text:
As production for the McLaren MP4 12C has started at a new 40 million GBP facility, the British company has unveiled in depth details with the vision behind their new supercar, detailed specifications regarding performance and their global car company aspirations with a network al 35 dealers already in place worldwide.
The McLaren MP4 12C is powered by a 3.8-litre 90 degree V8 developing 600 PS (592 bhp, 441 kW) and 443 lb-ft (600 Nm of torque) and takes 3.3 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 Km/h (0 to 62 mph). Top speed is 330 Km/h (205 mph) and as far as fuel consumption the McLaren MP4 12C returns 24.2 mpg (UK rating) / 11.7-litres per Km while CO2 emissions are 279 grams per Km. Due to its one-piece moulded carbon chassis, the McLaren MP4 12C tipps the scale at only 1336 Kg (2945 lbs).
Production for the McLaren MP4 12C will be transferred existing MTC assembly to the MPC in April, while pricing on the UK's market is set between 125,000 GBP and 175,000 GBP.
A short video presenting the McLaren simulator and its role in developing the MC4 12C is also found after the extremely long press release.
McLaren press release :
McLaren Automotive and the groundbreaking new MP4-12C: the vision
* McLaren MP4-12C high-performance sports car on sale worldwide in 2011
* McLaren Racing DNA runs through the development of the 12C and a range of future high-performance sports cars from McLaren Automotive
* New McLaren Production Centre due for spring completion
* A new short film presenting the McLaren simulator and its role in 12C development is available to view at www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv
McLaren Automotive is in the final stages of developing a range of innovative high-performance sports cars that will also be highly efficient, high-quality, lightweight, practical, dynamic, safe, comfortable and visually arresting. On Monday 17 January, the first MP4-12C production car entered the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) General Assembly Hall in Woking, England.
A new £40m manufacturing facility, the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) is currently under construction adjacent to the MTC site, and will open in spring 2011. McLaren Automotive will transfer production of the 12C from the existing MTC assembly line to the MPC in April.
A range of premium carbon-based high-performance sports cars from components that are bespoke, innovative and unique, will then start to be distributed to a dedicated network of 35 retailers in 19 countries around the world.
McLaren Automotive's target is to achieve unprecedented levels of quality in every area of its business, none more so than in the company's aim to service customers and cars to a higher level of quality than any premium sports car business has ever offered.
This is not just the launch of a new car. It is the launch of a new car company. So what credentials does McLaren offer to take such bold and courageous steps?
The McLaren Vision
The answer lies with the vision and ambition of McLaren Automotive's Executive Chairman, Ron Dennis: "McLaren's first and founding principle was to compete successfully in motor sport and particularly Formula 1. That goal has taken us to great heights; from an engineering and innovation perspective, and by rewarding our people for their endeavours over many long seasons of top level motor racing. But despite all the trophies and great racing successes, there comes a time when the maturity of a company and its future development depends on broadening its activities.
"We have long held the dream of building a range of innovative McLaren sports cars. Sports cars that take the raw elements of Formula 1 principles, processes and performance and forge them into a unique package that adds the requirements of quality, efficiency, comfort and reliability – traditionally opposing goals that I know we can deliver.
"McLaren's modern history began 30 years ago with an operation of 50 people dedicated solely to winning Grands Prix. Everything we have achieved as a well-honed and fiercely competitive team over the past three decades has prepared us for this moment. McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive now employ around 1,500 people – all dedicated and passionate about being the best. And about launching a new car company and our first car, of which I am very proud. The 12C and the future range of McLaren sports cars will support the long-term development of McLaren and our people.
"This new business will also bring into the UK new investment, a new manufacturing facility – the McLaren Production Centre – and new skilled jobs within the UK's network of high-tech manufacturing and engineering businesses. I believe that McLaren Automotive is a good example of how the UK can develop a new, innovative and globally influential manufacturing base, through technological innovation in design and build-processes.
"Launching a new car company is a great challenge that is exciting everyone at McLaren. Everything is in place and on schedule for the first of our new range of cars to go on sale in the first half of 2011. These are exciting times – for McLaren, for car enthusiasts and, just as importantly, for people who are passionate about technology, innovation and engineering,"Dennis concluded.
McLaren Automotive today
Although McLaren's heritage lies principally on the race circuit, the blend of qualities such as ambition, drive and commitment, with more tangible assets such as aerodynamic skills, rapid development through simulation techniques, supreme electronics expertise and a ruthless quest for reliability, have equipped the company to turn Ron Dennis', and McLaren's shareholders' and board members' dreams into reality.
Taking the vision and turning that into an effective, profitable and world-class car company lies in the hands of McLaren Automotive's Managing Director, Antony Sheriff, and the teams run by his fellow directors, Alan Foster (Operations Director), Dick Glover (Technical Director), Paul MacKenzie (Projects Director), Greg Levine (Sales and Marketing Director), Frank Stephenson (Design Director), Mark Vinnels (Programme Director), Carlo della Casa (Engineering Director), Mark Wilson (Finance Director), and Ben Wright (Purchasing Director).
The first car in the range, the 12C is now in the final stages of development, and the first stages of production. It has been designed and developed by a world-class team of engineers and test drivers, and will be built to world-class levels of quality and reliability. All development processes have benefited from McLaren's expertise in Formula 1, and constant integration with the racing team's techniques and personnel will set new standards in performance for the road.
Antony Sheriff summed up the focus for McLaren Automotive, inspired by high expectations laid down through the years at McLaren, "The overriding principle that has driven us to where we are today is that every car will be 'pure' McLaren.
"This means that each and every component has been conceived, designed and produced to McLaren's specification to meet the extreme requirements of the 12C. There are no carryover components, because they were not good enough. Similarly, our test programmes, production processes and aftersales plans are also brand new and bespoke to McLaren. We have considered everything from a blank sheet of paper to be the best. Being "as good" as everyone else is not good enough; we need to be the best. This approach has given us a remarkable car with ground-breaking performance in all areas.
"Whether it's the revolutionary carbon MonoCell, the ProActive Chassis Control, or a desire to design cars that can be repaired more quickly and accurately than our competitors, we will deliver cars and a service to our customers of which we are personally proud.
"So, our performance goals do not just relate to the 12C, but to the car ownership experience itself: McLaren Automotive will offer new standards of customer service through its dedicated network of the world's best car retailers.
"When I came here, Ron inspired me with his belief that winning Formula 1 races was simply doing your job. After that, it was a question of how you won. That's the winning attitude that permeates throughout McLaren Automotive and sets us apart from our competitors," Sheriff concluded.
Launch plans and prices
In 2010, McLaren Automotive passed a significant number of milestones in its development as the world's newest sports car company. The McLaren Production Centre began construction in March, the 12C made its global public debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England, in North America the 12C debuted at the renowned Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance event, and prospective customers for the 12C were given the opportunity to see the car in the metal at a series of exclusive presentations hosted by McLaren Automotive's new retail partners across the globe.
The 12C goes on sale at a groundbreaking price for a carbon chassis-based car and McLaren Automotive will produce up to 1,000 12Cs for sale worldwide in its first production year.
With the new McLaren Production Centre fully operational, it is anticipated that McLaren will build up to 4,000 cars across its model range annually by the middle of the decade, a figure that will account for between three and four percent of the annual global market for premium sports cars.
No compromise: McLaren MP4-12C sets new performance and efficiency standards
* Lightweight design philosophy the foundation to segment-best performance with efficiency
* Formula 1 integration – technologies, processes and people – inspire the 12C's headline figures
* 30 years of carbon composite chassis design at McLaren inspires the 12C's revolutionary carbon MonoCell
* See performance data and technology presented in a high quality short film featuring Jenson Button, entitled 'MP4-12C Official Performance Data' at www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv
Through a combination of carbon fibre expertise, innovative Formula 1-inspired technologies and development programmes, and a desire to launch a range of 'pure McLaren' road cars, the groundbreaking new McLaren MP4-12C has redefined high-performance sports car benchmarks. By March 2010, when the 12C was first revealed, McLaren Automotive was close to achieving its own high performance targets within the intensive testing and development programme. Key segment targets included:
* lowest CO2 output and best fuel consumption
* highest power with fastest acceleration and braking across all typical benchmark speed and distance parameters
* lightest weight, and therefore highest power to weight ratio
All within a package of more subjective, but equally important, benchmarks: comfort, practicality, driveability, and ownership costs. To be a success, and bring innovation to the market, McLaren knew the 12C had to be the first genuine 'no compromise' high-performance sports car.
Now, as the first production cars enter the McLaren Technology Centre, segment-best performance data is confirmed. Headline figures include:
* 0 – 200kph in 9.1s (8.9s on optional Corsa tyres)
* CO2 emissions of 279g/km (equating to 24.2 EU mpg combined)
* 0 – 100kph in 3.3s (3.1s with optional Corsa tyres)
* top speed: 330kph (205mph)
* 100 – 0 kph in 30.5 m (100 ft)
* ¼ mile: 10.9s @ 135 mph
* dry weight (with lightweight options): 1301kgs / 2868 lbs
* carbon MonoCell chassis weight: 75kgs / 165 lbs
* power: weight (lightweight options): 461PS / 455bhp per tonne.
* power: 600PS (592bhp) at 7,000 rpm
* torque: 600Nm between 3,000 – 7,000 rpm
McLaren performance
The 12C has been created at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK under the same roof as McLaren Racing and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team: 'performance' lies at the heart of the 12C and the McLaren Automotive team responsible for its design, development, engineering and now manufacture.
The 12C's performance is clearly influenced by the McLaren F1 and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren road car projects. Most notably, in the competitive step-changes seen on the 12C through carbon composite engineering, packaging, and aerodynamics. But the development and manufacturing teams are also peppered with technicians and engineers from iconic periods in McLaren's motor racing history: people with priceless experience in challenging design target-setting and innovative engineering problem-solving. And with an inherent ambition to win.
To name but three: Jim Chisman, a McLaren Automotive senior technician was a technician on Niki Lauda's race team and on the 1981 MP4/1 Formula 1 car; Metin Afiya, General Assembly Production Manager, was an engineer on the Le Mans-winning F1 GTR; Dick Glover, Technical Director at McLaren Automotive, enjoyed 12 years in McLaren Racing where he designed the Formula 1 simulator that has also been used in the 12C development programme.
Dick Glover said: "We're intensely proud of the 12C and how it stands against its key competitors: cars that are, in their own rights, some of the best sports cars the world has ever seen. The really exciting challenge for us was that to set new performance benchmarks against these cars, we had to introduce innovative new technologies. In that respect, we have worked technically like a Formula 1 team, where you are constantly trying to improve performance not against fixed parameters, but to win against competitors who are also constantly developing and improving.
"The 12C is a huge technical accomplishment, but also a car filled with the passion and dedication that comes with working at McLaren. I am very proud of the team behind its development," he concluded.
Starting from a clean sheet of paper, the 12C is the first 'pure McLaren'. From its conception, the 12C has been designed around the driver with a carbon chassis. Every one of the 12C's components is bespoke, and there to either enhance performance or contribute to the unmatched driving experience.
30 years of carbon innovation
In 1981 McLaren Racing introduced the carbon monocoque to Formula 1: it offered an unbeatable combination of strength and lightness. In 2011, McLaren Racing will compete with its 200th carbon fibre chassis.
The legendary McLaren F1 sports car was the first road car to feature a carbon chassis when it launched in 1993. With 2,153 SLRs manufactured in its seven year production run, the 2003 – 2009 SLR is the most successful car in the £300,000+ price-point and the most successful of any car built on a carbon-fibre chassis.
Now, the 12C takes carbon innovation to a new level. It is based on a unique one-piece moulded carbon chassis: the MonoCell, which weighs just 75kgs (165lbs). The MonoCell concept required it to provide the perfect combination of occupant space, structural integrity, light weight, and relatively low construction costs. And the ideal chassis from which to deliver ground-breaking efficiency and performance in the sports car market.
McLaren MP4-12C performance data
|600 PS (441kW)
|592 bhp
|@ 7000 rpm
|@ 7000 rpm
|600 Nm
|443 lb-ft
|@ 3000-7000rpm
|@ 3000-7000rpm
|DIN weight
|1434 kg
|3161 lbs
|Dry weight
|1336 kg
|2945 lbs
|Dry weight
|2868 lbs
|(with lightweight options)
|279 g/km
|279 g/km
|Fuel consumption (combined)
|11.7 l/100 km
|24.2 mpg (UK)
|Power to weight
|461 PS/tonne
|455 bhp/tonne
|(with lightweight options)
|0.47 g/km per PS
|0.47 g/km per bhp
|Maximum speed
|330 kph
|205 mph
|0-100 kph (62 mph)
|3.3 s
|3.3 s
|(3.1 s with Corsa tyre option)
|(3.1 s with Corsa tyre option)
|0-200 kph (124 mph)
|9.1 s
|9.1 s
|(8.9 s with Corsa tyre option)
|(8.9 s with Corsa tyre option)
|0-400 m / ¼ mile
|10.9 s @ 216 kph
|10.9 @ 134 mph
|0-1000 m
|19.6 s @ 272 kph
|200-0 kph 123 m
|124-0 mph 403 ft
|100-0 kph 30.5 m
|62-0 mph 100 ft
All figures apply to a European specification MP4-12C
12C Production Prototypes take 'final' 1,000 mile road trip in the global development programme
* Formula 1 simulator enabled first 12C prototypes to deliver remarkable dynamic performance. A new short film presenting the McLaren simulator and its role in 12C development is available to view at www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv
* More than 50 12C prototypes over four generations tested by a team with extensive Formula 1 experience in all corners of the globe since 2007
* McLaren's 'Idischleife' test brings Nürburgring Nordschleife to Spain
* Quality, reliability and ground-breaking performance signed-off during final development drive from McLaren in Woking to Portimão in Portugal
McLaren Automotive's vehicle development team has been testing prototype versions of the innovative new McLaren MP4-12C high-performance sports car around the world since 2007. And the development programme recently completed the car's final 'sign-off' 1,000 mile development drive.
Four Production Prototype 12C's (PP7, PP9, PP10, PP11) departed McLaren's Woking headquarters for the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve race circuit in Portugal, on Wednesday 12 January, taking a detour en-route to a Spanish proving ground to log the car's definitive and ground-breaking performance times. All four PP 12C's arrived in Portimão on the evening of Friday 14 January where they undertook further 'sign-off' tests.
Antony Sheriff, McLaren Automotive's Managing Director: "I am immensely proud of the 12C development team. I don't believe any car company in the world has put as much effort, innovation, passion and sheer determination into launching a car as McLaren has with the 12C. But this attitude is all we know: good enough is not good.
"Both in simulation, and in the real world on road and track, we have gone to extremes to ensure the 12C stands up to the performance and quality we know our prospective customers demand. Even as we launch the 12C and begin testing future models, we continue to test the 12C's long-term durability," Sheriff concluded.
The world's most advanced simulator
The 12C development programme was conceived under the title 'Project 11'. In 2005, a decision was taken by McLaren to launch its first ever 'pure McLaren' road car. A team was then assembled combining individuals with extensive experience designing and developing successful McLaren Formula 1 race cars, with several senior personnel responsible for development and production of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which, with 2,153 manufactured by McLaren Automotive, is the world's most successful super sports car.
Innovation through technology is a challenge set to all of McLaren's designers and engineers. In Formula 1, the McLaren team was the first to bring a carbon monocoque chassis to motorsport in 1981. Just a few years later, every competitor on the Formula 1 grid had followed suit. With race car development opportunities now limited due to the introduction of restrictive legislation in Formula 1, McLaren relies heavily on its technically advanced simulator, which is housed in a secure suite at the company's McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) home in Woking, UK.
The McLaren simulator is a software-based virtual environment which is able to accurately replicate the driving experience on any road or track surface in the world. When preparing for real-world circuit testing, a programme is run by the McLaren Automotive development team uploading data to the simulator including corner radii, gradient, track width and the 12C's performance parameters. The results are astonishingly accurate.
Dick Glover, Technical Director at McLaren Automotive, said: "Having the McLaren simulator at our disposal from the start of the 12C development programme has been a tremendous asset. We were able to accurately predict the dynamic performance of our very first concept-phase vehicle and ensure that it was suitable for extreme testing from day one. It would be incredibly difficult to achieve similar results if you were designing and building a car without simulation.
"We use professional racing drivers in our development team. Throughout the real-world testing programme we continually schedule time for them in the simulator to fine tune the performance and driving characteristics of the 12C. This experience is then validated back against real-world conditions at one of the test facilities we use around the world. It is an ongoing, dynamic, feedback process that mixes the best of technology with the best hands-on track work."
The 12C development team has also taken simulation to a new level as they seek to ensure the fleet of prototypes are pushed to their absolute limits, reproducing the impact of the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife at a Spanish test facility. The Nordschleife in Germany is regarded as the world's ultimate test circuit due to its combination of challenging surfaces and 20.81km (12.93m) length. McLaren Automotive has visited the Nordschleife on several occasions for periods of sustained testing, but with the circuit being closed during winter months, the development team has had to identify a way of recreating the extreme conditions found at the Nordschleife in a different environment.
Dick Glover said: "We have a permanent test base at the Applus IDIADA proving ground in Northern Spain. Our team of engineers has taken data from the Nordschleife circuit including lateral g performance, vertical road inputs, engine throttle position and gearing, and created a programme which can then be run at IDIADA, which we call the 'Idischleife Concept'.
"This programme allows us to undertake challenging and aggressive testing to the level experienced at the Nordschleife but at a location where we can run testing literally twenty-four hours, seven days a week and quickly move the 12C closer to its development targets," Glover concluded.
Four generations of prototypes tested in all four corners of the world
The first Concept Prototype (CP) 12C's were built in 2007. These 'mule' vehicles were designed to test aerodynamic, powertrain, drivetrain and chassis configuration proposals. Production Prototypes (PP) are now entering a high-mileage real-world durability phase of an initial 50,000 miles.
An evolution of prototype vehicles took place between these two phases, with each new generation of prototype receiving the latest available iterations of technologies, including the 12C's M838T twin-turbo engine, its seven speed SSG transmission, suspension geometry and electrical architecture. More than 50 cars have been built over the following prototype phases:
* Concept Prototype (CP)
* Experimental Prototype (XP)
* Validation Prototype (VP)
* Production Prototype (PP)
This fleet has been tested in every regional market where the car will be sold, including Bahrain and Nevada in the summer, and the Arctic in winter. The simple aim, to achieve unprecedented levels of performance but also guarantee the levels of quality, reliability and durability with which McLaren expects to delight future customers.
Geoff Grose, McLaren Automotive Head of Testing and Development said: "We've undertaken rigorous test schedules in every imaginable environment. Our teams have tested 12C prototypes in Sweden for cold weather programmes, Bahrain in summer dust storms, Arizona at temperatures upwards of 115°F, South Africa for high altitude testing and endless circuit and road testing in Europe.
"McLaren has established bases at IDIADA in northern Spain and the Prototipo facility near Nardò in southern Italy. At both locations we have run a number of 24 hour sessions, as well as 18 hour sessions between eight in the morning until two the next morning. The remaining six hours allow time for a team to service and implement development changes ready for the next day's testing to begin without interruption. Whole-car testing undertaken in this way is incredibly demanding, but bears an uncanny resemblance to the way our Formula 1 team develops race-winning cars."
Data collection and analysis: the McLaren way
At the IDIADA and Nardò proving grounds, McLaren Automotive has ongoing access to dynamic platforms, handling and high speed circuits, and challenging local roads on which to test a number of 12C performance attributes. Subjective attributes appraised include: vehicle design and ergonomics; interior comfort and richness; ride and handling; steering; braking; noise and vibration harshness; engine; transmission.
Mark Vinnels, Programme Director at McLaren Automotive said: "We have benchmark tested every competitor model to the 12C and, as a package, I believe our car is unmatched in every respect. We have higher power, better structural performance through the 12C's carbon MonoCell, and the level of refinement in its ride quality is outstanding."
Objective, data-based appraisals are undertaken using a data-logging system developed by McLaren Electronic Systems Ltd (MESL). The HSL-500 high speed data logger is fitted to several prototype 12Cs and records data at rates up to 400kHz. The core of this system is used by the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, but is stretched further on the 12C to cope with close to 20 ECU systems spread over two CAN bus systems. The data logger can be configured to log over 1,000 channels of data and is ideally suited for vehicles requiring a large number of data to be simultaneously tracked from multiple channels. This includes cars that are dedicated to dynamic and thermal testing. In addition to logging data from the 12C prototype's CAN bus network, data is recorded from close to 100 specifically positioned pressure transducers, lasers, accelerometers, displacement sensors, thermocouples, strain gauges and GPS devices.
Data logging has been imperative to the 12C development programme. Every development vehicle has been fitted with a MESL data logger to capture every moment the vehicle turns a wheel to ensure that the engineers can quickly analyse, identify and rectify any issues, as well as ensuring optimal development of the vehicle. Much of this input is then fed back into the simulation programme, and the process continues the real-world:simulation development cycle. Using the MESL system ensures the development programme maintains its swift pace, whereby modifications and technology calibration changes can be performed promptly to increase the performance and reliability of each and every vehicle.
New McLaren Production Centre and 35 McLaren retailers highlight global car company aspirations
* McLaren Production Centre (MPC) to build all future McLaren high-performance sports cars
* Capacity for a range of around 4,000 McLarens by the middle of the decade
* Up to 300 skilled jobs will be created to support McLaren Automotive's production plans
* Global retail network of dedicated McLaren dealerships takes shape
McLaren Automotive is launching more than just a new car this spring: 2011 will see the arrival of a new global car company.
To build a brand new car is a challenge; to build a brand new high-performance sports car that is ground-breaking, efficient, high-quality, lightweight, practical, dynamic, safe, comfortable, and visually arresting is a greater challenge still.
In spring 2011, McLaren Automotive will take the challenge to a rare, and possibly unique, level. Just a few months from the launch of the MP4-12C, the new company is already working on the design and development of a range of premium high-performance sports cars that are bespoke, innovative and unique. It will then produce them in the McLaren Production Centre (MPC), a brand new manufacturing facility linked to the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC), the home of McLaren Racing and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team. Not only that, but a global network of dedicated McLaren retailers have been appointed to service customers and cars to a higher level of quality than any premium sports car business has ever offered.
In spring 2011, McLaren Automotive will open the doors to the all-new £40m MPC on a site adjacent to the company's headquarters in Woking, England. A range of innovative McLaren sports cars will be built at the MPC, beginning with production of up to 1,000 12Cs for worldwide distribution this year, to be distributed and serviced by an initial 35 global retailers in all major established markets.
McLaren Production Centre
Ron Dennis, McLaren Automotive's Executive Chairman said: "We have approached the MPC planning and construction programme in the same rigorous, detailed and challenging manner as we would start a Grand Prix season or as we have managed the research, development and launch of the new McLaren Automotive car company.
"Every detail has been considered and solutions resolved, whether that is on the production facility's timing and layout, the local sensitivities for the impact of the new facility, or how we deal with details such as keeping the site and surrounding roads clean and as traffic-free as possible."
Construction of MPC started on Monday 1 March 2010, following a rigorous planning process that took into account all local concerns over the MPC's impact on traffic, jobs, and the environmental and visual impact. It will have a clear McLaren style and will espouse all the virtues of the MTC. It is due for completion approximately one year later, with the first 12Cs due to be built there in May.
As with McLaren's MTC headquarters, the MPC was designed by Fosters + Partners and care has been taken to ensure that the building fits perfectly into its environment. Linked to the MTC by a subterranean pedestrian tunnel, production engineers and planners continue to benefit from the instant access they currently enjoy to the design and engineering teams at McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing.
Development of the MPC reflects McLaren Group's approach to innovation in manufacturing and engineering. MPC will feature a General Assembly area similar in specification to the existing MTC production area; clinical precision and remarkable cleanliness are guaranteed. Test zones including a rolling road and monsoon wash are housed adjacent to a cutting-edge paint facility, and may be viewed from a mezzanine balcony at one end of the MPC assembly hall.
The 32,000-square metre two-storey MPC is located to the south-east of the MTC, sharing a common language of details and materials: the new building is clad in aluminium tubes, the rounded corners of its rectilinear plan echo the curves of the MTC and the entrance, echoing the existing building, is a circular glass drum beneath the overhang of the roof canopy.
At just over seven metres high and embedded in the gentle incline of the site, the MPC is sensitive to its rural setting and will not be visible from the nearby road. Further screening will be provided by the extensive planting of trees and excavated material will be used to conceal the building within the green-belt site. The new building is also designed to be sustainable – the MTC uses the lake for cooling, so the roof of the MPC will support this system, collecting rainwater to complement a low-energy system that utilises displacement ventilation.
Quality defines success
The MPC will be the home of McLaren Automotive's range of highly efficient high-performance sports cars, supporting up to 800 jobs and manufacturing around 4,000 cars annually by the middle of the decade. New quality standards will be introduced into the sports car market, as well as innovative technologies unique to McLaren.
Alan Foster, Operations Director at McLaren Automotive, said: "When I joined McLaren in 2005, the outstanding level of expertise in engineering and design across the Group was obvious. My objective has been to fuse the vision of those working on the 12C programme with a practical approach to manufacturing on a scale that will make McLaren a leader in the sports car market. We understand our future customers' expectations and the production plan for all future McLaren sports cars focuses on quality. Our strategy offers the best of both hand-built and 'lean' production processes. The production programme for the SLR, our most recent carbon-chassis sports car, required far higher quality standards to be implemented than Daimler had ever before demanded. It is that level of quality assurance that we will now introduce in manufacturing the 12C at MPC."
Prospective customer feedback underlines McLaren's market potential
By the end of 2010, McLaren Automotive had received over 3,500 registrations of serious interest in the 12C through its website (www.mclarenautomotive.com), plus enough commitment from prospective customers to cover at least 2011's production allocation.
This strong indication of prospective customers' intentions to purchase the 12C has confirmed McLaren Automotive's strategy to launch through a relatively exclusive list of respected global retailers located in established luxury car markets.
Antony Sheriff, Managing Director at McLaren Automotive, said: "Our quality philosophy begins with the car, runs through our manufacturing processes and is a pre-requisite for our new retail partners, who will be responsible for bearing the McLaren name and servicing all of our prospective customers.
"We have already appointed 31 of our planned retailers in 19 countries worldwide and all of them will open exciting new showrooms in 2011. Many of our new retail partners have presented the 12C to their existing network of customers at exclusive events in North America, Europe, and the Middle East, and the feedback has been overwhelming. These customers understand the technological innovation that is being introduced to the sports car market with the launch of the 12C, and I believe they also recognise we are committed to ensuring our retailers provide an ownership experience as bespoke as the car."
The 12C will go on sale in Europe in late-spring, North America, the Middle East, and South Africa through the summer and autumn, and Asia-Pacific towards the end of the year. New retailers will be appointed in future years, as the company moves to a global network of around 75 retailers in established and emerging markets. The complete network and production numbers planned will ensure both exclusivity and exemplary service for McLaren customers and profitability for McLaren retailers.
McLaren Automotive retail network
EU McLaren Automotive Regional Director: Christian Marti
McLaren London Jardine Motors Group
McLaren Birmingham Rybrook Motor Holdings
McLaren Manchester Sytner Group
McLaren Paris Neubauer Group
McLaren Monaco Monaco Luxury Group
McLaren Madrid Grupo Guarnieri
McLaren Dusseldorf Moll Sportwagen GmbH
McLaren Frankfurt tbc
McLaren Hamburg Merkur Hanseatische Beteiligungs-AG
McLaren Munich tbc
Mclaren Brussels Ginion Group
McLaren Zurich Schmohl AG
McLaren Milan Gruppo Fassina
North America McLaren Automotive Regional Director: Tony Joseph
McLaren Beverly Hills The Auto Gallery
McLaren Chicago Lake Forest Sports Cars
McLaren Dallas Park Place Texas
McLaren Greenwich Miller Motorcars
The Collection McLaren Miami, Florida
McLaren Newport Beach
McLaren Philadelphia
McLaren San Francisco Price Family Vehicles
McLaren Tampa Bay Dew Luxury Motor Cars
McLaren Toronto Pfaff Automotive Partners
Asia Pacific McLaren Automotive Regional Director: Ian Gorsuch
McLaren Singapore tbc
McLaren Tokyo tbc
McLaren Osaka tbc
McLaren Sydney Trivett
McLaren Hong Kong Sime Darby
Middle East:South Africa Regional Director: Ian Gorsuch
McLaren Jeddah Al Ghassan Motors
McLaren Kuwait Ali Alghanim & Sons Automotive
McLaren Dubai Al Habtoor Motors
McLaren Abu Dhabi Al Habtoor Motors
McLaren Qatar Dana Motors
McLaren Bahrain Al Ghassan Motors
McLaren Johannesburg Daytona Group
Technical innovation and bespoke engineering form foundation to 'pure McLaren' specification
* 'Pure McLaren' concept unmatched by any rival
* Lightweight, powerful and efficient M838T engine
* Bespoke ProActive Chassis Control suspension and SSG transmission with Pre-Cog
* Innovative chassis concept offers performance foundation: McLaren Airbrake and McLaren Brake Steer support 12C dynamics
'Pure McLaren'
Antony Sheriff, McLaren Automotive's Managing Director: "The overriding principle that has driven us to where we are today is that every car will be 'pure' McLaren. This means that each and every component has been conceived, designed and produced to McLaren's specification to meet the extreme requirements of the 12C. There are no carryover components, because they were not good enough. Similarly, our test programmes, production processes and aftersales plans are also brand new and bespoke to McLaren. We have considered everything from a blank sheet of paper to be the best. Being "as good" as everyone else, is not good enough.
"Whether it's the revolutionary carbon MonoCell to the switchgear, or a desire to design cars that can be repaired more quickly and accurately than our competitors, we will deliver cars and a service to our customers of which we are personally proud.
"One fundamental result of this passion to produce a pure McLaren is that the 12C is what I call the 'and' car. Compared to main rivals, it has better performance 'and' is more fuel efficient; it is lighter 'and' stronger, safer 'and' fully equipped; it is smaller in its exterior dimensions 'and' spacious inside; it has better handling 'and' is more comfortable. As for the 12C's performance, efficiency is a key aim; efficiency in performance is a goal that we believe our customers will appreciate. With 600PS it is the most powerful car in its class, yet with a CO2 figures of just 279g/km, each horsepower is produced more efficiently than virtually any car on sale today featuring a petrol, diesel or hybrid engine," Sheriff concluded.
No compromise: Lightweight and efficient new 600PS powertrain
The unique new M838T engine powering the McLaren MP4-12C is a 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine, designed by McLaren Automotive.
Weighing 199kg (439lbs), the M838T features a dry sump lubrication system and a flat plane crankshaft, which has allowed McLaren Automotive's engineers to place the engine extremely low in the chassis, lowering the 12C's centre of gravity and in turn optimising the car's handling responses.
At the rear, high level exhaust pipes exit the car from a mixing box rather than a conventional silencer unit, saving weight. An optional Sport Exhaust system made from Inconel, an extremely heat-resistant nickel-chromium-based alloy, further reduces weight and enhances the exhaust note.
Richard Farquhar, Function Group Manager for Powertrain at McLaren Automotive said: "The decision to design and build a turbocharged engine for the 12C was taken early in the programme. We wanted low weight, low rev range tractability, potent mid-range performance and extensive high-rev reach. All that, and a level of refinement and efficiency from a V8 that perhaps you might not expect. I'm confident that the 12C powerplant delivers on all these aspects."
Mated to the M838T is a dual clutch, seven-speed 'SSG' transmission. Using the Active Dynamics Panel situated in the centre console of the 12C's cockpit, the characteristics of the SSG transmission can be switched through three different settings: Normal, Sport and Track modes. Each provide a progressive immediacy of gear shift, operated through finger-tip controls mounted on a rocker behind the 12C steering wheel: upshift by either pulling with the right hand or pushing with the left, and vice versa to downshift. This 'one-hand shifting' principal, and the satisfying mechanical 'click' on gearchange, is reminiscent of the shift mechanics introduced and still used in the Formula 1 cars.
The SSG transmission also features a 'Pre-Cog' function. By applying moderate pressure to the shift control the driver is able to pre-load the clutch, thereby decreasing latency to virtually zero when the paddle is fully depressed between the shift message being sent and action being taken by the transmission to swap ratios. Gear shift becomes virtually instantaneous.
The SSG system has another trick in its box. If the driver enters a sharp corner too quickly, requiring a strong braking action, there is every chance he will not be in the ideal gear for smooth acceleration out of the corner. If the left-shift control is depressed and held, instead of 'clicked', while under braking, the transmission matches engine speed to the correct lowest gear.
'Automatic' mode, 'Launch Control' and 'Winter' modes can also be selected on the Active Dynamics Panel, the latter changing all electronic functions to suit low grip conditions and delivering maximum driver aid and support. There is no traditional manual transmission offered; the two pedal layout offered further scope to create a narrow, lighter, and more comfortable car.
ProActive Chassis Control
Working to the McLaren mantra of 'no compromise', McLaren Automotive's Vehicle Dynamics engineers set about creating a brand-new suspension system for a sports car that aims to deliver executive car-like ride quality and a sharp, reactive handling response.
ProActive Chassis Control featuring Adaptive Damping provides much higher stiffness in roll compared to conventional suspension systems, and greater comfort in a straight line. The suspension is based on double wishbones with coil springs. The dampers are interconnected hydraulically and linked to a gas-filled accumulator, providing adaptive responses depending on road conditions and driver preference.
Paul Burnham, McLaren Automotive Vehicle Dynamics Manager, said: "It is not enough just to be fast. The 12C has to innovate in every area. An anti-roll bar is a common and simple solution to support handling, but the disadvantage is that stiffness is always there, whether the driver requires it or not. It is important to us that the 12C is rewarding and comfortable to drive at low and high speed, on the daily commute and on the track."
The ProActive system features driver-adjustable roll control which replaces the mechanical anti-roll bars that have been a standard feature of road cars since time immemorial. It allows the car to maintain precise roll control under heavy cornering while decoupling the suspension in a straight line for excellent wheel articulation and compliance.
As with the transmission, but independent from it, 12C drivers are able to select 'Normal', 'Sport' or 'Track' settings for the suspension through the Active Dynamics Panel. Each mode is responsible for managing roll control system pressure, Adaptive Damping and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) settings. This ensures bespoke tuning between handling, ride and transmission for focused track activity, dynamic road driving, or comfortable cruising.
Burnham continues: "Adaptive Damping works byelectronic sensors monitoring the movement of the body and wheels and only increasing damping when required. We believe Adaptive Damping as part of ProActive Chassis Control is the best system for a driver to set the car to his or her preferred driving modes. Its speed of response is particularly effective!"
The fundamental principle behind ProActive Chassis Control is simple physics: dampers featuring an hydraulic system of high and low pressure valves interconnected left to right, front to back. When high pressure meets high pressure under roll conditions, stiffness results; when high pressure meets low under heave and warp, there is more 'give' and comfort prevails. See 'notes to editors' for full technical overview of ProActive Chassis Control.
Brake Steer and McLaren Airbrake
Brake Steer is a variation on McLaren's electronic driver aid used successfully in Formula 1 on the 1997 McLaren MP4-12. It was subsequently banned, indicating its clear performance advantage, but has been developed for the 12C as the control systemto prevent wheel spin and improve traction.
Brake Steer does essentially the same job as a 'torque-vectoring' differential, but is up to 20 kgs lighter – part of the 12C's 'weight-down' design philosophy. It uses the same hardware to operate as the 12C's Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system, preventing wheel spin, reducing understeer, and significantly boosting track times.
In essence, it is a system that applies braking forces to the inside rear wheel when the car is entering a corner too quickly to make the desired radius – supporting either a driver who has misjudged the corner, or a skilled driver seeking the fastest possible entry and exit from a corner. Under normal circumstances these scenarios would tend towards a state of understeer. Brake Steer controls this and makes the car behave in a more neutral fashion, bringing its nose back on line. It assesses the steering angle to determine the driver's intended course and applies the inside rear brake to increase yaw rate and resume the desired course.
The system also works on acceleration out of a corner when the inside rear has a tendency to spin, allowing the driver to put power down more quickly.
The 12C's ESC system is managed electronically by the driver-operated Active Dynamics Panel settings. The 12C provides ample grip and safety in 'Winter' or 'Normal' modes, yet ESC offers increased slip in 'Sport' or 'Track' modes.
A unique McLaren Airbrake adds drag and rear downforce when deployed under braking, helping the car to decelerate and meaning more rear brake pressure can be used, hence stopping distances are shortened.
Adding rear downforce also improves the car's stability under braking to give a more secure feel and optimum track performance: under typical heavy braking, the rear can go 'light' as weight is transferred forwards, 'pushing' the front of the car down. With an Airbrake, the car behaves as if 'pulled' from behind, counteracting the tendency to dive, therefore maintaining traction.
Under heavy braking above 95 km/h, a piston operated by transmission hydraulics raises the Airbrake to 32 degrees. Once the first stage 'wing angle' is set, and the Airbrake pushed into the airflow, the centre of aerodynamic pressure forces the bottom of the 'wing' back up to 69 degrees: aerodynamics raise the Airbrake to its full and maximum angle rather than relying on a larger, and therefore heavier, motor. This weight-saving solution took almost 50 per cent of weight out of the mechanism.
Wheels, tyres and brakes
The wheel and tyre combination selected for the 12C is critical to performance and handling agility. The front wheel diameter is 19" to ensure the sidewall height is large enough to ensure good impact isolation, and maintain excellent aerodynamics.
Standard tyres on the 12C are bespoke Pirelli PZero's, with latest generation tyre technology. The 12C's ProActive Chassis Control system has allowed the Vehicle Dynamics team to use a softer compound than is normal on high performance sports cars to achieve extra grip. Pirelli PZero Corsa 'sport' tyres are available as an option for use at higher temperatures and on circuits. These give more grip in normal conditions than the PZero tyres, but are less effective than the standard tyres in standing water or temperatures below 7°C.
The standard forged aluminium bell and cast iron brake configuration is bespoke to the 12C and has been optimised for weight, saving around 8 kg from a standard cast iron option that was considered. Naturally, itgives excellent performance in terms of braking bite and feedback. As an upgrade, Ceramic Composite Matrix (CCM) brakes may be specified.
McLaren MP4-12C Technical Specification
|Drivetrain layout
|Longitudinal mid-engine, RWD
|Engine configuration
|V8 twin turbo
|Engine material
|Aluminium block and cylinder heads
|Dry sump
|Compression ratio
|32-valve, DOHC, dual VVT
|Redline ( rpm)
|Bore x Stroke (mm)
|93 x 69.9
|Engine displacement (cc)
|PS / rpm
|600 / 7000
|Torque Nm / rpm
|600 / 3000-7000
|PS per litre
|7 Speed SSG with Pre-Cog
|Body structure
|Carbon fibre MonoCell with aluminum front and rear frames
|Wheelbase (mm)
|Track, F/R (mm)
|1656 / 1583
|Length (mm)
|Width (mm)
|Height (mm)
|DIN weight (kg / lbs)
|1434 / 3161
|Dry weight (kg / lbs)
|1336 / 2945
|Dry weight with lightweight options (kg / lbs)
|1301 / 2868
|Weight distribution at DIN F / R %
|42.5 / 57.5
|Active aerodynamics
|McLaren Airbrake
|ProActive Chassis Control
|ProActive Chassis Control modes
|Winter / Normal / Sport / Track
|Powertrain modes
|Winter / Normal / Sport / Track
Cast iron discs with forged aluminum hubs
(F 370mm / R 350 mm)
|Wheel sizes (F / R)
|19" x 8.5"J / 20" x 11" J
|Tyres (F / R)
|Pirelli PZero 235/35 R19 / 305/30 R20
McLaren Automotive
How ProActive Chassis Control (PCC) works
The 12C controls the balance between roll, heave and warp through a combination of adaptive damping and hydraulic roll control:
Adaptive damping with hydraulic roll control: a unique damper at each wheel features liquid-filled twin chambers, one a compression chamber and the other a rebound chamber. The compression chamber of the front-right damper is linked to the front-left damper's rebound chamber, and the front-left damper compression chamber is linked to the front-right rebound chamber; likewise at the rear with front and rear dampers linked to ensure an interconnected network .
In roll conditions, the right or left side of the car is prevented from dipping on cornering hard right or hard left respectively: on cornering hard right with anti-roll bars, the dampers on the right would compress, whilst those on the left extend. With PCC, this is prevented as liquid exits from the front right damper compression chamber (which is increasing pressure as the car tends towards dipping) and is forced towards liquid exiting from the front left rebound chamber (which is also increasing pressure as the car tends towards rising on that side), and vice versa at the rear. This results in high-pressure meeting high-pressure, keeping the car on a level, and forcing the liquid to escape into an accumulator.
The accumulator receives the liquid under high pressure where it meets a gas-filled 'bulb' separated by a diaphragm. Gas pressure in the diaphragm acts as a spring against the relative hydraulic pressures set by the Active Dynamics Panel handling mode where 'Normal', 'Sport', or 'Track' modes increase pressure accordingly. Under 'N' there is therefore more 'give' in the diaphragm separating the incoming liquid from gas than in 'S' or 'T' respectively. Thereby controlling the absolute level of roll, from minimal ('N') to virtually zero ('T').
Heave: the same concept as per roll, but with dampers working in similar, rather than the opposing actions as in roll where all are under compression or all under rebound at the same time. In heave, high pressure meets low pressure right to left, and left to right, as high pressure liquid leaving one compression chamber in one damper is forced into the low pressure environment of the opposing rebound chamber. The result is low roll stiffness, just spring stiffness, tending towards a comfortable ride.
Warp: a common condition on normal roads where front and rear axle are experiencing varying and opposite roll levels. Because front right compression or rebound chamber is linked to rear right compression or rebound chamber respectively (and same on the left), which are themselves linked to their opposite chambers at the front or back respectively, high pressure from the front right under compression, for example, is able to find a low pressure exit either at the rear right under rebound or the rear left under compression. This tends towards low stiffness on the road and a comfortable ride.
The end result is a car on-track with virtually zero roll as high pressure liquid is forced against high pressure liquid in the dampers, 'locking' the system, but a car on the road that is dynamically tending towards good comfort and ride as high pressure is escaping towards low pressure, keeping the system fluid and in balance with the road conditions.
McLaren celebrates three decades of carbon fibre 'firsts' and carbon fibre innovation with MP4-12C
* March 1981 – March 2011: 30 years of carbon fibre innovation at McLaren
* McLaren MP4-12C introduces first one-piece moulded carbon fibre chassis
* First carbon chassis in sub-£200,000 car segment
Carbon pioneers
McLaren is a carbon pioneer. In 1981 McLaren Racing introduced the carbon monocoque to Formula 1: it offered an unbeatable combination of strength and lightness. The monocoque had an immediate dynamic impact, with John Watson winning that year at Silverstone, and also proved a very effective safety cell when Watson walked away from a dramatic high-speed crash at Monza. Within just a few years, every other Formula 1 team on the grid had followed suit. The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team will compete in 2011 with McLaren's 200th carbon fibre chassis.
The legendary McLaren F1 sports car was the first road car to feature a carbon chassis when it launched in 1993. Two years on, a McLaren F1 entered the famous Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race and won on its debut. F1s also came 3rd, 4th and 5th. From 2003-09, McLaren worked in partnership with Mercedes-Benz to produce the carbon-based Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. With 2,153 SLRs manufactured in its seven year production run, the SLR is the most successful car in the£300,000+ price-point and the most successful of any car built on a carbon chassis.
Now, the McLaren MP4-12C takes carbon innovation to a new level. And offers a design and production process that could see the benefits of carbon fibre chassis' cascaded down to even more affordable cars.
Mark Vinnels, Programme Director at McLaren Automotive, said: "With 30 years experience in carbon technology, the physical benefits of carbon are well known at McLaren. What we are now progressing, on the 12C and future models, is mak


text:
Gallery Show—We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball
This traveling exhibition features a collection of 33 paintings, 13 sketches, and educational materials from the book, We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by award-winning artist and author Kadir Nelson. The New York Times named this book one of the best illustrated children's books of 2008.
This exhibition is the story of Negro Leagues—the story of gifted athletes and determined owners, of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship, of fortunes won and lost, of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. It is a perfect mirror for the social and political history of black America in the first half of the 20th century. Most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about hundreds of unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
Nelson spent seven years researching, writing, and creating handsome paintings to be included in the brilliantly illustrated book, which is dedicated to the preservation of the history of the Negro Leagues. During this process, he interviewed former Negro League players; traveled to museums around the country; pored over old photographs, firsthand testimonies, and documentaries; collected baseball memorabilia, sports equipment, and uniforms; and posed and photographed himself in the works, all with the intention of putting himself in the shoes of a former Negro League player to recreate an authentic depiction of life in the Negro Leagues.
We Are the Ship will serve as the centerpiece of a collaboration the South Bend Museum of Art has initiated with the University of Notre Dame's Multicultural Student Programs and Services Office, the Center for History, the Civil Rights Heritage Center, and the South Bend Silver Hawks. This series of community programs, titled Triple Play: Race, Baseball, Art, is aimed at creating awareness, education, and action about the topic. Each partner is planning related programming in order to expand the collective impact and audience, making the exhibition and its valuable teaching opportunities accessible to youth and adults in the region and beyond.
The show will run from September 15, 2012, until November 11, 2012.
Made possible, in part, by support from Faegre Baker Daniels LLP and the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County's African American Community Fund
Originally published at al.nd.edu.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The best part of holiday parties (aside from the yummy treats and pressies, duh!) is all those fun excuses to dress up. And while holiday parties are the perfect excuse to splurge on a new dress, it's also a great excuse to take one of winter's hottest new shoe trends for a spin—velvet shoes!
From killer heels to flirty flats, the plush fabric is the perfect to match for all your festive outfits, but unlike sequin shoes, you can totally rock velvet heels or flats with jeans and a tee for school!
Wearing your go-to LBD? A pair of velvet heels in a pretty burgundy hue will instantly upgrade your look! And a pair of trendy ankle-strap pumps with a velvety finish will upgrade just about any dress, skirt, or pair of pants in your closet. Bottom line: Whichever velvet version you decide on–you'll be stepping out in major style, literally.
More From Seventeen
Share your #ShoesdayTuesday pics with us here!
(L) Point The Way Velvet Pumps, $22.90, GoJane (R) Vent Metal Heel Ballet Shoes, $40, Topshop


text:
Scottsdale Bathroom Remodeling
The Scottsdale Bathroom Remodeling Company is a team of experts in the bathroom remodeling industry
We are committed in providing high-quality workmanship at competitive prices while remaining honest and transparent throughout the entire process. With a wealth of experience and knowledge, we can help you plan your design or redesign with confidence. We are able to complete every detail on time and within budget thanks to our "can do" attitude. Our staff has been built around our core group of experienced project managers which allows us as a company to provide the highest quality service possible.
Business Name:
Scottsdale Bathroom Remodeling
Scottsdale, AZScottsdale Arizona Scottsdale, AZUnited States
(000) 000-0000
About Scottsdale
Scottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Named Scottsdale in 1894 after its founder Winfield Scott, a retired U.S. Army chaplain, the city was incorporated in 1951 with a population of 2,000. As of the 2020 census, the population was 241,361, up from 217,385 in 2010. Its slogan is "The West's Most Western Town". It has been one of the fastest growing cities in the United States over the past decades.
Neighborhoods in Scottsdale, Arizona
Alterra, Arts Districts, Aviara, Boulder Heights, Briarwood, Central Scottsdale, Country Trace, Cuernavaca, Desert Springs, Desert Village, Desert Vista, Eagle Point, Enchantra At The Boulders, Foothills At Ironwood Village, Hidden Hills
Things to do in Scottsdale, Arizona
Our Newest Profiles


text:
A few days ago I got a call about a drunk driving case. Early in the conversation I realized this was going to be different.
This was actually about the Northway accident that killed two Shenendehowa students. The caller was a 16-year-old girl from a nearby town. She had all sorts of questions about how the "killer" had been able to get his license back after multiple DWI convictions and other problems. She was very upset by the deaths, and looking for answers.
I hadn't heard about the case yet. But something didn't sound right. I started reading news articles and reading what Albany friends were saying about it on Facebook.
The newspaper reports indicated that Dennis Drue was driving another car and there was an accident between his vehicle and the Shenendehowa vehicle. There were suggestions that Drue had been drinking, and that his vehicle was going 70 or 75 mph, but these were not hard facts. It quickly came out that Drue's license had been revoked in February 2009 (over 3 years ago) for having 3 speeding convictions. It was reinstated in 2010, which is normal. He also had some criminal history but it also appears to be old (2008) and fairly minor. Then there are more recent allegations from his landlord.
One friend of mine on Facebook demonstrated the vitriol directed at Mr. Drue:
he has multiple convictions for speeding which resulted in his suspended driving priviliedges for a year, ... Couple that with multiple instances of illegal substance abuse arrests/dealing complaints or ticketing, and oh by the way observation by police, ... he is a drug using, drug selling lowlife.
And there's this lovely image accusing Drue of causing these deaths because he "had a party behind the wheel."
Source: DWI Hit Parade
Despite multiple reports that no charges have been filed against Drue yet, some say charges against him are "pending." Examples include News10 and YNN. That seems to be false and arguably actionable defamation. There's no indication he ever had a DWI arrest before. There are suggestions of drug problems, but at the same time he appears to have been doing well in school.
Initial anger that Drue may have been drunk appear to have been false, as the blood test report came back low. Now they're looking to see if there are any other drugs in his blood. Even if they do find something, it will be difficult to prove such drugs "impaired" his driving.
While some are labeling Drue a murderer, we do not know yet how this accident happened. Police appear to be doing an accident reconstruction. They will use tire marks and other marks on the pavement, along with other evidence, to try to piece together what happened. Accident reconstruction is far from perfect. We had a case in Saratoga County where the police reconstruction had my client's 5' long motorcycle making tire marks that were 7' apart. Indeed, one news report indicated that one of the victims was ejected from the vehicle. This suggests she was not wearing her seatbelt.
It is unfortunate that so many people have rushed to judgment on Dennis Drue. We don't know yet what happened, and we may never know for sure. His lawyer, Steve Coffey, deserves some credit for trying to bring out Drue's positive side: Troy Record.
We all feel for the victims and their families and friends. But this is a time for calm, reasoned review, rather than hasty and angry judgments. While Drue may or may not be responsible for this crash, we should look at all possible ways to prevent such incidents and minimize the damage that causes.


text:
Mecum Auction will offer the Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Tweedy Pie - a 1923 Ford T-bucket - at its second annual Mecum Monterey Auction, August 13-14, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa.
Tweedy Pie became an instant American hot rodding icon when replica model car company Revell issued it as a car kit in 1963.
"All enthusiasts from that era remember wanting this particular model car," said President Dana Mecum. "That first year, millions of Tweedy Pie model cars flew off the shelves comparable to record sales from such pop phenomenon as The Beatles, immediately catapulting this vehicle into mainstream culture."
Featuring custom pinstriping by Roth, a hot rod gear head best known for his famed "Rat Fink" cartoon creation, the legendary Tweedy Pie vehicle was featured on the covers of the December 1959 Rodding and Restyling magazine and the March 1962 Rod and Custom magazine. It has channeled over bobbed Deuce rails, a Corvette V8 engine with six Stromberg 97 carburetors and an Offy manifold.
Mecum's Monterey Auction has been expanded to two days as more than 400 vehicles will cross the block. Cars will be displayed on the beautiful Del Monte Golf Course. The auction is open to the general public. For a complete list of vehicles, visit https://www.mecum.com.
The Mecum Auction Company has been specializing in the sale of collector cars for 23 years, now offering more than 5,000 collector cars per year. Consignment, bidder and event information is available online at www.Mecum.com or by calling 815.568.8888.
Mecum Monterey Auction
August 13-14, 2010
Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa
1 Old Golf Course Road
Monterey, CA 93940
Vehicle check-in:
Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Thursday 12 - 5 p.m.
Auction Gates open Friday and Saturday at 8 AM
Auction begins Friday and Saturday at 10 AM
Mecum to offer Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's Tweedy Pie at the 2010 Monterey Auction
Mecum Auction will offer the Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Tweedy Pie - a 1923 Ford T-bucket - at its second annual Mecum Monterey Auction, August 13-14, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa.


text:
Just one day after Michael Bay himself offered an update on the soon-to-shoot Transformers 4, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura spoke with MTV about the future of the series and dropped hints that Bay's departure from the franchise after the fourth film is far from a done deal.
"I can't speak for Michael," di Bonaventura says, "I would hope he would [stick around]. It would be great. There's certainly something, in our design of this, that's going to be an ongoing story… As long as the audience shows up for us, there's a lot of stories still to be told."
He also spoke about the plans to relaunch the franchise with brand-new characters while maintaining the continuity of the first three films.
"There's a lot of new elements," he says. "I wouldn't say that we completely changed this world and yet it's completely different. There are new characters. There are new situations. I don't think we revisit a single location."
Transformers 4 is set to star Mark Wahlberg and Jack Reynor and will hit theaters on June 27, 2014.
(Photo Credit: Brian To / WENN.com)


text:
Wall Street Watchdogs Target Bad IRA Rollover Advice
By Suzanne Barlyn
Brokers who give retiring workers bad advice about what to do with their 401(k) plans should expect some headaches: U.S. securities regulators are taking a closer look at what happens when investors roll their workplace balances into private individual retirement accounts.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are reviewing firms' practices for advising customers about so-called rollovers. The SEC said Thursday that the issue is one of its 2014 examination priorities, after Finra announced its own plans Jan. 2.
Brokers should recommend a rollover only after thinking about several factors for the investor, such as low-cost funds available through some 401(k) plans and differences in fees between the two types of accounts, Finra said.
Violations can lead to fines, suspensions or being thrown out of the industry.
Finra's announcement marked the second time in less than a week that the regulator sounded an alarm bell about retirement plan rollovers. It also published guidance to the industry on Dec. 30.
The regulators' concerns come as retirement plan rollover practices are being subjected to greater public scrutiny. Americans have roughly $21.7 trillion in retirement accounts, according to the Investment Company Institute. %VIRTUAL-article-sponsoredlinks%That covers all types of retirement accounts, including $5.6 trillion in employer-sponsored retirement plans, assets that could be lucrative for brokers who convince clients to invest them in securities through an IRA.
A report last year by the U.S. Government Accountability Office concluded that the financial industry generally encourages employees to roll over their 401(k) assets into IRAs without determining whether the move is in an investor's best interest.
Brokers aren't the only ones facing scrutiny on these issues. Most major financial companies manage 401(k) plans for employers and often offer advice to employees about the particulars of their plans.
The U.S. Department of Labor is also developing a rule that would establish more stringent ethical responsibilities for advisers who counsel workers on rollovers.
"This area is an area where disclosure, the quality of advertising and supervision of the investments that are made, is absolutely critical," Richard Ketchum, Finra's chairman and chief executive, said in an interview. "We've seen evidence in which they're not always handled well," he said.
Among the problems: promoting so-called "no-fee" IRAs to investors, a practice Finra warned the securities industry about in July. The term could mislead investors, who typically pay fees in some way to maintain an account, Finra said. For example, the costs of a "no-fee" account may be disguised in a higher commission instead of highlighted as a separate charge. Nonetheless, the advertising strategy could lure investors into a rollover that may ultimately be more costly than staying in their employers' plans.
Finra hasn't yet pursued any enforcement cases involving retirement plan rollovers, a spokeswoman said.
Pension Woes
Finra's interest in rollover practices coincides with efforts by some investors to recoup money they say they're owed because of a broker's rollover advice that wasn't suitable for them.
One case, on behalf of six retirees of the former Niagara Mohawk Power, now a part of National Grid USA, a subsidiary of National Grid (NGG), alleges that an ex-broker for LPL Financial advised them to cash in their pensions when they retired and roll the money over into investments that he would manage, according to Joseph Peiffer, a lawyer in New Orleans who is handling the case.
The retirees, who transferred their funds between 2007 and 2009, collectively lost "millions" of dollars when they might instead have locked in monthly pension payments for life, Peiffer said. LPL settled a similar previous case for $390,000, according to a regulatory filing. An LPL spokeswoman declined to comment. A National Grid spokesperson wasn't immediately available to comment.
The former broker, Jeffrey Cashmore, now runs an investment advisory firm in Williamsville, N.Y. He said he was unaware of the present case but that he counseled Niagara Mohawk retirees about staying in their plan.
Finra suspended Cashmore for 30 days in 2012 and fined him $5,000 for allegedly providing misleading materials to customers. Cashmore denied misleading clients and settled with Finra because he thought the terms would be confidential, he said, adding that he still advises many Niagara Mohawk retirees.
Avoiding Angst
The vast majority of workers are allowed to leave their money in a 401(k) even when they leave a company. It's often a cheaper alternative, but one that many workers don't know is available to them.
It is one point that Finra wants brokers and their firms to get across. Brokers can stay out of trouble by making sure that investors are well-educated about their choices before they roll over their retirement plan money, as well as additional fees a rollover may cost, say lawyers and compliance professionals.
Some of the largest brokerages automate disclosures about those choices in the online system investors use to set up a rollover. At Bank of America's (BAC) Merrill Lynch unit, for example, one disclosure advises investors who are leaving one company for another to consider the new company's plan.
Many smaller firms, however, will have to beef up their disclosure practices, said John Gentile, president of Ascendant Compliance Management in Salisbury, Conn. All firms will have to train advisers to ensure the conversations they have with clients are consistent with the firm's disclosures and Finra's expectations, Gentile said.
Finra can easily check up on brokers who promise clients more fund choices than their company plans, or funds with lower fees, Gentile said. "They will get out the prospectus for each and compare," Gentile said. "Brokers have to be totally up front."


text:
Ryan Fusaro, a 27-year-old analyst at New York-based hedge fund LionEye Capital Management, impressed some top hedge fund managers with his investment idea.
Fusaro was named the winner of the Value Investing Challenge hosted by the Value Investing Congress and SumZero.
Approximately 110 people entered their ideas for the contest and a panel of anonymous money managers narrowed it down to three finalists. Then, the investing public voted for a winner.
Fusaro presented his long recommendation of Jack In The Box (Nasdaq: JACK) with a target price of $57.00 at the Value Investing Congress — a high-profile industry event featuring heavyweight speakers such as Bill Ackman, David Einhorn and Barry Rosenstein.
He told Business Insider in an interview that there are three main components to his investment thesis for the fast food hamburger chain detailing why it's a value investment.
1. It's transformed from being a restaurant operator to a franchiser. In 2005, Jack In The Box started to sell off its restaurants and convert from being an operator of restaurants to being a franchisor, which Fusaro noted is a much better business. As a franchisor, Jack In The Box is able to collect royalty payments on the underlying franchisees. "I think the market hasn't fully appreciated this transformation," Fusaro told Business Insider. "I think a franchise business deserves a higher multiple than a restaurant business because it's a much higher margin business," he said, adding that it's more predictable and they're less volatile.
2. Jack In The Box owns Qdoba. Fusaro told Business Insider that he used to eat a Qdoba for lunch and loved the food. That's when he decided to find out who owned them. It turned out that Qdoba was owned by Jack In The Box. Fusaro sees Qdoba, a growing popular concept of fast, casual Mexican food, as a "hidden asset" within the burger chain. "I don't think a lot of people realize this," he said.
3. Non-core real estate. They own a significant amount of real estate, Fusaro explained. As they're selling off their assets, they no longer need to own this real estate. Now they're renting them out, so they generate revenue from franchisees leasing these buildings.
"You have these three pieces that kind of underpin Jack, but the market continues to look at it as stodgy, slow growth, low margin restaurant business, but it's completely inaccurate," he said.
Fusaro, a native of Manhattan, joined LionEye Capital about four weeks ago.
He's a graduate from Fordham University. After college, he got a job at Ramius Capital, a fund of funds.
While working at a fund of funds, he realized that he liked equities and had an interest in direct investing and value investing. That's when he starting reading things like Ben Graham's "Intelligent Investor."
"What was great was at the fund of funds I was exposed to all these sub-strategies within equities — event driven, activist," he said, adding, "I realized I wanted to be on the direct investing side."
He explained that one of the benefits of working at a fund of funds is that you get to understand the thought process and you start to understand what makes a good idea.
As a result, Fusaro started putting together his own investment presentations and sending them to people he respected in the industry.
"I really enjoy it. On weekends I'll spend my entire weekend for a month putting together a PowerPoint when the idea strikes. That's always been my passion."
To date, he's completed ten investment presentations all of which are activist ideas.
We also asked Fusaro about his first investment.
Back in 2007, he bought a hundred shares of Apple at $100 and sold at $120.
"I thought I was a lot smarter than I was," he said. "In hindsight, I knew nothing."
Part of the problem, he explained, was he had no thesis at the time.
"I had no real view. I had no concept of value," he said, adding, "My style has completely evolved. Now I'm a lot more disciplined."


text:
Jeff Montgomery wanted to go home.
His temples throbbed like a bitch, and the spreadsheets beneath his face shimmered like a watery mess. God, he hated tax time. Jeff glanced at his watch. Ten o'clock. Another half-hour, that was it. Work would still be here come dawn.
Removing his glasses, he gave his temples and brow an invigorating rub, eventually reining in his frustration with a deep breath and a sip of cool water. Jeff nearly jumped from his skin when a door slammed from across the hall.
It sounded like a cannon shot – so ferocious the pens inside the mug atop his desk rattled. "Dammit," he hissed, rolling backward in his chair. His co-workers mentioned something like this one day over lunch. The infamous law office of Matheson and Keene. Whispered speculation persisted about the firm, for their doors were always locked and clientele were never seen; oft-hushed rumors that the partners didn't even exist. "You actually think the firm is a front for something else?" Jeff remembered asking, face scrupulously wrinkled; he wasn't sure if the uneasy silence that met him was because he was the new guy or for something else.
He rolled to the desk, pushed his glasses back along his nose and reached for his water. Another bang now, harder than the last. Water breached the rim of the cup, splashing across his sleeve. "Sonofabitch!" Jeff quickly dabbed at the drops atop his paperwork. A different sound filtered to his ears, very faint; barely perceptible. He held his breath, listening intently – soft knocks against the ceiling. Only the heat kicking through the HVAC he surmised, realizing the culmination of nearly fifteen hours of numbers and spreadsheets had finally worked his nerves.
There were other stories, secondhand tales Harold Rivers derived from the cleaning crew. Dark shadows shifting along walls. A palpable heaviness to the air. Sudden door slams and unseen, booted feet pacing nowhere. It all sounded like some cheesy script from a horror movie, but now he sat reminding himself it was only hearsay. A child might hide under the covers at the telling of such yarns, but he was a grown man. Jeff took pen in hand, refocused on his work. Twenty more minutes, he conceded. Twenty more minutes and I'm home.
But the blur of numbers caused his mind to race. What was it that Harold said again? The cleaning crew flat out refused to service the fourth floor at night; in fact, their contract stated that they'd only clean the fourth floor during the day. Jeff gnawed his pen cap. Come to think of it, the cleaning crew always seemed to be finishing the bathrooms when he arrived in the morning. Harold mentioned something else, too. No employee ever worked late on the fourth floor. Jeff put his pen down and slowly turned around.
He was alone in the office. The tax deadline loomed, and yet not a single soul put in extra hours; no one stayed past dusk.
Only him.
A door slammed for a third time; Jeff's teeth rattled inside his head. He sprang to his feet, grabbing his suit jacket and briefcase, cursing Harold and his goddamn ghost stories as he hurried out the door. Just great; he might as well pull the sheets over his own head once he got home.
He cursed Harold again and everyone else in the office for good measure; how could he have fallen for such shit? He'd never experienced the heebie-jeebies before, and it sure as hell wouldn't happen now. Jeff stood clutching the doorknob in the near dark of the hall, quickly rationalizing the situation. The knocks from the ceiling were caused by heat blowing through the vents, but the door slams… cleaning crew doesn't work the fourth floor my ass, they're obviously up here doing something. It suddenly clicked. Not only were they here, but they were playing practical jokes just to keep those stories alive. Sonofabitches. And the moving shadows could be explained by the eyes adjusting from the harsh incandescent radiance of an office to the admittedly poorly illuminated hall. Jeff released the doorknob, squared his shoulders. He felt better already. Not only would he call out Harold on his absurdity, but he'd make him pick up the tab next time they ate Kung Po chicken, too.
Jeff thought he heard the faint scuff of feet dragging across carpet and spun around. Only the door to the law offices of Matheson and Keene loomed behind him; it seemed to emanate its own soft glow, distinguishing itself from the wall. Yet no light radiated from beneath. He warily approached the door.
It was cool to the touch, as if chilled by the night air. Jeff leaned into it, but the door didn't budge. Then a gasp came as though someone had been standing behind the door the entire while. He turned on his heel and fled like a startled bird. This time he didn't give a shit. Fuck tax time. He'd take his coworker's cue; this would be the last he'd stay late at the office.
He stumbled down the hall – Christ, it's so damn murky – using the glowing exit sign at the end as his guide. He stopped in front of the elevator, stabbing the down button with his thumb. "I want you to know I'll be contacting the landlord in the morning. Have your fun hiding now because I'll be having my fun tomorrow," he addressed the invisible cleaning crew as firmly as he could, but the sound of his voice rang hollow in the hall. "Friggin' floors are never mopped right, anyway!" He stabbed at the down button again.
A bell dinged weakly as the elevator door slid open. Light escaped, offering relief from the cloying gloom. Jeff stepped inside, placing his briefcase at his feet as he tapped another button for the first floor. Immediately, he felt better… and more than a bit foolish. He chided himself for acting like a scared child; had his father still been alive he'd have called Jeff a baby. The very thought made him cringe. Just the pressures of working at a new firm, trying to make a favorable impression, he tried to convince himself. Jeff leaned against the polished stainless steel wrapping the interior of the elevator. He eyed his distorted reflection and then loosened his tie as the doors slid shut, thinking of a quick snack at home, and his pillow.
The doors shuddered. Four spindly, pale fingers wiggled between them, pushing and squirming their way through, forefinger curling like a lead scout before the doors jerked open. A bowed man entered the elevator, head hung low as to conceal any features. He wore an impeccable suit as shadowy as the hall and his hair – compactly slicked beyond his ears and glistening like morning dew, nearly touching his slumped shoulders. Somehow, the curvature of his form made his appearance all the more daunting. Like a tendril of smoke, he eased into the corner across from Jeff. "Done burning the midnight oil?" the man inquired, voice rich in cadence.
"Umm, yes." Jeff stood frozen. How the man had slipped so stealthily down the hall, Jeff hadn't a clue but here he stood, spine curled and head stooped like some demented butler awaiting his next command.
The man clasped his hands, entwining his snake-like fingers in mesmerizing consideration. "Diligence. There is scarce amount left in this world. A sad thing."
Jeff said nothing. But the man hardly seemed to notice. "It used to be commonplace for an individual to work dusk till dawn, but no more. There are other priorities, or should I say, other distractions, to misplace one from their tasks." He shifted his head slightly, face still cast in obscurity. "Forgive my absent-mindedness. It is late, and here I stand rambling on. I am sure you long for home." A bony finger swept across the elevator panel. "The first floor, yes?"
"Yes, thank you," Jeff answered, hoping his relief remained hidden. As the doors hissed shut, he leaned toward his briefcase and noticed the man's shoes. Quite unlike his faultless suit, angry scuffs marred their surface; dirt caked their soles. What an odd thing, Jeff thought, like wearing a tuxedo with a cheap pair of Converse. He lifted his briefcase, hesitant of what to say next. Jeff finally offered a frail chuckle. "Well, I'll be the first to admit I don't work late all the time. You do what you must during tax time."
"Aah, you must work for them," the man said tersely. Jeff instantly made the connection when the elevator halted with a horrible lurch. He stumbled from the jolt, throwing an arm against the wall for support. "Tsk, tsk," the man scolded as he tapped a long finger against the elevator panel. "This old box tends to stick a bit between the third and second floor. No worries, my friend. It will free itself in a matter of minutes. I've unfortunately experienced this inconvenience numerous times. Still, it is maddening. I've phoned the landlord plenty, but as you can see, little has been done. The recurring answer is that the maintenance crew has been on it and found nothing wrong. But they've addressed the problem only during the day, when the annoyance hardly occurs. No one is willing to come after hours, it seems." The man tilted his head at last, revealing slits for eyes, as if the admittance of further light would sear them for eternity. Sallow flesh hung from his bony cheekbones. He offered Jeff his hand. "Allow me to use this untimely interruption to introduce myself. Mr. Keene… and you, sir?"
"Jeff Montgomery, a pleasure to meet you," he said, barely suppressing a smile. That stupid shit Harold. Jeff would make sure he'd be eating free Kung Po chicken for a week. "With all due respect, I'm quite relieved I've met you." Mr. Keene's uncommonly silky fingers enveloped his hand; the longer they shook, the icier they became.
"Relieved? Do tell why, Mr. Montgomery."
"I've heard a lot of… things."
Mr. Keene's brow furrowed; it appeared the skin might slide from his skull. "Things?"
"Go on."
The stainless steel panel behind Mr. Keene suddenly arrested Jeff's attention, but he quickly averted his gaze as the bowed man squeezed tight upon his hand. Impossible… only a trick of the light; only fatigue, plaguing him once more. "Understand, I've just been recently hired, but popular word is that neither you nor your partner even exists."
"Such horrible rumors. And what do you think now, Mr. Montgomery?"
He glanced again over Mr. Keene's shoulder, his stomach dropping at the vision captured within the stainless steel. "I think crunch time has gotten to me."
Mr. Keene relinquished his grip. A smile creased his lips, now razor slashes across his face. "I would like you to join our firm, Mr. Montgomery. Money is of no consequence; name your price and it is yours. In return, I name only mine."
Nerves frayed beyond repair, Harold shuddered as his chair popped under his weight.
Once the office had emptied at five, he'd been in and out of the men's room four times, his hysteria pissing out in trickles. The sun hadn't dipped pass the horizon yet and still his heart beat wildly. He slapped at the sweat dotting his brow; there wasn't much more he could take.
He blamed his shitty luck – he did come up with the shortest straw drawn in the office, after all. But mostly Harold blamed Jeff Montgomery. Barely three weeks into the job and already he became a no-show. No call, no note, no nothing. Some in the office hadn't batted a eyelash; Jeff was considered something of a flake. Harold knew the truth however, even if no one dared to admit it. Jeff Montgomery's last day was the first night he worked late on the fourth floor. Case closed.
That was nearly a week ago. Now Harold sat behind his desk, spreadsheets a sweat-blotted clutter, the sun agonizingly melting into the sky. His mind raced. Sure, the tax deadline loomed and the work needed to be done, but the drawing of the straws had been a ridiculous idea. Maybe it had been the only diplomatic way to choose someone, but who in their right mind would actually be expected to work into the night. No one, that's who. The clock struck five and the office scattered, frenzied little mice chattering out the door. Not a single person gave Harold a second look. Wait, that wasn't entirely true. Heather Taylor did. But her eyes were so mournful Harold wished she never had.
A door slammed from down the hall, and Harold nearly crapped his pants.
He catapulted from his chair, papers a whirlwind into the air. Although he accomplished absolutely nothing, he didn't care. Harold wanted out of the office, off the fourth floor. He wanted home.
The walls erupted with fury, as if a dozen angry fists raged against them in unison. Harold backpedaled, a whimper on his lips as he crashed into the cubicle behind him. He scrambled on the floor like a crab, finally pushing to his feet. Harold dashed from the office.
He entered a pitch-black abyss. The dark disoriented him, and quickly he panicked. He groped blindly for purchase. It seemed a step in either direction and he'd plummet over the side of a depth-less ravine.
The glowing exit sign at the end of the hall served as Harold's only beacon; snapping his malaise, he ran on jellied legs until finally skidding to a halt before the elevator. He slammed the down button, teeth grinding furiously. Metal pulleys echoed through the elevator shaft; at last, its doors parted. Harold fell into its sweet light.
The uneasy laughing he heard was his own. When the morning came, he had quite the tale to share and only hoped no one would think he embellished it. He didn't think so. They knew the stories; the drawing of the straws proved their conviction in them. Harold tapped the button for the first floor and leaned against the elevator wall.
A dirt smudged briefcase rested in the opposite corner.
Pale fingers shoved through the elevator doors, and Harold nearly collapsed to his knees. None other than Jeff Montgomery slowly emerged.
"Did I startle you?"
"Yeah, you fucking startled me!" The first thing Harold noticed was the hair; Montgomery never kept it slicked back like that.
"I didn't mean to. I realized I'd forgotten my briefcase. I've been so hectic as of late, Harold. I think I'd forget to eat if I didn't have food in front of me."
The second thing Harold noticed was how gaunt Montgomery's face had become. His cheekbones practically ripped through his flesh and his eyes were slits, empty and unblinking. "I want to apologize to you, Harold, for not saying goodbye. There was no good time to catch you, until now."
"What the hell are you doing here, Jeff? You just up and went. Quit. Not great resume fodder."
The elevator began its descent. "I was offered a position at Matheson and Keene, and I took it." Harold's jaw nearly touched the floor. "They offered me everything and anything I could desire, Harold. Money. Power. Life. There was one catch, though. I had to pay their price. And now I pass that on to others."
The third thing Harold noticed, no matter how hard he tried to pry his horrified gaze away, was that Jeff Montgomery cast no reflection in the polished stainless steel panel behind him.
"You shouldn't feel a thing, Harold," Jeff said through a wide and gleaming mouth as the elevator came to a jarring halt.
© Copyright 2010, 2014 Joseph A. Pinto. All Rights Reserved.


text:
You are currently browsing the daily archive for December 15, 2010.
Guest fotographer #1 here is John Watson. He caught this foto of Orange Sun with my favorite cargo last week, less than an hour before I stopped by the Kills; Laura K provides the assist. Some previous orange juice vessels have appeared here and here. And here's my first, Orange Star.
John has been shooting sixth boro ships much longer than I have, and I look
forward to more collaboration with him soon. Above bulker is Tai Bai Hai . . . and below is GencoSuccess.
Richard Wonder sent along the fotos of YM Efficiency from the Bayonne Bridge last week. Here he takes a turn at
MOL Paramount, getting a turn around Bergen Point with
assist from Responder and Ellen, who've
appeared here countless times. That's Port Elizabeth in the background. Click here for a foto of MOL Paramount mounted high and dry in a floating drydock.
John and Richard . . . thanks much.
Check out this eBay ad for Q. A. Gillmore, a 1913 tug with functioning steam engine power. I'm NOT going to bid although I might be interested in partnering. The clock is ticking.


text:
Source Information
About Dorset, England, Dorchester Prison Admission and Discharge Registers, 1782-1901
This database contains prison registers from Dorchester Prison for the years 1782 through 1901.
What's in the Records
This database contains a number of different records documenting prisoners in Dorchester Prison, including prisoner registers, description of prisoners books, and one volume with photographs of some of the prisoners between 1887 and 1901. Most of the records deal with prisoners held at the prison that currently stands on North Square, which was completed in 1795. Prior to this, the prison had been located in High East Street.
Details vary by form type, but you may find the following:
- name
- age
- date received
- place of origin
- city of residence
- dates of warrants
- parish
- trade
- by whom committed
- marital status or family
- number of children
- physical characteristics: height, hair color, eye color, complexion, marks
- crimes
- former convictions
- trial and sentence information
- discharge details
- remarks
This database is not a comprehensive record of prisoners at Dorchester Prison during these years. There were pages missing from some of the books, and there are gaps in the years that are covered. For example, years 1807–1808, 1837, and 1880–1886 are missing.


text:
Bouletta Case
Multi Leather Case with Card Holder for iPhone XR
Multi Case for iPhone XR
Multi Case is produced in high quality with experience of years by first class workmanship and genuine and meticulous work.
It is a quality product that you will use for a long time by love. If you will get a gift, you can be sure that it will be appreciated.
Product Highlights
Multi Case for iPhone XR is made by 100% genuine leather.
High quality materials were used this case with natural leather.
It has strap to remove phone out of pouch with magnetic flap to close pouch hole.
It has 2 card holder for business cards or credit cards.
This case can protect across to falling down.
The velvety soft lining inside the case protects the display from scratches.
Leather is a natural product, and as such leather carries its origin. Each of the products is different from each other and it is not a defect, just the opposite is an additional feature that makes it unique. Thus it may slightly differ to product pictures.
This product has 100% perfect fit with iPhone XR.
Shipment and Delivery
We will ship your order on the same day if it is placed between Monday and Friday before 13.00 (G.M.T). Orders placed between Monday and Friday after 13.00 (G.M.T) will be shipped the following working day, those placed after 13.00 (G.M.T.) on a Friday will be shipped the following Monday.
Delivery Time
United States of America-Canada: 2 business days.
Europe: 1 business day.
For further information about other countries and other shipment procedures, please check the link.


text: The objective of the BadRAM Patch is to run the Linux kernel in such a way that it can handle defective RAM modules. With defective RAM, I mean RAM which has some bits wrong at some (known) addresses. Normally, such RAM is considered useless and thrown away; the larger RAMs get, the higher the chances of failing addresses. With ever growing RAM sizes, it would therefore be pleasant to have an alternative to discarding of defective RAM chips.