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Friday, June 21, 2013

Redesigned 2014 Toyota Corolla takes on Honda Civic, Ford Focus: We compare three top compact cars

We compare three top compact cars

The Toyota Corolla is the best selling small sedan, but will its redesign be enough to keep it on top?

The Toyota Corolla compact sedan is one of the best-selling vehicles worldwide, nearing 40 million units sold since its debut in 1966.

Now entering its 11th generation, the Corolla has seen some significant styling changes and added a new, more fuel-efficient variant for 2014.

Though the 2013 Corolla is getting long in the tooth, it's still been crushing the competition: So far this year in the United States, 2013 Corolla sales are at 132,514, while the Honda Civic is 128,980 and the Ford Focus trails at 111,641.

But with the Honda Civic and Ford Focus getting alternative fuel powertrains, fresh in-vehicle technology and cutting-edge designs, Toyota knew the Corolla needed a redesign to stay in the game. Let's take a look at how the new 2014 Toyota Corolla compares to the Honda Civic and Ford Focus.

2014 Toyota Corolla

The lightweight champion of the world, the Corolla is Toyota's second-best-selling U.S. nameplate behind the Camry.

Design

The 2014 Corolla features a fully updated exterior design. The four-door sedan sports more athletic proportions with a wider and lower stance. The front end is changed to reflect the brand's new styling theme introduced on the larger Avalon sedan, while the rear end is tapered and adds LED taillights.

The Corolla is also lower and wider than the previous generation, with a 4-inch longer wheelbase.

The Toyota Matrix is the hatchback version of the Corolla, but there is a strong possibility it will not be renewed for the U.S. when the new Corolla goes on sale this fall.

Powertrain

The 2014 Corolla offers two 1.8-liter four cylinder engines, including a 132-hp version for the L, LE and S trims.

The new LE Eco trim is rated at 140 hp, and makes use of Toyota's Valvematic variable-valve timing and lift system. It increases horsepower and fuel economy by at least 5 percent.

The base L models can be equipped with a four-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission, while the other three trims are equipped with a CVT.

The 2014 model hasn't been officially EPA fuel-economy rated, but the 2013 Corolla returned 27 city/34 highway/30 combined mpg with the five-speed manual, and 26 city/34 highway/29 combined with the four-speed automatic.

Standard features

All new Corolla models feature Bluetooth, a pollen filter and power-operated features such as locks and windows. Basic models don't contain too much else, but we like that Corolla offers Bluetooth standard.

What's new

Exterior and interior design, an LE Eco Trim with a more efficient engine and aerodynamic kit and a quieter interior through the use of acoustic glass and noise-cancelling materials.

Pricing

Base price: N/A; the 2013 model base price is $17,025 including destination charges, and if the 2014 model stays the same the Corolla could be the best value in our comparison.

Trims include base L, LE, sporty S and new LE Eco grade.

2013 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic has maintained a strong following since its introduction to the U.S. in the 1970s, but had to be quickly redone for 2013 to address criticisms of a cost-cutting 2012 redesign.

Design

Available as a sedan, coupe, aerodynamically enhanced Civic HF or performance-oriented Civic Si, Honda's compact appeals to a broad list of buyers.

For 2013, the Civic takes on more of an Accord look, with premium design elements such as chrome trim and stretched LED headlights. The interior was updated for 2013 with stitched vinyl, an update to the 2012 redesign's stripped down, plastic-laden cabin.

Powertrain

The Civic has the best range of powerplants in our comparison. A re-engineered 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 140 hp is the standard mill. It can be mated to a five-speed automatic (28 city/39 highway/32 combined mpg), or a five-speed manual (28 city/36 highway/ 31 combined).

There's also the performance-oriented Civic Si model with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 201 hp (22 city/31 highway/25 combined mpg), a compressed natural gas (CNG) option that uses a variant of the 1.8-liter engine (27 city/38 highway/31 combined mpg) and the Civic Hybrid that is powered by a 1.5-liter engine with a 20 kW motor, coupled to a CVT (44 city/44 highway/44 combined mpg).

Standard features

Standard features include a multi-information display, EcoAssist driver feedback system and vehicle stability assist.

What's new

Now in its 10th generation, the 2013 Civic has a refined design, increased fuel economy and added optional convenience features.

Pricing

Base price: $18,955 including destination charges

Trims include LX, EX and EX-L.

2014 Ford Focus

The Ford Focus sports the most tech-laden interior of the bunch along with a modern exterior design intended to appeal to younger drivers. It comes at a price though: a fully loaded Ford Focus can cost up to $26,000.

Design

The Ford Focus can be had in sedan or hatchback variants and an aerodynamic Super Fuel Efficient (SFE) model. We think it's the best looking of the bunch with a modern exterior design and premium interior with high-end materials and plenty of technology.

Powertrain

Ford offers a 2.0-liter gasoline direct-injected four-cylinder engine rated at 160 hp. It can be mated to a five-speed manual (26 city/36 highway/30 combined mpg) or a six-speed automatic (27 city/38 highway/31 combined mpg).

A Super Fuel Economy (SFE) package maximizes fuel economy with an aerodynamic kit, returning 28 city/40 highway/33 combined mpg.

The performance-based Focus ST has a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine with six-speed manual rated at 252 hp. It returns 23 city/32 highway/26 combined mpg.

Finally, the all-electric Focus Electric is powered by a 107-kilowatt electric motor paired with a one-speed automatic, with a mpg equivalent rating of 110 city/99 highway/105 mpge.

Standard features

Electronic stability control, six airbags and an anti-theft engine immobilizer.

What's new

The Ford Focus was last updated in 2012, improving overall performance and the addition of high-end features.

Pricing

Base price: $17,105 including destination charges

Trims include S sedan, SE, SE Sport, Titanium sedan and hatchback.

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Source: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20130620/CARNEWS/130619804?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=

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Why Congress Must Investigate NSA's Unconstitutional Spying

In the past couple of weeks, the NSA has, unsurprisingly, responded with a series of secret briefings to Congress that have left the public in the dark and vulnerable to misstatements and word games. Congress has many options at its disposal, but for true accountability any response must start with a special investigative committee. A coalition of over 100 civil liberties groups agrees. Such a committee is the right way the American people can make informed decisions about the level of transparency and the reform needed.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Ocean's little fish are a big deal (+video)

Small 'forage fish' are a crucial source for larger animals in the ocean ecosystem. Without little fish, there can be no big fish. Pacific coast fishing leaders should thus adopt safeguards to prohibit fishing of saury until it can be shown that this would not adversely impact the ecosystem.

By Paul Shively,?Op-ed contributor / June 19, 2013

An infographic from The Pew Charitable Trusts shows an oceanic ecosystem chain. Op-ed contributor Paul Shively writes: 'To its credit, the [Pacific Fishery Management Council] unanimously adopted a fishery ecosystem plan' whose 'top priority is to make sure that no new fishing begins on forage species without first evaluating the effect on the larger ecosystem.'

The Pew Charitable Trusts

Enlarge

When people think of a healthy ocean, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a large iconic animal, perhaps a humpback whale leaping majestically out of the water or a pelican swooping low across the ocean surface. In my case, I?m hooked by the thrill of a big salmon as it pulls the line off my reel.

Skip to next paragraph

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'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; // google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // --> Tiny fish play a major role in the ocean's food web. Commonly known as forage fish, small schooling fish like herring and anchovies are a crucial food source for larger, more familiar species like tuna, whales, and seabirds. The Pew Environment Group produced this animation to show how reasonable limits on catching forage fish can help maintain a vibrant and productive Pacific coast ecosystem for generations to come.

All of these animals dine on vast schools of tightly packed prey fish, commonly referred to as forage fish. Scientists and fishermen are becoming increasingly aware of their singular importance as the fuel that drives productive coastal ecosystems. At the same time, global demand is growing to catch forage fish for secondary purposes such as chicken feed, fertilizer, and bait for industrial longline fishing overseas.

But catching too many of these forage fish can severely disrupt the ocean life that they sustain. A lack of forage fish can have serious repercussions ? especially for the fishing industry. Without little fish, there can be no big fish.

That?s why many fishing and conservation organizations ? including The Pew Charitable Trusts ? are rightly advocating for new measures to safeguard forage fish. The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which is responsible for managing marine fish on the West Coast, will have the opportunity to adopt some of these safeguards as it meets in Garden Grove, Calif., this week.

At the meeting, these West coast fishery leaders should decide to prohibit new commercial fishing on saury ? a key forage fish ? until it can be shown that it won?t harm bigger fish, whales, and seabirds that depend on saury as a food source. Doing so will enable the council to ask important questions before US forage fishing begins rather than waiting until industrial-scale fishing boats are catching these important fish.

Internationally, these forage fish ? including sardines, anchovies, and saury ? already account for more than a third of the total catch of wild marine fish, with 90 percent of it processed into fish meal or oil.

To its credit, the council unanimously adopted a fishery ecosystem plan that begins to consider how everything is connected in the ocean. The plan?s top priority is to make sure that no new fishing begins on forage species without first evaluating the effect on the larger ecosystem and on other predator fish such as salmon, tuna, and lingcod.

Forage fish eat tiny plants and animals drifting on the ocean?s surface and, in turn, become a crucial food source for whales, seabirds, and bigger fish. Diminishing forage fish populations can have serious consequences for the larger ecosystem. Just this year, wildlife rehabilitation centers in California have treated more than 1,500 emaciated and dehydrated sea lion pups at a time when prey fish were scarce.

Pacific saury is exactly the type of currently un-fished forage species that the council?s new ecosystem plan intends to protect. This dart-shaped fish makes up as much as 78 percent of the diet of the sooty shearwater, a type of seabird that is now arriving by the millions along the California shore from breeding grounds near Chile and New Zealand.

We know that saury is already extensively fished elsewhere around the world, and its relatively high abundance makes it a potential target for fishermen here on the West Coast. As it stands, fishing could begin on saury at any time with no restrictions ? and no consideration of how it would affect predators. That would be a mistake. It is one the Pacific Fishery Management Council can ? and should ? avoid by approving restrictions on forage fishing at its meeting this week.

In April, the Pacific fishery council?s chairman cited the strong public testimony of the seafood industry, birding community, scientists, and fishermen in adopting a meaningful ecosystem plan. Protecting saury would help to maintain a productive ocean along the Pacific coast while demonstrating that regional fishery managers are serious about moving ecosystem-based management from theory into practice.

Some may wonder why we should act now. After all, no one on the West Coast is currently fishing for forage fish like Pacific saury, sandlance, or various kinds of smelts. To answer this concern, it?s worth looking north to Alaska. North Pacific fishery managers proactively protected dozens of unfished forage species more than a decade ago with the strong support of commercial fishermen. As one industry organization noted at the time, fishing for predators and their prey is akin to burning a candle at both ends.

I've been fishing almost as long as I can remember. Yet the thrill of being out on the water with friends, and the rush when a salmon or tuna bends my fishing rod, will never grow old.

It?s time for regional managers on the Pacific coast and elsewhere in the country to acknowledge what those of us on the water already know: Little fish are a big deal. It?s time to protect them.

Paul Shively works to conserve West coast forage fish as manager of the Pacific Fish Conservation Program at The Pew Charitable Trusts. He is a lifelong angler.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/cdyvVdhjqnc/Ocean-s-little-fish-are-a-big-deal-video

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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Journalist Michael Hastings dies at 33

Getty Images for The Guardian

By Andrew Rafferty, Staff Writer, NBC News

Michael Hastings, the journalist best known for the 2010 Rolling Stone story that led to the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, died Tuesday in a car crash in Los Angeles, his employers at BuzzFeed and Rolling Stone announced.

He was 33.

"We are shocked and devastated by the news that Michael Hastings is gone," BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith said in a statement Tuesday evening. "Michael was a great, fearless journalist with an incredible instinct for the story, and a gift for finding ways to make his readers care about anything he covered from wars to politicians."

Fellow reporters and others Hastings came across throughout his career took to Twitter to pay respects and remember the man known for his confident and fearless style.

Three years ago, Hasting's work became the focal point of Washington when Rolling Stone published his piece "Runaway General," which featured McChrystal, then head of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan, critiquing how President Obama and his administration were conducting the war.

Days after the article was published McChrystal went to the White House to hand the president his resignation.

Hastings also wrote two books, "The Operators: The Wild and Terrifying Inside Story of America's War in Afghanistan," which was based on his time with?McChrystal and military leaders in Afghanistan, and "I Lost My Love in Baghdad: A Modern War Story," the story of how his then-fiance was killed by a car bombing while serving as an aide worker in Iraq.

He is survived by his wife, Elise.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2d7a0e83/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A60C180C190A277170Ejournalist0Emichael0Ehastings0Edies0Eat0E330Dlite/story01.htm

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Senators eye compromise on border security

WASHINGTON (AP) ? After secretive talks, key senators expressed optimism Wednesday night that they were closing in on a bipartisan agreement to toughen the border security requirements in immigration legislation that also offers a path to citizenship to millions living in the country illegally.

Under the emerging compromise, the government would grant legal status to immigrants living in the United States unlawfully at the same time the additional security was being put into place. Green cards, which signify permanent residency status, would be withheld until the security steps were complete.

If agreed to, the change has the potential to give a powerful boost to the immigration bill that is at the top of President Barack Obama's second-term domestic agenda.

The developments came as Democrats who met with House Speaker John Boehner during the day quoted him as saying he expects the House to pass its own version of an immigration bill this summer and for Congress to have a final compromise by year's end. Boehner, R-Ohio, has already said the legislation that goes to the House in the next month or two will not include a pathway to citizenship for those in the United States illegally.

Precise details of the pending agreement in the Senate were unavailable, although the legislation already envisions more border agents; additional fencing along the U.S-Mexico border; surveillance drones; a requirement for employers to verify the legal status of potential workers; as well as a biometric system to track foreigners who enter and leave the United States at air and seaports and by land.

"Our whole effort has been to build a bipartisan group that will support the bill," said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who has not yet stated a position on the legislation. "That's what this is all about, and it's focused on border security."

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., one of the bill's most prominent supporters, said discussions with Republicans "have been really productive. We've made a lot of progress in the last 24 hours. Now we have some vetting to do with our respective allies."

The potential compromise came into focus one day after the Congressional Budget Office jolted lawmakers with an estimate saying that as drafted, the legislation would fail to prevent a steady increase in the future in the number of residents living in the United States illegally.

The estimate appeared to give added credibility to Republicans who have been pressing Democrats to toughen the border security provisions already written into the bill. Schumer and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., met at midday with Hoeven, and Republican Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee, John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. The Democrats, McCain and Graham are part of the so-called bipartisan Gang of Eight that drafted the bill.

If ratified, the compromise would mark concessions on both sides.

Some Republicans have been unwilling to support a bill that grants legal status to immigrants in the country illegally until the government certifies that the border security steps have achieved 90 percent effectiveness.

On the other hand, Democrats have opposed Republican proposals to make legalization contingent on success in closing the border to illegal crossings. Under the legislation as drafted, legalization could begin as soon as a security plan was drafted, but a 10-year wait is required for a green card.

One plan to change that was sidetracked during the day on a vote of 61-37.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said his proposal would require Congress to vote annually for five years on whether the border is secure. If lawmakers decide it is not, "then the processing of undocumented workers stops until" it is, he said. The decision would be made based on numerous factors, including progress toward completion of a double-layered fence along the U.S.-Mexico border and toward a goal of 95 percent capture of illegal entrants. A system to track the border comings and goings of foreigners is also required.

Only a day earlier, the CBO had cheered supporters of the bill with an estimate that it would help the economy and reduce deficits in each of the next two decades.

Now it was the skeptics' turn to crow.

"Illegality will not be stopped, but it will only be reduced by 25 percent," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., referring to the prediction by the non-partisan CBO.

While the public debate was taking place, lawmakers involved in the private talks expressed optimism.

"We're on the verge of doing something dramatic on the border," Graham told reporters. "What we're trying to do is put in place measures that to any reasonable person would be an overwhelming effort to secure our border. This is a key moment in the effort to pass the bill."

Across the Capitol, House Republican leaders sought to present a friendlier face to Hispanics ? a group that gave Obama more than 70 percent support in last year's presidential election.

Boehner met with the Democratic-dominated Congressional Hispanic Caucus, while rank and file members of his party reviewed areas of agreement with faith-based Latino leaders.

"It's a conversation Republicans want to have," Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., said later at a news conference outside the Capitol.

At the same time, though, anti-immigration protesters moved across the Capitol plaza into range of television cameras, raising signs that said, "Do Not Reward Criminals" and "No Amnesty for Illegal Aliens."

Separately, the House Judiciary Committee worked on legislation creating a program allowing farm workers to come to the United States to take temporary jobs in the United States.

The measure is one of several that the panel is considering in the final weeks of June as part of a piece-by-piece approach to immigration rather than the all-in-one bill that Senate is considering.

In addition to border security measures and a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants in the country illegally, the Senate bill provides more visas for highly-skilled workers prized by the technology industry, a guest worker farm program and a new program for lower-skilled workers to come to the United States.

___

Associated Press writer Laurie Kellman contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/compromise-among-senators-eyed-border-security-225125834.html

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Style Plus Curves: Plussize Lingerie Shopping Guide: Hips and ...

It's time for another post highlighting plussize lingerie and where to buy it! Looking for the perfect outfit for a steamy or romantic night with your partner? Time to visit one of my favorite sexy lingerie online shops, Hips and Curves.

Each piece on this site is unapologetically sexy and built especially to show off curves to their best advantage. I've been a fan of this site for years, and I was thrilled at the opportunity to review a few of their pieces. I could not turn down the Strappy Stretch Lace Bra and the Midnight Rendezvous Stretch Lace Garter Belt. HOTT!!

This demi bra is so ridiculously sexy! The half cups hit just above the middle of the breast, and the straps stretch across the cup and join the support straps at the shoulder. This structure hints at bondage...but in a sweet and playful way.

The fit was perfect, so order your true size. Also, it comes in a number of different colors, so pick the one that turns you on!

Love the label!

And then we have the adorable black lace garter belt! The lace stretches easily across your hips, and the clasps can be adjusted according to the length of the thigh highs you're wearing with it.

Worn together, this is a sexy look that's liable to make your partner stop in his/her tracks. Or...if you're daring, wear it during the day under one of your pencil skirts and feel the thrill of keeping a sexy little secret!?

There are SO many other sexy items to choose from at Hips and Curves...bra and panty sets, corsets, bustiers, lingerie and hosiery galore! Even costumes! Go now and have fun imagining the possibilities!

Source: http://www.stylepluscurves.com/2013/06/plussize-lingerie-shopping-guide-hips.html

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18 mayors: Limit use of food stamps to buy soda

NEW YORK (AP) ? The mayors of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and 15 other cities are reviving a push against letting food stamps be used to buy soda and other sugary drinks.

In a letter to congressional leaders Tuesday, the mayors say it's "time to test and evaluate approaches limiting" the use of the subsidies for sugar-laden beverages, in the interest of fighting obesity and related diseases.

"We need to find ways to strengthen the program and promote good nutrition while limiting the use of these resources for items with no nutritional value, like sugary drinks, that are actually harming the health of participants," Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose office released the letter, said in a statement. "Why should we continue supporting unhealthy purchases in the false name of nutrition assistance?"

The other cities whose mayors signed the letter are Baltimore; Boston; Louisville, Ky.; Madison, Wis.; Minneapolis; Newark, N.J.; Oakland, Calif.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Providence, R.I.; Salt Lake City; San Francisco; St. Louis; and Seattle.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the food stamp program, declined to comment on Tuesday's letter; representatives for House Speaker John Boehner and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, to whom the letter was addressed, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.

Nor did the American Beverage Association, which has previously clashed with Bloomberg and has said sugary drinks shouldn't be singled out as a cause of obesity.

Last year more than 47 million Americans used food stamps ? technically, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The benefits can't go to buy alcohol, cigarettes, hot food and some other items. Proposals to stop people from using the benefit to buy soda, candy and other items seen as unhealthy have been floated for decades; opponents have said such restrictions would be paternalistic and might discourage needy people from getting the subsidies.

Bloomberg has gotten national attention for trying to bar eateries from selling sugary drinks in big sizes, and he has tried before to stop food stamps from going to buy soda. In 2010, he and then-Gov. David Paterson sought the USDA's permission to add sugary drinks to the list of prohibited food-stamp purchases for New York City residents. The agency declined.

Earlier this month, Bloomberg wrote to Senate Agriculture Committee members to applaud a proposal to have the USDA conduct a two-state test of limiting the use of food stamps to buy unhealthy food and drinks. The proposal wasn't included in the version of the massive farm bill the Senate passed last week; the House is preparing to consider it this week.

The mayors' letter also expressed concerns about the legislation's proposed cuts in funding for food stamps and suggested providing incentives to use them for fruits and vegetables.

___

Follow Jennifer Peltz at http://twitter.com/jennpeltz

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-06-18-Sugary%20Drinks/id-8ef5e455871a40c881a5f7209d9b32d2

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