Google Toolbar's Improved Web Page Translation

Google Translate can be used to translate many web pages, but you can't use it for pages that require login and for Ajax-powered web applications. You won't be able to translate a Gmail message, a Google Docs document or a Facebook message without copying the text to Google Translate.

I've mentioned in March that Google Toolbar tests a translation feature that extracts the text from any web page and translates in real-time. The impressive feature is now available in Google Toolbar 6 for Internet Explorer and it works extremely well.

By default, Google detects when a page is not in English (or another preferred language) and it offers the option to translate it. Language detection doesn't send text from the current web page to Google's servers, but you'll need to send the text when you translate the page.

"When you visit a webpage in a different language than your Toolbar, Toolbar will display the translation bar near the top of your browser window and ask you if you'd like to translate the page. Click Translate to translate the page, or click Translate on your Toolbar. Click Show original or the x icon to close the translation bar and view the original webpage. If you change your preferred translation language, Toolbar will remember your language preferences and use them when translating pages in the future," explains Google.

Here's a Gmail message written in French:


... and here's how Google Toolbar replaces the French message with the English translation:


If you open another Gmail message written in French, Google Toolbar will automatically translate the text.

"The new Translate feature is available in all international versions of Toolbar, including English, and the translation service supports 41 different languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese," mentions Google's blog.

Another improvement is that Google Toolbar's word translator is now available in the 41 languages supported by Google Translate.

Random Sphere

Those who know me well know I'm a sucker for a good Michael Crichton book...



His best books read like movies and Sphere, one of his better books, is one case where the movie definitely does not do the book justice. I almost wish they never even tried to make the film version; because the idea of having your every imagination become reality was never going to translate well on screen.

"The ability to imagine is the largest part of what you call intelligence. You think the ability to imagine is merely a useful step on the way to solving a problem or making something happen. But imagining it is what makes it happen. This is the gift of your species and this is the danger, because you do not choose to control your imaginings. You imagine wonderful things and you imagine terrible things, and you take no responsibility for the choice. You say you have inside you both the power of good and the power of evil, the angel and the devil, but in truth you have just one thing inside you - the ability to imagine." (Crichton, 336)

Simply Awesome!

Random Unbreakable

Mr Glass must be shaking in his boots...



because we may have finally found our real life Unbreakable man (UPDATE actually a 13-year-old girl)

A passenger jet from Yemen with 153 people on board crashed in the Indian Ocean early Tuesday as it tried to land during heavy wind on the island nation of Comoros, a Yemeni aviation official said. Captain al-Sumairi, Deputy Director of Operations at the airline, told CBS News early Tuesday morning that one survivor had been found. He did not comment on the condition or the identity of the individual. READ MORE

Sexy Girl Marisa Miller Latest Photos At “Naturally Victoria’s Secret”

Sexy Girl Marisa Miller Latest Photos





Sexy girl Marisa Miller (born August 6, 1978 in Santa Cruz, California, U.S.) is an American supermodel. This sexy Girl is known for her many appearances in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues and Victoria’s Secret catalogs. She is the cover model for the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.sexy girl Marisa served as a modeling judge in the short-lived reality television series Manhunt in 2004.
She’s also appeared in other magazines such as Fitness, Shape, and Vogue, as well as working on campaigns for Nordstrom, J.Crew, and Tommy Hilfiger.In 2001,Sexy girl Marisa was able to move from a start as an amateur magazine model to high profile mainstream work after she was spotted by fashion photographer Mario Testino in Manhattan Beach, California.In 2007, sexy girl Marisa shot her first television commercial for Victoria’s Secret with fellow supermodel Heidi Klum, causing quite a stir unexpectedly drawing more attention than Klum, as well as appearing in a cameo on the HBO show Entourage. sexy girl Marisa was also featured as a model on the pilot episode of the new VH1 reality show The Shot.

Widy Foto Bikini Bugil Personil Vierra Band

Intimate and adventurous pictures of Widy Soediro Nichlany (Widy "Vierra Band") and admirer accept emerged on the internet. It seems the pictures were attempt back they both in a auberge room. There are two photos, Widy wore a dejected bikini and admirer aloof wore a abbreviate pants (topless).
For More Information about Foto Bikini Bugil Widy VIERRA BAND

Google Reader Lite

Google Reader's homepage has been updated and it features a small feed reader with three categories: "news", "sports" and "popular". The iframe points to this page and I think Google Reader should offer a customizable version, so you can embed it in your site.


Google already offers a cool AJAX Feed API that can be used to display the most recent posts from one or more feeds, but Google Reader's interface is more user-friendly and it lets you read the posts without leaving the page.

YouTube as a Medium for Community

Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University, gave a talk at the Library of Congress about YouTube and its role in the participatory culture. He explains how one of his videos, Web 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing Us, became very popular in just a few days and how this popularity took him by surprise. The video was remixed, translated, it was the starting point for a conversation at a global level.

To find how people communicate on YouTube, Professor Wesch and his students studied YouTube and the way anonymity, interactivity, authenticity and popularity define it as a new medium for community.


{ via YouTube Biz Blog }

Random Savior

After watching the 3-2 loss to Brazil it's hard not to think Tim Howard, despite the loss, kept the US in the game...

If he didn't play as well as he did, it could've easily been a 6-2 final or worse.

and it doesn't hurt that he's a Jersey boy.

2009 Confederation cup Golden Glove winner Tim Howard was born in North Brunswick, New Jersey to Matthew Howard, an African-American, and Esther Howard, a Caucasian woman born in Hungary. Howard started for the United States national team in the 1999 World Youth Championship in Nigeria and was a backup to Brad Friedel at the 2000 Summer Olympics. On March 10, 2002, he received his first senior cap, against Ecuador. As of February 12, 2009, Howard has appeared for the U.S. thirty-five times. READ MORE

Random Billy Mays

RIP Pitchman Mays (It's been a rough week for 50-year-old entertainers)





He really made me... want to buy stuff

Gmail Increases Maximum Attachment Size to 25 MB

Now you can send bigger attachments in Gmail, as Google increased the maximum attachment size from 20 MB to 25 MB.

"With Gmail, you can send and receive messages up to 25 megabytes (MB) in size. Please note that you may not be able to send larger attachments to contacts who use other email services with smaller attachment limits. If your attachment bounces, you should invite them to Gmail," suggests Google.


For some reason, Gmail's Flash uploader doesn't allow me to upload files that are larger than 10 MB. The error message is "attachment failed" and Google's suggestions aren't very helpful. Switching to the basic uploader in the settings solves the problem, but it's more tedious to upload multiple files.

{ Thanks, Ben. }

Kia Announces 11 Models Eligible for "Cash for Clunkers"

Kia Motors America announced today that 11 models in the brand's line-up qualify for the U.S. Government's Car Allowance Rebate System, better known as "Cash for Clunkers". All eligible models qualify for a rebate of up to $4,500. Under this new buyer incentive program, consumers can purchase a new, more fuel efficient Kia vehicle when they trade-in a less fuel efficient car or truck of any eligible make or model.

Qualifying Kia models for the CARS program are: Borrego (V6 models only), Sedona, Sorento (2WD LX 3.3L V6 only), Sportage, Forte, Optima, Rio, Rio5, Rondo (4-cyl. models only), Soul, and Spectra.

For more information including eligibility requirements for trade-in cars, read our previous post on Hyundai's involvement with the CARS program or stop by Kia's information page linked below.

[Source: Kia Motors America]

Read more for the official press release.


PRESS RELEASE:

KIA MOTORS SUPPORTS CAR ALLOWANCE REBATE SYSTEM WITH 11 ELIGIBLE MODELS

Full Array of Vehicles Qualify For NHTSA New Buyer Incentive Program

IRVINE, Calif., June 25, 2009 – – In support of the recently signed Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS) by the U.S. government, Kia Motors America (KMA) today announced that consumers in need of a new vehicle will be able to choose from a total of 11 eligible Kia models that qualify for up to a $4,500 rebate. Under this new buyer incentive program consumers can purchase a new, more fuel efficient Kia vehicle when they trade-in a less fuel efficient car or truck of any eligible make or model.

“Consumers have the opportunity to not only purchase a new car with a significant rebate, but also reap the benefits of modernized safety features, advanced technology as well as increased fuel economy,” said Tom Loveless, vice president of sales, KMA. “There has been no other time in recent history when such an extensive national buyer incentive program has been implemented, and Kia Motors is pleased to provide consumers with a comprehensive selection of vehicles that are praised for their style, quality, value, fuel efficiency and long list of standard safety features.”

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidelines indicate that consumers may earn $4,500 with the purchase of a new car with an increase of 10-plus miles per gallon (mpg) or may earn $3,500 with an increase of four-plus mpg when they trade in a car or SUV with less than 18 mpg combined. For SUVs, five-plus mpg may earn $4,500 and two-plus mpg may earn $3,500.

In accordance with the NHTSA, retailers that are enrolled in the program will process transactions using program guidelines and apply appropriate credits at the time of purchase. The following details the official government criteria for trade-in rebates:
# Trade-in vehicles have been manufactured less than 25 years before the date of trade-in
# Trade-in vehicles must have a federal combined city/highway fuel economy of 18 mpg or less
# Eligible vehicles must be in driveable condition and have been continuously insured and registered to the same owner for at least one year
# Vouchers are not necessary; dealers will apply a credit at the time of the purchase

Additional information is currently being developed by the National Highway Transportation Authority and will be available on its Web site as it becomes available. For more information visit www.cars.gov, the official and only Web site for the program.

Kia Motors Product Line

Kia Motors America offers a dynamic and diverse product line to meet the needs of all lifestyles. The vehicle line features the stylish and all-new Forte compact sedan, highly personalizable Soul, functional Rondo CUV, award-winning Sedona minivan, purposeful Optima midsize sedan, versatile and compact Spectra, and sporty yet fuel-efficient Rio and Rio5 subcompacts. The vehicle line also features the affordably luxurious Borrego, rugged Sorento and value-packed Sportage SUVs. The all-new 2010 Forte Koup will further complement the lineup when it arrives in dealerships in late summer.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For 2008, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline “The Power to Surprise.”

Kia Motors America is the “Official Automotive Partner of the NBA.” Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

Random Distant Relatives

Nas and Damian Marley aren't family but musically they are Distant Relatives...

It would be a vast understatement to say that I'm very excited for this album. Check the preview below...



Distant Relatives is an upcoming studio album by American rapper Nas and reggae artist Damian Marley, scheduled to be released on June 23. But has been pushed back to a later date due to having not enough time to finish the project, lack of promotion, & Nas' involvement in his personal life conflicts. News of the album first came at the 2009 Grammy Awards, Nas told MTV reporters "Right now, I'll tell you first, I'm working on an album with Damian Marley, that should drop in June. We tryin' to build some schools in Africa with this one, and trying to build empowerment," he said. "We're tryin' to show love and stuff with this album. So, the record's … all about really the 'hood and Africa also as well." READ MORE

Random Office Freak Out

Much speculation over whether or not this is real, you decide...



Real or not, I can't wait for something like this to happen at my office. We have a lot of ticking time bombs walking around this place... and I'm sure you have them at your job too.

[RANDOM] GONNA BE ON HIATUS

I WILL BE ON LEAVE FROM TODAY TO THE UNCONFIRMED DATE SINCE I ENTER UNI TODAY AND I WON'T BRING MY LAPPIE ALONG FOR THIS 1ST WEEK..AND EVEN I BRING IT I DUNNOE WHETHER AT MY PLACE WILL DETECT A WIRELESS OR NOT..SEE YOU GUYS SOON..TILL THEN..

Solving Linear Programming Problems Using Google Spreadsheets

Google Spreadsheets has a new feature that lets you solve linear programming problems. "Informally, linear programming determines the way to achieve the best outcome (such as maximum profit or lowest cost) in a given mathematical model and given some list of requirements represented as linear equations," explains Wikipedia.

Google's help center has an article that details how to use the new feature. You can test it using a template offered by Google, but it's not very intuitive and it didn't work for me. I got an error message when clicking on Tools / Solve: "The goal specified must be a cell containing a valid formula."

Random Frost/Nixon

I finally got a chance to see Frost/Nixon last night...

First let me say, it was awesome! I'm a big fan of movies as it is, but when you throw in some politics with an emphasis on media coverage and interviewing I'm completely sold. Not to mention, Ron Howard is among the best filmmakers working right now and the fact that he was blessed with an awesome cast didn't hurt. Frank Langella (who almost doesn't look like Nixon) and Michael Sheen do a very good job or recreating a landmark event in American Political/Television history...

After his resignation in 1974, Nixon spent more than two years away from public life. In 1977, in an attempt to rehabilitate his image, he granted Frost an exclusive series of interviews. Nixon was already publishing memoirs at the time; however, his publicist Irving "Swifty" Lazar believed that by using television Nixon could reach a mass audience. READ MORE

Hyundai Announces Eligible Models for "Cash for Clunkers"

Hyundai Motor America has posted an official information page regarding the U.S. government's newly enacted "Car Allowance Rebate System" (CARS). The CARS program, better known as "Cash for Clunkers", offers a credit of up to $4,500 towards the purchase of a newer, more fuel-efficient car after trading in an eligible, old car. Effective July 1st, this program's intention is to encourage customers to trade in their old, low fuel economy vehicles and consequently, improve the environment and stimulate new car sales for the auto industry. Hyundai is already experiencing record sales in the United Kingdom where a similar scrappage program has led to skyrocketing demand for the brand's affordable and fuel-efficient cars.

Qualifying Hyundai models for the CARS program (with combined MPG) are: Accent (29 MPG), Elantra (28 MPG), Elantra Touring (26 MPG), Genesis Coupe 2.0T (24 MPG), Santa Fe (20 MPG), Sonata (25 MPG), Tucson (22 MPG), and Veracruz (18 MPG).

For a trade-in car to qualify, the car must be built in 1984 or later (25 years or less), gets 18 MPG or less in combined city/highway driving as per the EPA, is in drivable condition, and is registered and insured under the driver's name for at least a year. New vehicles eligible for purchase or minimum five (5) year lease must get at least 22 MPG in combined city/highway driving as per the EPA for cars (18 MPG in combined city/highway driving for light-duty trucks), and not exceed $45,000 in MSRP. The credit amount one qualifies for depends on the difference of combined MPG between the old, trade-in car and the new, eligible car. A 10 MPG improvement for cars or 5 MPG improvement for light trucks qualifies for the maximum $4,500 credit.

For more information, visit Hyundai's official information page at the link below.

[Source: Hyundai Motor America]

First Images of 2010 Hyundai Avante/i30 Facelifts

Hyundai Motor Company is set to unveil the refreshed versions of the popular Avante (Elantra in North America) sedan and i30 hatchback for the Korean market next month. However, we detest playing the waiting game and bring you the first images and official information of the revised compact cars today. For the 2010 model year, the Avante and i30 receives minor exterior updates and interior upgrades. No powertrain changes are planned for this MMC (minor model change).

The exterior of the revised Hyundai Avante sports a redesigned front grille, black-bezel headlamps, redesigned side mirrors with turn signals, and restyled LED taillights. The interior gains new Supervision gauges and revised center console and cupholders. New technologies and options for 2010 include Smart Key with push-button ignition, ECO Assist, in-dash DMB navigation system with integrated back-up camera, and rear-view mirror with back-up camera (for non-navi models).

[Korean-English translation done by yours truly]

Read more for full article (info on i30 MMC) and more images.

The rehashed Hyundai i30 receives subtle exterior updates including the adoption of the meshed lower front grille from the European-spec i30 (as opposed to horizontal-slat design for current Korean models) and available 17-inch alloy wheels with chrome-inserts (already available in some markets). The interior acquires new aluminum pedals and footrest. New features and options include active tilt headrests, rear parking assist, wiper de-icer, PowerBass sound system, and ECO Assist. A new Brown Special trim is also added, which features brown leather upholstery, power moonroof, and 17-inch alloy wheels with chrome-inserts.

Hyundai has already commenced pre-orders for both 2010 models on June 23rd and will continue until July 1st - the official launch date. Prices will increase an average of 300 000 Won from current models. Stay tuned for official images and more detailed information to be released closer to the launch date.

[PIC] Saipan Storybook "Please Be Mine"

credit: as tagged+soompi+sarang@blogspot

i'm so gonna grab this!..they look superb..hehehe

Random King Of Pop

RIP

Random Press-Hop

An awesome collection of classic post-game rants... in song form.



Who knew such hateful anger mixed together so smoothly... enjoy



Thanks to A. Wohlman for the link!

Random Pileup

Almost had a car chase on our hands today, reminded me of the epic Blue Brothers chase...





The Blues Brothers are a Grammy Award-nominated American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live. Belushi and Aykroyd, respectively in character as lead vocalist "Joliet" Jake Blues and harpist/vocalist Elwood Blues, fronted the band, which was composed of well-known and respected musicians. The band made its debut as the musical guest on the April 22, 1978, episode of Saturday Night Live. READ MORE

Thanks to Ted Hef for the link!

Google Voice, Available in the US

Two years after acquiring GrandCentral, Google is about to open an updated version of the service to all US users. Google Voice is a free service that provides one number for all your phones, so you can add some features that help you manage phone calls: blocking calls, recording calls, answering from any of your phones, transcribing voicemail and more.

NBC reports that the service will start to be publicly available today and Google confirms the news: "Invites to people on reservations list starting to go out today." In March, Google Voice was released as an upgrade to the existing GrandCentral users and you could request an invitation using a form from Google's site.


Network World found that Google reserved one million phone numbers from Level 3, preparing for the public launch of the service. A major hurdle slowing the adoption of Google Voice is getting a new phone number, but Google tests a feature that allows users to port their existing numbers to the service.

Update: Apparently, Google Voice won't be publicly available, but you'll get an invitation if you've previously requested one. "We are happy to share that Google Voice is beginning to open up beyond former GrandCentral users. If you requested an invitation on the Google Voice site or previously on GrandCentral, keep your eye out for an invite email," says Google's blog.

{ via Lifehacker }

Google Account Recovery via SMS

Google added a new password recovery option: you can now associate a mobile phone number with your Google Account and Google will send a recovery code by SMS.

"Since most people use cell phones these days, we decided text messaging would be an easy, convenient addition to our password recovery options. To set up password recovery via your mobile phone, just sign in to your account and click Change Password Recovery Options. Enter your mobile phone number and current password and then click Save. If you lose access to your account for any reason, you'll be able to regain access by entering a code we'll send in a text message."


For now, the options is only available in the US, so you need to use a US proxy to see it. Google also updated the password recovery settings page to include all the account-recovery options: secondary email addresses, text messages and the security question.

Update: the feature is now available everywhere.

{ via Blogoscoped Forum }

Random Epic Win

The US Soccer Men's National Team's new role = Giant Killers...

Finally an international sporting event involving the United States and it isn't cheap, dirty or alienating.

The United States' memorable bid for the ultimate tournament rally lives on. A night of stubborn, committed defending and opportunistic sniping saw the United States upend mighty Spain 2-0 in an absolute stunner. Just a few days earlier, Bob Bradley's men had been written off as finished in the Confederations Cup. But a brave, highly improbable three-goal win over Egypt pushed the United States into the tournament semifinals and arranged the stage for Wednesday's shocker. Still, few gave the United States much of a chance against the world's No. 1 side, a fluid Spanish team blessed with elegant midfielders and prolific strikers. READ MORE

Google City Tours

Google Labs has a new experimental project that could become a part of Google Maps: City Tours. The service "helps you identify points of interest and plan multi-day trips to most major cities. You just specify the location of your hotel and the length of your trip and City Tours will map out an itinerary for you," explains Google.


For now, City Tours doesn't offer too many interesting features: it only lists popular sights and it suggests when you should visit them. You can edit the information about a place and you can add new sights, but the options are very limited.

It would be useful to show more details about sights from Wikipedia and from image hosting sites like Flickr or Panoramio. Google works on landmark recognition, a project that associates images from the web with landmarks, and City Tours is an obvious application.

{ Thanks, Dan. }

In Japan, sales of the updated start sedans and hatchback Mazda 3

On Thursday, Japanese automobile company Mazda launched in the domestic market a new generation of sedans and hatchback Axela, to other markets, including Russia, known as the Mazda 3.

The company plans to sell 2 000 such vehicles a month.

The new "Mazda 3, equipped with proprietary system i-stop stopping and starting the engine. According to the developers, it is two times faster than those of competing technologies based on the motors to re-launch.

Unlike them, i-stop use of the engine fuel system volume MZR 2.0 liter direct injection and piezoelectric ignition (DISI) with a little help from starter motor. So, start the engine comes in just 0.35 seconds.

Mazda 3 with front drive and the 2.0-liter engine has become 15% more economical than the previous generation - at 100 km, it takes 8.3 liters of gasoline. Complete with a 1.5-liter engine is now equipped with infinitely transmission. Its fuel consumption - 5.4 liters per 100 kilometers - is the best in its class.

Total buyer offered two options for the car: 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback. Both are available with the front and full of drive. Maximum power 1.5-liter engine - 111 hp, 2.0-liter - 150 hp

Mazda is also prepared for a complete turbo Mazdaspeed Axela, under the hood which is 2.3-liter engine MZR, developing 264 hp As the transmission were 4-and 5-speed "automatic", Variator and 6-speed "mechanics."

The interior of new items made in two versions, based on the material in black. All models are equipped with a telescopic tuning the provisions of the steering wheel, driver seat adjustment in two directions. Mazdaspeed Axela in the driver's seat is equipped with an electric drive with a memory function.

The car, except the most affordable complete 15C, was the system of access in the cabin without a key and start the engine with a button. As an option you can set the rear-view camera with wide viewing angle, which will facilitate the process of parking.

The cost of the new Mazda 3 in Japan range from 17 008 dollars - for this amount can be purchased sedan with 1.5-liter engine and вариатором. The most expensive hatchback with a 2.0-liter engine is 21 516 dollars. Mazdaspeed Axela cost 27 438 dollars.

New Mazda Biante minivan was branded system i-stop

Jun 25, 2009 Mazda Motor Group launched a renewed version of Mazda Biante minivan through its dealerships in Japan.

The most sold version Biante (peredneprivodny minivan with a 2.0-liter engine in a complete set of 20S) are now spending up to 7% less fuel - 7.35 liters per 100 kilometers. Improvement rate is a direct consequence of the use of a new proprietary system, i-stop (read more about it here).

In addition to the system stops the engine, minivan received a route the computer display which shows the fuel consumption and with a special Lama signals, if the driver has chosen the best in terms of saving driving style. The list of standard equipment peredneprivodnyh models 20S, 23S, and now includes Dynamic Stability Control DSC.

Also been upgrading the driver's sun visor - now it has pocket for storing receipts.

The cost of the car varies from 2 131 500 yen ($ 22 350) 2 788 000 yen ($ 29 200).

Random 'Zombieland'

The summer wouldn't be complete without a silly zombie flick...



Is it just me, or does Woody Harrelson seem like he was born for this one.

Like every other zombie movie ever...
After America is ravaged by a zombie plague, a lone band of survivors fights the living dead while they cross the nation from coast to coast. They stop in an amusement park, where they believe they will be safe. READ MORE

2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year Contenders Announced

The candidates for the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards were announced late Monday. The lengthy 37-car list includes three Korean offerings, twelve Japanese offerings, eleven European offerings, and eleven American offerings. All three of the Korean nominees - 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, 2010 Kia Forte, and 2010 Kia Soul - are eligible for the prestigious Car of the Year honors.

It is important to note that some vehicles on the list (posted after the jump), such as the Suzuki Kizashi, Honda Crosstour, and Toyota 4Runner have yet to be officially unveiled, which indicates the very preliminary nature of this announcement. Jurors from various North American automotive publications will select the individual winners of both awards in January. To be eligible, a vehicle must be either "all new" or "substantially changed" from the previous model. Winners of the 2009 awards were the Hyundai Genesis and Ford F-150 for Car and Truck honors respectively.



[Source: Inside Line:Edmunds]

Read more for the full list of nominees.


2010 North American Car of the Year Entrants

Audi S4
BMW Z4
BMW 335d
BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo
Buick LaCrosse
Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Chevrolet Camaro
Ford Fusion/Fusion Hybrid
Ford Mustang/GT500
Ford Taurus/Taurus SHO
Honda Insight
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Kia Forte
Kia Soul
Lexus HS 250h
Lotus Evora
Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Nissan Cube
Nissan 370Z
Porsche Panamera
Subaru Legacy
Suzuki Kizashi
Toyota Prius
Volkswagen Golf/Golf TDI

2010 North American Truck of the Year Entrants

Acura ZDX
BMW X5 xDrive35d
Cadillac SRX
Chevrolet Equinox
Ford Transit Connect
GMC Terrain
Honda Crosstour (unofficial name)
Land Rover LR4
Lincoln MKT
Subaru Outback
Toyota 4Runner
Volvo XC60

Random Smooth Criminal

You've been hit by...


You've been struck by...


A smooth criminal


More Smooth Criminal Obama pics HERE

Thanks to A. Finch for the link!

Random Peace War

Isn't it ironic that often the only solution for peace is war...



a sentiment that is evident in almost every facet of life.

Think about the last time you had to FIGHT for something you wanted. The last time you YELLED at someone to make them understand what makes you happy. The last time a nation RIOTED for a just solution.

War and Peace is a novel by Leo Tolstoy, published in 1869, after portions of a previous version were serialized from 1865–1867 in The Russian Messenger. It chronicles the epic story of the French invasion of Russia, of the events leading up to it and the reactions of five major aristocratic families within Russian society during the Napoleonic Era. War and Peace, along with Anna Karenina, is considered by many one of Tolstoy's two major masterpieces, as well as one of the world's greatest novels. READ MORE

Kia Unveils Special Denim Soul

Kia Motors America rolled out the first all-new special edition for the Soul line-up today, the 2010 Denim Kia Soul. The automaker will only build 1200 examples of the limited-production model. Based on the Soul+ trim, the Denim Soul consists of unique factory customizations and accessories that further emphasize the Soul's cutting edge style and youthful, fun character.

Exclusive to the Denim Soul is a unique denim exterior color, white side mirrors with matching white 18-inch alloy wheels, front fender turn signal indicator lights, a wing-type rear spoiler and a bold off-set white racing stripe. It also adds the Audio Upgrade Package (center speaker, subwoofer, external amplifier and mood speakers), iPod connection cable, steering wheel audio controls, carpeted floor mats, power moonroof, and front fog lights.

[Source: PRNewswire/Kia]

Read more for the full article, more images, and the official press release.

The Denim Soul also packs a long list of standard features from the Soul+ trim it is based on. These include standard keyless remote entry, privacy glass on the rear and rear side windows, body-color door handles, cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth® hands-free connectivity, and black cloth seats with Soul logo inserts. The Denim Soul is powered by a 142 horsepower 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that also propels the Soul+ (plus), ! (exclaim), and Sport trims.

The 2010 Kia Denim Soul starts at $17,300 with a five-speed manual transmission, and $18,250 with an automatic. Kia executives stated that the limited-production model will arrive in Kia showrooms this summer.



PRESS RELEASE: ALL-NEW SPECIAL EDITION 2010 KIA SOUL

Limited-Run Special Edition Soul is Another "New Way to Roll"

IRVINE, Calif., June 23, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — Kia Motors America (KMA) today rolls out the first all-new special edition for the Soul model line, the 2010 Denim Kia Soul, a unique iteration of the popular urban passenger vehicle that further emphasizes Soul's cutting edge style and youthful, fun character. Matched with impressive fuel economy and safety features standard on all models, the special-edition Denim Soul provides consumers with even more personalization options.

"Denim Soul incorporates edginess and confidence," said Michael Sprague, vice president of marketing, KMA. "It illustrates our commitment to fresh design, even on a vehicle that's been in the marketplace only a few months, and it's the first of more special editions to be offered in 2010 for the recently introduced Kia Soul."

Exclusive to the Denim Soul is a unique denim exterior color, striking white side-view mirrors with matching white 18-inch alloy wheels, front fender turn signal indicator lights, a wing-type rear spoiler and a bold off-set white racing stripe completing the rally-inspired look. The Denim Soul is based on the Soul+ model and is fully loaded with the Audio Upgrade Package (center speaker, subwoofer, external amplifier and speaker lights that pulse to the beat of the music), an iPod connection cable for full functionality via the radio head unit and steering wheel controls, carpeted floor mats, moonroof and fog lights all included for this special edition.

The special edition Denim Soul starts at $17,3001 with a five-speed manual transmission, and $18,250 with an automatic.

Denim Soul builds from the Soul+ model, which offers standard keyless remote entry, privacy glass on the rear and rear side windows, body-color door handles and dual body-color power side mirrors along with 16-inch alloy wheels with P205/55R16 tires. Soul+ offers additional standard features including cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth® hands-free connectivity, dual 12-volt power outlets and tweeter speakers, all enhancing creature comforts on the road, as well as a covered upper storage bin, dual visor vanity mirrors with covers and dual map lights. Black cloth seats are adorned with Soul logo inserts, further personalizing the cabin.

About the Kia Soul

Designed by Kia Motors' Southern California-based design team, Soul is currently on sale at dealerships across the United States and has already been recognized as a "Best Value" by the Texas Auto Writers Association and by Ward's Autoworld for its "Interior of the Year" list. Available in four trims, Soul, Soul+, Soul! (exclaim) and Soul sport, pricing for the versatile five door begins at $13,300 for the base trim, while Soul+ starts at $14,950. Enhancing to the Soul! or Soul sport offers a price beginning at $16,950.

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is paired with either the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission and is standard on Soul+, Soul! and Soul sport models. The engine produces 142 horsepower with 137 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy offers a thrifty, fuel-sipping 24/30 mpg for both the automatic and manual transmissions2, better than the Scion xB.

Offering plenty of standard features, the Soul trim offers a chrome-accented grille, clear lens auto-off headlamps, solar glass, black door handles and side mirrors, body-colored front and rear fascias with black inserts, black bodyside molding, rear wiper/washer, variable intermittent windshield wipers and 15-inch steel wheels fitted with P195/65R15 tires.

Passengers will find comfort in the Soul's roomy cabin that offers 40.2/39.6 inches of headroom (front/rear), shoulder room of 55.2/55.1 inches, 42.1/39.0 inches of legroom and a passenger volume of 102.3 cubic feet, more spacious than the Scion xB.

Soul's interior design is decidedly influenced by the car's highly specified audio system. An uncluttered dashboard with a three-dial instrument cluster, LCD illumination and floating center stack design is the key visual feature and offers enticing access to the AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities and three months complimentary service3. Standard USB and auxiliary input jacks also are in the center console with full iPod® and MP3 controllability via the audio head unit and steering wheel controls achieved with an optional accessory iPod cable.

Additional standard interior features include air conditioning, tilt steering column, power door locks, power windows with driver's side auto-down, external temperature display and digital clock in the radio, an upper storage bin, dual-level glove box, 12-volt power outlet, rear window defroster, cargo area light and a dome light with delay out. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat offers multiple seating and cargo arrangements depending on driver and passenger needs.
Standard Kia Safety Features

Soul continues to offer the same high level of standard safety equipment as all Kia vehicles, including front seat active headrests, dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and full-length side curtain airbags. An Antilock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist System (BAS) and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) also are standard. Front and rear crumple zones, side-impact door beams, impact-absorbing steering column and Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) system also come standard on all Soul models, making for a comprehensive list of standard safety features.

Industry-Leading Warranty

Like all Kia models, Soul is covered by a comprehensive warranty program, which offers unprecedented consumer protection. Included in this program are a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty, and a five-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty. A five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan also is part of the comprehensive coverage program.

About Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea. KMA offers a complete line of vehicles through more than 630 dealers throughout the United States. For 2008, KMA recorded its 14th consecutive year of increased U.S. market share. Kia Motors subscribes to a philosophy of building high value, high quality, safe and dynamic vehicles. Kia Motors prides itself on producing vehicles that are exciting and enabling and evoke the Kia tagline "The Power to Surprise."

Kia Motors America is the "Official Automotive Partner of the NBA." Information about Kia Motors America and its full vehicle line-up is available at its Web site – www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.

Tips for Making Websites Run Faster

Installing a fast browser is not always enough to have a good experience when you browse the web: many web pages aren't optimized for performance. To help webmasters improve their sites, Google launched a new section as part of Google Code: "Let's make the web faster", which includes useful articles, videos and downloadable tools.

You'll learn how to optimize CSS declarations, how to optimize JavaScript code and avoid memory leaks, how to use the best image format and prefetch resources.

Google also released a Firebug plug-in for Firefox that evaluates web pages and provides suggestions to improve them. Here are the suggestions provided for this blog's homepage:


* There is 58.8kB worth of JavaScript. Minifying could save 15.7kB (26.7% reduction). Google provides the minified versions of all the inline blocks and external files.

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* The following domains only serve one resource each. If possible, avoid the extra DNS lookups by serving these resources from existing domains.

* An inline script block was found in the head between an external CSS file and another resource. To allow parallel downloading, move the inline script before the external CSS file, or after the next resource.

* A width and height should be specified for all images in order to speed up page display.

* Serve the following static resources from a domain that doesn't set cookies: [list of resources].

Ed McMahon Passes Away

Ed McMahon died this morning at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 86 years old. McMahon had been hospitalized for pneumonia at the beginning of this year and was also battling cancer. He had a great career as Johnny Carson's sidekick on the The Tonight Show. (Who doesn't remember his famous "Heeeeee're Johnny!") McMahon also hosted the television talent show, Star Search.
Today, we pay tribute to Ed McMahon and remember his legendary career in Hollywood.
*Getty Images

- Aanchal

Morgan Miller Shoes

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