Blog @ MoreWhat.com

Sunday seems as good a time as any for another rant about media and the news. Like anyone else who struggles to keep up with what is going on in the world I have my routine. As much as it bothered me Google News was one stop regularly checked for a cross-section of stories from the MSM. Could they leave it alone. Of course not for as useless as it was to begin with they decided to make it worse.

I stopped relying on Google as a search engine with the advent of Ixquick. Seems we should spread the traffic around and while Ixquick is not perfect it is a reasonable alternative and may get better if we use it and submit suggestions for improvements.

This was another day in an effort to alter my news scanning routine. And it was the cause of another lament on the state of media or MSM and content. A roll of the dice so to speak selected USA Today as the first stop. Without a one stop aggregation of news to view from around the planet I was trying a few quick hits for headlines, etc.

Gannett, the owner of USA Today and too many other print sources allows their navigation bar on the main page to highlight part of what is wrong. While the top navbar features general categories of topics like news, travel and money the second navbar suggests what is ‘essential’.

Markets, scores, games, lotteries, video, photos, opinion, blogs, subscribe, classifieds and jobs make the list. After ‘markets’ which seems to indicate business information the rest is not essential nor necessarily worthwhile.

Hey, I have nothing against Chelsea Clinton and I hope she and her husband have a wonderful life. I honestly mean that. But when Chelsea is the obvious big splash on a typical MSM front page and the most popular reads for the USA fishwrap feature three stories about Chelsea and one about the disfunctional Jersey Shore television series something comes to mind. Actually many things come to mind but here’s the second one. (The first was who reads the MSM and why?)

87% Feel Media Covers Celebrities Too Much

Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Americans feel the media pays too much attention to celebrities, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. But 84% of Adults also admit that Americans pay too much attention to celebrity news and not enough attention to news that has real impact on their lives.

Just one percent (1%) do not think media outlets cover celebs enough, while nine percent (9%) say the coverage is about right.

That may explain why traditional media sources are failing. The one and nine percent figures above may reflect the number of people attracted to the trash most media outlets publish or broadcast.

BTW, the rest of USA Today’s front page was populated with other useless or redundant coverage on items that are common knowledge. And of course they offered unwavering support with their coverage of things Obama and liberal.

Fortunately I can get along with the critical content of my routine. The trustworthy sources I use for the bulk of what is important do not fail me. But trying to cover it all and make judgments about decisions to be made is still a challenge and too time consuming.

Too bad so many in the media world refuse to address this simple problem. But then that is not what most of them are about. If their biz model of catering to the lowest common denominator and filling that demand with cheap stories to present is no longer a golden goose you might expect they would change. Or maybe they’re just waiting for their bailout from the Obamanation.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

One sound bite or excerpt is probably as good as another regarding a recent backlash toward the ’social networking’ site Facebook. What appears to be a privacy policy may in fact be a default agreement to allow Facebook to exploit users’ personal information.

Facebook Privacy: How About Some Honesty?

You can say what you want about striving for granular this-that-or-the-other, but the truth is we all know what happens when you present people with a 5,830-word privacy policy and 80-gazillion intricate options: They say “screw it” and move on. Or adjust only a small handful of the now-defaulted-to-public-sharing options. And then, voila: Facebook gets to share their data with the world, opening new doors for advertising and profit.

As expressed on this blog before the author has no interest in things like MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and the rest of the ‘wow’ fad sites trying to replace good old-fashioned communication between humans. That would be similar to the gripe on this blog suggesting wireless phones are anything but. Cameras, mobile internet access, bells and whistles, texting but sadly little in the way of reasonable performance for voice communications not to mention competitive pricing.

But then the public gets what the public wants from the market. Anything for any price as long as they think it’s cool. And the free market knows how to make you believe it is. Because most people make it easy for them.

How’s that for honesty?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Nothin’ like celebrity damage control to demonstrate what is really important to them. Money, sex and politics may rank as the top subjects leading to a bankrupt moral compass but it seems a bankrupt financial future is more the concern of one celeb.

Money, sex and politics are featured in the trifecta of both John Edwards and Mark Sanford. Tiger Woods does not get honorable mention for excluding politics. The scheduled event described below will likely be seen for what it is. An attempt to woo advertisers who abandoned the Woods’ brand after his multiple falls from grace.

Question for the day: What is the worst thing you ever did?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

and here’s the brief report from VOA from which the post title is taken.

The agent of world number-one Tiger Woods says the American golfer will end nearly three months of silence on Friday, when he speaks publicly for the first time since revelations of his marital infidelity.

Agent Mark Steinberg said Wednesday that Woods will speak to a small group of reporters and friends at 11 a.m. EST, at the clubhouse of the TPC Sawgrass golf course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Woods is expected to talk about his past, his future plans and to apologize for his behavior.

The appearance will come in the middle of the first big event of the year, the Accenture Match Play Championship, which got under way Wednesday in Marana, Arizona.

Accenture was the first sponsor to drop Woods when the scandal first broke.

A billboard getting some attention was erected at the direction of some as yet unknown sponsors. There’s nothing like a little humor for this troubling political climate. And yes, this blogger laments the departure of Bush 43. Certainly not perfect but a preferred option over current conditions. And like most, the author of this brief post is anxiously awaiting November 2010. After that it will be anxiously awaiting November 2012.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

How’s this for a sexy teaser?

OMG! ‘Gossip Girl’ star Blake Lively flaunts her assets with a plunging neckline on the red carpet

A successful stint on what appears to be a popular television program. A girl whose appearance is visually pleasing. Or put another way, yes, this qualifies as eye candy. OMG, sex, exploitation, perhaps a political agenda and the masses will rebel. NOT

No need to discuss all the possibilities for debate on what is presented here. Just ignore the natural inclination to weigh in and enjoy the view.

Speaking of views provides a handy transition to the next related item. OMG, controversy over one person’s, correction, two persons’ decision to make a statement about a topic apparently important to them. The piece below is spot on in its analysis.

Tim Tebow chose to take a stand about his beliefs.

It’s certainly his right. He and his mother, Pam, are scheduled to star in a Super Bowl commercial next Sunday night that advocates an anti-abortion message. It has created a firestorm among special-interest groups believing that the national communal experience that has become Super Sunday should be independent of political infiltration.

Those who disagree with their position can choose to take their television remote in hand when the ad appears on CBS and change the channel.

And finally let’s consider a story from a member of the Palin family that is not an attack piece from the MSM or lefty blogosphere.

Bristol Palin vows no more pre-marital sex - and says other women should follow her lead

Here’s a kid dealing with accepting consequences for her decisions. As they say, she chose life. And even with a great deal of support from family and friends that is no easy path. Some may continue to criticize, attack and bash the Palin’s including Bristol. But her ‘goal’ is not something to diss. In addition to what she faces for years to come, if using the media attraction to promote responsible living also comes from it she should get applause not criticism.

So that about wraps up this presentation of three sex stories. A story about an attractive young woman and her apparel which may seem tame these days. A young man and his Mom taking a stand on what they believe at some personal risk. And another attractive young woman dealing with the reality of life’s serious consequences. All of them deal with sex in some way. A topic that can use both serious and light-hearted attention. But one that we must give proper consideration to avoid serious damage and unnecessary setbacks.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

You have to just love these stories. Several posts back is reference to an article where Scotch whiskey is touted as a ground water purifier. Needless to say, being a fan of Scotch whiskey, there is an upside to that story on environmental solutions. Now a story on very small homes as an answer for the downturn in the economy as well as a promotion for ‘green’ thinking and hopping on the global warming bandwagon. In general, most discussions including those on the environment and even global warming are worthwhile and serve a purpose. But to accept the premise of each and every one without performing due diligence on the proposals put forth nor the problem they are to solve screams undue panic and a less than sensible approach.

To be repetitive, doing nothing or instantly signing on to every suggestion proposed related to environmental practices are extreme notions and that is rarely where the answers lie. In the case of tiny homes and the story presented below, there is something to be said for examining the way we live and how it can be improved. Reducing waste and limiting the amount of ’stuff’ we have or seek is a legitimate pursuit. But the focus on green initiatives and measures whose sole purpose is to combat a global warming concern that is not without serious flaws lends itself to the criticism of a ploy by special interest to promote a money making enterprise.

Those in the scientific community who fully support the notion of global warming including the human contribution to it could have another motive for their support than altruism or finding of fact. It is not uncommon for those in research to compete for grants and dollars for programs which translate into how they make a living. Likewise it is not uncommon for those with an entrepreneurial spirit to latch onto the latest fad and build a business model for extracting as much cash as they can while the fad lasts.

Governments may also have a seflish motive for supporting the ‘green’ thing and global warming initiatives. This appears to be a topic in which many people have chosen not to challenge claims made or proposals presented in an effort to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Video: Tiny Home - Download (WM)
Video: Tiny Home - Watch (WM)

One man’s solution to tough economic times, the high cost of living, and all that housework… is to live in, build, and sell really tiny houses.

Eighty kilometers north of San Francisco in northern California is a rural community called Sebastopol, Jay Shafer, founder of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, lives and works there in his tiny home.

Everything in the tiny house is scaled down including this tiny kitchen

“Well there are a lot of reasons I’ve decided to live in a tiny house,” he explained. “Probably first and foremost is because it frees up my time otherwise. So all of the time I would spend earning money to pay off a mortgage or rent can be spent doing things I love to do. I don’t have much housework either.”

The average American family home has about 230 square meters. His is 30 years old. It is tiny, cozy, energy efficient and, according to Shafer, all he needs.

“I just don’t like the idea of spewing tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. I know that the average American house puts out eighteen tons of greenhouse gases per year, and you know, that’s not even including all of the consumption that is involved with the, you know, materials, and also just heating fuel,” Shafer said.

Margie O’Driscoll with the American Institute of Architects says Americans have a tendency to acquire stuff, a trend she thinks may be changing.

“You can hire professionals to come in and organize your garage and your closet, and really that speaks to having a lot of stuff. And if you have to organize it, and you don’t even know what it is, you sort of start to wonder: ‘well do I really need to have as much as I have’. And I think that the time of American excess has really begun to shift and people are starting to identify what is really important to them,” O’Driscoll said.

Bill Kastrinos gave up traditional home building last year to start a company called Tortoiseshell Homes.

“I’ve had several people, young people that just want to downsize. I’m getting rid of stuff. I’m having garage sales. I have three sets of China. What do I need three sets of China for?” Kastrinos noted. “So there is just a thought process that is going on where people are saying ‘well okay, if global warming is really a big problem, how much help am I by changing light bulbs to fluorescence.’ It is going to take a major rethinking of everything we do.”

Tortoiseshell homes are less elaborate than Shafer’s and cheaper.

Tiny home

But both constructions are well insulated, both can be mounted on trailers, and both sleep two comfortably, in an upstairs loft.

“The bathroom becomes the shower. I have another door over here to protect the window from water, and that works out pretty well,” Shafer explained. “The little composting toilet is down here, and I can pull a plastic curtain in front of that so it doesn’t get wet.”

Tiny houses are not for everyone, but Shafer is more than happy to call his tiny house, home.

Just the two words ‘Hillary Movie’ in an article title or sentence are enough to grab one’s attention. It is less clear whether the same reaction would arise by adding another pair of words, ‘Supreme Court’. But all four words are included in an Associated Press tidbit at Newsmax that features quotes for the politically inclined in the aftermath of the long and troubling finale to the 2008 Presidential election. But the troubles never really end at the conclusion of an election. It just allows more time to focus on all the other issues that took a back seat to Presidential politics over the last two years.

This is a combo post. Incorporating an extension of the political coverage here in combination with recently expressed intentions to focus on the more important matters of this nation’s founding, its core principles and all that implies. This blog has published extensively on the topic of politics and HRC, the Queen of Cringe, aka, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Heavy attention was placed on her since her announced run for the White House. A blogroll from Blogs Against Hillary has been prominently featured in the sidebar for nearly the entire 2008 campaign. The sentiment on the former First Lady has been openly expressed and not favorable for the entire history of her Presidential run. So it figures there would be some joy at presenting quotes mentioned above from the AP report.

“Hillary is the closest thing we have in America to a European socialist,” Morris said in an ad that is part of the court record. The court record refers to the lower court and Supreme Court records by virtue of the lawsuit over presentation of a documentary that was to be aired as early as last January. In an ad on the Citizens United Web site for the Obama movie, he said, “He is representative of the ultimate left of the Democratic party.” Dick Morris, [is] the former pollster for President Bill Clinton,

The Supreme Court will hear an appeal from a conservative group that wanted to promote and air its anti-Hillary Clinton movie without complying with a landmark campaign finance law. The conservative group, Citizens United, has produced a collection of videos described as documentaries two of which feature Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama. It is reported that movies produced by this group have received or been nominated for some awards. SourceWatch reports they are a 501 organization and may have been a 527 or connected to 527 political action committees. Founded in 1988, the group appears to be focused on topics that are mentioned here as imporant. Our nation’s founding, its principles and the need to promote or foster conservative principles such as family values, fiscal responsibility, free enterprise or markets and other familiar concerns including adhering to the US Constitution. Remarkably that is what the court case and presentation of the group’s videos being barred by the FEC involves.

Links and resources are offered at the end of this post following a comment or two by this blog’s author.

At issue in the lawsuit is Citizens United’s right to air its video or ads at a time which the FEC contends was too close to an election and the whole promotion and airing of videos was deemed a political campaign or ad therefore being barred by law. The plaintiff suggests free speech rights versus the FEC overstepping its authority by denying those rights with its barring of the videos, etc. Ever since McCain/Feingold and the high court ruling supporting free speech rights within the context of political campaign ads and those used by groups not connected directly with political campaigns, this whole matter seems to be a little muddy. And while personally this blog may favor the efforts of Citizens United plus hold a troubled opinion of what exactly campaign finance reform or free speech or poltical ads should have to do wth each other, the bottom line at this point may be the entire argument and premise for getting here may be flawed and misguided while the SCOTUS response to such things seems reasoned under the circumstances.

Put another way, Citizens United may be promoting a good thing in terms of conservative values but using the videos as part of that effort may be a poor choice and the law or its application or interpretation no matter how correct may be making a bad situation worse. It will take more posts on this subject with the required research, review and study to come to some kind of conclusion if one is available.

You might like to start with the link below ‘Amicus Curiae Brief of the American Civil Rights Union In Support of Jurisdictional Statement of Appellant Citizens United’ as it was, here at least, an attention getting title. At first it was viewed as a typo and the reaction OMG, the ACLU is butting in again. No, the ACRU is not the ACLU at all and the reading is quite enlightening although that is not a commentary on the substance of the brief or the argument presented.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Supreme Court to Review Hillary Movie

MOTION TO DISMISS OR AFFIRM (USDOJ)

Citizens United v. FEC

Supreme Court Documents (08-205):

• FEC’s Motion to Dismiss or Affirm (October 2008) [PDF; 31 pages]
• Amicus Curiae Brief of the American Civil Rights Union In Support of Jurisdictional Statement of Appellant Citizens United (9/17/08) [PDF; 17 pages]

Supreme Court Documents (07-953)

• Supplemental Brief for the Appellee (FEC) (March 2008) [PDF; 10 pages]
• Citizens United’s Supplement to Motion to Expedite and Advance on Docket (2/14/08) [PDF; 3 pages]
• FEC’s Motion to Dismiss or Affirm (2/14/08) [PDF; 29 pages]

District Court Documents (07-2240) :

• Defendant FEC’s Motion for Summary Judgment (6/6/08) [PDF; 71 pages]
• Errata for Memo Opinion denying CU’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (1/16/08) [PDF; 1 page]
• Memorandum Opinion denying Citizens United’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (1/15/08) [PDF; 15 pages]
• Defendant FEC’s Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Second Motion for Preliminary Injunction (01/08/08) [PDF; 29 pages]
• Plaintiff Citizens United’s Second Motion for Preliminary Injunction (12/21/07) [PDF; 22 pages]
• Plaintiff Citizens United’s Amended Verified Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (12/21/07) [PDF; 20 pages]
• Defendant FEC’s Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction (12/20/07) [PDF; 50 pages]
• Response to Plaintiff Citizens United’s Motion to Expedite (12/20/07) [PDF; 2 pages]
• Defendant FEC’s Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiff’s Motion for Consolidation of the Trial on the Merits with the Hearing on the Preliminary Injunction (12/20/07) [PDF; 12 pages]
• Plaintiff Citizens United’s Motion for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support of the Motion for Preliminary Injunction (December 2007) [PDF; 43 pages]
• Verified Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief (December 2007) [PDF; 15 pages]

Trackposted to Rosemary’s Thoughts, Right Truth, Shadowscope, Leaning Straight Up, Cao’s Blog, Democrat=Socialist, Conservative Cat, , third world county, Faultline USA, Allie is Wired, Woman Honor Thyself, The World According to Carl, Walls of the City, Pirate’s Cove, Rosemary’s News and Ideas, The Pink Flamingo, Right Voices, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe

Online visits and what people search about candidates reveals voter interest. For instance Sarah Palin is present in searches by Obama supporters as well as McCain supporters. Although Obama has more cash to throw around and has a larger online presence McCain videos have been incredibly popular.

The McCain campaign, however, excelled at online video, growing 175 percent in September with 3.2 million total streams. On Obama’s site, streams increased 60 percent to 2 million. Even though unique visitors to Obama’s site outpaced McCain’s in September, the increase percentage was 56 for McCain and 31 for Obama. That increase plus the presence of Sarah Palin in all visitors searches may indicate what people find important in this race.

Sarah Palin has been incredibly popular yet the MSM plays down her role and often asks if she is a negative for McCain. Maybe the negative is more the questions being asked by the media rather than anyone’s opinion of her. McCain’s flare for being the underdog and his monster push in the last week’s of the campaign seem to be drawing more attention to him, increasing his popularity and raising questions in voter’s minds about Barack Obama that have been muted by the press.

Those searching for McCain, for example, have also searched for Sarah Palin, campaign, debate. Those searching for Obama routinely typed in Sarah Palin, president, and vote. And …. For Obama, voters are searching Rezko, plumber, and Wright as much as economy, financial, and reform. It would seem that even while the MSM is giving Obama a pass on his negatives voters are searching for the answers where they can be found.

If Obama is elected voters who supported or opposed him may find the job market leaving them nothing more than a claim of a thousand dollar tax refund from Obama but with no job. And the Obama campaign continues to paint McCain as four more years of President Bush. But it is funny that for all the criticism of Bush we haven’t been attacked since 9/11 under his watch and Biden strongly warned Obama would be tested by our enemies if elected. So within six months of an Obama election we could be attacked and losing our jobs. It is another problem with Obama that his campaign and assistance from the media hopes you won’t notice.

That Obama and the media play down his associations with Ayers, Rezko, Wright, Pfleger, Khalidi, Davis, ACORN and the organizing intimidation of Alinsky and other problems, there are no such questions or problems with John McCain. Something you may want to think about as you head to the polls.

And while critics like to throw mud at Sarah Palin and also suggest she is not ready or capable consider something else the media ignores. As the most popular governor in the country, Sarah Palin does what elected officials are supposed to do. She has successfully represented her constituents which happen to be the citizens of Alaska. She has successfully attended to their needs while also succeeding with marriage and family and supporting core American values. That same devotion, dedication and success would follow her to the Office of Vice-President of the United States.

McCain’s record speaks for itself. His adherence to duty, honor, country and pursuit of reform, prosperity and peace spells success for America along with his running mate Sarah Palin. The Obama/Biden ticket has no such resume’.

Vote McCain/Palin today.

Stanford Matthews
Morewhat.com

Below is a press release for the Tata Nano and a news report about its debut. It is doubtful anyone has really had time to draw any conclusions about this vehicle or the implications of its introduction yet. There is probably enough speculation to go around and one cannot help but recall the Yugo at a time like this. But it seems reasonable to offer a post on this blog featuring this unique development in the automotive industry.

As far as the $2500 price tag is concerned that has to get someone’s attention. You could purchase a Ford Mustang in 1970 for about $3500. A Fiat 850 went for $2500 in 1972. So is the Tata Nano reliable? Is it really safe? Will it be reasonable to service? Will it be available in the US? How will the insurance industry respond? What are the performance characteristics? Is anyone interested in the US? Will it have an effect on automotive trends here? Is anyone reading this buying one?

Tata Motors unveils the People’s Car

Released on : 10th January, 2008
A comfortable, safe, all-weather car, high on fuel efficiency & low on emissions

Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, today unveiled the Tata ‘NANO’, the People’s Car from Tata Motors that India and the world have been looking forward to. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the People’s Car brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The People’s Car will be launched in India later in 2008.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, Mr. Ratan N. Tata said, “I observed families riding on two-wheelers – the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors’ engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People’s Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility.”

Stylish, comfortable
The People’s Car, designed with a family in mind, has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.

Yet with a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

When launched, the car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions will offer a wide range of body colours, and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual’s preferences.

Fuel-efficient engine
The People’s Car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.

Meets all safety requirements
The People’s Car’s safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

Environment-friendly
The People’s Car’s tailpipe emission performance exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.
(For more information: www.tatanano.com )

About Tata Motors
Tata Motors is India’s largest automobile company, with revenues of US $ 7.2 billion in 2006-2007. With over 4 million Tata vehicles plying in India, it is the leader in commercial vehicles and the second largest in passenger vehicles. It is also the world’s fifth largest medium and heavy truck manufacturer and the second largest heavy bus manufacturer. Tata cars, buses and trucks are being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and South America. Tata Motors and Fiat Auto have formed an industrial joint venture in India to manufacture passenger cars, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets; Tata Motors also has an agreement with Fiat Auto to build a pick-up vehicle at Córdoba, Argentina. The company already distributes Fiat branded cars in India. Tata Motors’ international footprint includes Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd. in South Korea; Hispano Carrocera, a bus and coach manufacturer of Spain in which the company has a 21% stake; a joint venture with Marcopolo, the Brazil-based body-builder of buses and coaches; and a joint venture with Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Company of Thailand to manufacture and market pick-up vehicles in Thailand. Tata Motors has research centres in India, the U.K., and in its subsidiary and associate companies in South Korea and Spain.

(For free broadcast-standard and streaming quality video content about Tata Motors, please log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/tatamotors. You can preview and request broadcast-standard video which will be delivered digitally or by tape. Registration and video is free to the media.)

- Ends -

Issued by:
Debasis Ray
Head - Corporate Communications
Tata Motors Limited
Phone: +912266657613
E-Mail: peoplescar@tatamotors.com
Website: http://www.tatanano.com

Indians Respond Enthusiastically to World’s Cheapest Car

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
15 January 2008

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The world’s cheapest car, made by an Indian manufacturer, has triggered unprecedented interest in a country where only eight people in every thousand own a car. From New Delhi, Anjana Pasricha has a report on how people in India are reacting to Tata Motors’ Nano.

Tens of thousands of people are flocking to the Auto Show in New Delhi - and the star attraction is a $2,500 car dubbed the “People’s Car”.

The Nano, produced by India’s Tata conglomerate, made its debut last week.

After a peek at the no-frills vehicle, with a 624 cubic centimeter engine, thousands say they want to buy it.

“I belong to middle class family, so it is very good thing for us, good news for us, because I can dream a good car in India,” said one person.

“This is very cheap, I want to buy for my son,” one gentleman said.

“Its cost is not too much, and I wish I have personal car and I cannot buy large one,” said one woman.

“It appeals [to] me just due to the parking situation available in India number one, number two the fuel efficiency, number three is price, number four it is very cute vehicle, seems to be very cute,” added yet another gentleman.

People have even flocked in from villages far from the city to see the Nano.

Balwan Ram took a bus from a village in Haryana state, 100 kilometers away from Delhi. Ram says he came especially to see the car and now is waiting to buy it to replace his motorbike.

The enthusiasm is not surprising in a country of more than a billion people, where a family outing can be a challenge because of dismal public transportation.

Tata chairman Ratan Tata says he conceived of the low-priced car for India’s masses when he saw a family traveling on a two wheeled scooter; the father driving, his child standing in front of him, and wife seated behind holding a baby - all getting wet in the rain.

“This has been referred to as one man’s dream,” sadi Tata. “And indeed it was.”

Now global automakers are watching to see how that dream pans out in the marketplace.

If the small car is successful after hitting the roads later this year, it could expand the car market in an unprecedented manner in developing countries.

But not everyone is happy. Although the manufacturers say the small car will meet strict emission standards, environmentalists worry about fuel use and the congestion it will cause on India’s crowded roads.

The head of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, R.K. Pachauri, says the focus should be on more efficient public transportation.

“The problem is not with the product itself. The usage of the product and what that implies, how can we be blind to that?” he asked. “Where are we going to find road space to accommodate all these cars, not to speak of local pollution, not to speak of the fact that it is going to crowd out public transport options.”

But these concerns are of little interest to the millions eagerly waiting to become car owners for the first time.

This blog panned the Consumer Electronics Show last year based on some simple principles. Basically there is never a shortage of hype, marketing and snake oil selling when it comes to tech products or services. While there may be some interesting gadgets to look at or play with the fact remains technology gets doled out in predetermined increments solely to maximize profit beyond the worth of any offering. The pricing versus value or utility or sophistication exceeds the benefits a consumer may expect.

Like the cheap printers with the outrageously priced ink cartridges or the fifty dollar cellphones that do everything well except connect you with another person to talk to for a reasonable price with quality approaching the dreaded land line that also replaces long distance charges with roaming and monthly service charges that are obscene.

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Las Vegas is known for big shows and the annual Consumer Electronics Show, which just ended, is one of the biggest. In a space the equivalent of 35 football fields, 2700 exhibitors are displaying thousands of high-tech devices and services they will be marketing in the coming year. As Faiza Elmasry reports, the world’s largest consumer electronics show does not just showcase tomorrow’s advanced technologies, it also helps them move into the mainstream.

Since 1967, the Consumer Electronics Show has been providing a platform for technology developers and manufacturers to showcase their newest innovations and inventions. This trade fair introduced the world to the videocassette recorder in 1970, the compact disc player in 1981 and the plasma TV ten years later, and it continues to present the technologies and devices of the future.

Technology trend expert Brian Cooley says the novelties at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show are no less revolutionary than those of previous years. They include a car that drives itself, an intelligent bed that uses vibration to stop insomnia, a bathroom mirror that allows you to watch TV while brushing your teeth, and a smart automobile navigation system.

“You have a GPS navigation unit that you might have stuck to your windshield, then add Internet to that wirelessly,” he says. “So you can search for things that you need right from the navigation screen. Then [you can] also get directions to go find whatever it may be, maybe a store or a restaurant.”

Cooley says you don’t need a GPS navigation system to find other cutting-edge products at the show.

There is a new refrigerator from Whirlpool that’s equipped with a multi-port docking station for charging gadgets like iPods and computers, a home surveillance robot made by WowWee that can be controlled via the internet through a mobile phone, cell phones that function more and more like computers, and, of course, new ways to watch TV.

“I’m seeing devices that let you download television programming from the Internet and display it on TV in high quality,” Cooley says.

Wireless is big this year, according to another analyst, Drew Krasny. He singled out the High Definition TV by Phillips.

“It’s a frameless television set,” he says. “There is a smooth and clean edge around their HDTV (High Definition TV). No speakers anywhere to be seen. It’s all coming from the sides and the back of the television set.”

Krasny says the company has won numerous awards for the Amba sound technology it developed.

“Ambasound actually simulates Surround Sound,” he says. “So, in their home theater system sound bar are 6 speakers in this little bar that fits perfectly under your flat screen TV that shoot invisible sound throughout your room without any wires whatsoever. So you are able to have rich sounding [audio], the bangs and pops of bullet firing, the cats and dogs jumping off the roof in these cartoons that we watch. You just get this crisp, wonderful sound.”

What’s so significant about the annual Consumer Electronics Show, Krasny says, is it provides a formal, large-scale launch pad to introduce products that incorporate new technologies. As an example, he points to Lenovo’s latest laptop computer, which uses facial recognition technology.

“You can actually use your face as your password, you need your face to log on your computer,” he says. “I am so impressed with that technology! Do you know what this means? It means that it’s around the corner that we just go to the teller at the bank or at the grocery store, buying groceries, and we just use our face as our identification!

While almost all the devices and gadgets on display are intended for the average consumer, technology expert Brian Cooley says a few seem unmarketable, such as the massive 2.5 X 3 meter plasma TV with a 380-centimeter screen.

2700 exhibitors show thousands of devices they are planning to maket next year

“Nobody needs this in fact. Nobody really should even want this TV because the power bill to run it would be unbelievable,” he says. “It’s frankly too big, but for a very small number of very wealthy consumers with extremely large homes this is the kind of thing they would like.” Nevertheless, Cooley says, “All the manufacturers have giant three-digit size flat panels in the show. It’s a matter of almost showing off what they can do, not showing what you need.”

The latest hi-tech gadgets will soon be moving off the show floor in Las Vegas to stores around the world. In general, they will be offered at prices that only wealthy enthusiasts are willing to pay. But once they satisfy that market, says hi-tech expert Brian Cooley, retailers will bring the prices down, making these technologies more available for the average consumer.
By Faiza Elmasry
Washington, DC

Sometimes the reality that nearly every aspect of daily life is a commercial target in the land of the free enterprise and home of the brave new world becomes very tiring. The purity of sports lost its virginity many years ago but that hasn’t stopped the NFL or college sports from taking it to a lower level. With Barry Bonds impending trial baseball has a share in it too. And the other ‘professional’ sports are infected as well.

Not that the tech world or information highway should be expected to be immune to the wicked ways of some business models but it would have been nice if the longevity of purity in sport could have been duplicated in something like social networking. Since MySpace and Facebook, et al, have been defined as havens for sexual predators among other things the fact that Facebook would intrude on users by sending transaction details to others on their friends list is not a shocker. The apology from one of the apparent top dogs and claimed implementation of an opt-out arrangement is far too little an atonement that provides no more sincerity than a perp raising their hands when busted and ordered to do so. The only conclusion to draw or question to ask is what else are you doing, Mr Zuckerberg, besides the beacon program?

Wake-Up Call in Facebook-Beacon Controversy
C.G. Lynch, CIO.com
Thursday, December 06, 2007 3:45 PM PST

In the wake of Facebook’s disastrous Beacon advertising program, privacy experts wonder if the company’s overzealous use of customer information will force corporate IT departments to analyze how their corporate data intersects with the social networking trend.

On Dec. 5, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg apologized in his blog for the Beacon program, which tracked the purchases of Facebook users on third-party websites such as Overstock.com and Fandango.com. The information about those purchases was then pushed to friends of that user on their respective Facebook homepages. As an example, if one person booked a movie ticket on Fandango, his or her friends might get a notification that showed his purchase.

The program was criticized by progressive advocacy group Moveon.org, which quickly garnered nearly 70,000 signatures in opposition to the Beacon service for not having an adequate opt-out function. Zuckerberg announced in his apology that an opt-out is now possible.

The drive to transform every activity into revenue is becoming a sickness. It appears as if the the more ethics and governance issues are addressed by mission statements and departments charged with oversight the more instances of flagrant abusive practices are discovered. When every customer is reduced to a dollar sign it may simply be inevitable that the loss of ethical behavior follows.

As painful as this next item is it must be mentioned and then clarified. MoveOn dot org gathered 70000 signatures to pressure Facebook to ‘knock it off’ and while that is admirable, the article referenced in this post refers to MoveOn dot org as a progressive advocacy group. Let’s just say that may be giving MoveOn a little more credit than they deserve.

Some of the other items covered in the linked article are absurd. Number one, the average user is not likely to do much about the actions of others while engaging the internet. And without considerable skill and tools foiling the schemes of when using electronic technology is a lottery-sized probability at best. Most of what occurs is invisible to most users.

And comparing data about your online activity being presented to authorities via a third party as being more exposed than being able to challenge a direct subpoena with legal representation omits the very real possibility of a search warrant being executed and having no recourse to prevent your hard drive, etc., from being confiscated.

The bottom line is your activity on the net and everything associated with it is fair game for hackers and the long arm of the law not to mention any website you visit. It is too bad that little of what goes on these days is pure in form or free from misuse by others. It is more about who we are or what we are becoming rather than the battle between good and evil. But it feels better to consider yourself above all that and merely the target or victim of the guilty.

The ad campaign criticizing Mitt Romney on abortion by what is described as a GOP group favoring abortion rights proves two things.  The group may favor abortion but to claim they are Republican runs counter to the pro-life position of conservatives.  The second thing it proves is pro-choice advocates are convinced that Romney is firmly opposed to abortion or they would not waste the money on the ad.

So for those of you who may be undecided on Mitt Romney for President due to the abortion issue, this should clear things up for you.  Although Mitt Romney may not enjoy 100% support from all who claim to be pro-life, for months now many pro-life and religious groups have accepted the fact that Mitt Romney is opposed to abortion.  The ad referred to above is simply more evidence that those who support abortion oppose Mitt Romney.  And the rumor that the group has an association with liberal Republican candidate Rudy Giuliani does not hurt Romney’s case either.

A Republican group that favors abortion rights plans to hit Mitt Romney in Iowa and New Hampshire with a TV spot and newspaper ads over his change of position on abortion.

“Governor Romney will not back down from his pro-life position, despite this group’s attempts to weaken the party platform and promote Mayor Giuliani’s pro-choice candidacy,” Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said.

For those readers not aware and to borrow the phrase ‘in the interest of full disclosure’ this blog fully supports Mitt Romney for President.  But facts are facts and if a pro-choice attacks a candidate with a pro-life position it serves as evidence the candidate’s pro-life position is valid.  The strange thing is having a group claim to be Republican or conservative and holding a pro-choice stand.  It is hard to believe they are associated with the GOP but easy to believe they are pro-choice and again only serves as evidence that Mitt Romney opposes abortion.

If you haven’t already, throw your support behind Mitt Romney.  You won’t be disappointed.

AP’s analysis does not really critique the ad or Clinton’s claims as much as it is almost sympathetic to the Queen of Cringe as she is criticized by her opponents. Funny how Clinton refers to her opponents criticism as an attack machine. Does she expect get through a political campaign without facing opposition? The GOP is no more critical of Hillary Rodham Clinton than either John Edwards or Barack Obama. And she certainly doesn’t characterize her own criticism of her opponents as attacks. How does Hillary Rodham Clinton define her acknowledged possession of ‘dirt’ on Obama that she will unleash if his campaign becomes too competitive?

ANALYSIS: The ad airs as Republicans increasingly have been using Clinton as a political foil. Republican Rudy Giuliani joked at her expense Friday in a speech before the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group. In a speech in New Hampshire on Sunday, McCain cast himself as the Republican best able to defeat Clinton in a general election.

Romney has run ads in New Hampshire saying Clinton has no experience as an executive and compares her White House years as first lady to that of an intern. McCain has run ads in New Hampshire criticizing Clinton’s attempt as New York senator to get $1 million in federal money for a Woodstock museum in Bethel, N.Y., to commemorate the 1969 rock festival.

Even a search result featuring the take of the NYT on Hillary Rodham Clinton’s ad claiming to take on an attack machine of the GOP does not give a glowing report on the ad or Clinton’s attempt to convince viewers she has experience to lead the country. The only high level task she ever had was her failed health care initiative as First Lady. And she wants you to believe her time in the White House qualifies her to be President.

ACCURACY Mrs. Clinton promises to lead the country out of Iraq, but she does not mention that in 2002, she voted to grant President Bush the authority to take military action against Iraq. Both John Edwards and Senator Barack Obama have made similar promises to support middle-class voters and cut the federal deficit, though some budget analysts question the ability of Mrs. Clinton to balance the budget while increasing spending on health care and other programs. And on the experience front, Mrs. Clinton has frequently exchanged barbs with Mr. Obama over that issue — beyond their shared time in the Senate, Mr. Obama points to his time as a community organizer in Chicago, and she counts her tenure as first lady as time “in the White House.”

The Boston Globe’s take on the Clinton ad may accidentally point to the real problem with Hillary, her campaign and the notion that she is qualified to be President. The first line below quotes an announcer’s claim of HRC. Who does not have the strength to fight? What the hell is that supposed to accomplish other than the usual say nothing? And the claim she has the ‘experience to lead’ is again not followed by anything supporting that claim. That is no different than claims on her campaign website that she has been active as a Senator and involved in all kinds of legislative initiatives. Nothing but vague phrases selected to imply she has done things with absolutely no supporting evidence.

Any personnel manager, human resources manager for the politically correct crowd, would have a resume’ like the one Hillary is trying to sell on its way to the circular file before you could yell ‘bogus’.

“The strength to fight, the experience to lead,” the announcer concludes.

The ad appears designed to both elicit some sympathy for Clinton, by far the most popular target for the Republican candidates, and to press one of her candidacy’s core arguments — that she is the most electable Democrat who has taken on and defeated Republican attacks before.

To review, Hillary Rodham Clinton’s experience for the Office of President of the United States contains two items. Being married to a President and as First Lady failing at the only related task she attempted. And the second is cherry picking a favorable Democratic district in which to run for the Senate where she bragged about unnecessarily wasting $29 million in campaign contributions to defeat a Republican sacrificial lamb for re-election. Any Democrat would have won as the GOP conceded the seat to the Dems. That must be her idea of defeating what she claims are attacks by her opponents. They are not attacks, they are part of a political competition known as a campaign. Further evidence that HRC does not take criticism well. Another shortcoming that would not serve a President well.

You might not think it would not be much trouble to get a discussion going on the net.  With easily millions of sites featuring every topic imaginable one should only need to offer a place for conversation and the void will be filled.  With social networking sites like myspace or facebook and their popularity as evidence, there is no apathy toward self-expression in cyberspace.  The time is overdue for a little self-promotion on behalf of MoreWhat.com and an invitation to anyone who reads this blog or sees this post.  The Forum @ MoreWhat.com has had the cobwebs removed, a few mods installed and is awaiting the wisdom of your thoughts.  Feel free to express them.

While MoreWhat.com has been around for a while, the board has suffered from abuse by spammers and lack of attention from Admin.  While the minimalist attitude at this site keeps the board simple in nature, it is now set for anonymous posts in the Open Topic and User Feedback forums.  The others are limited to registered users but the two open forums should provide adequate space for freedom of expression without excessive demands on the human intervention of Admin.  As time goes on and experience dictates other changes will take place to improve the ‘user experience’.

So there you have it.  An invitation to kick the tires on Forum @ MoreWhat.com and a big link below for you to click.

Forum @ MoreWhat.com

A place to share the value of wisdom……..or not.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

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