleased with the quality of candidates, and we're on track to name the new CEO in the coming weeks. But in the meantime, in the coming days, you'll be hearing some announcements about what we're doing to resolve our problems and to regain the confidence of our stakeholders.
Now Chris and Kent are going to be delivering some tough news this morning, and I want you to know that the board believes that they and their teams will be able to solve our problems and then go on to improve operational and financial performance in the future.
So here it goes back to Chris to discuss company operations.
Christopher Johns
Great. Thanks, Lee. I'm disappointed by our first quarter results and our announcement today that we are revising our guidance. As a management team, we're accountable for the overall performance of our company. And as President, I'm accountable for the operational and financial performance of the company, and to assure the necessary changes are made for PG&E to become the leading utility that our management team aspires for it to be. This morning, Kent and I will address the recent developments leading to the revised outlook for the year, as well as our plans moving forward. You can be confident that we are challenging our leadership team to deliver better results.
My remarks begin, as they did last quarter, with an update on activities and plans relating to the gas transmission system and pipeline safety. I will also discuss our nuclear operations in light of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and the winter storms we faced this quarter.
The issues we're dealing with as a result of the San Bruno accident will have a lasting impact on PG&E and across the industry. We continue to help the families and communities affected by this tragedy. We have funded a trust for the city of San Bruno so we can effectively and efficiently continue with the healing and rebuilding process. The entire San Bruno community remains in our thoughts and in our prayers.
This management team is fully committed to PG&E emerging from this experience, both as a better company and as the national standard bearer for safety and operational excellence. We have several years of hard work ahead, and we are taking the actions needed to achieve that goal. We continue to fully cooperate with the various regulatory proceedings and investigations concerning gas pipeline matters. The National Transportation Safety Board held 3 days of fact-finding hearings in March, and we expect the NTSB to issue a final report sometime this fall.
The California Public Utilities Commission is overseeing its own investigation, while also participating in the NTSB process. And as part of their emission, the CPUC appointed an independent review panel to look into PG&E and the commission policies and practices for managing the gas transmission system. We expect that the panel will provide its report to the CPUC sometime later this month.
At the end of February, the commission issued an Order Instituting Investigation, or an OII, to examine PG&E's pipeline record-keeping practices. On April 18, we responded to an initial set of questions posed in that OII. And this included a discussion of pipeline document retention practices. We're going to have to file other responses in the OII during May and June, including documents relating to pipeline maintenance procedures and practices dating back to the 1950s. Because the OII will likely take into account the findings from the final NTSB report, we don't expect the investigation to conclude until late 2011 or even into 2012.
In February, the CPUC also issued an Order Instituting Rulemaking or an OIR, which covers all California pipeline operators. We support the OIR and the CPUC's intent to establish new standards for pipeline construction, maintenance and safety. Responding to a directive that was part of the OIR process in March, we provided the CPUC with information on pressure test records and engineering specifications for our transmission pipelines in the more populated areas of our service territory.
2011年5月2日星期一
VW electronic research lab moved to Silicon Valley
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, the ERL represents the entire Volkswagen Group in applied research and development with a mission to develop innovations and technologies for future generations of cars. They also find ways to transfer technologies from other industries into the automotive realm. The lab develops design and technical solutions to assist safe, convenient and intelligent interaction between the driver and vehicle information.
The ERL is a dedicated think tank for Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen, focused on creating smarter cars and identifying new technologies. The Silicon Valley location allows the VW Group to work directly with the world's leading high-tech companies, start-ups and universities to develop applications for their vehicles.
The lab recently moved from Palo Alto to the current Belmont location, its third office in Silicon Valley, in order to support consistent growth since its 1998 founding. At the opening, the ERL hosted a Tech Day, involving demonstrations that provided a glimpse into the latest in automotive technology.
VW Group of America president and CEO Jonathan Browning was joined at the event by key officials including: U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, Belmont Mayor Coralin Feierbach; and Rob Csongor, Vice president of Corporate Marketing for NVidia.
Also in attendance were professors from several institutions including the University of California, Berkley; the University of Southern California; the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute; the University of California, San Diego; Stanford University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
"The Electronics Research Laboratory is another example of Volkswagen Group of America's investment in the U.S.," Browning said, adding that Volkswagen Group has made a significant multi-million dollar investment in the new facility. "The commitment of the ERL teams to automotive innovation will benefit drivers through safer, more eco-friendly driving experiences, prompted by the technological heartbeat of Silicon Valley. I am excited to help showcase the next generation of mobility today."
New Tech Demos
Human Machine Interface: recent efforts by the Human-Machine Interface team at the Electronics Research Lab have focused on designing innovative vehicle cockpits for Volkswagen Group's vehicles. Among the features are touchscreen/touchpad and display innovations creating a user experience allowing the driver to keep their eyes on the road as they interact with other features. Applications providing a wide array of communication, information and entertainment to rear-seat passengers are also part of the mix.
Infotainment Platforms: This team is developing systems that learn individual driving styles, preferences and schedules to provide personalized feedback about driving performance, desired points of interest and destinations, as well as recommendations for trip efficiency. This tool assist drivers in planning routes to avoid stressful driving, reserve parking spaces ahead of time and minimize dangerous driving situations.
Infotainment Applications: Building on the success of the Google Earth-based navigation system launched first in the new Audi A8 and the all-new Audi A7, the IA team adds Google Voice Local Search and Google Street View to the online navigation experience.
Driver Assistance Systems: The DAS team is collaborating with Silicon Valley-based visual computing technologies company NVidia to create next-generation vision processing applications for powerful emergency assistance systems. The team is also working with Oracle to develop Java-based tools for increasingly complex software architectures. The team has partnered with Virginia Tech and Stanford University to continue co-development of advanced driver assistance systems.
"These types of innovations clearly show that our researchers are among the best and brightest tackling the problems of mobility today," said ERL Executive Director Burkhard Huhnke. "Our partnerships with universities, organizations and companies like NVIDIA, Google and Oracle are helping us focus on smarter, safer driving and next-generation technologies."
The ERL is a dedicated think tank for Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen, focused on creating smarter cars and identifying new technologies. The Silicon Valley location allows the VW Group to work directly with the world's leading high-tech companies, start-ups and universities to develop applications for their vehicles.
The lab recently moved from Palo Alto to the current Belmont location, its third office in Silicon Valley, in order to support consistent growth since its 1998 founding. At the opening, the ERL hosted a Tech Day, involving demonstrations that provided a glimpse into the latest in automotive technology.
VW Group of America president and CEO Jonathan Browning was joined at the event by key officials including: U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, Belmont Mayor Coralin Feierbach; and Rob Csongor, Vice president of Corporate Marketing for NVidia.
Also in attendance were professors from several institutions including the University of California, Berkley; the University of Southern California; the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute; the University of California, San Diego; Stanford University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
"The Electronics Research Laboratory is another example of Volkswagen Group of America's investment in the U.S.," Browning said, adding that Volkswagen Group has made a significant multi-million dollar investment in the new facility. "The commitment of the ERL teams to automotive innovation will benefit drivers through safer, more eco-friendly driving experiences, prompted by the technological heartbeat of Silicon Valley. I am excited to help showcase the next generation of mobility today."
New Tech Demos
Human Machine Interface: recent efforts by the Human-Machine Interface team at the Electronics Research Lab have focused on designing innovative vehicle cockpits for Volkswagen Group's vehicles. Among the features are touchscreen/touchpad and display innovations creating a user experience allowing the driver to keep their eyes on the road as they interact with other features. Applications providing a wide array of communication, information and entertainment to rear-seat passengers are also part of the mix.
Infotainment Platforms: This team is developing systems that learn individual driving styles, preferences and schedules to provide personalized feedback about driving performance, desired points of interest and destinations, as well as recommendations for trip efficiency. This tool assist drivers in planning routes to avoid stressful driving, reserve parking spaces ahead of time and minimize dangerous driving situations.
Infotainment Applications: Building on the success of the Google Earth-based navigation system launched first in the new Audi A8 and the all-new Audi A7, the IA team adds Google Voice Local Search and Google Street View to the online navigation experience.
Driver Assistance Systems: The DAS team is collaborating with Silicon Valley-based visual computing technologies company NVidia to create next-generation vision processing applications for powerful emergency assistance systems. The team is also working with Oracle to develop Java-based tools for increasingly complex software architectures. The team has partnered with Virginia Tech and Stanford University to continue co-development of advanced driver assistance systems.
"These types of innovations clearly show that our researchers are among the best and brightest tackling the problems of mobility today," said ERL Executive Director Burkhard Huhnke. "Our partnerships with universities, organizations and companies like NVIDIA, Google and Oracle are helping us focus on smarter, safer driving and next-generation technologies."
Loading... Symbols: Authors: Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP's CEO Discusses Q1 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript
Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP (BWP) Q1 2011 Earnings Call May 02, 2011 9:00 am ET
Operator
Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Q1 2011 Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP Earnings Conference Call. My name is Shantale, and I will be your facilitator for today's call. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to turn the presentation over to your host for today's call, Ms. Allison McLean, Director of Investor Relations. Please proceed.
Allison McLean
Thank you, Shantale. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the First Quarter 2011 Earnings Call for Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP. I’m Allison McLean, and I’m pleased to be joined today by Mr. Arthur Rebell, our Chairman; Mr. Rolf Gafvert, our CEO; and Mr. Jamie Buskill, our CFO.
If you'd like a copy of the earnings release associated with this call, please download it from our website at www.bwpmlp.com. Following our prepared remarks this morning, we will turn the call over for your questions.
We would like to remind you that this conference call will include the use of statements that are forward-looking in nature. Statements in this earnings call related to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions using currently available information and expectations. Actual results achieved by the company may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. The company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made during this call.
I’d also like to remind you that during the call today, we may discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures such as EBITDA and distributable cash flow. With regard to such financial measures, please refer to our earnings release for reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measures.
Now I'd like to turn the call over to Mr. Arthur Rebell.
Arthur Rebell
Thank you, Allison. As we have previously announced, Rolf told us last year that he looked forward to retirement in the near future. As our press announcement this morning noted, Stan Horton is joining Boardwalk today and will be the new CEO. Many of you know of Stan's distinguished record in the energy area and, hopefully, share our enthusiasm and welcome him as he leads Boardwalk into its future growth.
But I do want to take a moment and acknowledge the important role which Rolf has played in bringing Boardwalk from a small private company to one of America's leading public MLPs.
Rolf will remain an adviser to the company, and we know that he will continue to share his perspectives and advice with Stan and all of us. Rolf, thanks for your efforts and good luck.
And I will now turn the call over to Rolf.
Rolf Gafvert
Thank you, Arthur. Good morning, everyone. For the first quarter, we announced a quarterly distribution to unit holders of $0.5225 per unit. I will provide an update on our business, and then Jamie will discuss our financial performance in greater detail.
During the first quarter, a substantial portion of our pipeline capacity was contracted under firm agreements, and we experienced one of the coldest winters in the past 10 years, which helped us overcome overall weak market fundamentals. However, despite favorable weather conditions, declining price spreads between time periods impacted our storage and parking and lending services. For example, for the first quarter this year, parking and lending revenues were down approximately 65% over the comparable quarter in 2010 due to these unfavorable market conditions.
Should weak market fundamentals continue, our interruptible services, including parking and lending services and possibly firm contract renewals could be negatively impacted for the remainder of the year. These industry conditions led us to increase our distribution by $0.0025 per unit this quarter compared to the $0.005 increase in the previous quarter.
Although a relatively small portion of our overall business, net transportational revenues from power generators increased by more than 50% for the quarter compared to the first quarter of last year, as power providers signed up for firm services during the winter season. We are pursuing opportunities to add additional power generation facilities to our system, as operators review options for replacing older coal-fired power generation facilities.
During 2011, we are also adding compression to our system in order to create additional flexibility to better serve growing demand. In order to focus on expansion and acquisition growth opportunities, I am pleased to announce that during the first quarter, Jonathan Nathanson joined Boardwalk to head up our Corporate Development team.
That concludes my overview for Boardwalk. I would now like to turn the call over to Jamie, who will share with you the financial results for the quarter.
Jamie Buskill
Thanks, Rolf, and good morning, everyone. Operating revenues for the first quarter of 2011 were $311 million, an increase of $10 million or 3% from $301 million for the comparable period in 2010. The increase was driven by transportation revenues from our pipeline expansion projects, partially offset by $6 million lower parking and lending revenues due to unfavorable market conditions.
Turning now to operating expenses. We reported operating expenses of $181 million for the quarter, an increase of $8 million or 4% from $173 million for the comparable period in 2010. The increase was driven by expenses related to a fire at our Carthage compressor station that occurred in February. The incident had minimal impact to our gas flows, there were no injuries and we anticipate that insurance will the cover the loss. We expensed $5 million in the first quarter related to this incident, representing the amount of our deductible.
Operating expenses were also impacted by higher depreciation expense associated with our increased asset base and increased maintenance expenses. As we mentioned during last quarter's call, in January of this year, we issued $325 million of 10-year notes at our Texas Gas subsidiary, which carry a coupon rate of 4.5%. A portion of the proceeds were used to redeem $135 million of Texas Gas notes that carried a 5.5% coupon rate, and the remainder was used to pay down $190 million under our credit facility. In the first quarter, we recognized a $7 million loss due to the early redemption of the notes.
EBITDA for the quarter was $187 million, an increase of $6 million or 3% from $181 million for the comparable period in 2010. Net income for the quarter was $83 million, a decrease of $7 million or 8% from $90 million for the comparable period last year. Net income and EBITDA for the quarter were impacted by the revenue and expense drivers previously discussed, and net income was lower due to the early redemption loss of $7 million. We generated $113 million of distributable cash for the quarter. Growth capital expenditures were $16 million in the first quarter, and we expect to spend approximately $78 million for the remaining 3 quarters.
Operator
Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Q1 2011 Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP Earnings Conference Call. My name is Shantale, and I will be your facilitator for today's call. [Operator Instructions] I would now like to turn the presentation over to your host for today's call, Ms. Allison McLean, Director of Investor Relations. Please proceed.
Allison McLean
Thank you, Shantale. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the First Quarter 2011 Earnings Call for Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, LP. I’m Allison McLean, and I’m pleased to be joined today by Mr. Arthur Rebell, our Chairman; Mr. Rolf Gafvert, our CEO; and Mr. Jamie Buskill, our CFO.
If you'd like a copy of the earnings release associated with this call, please download it from our website at www.bwpmlp.com. Following our prepared remarks this morning, we will turn the call over for your questions.
We would like to remind you that this conference call will include the use of statements that are forward-looking in nature. Statements in this earnings call related to matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions using currently available information and expectations. Actual results achieved by the company may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. The company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements made during this call.
I’d also like to remind you that during the call today, we may discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures such as EBITDA and distributable cash flow. With regard to such financial measures, please refer to our earnings release for reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measures.
Now I'd like to turn the call over to Mr. Arthur Rebell.
Arthur Rebell
Thank you, Allison. As we have previously announced, Rolf told us last year that he looked forward to retirement in the near future. As our press announcement this morning noted, Stan Horton is joining Boardwalk today and will be the new CEO. Many of you know of Stan's distinguished record in the energy area and, hopefully, share our enthusiasm and welcome him as he leads Boardwalk into its future growth.
But I do want to take a moment and acknowledge the important role which Rolf has played in bringing Boardwalk from a small private company to one of America's leading public MLPs.
Rolf will remain an adviser to the company, and we know that he will continue to share his perspectives and advice with Stan and all of us. Rolf, thanks for your efforts and good luck.
And I will now turn the call over to Rolf.
Rolf Gafvert
Thank you, Arthur. Good morning, everyone. For the first quarter, we announced a quarterly distribution to unit holders of $0.5225 per unit. I will provide an update on our business, and then Jamie will discuss our financial performance in greater detail.
During the first quarter, a substantial portion of our pipeline capacity was contracted under firm agreements, and we experienced one of the coldest winters in the past 10 years, which helped us overcome overall weak market fundamentals. However, despite favorable weather conditions, declining price spreads between time periods impacted our storage and parking and lending services. For example, for the first quarter this year, parking and lending revenues were down approximately 65% over the comparable quarter in 2010 due to these unfavorable market conditions.
Should weak market fundamentals continue, our interruptible services, including parking and lending services and possibly firm contract renewals could be negatively impacted for the remainder of the year. These industry conditions led us to increase our distribution by $0.0025 per unit this quarter compared to the $0.005 increase in the previous quarter.
Although a relatively small portion of our overall business, net transportational revenues from power generators increased by more than 50% for the quarter compared to the first quarter of last year, as power providers signed up for firm services during the winter season. We are pursuing opportunities to add additional power generation facilities to our system, as operators review options for replacing older coal-fired power generation facilities.
During 2011, we are also adding compression to our system in order to create additional flexibility to better serve growing demand. In order to focus on expansion and acquisition growth opportunities, I am pleased to announce that during the first quarter, Jonathan Nathanson joined Boardwalk to head up our Corporate Development team.
That concludes my overview for Boardwalk. I would now like to turn the call over to Jamie, who will share with you the financial results for the quarter.
Jamie Buskill
Thanks, Rolf, and good morning, everyone. Operating revenues for the first quarter of 2011 were $311 million, an increase of $10 million or 3% from $301 million for the comparable period in 2010. The increase was driven by transportation revenues from our pipeline expansion projects, partially offset by $6 million lower parking and lending revenues due to unfavorable market conditions.
Turning now to operating expenses. We reported operating expenses of $181 million for the quarter, an increase of $8 million or 4% from $173 million for the comparable period in 2010. The increase was driven by expenses related to a fire at our Carthage compressor station that occurred in February. The incident had minimal impact to our gas flows, there were no injuries and we anticipate that insurance will the cover the loss. We expensed $5 million in the first quarter related to this incident, representing the amount of our deductible.
Operating expenses were also impacted by higher depreciation expense associated with our increased asset base and increased maintenance expenses. As we mentioned during last quarter's call, in January of this year, we issued $325 million of 10-year notes at our Texas Gas subsidiary, which carry a coupon rate of 4.5%. A portion of the proceeds were used to redeem $135 million of Texas Gas notes that carried a 5.5% coupon rate, and the remainder was used to pay down $190 million under our credit facility. In the first quarter, we recognized a $7 million loss due to the early redemption of the notes.
EBITDA for the quarter was $187 million, an increase of $6 million or 3% from $181 million for the comparable period in 2010. Net income for the quarter was $83 million, a decrease of $7 million or 8% from $90 million for the comparable period last year. Net income and EBITDA for the quarter were impacted by the revenue and expense drivers previously discussed, and net income was lower due to the early redemption loss of $7 million. We generated $113 million of distributable cash for the quarter. Growth capital expenditures were $16 million in the first quarter, and we expect to spend approximately $78 million for the remaining 3 quarters.
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