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Friday, February 26, 2010

Boston's Combat Zone Relived In New Exhibit

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One photo shows a working guy walking past a working girl on Lagrange Street.
View: The exhibit online

But today, this area of the city looks nothing like it did decades ago.

An X-rated movie house is now a Dunkin' Donuts and the streets have more pedestrians than prostitutes.

But, you can now take a walk down memory lane, straight to the Combat Zone.

"This is kind of fun," said photographer John Goodman. "This is amazing."

Goodman, a Boston native, is one of three photographers taking part in a new exhibit at the Howard Yezerski Gallery in Boston. The exhibit chronicles the people and places of Boston's Combat Zone from 1969 through 1978.

View: The exhibit online

"I was a young kid with a camera and it was all there for me and I photographed it," said Goodman.

30 black-and-white photographs by Goodman, Roswell Angier and Jerry Berndt are on display.

Gallery owner Howard Yezerski says it's not just baby boomers taking a look.

"I'm really surprised at the amount of young people who are interested."

The neon sign that used to beckon patrons to the Naked I strip club, now welcomes gallery patrons.

Sean Callahan, 36, came to see the exhibit. He used to live in the combat zone.

"I had a loft in Chinatown which is now One Lincoln… but the Naked I…was still there."

While a few businesses remain, most are gone.

The pictures show not only just how much this area has changed, but also a glimpse into the lives of the people who used to live and work on these streets.

One shows a working guy walking past a working girl, a prostitute on Lagrange Street.

Another shows the youthful faces of a carload of guys, armed with a six-pack of Schlitz beer headed to the Zone for the night.

And then there's the wistful look of Lorrain Gail, a stripper at the Two O'Clock Club, who would end up murdered by an ex-boyfriend.

"Every single picture tells a story in and of itself," said Katie O'Brien, 33, who came to see the exhibit.

It was a time and place, now taking its place in Boston history.

"It was amazing in its own way," said Goodman.

The exhibit runs through March 16th at the Howard Yezerski Gallery in Boston.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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Geneva Preview: Hyundai reveals diesel hybrid i-Flow



Hyundai's home office in Korea has dropped the first frontal image of the new concept that will be shown next week in Geneva along with some technical details. The i-Flow is a D-segment sedan meant to go up against cars like the Ford Mondeo in Europe. Under the hood, the i-Flow has Hyundai's first diesel hybrid powertrain including a new 1.7-liter inline-four. The diesel has dual stage turbocharging and is paired up with Hyundai's Blue-drive system using a new six-speed dual clutch gearbox. Like the upcoming Sonata hybrid, the i-Flow uses a lithium polymer battery pack. With its drag coefficient of 0.25, the i-Flow is claimed to achieve 78.4 miles per gallon (U.S.) and CO2 emissions of just 85 grams/kilometer.

Joining the i-Flow onstage will be a refreshed version of the i30 (badged as the Elantra Touring in North America) and low emissions "blue" versions of the i10, i20, i30 and ix35 (Tucson). These models get automatic start-stop, low rolling resistance tires and aero tweaks. The four cars all get CO2 ratings under 100 g/km while the crossover ix35 gets 135 g/km. Finally, Hyundai will also show a fuel cell version of the new ix35/Tucson for the first time. Hyundai still plans to produce fuel cell vehicles in the thousands annually by 2012.

[Source: Hyundai]


PRESS RELEASE

HYUNDAI TO PRESENT EIGHT WORLD DEBUTS AT GENEVA

Hyundai has today revealed the first photo of the all-new concept car i-flow (HED-7), ahead of its international debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The i-flow, which advances the 'fluidic sculpture' form language of Hyundai, will be joined on stage by other newcomers, including the facelifted i30 ? to be launched as i30U ? and a number of new, production-ready derivatives with CO2 emissions below 100g/km.

Previewing a future D-segment contender from Hyundai, i-flow boasts sleek, elegant lines which not only create a bionic, futuristic shape, but also contribute to exceptional aerodynamics. The drag coefficient of 0.25Cd helps to reduce the car's CO2 output to just 85g/km and fuel consumption to only 3l/100km.

Hyundai's first diesel-electric hybrid powertrain is a key factor in delivering such an environmentally-conscious return. The exciting new U2 1,7-liter engine is augmented by two-stage turbocharging and Hyundai's Lithium Ion-Polymer battery, to give a very efficient and advanced combination, partnered with a six-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

The interior of i-flow redefines the perception of space in a sedan bodystyle, and sees the application of next-generation materials and technologies developed in cooperation with leading chemical company BASF. Fundamental elements, such as the seats and center console, have been crafted in collaboration with BASF for minimal weight and volume. The cockpit's main interface centers around an expansive, contoured screen, which recognizes not only touch but also gestural inputs along its fascia-wide display.

The glossy 'Liquid Metal' finish ? developed by BASF Coatings ? adds to the visual impact of i-flow's exterior. Special-effect pigments in this eco-friendly waterborne coating give the surface a polished metal appearance, and highlight the sculptural character of the car.

Entering mass production in March this year, the i30U takes over from the well-established i30, and incorporates a wide range of improvements in design, specification and competitiveness, as well as even cleaner powertrains. To complete the upgrade, i30U comes with the Hyundai 'Triple5' package, consisting of an enhanced five-year, bumper-to-bumper unlimited warranty, five years' roadside assistance, and an annual vehicle seasonal health check for five years. The package reflects the quality and reliability of the Europe-built i30 family and gives added peace of mind to consumers.

At the Show Hyundai will also reveal the latest additions to its growing collection of eco-focused Blue DriveTM innovations. Five new production vehicles have resulted from the company's leading-edge program: the i10 blue, i20 blue, i30 blue, i30cw blue, and ix35 blue. The new arrivals will drive the company towards its goal of global leadership in environmentally-sensitive automotive technologies.

Through innovations such as a stop-start system, low-rolling-resistance tyres and modified aerodynamics, the first four of these cars have CO2 emissions below 100g/km. The ix35 blue, meanwhile, boasts an impressive 135g/km ?a benchmark figure for a C-segment SUV. These improvements are achieved without compromising performance, reliability or driver satisfaction, making all Blue DriveTM models a realistic solution for motorists.

Looking one step beyond the blue-badged models, the ix35 FCEV moves Hyundai closer to the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. Debuting at Geneva, it features several important innovations over the previous-generation Tucson FCEV, and will lead to production volume of Hyundai FCEVs in the thousands by 2012. Among the developments implemented on ix35 FCEV are steps to reduce the cost and complexity of fuel-cell manufacturing and new approaches which simplify final assembly.

More information about Hyundai's star cars and the latest corporate news will be made available on the stand, where media can request press kits. The company's press conference will take place in Hall 1 at 14:15 (CET) on Tuesday 2nd March.

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Comedy.com's friend, the Dancing Dong, surprises people on ChatRoulette and captures their reactions in this video.

John Mayer Duets With 11-Year-Old Fan

by Lindsay Robertson in Stop The Presses!

Singer John Mayer found himself in hot water earlier this month after he famously dished about private details regarding exes Jennifer Aniston and Jessica Simpson, and even worse, was widely accused of racism for other comments he made in a Playboy interview. Repeated apologies and tearful onstage apologies did little to curtail the damage done to his reputation.


But Mayer may have found redemption in the form of an act of kindness toward a fellow musician: an 11-year-old named Austin Christy. The boy's dreams came true at a John Mayer concert in Philadelphia on Sunday night, when the celebrity singer-guitarist invited young Christy onstage to play a song in front of over 25,000 fans.

Mayer's gesture was prompted by his tween fan's clever attention-grabbing tactic. Austin, who says he's been practicing Mayer's songs for over two years, showed up at Sunday's show carrying a homemade sign that displayed a hand-drawn guitar and the plea "Can I play 'Belief" with you?" Mayer couldn't resist.

In a popular YouTube video of the random act of concert kindness, Austin calmly shares the stage with Mayer, acutely focused on his performance of the song:

"I was really excited. I was thinking that it wasn't real," the New Jersey sixth-grader gushed to a reporter after the show.

Christy also told the Courier Post Online, "I thought it was pretty cool because a lot of other artists wanted to play with him and he picked an 11-year-old out of a lot better artists."


Austin says he learned the particular song he played, "Belief," for his mom JoAnna, who was there with him in the front row when his pleas were answered.

And Mayer didn't share just his stage with Austin. Afterwards, the multimillion-album-selling artist gave the boy the red Squier guitar and guitar picks that Austin had borrowed from Mayer for the performance.

Mayer signed the guitar's base: "To Austin, You rock. Keep playing. See you at your show."

The incident sparked so much goodwill from fans that when Austin and his mom finally headed home from what was surely one of the best nights of their lives, they were escorted by bodyguards to help them through the crowd of smiling fans.


If John Mayer's Twitter activity is any indication, the singer, who has been uncharacteristically silent since the aftermath of the Playboy scandal, had his own spirits boosted by his act of onstage kindness.

Just hours after his performance with his young-musician fan, he tweeted, "8 out of 8 band members agree, Philly is always an awesome show. XO J"

"Zoolander 2" in the Works

"Zoolander 2" in the Works

BY Scott Ross

From: http://www.nbcwashington.com/

Justin Theroux, who had a hand in writing both "Tropic Thunder" and "Iron Man 2," is heading to Fashion Week in Paris to prepare to write the "Zoolander" sequel.

Ben Stiller, star, director and co-writer of the original, is working on a new script with Theroux, who plans to "immerse himself on what is current in fashion," a source has told Deadline Hollywood.

"Zoolander" was released a couple of weeks after 9/11 and fared poorly at the box office as a result, taking in a lowly $45 million. But it's subsequent DVD sales, near ubiquity on cable TV and the constant requests Stiller gets to do "Blue Steel," Derek Zoolander's signature look, are all testament to how popular the film truly is.

Assuming they can get Owen Wilson back on board, as well as cameos on a par with the original -- Will Ferrell, Milla Jovovich, David Bowie -- the sequel could easily take in three times the original.

Will it be as funny? That's another question.

Smiling Van Damme Friday - Is It Spring Yet?