2012 911 Carrera restyled, adds more power, fuel-saving tech

Posted on May 17, 2012 by dstti2011

The new-generation, 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera has the familiar, sexy shape of its forebears. But it’s tastefully redone with a wider front track, a body that’s a bit longer and lighter, a holistically designed interior and modern touches like light-emitting diode tail lamps.

Of course, there’s more power, too — up to 400 horses and 325 foot-pounds of torque from the up-level, naturally aspirated six cylinder.

Surprisingly, though, the additional 15 horses, which for the first time can come through a seven-speed manual transmission, don’t hurt fuel economy numbers.

There’s even automatic shutoff of the engine at stoplights to preserve its premium gasoline. This stop/start feature is a typical fuel-saver in gasoline-electric hybrid cars and was adapted for the non-hybrid 911, where, impressively, it scarcely hampers off-the-line getaways.

The ride in the 2012 911 Carrera is more pliant than ever. Revamped, selectable suspension settings allow a driver to reduce ride harshness so long-distance travel is more comfortable and less taxing. When the situation calls for a more racy performance, the driver can set the suspension for a firmer ride.

The changes in this seventh-generation 911 are well-received in the United States, where 911 sales for the first four months are up 48 percent from the same period last year, to a total of 3,095.

Judging by the many admirers drawn to the test 911 Carrera S, there are plenty more wannabe buyers out there, even if the starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $83,050 for a 350-horsepower, 2012 911 Carrera and $97,350 for a 400-horsepower, 2012 911 Carrera S.

There are other changes in the 2012 model. The parking brake now is electronic, so the lever is gone. While Porsche keeps the tachometer big and smack in the middle of the gauges in front of the driver, the center console is full of buttons around the shifter that personalize everything from seat temperature to the volume of sound from the car’s exhaust.

The 911 coupe trunk remains under the front hood and measures just 4.76 cubic feet. It is basically a deep rectangle, so be prepared to do some hefty lifting to get heavy items in and out.

Inside, there’s a sense the car is wider. Larger drivers and passengers still will feel closed in. Tall, lanky passengers will find a decent amount of seat track and seat height adjustment.

The two back seats are narrow and usable for briefcases and such and, maybe, by children who don’t mind that they can’t hear much of the conversation in the front seat.

The reason: The 911 flat six engines remain behind the back seats, and engine sounds — so coveted by Porsche fans — come through clearly. The hallmark sound is music to the ears of anyone buying a Porsche.

With a height of around 51 inches, the new 911 sits slightly lower to the ground than its predecessor; some will have difficulty dropping down onto the low, fitted car seats. Passengers look up at Toyotas and Hondas. The 911 sits so low that passengers can find themselves at eye level with tailpipes of trucks and license plates of some sport utility vehicles.

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Is the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Compact Crossover Overpriced?

Posted on May 16, 2012 by dstti2011

The 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan starts at a perfectly reasonable $23,660, has a 200-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood, and is rated by the EPA at 22/27 mpg city/highway in front-drive form. During our most recent review of the compact crossover, however, we tested a Tiguan SE model with Sunroof and Navigation that rang the register at a pricey $31,345. Considering our tester was only a mid-range front-drive model, editors questioned the Tiguan’s overall value.

While the Volkswagen was equipped with heated seats, rear A/C vents and a panoramic sunroof, it lacked dual-zone climate control, leather, power seats (the driver’s seat was half-power), and automatic headlights. The Tiguan gets much pricier with the top-spec, all-wheel-drive model, which costs about $39,000. Opting for the range-topping model gets you 19-inch wheels, sport suspension, leather seats, keyless access, HID headlights, push button start, LED daytime running lights, voice-controlled navigation system, and a 300-watt audio system with eight speakers.

Most of the competition offers similar content levels for less. The range-topping Kia Sportage SX, for example, comes with a 260-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-banger, push button start and a smart key, plus leather seating. At about $32,000, the Kia Sportage includes heated front seats, cooled driver’s seat, panoramic sunroof, cargo cover, heated mirrors, and navigation.

A prototype of the refreshed 2013 Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon was caught getting some fresh air, but it appears the car wasn’t quite ready to show off its new face.

We’ve already speculated on some of the changes coming to the refreshed version of the popular Benz such as ditching the current model’s quad headlamps in favor of two single-piece units and, judging from the photo, it appears the headlights underneath the camo are simpler and sleeker. The LED daytime running lights also appear to be integrated in the headlight unit instead of their usual place on the bumper.

Although changes to the rear bumper don’t appear to be dramatic, minor revisions to the taillights should shake up the E-Class sedan and wagon’s design enough before the new model arrives in a few years.

The test mule wears minimal camouflage everywhere else, which could indicate minimal changes for the front doors and windows, though the Ponton-style rear side doors may be ditched on the 2013 E-Class. We expect the 2013 E350′s V-6 to get a boost in power and the E550 to get a more powerful and efficient single-turbo V-8.

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The low utilization/MOCVD uptick phenomenon, LED efficacy and price, more from Lightfair

Posted on May 15, 2012 by dstti2011

Barclays Capital analysts attended Lightfair International, a large, US-based general lighting tradeshow, and gleaned several trends in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic LEDs (OLEDs) for lighting. Data presented at the show points to strong and steady LED lighting demand growth in 2012, though the LED lighting “inflection year” is still in the future.

While utilization rates are still relatively low in LED fabs, many chipmakers are reluctant to convert all of their backlighting-specific (BLU LEDs for display applications) LED tools to lighting-specific production, because they value yields honed for a specific design. Chipmakers told Barclays that they do not want to reconfigure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) tools unless they are confident that this backlighting-specific production will no longer be needed. This suggests that anticipated LED lighting demand in H2 2012 and beyond will require more MOCVD tool orders, even without higher capacity utilization rates in LED fabs. Gradually improved MOCVD capex, in Q3 2012 and beyond, will be supported by a steady stabilization in LED supply/demand as 2013 approaches.

Barclays observed that LED chips still compete based on price, even among the Tier 1 LED makers, and further cost reductions are needed if margins are to survive. LED component price declines did moderate to an extent relative to last year’s price cuts, but the aggressive pricing trend continues, driven in part by end customers leveraging Tier 3 quality price points in China against Tier 1 and 2 LED makers.

Until LED makers reach 80%+ effective yields in the fabs, the distribution of LEDs per run is fairly wide. Chips that do not meet their application’s specs are dumped on the market at a much lower price. Indeed, even in lighting-grade LEDs, there is “no rationality for price points,” according to 1 Tier-1 supplier. The good news for LED revenues is that unit volume growth is offsetting the price cuts.

The quality barrier between Tier 1 and Tier 2/3 LED suppliers continues to hold, with only ~10 LED makers that can reach 100lm/W efficacy levels in mass production, and meet Energy Star, UL, etc., specifications. In step with the luminous efficacy improvements at the chip level, system-level efficacy also continues to increase, with various troffers and luminaries already approaching 100lm/W. Korean LED makers are considering leveraging BLU LEDs for some lighting applications, like linear lighting and troffers, because specifications are similar. As a result, Samsung is becoming a major threat to Tier-1 LED suppliers, longer term, as it focuses on quality.

With LED lifetimes approaching 50K hours, LEDs are no longer the predictors of the lifetime of the full system, and the lifetime of the other components is becoming more prominent. Despite various certifications available, data on the lifetime and reliability at the total system level is still fairly limited.

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How do I deal with my boozy boss?

Posted on May 14, 2012 by dstti2011

I work in the marketing department of a mid-sized public-sector organization. The problem is our director. Whenever there is a business evening event, he gets sloshed. The first time I noticed, it was at a fundraiser. He came into work midday already woozy. By mid-evening he was in no condition to be socializing with donors. I have suspected he was impaired at work a few times. He has become a laughing stock. If he leaves our workplace inebriated and injures someone, I’m afraid of what that would do to our organization. If he has an addiction, I want him to get help. Who do I talk to? HR? Our VP?

Be honest – how many people can admit to having worn the proverbial “lampshade” after consuming one-too-many tequila shots at a work function? Maybe dirty dancing with the boss, or making out with that virtual stranger from accounting after a few Black Russians at an office party?

Getting hammered at work events is never a good idea, but you have to differentiate one-offs from patterns of behaviour, and be careful before jumping to the conclusion that someone has a substance abuse problem.

In this scenario, I have too many questions that I would want answered before making a recommendation. It would be important to know exactly what you have observed and whether you have already tried talking to your director.

Work-related substance abuse problems affect morale, performance, disability claims, and sick time – not to mention the legal liability your company faces if it gets out of control. Some workplaces have policies that address this subject and provide a road map on what is expected. If so, consult the policy first.

If you have suspicions, you should have personal observations that confirm your theory (such as seeing the person consuming large quantities of alcohol, resulting in inappropriate workplace behaviour). Don’t assume that a co-worker’s dishevelled, late appearance one or two mornings is due to a hangover; the explanation could be a simple as staying up with a sick child.

If the situation doesn’t pose an imminent risk, observe over a period of time and take notes. If patterns emerge, those observations will be important when you raise the issue with your colleague directly (if you can tactfully broach it), or if you report matters to a third-party such as the director’s manager or human resources. Also, make sure that you are reporting this information with a clear conscience. (You’re not angling for that director’s job, are you?)

In the role of a counsellor or HR consultant I have assisted people with addictions or at-risk for an addiction for more than 20 years. Your decision to take action is a good one. I can’t tell you if the behaviour you have observed is due to a physical addiction, alcohol abuse or irresponsible behaviour. What I can tell you is that your director needs guidance to stop this behaviour in the workplace. Typically, management will want to know when employees are engaged in at-risk behaviour. Being under the influence of alcohol during work is not safe, but it is not your job to correct or confront the behaviour. Folks like me are trained to help influence him to make the right choice.

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Patio decor should mimic indoor living spaces

Posted on May 11, 2012 by dstti2011

We also like to spend time on our patio at the end of the day. One of the things I love about living in Las Vegas is that we really can use our outdoor living space just about all year-round. Plus, we don’t have the bugs like we did back East.

Start by standing in your family room and looking at what elements you have. Begin with your furniture and consider how you like to relax. Feet up, sitting together, room for your pets to sit with you. Do you like a sectional, love seat or a chaise lounge versus a sofa, chair and ottoman?

Outdoor furniture has come a long way during the past few years and now can give you an indoor look. Plus, there are some wonderful soft and breathable fabrics that are comfortable, fade-, moisture- and stain-resistant and are easy to clean, which is very important in our hot, sunny and dusty environment. They are not all stiff, prickly and plastic anymore, because they are woven just like indoor fabrics and in great patterns.

As long as your patio is not exposed to direct sunlight or rain, don’t be afraid to use an area rug under your seating area to bring more of that family room feel to your patio. There are many inexpensive indoor rugs that you can use instead of the typical indoor/outdoor ones.

Just as you’d have in your family room, add lighting. The light from recessed cans and ceiling fans are nice, but they don’t give you the proper light if you want to relax and read your favorite book. So use table and floor lamps just like you do inside. But, I would suggest iron bases since we do get some wind. Don’t forget accent lighting to make your patio twinkle by using uplights on plants and trees.

By the way, there are fabulous faux outdoor flowering plants that look real. Pot them in dirt and you’ll never know the difference. I have some in my backyard that my mother-in-law watered every day. She didn’t realize they were fake until she went to prune them.

Bring out some of your favorite accessories to make your patio welcoming and inviting for you and your guests: frames, vases, pottery and some colorful potted plants will bring the indoors out.

Candles are wonderful for a romantic candlelit setting in the evening. But, so that you don’t end up with an interesting abstract candle design from leaving them outside, buy the battery-operated ones. Some are so good you can’t tell them from the real ones and they even have different scents.

If you didn’t place one in your landscape design, add a floor or table-top fountain. There is just something about the sound of a fountain that makes any room relaxing and serene.

Next, dress your windows and doors with fabric to add drama and soften the hard surfaces of the exterior of your home. Treat them just as you would an interior window or door, but with easy-care fabrics that can be washed. Pole swag treatments or simple rod pocket valances or panels work best. Use inexpensive fabrics from the dollar stores that you won’t mind replacing after a couple of seasons.

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Geographe Primary School has a sunny future

Posted on May 10, 2012 by dstti2011

GEOGRAPHE Primary School is hoping for more sunny days now that they have their solar panels up and running.

The school is now home to the biggest bank of solar panels in the City of Busselton, according to installer Simon Barclay.

With 85 solar panels, split over three bays, principal Tim Baker said the panels would reduce the school’s power bill by 20 per cent.

“We plan on using the money we save to introduce other energy-saving devices such as LED lights and sensors to turn lights on and off.

The National Solar Schools Program is a Federal Government-funded scheme to bring efficient power to schools across the country.

Geographe Primary School received $50,000 from the scheme, which is the maximum a school could be awarded.

As part of the scheme schools who receive funding are required to incorporate energy efficient lessons into their learning.

Tim says the school will introduce an extension program that will focus on solar power and how the school is using the panels to become more efficient.

“The program will get the kids to look at how much power we were consuming, how much we are saving, the background of solar energy and how the panels work.”

Simon Barclay and his wife Sarah own the company that installs solar panels across the state for the State Government, and also have kids at GPS.

Simon will be visiting the school to help out with the extension programs.

“There’s a lot of science behind it, so there’s a lot of interesting things to learn about them,” he said.

In 1999, Caltrans launched the Slow for the Cone Zone public awareness campaign. Since then, California has led the nation in reducing highway work zone fatalities. The state’s “Move Over” law requires drivers to slow down or move over a lane, if safe to do so, when a Caltrans vehicle displays its flashing amber lights.

Today, California honors all highway workers who have lost their lives while keeping California’s transportation system safe, and especially Caltrans Landscape Maintenance Worker Stephen Palmer Sr. who died from injuries after being struck by a trolley in National City, near San Diego; Maintenance Leadworker Jaime Obeso who was killed by an errant vehicle while working on eastbound Interstate 8 near the Sunbeam Rest Area in Imperial County; and Equipment Operator II Richard Gonzalez who was killed by a vehicle while working on a litter crew on Interstate 15 in San Diego County.

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LED Lightbulb Could Last 20 Years

Posted on May 9, 2012 by dstti2011

The new energy-saving bulbs went on show at the Light Fair International, in Las Vegas.

The money-saving 10-watt bulb has been released into the US market, where it will be priced at US $22 by the end of the year.

Nick Holonyak, inventor of the LED told the Economist conference in London last year that the LED could soon be everywhere.

He told The Huffington Post at the Economist awards dinner that his low-emission invention will very soon make its way into all forms of lighting, including the rear lights of cars.

When it is released here in the UK, the bright and beneficial bulb will go head to head with the compact-fluorescent bulbs sold here. These might not last 20 years, but they cost much less at around 5.

In the US, incandescent bulbs are still on sale, so the new LED bulb presents a particularly good carbon-saving opportunity there.

The LED bulb on show at LFI won the L Prize from the US department of energy.

A Philips press release sent earlier this year said: “If every 60-watt incandescent bulb in the U.S. was replaced with the 10-watt L Prize winner, the nation would save about 35 terawatt-hours of electricity or $3.9 billion in one year and avoid 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions.”

An LED lighting field trial conducted by The Energy Savings Trust here in the UK concluded that Lit Up is the LED lighting has a strong future in communal areas of social housing, such as stairwells and corridors. The results showed that there is “considerable potential for energy savings in these areas, particularly as the lighting is typically on for 24 hours a day”.

While the bulbs may save money and energy, they generate a great deal of heat.

Jake Dyson, industrial designer and sone of James, has created an LED lighting system that draws heat away from the lights.

The “thermal management heat pipe” cools the LEDs which Dyson says will light up a room for over 37 years.

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Senior center and apartment expansion open in Henderson

Posted on May 8, 2012 by dstti2011

Three days before moving into the Pacific Pines 4 Senior Apartments, Kathryn Stickler and a friend were accosted by two men near her home.

“They knocked my front tooth out,” Stickler said. “When something like that happens, you lose your security.”

With the opening of Pacific Pines 4 Senior Apartments and the Downtown Senior Center, 27 E. Texas Ave., Stickler is regaining her self-esteem and confidence.

On March 29, the city of Henderson, along with Nevada HAND, a nonprofit with a mission of improving the lives of low-income individuals, celebrated the opening of the new senior facilities.

The Pacific Pines facility incudes 62 one- and two-bedroom apartments for low-income seniors, while the new 6,000-square-foot senior center offers programing and amenities such as a fitness room open to all 50 or older.

“Every amenity that is offered at our Heritage Park Senior Facility will be offered here,” said Henderson City Councilwoman Gerri Schroder, referring to the senior center that opened in 2009 at 300 S. Racetrack Road.

Schroder added that the center offers everything from wellness programs to food programs sponsored by nutrition grants.

Mary Ellen Donner, d irector of the Parks and Recreation Department for the city , said this project was many years in the making.

“I know people were sad to see the old facility go,” Donner said. “But with every ending, there is always a new beginning.”

The former Downtown Senior Center was torn down shortly after the Heritage Park Senior Center opened.

“I remember back in 2009 when we opened the new Heritage Park Senior Center and six months later we closed (the former downtown center),” Schroder said. “People wondered if we would open it back up even though there was a new, state-of-the-art center.”

But then Schroder figured it out.

“This is your neighborhood,” Schroder said. “You want something convenient for you. I’m glad we delivered on a promise from more than a year ago.”

Construction on the new facility began in 2011.

“It is great to be 50-plus in the city of Henderson,” Henderson Mayor Andy Hafen said. “We love our seniors, and I am one of them.”

In addition to adding more senior amenities to the community, Hafen said he was excited to see sustainability practices implemented in another building, which includes photovoltaic solar energy, LED exterior lighting, high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, solar hot water panels and high-efficiency condensing boilers.

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Rodney Square to get some upgrades

Posted on May 7, 2012 by dstti2011

A long-awaited effort to renovate Rodney Square in Wilmington will begin Monday, with a focus on replacing sickly trees that have struggled because of soil-compaction issues.

The project has been four years in the making, according to a city news release, and will include a new “Structural Cell” system that can support a substantial traffic load while providing more open soil to support tree growth.

It will also feature sidewalk upgrades, new pedestrian crosswalks, decorative lighting features and stormwater runoff improvements.

Speaking in a statement, Mayor James M. Baker pointed to the declining health of the trees on Rodney Square as the impetus for the project.

With thousands of people visiting the area each day, the trees need to be replaced, said Baker, who has also supported removing bus stops from Rodney Square to foster a parklike atmosphere.

“As part of our efforts to properly maintain the space so that people continue to enjoy its shade and beauty, we needed to find a solution to a uniquely urban problem — how to grow healthy trees in a small impervious area,” Baker said.

The Delaware Center for Horticulture has been growing replacement trees for Rodney Square at Longwood Gardens and believes it has a solution with the Structural Cell technology.

The square’s current trees, planted in the mid-1990s, have struggled because of insufficient soil volume and soil compaction, said Pam Sapko, executive director of the DCH.

Replacing the trees means finding a way to renovate the hardscape portion of the plaza while maintaining the greatest soil volume possible, Sapko said.

“Rodney Square’s new landscape design and under-the-sidewalk structural engineering to prevent soil compaction will result in fewer trees, but ultimately larger and healthier trees for the community park in downtown Wilmington,” Sapko said.

The first phase of the project will cost $1 million and will address the King Street and 10th Street sides of the square. The improvements are to be completed in November.

The second phase, which will focus on the 11th Street side, has no estimated cost or start date at this time. The Market Street side of the square was renovated 10 years ago, the city said.

Most of the project is being funded with $800,000 in federal money, according to the city. The city government, the Garden Club of Wilmington, six state lawmakers and three corporate donors contributed the rest of the funding. The state Department of Transportation has also collaborated on the project.

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Law Enforcement, Family Speak After Hotsinpiller Sentencing

Posted on May 4, 2012 by dstti2011

In February 2011, Deputy U.S. Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller was killed trying to serve a warrant on fugitive Charles Smith in Elkins. Two other Deputy U.S. Marshals were injured; Smith was killed in that shootout.

The family members who helped lie to authorities about the whereabouts of Smith received their sentences in federal court on Thursday.

Judge Joseph R. Goodwin sitting by special assignment imposed prison terms for Anthony Lambert, 24 of Montrose, Lambert’s girlfriend Cassandra Smith, 26 of Elkins, and Charles Smith’s wife 49-year-old Sherry Lou Smith, now White also of Elkins. All three made false and fictitious statements to federal agents about Smith’s location.

Lambert will spend five months in federal prison, followed by five months at a halfway house; Smith was sentenced to six months probation at a community confinement center, and 100 hours of community service.

Smith’s wife got the maximum sentence five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

All three spoke before the judge, and offered apologies to the family about the tragedy that happened on Feb. 2011.

“The judge, the court system ran its course and obviously we respect the court system and the punishment handed down,” said Gary Gaskins, U.S. Marshal of Northern District of West Virginia.

“Our thoughts and prayers today are with the family and loved ones of fallen Deputy United States Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller, with his fellow Deputy United States Marshals, and with all of his comrades in the law enforcement community,” Gaskins said. “Today’s hearings mark an end to the defendants’ court proceedings in Elkins, and hopefully they will provide closure for those affected by the tragedy of February 16, 2011. We remember and honor them.”

Victim Impact Statements were delivered by Supervisory Deputy U. S. Marshal Alex Neville and Dustin Hotsinpiller, Derek’s brother.

Derek Hotsinpiller’s mother and girlfriend were also in the courtroom. Dustin Hotsinpiller said about the sentencing, the family received a life sentence after losing Derek.

“We grew up in the law enforcement community, we knew the threats, we make choices, we know the risks, but we will always be here to fight,” said Hotsinpiller.

“Many lives were changed on that day,” said Neville. “I still picture Derek as a vibrant young man. Think of the lives he would have touched, the fugitives he would have captured, those will never be known. He was a great cop that cut down, I’m sorry that I was unable to assist ending Charles Smith’s life.”

“Those of us as at ATF commend the bravery of the United States Marshal’s Service and West Virginia State Police. Today is another step in the process of healing. Deputy U. S. Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller represented all that is good in humans and law enforcement. Hopefully, we can all continue to honor him in the appropriate manner,” said RAC Dewayne P. Haddix, ATF.

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