Images of production Chevy Volt Revealed

Chevrolet just released some teaser images of its much-ballyhooed Volt plug-in hybrid. The bad news: it appears as if it will look very little like the punchy little Volt concept, which virtually stole the 2007 Detroit auto show. The good news: it should still look pretty cool, at least as far as we can tell from the two pictures, which show an illuminated front quarter as well as part of the tailgate.

Gone are the squinting headlamps and three-dimensional grille of the concept in favor of Ford-like, sideways L-shaped assemblies that include an HID bulb, lots of LED action, and a “halo ring” à la 2010 Chevrolet Camaro. The upper grille is now a stylized and patterned surface rather than a hungry air pocket. The concept’s outboard lower air intakes are also drastically different from those shown in the new images, but we think they got way more interesting this time around.

The frontal image also shows a lower opening that will feed and cool the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which will include massive batteries capable of propelling the car up to 40 miles by themselves. A small gasoline engine will serve as a generator to extend the car’s range up to 400 miles, but it won’t be involved at all in actual propulsion.

Other than the showing us the official Volt badge, which features a delicate lightning bolt striking through the “V,” the rear detail image doesn’t tell us a lot. Still a mystery is the exact shape of the roofline, windows—the side windows on the concept were integrated into the aggressive shoulderline—and trunk/tailgate, although we mentioned in an earlier report on the Volt’s development progress that the design “bears a family resemblance to the Chevrolet Malibu.” Hmm—we don’t see much Malibu here, beyond perhaps the five-spoke wheels.

We’re told that many of the changes made to the Volt’s design were dictated by wind-tunnel testing, which ultimately revealed the boxy concept, however great-looking, to be insufficiently aerodynamic. But from what we can tell, Chevrolet seems to be brewing up a design that appears as futuristic as the technology under its skin.

2010 Cadillac SRX revealed

PEBBLE BEACH, California — Preliminary details on the 2010 Cadillac SRX were revealed here today at a press conference leading into this weekend's Concours d'Elegance.

As expected, the next-generation Cadillac SRX will mimic the Provoq concept shown in Detroit earlier this year. Smaller than the current SRX, the next-generation model is designed to seat five and will not offer an optional third row.

According to Cadillac, "the all-new production model is being developed to achieve excellent driving dynamics and wet-weather traction, with an elegantly modern cabin designed to accommodate five passengers and ample cargo."

No details about its engine lineup were announced, but we expect the 2010 Cadillac SRX will offer V6, and possibly even four-cylinder, engines, but no V8s.

Cadillac says the SRX will debut at "major global auto shows later this year" and go on sale in mid-2009.

What this means to you: Even Cadillac is figuring out that big, V8-powered crossovers aren't the answer to waning interest in the Escalade.

2009 WRX driven

The 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX just didn't have it. You know, it. That extra something that makes a car kick ass.

After driving it for the first time last year, we fired up the poison pen. It was too soft, we wrote, understeered too much and its engine, once the class of the sport compact segment, ran out of steam well before redline. Frankly, we were pissed off. Subaru had blown it. But worse than that, we missed our old friend, the WRX — the one with immediate turn-in, a taut suspension and a redline-ripping boosted boxer engine.

Most car companies just get mad at us when we tell them their new car is crap. But not Subaru. Instead, Subaru listened. Then it fixed the car.

For 2009, only a single model year on, Subaru has returned the WRX to its proper place among sport compacts. Oh, it still shares its platform and the majority of its components with the 2008 model, but the 2009 WRX represents a complete attitude adjustment. It's more practical and refined than the first-generation car, but once again offers the original WRX's spirit, which not only offered enthusiastic all-wheel-drive handling and plenty of power for a reasonable price but gave the finger to convention.

The 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX has it.

More Power, More Torque
Starting with more engine output, Subaru has given the WRX its soul back. For 2009, horsepower is bumped from 224 to 265 while torque climbs from 224 pound-feet to 244. As important, the otherwise similar 2.5-liter boxer engine now pulls hard all the way to its 6,500-rpm redline while still delivering adequate mid- and low-range punch.

The additional motivation comes courtesy of the WRX STI turbocharger (with a slightly different trim). A larger-diameter exhaust and more efficient catalytic converters reduce exhaust backpressure by 30 percent relative to the 2008 WRX. Peak boost is up to 13.3 psi from the '08 model's 11.4 psi. The ECU is reprogrammed to accommodate these changes.

More power is always a welcome change to any new model, but it often comes with compromises. The only one we've spotted so far is an EPA city fuel economy rating that is reduced from 19 to 18 mpg. The EPA highway rating remains 25 mpg.

Chassis Tweaks
To quell the car's floaty ride and floppy handling, Subaru's chassis engineers worked like dogs, ignoring their wives and kids for months at a time.

The result? Spring rates are up 43 percent in front and 42 percent in the rear, while roll stiffness increases 22 and 29 percent front and rear. Additional roll stiffness comes from larger antiroll bars — the front bar diameter increases from 20mm to 21mm and the rear bar diameter increases from 15mm to 16mm. New dampers and STI upper strut mounts are matched to the stiffer spring rates.

Wider 225/45R17 summer tires replace the 2008 WRX's 205/50R17 all-season rubber. Last year's 15:1 steering ratio remains the same but a damper valve was added to the 2009 WRX's steering to reduce kickback caused by the wider tires.

And now we're convinced every chassis engineer should be an absentee dad. On the wildly undulating, pothole-ridden roads of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, the WRX's new attitude is immediately obvious.

Welcome Back, WRX
Pour the coals to the WRX and up to nine-tenths it rewards with much improved grip and cornering limits that will compete with its rivals from Mazda and Mitsubishi. We found it amply capable right up to the last few tenths of our own abilities, where heavier suspension damping would offer more control.

When pushed very hard over rough roads, there's still more body motion than we like — a problem it shares with the Mazdaspeed 3, which is slated for revised dampers sometime this year. Still, the stiffer suspension and new tires should elevate its limits beyond those of the Lancer Ralliart without a similar decrease in ride quality.

Brake hardware remains the same and the only improvement in stopping performance will come as a result of the wider, stickier tires. The last WRX we tested stopped from 60 mph in 123 feet, which is strong for the class while leaving room for improvement.

The car's newfound sharper responses don't keep us from wishing the WRX had front and rear limited-slip differentials, which would give its driver even more control at corner exit but also add cost. Mitsubishi equips its Lancer Ralliart with such hardware and Subaru should meet that challenge head on. As it is, the 2009 WRX powers out of corners adequately, but limited-slip diffs, like Subie stuffs in the STI, would make it better, especially in limited grip situations.

Emphasizing the WRX's more focused performance is the fact that it's only available with a five-speed manual transmission. Ratios remain the same as the '08 model. Getting an automatic requires stepping down to the 224-hp Impreza 2.5GT that's new for 2009. Subaru hopes this lesser version of the Impreza — basically the same spec as the 2008 WRX but only available with an automatic transmission — will capture buyers who want a softer, less powerful WRX. You know, girls.

Subaru claims the added power will propel the 2009 WRX to 60 mph from a standstill in 5.4 seconds. Our previous tests on the 2008 WRX showed 0-60 times ranging between 5.9 and 6.2 seconds. We expect the quarter-mile time to drop to the low 14-second range.

The 2009 Look
Subtle styling differences distinguish the 2009 WRX, but give the otherwise slab-sided machine a bit more personality. All 2009 WRXs will wear the aero kit that was an option on 2008 models, and an STI-style grille. Five-door models also get the STI's large rear spoiler and diffuser, while sedans use a low-profile trunk lid spoiler.

Also tweaked for the better are the Subie's exhaust tips. The sedan's dual-outlet exhaust has been redesigned and the five-door's single-outlet tip is larger (and stainless steel on cars equipped with the premium package).

The WRX is still not a broad-shouldered eye-catcher like the more powerful STI, but it now looks less like a small economy wagon from Korea and more like the antisocial performance machine it is. Even the sedan, which will never win any design awards, is now less offensive.

Inside, the WRX's high-back, integrated-headrest seats are carried over for 2009 but now include red embroidered WRX logos in the seatback. Red stitching is also present on the seat bolsters and steering wheel.

Get Yours Soon
Both the 2009 WRX and 2009 Impreza GT will be at dealers on September 1. WRX pricing isn't yet official but Subaru tells us to expect the base price to be less than $25,000 — about the same as the 2008 model. The Impreza 2.5GT, despite having less power, will offer more standard equipment (think automatic transmission and sunroof) and will be similarly priced, according to Subaru.

You can relax. The WRX is no longer an all-wheel-drive Camry. And Subaru clearly isn't relinquishing its grasp on the sport compact market. Drive the car and one fact becomes immediately obvious: The WRX is back.

Happy Summer Boating -- Van Damme Friday

The 6 Raunchiest, Most Depraved Sex Acts (From the Bible)

What happens when you take a really skanky sex story and dress it up in a lot of flowery words? You get the Bible. Or large chunks of it, anyway.

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"Elite" HIV wife may hold secret to AIDS vaccine

A woman who has never shown symptoms of infection with the AIDS virus may hold the secret to defeating the virus, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

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Weirdest Pageants of the World

There are all kinds of strange pageants. Contestants around the globe regularly exhibit their beauty, as well as displaying their talents in such unconventional activities as muskrat skinning and prostitute impersonation. As an added bonus, many of these contests have a swimsuit portion!

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Cheerleaders at the 2008 Beijing Olympics [PICS]

Cheerleaders - a very American sporting tradition - are seen at just about every game at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (Heck, even the Badminton tournaments have them!)

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Total Immersion: How To Swim Effortlessly in 10 Days

This is real cool:............In the span of less than 10 days, I’ve gone from a 2-length (2 x 20 yards/18.39 meters) maximum to swimming more than 40 lengths per workout in sets of 2 and 4. Here’s how I did it after everything else failed, and how you can do the same…

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Proof or Hoax? Bigfoot Claimed to be Found in Georgia

Two Georgia men claim to have found in the northern woods of that state something that has been often reported but never proven to exist: a Bigfoot. They say they have a body, photos of the body, and DNA evidence — some or all of which will be revealed this Friday, Aug. 15, at a press conference in Palo Alto, Calif.

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Scientists Develop a Robot with a Biological Brain

It’s interesting to note that this project is being led by Professor Kevin Warwick, who became famous in 1998 when a silicon chip was implanted in his arm to allow a computer to monitor him in order to assess the latest technology for use with the disabled.

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'Beer goggles' are real - it's official

13 August 2008
From New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.
Peter Aldhous

THE next time you hear someone blaming "beer goggles" for their behaviour, you may have to believe them. People really do appear more attractive when our perceptions are changed by drinking alcohol.

There have been few previous attempts to investigate the idea that people seem to find others more attractive when drunk. In 2003, psychologists at the University of Glasgow, UK, published a study in which they asked heterosexual students in campus bars and cafés whether they had been drinking, and then got them to rate photos of people for attractiveness. While the results supported the beer goggles theory, another explanation is that regular drinkers tend to have personality traits that mean they find people more attractive, whether or not they are under the influence of alcohol at the time.

To resolve the issue, a team of researchers led by Marcus Munafò at the University of Bristol in the UK conducted a controlled experiment. They randomly assigned 84 heterosexal students to consume either a non-alcoholic lime-flavoured drink or an alcoholic beverage with a similar flavour. The exact amount of alcohol varied according to the individual but was designed to have an effect equivalent to someone weighing 70 kilograms drinking 250 millitres of wine - enough to make some students tipsy. After 15 minutes, the students were shown pictures of people their own age, from both sexes.

Both men and women who had consumed alcohol rated the faces as being more attractive than did the controls (Alcohol and Alcoholism, DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agn065). Surprisingly, the effect was not limited to the opposite sex - volunteers who had drunk alcohol also rated people from their own sex as more attractive.

This contrasts with the Glaswegian team's results, where there was only an effect when men were looking at pictures of women, and vice versa. One explanation, says Munafò, is that alcohol-boosted perceptions of attractiveness tend to become focused on potential sexual partners in environments conducive to sexual encounters. He aims to repeat the experiment after showing students a video of people flirting in a bar, to provide some appropriate social cues.

Munafò also intends to study how the effect varies with the amount of alcohol consumed - although ethical constraints rule out exploring doses at which our ability to focus on a face breaks down. "We can look at smaller doses and we can look at slightly higher doses," he says.

As well as changing perceptions of attractiveness, alcohol also encourages us to engage in behaviour we would otherwise avoid. In a study by Robert Leeman of Yale University students reported they were more likely to engage in risky sexual acts after drinking - which could be due to alcohol lowering our inhibitions through a direct effect on the brain or by providing a convenient excuse for such behaviour.

Top Ten Fastest Guitarists of the World

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What If Your Wife Were A Porn Star?

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The Next Great Spy Movie? The Body of Lies Trailer is HERE!

Body of Lies

Based on Washington Post columnist David Ignatius' 2007 novel about a CIA operative, Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio), who uncovers a lead on a major terrorist leader suspected to be operating out of Jordan. When Ferris devises a plan to infiltrate his network, he must first win the backing of cunning CIA veteran Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe) and the collegial, but perhaps suspect, head of Jordanian intelligence. Although ostensibly his allies, Ferris questions how far he can really trust these men without putting his entire operation - and his life - on the line.

7 Gadgets to Help Get You in Shape

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Weird, Strange & Bad-Ass Martial Arts

Street Fighter IV

Photo: Capcom

Here's a Look at Some Martial Arts That We Wouldn't Mind Seeing in an Upcoming Video Game:

With the recent release of Soulcalibur IV, the impending arrivals of Street Fighter IV and Tekken 6, as well as rumours of Marvel vs Capcom 3 on the horizon and DC vs. Mortal Kombat being in development, there's lots for fans of fighting games to be getting excited about. Furthermore, there's a lot to be said regarding characters in fighting games. It seems that nowadays most game developers have a short laundry list of martial arts to draw upon: karate, judo, tae kwon do, kickboxing and muay thai, as well as made-up martial arts or generic movesets, such as "brawling." So, here's a look at some martial arts that we wouldn't mind seeing in an upcoming video game. Some of them are silly, some of them are fictitious, and some of them are real. Check it out!

Nguni Stick Fighting - Okay, so, teenagers in North America do things like sitting down and playing video games or cruising around on the Internet. Teenagers down in South Africa, though, like to practice hitting each other in the head as a way to pass the time. Nguni stick fighting is a martial art that is historically tied to the Zulu people and is seen by some folks as a part of the identity of being a Zulu. Apartheid laws in South Africa prevented people from owning firearms or possessing an izinduku (the name of the actual fighting stick), so practitioners were forced to improvise with items such as umbrellas. Also, Nelson Mandela was a disciple when he was younger.

Why this should be placed into a game: Being able to beat up M. Bison or Ivy as Nelson Mandela? Dude, that's almost as awesome as being able to bare knuckle box Abraham Lincoln!

Chances of implementation: Not very high, to be totally honest. Although there could be a ton of potential to institute something like this for a weapon based game, such as Soulcalibur, there's not enough "oomph" to make this truly appealing for folks.

Gymkata: actual results may vary
Credit: MGM

Gym Kata - What do you get when you combine the abilities of an Olympic gymnast with ninjitsu? Why, gymkata, of course, from the 1985 film of the same name...which was based on a book. Yes. Someone decided to write a book that combines gymnastics with ninjitsu and someone else thought it was such a kick ass idea that they just had to go and make a movie out of it. The amazing thing about all of this, though? There's almost a 30 year gap between book and film. I'll let you think that one over for a second. Anyway, gymkata, such as it is, is reliant on gymnastic equipment in order to be effective; things like uneven bars, pommel horses, etc. The rest is just your run of the mill martial arts stuff.

Why this should be placed into a game: In a genre that has sumo wrestlers, bull fighters, pacifist yoga experts and boxing kangaroos, having a gymkata character would not only be strangely fitting, but it'd also be hilarious to see. Besides, I don't think we'll ever see figureskatingkata, so this would be your best opportunity to punch out a smug, leotard wearing Olympiad.

Chances of implementation: Something like this would have to fit in as fan service of some kind. Unfortunately, I don't think that there are enough gymkata enthusiasts out there to get the attention of game developers. To put it another way: gymkata would need to defeat Sheng Long to stand a chance.

Metallikato - Back in 1987, interest was waning with the Transformers, thanks to the efforts of Johnny-come-latelys, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In an attempt to try and revive the franchise's toy line, Hasbro decided to introduce the Pretenders line of Transformers toys, which were basically Transformers who could disguise their robot forms. The line was fairly unpopular with fans and was one of the last set of toys that were released under the "original" set of Transformers toys. That said, the Pretender line also gave us Bludgeon, a Decepticon character who was a master of the Cybertron art known as Metallikato. While I won't try to get into a technical analysis here, Metallikato sounds like a simple enough premise: the ancient art of robot kicking and punching. Awesome.

Rejected Megadeth poster or a source of childhood trauma? You decide
Credit: Marvel Comics

Why this should be placed into a game: Are you friggen kidding me? ROBOT KUNG FU. 'Nuff said!

Chances of implementation: Pretty high if you stop to think about it. There's a Transformers sequel coming up pretty soon, and games like Soulcalibur have been known to introduce "guest" characters (see: Link, Spawn, Yoda and Darth Vader), so it wouldn't be a huge stretch for a Transformer to make it into a fighting game.

Dambe - Boxing characters in fighting games are, by and large, pretty damn lame. Balrog, the poster boy for boxers, is a pretty good example of this, having seen constant upgrades over his history as a playable character. I mean, it's pretty hard to be threatening when your entire repertoire consists of punches and your opponents are kicking you, throwing fireballs at you or zapping you with electricity. Meet Dambe, a form of Nigerian boxing. Depending on how you look at it, Dambe is either a variant of North American boxing or is a completely bad-ass martial art all in its own right. Let me explain: combatants have one hand that is designed for striking wrapped in a cloth, called the kara and bound with a cord called the zara. The striking hand is called the "spear." The other hand, which is used for blocking and deflection, is called the "shield." Strikes can be made using the spear, the feet, or head. Also, one leg is wrapped in a chain, called the akayau, and can be used as a weapon, and the kara, in some circles, is wrapped in ground glass.

OM NOM NOM, Balrog snacks on his glove
Credit: Capcom

Why this should be placed into a game: The potential for a character who is based on the Dambe fighting style is pretty high and could hinge around having a player, whose defense (using the shield hand) is an integral part of their game. This could be a turtler's dream, much to the annoyance and aggravation of everyone else.

Chances of implementation: Moderately high, if you ask me. All it would take is the proper attention being given to the sport in a movie or in something like MMA to give it some buzz. That said, trying to create a character that uses Dambe effectively could be a designer's nightmare. Tough call.

Rex: wife of Starla, champion of freedom and justice
Credit: Paramount Pictures

Rex Kwon Do - The fighting "system" showcased in Napoleon Dynamite. Not much is known about this rather unique system of martial arts that was developed "in the Octagon." Extremely effective against those smaller and weaker than you, and guaranteed to give you the "strength of a grizzly bear and the reflexes of a puma," Rex Kwon Do would seem to be an overpowered fighting system, with mastery occurring within 8 weeks.

Why this should be placed into a game: Although Napoleon Dynamite has more than jumped the shark, I would argue that Rex Kwon Do hasn't. And who doesn't want to pummel their opponent senseless with slaps to the back of the head while yelling "BOW TO YOUR SENSEI!" at them?

Chances of implementation: Zero. We'd have a greater chance of having Chuck Norris, an equally beaten-to-death fad, thrown into a fighting game than we would of seeing Rex Kwon Do anytime soon.

Krav Maga - Developed World War 2 Hungary and Czechoslovakia to defend the Jewish communities from Nazis, Krav Maga is a martial arts system that, unlike other systems which focus on neutralizing or subduing an opponent in less than lethal ways, assumes that your opponent is out to kill you. As a result, Krav Maga tries to do the same right back. A fairly popular "flavor of the month" right now, Krav Maga is fairly brutal and tons of videos can be found kicking around online. Training can and does include anything from learning how to defend yourself from a knife attack to how to escape from being garrotted. Krav Maga isn't pretty, but it certainly gets the job done.

Why this should be placed into a game: It was developed to help fight Nazis, and is a completely brutal style that would fit right in with the insane world of fighting video games.

Chances of implementation: It's a bad ass fighting style and is becoming more and more well known. Unlike, say, Jailhouse Rock, which is fairly unheard of, Krav Maga has a fairly high profile even amongst those who aren't that well versed in martial arts. Out of everything listed here, it stands the best chance of making it into a fighting game sometime down the road.

Jailhouse Rock - Described as being America's only "native" martial art, Jailhouse Rock is apparently a system of fighting that originated amongst black slaves in the United States. Needing a way to defend themselves, the Jailhouse Rock system, also known as "52 Hand Blocks and Stato," began to evolve in the US penal system. One of the aspects of JHR, being able to operate in a closed and confined space, made the martial art incredibly useful in the narrow confines of most American prisons. Jailhouse Rock has been mentioned in song by the Wu-Tang Clan and was featured in Lethal Weapon where Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs is trained in JHR.

Martin Riggs mugged a high school student for his varsity jacket
Credit: Warner Bros.

Why this should be placed into a game: It has a cool back story, it could make for an interesting grappling character that isn't based on a professional wrestler (Zangief, King, etc), and it has some "street cred." Plus, it has been featured somewhat in the mainstream.

Chances of implementation: Pretty decent, as there are already a ton of characters based on felons/convicted felons and this would help to make them more "authentic." Yes, authentic in a game world where wooden dolls come to life and movie stars fight alongside professionally trained assassins. Moving on...

Unagi - Ross Geller's "technique" from Friends, also translates to "freshwater eels" in Japanese. Apparently Unagi is a state of being, and, if Ross' depiction of it is accurate, it's the state of being incredibly annoying. Near as I can tell, Unagi involves lurking in hallways screaming "DANGER!" and jumping on the backs of unsuspecting women. The efficacy of this particular fighting style is highly debatable, however, as we don't see Ross ever actually DO anything.

Why this should be placed into a game: You can't tell me you haven't ever felt the urge to want to beat the tar out of that annoyingly smug and "geeky" Ross. I mean, HE winds up with Rachel? Brad "Tyler Durden" Pitt knocked Rachel to the curb and ROSS gets her? No way.

Dan Hibiki (pictured, sitting) doing what he does best
Credit: Capcom

Chances of implementation: Hey, Dan Hibiki has managed to make a career out of being an obnoxious loser. Why not have A NEW CHALLENGER APPEAR?

Gun Kata - Brought to light in the movie Equilibrium, Gun Kata is essentially the art of being a complete badass while armed with a gun. The movie explains that the martial art is based on analysis of thousands of recorded firefights and has given a statistically predictable system for practitioners to utilize. The effectiveness of Gun Kata is unquestioned, as seen in the film, protagonist John Preston (played by Christian Bale) takes out 30 opponents in under a minute using Gun Kata. Although it's incredibly flashy and movie friendly, Gun Kata is also a highly impractical 'real world' martial art. Still, it looks cool.

Why this should be placed into a game: Because, outside of another movie picking up Gunkata, such as what happened with the ultra horrible Ultraviolet, we're really not going to be able to see this showcased anywhere else. Plus, it'd be interesting to see Gun Kata adopted for a fighting game.

Jill Valentine has her own persuasive argument as to why guns should be in fighters
Credit: Capcom

Chances of implementation: Okay, before everyone goes "you can't have guns in a fighting game!" I'd like to point out two things: we have seen guns used by characters in video games (most notably with Cable from Marvel vs. Capcom 2), and as gun kata doesn't exclusively revolve around firing a gun, pistols can also be used as a melee weapon. That said, the chances of seeing Gun Kata in a game rate fairly low, although seeing a knock off of Gun Kata implemented? Entirely possible, given video game companies knack for "borrowing" cool concepts and ideas for their own use.

US OLYMPICS: Osterman no-hitter defeats Australia in softball

August 13, 2008

Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) -- The U.S. Olympic softball team was not about to go down under.

Cat Osterman pitched a no-hitter, Crystl Bustos belted a two-run homer and the Americans extended their winning streak inside the rings to 16 straight with a 3-0 win over Australia on Wednesday.

Osterman outdueled Australia's Tanya Harding, who has handed the U.S. program two of its four losses in the games since 1996. Pitching in her second Olympics, Osterman was Cat with a K.

She struck out 13, walked just two and dominated the Aussies in a rematch of the gold-medal game from 2004 in Athens.

The Americans, seeking their fourth straight gold, posted their 14th shutout during the winning streak.

Natasha Watley hit an RBI single off Harding to snap a 0-0 tie in the fifth, and Bustos, the most feared hitter in softball, connected for her 10th career Olympic homer in the sixth.

One day after scoring an Olympic record 11 runs in a tournament-opening rout of Venezuela, the Americans were blanked for four innings before finally pushing a run across against Harding in the fifth.

Lovieanne Jung walked with one out, and one out later, the U.S. team's second baseman stole second. Up came Watley for an All-UCLA matchup against Harding, who pitched the Bruins to an NCAA title in 1996.

Watley battled to a full count before slapping a single to left-center, scoring Jung without a throw.

As Watley ran to her spot in the field for the top of the sixth, the stadium's loudspeakers played Beyonce's "Irreplaceable." Watley is a huge fan of the pop diva and occasionally imitated Beyonce during the U.S. team's long bus trips on its "Bound 4 Beijing" tour leading up to the games.

The Americans made it 3-0 in the sixth when Bustos, the ponytailed powerhouse, hit her second homer in China.

Jessica Mendoza walked leading off and Bustos, who normally pulls her homers deep over the fences in left, dropped one over the right-field wall, giving the U.S. and Osterman a cushion for the seventh.

Osterman then struck out the side in the final inning.

Harding's biography was inadvertently left out of the International Softball Federations's 2008 Olympic softball media guide. But the American team knows all about the 36-year-old right-hander known simply as "Tee" to her Aussie teammates.

She handed the U.S. its last loss in the Olympics, beating them in a 13-inning marathon on Sept. 21, 2000 in Sydney. Harding struck out 18 that day in going the distance and outdueling Lisa Fernandez, who fanned 25.

Harding also defeated the U.S. in 1996 at Atlanta, the Americans' lone loss en route to winning its first gold in softball's debut.

For a while, it looked like Harding would bedevil the U.S. again.

Osterman worked her way out of a situation as sticky as the heavy air in Fengtai Softball Field in the third.

She walked Danielle Stewart leading off and Belinda Wright sacrified. With a 3-2 count Simmone Morrow, Osterman was called for taking longer than 20 seconds between pitches by Canadian plate Nancy Morrison, who monitors a clock on the center-field wall. The infraction is an automatic ball and Morrow was awarded first base.

Osterman, though, struck out Kelly Wyborn and Stacey Porter, punctuating the last one with a scream and fist pump as she headed to the dugout.

Earlier, China improved to 2-0 with a 7-1 win over Venezuela.

In the evening session, Japan faces Taiwan and Canada plays the Netherlands.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Copyright © 2008 All rights reserved.

8 Drugs Doctors Would Never Take

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11 Weirdest Wi-Fi Hotspots in L.A.

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