General Motors sells Saab to Dutch firm Spyker

Saab has not made a profit since 2001

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8481621.stm

Sweden's Saab is being sold to Dutch luxury carmaker Spyker, General Motors (GM) has confirmed.

GM has been trying to sell Saab since January 2009. Earlier this month, it said it would start to shut down the firm while still looking for a buyer.

But GM said wind-down activities would be immediately suspended, "pending the close of the transaction".

Spyker sold 43 cars in 2008, when it posted a loss of $35m (£21m). It has yet to make a profit in six years.

Spyker has agreed to pay $74m in cash for Saab, John Smith, GM vice-president for corporate planning and alliances, told reporters.

Under the deal, GM would also get $326m worth of preferred shares in Saab.

ANALYSIS Jorn Madslien, Business reporter, BBC News Saab, the car that emerged from a company making fighter jets, is set for a new existence as a subsidiary of Spyker, a small, loss-making Dutch sports car maker. Spyker chief Victor Muller says he wants to create more jobs, rather than reduce the Saab workforce, as he is keen to prevent the number of cars produced from falling further. But others have tried and failed to make Saab into a volume carmaker. For the 3,400 workers at Saab's factory in Trollhaettan, the deal offers a glimmer of hope for the future, though it is too early to suggest their jobs are safe.

The Swedish government has also agreed to guarantee a 400 million-euro (£349m; $563m) loan Saab had requested from the European Investment Bank, which was seen as key to the sale.

"Now the deal between Spyker and GM has been finalised, so the government has today taken the decision to give loan guarantees to Saab Automobile," Enterprise Minister Maud Olofsson said.

'Great news'

Saab lost 3bn kronor (£255m; $412m) in 2008, and has not made a profit since 2001.

US group GM rejected an earlier offer from Spyker for Saab in December.

Shares in Spyker were earlier suspended on the Amsterdam stock exchange, with the Dutch financial market regulator saying the move was "pending [a] press release" from the company.

Its shares were 2.8% higher before the suspension, after having risen more than 60% on Monday.

"Today's announcement is great news for Saab employees, dealers and suppliers, great news for millions of Saab customers and fans worldwide, and great news for GM," said GM's John Smith.

"General Motors, Spyker Cars, and the Swedish government worked very hard and creatively for a deal that would secure a sustainable future for this unique and iconic brand, and we're all happy for the positive outcome," he said.

The Orangutan and the Hound Dog

By: Maria Goodavage
From: http://dogblog.dogster.com/2010/01/15/the-orangutan-and-the-hound-dog/

We know that dogs are human’s best friend, but did you know that at least one dog is an orangutan’s best friend too? It was like love at first sight, from the moment Suriya the orangutan and Roscoe, the blue tick hound, laid eyes on each other. (Check out Roscoe’s expression in each of these photos. He’s the picture of true contentment.)

The two first crossed paths at a South Carolina preserve for endangered animals (The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) ) two years ago. According to Dr Bhagavan Antle, founder of TIGERS:

“He followed us through the gate and ran over and found Suryia. As soon as he saw Roscoe, Suryia ran over to him and they started playing. It was unusual because dogs are usually scared of primates but they took to each other straight away. We made a few calls to see if he belonged to anyone and when no-one came forward, Roscoe ended up staying.”

They relax together.

They chill at the water’s edge.

The even swim together.

They are friends for a lifetime. (Check out how Suriya is holding Roscoe’s paw with his foot!)

Below are two videos about how they met, and their lives together. Since Canadians don’t seem to be able to view the National Geographic video (could they if it were “International Geographic”?), we’re first presenting an alternative. It’s less professional, but perhaps more heartfelt.

Share this entry with your pawple anywhere:

Air New Zealand to "revolutionize" transpacific travel with new cabins

by Grant Martin
from: http://www.gadling.com/

Tomorrow's announcement from Air New Zealand about their new cabin configurations is purported to be a doozy, a change to transpacific flight that could forever impact the way we think about airline travel.
A few small clues about the configurations have leaked through, including a recent interview with ANZ's CEO Rob Fyfe where he indicates that most of the changes would be in the economy and premium economy sections. A recent article from the New Zealand Herald also suggests that the airline may go as far as installing lie-flat seats throughout all of coach.
Here at Gadling we've got a couple of ideas for where the award-winning airline can go with their long-haul aircraft:
Like Delta has considered, ANZ could reconfigure their cabin with staggered seats, incorporating more room for passengers and creating even more space to pack in seats.
One of the wide-body options that Airbus has recently offered is for bunk beds in economy. Could Boeing and their 777 aircraft use the same thing?
The above interview with Rob Fyfe highlighted the importance that ANZ is placing on families in the future. Using cafe style (facing one another) seating in coach could help families coordinate, make extra space and softening the pain of long haul travel.
Either way, we've sent our own airline expert Kent Wien out to the Air New Zealand ranch in Auckland, New Zealand to scope out the new changes, snap some photos and get the skinny on what the big excitement is all about. We'll get you updated Monday afternoon after the official launch.

UPDATE: Read all about the new changes here.

Gallery: Air New Zealand's new business class configurations

Gallery: Air New Zealand's new premium economy cabin

Gallery: Air New Zealand's new Skycouch seats

10 legendary bassists and bass solos

From: http://sneakmove.com/

For most rock bands, singers and guitarists get the majority of the spotlight. The bassist is usually pushed to the back, keeping the groove with a drummer who can hardly be seen behind the drumset.

But once in a while a bassist comes along with the skill and personality that forces him to the front of the stage. When that happens, look out!

Here are TEN kings of the four-string everyone should know about. Some of these guys are groovy, some of them are fast. Some think they’re guitarists, and a lot of them like to slap and pop. But one thing they all have in common: it’s fun to watch them play.

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(Reminder: if you’re a music fan, you should browse our record release catalog – we put out limited edition releases by talented artists. good stuff! and make sure to add us on twitter.)

Larry Graham: Credited with inventing the slap/pop bass technique. Played with Sly and the Family Stone and his own group, Graham Central Station. (More Larry Graham here)

John Entwistle: Bassist from The Who. Fast, furious basslines played with an almost effortless look on his face. (More John Entwistle here)

Victor Wooten: Bassist extraordinaire with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. (More Victor Wooten here)

Billy Sheehan: Best known for his work in Mr. Big. A lead guitarist in a bassist’s body, watch how fast he can play. Often paired with superguitarists like Steve Via and Paul Gilbert. (More Billy Sheehan here)

Les Claypool: Primus frontman who kept the 90’s “silly” with his charmingly goofy persona. Bay Area native; auditioned for Metallica after Cliff Burton died. (More Les Claypool here)

Buddy Hankerson: Grammy winner, played with Steve Arrington and and Young and Company, providing bass on their 1980 disco hit “I like What You’re Doing to Me.” (more Buddy Hankerson)

Jaco Pastorius: Legendary jazz bassist. Known for his skill with the fretless electric bass, use of harmonics. (More Jaco here)

Cliff Burton: Bassist with Metallica until his death in 1986; helped shape the heavy metal/thrash soundscape. (check out the Cliff ‘Em All documentary)

Flea: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ funky bassist. Along with Claypool he helped keep high school kids slapping and popping through the 90s; sticks closer to the Larry Graham fundamentals than his Primus counterpart. (More RHCP here)

Geddy Lee: Singer and bassist for prog-rock superstars Rush.

Of course, this is just ten of the greats. Who else would you include on the list?

Movie Made By Chimpanzees To Air On The BBC (VIDEO)

From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

The first film to be shot entirely by chimpanzees will premiere on the BBC on Wednesday, as part of a natural history documentary called "Chimpcam," the BBC reported.

The chimps were given a chimp-proof camera, designed especially for them, and complete creative control over what they filmed. Researchers will use the footage to observe how chimpanzees perceive the world and each other.

According to the BBC, The chimps were given two challenges:

The first was to teach the chimps how to use a touchscreen to select different videos. The second challenge was to give the apes a "Chimpcam", a recording camera housed in a chimp-proof box.

Initially, the chimps were more interested in each other than the video technology, as two male chimps within the study group vied to become the alpha male, disrupting the experiment. But over time, some of the chimps learned how to select different videos to watch.

WATCH a preview of the chimpanzee film here:

Superfast Bullet Trains Are Finally Coming to the U.S.

Illustration: Paul Rogers
Superfast Bullet Trains Are Finally Coming to the U.S.

Posted using ShareThis

Drink Great Wine on a Budget

• From: http://www.mint.com/
• Carolyn Alburger
  

CLICK TO ENLARGE

CLICK TO ENLARGE
Launch Infographic

Infographic by Carolyn Alburger

Unless you’re a real wine aficionado, you probably lack the confidence to know which of those bottles of wine on-sale at the local BevMo are a bargain and which deserve the appellation, two-buck-chuck. That’s why we’ve asked two Master Sommeliers to suggest some wines that can stand-in for more well-known (and expensive) bottles. With the right attitude and our handy chart, you’ll upgrade your wine cred, impress your guests, and save money.

Craig Tracy’s ‘South China Tiger Project’ is more than meets the eye

Author: Leo
From: http://thechive.com

Check out more of Craig Tracy’s amazing work at his new website, HERE

The Most Awesome Cat Ever Attacking a Bear

German rock band Scorpions to end career after more than 40 years

BERLIN January 24, 2010 (AP)

The Associated Press

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2009 file photo, the German rock band The Scorpions arrives for the Echo...

FILE - In this Feb. 21, 2009 file photo, the German rock band The Scorpions arrives for the Echo 2009 music award ceremony at Berlin, Germany. The band, known for its early 1990s hit "Wind of Change" among others, said on its Web site Sunday, Jan. 24, 2010, that "we agree we have reached the end of the road." (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)

(AP)

The German rock band Scorpions is bringing down the curtain on a career spanning more than four decades.

The band, known for its early 1990s hit "Wind of Change" among others, said on its Web site Sunday that "we agree we have reached the end of the road."

It said it would end its career with a final album — "Sting In The Tail," to be released in March — and a tour that will start in Germany in May and take it across the world "over the next few years."

Guitarist Rudolf Schenker founded the band in Hannover in 1965. Singer Klaus Meine joined a few years later. Both men are 61.

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On the Net: http://www.the-scorpions.com/english/

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

President Obama's Historic First Female Helicopter Pilot

Maj. Jennifer Grieves Is the First Woman to Fly the President in Marine One Helicopter

By ALICE MAGGIN and SADIE BASS

From: http://abcnews.go.com/

Marine One pilot Maj. Jennifer Grieves lands Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on her...

Marine One pilot Maj. Jennifer Grieves lands Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on her last day in rotation as a pilot of Marine One, July 16, 2009, in Washington, D.C. She is the first female Marine One pilot, and her final Marine One crew was made up entirely of women. She was designated a helicopter aircraft commander of Marine One in May 2008.

(Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images)

Maj. Jennifer Grieves is the first female helicopter aircraft commander in the history of Marine One, the HMX-1 helicopter the president of the United States flies on.

Like Air Force One, the presidential plane, it is only called Marine One when the president is aboard.

"It's not really about being a female," said Grieves, 38. "It's about being a Marine and about being part of an organization that is exceptional."

There are only five Marine pilots selected at any one time to fly the president and his family.

"Of course, it's nerve wracking to fly the president of the United States," she said. "I think my most stressful days are when I fly Sasha and Malia."

Marines take no chances when flying, even on the simplest of flights. They follow the exact same protocol for every flight, no matter who is on board.

But sometimes more daunting than the passengers is the South Lawn of the White House. There are no runways to land on -- just landing disks the Marines call pucks.

President Barack Obama salutes as he boards Marine One as he leaves the White House in Washington,...

President Barack Obama salutes as he boards Marine One as he leaves the White House in Washington, Thursday, July 16, 2009, for a trip to New Jersey and New York to deliver remarks to the NAACP during their 100th anniversary convention in New York City.

(Ron Edmonds/AP Photo)

"The pucks are very small that we have to land on, so it's certainly intimidating the first couple times you do it," Grieves said. "You have all the cameras on you."

Marine One has been landing on the South Lawn since 1957, when Dwight Eisenhower had to get back to the White House from Rhode Island in a hurry.

Grieves enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1990 -- almost 20 years ago. Growing up, she wanted to become a veterinarian, but once in the Marines, she was encouraged to go to college and then flight school. Grieves chose the Marine Corps because it had the most rigorous training program.

"It ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made," she said.

Since May 2008, Grieves has traveled to seven countries, including Russia, Croatia and Great Britain, to assist the president. Most recently, she flew him in Italy.

"I went to Rome for the G-8," Grieves said. "We were there a couple weeks, and then we went directly from Rome to St. Louis so he could throw out the first pitch at the All-Star game. And then I flew my last flight the day I got back home.

"It's a very busy schedule," she added. "I would have to say I'd do it for free."

Grieves Flies With All-Female Crew

Grieves won't be earning her paycheck as a Marine One pilot any longer. Most Marine One pilots have the job for a year. She has been flying the president for the past 14 months and her last trip was this week.

To honor her, the Marines arranged for Grieves' last flight to have an all-female crew -- the first in history to ever fly the president.

"As far as the female crews go, I was so incredibly proud of both of them when we came and landed," she said. "Everything about [the flight] has probably made my Marine Corps career. And if I were to retire in six months, I would retire knowing that I've been part of an exceptional organization."

President Obama acknowledged the work she has done on behalf of her country. He came in to the cockpit of the helicopter and thanked her for her service. He also gave her a rare presidential coin.

"He told us that he was very proud of us -- and not in a condescending way, but as a military-members way, as a father-of-two-daughters way," she said. "And he just thanked us again, and it was a special moment for me."

Grieves may have been the president's pilot, but she's a Marine first.

"Obviously, meeting the president of the United States is an exceptional opportunity," she said. "But I think just being a Marine is far above that privilege."

Copyright © 2010 ABC News Internet Ventures

Penny Shooter Business Card

From: http://cardnetics.com/randd/pennyshooter.html

About

The Penny Shooter does just as the name says. The fold-up magazine allows you to load up to ten US pennies and fire them off in rapid succession. The card measures 2" x 3.5", but unfortunately in order to accommodate the pennies it has a hefty .09" thickness without the rubber bands. Watch the video embedded above to see the Penny Shooter in action.

Prototype?

*Update* - I've had more than enough prototypes bought. This card will be leaving the prototype stage as soon as I get a chance

Why is this card a prototype? Because I don't want to invest the time and money into the tools to produce new cards unless I know there are enough people interested in buying them. This will allow me to develop a wider selection of cards at a better price in the long run.

There are several ways to show your support for a card to be moved into production. The fastest way is to pay a production fee to help cover the cost of the tooling; email info@cardnetics.com if you are interested in this option. Another way is to buy prototype cards which are more expensive and have brown edges from being laser cut. If enough prototype cards are bought I will make the card a production card. You can also leave comments on this page to show support, suggest changes to the design, or give examples of what kind of people could use the card.

International buyers: I do ship internationally it may take up to 2 weeks for me to ship international orders. The Penny Shooter was designed for United States Pennies and may not work with your local coins, buy at your own risk. Specs for a US Penny - Diameter 19.05 mm (0.750 in) - Thickness 1.55 mm (0.061 in)

Prototype cards $8 -

*Update* - Orders are coming in faster than I expected. I'm trying my best to keep up, but there may be several days of delay before I can get your order shipped.