This certainly must be, at least from SoundExchange’s standpoint, a red-letter day in their struggle to see that recording artists (Labels? What labels?  Forget the fact that labels get more than half the license revenue, this is all about the artists we can’t find 40,000 of)) are fairly compensated for streaming broadcasts of their recordings.  After all, how many times has SoundExchange been able to, in one fell swoop, threaten the existence of a music performance program that all by itself represents literally millions of discrete channels of delivery.

Maybe there’s a way for Pandora to make more money without completely corrupting their vision.  Westergren even suggests some possibilities in the Post article.  Will it be enough to pay the SoundExchange bill that now, according to Westergren, equals 70% of their total revenue?  I doubt it.  I think Westergren doubts it too, or he wouldn’t be so pessimistic about the future.

The death of Pandora will have an impact beyond simply removing a valuable way to hear new music.  It will undoubtedly stifle financial backing for other good ideas that come down the pike.

There won’t be a “next” Pandora if the present one doesn’t survive.  But that’s fine with SoundExchange.  The fewer independent players on the field, the more the RIAA gets to control what gets played and what we get to hear.

Of course, there’s even a darker alternative rationale to consider.  In this version, SoundExchange and its masters ride in at the eleventh hour to offer a discounted royalty rate.  All Pandora needs to do to survive is give up an equity position in the service to their saviors.  That way the labels not only get to control the playlists (because only their artists will be available), they get to share in the service’s revenue going forward.

“Everyone will understand why Liu Xiang had to abandon competition,” said vice-president, Xi Jinping, in a message carried prominently in the state media.

Xi, widely regarded as Hu Jintao’s heir apparent as president, added: “We hope he will relax and focus on recovery. We hope that after he recovers, he will continue to train hard and struggle harder for the national glory.”

Nike, the sponsors of Liu, pictured far right, took out full-page adverts in his honour, while the martial arts star Jackie Chan urged people to demonstrate their “love and support” for the hurdler.

In an interview with the state broadcaster CCTV, Liu said he was forced out by “unbearable” pain. He added: “There’s so many people concerned about me and who support me. I feel very sorry.”

· Details of Sunday’s closing ceremony are still largely under wraps, but the director, Zhang Yimou, has disclosed the secret to the success of the opening spectacular: hard graft and no unions. He suggested other countries can match China’s technology and ideas, but that their performers lack the ability “to withstand lots of bitterness”, citing his own “troublesome” experience of working in the west.

“They only work four and a half days each week. Every day there are two coffee breaks. There cannot be any discomfort, because of human rights,” he said in an interview with Southern Weekend, translated by China Digital Times. “You could not criticise them either. They have all kind of institutions, unions.”

Zhang added that the opening ceremony “had the highest level of political review since the founding of the People’s Republic of China; basically all reviews were from the central committee level”.

The film director said he made changes every time three leaders criticised an aspect of the show, despite the grumbles of others involved, because he regarded them as audience members.

· Despite the city’s security drive, some Beijingers are defying Olympic regulations. Yesterday kites could be clearly sighted in Chaoyang district - despite an edict banning them as a “severe threat to the safety of planes coming out of the airport”. In all, 40 neighbourhoods have been ordered to keep skies clear of kites and homing pigeons. Both are popular hobbies in Beijing, particularly among older residents, and elaborate kites often soar at remarkable heights above the city’s parks. But an eight-page regulation issued by the local government in the run-up to the games warned that they posed a serious risk.

· Table tennis was invented in the 19th century and perhaps the attitudes of its officials have not progressed a great deal. Yesterday Claude Bergeret, International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) vice-president, suggested it could improve its appeal if only women wore tighter-fitting clothing. “We are trying to push the players to use skirts and also nicer shirts, not the shirts that are made for men, but ones with more curves,” he said.

Women’s matches have played to half-empty stands in the country fondest of the sport. But if the game hopes to shed its old-fashioned image, it may need to work on updating its advocates rather than the shorts-and-loose-shirt ensembles favoured by most female players.

· The Chinese capital will announce new measures to ensure the smog does not roll in again after the Olympics, a senior environmental official said yesterday.

“Beijing will be built into a liveable city,” promised Du Shaozhong, deputy director of the city’s Environmental Protection Bureau.

This is the time for parents to consider what pre-teens may be worrying about, and to do what you can to help prepare them and yourself for this important transition.

It’s helpful to think about two areas of change: pre-teen development and the school environment.

Twelve-to-13 year olds bring with them their own set of developmental milestones, and many parents will already have noticed some of the intriguing — as well as the less desirable but albeit transitory — changes in emotional development over the last while.

These early adolescent years are a time of rapid physical, emotional, and social change. Much of this culminates in their inability to show you how much you are still needed, but please know that you are still very much needed!

During this stage, children develop a deeper capacity to understand the world around them. They develop the ability to see how things are connected conceptually, to think more abstractly. This translates into the type of learning they will be required to engage in at school.

If you are the parent of a 12-year-old girl, you may have already noticed physically changes such as breast development, body hair, and differences in fat distribution. Menstruation may have begun and, depending on your daughter’s preferences and sports activity (swimming, for instance), she may need mum’s guidance in the “pad versus tampon” area. This is a critical time to support your daughter’s healthy and positive self-image. Girls of this age are at greater risk for developing eating disorders than boys, and worries about appearance and weight are a common way girls of this age express their low self-esteem.

Research tells us that one in four 13- to 18-year-old girls in Ontario report engaging in at least one symptom of an eating disorder; and a significant amount of both male (25 per cent) and female (30 per cent) children, including those as young as 10 to 14 years, are dieting to lose weight despite being within a healthy weight range.

The digger giant is set to axe 700 jobs in factories and offices across the UK after suffering a 20 per cent drop in orders this year.

Work resumed at factories in Rocester, Cheadle and Uttoxeter on Monday, but many employees may only have another 30 days’ work ahead of them.

Each factory has been handed a 30 or 90 day consultation period, during which it will have the opportunity to save some of its workers’ jobs.

And, despite company insiders telling The Advertiser they were expecting to hear the bad news this week, company bosses remained tight-lipped about who was in the firing line.

Uttoxeter mayor Councillor Pauline Morrison said she is ‘deeply concerned’ for the families of those who will lose their jobs.

She said: “The news that many redundancies are expected is devastating to all the families involved.

“I don’t know if they’ve been told who’s going yet but, if they haven’t, it is obviously going to be a massive worry.

“I just hope that this period of uncertainty in town will pass soon. I know it looks bleak at the minute but I’m sure JCB will be able to ride out the storm and, when things improve, they’ll be able to take workers on again.”

The company has entered into a formal consultation process with the GMB trade union and staff representatives for each of the individual business units affected.

Voluntary redundancies have been considered as part of the programme and a comprehensive counselling service is available to employees who are at risk of redundancy, the company said.

The announcement was made after a period of massive expansion for JCB, which now employs 5,700 people locally, compared to 3,900 in 2005.

Earlier this year, the company announced record pre-tax profits of ￡187 million for 2007, following the most successful year in its 62-year history.

The result was achieved in a year when machine sales rose to more than 72,000 and turnover reached a new peak of ￡2.25 billion, the company - which owns 11 factories nationwide - said.

WORKERS affected by the impending JCB redundancies have been offered a helping hand by a training company.

This just in from Saab Automobile USA about the
.

For Immediate Release — August 19, 2008

Celebrating 30 Years of Saab Turbocharging

North American Saab Owners Reconvene near Boston this Weekend

Detroit – Saab owners and enthusiasts from all over North America and beyond are planning on gathering for the annual Saab Owners Convention in Devens, Massachusetts west of Boston this weekend. Celebrating the passion for their cars and the Saab brand, around five hundred owners and their cars are expected to attend the event which opens Thursday, August 21 and runs through Sunday, August 24.

The 26th consecutive annual Saab Owners Convention is organized by the Saab Club of North America. The center of activities is the Marriott Spring Hill Suites Hotel at the Common Center in Devens, Massachusetts. The venue has excellent facilities and is ideally located, as it is close to most attractions in the area. Though registration for this year’s event is now closed, day passes can still be obtained at the Saab Club registration desk in the hotel. Continuing updates, including details on the exact location and program activities are available at http://www.saabclub.com/soc08.html.

Main theme of the 2008 SOC is 30 Years of Saab Turbocharging Leadership, which started with the
. Now widely known as a true “cult car”, the original 99 Turbo laid the foundation for many of the essentials that carry on in Saab’s current product portfolio, largely consisting of cars with highly efficient turbocharged engines.

, Saab Automobile USA General Manager and a native of the Boston area, is scheduled as the keynote speaker at the Banquet Dinner on Saturday night. “I am looking forward meeting many owners and their cars in person again, and participate in their unparalleled passion for Saab”, Shannon said.

Beyond exhibiting the very best examples of its turbo heritage collection and latest array of products, Saab Automobile USA has selected this venue to showcase potential future classics such as the all-black
concept car is coming over from Sweden to be one of the key attractions.

Already labeled “Best Concept” by AutoWeek Magazine upon its world debut at the Geneva auto show last March, the Saab 9-X BioHybrid has been voted “Specialty Concept Car of the Year” by a jury of 25 professional North American automotive journalists. The award ceremony took place last June at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Michigan.

“The Saab 9-X BioHybrid blends organic form with ecologically sound propulsion for both aesthetic and environmental appeal”, said jury panel member Arv Voss of Auto Impressions. Added Bob Kroupa of the Automotive Writers Group: “Saab takes center stage with a new design approach for a compact vehicle. With the BioHybrid turbo engine included, we have a winner”.

“We are honored by this important recognition from an expert North American media organization,” said Saab Automobile USA marketing director Roger McCormack accepting the award. “Following in the footsteps of the highly inspirational
crossover concept which also debuted earlier this year, the 9-X BioHybrid demonstrates that Saab is truly on the move.”

Saab History Prepares to travel to the
is complete, just one day shy of the opening day!

This project was quite an undertaking since I acquired it in rough shape this past
but it’s finally done, and I’m a very proud owner of a beautiful 1992 Saab 900 Turbo!

Photo Credit: Saab History

New Salem Saab, site sponsor of Saab History announces GM Employee Pricing beginning this weekend though September 2nd, 2008.

New Salem Saab will be at the 2008 Saab Owners Convention, so if you find yourself the market this weekend, please look them up as they are right off of route 2 West on the Massachusetts / New York border in Albany, NY.

Here’s the notice from
:

GM Returns to Employee Pricing Promotion to Lift Sales

DETROIT — General Motors, aiming to boost sagging sales, rolled out a major promotion for U.S. dealers Monday that includes employee-level discounts on almost all the Chevrolet cars and trucks in its showrooms. The discount offer takes effect Wednesday and marks GM’s return to a strategy it had abandoned in the last two years in an effort to make its pricing more transparent and to wean American consumers from fire-sale blowout deals. “It’s not a new theme, but, on the other hand, the track record of GM’s incentive programs has been very good,” said the dealer briefed on the new discounts.
Source: Reuters

Photo Credit: Saab Automobile

The
this past March, will be on display at the 2008 Saab Owners Convention in Devens, Massachusetts this weekend.

Having attended the North American launch of the Saab 9-X BioHybrid with co-editor, Carl Levine in New York, it will be interesting once again to see what becomes of this concept car when it comes to a production version.

To find out everything you need to know about the Saab 9-X BioHybrid, please check out the
where I have over 46 postings about it at this time.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the introduction of the first Saab 99 Turbo in 1978, so I believe it is necessary to provide us with as much information about this important milestone for the Saab Automobile brand.

I will begin by providing you summaries from the original press kit here at Saab History that includes content such as photographs, press summaries and drawings of how a Saab Turbo works and what the inspiration was behind it.

Saab Introduces the Power of the Future. The Turbo.

The Saab Turbo is an engineering masterpiece. Saab has taken the turbo power that dominates the big trucks - Le Mans and Indianapolis — and harnessed it to work at speeds you drive at everyday.

The Saab Turbo breakthrough is its ability to deliver 34% more torque at low 3500 rpm’s. More torque at low rpm’s means more power at your command in daily situations. When you have to pass, feel that surge of power shoot you ahead. Feel the take-off thrust of turbo power move you on to a highway. That’s power!

Yet, the Saab Turbo isn’t merely cold, engineering innovations. Its performance as definite psychic compensations. Here’s ow a few of the car experts have responded to driving one.

“Saab now has fetched up a model that’ll get second gear rubber and double the double-nickel any day of the week…Saab’s Turbo installation offers more pleasure per dollar than any other on the market” - Pat Bedard, Car & Driver

“One heroic blast down the highway is enough to convert anybody” - David E. Davis Jr., Car & Driver

“Saab Turbo… a genuine Fourth-of-July driving experience, full of sudden pleasure and high spirit..” - Steve Thompson, Car & Driver

“The Saab Turbo is exhiliarating to drive..it’s so much fun, the price is irrelevant…” - Road & Track

Yet, the Saab Turbo is a Lot More Than a Power Machine. Like Every Saab, it is a Consummate Road Machine.

Four-cylinder 2-liter turbocharged fuel injection engine. Te turbo-charging process captures energy normally passed out through the exhaust pipe and puts it back into the work process to obtain extra engine power.

 

Comprehensive instrumentation including tachometer and Turbo boost guage which lets you monitor and control the turbocharger.

 

Coil springs combined with Bilstein gas shock absorbers all around to keep more tire on the road.

 

The rear spoiler improves stability and reduces fuel consumption at high speeds.

 

4-wheel power-assisted disc brakes. Braking application is uniformly firm and brake fade is virtually eliminated.

 

                        

The Saab Turbo, An Exciting New Dimension In Driving.

Turbocharged engines have traditionally been reserved for powering very fast and expensive spors cars. Cars which were usually outside the reach of the average motorist.

A Turbocharged Engine Matched To a New Energy Approach

The turbocharging of engines has been known for many years. The first turbocharged engine — a diesel engine for stationary applications appeared during the 1930’s. By the 1950’s, turbocharging had matured sufficiently to be introduced into trucks and buses. The first turbo-charged car was not launched until 1961. The primary aim in the turbocharging of car engines has been to attain as high a top speed as possible.

The aim of the development of the Saab Turbo was entirely different. Our primary goal was to match the turbocharged engine to present-day demands for better fuel economy, better environment through low exhaust gas emissions, and reduced noise levels. But without compromising the performance. High performance is obviously important for safe passing — and for the joy of driving, which is the ultimate proof of the general quality of this car.

A further goal was to attain a high level of power even at low engine speeds. The Saab fuel-injected engine is designed to provide excellent low speed performance. By incorporating a turbocharger which works at relatively low engine speeds, we’ve further improved the performance of our fuel-injected engine.

The result of years of development work: our unique turbocharged engine. The singular accomplishment of our turbocharger is its ability to start delivering its extra power at low speeds. But only wheen that extra power is needed. Like when you accelerate. Or want to pass. Or Climb a speed grade. Much of the time, the turbocharger is inactive. In about 80% of normal driving situations, the engine runs as a conventional fuel injection engine - at its acknowledged low fuel consumption. But when you need power, the Saab Turbo is a your command.

The Saab Turbo represents an Entirely New Approach in Turbocharging.

We have long searched for new ways to increase the performance of the conventional fuel injection engine. But we were not prepared to accept the disadvantages of the traditional approach.

If the maximum output of an engine is raised by increasing the number of cylinders or the displacement, the weight of the engine will increase with the efficiency under normal driving or part-throttle operation will be reduced. The fuel consumptioon of, say, a six-cylinder or eight-cylinder engine is thus high under all conditions. After all, the additional pistons are always running and consuming fuel, regardless of the actual power demand.

“Tuning is another common means of increasing the performance of an engine. BUt tuning usually raises te peak engine speed and thus causes increased wear. A higher compression ratio, optimized valve timing, etc. improved the peak performance. But our main aim was to produce an engine with high torque and power at lower engine speeds, since this offers appreciably improved acceleration and, in our opinion, is a more sensible approach for today’s driving needs.

This is how a traditional turbocharger works: The turbocharger consists of a turbine and a compressor, mounted on the same shaft. The turbine is driven by the exhaust gases from the engine. The larger the throttle opening and the higher the engine speed, the larger the flow of exhaust gases. And the higher the speed of the turbine.

At Idling speeds and normal driving speeds, a certain amount of air flows through the compressor section of the turbocharger. The air is then mixed with the correct quantity of fuel and flows into the cylinders, where it is burned. The exhaust gases thus produced flow through the turbine which will rotate at a relatively low speed. The gases are then discharged through the exhaust system. At idling speeds and part-throttle, the engine runs as a conventional engine - without turbocharging. The charging pressure valve is then closed.

At exactly the same rate, the compressor delivers fresh air to the cylinders at a higher pressure than normally. The quantity of air is thus larger tan when the engine draws the air itself. This extra air and a suitably matched additional supply of fuel, generates more energy during every piston stroke. The torque will be higher and this, in turn, results in greater engine power.

We have matched the turbocharged engine to everyday needs — ahead of all other car manufacturers. We owe this primarily to the sturdiness of the standard Saab engine. Since its basic components already incorporate extra reserves of strength, turbocharging involved relatively modest modifications.

The engine of the Saab Turbo is different than other turbocharged engines. Significantly different. With high-performance sports cars, high output at high speeds is crucial. What we wanted to accomplish was to achieve high torque output at low speeds to make turbocharging effective in the range of road speeds where extra power is particularly important. So, our turbocharger comes in at engine speeds, around 1500-2000 rpm and produces maximum toruqe at 3500 rpm. This way, the excitement and joy of driving a turbocharged engine is well within the reach of the average driver. And how successful were we? Just listen to what David Abrahamson of Car & Driver has to say: “The new Saab Turbo is a genuine performance car, strong, supple, good off the line, fast through the corners, whisper smooth, and lovingly screwed together”

During acceleration and at full throttle, the gas flow through the engine increases appreciability. The speed of the turbine also increases, and the compressor raises the charging pressure. When the engine reaches 1500-2000 rpm the turbocharger begins to charge smoothly without sudden surges up to the maximum charge pressure which occurs at 3000 rpm. At this point, the charging pressure valve opens and excess exhaust gases are by-passed around the turbine.

The charging pressure valve has an important function. One a turbo engine, the turbocharging pressure must be carefully controlled. If the charging pressure is too high, the combustion temperature may also be too high, and this may result in pre-ignition and damage to the engine. The Saab Turbo is therefore equipped with a unique charging pressure valve which effectively controls the charging pressure. When the turbocharging pressure valve is open, excess exhaust gases by-pass the turbine. This ensures that the charging pressure will be maintained at the correct level throughout the engine speed and load range.

A Stunning Combination: Big Car Comfort and Sports Car Performance:

The Saab Turbo has much more to offer in terms of comfort than most other cars. An interior that gives ample comfort for five adults. Well insulated and silent, even at high speeds. Front seats which are among the most comfortable available today. And with extra adjustments for the driver’s seat . A back seat which is comfortable with a broad 60″ wide at the elbow level. A heating and ventilation system with extra capacity. A luggage compartment with a capacity of 15.4 cu ft. and which can easily be converted to a cargo space of 53 cu ft.

Add to this the sports car performance and at a top speed of over 110 mph and you have a car which is unique and pace-setting.

An interior tailored in elegant bordeaux red.

 

The back seats. Exceptionally spacious. Plenty of elbow room. And, thanks to front wheel drive, no awkward hump to push one’s legs into one’s chest.

 

The sliding steel sunroof is standard equipment.

 

When you fold down the back seat of the Saab turbo, you’ll have an enormous amount of spac. Ideal for luggage, skis, camping gear, etc.

 

Our preliminary work on turbocharging began back in the early 1970’s. WHen the 1974 oil crisis hit, and with it, the increased demand for moderate fuel consumption even for high-performance cars, we were prepared. By that time, we already had a big leg up on a turbocharger solution.

Bench tests in a sophisticated engine laboratory. We have obtained ample proof that the mechanical stresses ave not been significantly increased by turbocharging. On the contrary, the turbocharger engine has become more reliable, due to the reduced compression ratio and the waste gate concept.

High-speed tests in Germany. The characteristics of the engine have also been tested under the conditions often prevailing on te European continent. Some of the tests have been run by Swedish rally drivers,
, who covered nearly 75,000 miles at speeds around 100-110 mph.

Winter tests in Canada. One of our test cars was driven over a 14-day period at Whive River, at temperatures below -40F. The tests were focused mainly on road behavior, starting, performance of the crankcase ventilation and the air preheating.

High-temperature tests in Death Valley in the USA. We chose Death Valley - one of the hottest places in the USA - to run our high-temperature tests to check the cooling system and test the general performance of the engine under extremely hot conditions. The series included testing the Saab Turbo on mountain passes at an altitude of over 6500 feet - while towing a fully loaded trailer. In other words, under extremely difficult conditions.

HIgh-altitude tests in the Rocky Mountains. Tests at very high altitudes in the Rocky Mountains revealed that the loss of power normally occuring at high altitudes is less pronounced on the Saab Turbo.

General tests on the road. Our testing has not been confined to high-speed tests on fast motorways. We have also run long-term tests on particularly difficult roads in Sweden. Test cars powered by turbocharged engines have covered a total distance of more than 930,000 miles. This corresponds to 37.5 times the circumference of the earth.

Broad tests by 100 test drivers, most of them “private motorists”. For a period of six months, 100 private individuals and profesional drivers in Sweden, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and the USA have each been given a Saab Turbo to use. The reactions have eben very favorable throughout. Not only regarding the performance of the turbocharged engine, but also the general character of the car.

Impartial, comparative tests have more to tell about the Saab Turbo

Many of the world’s leading motoring periodicals have had their say about the Saab Turbo. Many have also undertaken more comprehensive tests, which reinforce further the image of the Saab Turbo as a very lively, safe, roomy and practical car.

The Saab Turbo. The Power Of the Future.

Method:

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon rind, lemon juice, cherry liqueur and salt in large mixer bowl. Stir in the flour. Shape into ball; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick on lightly floured cloth-covered board. Cut into desired shapes. Place on greased baking sheet; sprinkle with sugar crystals. Bake 10 minutes (cookies
should not brown). Cool on wire racks.

3. Store in airtight container 2 days to develop flavor. Cookies can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 6 weeks or in freezer up to 2 months.

Recipe from Debbie Vanni of Libertyville, Illinois.
From the Chicago Tribune Annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie Contest December 4, 1986