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This is just speculation on my part but from what I've heard some very complex, new mathatical approaches were used to showhow show that these bundles were low risk. I belive this is where transparentcy may have been lost (intentionally?) and the rating agencies were duped into accepting the math which they may not have even understood.
Your question, how come an AAA rated debts failed???
You can fault Credit Rating Agencies (CRA) on independence, objectivity and serious conflicts of interest.
Independence - CRAs were paid for by the issuers and not by the investors. CRAs did not charge any fees during the initial rating assessment enabling issuers of securities to get free previews of ratings and hire the agency which provided the best rating. One can understand commercial pressures on CRAs to get the contract!
Objectivity - CRA's underestimated or not factored the decline in housing prices and the originator (home owner) risks. They ignored the correlation between bad credit standards and the default, assigned high ratings on RMBS based on the credit insurance bought by issuers. If so they should have assessed the health of the underwriters of credit insurance and their ability to make good the losses arising from mortgage defaults under both normal and stress conditions.
Conflict of Interest - CRAs rated the securities that they advised in structuring so as to target a rating desired by the issuer. The original rating models used to rate Residential Mortgage Back Securities (RMBS) were created in close cooperation with the investment banks that issued securities. One former SEC chief quoted 'CRAs were playing both the coach and referee in the debt game'.
CRAs have been given power by regulators without regulatory framework to hold them accountable for the misuse of power. Banks, insurance companies and pension funds are required to purchase only highly rated debt securities and CRAs empowered to decide on such ratings with no accountability.
The CRAs were well aware of their shortcomings as there was an email written well before the crisis by an analyst at a CRA, "the rating agencies continue to create an 'even bigger monster – the RMBS market. Let's hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of cards falters'!!
The defining and singular element that is most disconcerting is the groundwork establishing conception of "Intent to Defraud." "Intentionality," although a dubious philosophical "idea," carries much weight in the juridical functioning of our language."Yes, this happened. But this was not 'my intent,' nor was I ever aware that this was "the intent," as many have testified to. All I did was follow orders. I was doing exactly what my bosses and society had told me was correct. Far be it from me to question my bosses, nor society's imperatives. I was just following the de rigueur protocols as they were given to me."Please pardon the hyperbole, I use it for dramatic effect.
Let every single culprit go free and keep their booty BUT destroy the Federal backed banking cartel and we will be far, far ahead.
Hey, even with this tremendous Wall Street meltdown; some fat cats were able to slip by with grandiose profits. What is the difference between $50M and $141M? Greed and more Greed!
Krzysztof Rybinski, I don't know if you came up with that yourself, but that little poem is a gem. If you don't mind, I'll forward it along to my friends.
Prosecutor's dilemma!On the left side of the balance sheet there is nothing right, On the right side of the balance sheet the is nothing left,Was it a capital flightOr simply a theft.
I suppose if the debate in these comments is upon if people are culpable for errors in judgment, of course at a certain point they are, see cases of man slaughter. Then we must determine if a crime has taken place, to do so we must quantify the level of irresponsibility. From the studies I've done (and mind you, I am quite novice in economics) the level of misjudgment has been unprecedented and had grievous consequences world wide.So, regardless of criminal intent, people made horrible choices, and they should be held accountable. Should justice be served to people who made these choices? Of course. Who made these choices? Virtually everyone who played their hand in the market. I do exclude consumers, the only thing you can count on from consumers is to make convenient choices (no matter how poor). Will justice ever be served? Of course not, not in this country. Remember: our businesses rule this country, not justice loving Americans. I believe the best course of action is to make an example out of a few people, if only to appease the American consumer. Bring forth fifteen "criminals", line them up in front of a firing squad, and execute them on live TV. Faith would be restored in justice and government, the next generation of bankers might learn a lesson, and most importantly: it would be damn good American entertainment. Or they can serve a few years in prison, doesn't matter to me.
Thanks for your commentary Hunneric and OsmundL -
I guess the critiria for awarding AAA ratings have seriously eroded (although I am not aware of the history of the ratings system, I would imagine this is the case). How can anyone ever trust these ratings agencies again? They should, in the very least be publicly shamed and stripped of their licenses to give ratings. The fact that no one is talking about any broad action against financial regulators, ratings agencies etc. really reminds me of the aftermath of 9-11 when NO ONE was fired for one of the biggest intelligence failures in history. Not only was no one held to acccount, but many people in top posts actually got promoted (even the general resposible for D.C's air defense system!) - it would be a shame if this story repeated it self, like it is looking it will.
Pursuing criminal liability for the financial fiasco is necessary across the spectrum of parties from financial intermediaries, through to regulators and rating agencies etc. . What surprises me is that heretofore no apparent effort or discussion to press for civil redress from the buffoons that brewed up this mess has yet been made or publicised.Creating and making uncovered side-bets (calling them credit default swaps does not change their nature)is outright gambling. There are casino's for that and even they are regulated and keep capital on hand in case they need to pay out.Directors, executives, regulators and related financial warlocks should be reasonably expected to know what the risks of their concoctions were and what they were exposing the whole system to. Blissful ignorance is no excuse. There is a right to expect a minimum level of competence.Individuals and organization who benefited from this blissful ignorance either directly, or through bonuses, commissions etc. , should have these benefits forfeited and returned to the taxpayers who are cleaning up their vile spillage.M. StiegeLos Altos, CA
Looking for a culprit? Try 'The Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000', given a bipartisan pat on the back by Congress and presided over by Clinton and Greenspan..
Kornilov – I think your question is pertinent. In the distant past a AAA rating could be given to a company/security meeting numerous criteria which included company size, history, assets and not least its cash position. In a stable economy it was not so hard to calculate risk based on those factors. Ironically, the very cornerstones of a AAA rating are those now under threat: real estate values and earnings. In Norway we did once have a strict distinction between "Savings Banks" and "Commercial Banks", and the former were confined to investing in mortgages and government bonds. This, one reasoned, would keep depositors' money safe from the vagaries of the commercial world. That security would be rather illusory these days. Many countries have had similar "safe havens" whether they be called "Building societies" or "Savings and Loans."The truly huge shift occurring over at least 20-30 years has been that from restricting loans to, say, 60% of the property value, this climbed to 80% and then 100%. Of course, a loan at 100% has no buffer at all, and the risk follows the real estate values precisely. There is nothing AAA about it unless one religiously believes in real estate.Hunneric is right that an actuarial calculation can still find you an investment with low risk. What is not accounted for here is a synchronized shift in the whole market. The more risk is spread through secondary insurances, the closer to full market (index) risk you move. Ironically, I have been through the same 20 years ago, when the rage through the finance industry was "index bonds", i.e. funds linked to market indexes. It became a hellhole then, and history repeats itself.There is another way of putting this: The new "derivatives" are a construct for cowards with a fear of analysis. Instead of studying fundamentals – world economy, account balance, trading terms, and trends – they fall back on spreadsheet calc of "risk spreading". Adding one more debtor to the portfolio will almost inevitably reduce actuarial risk – but it also increases the risk of a collective collapse. Perhaps we should listen to Nassim Nicholas Taleb?
Hunneric - I understand the logic of what you are saying (it, in fact, is pretty oobvous), but it still doesn't explain why AAA - doesn't a high level of risk imply that it cannot in principle be AAA? don't you think there is something fishy going on here?
kornilov,You can give low quality investments a high rating if you are certain you know the likelihood of default. A single 5 year loan paying 15% interest but with a 2% likelihood in any given year of default is a risky but high yielding investment. Nine times out of ten you get your capital back plus a return of just over £427 over the term. But the tenth time out of ten the loan defaults and you lose not only the interest but a fair chunk of your capital (say 50% of it).However, if you have a little bit of a lot of loans then you can off-set the money you lose on the defaulting loans against the profit you make on the defaulting ones. Your profits take a hit because some of the loans will always default but, in theory, your risk vanishes.However, this only holds good as long as you know the likelihood of default, and this is based on historic data. If circumstances in the real economy change so that the default rate changes then the risk reappears and you lose money.That much is now (with hindsight) obvious and has been compounded by another problem - the ease with which such loans could be bought and sold seems to have disincentivised loan originators from ensuring the creditworthiness of borrowers - why bother if they are now someone else's problem? So the historical data about the likelihood of default became less accurate because less creditworthy people now have access to credit that would previously have been denied them and whose propensity to default was therefore excluded from the historic data.
My guess is that the pressure for what would be largely symbolic prosecutions would abate markedly if those engaged in financial services would show a bit more humility.Bankers may think that the world has suddenly turned against them but, frankly, most people weren't that enamoured of them before this happened. Many people were skeptical when the amounts of money they were generating seemed to defy common sense, when Financial Services came to represent ever larger shares of total corporate profits even as real wages outside finance stagnated.Now that so much of the money created by "financial innovation" has disappeared in a puff of smoke, everyone on the outside feels entitled to an apology. But no one seems remotely sorry - so now the public want to make the bankers sorry.And actually, it is perfectly right that they should do so. Moral hazard has been cast aside in the rush to stabilise the big banks but moral hazard takes other forms too. Public loathing may yet provide the moral hazard that policy could not afford to. When bankers find themselves embarrassed to admit what they do, when graduates don't want to sully their reputation and self image by working for them, when their motives are questioned every time they wish to do anything, it may become expedient for them to trumpet the conservatism of their investment strategies.So, hate a banker, it is good for the system
As a follow up to my previous comment, I am asking the commentators on this site to please explain to me, if anybody knows, how those mortgege debt instruments acquired AAA ratings - I mean how it is possible in principle ???? From my point of view, you can't just explain it away as bad judgement... as I previouly said sub-prime AAA is an oxymoron.
So because the whole system was idiotic and the culprits were many we cannot do anything? Well then give them a medal instead. Why not outlaw those 'financial weapons of mass destructions' - this could at least show that somebody learned something here.
It may make the mob with their pitchforks feel better, however it will definitely not help things in the short term. In the long term is would be really bad if this turns into a witch hunt if the only evidence turns out to be popular opinion.
If there is a real intention to punish the wrong doer I would happily say, yes go ahead. But I doubt it. The moment you hear them going after selected targets, we should know that the process is flawed already. You cannot fault any single person. Crimes have been committed in a collective manner, Govt, regulators, rating agencies, bankers, fund managers, property developers, etc from the top to the bottom. It is unthinkable that any single person could be able to do this magnitude of damage without collusion. Even we ourselves are to blame as we enjoyed the easy credit and splashed on things which we could not afford but by remortgaging our homes. Obviously our defense would be that we were misled by the people we gave our trust, but we did turn a blind eye.
On this background trying to dish out wild west style justice will only serve to clear are conscience by finding scapegoats to download our anger and to be content that justice has been done. What good would it bring? I can understand why so much interest on the part of lawyers who are out to do everything possible and they are bleeding with sorrow for their country and co-citizens! Wake up! Wall street has taken us to the cleaners, now it's time for the lawyers, liquidators and the administrators. If they really want to nail the culprits, no need to reinvent the wheel, there are volumes of information out there, even a monkey knows where to look for.
The whole idea of indictments en masse is ridiculous. You can't send someone to jail for taking a bad bet. A bad job is a bad job--it is not criminal intent. Furthermore, where do you separate attempting to restore confidence vs. outright fraud? All of Wall Street is built on trust, so the moment trust is lost, rumors become reality, but until then, they're rumors, so fighting them off is NOT fraud until you look at that in hindsight.If all executives were forced to capitulate to rumors, our entire financial system would crash overnight. Look, everyone knows these firms failed. The question is if they failed because of honest failure, or because there was criminal action going on behind the scenes.This is America. You should be allowed to fail--no matter what the size of your company is. It shouldn't be that startups and small businesses, when they fail, get worn as a badge of honor by their entrepreneurs, and that when a large bank fails, it is seen as criminal.
Link exchange: Economics this week
Free exchange
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The Economist explains: Why girls do better at school than boys
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Kurdish football: Scoring the equaliser
Game theory
The police in Ferguson: Unjust
Democracy in America
The view from Moscow: Underworld
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"We work in a kitchen, cooking everyday, so it's nice to meet with customers to see how the food tastes," said Elie Tahari after presenting his collection earlier on Thursday and making the rounds for the night at Saks. "But my most challenging thing today had to be getting my eight-year-old son, Jeremey, dressed for his first day of school. That took a lot of energy for sure."
"It's like White Nights in Paris — the energy on the streets," said Brian Reyes, who just arrived at Barneys from Bergdorf's. His collection shows on Tuesday, but "we planned it into the calendar. Anything to make people excited about fashion, so I am happy to do it." After Barneys, he was headed back to the studio for more work.
"Generally these nights are opportunities to engage with customers," said jewelry designer Jamie Wolf at Barneys, who wasn't looking to necessarily make big sales. "It creates good energy."
"It's funny because normally when you go to events there are some people you know, but here, it's all customers," said model Doutzen Kroes, who, along with Angela Lindvall, was helping sell ecologically friendly wares on the eighth floor.
"Look, it's fabulous," said Howard Sokol at a busy Barneys. "Its a great thing. The spirit of it is great. I'm overwhelmed by all the designers who are here, on every floor." His proposal: "There should be a national shopping day."
Manolo Blahnik was mobbed by fans at Barneys who thrust scraps of paper at him for him to sign and made him pose for pictures. "I met a girl whose birthday was today and traveled from miles away for this," he said. "It was a beautiful thing."
A line of fans waited to get signed books from Isabel and Ruben Toledo. "It's great for people to enjoy tonight without even the pressure of buying," said Isabel. "On the way here I saw all the stores full of people. This is the real beginning of fashion week."
In Barneys' men's store, decidedly more subdued than the women's side, Thom Browne mingled with his customers before heading downtown to Black Fleece and his own store. "I never get to see my customers, so this is nice," he said. "I just met a gentleman, a banker, who said he's been buying my things for years."
"I had a slight meltdown leaving the venue today knowing how much more we still have to do before the show tomorrow and preparing for all of the festivities tonight," said Cynthia Rowley.
Raquel Zimmerman, modeling fashions available in the pop-up boutique, said, "I want to work," and started catwalking down an imaginary runway to entertain the crowd.
Diego Della Valle is showing off his cobbling skills at Tod's Madison Avenue flagship. "I am the best shoe shiner in the world," said Della Valle, chairman and president of Tod's. "The most professional."
Literally hundreds of people lined up on Greene Street in SoHo to see hip-hop artist Kid Cudi play from his new album for BAPE.
Michelle Monaghan felt the vibe at Calvin Klein in a sequined mini and hoped the energy will continue through fashion week, which could mean "a very long week of shopping," said the starlet.
"It's nice being on the streets," said Bonnie Morrison. "It's nice seeing people shopping. Nothing's worse than when you're the only person in an empty store."
"I'm shopping everywhere I go," said David Lipman. "The leopard leggings are for me."
On Perry Street in The Village, following a multilabel runway show from Teen Vogue and some Barbie giveaways, Taylor Momsen of "Gossip Girl" took the stage with her rock band The Pretty Reckless. The actress, dressed in an oversize white shirt and black lingerie, played guitar and belted out four punky tunes in a surprisingly big, husky voice. "Gotta say thank you to Anna Wintour for putting this together. Fashion's Night Out. Totally," she purred. "I want to see you guys move!"
At DVF: "We got the Tracey Anderson DVDs," said Tully O'Neill, 26, who does promotions for L'Oréal. "She'll sign then for you." She and a friend also bought FNO T-shirts. All told, they spent $89.90.
Tommy Hilfiger was hosting a round of musicians at all of his downtown stores. "This was a brilliant idea and I can tell you its actually working," he said. "It was packed at Macy's. People are out. People are shopping. They're excited. I didn't know how well this would work, but it's exceeded our expectations. We should do it every year."
Jason Wu at Kirna Zabête: "I just met a fashion student from Washington, D.C. She bought my (Fashion's Night out) shirt! What did I buy? I bought Narciso's book. But mine wasn't signed. I'll have to ask him later."
Continue on to Fashion's Night Out in Europe >>

subset: commoncrawl


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Yummy Walks
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Yummy Walks offers a fun and delicious walking, food tasting, and discovery experience. We highlight "off the beaten path" mom and pop establishments that locals frequent as well as iconic eateries and restaurants. Throughout, we incorporate unique and delicious food tastings. Besides the great food, you'll learn the history, culture, architecture, and entertainment offerings of a specific neighborhood. Freedom Trail Food Tour North End Food Tour Seafood and "Chowda" Tour
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"Of course, not a problem," I answered nonchalantly when my host asked me to transport a VIP guest and his wife back to their hotel. This was not anyone paparazzi would care about, but all of you readers might-- Ian McEwan based the protagonist of a recent novel on him. As someone who is more of a literary than Hollywood groupie, I was a little nervous.
This is how it went. I tried to maintain my facade of normalcy. It was dark outside, at least, so nobody could see how unwashed my car was. Famous Person squeezed into the front passenger seat of what I like to call my Smallvo, and his legs bent at an acute angle to fit.
"You can adjust the seat, there's plenty of room in back," I offered.
"No, that's alright," he responded, overly politely.
"At the least, then, let me clear some space for you," I said as I reached under the bent legs of the Famous Person. I pulled out the objects at his feet and explained them one by one. "If you're hungry, you can have a cracker. Or here's some water if you're thirsty." I had no explanation for the dirt-encrusted sneakers I kept in front, and I did not realize until after his departure that I also missed the used tissue on the floor. (I hope he did, too.)
Famous Person's wife was able to squeeze into the narrow back seat of my car after I removed one of the kids' booster seats and discreetly swept off the cracker crumbs, pebbles, and assorted other detritus that normally occupy that space.
Once Famous Person and wife were settled, I sat down, buckled up, and turned on the ignition. Loud house music with possibly obscene lyrics poured out of the speakers. I turned it off quickly.
That left us making conversation. Famous Person next to me, his wife in back with my young daughters. We had first met them during a family trip to London, where they live, so that was an obvious topic of conversation. "Tell me, girls, what did you see when you were in London?" she asked.
Older Daughter was respectfully silent. I imagined she was reminiscing about all the cultural activities we had done-- Buckingham and Kensington Palaces, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum-- and couldn't decide on a favorite.
Younger Rascal did not hesitate to announce the insights she had gained with the opportunity of foreign travel: "I saw a dead mouse."
"Really! Well, I have seen many dead mice in London! What color was it?"
Distracted by the unimpressive conversation my daughters were having, as well as the aura of the Famous Person next to me, I made a wrong turn, which led to many other wrong turns. So I turned my mistakes into a night tour of San Francisco. (For free!)
"That's City Hall, there's the Main Library, and that is the Asian Art Museum." I pointed out.
"They have Japanese stuff in there right now," Older Daughter piped in, as we passed by the Asian Art Museum.
"Japanese stuff? Well, that's lovely," answered Famous Person, who was probably thinking, what else was there to do but join in?
"And this is the Tenderloin," I announced, as we passed by shady characters of the night. I didn't want to explain what sort of illegal enterprise occurred here at night (and day) in front of my daughters, but I think the multiple massage parlors with blacked-out windows were self-explanatory to the adults in the car.
I pointed out other important landmarks as we approached the hotel. "There's Macy's, there's Barney's, and there's some really good Pakistani food over there."
We finally reached the hotel, not a minute too soon. Of course, I also gave a few restaurant recommendations before they left (Blue Bottle Cafe in Mint Square for breakfast and RN74 for dinner, if you're wondering). Famous Person wrote them down! At least, I know my food.
(Richard Dawkins? If so, we appreciate his willingness to take an articulate and insightful stand on a really important issue.)
Rated for the human condition! (R)


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Over the last 4 years, Dr. Nuccitelli has dedicated himself to learning the psychological composition of those who are engaged in malevolent and nefarious activities using ICT. The definition is as follows:
iPredator: A child, adult, group or nation who, directly or indirectly, engages in exploitation, victimization, stalking, theft or disparagement of others using Information and Communications Technology (ICT.) iPredators are driven by deviant fantasies, desires for power and control, retribution, religious fanaticism, political reprisal, psychiatric illness, perceptual distortions, peer acceptance or personal and financial gain. iPredators can be any age, either gender and not bound by economic status, race or national heritage.
iPredator is a global term used to distinguish anyone who engages in criminal, deviant or abusive behaviors using Information and Communications Technology (ICT.) Whether the offender is a cyberbully, cyberstalker, cyber harasser, cyber criminal, online sexual predator, internet troll or cyber terrorist, they fall within the scope of iPredator. The three criteria used to define an iPredator include:
I. A self-awareness of causing harm to others, directly or indirectly, using ICT. II. The intermittent to frequent usage of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to obtain, exchange and deliver harmful information. III. A general understanding of Cyberstealth used to engage in criminal or deviant activities or to profile, identify, locate, stalk and engage a target.
Unlike human predators prior to the Information Age, iPredators rely on the multitude of benefits offered by Information and Communications Technology (ICT.) These assistances include exchange of information over long distances, rapidity of information exchanged and the seemingly infinite access to data available. Malevolent in intent, iPredators rely on their capacity to deceive others using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in an abstract electronic universe.
iPredator Bridge: iPredator Bridge is a theoretical tenet of iPredator representing the psychological, perceptual & behavioral trajectory of people who use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to harm others. Similar to the iPredator, they are motivated by personal convictions, greed, power, control, narcissism or psychopathology. Different from the iPredator, they have yet to fully engage in criminal/deviant activities using ICT or use complex perceptual distortions to validate the harm they cause. Also different from iPredator are their drives for attacking others.
For those defined in iPredator Bridge, their motivations are cloaked by moral turpitude, self-righteousness and pseudo-justified convictions. iPredator Bridge investigates why some people draw near to this nefarious and malevolent realm and either proceed in their maladaptive trajectory or cease and desist.
Within this new region, and presently without explanation, many people enter cyberspace and access ICT with their instinctual drive for self-preservation remaining dormant. Conversely, other people either quickly or gradually, conclude that ICT and cyberspace offers an environment that allows the pursuit of maladaptive and psychopathological goals undeterred by punishment.
It is within this process that the ICT user or groups of ICT users transcend into the world of iPredator. Once an iPredator, the various typologies begin their search for those they deem as vulnerable, easily accosted and not likely to mobilize the required forces leading to their apprehension and punishment.
The iPredator Bridge is a symbolic representation of the approach, route and initial crossing into the realm of the iPredator. In a rudimentary and abstract way, it is posited that cyberspace, ICT and all future technological advancements, related to information technology, is an extension of the mind and the instinctual drives of the collective brain to replicate itself outside a human organism. Related to this postulate are the theoretical tenets of Carl Jung (1875-1961) and his construct of the Collective Unconscious.
Bridge is a theoretical tenet of iPredator representing the psychological, perceptual & behavioral trajectory of people who use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to harm others. Similar to the iPredator, they are motivated by personal convictions, greed, power, control, narcissism or psychopathology. Different from the iPredator, they have yet to fully engage in criminal/deviant activities using ICT or use complex perceptual distortions to validate the harm they cause. iPredator Bridge investigates why some people draw near to this nefarious and malevolent realm and either proceed in their maladaptive trajectory or cease and desist.
The iPredator Bridge is a symbolic representation of the approach, route and initial crossing into the realm of the iPredator. In a rudimentary and abstract way, it is posited that cyberspace, ICT and all future technological advancements, related to information technology, is an extension of the mind and the instinctual drives of the collective brain to replicate itself outside a human organism.
The Information Age is a societal paradigm and period beginning in the last quarter of the 20th century and presently thriving in the second decade of the 21st century. The Information Age represents the evolution, emergence, consumption of and reliance upon Information and Communications Technology (ICT). In a mere four decades, ICT and its importance to humanity have led many to surmise that the planet and its human inhabitants are amidst an Information Revolution.
Mobile device technology, telecommunications, social media & cyberspace are just a few examples of humanities newest communication channels. In all of these arenas, they deal with the new frontier of how humankind obtains exchanges and disseminates information.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the Information Age have created a new dimension leading to an entirely new population of humanity engaged in malevolent, harmful and deceptive practices. ICT and cyberspace are not tools used by the classic sociopath, deviant, narcissist or criminal, but a new generation called iPredators. These Information Age assailants will be permanent fixtures to humanity for centuries to follow.
In order to effectively educate, evaluate, investigate or advise any ICT user on Internet safety, whether they are a child, adult, group or business, it is paramount to grasp the basic concepts and terms vital to all ICT users. The two terms important to be familiar with are iPredator & Cyberstealth. For it is in cyberspace & the internet, using ICT, that vast majority of iPredators develop, activate and institute Cyberstealth.
Advancements in technology, behavioral sciences and the field of medicine are inevitable along with all aspects of human existence. With the passage of time, it is guaranteed that present day Information Age humanity will one day, at a time in the distant future, be viewed as archaic and primitive. The question to be answered by future historians, in the timeline of human progression, is when iPredators and their tactics of Cyberstealth are no longer problematic to society.
Not being able to predict humanities future trajectory, the concept of hope for an expedient strategy is applied. Given the elements of crime, deviance & evil have always been part of all cultures throughout history and the analogy of "past behavior is the best predictor or future behavior, it falls to reason iPredators and Cyberstealth will be maladaptive facets of human existence for centuries to come. The concepts of iPredator & Cyberstealth are presented as follows:
Cyberstealth is a concept formulated along with iPredator and is a term used to define a method and/or strategy by which iPredators use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) , if they so choose, to establish and sustain complete anonymity while they troll and stalk a target. Cyberstealth is a methodology entrenched in Information Age Deception or also called cyber deception.
Given the Internet inherently affords everyone anonymity, Cyberstealth used by iPredators range from negligible to highly complex and multi-faceted. The rationale for using "stealth" in the suffix of this term, serves to remind ICT users the primary intent fueling iPredators. This intent is to hide their identity by designing false online profiles, identities, covert tactics and methods to ensure their identities remain concealed reducing their probability of identification, apprehension and punishment.
Unlike classic deception used by traditional criminals and deviants, Information Age Deception completely relies on the anonymity and "veil of invisibility" available to all ICT users. The primary difference between Information Age Deception and Cyberstealth are the activities iPredators and ICT users engage in. In this writer's construct, Cyberstealth is reserved for iPredators who actively plan a strategy that have criminal, deviant and harmful implications to targeted victims.
As the Internet naturally offers all ICT users anonymity if they decide, iPredators actively design online profiles and diversionary tactics to remain undetected and untraceable. Cyberstealth is a covert method by which iPredators are able to establish and sustain complete anonymity while they engage in ICT activities planning their next assault, investigating innovative surveillance technologies or researching the social profiles of their next target. Concurrent with the concept of Cyberstealth is IVI or iPredator Victim Intuition. By using Cyberstealth, an iPredator's IVI is the aptitude to sense a target's online vulnerabilities, weaknesses and technological limitations increasing their success with minimal ramifications.
iPredators rely on the multitude of benefits offered by ICT. These assistances include exchange of information over long distances, rapidity of information exchanged and the seemingly infinite access to data available. Malevolent in intent, iPredators rely on their capacity to deceive others in the abstract electronic universe known as cyberspace.
As ICT, social media, virtual reality and the Information Age rapidly expands becoming integral to humanities daily activities, understanding the basic tenets of these new dimensions are preponderant. In 2011, the Internet celebrated its 20th birthday. In 2013, most of humanity continues to fail in understanding the golden rule of all new territory exploration. What always comes with opportunity and new frontiers are elements unknown and potentially dangerous. It is these unknown and dangerous elements, lurking within cyberspace, which ICT users and their loved ones must be vigilant about. Technological advancements have changed the way humanity interacts, exchanges and accesses information.
Smartphones, mobile devices and social media are the latest in a succession of advancements growing at a feverish pace. It is often difficult to imagine that the Internet used by more than two billion people globally celebrated its 20th birthday in 2011. Clearly, the Information Age has spread to all corners of the planet.
"As society becomes more technologically advanced, the importance of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) becomes vital in the daily living of humanity. Despite the multitude of benefits, the dangers lurking in cyberspace are real, growing and need to be stopped. It may take me 30-40 years, but iPredator Inc. will diligently persist until one day online sexual predators, cyberstalkers and all iPredators experience fear before they proceed with their nefarious, deviant & malevolent plans." Michael Nuccitelli Psy.D., C.F.C., iPredator Inc. (2013)
Dr. Nuccitelli believes the moral importance of iPredator Inc.'s mission cannot be overstated given the rapid growth and expansion of ICT. Site visitors have free access to the iPredator Inc. Library with a vast collection of information on iPredators, Internet Safety, Forensic Psychology, Criminology, ICT Criminal & Forensic Psychology, ICT Psychology, Dark Psychology and the many typologies of iPredator.
As Dr. Nuccitelli is the sole author of iPredator Inc.s Internet Safety & Cyber Attack Prevention checklists and inventories, provided here is a list of those tools to review if interested.
Dr. Nuccitelli Authored Internet Safety Tools
- Adult Internet Safety Checklist [AISC]
- Business Internet Safety Checklist [BISC]
- Cyberbully Abuser Checklist [CBAC]
- Cyberbully Target Checklist [CBTC]
- Cybercrime Protection Checklist [CCPC]
- Cyberstalking Prevention Checklist [CSPC]
- Digital Reputation Protection Checklist [DRPC]
- Educator Internet Safety Checklist [EISC]
- Internet Safety Checklist-Psychology [ISCP]
- Online Predator Prevention Checklist [OPPC]
- Parent Cyber Safety Checklist [PCSC]
- Pediatric Internet Safety Checklist [PISC]
- Teen Internet Safety Checklist [TISC]
- Cyberstalker Identification Interview [CSII]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-330 [IPI-330]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Adult [IPI-A]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Business [IPI-B]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Cyberbully [IPI-CB]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Cyberbully Abuser [IPI-CBA]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Cybercrime [IPI-C]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Cyberstalking [IPI-CS]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Educator [IPI-E]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Internet Predator [IPI-IP]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Pediatric [IPI-P]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Psychologist [IPI-PSY]
- iPredator Probability Inventory-Teen [IPI-T]
iPredator Inc. is a New York State based Information Age Forensics and Internet Safety Company founded in September 2011 to provide educational and advisory products & services to consumers and organizations on cyberbullying, cyber harassment, cyberstalking, cybercrime, internet defamation, cyber terrorism, online sexual predation, internet addiction and the new fields they are pioneering called Cybercriminal Psychology & Profiling. Created by a NYS licensed psychologist and certified forensic consultant, Michael Nuccitelli Psy.D., their goal is to reduce victimization, theft and disparagement from online assailants.
Dr. Nuccitelli and iPredator Inc. consultants are always available, at no cost, to interact with online users and media. To contact Dr. Nuccitelli to inquire about training, national iPredator consultants, educational services, consultation, iPredator Protected, telephonic internet addiction screenings or their social media safety exams, please email him at email@example.com or via phone at 347-871-2416. In addition to professional services, Dr. Nuccitelli has authored a variety of internet safety tools, cyber attack risk assessments and diagnostic tests available to purchase as hard copy PDF files. The vertical "Assessments" tab in the sidebar of your browser or mobile device drops down to reveal 26 additional pages leading to iPredator's battery of cyber attack risk assessments.
Author: Michael Nuccitelli, Psy.D.
Published by iPredator Inc.
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Publisher: iPredator
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Publisher: Dark Psychology
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Publisher: Dr. Internet Safety
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Plan Specification: HHF-5733
Total Square Footage: 2,859Main Level: 1,912Second Level: 947Bonus: 364Bedrooms: 4Baths: 3 Half: 1Garages: 2Width: 86 ft Depth: 51 ftFoundation: WALK OUT BASEMENT
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Plan: HHF-5733Dominating this rambling plan is an inviting country style porch. A two story foyer looks through to a dramatic radius window on the landing of the staircase located on the rear wall of the house. A vestibule separates the family and living rooms featuring a built-in decorative niche. The optional entrance to the living room allows it to be used as an office or sitting room off the master suite. The first floor master features a bay window sitting area. A dramatic barrel ceiling is the focal point of the master bath. . Independent access to the room over the garage provides a perfect home office or future guest suite. Three bedrooms open to the balconies overlooking the first floor.
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Spread of drone programs in Latin America sparks calls for code of conduct
Countries throughout the Americas are deploying drones as a high-tech answer to tackling drugs, gang violence, and activities such as illegal logging. From Canada to Brazil, at least 11 nations are flying UAVs over the Western Hemisphere, often Israeli-made. Brazil's Army in January purchased its first two Hermes drones, and its federal police force is set to deploy its first surveillance UAV by July.
Code of conduct needed
Drones are here to stay, experts say, and the time is past for debate. At this point in the game, Latin America should collaborate to develop a code of conduct that will prevent the arming of drones and assuage civilian concerns, says Johanna Mendelson Forman, a Latin America specialist at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in Washington.
"I think it's the maturation of Latin American defense systems," she says, while cautioning that the potential to arm drones could turn the project into a "double-edged sword."
Latin American politicians are also raising calls for an international pact that defines the scope of drone missions. "Regulations should be established," says Mexican Sen. Fernando Baeza, who advocates a limit on data collection. "The great precision of satellite information could be put to good use, or could be used for spying."


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Rangers, Devils, Isles to play in Bronx
Katie StrangIt's not the Winter Classic, but New York hockey fans appear to be in for a treat next season, nonetheless. The NHL is planning to offer two hockey games at Yankee Stadium leading up to Super Bowl week next year -- one between the New York Ranger...
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Local NHL stars make Super predictions
Katie StrangSome local NHL stars gave ESPNNewYork.com their Super Bowl predictions on Friday: Rangers center Brad Richards: Giants, 24-20 Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto: Giants, 29-24 Rangers center Brian Boyle: Patriots, 24-20 Rangers goaltend...
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Boyle pays for Patriots loss
Katie StrangMassachusetts native Brian Boyle was the subject of his teammates' scorn and derision Monday following his hometown team New England Patriots' 21-17 loss to the New York Giants in Superbowl XLVI Sunday. Boyle sported a pained look as he grudgingly...
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Rangers' dominance over Philly continues
Katie StrangRecap | Box score | Photos As an appetizer to Superbowl XLVI, the Rangers' Winter Classic rematch against the Flyers did not disappoint by any measure. After downing Philadelphia in the first three meetings of the season, the Rangers continued ...
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Rangers hope to halt power-play woes
Katie StrangWith a rare two days off until their next game - a Winter Classic rematch against the Flyers on Superbowl Sunday - the Rangers dedicated a 40-minute session to their ailing power-play Friday. If consistency has been paramount to the Rangers' succe...
Blog | February 03, 2012


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Jul 27, 2012, 10:19 AM | ||
United States, TN, Memphis
Joined Jun 2011
1,196 Posts
Or the battery is too large... Do what you have to do to balance torward the front of the finger holes. The battery should be pretty far forward. |
Jul 29, 2012, 12:46 AM | |
Joined Aug 2010
531 Posts
I am amazed that the manufacturers of many Chinese models go to all the effort and expense of making the moulds and then give little or no information on CG, surface throws etc etc. It makes me wonder if they ever get flight tested at all?
I have never had one so I am only commenting from observing the many SkyFun models at our flying field. This is a very long running thread but is that because the model is so bad or so good? It seems to need endless modifications. Jim |
Jul 29, 2012, 12:58 AM | |||
I moved up from (1) 3S_2200 to (2) 3S_2200 in parallel at first because my older batteries could not provide enough juice - then I switched to 4S_2200 which is a much heavier battery. Flew it once and never seemed to get the CG right after that. Crashed on takeoff the next two times and is kinda totaled. Deciding if to try to rebuild or order another one. Or build one from scratch like the Prime Jet8 |
Aug 06, 2012, 03:27 AM | |
Joined Apr 2012
37 Posts
Motor Mount
Hi There.
I am looking to upgrade by Skyfun specs again. Using a HK 2836 3700 with 6x4 running at around 800W. Sensational fun but needs strong servos. Upgraded to a high C battery (3S) which made a big difference. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showp...&postcount=786 Anyway, seems about the time to push the envelope again. I have a Turnigy H3126 Brushless outrunner 1300KV (1500W) with 6S to install. http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=11182 I dont really want to custom build a motor mount. Does anyone know of an off the shelf large motor mount that might work? Cheers |
Aug 06, 2012, 09:11 PM | |
Southern Darling Downs Qld, Australia
Joined Sep 2010
150 Posts
Perfect Skyfun 2836 Set Up.......3648 Mount Wanted,
Hi , i have had a Skyfun running Turnigy 2836, 2350 kv,60amp plush, 6x4 prop , 4s 40c 2200 mah lipo. and it seems to be the perfect set up ( i have strenghtened a few things) flys beautifully. The performance is almost the same as my Stryker Q so i have decided to fit the Skyfun with a Turnigy 3648 ,1400kv 1600w motor and 6s lipo.and bigger esc. just to see what happens I was wondering if anyone could suggest a suitable mounting for this motor ... is there a suitable after market universal mount available ? Cheers Ken
Aug 07, 2012, 06:21 AM | |
Joined Apr 2012
37 Posts
Motor Mount
I have used this one on my skyfun but its to small for the new motor.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...43_42mm_.htmlo |
Aug 16, 2012, 04:12 PM | |
The Netherlands, DR, Erica
Joined May 2012
10 Posts
Hi Guys i thought i jump in and tell you my current specs of the skyfun! After owning it for 2 years(first one which never crashed) ive had 4 upgrades.
After starting with a turnigy on 3s i quikly moved to 4s with a little larger motor. Then a little bigger 3200kv motor on 4s. And finally ik running a turnigy fandrive on 6s with a 200 amp esc, and its a beast! Hitting 300km/h, it screams like a cat in heat! Also ive got more then 3 meters of led lights for nightflying!(havent done that on 6s tho) Im using small but very powerfull digital metalgeared servo's from hobbyking which have never let me down! I always got my cg right in front of the 2 holes, (so not in them) and its always spot on I love the plane and thinking of downgrading now to use it for fpv! |
Aug 16, 2012, 04:34 PM | ||
How do you launch your 300km/h Skyfun?
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BLACKSBURG – Less than two weeks before Virginia Tech's 35-10 loss in Atlanta to No. 1 Alabama in the season-opener, Josh Stanford made it sound as if Tech's wide receivers had gotten the message.
He was asked about all of Tech's receivers doing 10 post-practice or scrimmage pushups for every dropped pass they had during those practices and scrimmages. After one practice midway through the preseason, the receivers ended up doing 90 pushups.
Stanford, a redshirt freshman, indicated the extra time spent on the field by Tech's receivers after their teammates had already headed for the locker room was no big deal. His point was the receivers would've stayed on the field after practice even if they didn't have to do extra pushups.
"We all stay after practice and catch," Stanford said. "Even before training camp, after workouts and after lifting weights, we would go out and catch.
"We put a lot of work into that. We're thinking a lot out there with new plays and everything, and they we kind of sometimes lose our fundamentals and everything. We just have to focus and concentrate and be relaxed out there."
Perhaps the connection between fixing the fundamentals, concentrating on quarterback Logan Thomas' passes and actually putting it all together on the field never came together, because something is clearly tragically flawed with Tech's receivers.
Throughout the spring and preseason, the receivers were plagued by inconsistency. Tech's coaches and players talked about addressing all the drops prior to the season, but the problems carried over into the Alabama game.
Tech wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead told coach Frank Beamer's pay website the receivers were responsible for six drops in the game. Maybe Moorehead's criteria for a dropped pass is very specific, but more than one reporter in attendance at the game counted at least eight drops, and some said it was as many as 14.
Making Tech's receiving woes even more disconcerting was the fact senior D.J. Coles and sophomore Demitri Knowles, who were expected to be Thomas' most dependable targets entering the season, struggled the most in the opener.
With a receiving corps that includes Stanford, redshirt freshman Charley Meyer, junior Willie Byrn and true freshman Carlis Parker, none of whom had caught a pass in a college game prior to this season, some growing pains were expected. When Tech can't even rely on its alleged two best receivers – Coles and Knowles – there are big-time issues.
"We need to be more consistent catching the football," said Tech coach Frank Beamer, highlighting the obvious. "The guys have done it before. We've seen those guys be positive players, so we've just got to get back to being a positive player now."
If Tech is hoping help is on the way at the receiver position, it remains to be seen. Tech has commitments from receiver recruits Jaylen Bradshaw and Cameron Phillips.
Bradshaw, a 6-0 native of Chesapeake, Va., didn't have any scholarship offers from FBS programs other than Tech at the time of his June commitment. Phillips, a 6-0 product of Hyattsville, Md., is considered by most recruiting analysts one of the nation's top-135 receiver prospects in the class of 2014.
Tech commitments Javon Harrison from Lakeland, Fla., and Travon McMillian from Woodbridge, Va., who are considered two of the program's top '14 commitments, and Shawn Payne from Chesterfield, Va., could also end up at receiver in college.
Of course, none of those guys are going to save Tech this season. Coles is dealing with a chronically sore knee that has been surgically repaired and cost him all of last season, except for the first game. Knowles has excellent speed, but he's still learning – having just picked up the game in the last five years after not knowing a thing about it while growing up in the Bahamas.
Stanford may have the most promise of any of Tech's receivers, but he needs to hone his route-running skills and gain more confidence. Meyer is fast, but unproven. He just earned a scholarship in August.
If Beamer and the coaching staff get desperate, they could look to insert seldom-used junior E.L. Smiling, untested redshirt freshmen Mark Irick, who dealt in the preseason with a knee injury, and Austin Jones or true freshmen Deon Newsome and David Prince into the mix.
The truth is none of those guys dazzled enough in the preseason to warrant much playing time. At this point, elevating any of them on the depth chart might be construed as a blind stab in the dark – an act of desperation.
Thomas Not Panicking – Yet
Though Thomas has stayed remarkably composed while watching his receiving corps struggle during the spring, preseason and now during the season, he has to feel just a little antsy. After an uninspiring junior season that saw his NFL draft stock take a serious nosedive, he can't afford another off year.
"We've just got to correct some stuff, man," Thomas said. "They can be as good as they want to be. We've just got to push the right buttons, get them going and, once they do, we'll be a dangerous offense."
In July, Thomas made a point of telling reporters he wasn't taking the nice guy approach anymore. He was going to be more willing to jump in teammates' faces when necessary and call out teammates when they weren't doing their jobs.
He worked on mechanics in the offseason, making sure to get his body lined up with receiving targets prior to releasing the ball. While that part of his game is still a work in progress, it's obvious he at least has made attempts to change his approach to delivering the ball with the help of new offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler.
What did the receivers do in the offseason to improve? It's early yet, but it's difficult to determine exactly where any of Tech's receivers have made significant improvements in any area of their games.
Is it time for Thomas to rattle some chains around practice or in the locker room? He doesn't think so – at least not yet.
"I don't think it's up to me to say anything," Thomas said. "The coaches will get them right, and whatever happens, happens."


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Good Styling
writer Posts: 119I have not seen a new Mazda 3 on the road yet. Or if I did, I was too busy to notice it. The pictures make the styling look awkward. It looks like they are taking the styling cues from
the last previous model and trying to mix in a new direction. I am hoping that when I see it live it will look better. That is quite possible lately. As I have said, the Cruze looks better in the real world than the first pictures I saw, and so does the Sonic.
About the Spark. It is hard to believe it has been around for over a year. I have not seen many at all. Maybe it was released later in Canada? That would have been unusual since Canada has always bought more of the smaller cars. My comments about smaller cars looking better with the same styling cues fits this situation. Except for the grille/headlights, the Spark does have some Sonic styling, and yes, it does look better overall.
As for the swept back headlights. Oddly, the feel "outdated". The old Celica looked good. The original Focus, well, it always looked like a watermelon to me. I never really liked the look. I accepted it. It was another "if you gave one to me I'd drive it" car. The Nissan G35/GTR styles look good, and I still consider the original G35 a new "classic". But maybe not so new now? Yeah, the headlight idea sort of strikes me as, old.
The odd thing about "micro" cars is that the most common I see in Toronto are the Smart and the upper price versions of the Fiat 500. It is an inverted price response. There are some old Yaris coupes around, but I think the newer ones are starting to get big aren't they?
I forgot to mention that the Sonic long trunk version looks better than the hatchback. In Toronto, I mainly see the hatchbacks. -
stever Viva Las CrucesPosts: 43,021
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andys120 Loudon NHPosts: 16,824
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fintail Posts: 34,742
Perhaps the design genius who penned the 00s Colorado has retained employment.
@andys120 said: There's one styling "trick" that never seems to work but it's back and just as dopey as ever>
Square fender openings over round wheels, bad stylists bad! No supper for you tonight, and emphasizing them with blisters, no, no no!
stever Viva Las CrucesPosts: 43,021
We overran the limits of the last software by several years (some would say a decade - it was not being supported for the last few years) and the servers were failing more and more frequently because of the software. Synching couldn't keep up, among other things. It was switch horses or wind up on the side of the Chilkoot Trail with all the other debris.
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fintail Posts: 34,742
Slow evolution?
The new one has ever-trendy/cliched leering eyes, so the aging businessmen and devilspawn of blood money investor visa tycoons who buy these things new can pretend to be intimidating and aggressive.
@andys120 said: I wonder if Lamborghini styling isn't stuck in a rut. You tell me>
uplanderguy Kent, OHPosts: 7,799
I'm a product of my age (56 this coming June), but I think this car is nearly (nearly) timeless in styling. I can't think of a more-desirable sedan for me. Near-perfect packaging, nice interior, good handling and performance for its day with a 350 and F41 suspension package, and Chevrolet-priced. Anything else domestic the same year seems almost ancient in comparison, IMHO:
Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
it's not bad at all---it's a "formal look", basically a 3-box with a nice "taper" front and rear, and clean side panels, and wheels that generously fill the well openings. My only quibble is that the B & C pillars are too thick and the door handles look glued on and cheesy. No doubt this is due to GM platform sharing and parts-bin sharing.
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fintail Posts: 34,742
Although I was zero years old when those debuted and have little memory of them as brand new cars. I can agree. A very clean design, far ahead of the competition design-wise. The fact that the basic shape lasted so long speaks more to its soundness than to GM cheapness, I think. The sport coupes with the "glass house" rear window are cool in a way, too.
On that note, on the foreign front, I think the MB W126 and C126 definitely fit the "timeless" designation, and are one of the best MBs in the history of the company. Overbuilt and over-engineered, sturdy, available in a zillion configurations, and they still look good today. Hard to imagine they are as old as they are.
Entered production late 1979:
Entered production late 1981:
@uplanderguy said: I'm a product of my age (56 this coming June), but I think this car is nearly (nearly) timeless in styling.
Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
once Mercedes flattened out their grillwork and put some large body molding under the doors, to break up the broadside nature of the cars and reduce side, as well as front, profiles, they definitely started to look better. One might call them 'handsome" rather than "pretty", and precious few 1979 cars look as good to the modern eye.
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fintail Posts: 34,742
The lower moldings certainly help break it up. MB used that trick for many years. Not pretty cars, but definitely handsome, and they aged pretty well. W126 sedan is 35 years old this year, crazy. And fintails are 55 years old!
@MrShift@Edmunds said: once Mercedes flattened out their grillwork and put some large body moldin
berri Posts: 4,384
I think the trick to good styling may actually be classic simplicity, but that is much easier said than done. Postwar, I think some of the Italian designers were particularly good at that unless they got carried away with adding bric a brac onto the body - think some of the 50/60's Ferrari's and Alpha's, although the British designed XKE is hard to top. As for Americans, Virgil Exner seemed to design a timeless, classically good looking vehicle in the 57 Forward look cars, particularly the Chrysler 300 that year. But the hard part is that in this country at least, once a design has been out a few years buyers often tire of it. They don't seem to recognize that their vehicle had classic lines until maybe 7 or 8 years after they traded it and look back. Chrysler was always under financial crisis, so Exner was pressured to keep changing the state of the art - but you really can't do that very often and some odd designs resulted. I think Bill Mitchell at GM was one of the best at this. Then there were guys you have to admire like Teague and Bourke that put out some remarkable styling on the "cheap" such as the Studebaker Hawk, AMC Javelin/AMX or the early Jeep SUV's.
Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
Exner's designs might be "classic period" but they are certainly not "timeless". They are firmly riveted in 50s dateline and type--not that that is a bad thing, but they stick out like a sore thumb to the modern eye's gaze....unlike a classic 80s Benz, you don't ask "what year is that '57 Dodge?" You pretty much know---oh, the tailfin craze.
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berri Posts: 4,384
I guess it boils down to how you define classic. I think you feel it must be timeless in that you can't readily tell it's year. There are postwar cars that fit that description like the XKE. However, I think timeless can also be reflected in a vehicle that is in constant demand over time. A 57 Chrysler 300 commands top dollar here and overseas. It may reflect and be identifiable as the mid 50's, but I think your narrower interpretation would kind of result in a bias toward either prewar vehicles, or postwar vehicles that had little styling change for a number of years. Most postwar cars can usually be tied to a narrow production years range.
Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
Yeah, that's what I meant---postwar vehicles with very little styling changes--because they didn't need to. "Timeless" does seem to imply "outside of time", and tail fins the size of billboards are rather firmly rooted into just a few years. Same, say, with those "wedge cars' from the 80s (Aston Martin, Subaru, TR7, etc). They are now "date-stamped" forever.
If people pay big bucks for a '57 Chrysler 300, it's related to their rarity and their outrageousness--they only made 1,918 of those coupes, and perhaps 200 still exist, so even if you want one, you can't just go buy one in a flash. You have to hunt, and you won't see another most likely at the local car show.
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stever Viva Las CrucesPosts: 43,021
The new Jeep Cherokee has been garnering lots of styling comments, mostly negative, at least concerning the front end. Dan Neil at the Wall St. Journal says "conventional automobile grilles—and the recognizable geometries of the brands behind them, their "down the road graphics"—are destined to become functionally obsolete."
There's a lot of dead air between the engine and the hood in the Cherokee, but it has the required homage to the brand.
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Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
andys120 Loudon NHPosts: 16,824
@MrShift@Edmunds said: Ferrari wins that one.
I vehemently disagree, the Vette might be a bit outre but there is a certain drama to it's shape. The new California is another so-so styling from a company that once made some of the prettiest cars around.
At least it's an improvement over the California 2.0 v.1.>
2000 BMW 528i, 2001 BMW 330CiC
Mr_Shiftright CaliforniaPosts: 46,446
writer Posts: 119
Apparently Korean singer-actress "IU" is driven around in a special car. I have never seen anything quite like it. Can anyone tell me what this thing is?
PS: I do not know what the title says. I do not read, write, speak or understand Korean.
andys120 Loudon NHPosts: 16,824
@writer said: Apparently Korean singer-actress "IU" is driven around in a special car. I have never seen anything quite like it. Can anyone tell me what this thing is?
PS: I do not know what the title says. I do not read, write, speak or understand Korean.
It sure looks like a modified late model Kia Sedona to me
Kia Sedona(US market version>
2000 BMW 528i, 2001 BMW 330CiC
andre1969 Posts: 22,298
I wasn't all the crazy about the Corvette, until I saw one up close in person at the GM show in Carlisle PA yesterday. Still not my thing, but I could understand its appeal. I can actually see a bit of the '53 heritage in its front-end treatment.
The Ferrari looks kinda like a chick car in comparison. And that 2.0 V1 edition looks like an old Hyundai Tiburon that someone tried to do a kit car conversion on. At least use a Fiero!


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Try a Raja Yoga class and you'll be hooked ! " ... Anuttara Raja Yoga (Yin Yoga) "All Levels" This is the opposite of Hatha or forceful yoga. Here, we bypass muscle and get into connective tissue. We hold the pose for up to 5 minutes and the student is guided verbally into a deep meditative state. The focus is on the Mind-Body and the primary text is the classical Yoga Sutra by Patanjali. .." http://www.anuttarayoga.com/Schedule_of_Classes.html
Best Yoga Studio Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach 2012 - Anuttara Yoga Shala
620 SE 10th St.
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
Sincerity is an increasingly endangered species. When someone earnestly tells you to "prepare to rule the world" after performing a few hip-opening stretches, its tempting to roll the eyes or, at the very least, stifle a laugh. But just one muscle-melting session inside this cocoon of a studio will cure that cynical knee jerk. Pick a class — seriously, any class; all of the instructors are fantastic — and see what you've been missing at your atmosphere-free corporate gym. Hot or warm, Vinyasa or raja, easy or seemingly death-defying, this recently expanded space caters to yogis of all ilk. Don't try to fight it: The passion and positivity exuded by the staff and classmates are catching. Just get your ass in the studio, chant a few "oms," and admit that you actually like feeling this good.


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A complete gem of a home in popular, convenient Henry Clay subdivision with easy access to Downtown by car or bicycle and close to New Circle Road. This charming Cape Cod style home is move-in ready with updates already completed for the next owner. Spacious living areas with gleaming, newly refinished hardwood floors. Bright, sunny kitchen with gas range. Replacement windows. Completely renovated full bathroom. Two nice sized bedrooms on the first floor and the second floor has two loft style bedrooms with great storage. Large, private backyard with mature landscaping and patio. Sellers are providing a one year Old Republic Home Warranty to Buyers at closing. Call now for your private showing. It won't last long!
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Blackburn full-back Bradley Orr has moved to the MLS after agreeing an 11-month loan deal with Toronto with a view to a permanent deal.
The Canadian side are managed by former Rovers captain Ryan Nelsen and recently agreed a deal which will see England striker Jermain Defoe join from Tottenham in February.
Orr, 31, has yet to appear for Blackburn's first team this season and was sent on loan to Blackpool earlier in this campaign.
Toronto will have Orr on loan until December and they have an agreement in place with Blackburn to make the deal permanent beyond that time.


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We're Totally in Love With Constance Zimmer's "Un-Real" 'Do
new lookThe "House of Cards" star is taking on a brand-new gig with a brand-new look.
Reality TV shows are about to get a dose of reality when Lifetimes' "Un-Real" debuts in the fall.
Constance Zimmer will play the executive producer of a dating reality series, pushing young assistant Rachel (played by Shiri Appleby) to create as much drama as possible between the contestants.
And it looks like Constance is close-up ready, judging by the photo she shared on WhoSay sporting a hot new cropped look. We love the shorter length and soft bangs—we can't wait to see her work the look on screen.
Co-starring Freddie Stroma as Adam, the show's "handsome and intelligent bachelor," and Josh Kelly as Jeremy, a cameraman who is Rachel's ex-boyfriend, "Un-Real" has yet to reveal a premiere date.
Follow Constance Zimmer on WhoSay for more "Un-Real" updates.
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Australia State of the Environment Report 2001 fact sheet
Department of the Environment and Heritage, February 2002
What is happening overall?
Protection of biodiversity values in Australia has progressed significantly with the passing of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Land clearance has been declared a key threatening process under the EPBC Act.
About 400,000 Australians have done practical on-ground work through the Natural Heritage Trust. Much of their work has helped conserve and rehabilitate biodiversity.
Many of the threatening processes identified in the 1996 SoE Report persist. These include salinisation, land clearing, fragmentation of ecosystems, exotic organisms and changing hydrological conditions. In some cases the specific impact has been estimated, for example, 1,000 to 2,000 birds lose their habitat for every 100 hectares of woodland cleared. The combined impact of all these threats has lead to a deteriorating trend for species.
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is all living things and all the variation to be found in them. It covers individuals, species and ecosystems.
How does Australia rate?
Australia is one of only 17 mega-diverse countries on Earth and many of the plants, animals and microorganisms that live here are found nowhere else. The figures can be large - the Great Barrier Reef supports around 2,000 fish species and 500 coral species.
How do you put a value on biodiversity?
Biological diversity is valuable for many reasons. It provides materials such as timber, fibre, medicines, chemicals and genetic material and important processes, or ecosystems services, such as pest control and pollination of crops. Biodiversity also has aesthetic and recreational uses, it is of educational value and it is of cultural significance.
Is biodiversity worth keeping?
Australia's economic activity relies heavily on biodiversity. Commercial fishing in Australia, which depends largely on wild caught species, is worth about $2.3 billion a year. Other examples are:
- woodchips from native forests, were worth about $590 million a year in 1998-99;
- Australian wildflower exports generated $30 million in 1997 and the 'bushfood' industry was expected to be worth more than $100 million in 2000;
- duck and quail hunting (recreational) in Victoria is estimated to generate more than $30 million expenditure each year;
- the kangaroo industry is estimated to support 4,000 jobs in rural areas, and the value of the industry is about $245 million per year;
- the emerging emu industry is presently valued at $6 million to $8 million a year; and
- the $300 million-plus Australian honey industry depends greatly on native plant species for pollen and nectar.
How much are koalas, penguins and coral worth to the tourism industry?
Tourism is a major economic activity in Australia and much of the industry depends upon the country's rich and unique biodiversity.
It is estimated by researchers that the economic contribution of the koala to the Australian tourism industry is $1.1 billion per year through its iconic role in attracting international tourists. In the absence of Australia's unique wildlife, the researchers estimated there would have been a loss of $1.8 billion in 1996 in tourism revenue.
Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area was worth $1 billion, with 1.6 million visitor-days in 1997. Nature-based tourism in the Grampians region of Victoria provides $100 million a year while the Penguin Parade Reserve in Victoria is worth $96.5 million and employs more than 1,000 people.
What else does biodiversity provide?
The environment provides us with essential processes that are critical to life. Without these services, the economy would grind to a halt. These are known as ecosystem services and they have only recently been valued. Researchers estimated that in 1997 the value of terrestrial Australian ecosystems was about US$ 245 billion per year and marine ecosystems were valued at about US$ 640 billion per year.
Ecosystem services include:
- photosynthesis
- pollination
- nurseries for commercial fish species (in mangroves and coral reefs in particular)
- regulation of climate
- soil production and protection
- storage and cycling of essential nutrients
- absorption, breakdown and dispersal of organic wastes and pollutants
- control of crop and livestock pests through predation


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Please call 800-832-9053 for more information and to book your Denver, Colorado golf vacation!
Package available Thursday through Saturday nights. Some restrictions may apply. Based upon availability. Includes tax. Excludes facility services fee and club rentals. Tee times only available after noon on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.


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Read what other Viator.com travelers think about the Elephant Trek, Rafting and Hilltribe Village Tour from Chiang Mai. What they loved, what they liked and what they think could be improved, it's all here to help you make the most of your next trip.
Click here for tour details, schedule and pricing
Painting elephant was fantastic and elephant show very good. The elephant ride was an experience.
Awesome day trip. I created a montage of our trip, please check out the link. As well as the elephant trekking and bamboo rafting, we also went to see the hill tribes on this trip and were invited into their hut (home) for a chat, a humbling experience. Unfortunately I did not film our time with the hill tribes. Anyway, hope you enjoy the video of the elephant camp. I very highly recommend this trip.
Carolyn G
Great trip, loved the elephant trek and bamboo rafting. Easy too, took my 14 year old daughter and 71 year old mom. Great English speaking guide. Lunch at the elephant camp was excellent.
We absolutely love the elephant trekking and rafting but opted to skip the hill tribe villages later in the afternoon. It was too much for one day.
Lyn S
Experience was very personal, informative, comfortable, exciting and engaging, from start to finish. Our guide spoke wonderful English and expended great effort in educating us about the area and culture. Jungle trek was awesome as was the raft down the river. A truly wonderful day!
Elephants and trainers are amazing. Lisu tribe and children charming. Lunch was terrific.
Very nice tour. And our guide Tien was fantasctic, very knowledgable and a loveley person.
It was a fantastic day with these giant animals
Jennifer J
Such a great experience and so relieved to know they chose a camp where they animals are treated very well. The hill tribe village part, was not the long neck, and was super small, almost looked set up just so people could buy souvenirs.
Great, well paced trip. Enjoyed the elephant trek and the rafting. Hill tribe tour was average.
This tour we all had a great time and guide was very informative and friendly. We even stopped off at the tiger park on the way home
Kevin D
Watching the elephants working and performing was a highlight of my trip. The elephant ride though the bush and the rafting were both serene and relaxing.
Hyunhee C
South Korea
In here there are two types of the trip covering elephant trek, rafting and hilltrive. I was wondered what will be the difference when I booked. However, I chose the more expensive one expecting better quality. But I would like to recommend to buy the cheaper one since there are no difference in major activities. In this program, local company said that we can go to monkey training camp or long-neck hill tribe after the rafting. Of course we can go to the hilltribe but that hilltribe is the same hilltribe we have visited with the elephant riding. In that case, no difference. So, we wanted to go to the other hilltribe or something else. Then we had to pay extra money. So we ended up finished early.
We took our 3 kids on this tour and they loved the elephant show and ride. However, the "hillside village" was little more than a stop at what appeared to once be an actual hillside village, but now was just a souvenir stand. It would have been better if some history had been shared, etc. The rafting portion was also a bit anti-climatic in that it wasn't really all that scenic. But, it was a good opportunity to just relax and talk as you float down the river.
Our guide - Ung - was outstanding, as was our driver. She was engaged and looked after us the entire time, and shared the history of the area and much of what we were seeing as we drove to and from the site.
Great hand on tour where you get to ride elephants through the jungles of chiang mai, and raft down the ping river. The only confusing part about my time on the tour is that we did mot visit any hilltribes as promised, with the exception being the mock up of a hilltribe village halfway through the elephant trek. Would of rated this tour four or five stars if it was not for the missing out on the hilltribe visits.


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Yahoo's market value currently stands at about $24 billion. Yahoo just came off a tough quarter in search advertising, with its revenue in that niche falling 15% in the April-June period.
The two rivals began talking about a possible alliance as far back as 2005 before Microsoft intensified the courtship with last year's attempt to buy Yahoo.
It took Yahoo's current chief executive, Carol Bartz, just six months to strike a deal with Microsoft — something that neither of her predecessors, Terry Semel and Yahoo co-founder Jerry Yang, seemed interested in doing.
Shortly after her arrival, Bartz made it clear she was willing to farm out Yahoo's search engine for "boatloads of money" as long as she as thought the company would still receive adequate information about its users' interests.
"This agreement comes with boatloads of value for Yahoo, our users, and the industry, and I believe it establishes the foundation for a new era of Internet innovation and development," Bartz said.
Under the agreement, Yahoo will have limited access to the data on users' searches — which yield insights that can be used to pick out ads more likely to pique a person's interest. The value of that information is why Microsoft wants to process more search requests.
Like Yahoo, Microsoft has invested billions in its search technology during the past decade, yet remained a distant third in market share while its online losses piled up. The company's Internet services division lost $2.3 billion in the fiscal year ending in June, nearly doubling from the previous year.
Microsoft is counting on Bing, unveiled in early June, to turn things around.
Bing has been getting mostly positive reviews and picking up slightly more traffic with the help of a $100 million marketing campaign. Analysts believe Bing's successful debut pushed Microsoft to reopen negotiations so it could expose its search engine improvements to a wider audience more quickly.
"The reason the deal happened now is the recent success of Bing. I think it put pressure on Yahoo, as well as Yahoo not being able to turn it around on its own," said Gartner Inc. analyst Neil MacDonald.
Even with Yahoo's help, Microsoft still has its work cut out. Combined, Microsoft and Yahoo have a 28% share of the Internet search market in the United States, well behind Google's 65%, according to online measurement firm comScore Inc. Google is even more dominant on in the rest of the world, with a global share of 67% compared to a combined 11% for Microsoft and Yahoo.
It could be a while before Microsoft and Yahoo can begin working together because the partnership is likely to draw federal antitrust scrutiny to ensure the combination won't have an adverse effect on competition in the online ad market.
The U.S. Justice Department spent five months dissecting a proposed search advertising partnership between Google and Yahoo before concluding that it would give Google too much control over the market.
Microsoft used its lobbying muscle to spearhead the campaign against Google teaming up with Yahoo, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Google turned the tables.
Under the Obama administration, the Justice Department is promising to pore over technology deals far more rigorously than it did when the proposed Google-Yahoo partnership came up.
Just getting Yahoo to succumb to its latest advance represents a coup for Microsoft and the boisterous Ballmer, who were rebuffed for so long.


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I had this one shelved for about a year so I thought I would finish it.
Thank you for viewing my work.
Image copyright © 2008, Larry Fridel. Copying and displaying or redistribution of this image without permission from the artist is strictly prohibited.
Hope its not the Welsh Dragon. Great work yet again
very cool Larry
this is done really and very cool
awesome work,,, love it
Excellent work nice dragon!
Thats just cruel lol love it though frogster its great
You have a delightful imagination and you translate it so well to your art
Too bad you can't make one of these things come to life Larry!….LOL great job
Fantastic work. Well done!
well done fantastic