text:
Newark's mayor Cory Booker is being considered a hero this morning after rescuing a woman last night who was trapped in a house engulfed in flames.
According to the Star-Ledger, Booker -- the mayor of New Jersey's largest city -- arrived at his home Thursday night following a television interview with News 12.
At the time, he was accompanied by two members of his security detail. Another security team member was already at his home keeping watch in his absence.
Right before the mayor arrived at his home, the two-story building next-door on Hawthorne Avenue in the Upper Clinton Hill neighborhood had just caught on fire, the report said. The security detail who was already at his home, Detective Alex Rodriguez, noticed the fire first.
There were no emergency responders present at the time and the residents of the home were not outside, so Booker and his security team alerted the residents to make sure everyone got out, the report said.
Booker told the Star-Ledger that he and his team thought he got everyone out of the house, but a woman was screaming that she was still trapped upstairs.
Detective Rodriguez tried to stop Booker from re-entering the inferno, but he did anyway.
Booker told CBS News "This Morning" that at first he couldn't find her through all the smoke and flames and at that point he thought he wouldn't get out alive, but "thankfully" the woman started yelling and he was able to pull her from her bedroom.
"I was not gentle and I just sort of threw her over my shoulder and dragged her through the kitchen, which that was my fear. I didn't think we would be able to get out through that kitchen...I punched through the kitchen in the flames saw Detective Rodriquez he grabbed her as well and we got her down the stairs and we both sort of collapsed outside the building," Booker told CBS "This Morning" in an interview.
The mayor was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and a second-degree burn on his hand, the report said. He was later released and is expected to give a press conference today at 10 a.m. from his home.
The woman is in stable condition.
Here's what he Tweeted after the incident.
And here's Cory Booker talking about the fire on "This Morning":


text:
User Reviews & Ratings - Robitussin Pediatric oral
Read user comments about the side effects, benefits, and effectiveness of Robitussin Pediatric oral.
Overall User Ratings2 Total User Reviews
User Reviews
Learn about
User Reviews
Reviewer: 19-24 Female on Treatment for less than 1 month (Caregiver)
Ease of Use
I gave my toddler a little bit less than the dose directed on the bottle before bed and he woke up acting like he was on speed. His pupils were huge, he was extremely hyper and kind of out of it, and his heart was pounding/racing. I ended up calling Poison Control. They informed me that some children are extremely sensitive to this type of medicine and that he would be okay, but I needed to watch ... Show Full Comment
found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Ask the pharmacist
Questions about medications? Get expert answers by video or live chat about allergies, pregnancy, sleep, and more.
See the Ask the Pharmacist event schedule.
Popular Slideshows & Tools on WebMD
WebMD the app
Get trusted health information. Whenever. Wherever... with your iPhone, iPad or Android.Find Out More
IMPORTANT: About This Section and Other User-Generated Content on WebMD
The opinions expressed in WebMD User-generated content areas like communities, reviews, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatment or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service, or treatment.
Do not consider WebMD User-generated content as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Residential Radon Mitigation
If you find you have a problem with radon gas in your home or property, SWAT Environmental is here to help. Exposure to high levels of radon can be very dangerous to yourself and your family, so it's important to get serious solutions when it comes to mitigation. Residential radon mitigation is an effective process that decreases the radon levels in your residence, even in parts of the country with major radon problems. Contact SWAT today to find out how easy and affordable it is to remedy your radon issues.
How Radon Enters a Home
Radon can enter your home in a number of different ways, and it is important to have a thorough understanding of where that radon is coming from. For instance, radon is naturally present in soil in many parts of the country. The pressure differences between the interior of your home and the soil outside can create a vacuum, called the "stack effect", causing radon gas to be sucked in through cracks in the foundation or tiny holes in the basement walls. Mitigation efforts will address the underlying problem by equalizing the pressure inside and outside of your home. Once the pressure is equalized, radon gas will no longer be sucked inside, and the overall radon levels will decrease. One type of mitigation method, Sub Slab Depressurization or SSD, utilizes negative pressure fields established underneath the foundation of the home to pull gases directly from the soil.
The foundation and surrounding soil is not the only way radon gets into your home. Many parts of the country have problems with radon in the groundwater, and if you have a well in one of these areas, your home is automatically at risk. Since radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas, it can seep into your home any time you use the shower, wash the dishes, or turn on the tap.
Again, any residential radon mitigation program you choose will have to address the underlying problem. If you are concerned that your water is at risk for contamination, SWAT will send a quality radon water test to your home to determine if your well is contaminated. Once the problem is identified, SWAT will take you through the steps to stop the contamination and mitigate the radon levels in your home.
Get a Qualified Radon Specialist
Radon is a serious threat, so any mitigation efforts should be equally as serious. If you suspect that you have a radon problem in your home, you need to have the house, the well, and the surrounding soil tested as soon as possible. If you know you have a problem, it is very important to hire a residential radon mitigation specialist who has the training, qualifications, expertise, and experience to get rid of high levels of radiation inside your home and make sure that they do not return.Get A Quote!


text:
Please submit your suggestions for articles, interview and reviews below. Tell us who you'd like like to see writing (above and below the line) or interviewed and what we've overlooked.
If you find something that doesn't work, or see something that looks strange, please tell us here. To help us fix it, it would also be useful if you could include a link to the page where you found the problem.
The books site is still a work in progress and we will continue to introduce new features, but if you have any good ideas as to how we could improve it, please post those, too.


text:
General Motors' first new nameplate in over 60 years was born in 1982 as Project Saturn. Conceived in part by then-chairman Roger Smith, it was an all-out effort to stem the growing Japanese dominance of the U.S. small-car market that had begun in the early '70s.
Smith realized that although GM was highly successful with traditional American cars, it badly lagged behind Japanese makers for small-car quality, design, and cost. As a result, younger buyers were deserting GM's smaller U.S. products for Hondas, Toyotas, and other Japanese models -- and they weren't coming back.
More than eight years passed before the first Saturns were sold. For some, that long gestation reinforced doubts that GM could field a competitive, profitable, all-American small car -- especially given recent efforts like the problem-plagued X-body front-drive compacts.
Heady pronouncements along the way didn't help. For example, at the November 1983 unveiling of a full-scale sedan prototype (later dubbed "the little red car"), Smith promised Saturn would be a "a quantum leap ahead of the Japanese, including what they have coming in the future. In Saturn we have GM's answer -- the American answer -- to the Japanese challenge. It's the clean-sheet approach to producing small cars that in time will prove to have historic implications."
Originally, Saturn vehicles were to be sold by Chevrolet, starting with a front-drive four-door sedan somewhat smaller than a contemporary Chevy Cavalier. The projected price was $5000-$7000 and its introduction was vaguely described as sometime in "the late '80s." A two-door coupe and a sport-utility vehicle (SUV) were to follow later.
By the time Saturn opened for business, however, it was Saturn Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary charged with pioneering new ideas in everything from styling to service. The most successful innovations would then spread throughout GM itself, or so it was presumed. Saturn was supposed to make money, of course, preferably by stealing sales from the competition, not other GM makes.
In presenting the prototype, GM served notice that Saturns would be different: Body panels would be made of either metal or plastic and attached to a steel "spaceframe" as on Pontiac's then-new Fiero sporty car. The engine would be a brand-new, fuel-injected four-cylinder with an aluminum block and cylinder heads formed by a precision "lost foam" technique. Oil passages would be designed in instead of drilled in after casting to save both time and material. Astonishing EPA-rated fuel economy was promised: 45 mpg city, 60 mpg highway.
Other components need not come from corporate bins, and Saturn was free to devise its own engineering and manufacturing methods. A major goal for this experiment was finding ways to close the cost gap with "Japan, Inc.," then estimated at more than $2000 per car. The resultant savings, Smith said, would finally make GM a small-car power in the U.S. market. In fact, he declared Saturn nothing less than "the key to GM's long-term competitiveness, survival, and success."
As announced in January 1985, Saturn Corporation would have its own plant, its own employees, its own contract with the United Auto Workers union, and a separate dealer network. Initial funding was $150 million, and up to $5 billion was earmarked for future expenditures, including some $3.5 billion for a "greenfield" factory in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
Smith hoped production would start by fall 1987, and vowed to drive the first car off the line himself. Oldsmobile general manager Joseph Sanchez was tapped as Saturn president, but died of a heart attack less than three weeks later. Pontiac general manager Bill Hogland was named to replace him.
Saturn Rethinks Car Manufacturing
Saturn, a division of GM founded in the 1980s, had its own dedicated car factory from the beginning. A prime reason for locating in Tennessee was to distance Saturn from other GM facilities, thus allowing a unique "corporate culture" to flower more easily.
Just as important, tiny Spring Hill (population 1400 at the time) was about 35 miles south of Nashville and 30 miles from Smyrna, Tennessee, home of Nissan's North American factory, so vital railroad lines, interstate highways and suppliers were all conveniently close. Groundbreaking took place in April 1986, by which time fledgling Saturn, barely a year old, had its third president: Richard G. "Skip" LeFauve, transferred from GM's Buick-Olds-Cadillac Group after Bill Hoglund, LeFauve's predecessor at Saturn, was named to head that unit.
Saturn's self-proclaimed mission was to "market vehicles developed and manufactured in the United States that are world leaders in quality, cost, and customer enthusiasm through the integration of people, technology, and business systems and to exchange knowledge, technology, and experience throughout General Motors."
That was a tall order for an established car company, but Saturn was starting from scratch. The job was monumental, and ensuing months witnessed delays, cost overruns, and difficulties in signing up dealers that forced pushing back the production start date to summer 1990, shortly before GM Chairman Roger Smith's scheduled retirement. Yearly volume was first set at a half-million units, then reduced to a more manageable 240,000, and GM's total investment was trimmed to about $3.5 billion.
Smith envisioned the Saturn plant as the last word in automated manufacturing, with computer-guided vehicles delivering parts to robots that did most assembly chores. But like so many GM leaders before him, Smith was a financial manager, not an engineer or manufacturing expert, and he didn't really understand "high tech" or its limits.
Spring Hill would use robots for welding, applying adhesives and painting the cars, but the plant wasn't nearly as futuristic as Smith envisioned. The real innovation came in labor/management relations. As LeFauve noted: "People are going to make the difference for Saturn."
The first employees were recruited from other GM operations. There were just 3800 jobs but more than 16,000 applicants, all evidently intrigued by the Saturn experiment and wanting to be part of it. Candidates were invited to Spring Hill for a two-day screening session, and 90 percent of those who came were hired.
The eventual employee roster showed migrants from 46 states with an average of 13 years GM experience. Being so accustomed to GM's old ways, "associates" were required to undergo comprehensive training in the new Saturn way of thinking and working.
UAW members received 350 hours of training on average, though some high-skill positions got twice as much. Base pay for all workers was 80 percent of GM's national average, but there were bonuses for meeting productivity targets and a profit-sharing plan -- if Saturn turned a profit.
Saturn's labor agreement had few traditional industry "shop rules" and gave employees more say in how they did their jobs. Workers were organized into teams responsible for monitoring the quality of parts and their own work, and any worker could stop the assembly line to fix safety or quality problems on the spot, a common practice in Japan but unknown in U.S. auto plants.
That allowed doing away with separate quality-control inspection areas. In addition, workers sat alongside managers in meetings, helping to make decisions as "team members," and everyone ate in the same dining room. LeFauve even shared the executive office suite with the UAW's Saturn coordinator.
The team approach also figured in Saturn product development. Designers, factory workers, engineers, and outside suppliers came together for what was called "simultaneous engineering." This was in sharp contrast to the old way of having designers, once finished with their part of the car, "throw it over the wall" to engineers, who did their jobs before tossing the project to manufacturing, and so on down the line.
Just as important, Saturn planners, some of whom already drove imports, put aside personal preferences to focus on what buyers wanted. Said engineering vice-president Jay Wetzel: "Most great cars in history reflect the personality of one person. In our case, that person just happens to be the consumer."
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Early Production of Saturn Cars
Despite myriad obstacles and much outside naysaying, Saturn production got under way in time for model-year 1991. Job One, a metallic-red sedan, rolled out the door at 10:57 a.m. on July 30, 1990, with Roger Smith at the wheel in one of his last public appearances as GM chairman. With that, attention turned to the car itself.
Saturn greeted the world with four-door sedans and two-door coupes sharing a basic front-drive platform and major components. Each body style had its own styling, but neither drew rave reviews on that score.
The sedan was criticized as looking like a scaled-down Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. (Some designers apparently worked on both, with the Saturn finished before the Olds but introduced after it.) The coupe, a swoopy 2+2 with hidden headlamps, was more favorably received, though some said it resembled the Geo Storm, an Isuzu-built hatchback coupe then sold by Chevrolet.
Despite the shared platform, the sedan rode a 102.4-inch wheelbase, the coupe a 99.2-inch span. Respective overall lengths were 176.3 and 175.8 inches, making Saturns a little shorter than Chevy Cavaliers but seven inches longer than a Honda Civic, a key design benchmark.
As promised, body panels bolted to a steel inner skeleton, with fenders, doors, and other vertical panels made of dent- and rust-resistant thermoplastic polymer material. Steel was used for hoods, trunklids, and roofs. Galvanized underbody panels and a standard stainless-steel exhaust system helped reduced corrosion worries, too.
Also as promised, the engine was a new inline-four created expressly for Saturn, with an aluminum block and heads cast by the lost-foam technique. There were two versions of this 1.9-liter (116-cubic inch) design, both fuel-injected and mounted transversely per established front-drive small-car practice. The base 85-horsepower unit had a single overhead camshaft (sohc) and throttle-body injection with a central squirter at the intake manifold. A dual-cam (dohc) derivative with multi-point injection (a squirter for each cylinder) delivered 123 bhp.
Each teamed with five-speed manual transmission or optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic. As on some Japanese cars, the automatic had a switch for selecting "normal" or "performance" shift modes; the latter delayed full-throttle upshifts to higher rpm for best acceleration. Alas, no Saturn powertrain delivered anywhere near the economy touted seven years earlier -- 45 mpg city and 60 mpg highway. The best was 27 mpg city and 37 highway for the single-cam/five-speed combination.
Initially, the sedan was offered in price-leader SL and better-equipped SL1 models with the sohc engine and as a dohc-powered SL2 with "Twin Cam" writ large on the rear bumper. The coupe, dubbed SC, was dohc only. Bumpers were black on single-cam cars, body-color on the sportier dual-cam models.
Interior design and features mimicked those of targeted competitors. Climate controls and the steering-column stalk switches for lights and wipers might have been lifted from a Civic or Toyota Corolla, and all models came with reclining cloth front bucket seats, tachometer, tilt steering column, trip odometer, split folding rear seatback, and a rear electric defroster -- items found on most all Japanese rivals.
Wheel designs emulated Honda's, including the use of four lug nuts instead of GM's usual five. With all this, some people thought Saturns were Japanese cars, but content was actually 95 percent domestic.
Early road-test verdicts were generally positive. Despite automatic transmission, Consumer Guide®'s test SL2 ran 0-60 mph in 8.8 seconds, surprisingly brisk for an affordable subcompact. A single-cam car took up to two seconds more, but Saturn's slick-shifting manual transmission was a match for Japan's best and a welcome change from previous GM efforts.
All models offered agile handling, a comfortably absorbent ride, good people and cargo space for the exterior size, and, of course, convenient Japanese-style ergonomics. Fuel economy was another asset, but most reviewers judged the engines too loud and rough, especially for a modern four-cylinder under 2.0 liters. Which led to the most-telling judgment of all: Despite all-new engineering and the long gestation, Saturn was not the big breakthrough Roger Smith had promised -- competitive with the Japanese, but not clearly superior.
Where Saturn did have an edge was price. At $7995 to start, the Scrooge-special SL was a whopping $1495 less than the base Civic sedan and $1000 less the cheapest Corolla (though the SL didn't offer an automatic transmission or power steering). Saturn's $275 destination charge was in line with those of Japanese makers and $180 less than Cavalier's.
The SL1, starting $600 above the SL, swiftly became the volume seller. The SL2 listed at an attractive $10,295, but could be optioned up to around $14,600 -- a bit steep for the class, though that included antilock brakes (ABS) with rear discs (an $895 option) and CD player, features Civic and Corolla didn't yet offer. The SC2 topped the line at $11,775 and, like most other small coupes, was a tougher sell than the sedans.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Emphasizes Customer Service
Saturn sales officially began on October 25, 1990. Advertising never mentioned a GM connection -- arguably wise, considering GM's sullied reputation among the targeted buyers, though also appropriate for Saturn's freewheeling status.
The Saturn plant at Spring Hill, Tenn., was still moving slowly on a single shift to assure the highest possible assembly quality, now a must for even entry-level cars. The first Saturns were sold by some 30 dealers in Tennessee and neighboring states as well as on the West Coast, long an import stronghold. Dealers opened in other areas as production ramped up. By the following spring, Saturn counted 130 "retailers" in 33 states, most of them in 70 major urban markets.
It was in the retail area that Project Saturn had its greatest impact. Saturn carefully selected dealers who agreed to build separate showrooms and service facilities and to operate under strict guidelines for customer treatment. Sales personnel were trained in "consultative selling" to replace hard-sell tactics. A "retail associate" would sit down with customers, discuss their needs, explain their options, and arrange a test drive.
Pricing would be just as buyer-friendly. Federal laws on price-fixing prohibit car companies from forcing dealers to sell at a set price. That's why window stickers carry the legend "manufacturer's suggested retail price." But Saturn strongly urged its dealers to avoid the usual haggling, saying no customer should ever wonder about paying too much. Dealers agreed, and Saturns sold at full retail price -- no more, no less.
With production slowed to solve nagging quality problems, demand quickly exceeded supply during the 1991 model year. A good thing, then, that dealers obeyed another Saturn commandment: Thou shall not gouge. Buyers used to seeing "added dealer profit" signs on popular cars were pleasantly surprised by Saturn's "no ups, no extras" policy.
The red-carpet treatment didn't end there. Buyers were given a tour of their dealer's service area and met the mechanics who would work on their cars. Before driving off, new owners were photographed in their Saturns amid rousing cheers from dealership employees.
Almost all dealers invited owners in for weekend service clinics and even a free lunch. They also followed up with customers on a regular basis after the sale. If for any reason an owner was unhappy with a Saturn, the car could be returned within the first 30 days or 1500 miles for a full refund, no questions asked.
When Saturn announced its first recall in February 1991, dealer technicians drove to where the owners were just to replace a seatback bracket on about 1200 cars. A few months later, Saturn learned a supplier had provided a batch of improperly formulated antifreeze that might cause engine damage. Instead of replacing the antifreeze, Saturn replaced more than 1100 cars.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Car Company: Buyer Satisfaction
Saturn's extraordinary approach to customer care drew derisive comments from competing dealers, but it worked. With the Spring Hill factory managing only 48,629 units the first model year, dealers sold every one they could get. Most customers were ecstatic. Some even volunteered to help sell Saturns on their days off.
Another key part of Saturn's sales strategy was giving dealers broad "market areas" so they would compete with other brands instead of each other. Thus, a metropolitan region like Chicago might have more than 60 Chevrolet stores but only nine or 10 Saturn dealers. Limiting the number of retail outlets helped Saturn become the industry leader in sales per dealer, and Saturn franchises quickly became both profitable and sought-after.
This new way of doing business got an immediate endorsement in the form of J.D. Power and Associates' 1991 surveys of new-car owners. Respondents ranked Saturn third in both customer satisfaction and sales satisfaction. In its very first year, the "different kind of car company" leapfrogged Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and other rivals in two key measurements: how well customers liked their cars and how well they were treated by dealers. Only Lexus and Infiniti, the new Japanese luxury brands whose cars sold for three and four times as much, ranked higher.
And this was no first-year fluke. Saturn again ranked No. 3 in both Power surveys for the '92 and '93 model years, and was No. 1 in sales satisfaction and third in customer satisfaction for '94 and '95. More impressive still, Saturn would remain tops in sales satisfaction each model year through 2001 except for 1999, when it tied for sixth with Lexus and Germany's BMW at a mere four points behind first-place Cadillac and Jaguar.
These and other accolades buoyed values of used Saturns, which retained a higher percentage of their original price than other cars in their class. Saturn's own research showed that fully 50 percent of its customers bought primarily for the positive shopping experience, versus 25 percent for the product itself. This led one Saturn executive to remark, "We're not trying to sell people a car. We're helping them buy a car."
Other brands scrambled to "Saturnize," hoping to boost their customer satisfaction and sales with it. Struggling Oldsmobile, in fact, soon implemented many of Saturn's policies in the "Oldsmobile Edge" program. Some other dealers switched to "one-price" and "no-haggle" appeals, but many of those also selling other brands eventually returned to high-pressure tactics.
As Saturn President Richard G. "Skip" LeFauve observed, Saturn's success stemmed from many factors, including being true to its mission statement. "You can't just tell your retailers to be nice to people," he said.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Car Company's Early Success
Saturn's first big product change occurred late in the 1992 model year: an optional driver-side airbag. The cars had been introduced with motorized shoulder belts to meet the federal requirement for dual front-seat "passive restraints," but Japanese rivals were rapidly adding airbags and Saturn needed to match them. The motorized belts continued through model-year '94.
The driver-side cushion became an across-the-board standard for 1993, when four-door wagons and optional traction control arrived. The wagon, striding the same wheelbase as the sedan and otherwise identical to it ahead of the rear doors, came in sohc SW1 and dohc SW2 versions.
Also added was a lower-cost coupe, titled SC1, with the single-cam engine and exposed headlamps. The dual-cam coupe retained its hidden-headlamp face as the SC2.
The new traction control was available for just $50 on models ordered with ABS and automatic. There was hardly any hardware involved. Saturn simply wrote new software allowing the ABS computer to counteract wheel slip in three stages: retard spark timing to reduce engine power, shift the transmission to a higher gear, and interrupt fuel flow. Traction control was a Saturn class exclusive and thus a big coup for the brand; even many luxury cars didn't have it yet.
Saturn production finally hit full stride during model-year '93. Spring Hill ran two shifts to crank out some 244,000 cars, almost 75,000 more than the year before. But dealers were still short of stock and asking for more, so a third shift was added and all shifts rescheduled to four days a week, 10 hours a day. That had the plant going six days a week to squeeze out nearly 60,000 additional cars each year. The cars themselves were little changed for '94, but there was big news on the financial front. In January 1994, Saturn announced its first operating profit, achieved in calendar '93, though the amount wasn't made public. The workforce had grown to 8500 by then, and each employee received a profit-sharing check for about $5100.
Though Saturn was still a long way from paying back GM's initial investment, officials hastened to point out several benefits accruing from the new company. On the technology side were the lost-foam engine casting technique, a new water-borne paint process, and team-oriented assembly systems, all being adopted or studied by other GM operations.
In addition, Saturn's four-cylinder cars were earning valuable corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) credits for GM as a whole to offset sales of gas-guzzling V-8 models, including a fast-rising number of thirsty full-size light trucks.
Most important perhaps, 75 percent of Saturn sales represented "plus business," meaning they came at the expense of non-GM brands. More than half of Saturn owners said they would have bought a Japanese car instead, thus realizing one of Roger Smith's goals -- stealing customers from the likes of Honda, Toyota, and Nissan.
To say thanks, Saturn invited its customers -- all 700,000 of them -- to a "Homecoming" weekend in Spring Hill in late June 1994. It was another extraordinary thing for a car company to do, but even Saturn was surprised when more than 44,000 people showed up. All came at their own expense, some driving in from as far away as Alaska and Hawaii.
Drenching rains and muddy fields didn't dampen the family-oriented fun, which included plant tours, picnics, a concert, and sharing the gospel with fellow owners and Spring Hill workers. Two employees from Pennsylvania Saturn retailers got married during the event; Saturn President Skip LeFauve gave the bride away, plus a 1995 Saturn as a wedding present.
Beyond great PR, the Homecoming testified to how well Saturn was making friends and fostering customer loyalty. It was judged a success, despite the soggy weather and other problems, and would be repeated in 1999.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Car Company's Economic Downturn
Saturn was a hit in the years after rolling out its first car, but dark clouds were gathering. Saturn bowed in 1991 amid huge losses for GM as a whole: $2 billion in 1990, $4.5 billion in 1991, the latter a U.S. business record to that time.
New top-level executives came in during 1992, and though they had GM back in the black by mid-decade, the company's total market share continued to shrink and profits were down. With funding tight, sibling rivalry broke out within the GM family.
As AutoWeek observed in its report on the first Saturn Homecoming in 1994: "General Motors has already poured $5 billion into Saturn, and there are people at places like Chevrolet, Buick, and Oldsmobile…who would frown upon more of their corporation's dollars heading south. They'd like to see their younger sister pull some of her own weight; that's how families work." Trouble was, Saturn had only small cars to sell, and the small-car market was weakening.
In short, Saturn needed more funding and new models, yet other divisions were needy too, and there wasn't enough money to go around. Some observers recommended that GM cut overhead by merging Saturn with Oldsmobile Division, as both were growing ever closer in products and sales practices.
By summer 1995, however, GM decided to delay additional Saturn models and shift development resources to other brands, Olds included. This thinking probably made sense at the time, as Saturn was doing great business. Though sales eased fractionally for calendar '95 to less than 286,000, production for that model year rose 18 percent to a record 303,000.
Saturn's lineup would expand, but the fast-changing economics of the auto business meant future models would share more with other GM cars. Tellingly, Saturn President Skip LeFauve was promoted in 1995 to head all GM small-car programs and "small-car convergence" efforts. GM veteran Don Hudler took over as president and CEO at Saturn Corporation after serving as its vice-president for sales, marketing and service since 1987.
Several changes marked the 1995 Saturns. A passenger-side airbag in a redesigned dashboard allowed manual three-point seatbelts to replace the never-liked shoulder "mousebelts." Multipoint fuel injection added a welcome 15 bhp to the single-cam engine, coupes got mildly freshened faces, and the SC2 sported a new rear panel and spoiler.
A prime rationale for spaceframe construction with bolt-on body panels was to make styling updates relatively easy and cheap, but Saturn said it couldn't afford to redesign the whole car at once, so it focused on the interior first. Exteriors were updated for '96. Sedans and wagons retained familiar cues, but grew slightly longer and more rounded; a newly arched roofline increased sedan head room fore and aft.
But the biggest change was reserved for coupes. After a brief run of '96 carryovers, the '97 models bowed in early 1996 on the sedan/wagon wheelbase to gain a whopping 4.5 inches of rear leg room. All models got additional side-impact protection in advance of 1997 federal standards, plus daytime running lights (inboard of the headlamps), a safety feature spreading throughout GM.
Traction control was now available with either transmission as part of the ABS option. Prices had been creeping up, ranging now from $9995 for the basic SL sedan to $12,695 for the top-line SW2 wagon. Despite the restyle, calendar-year sales slipped 2.5 percent to around 278,600 -- not a good sign.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn's Battery-Powered Car: The Saturn EV1
A widely hailed sign of the future arrived at select Saturn retailers in December 1996. The EV1 wasn't GM's first battery-powered car, but it built on decades of company experiments with electric vehicles.
And it wasn't just for fun. California and other states had enacted laws requiring automakers to sell a percentage of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) as a condition for doing business in those states. Though lawmakers kept fiddling with deadlines and sales counts, clean-air mandates were a fact of life demanding alternatives to the internal-combustion engine. Most automakers started with electric cars.
EV1 was built to gain real-world experience with advanced technology and, just as important, to assess consumer interest in electric vehicles. Saturn owners liked new ideas, and the small lozenge-shaped electric coupe had plastic body panels over a steel skeleton, so it was right at home in Saturn showrooms. EV1 was not a Saturn, though, wearing the GM logo as a new one-model "make."
Evolved from the 1989 Impact prototype, the EV1 had a front-mounted AC induction motor driving the front wheels through a "1-speed" transaxle with reduction gear. The juice came from 26 lead-acid batteries arranged in a central T-structure and weighing some 1175 pounds, nearly half the car's curb weight.
For maximum driving range, a "regenerative" feature reversed the main motor on braking to replace some of the power used; a transaxle "coastdown" feature gave a similar effect when coasting on flat surfaces or when or descending hills. Recharging was by a 220-volt stand-alone unit or a 110V onboard charger. Recharging took 12-14 hours with the onboard unit, about three hours with the 220V equipment.
The EV1 cost a cool $350 million to develop, and GM said it should have sold each one for at least $35,000 just to break even on the project. That was deemed excessive for a fairly impractical car with unclear market prospects and embryonic technology. So instead, GM offered three-month leases that included all normal servicing, though not the required home charger.
Fittingly, EV1s were first leased in smoggy Los Angeles and San Diego, California, and in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. The program was extended to Sacramento, California, in 1997 and to San Francisco the following year.
"Owners" loved the cars, happily passing gas stations in eerie silence and zipping through traffic or along winding roads with verve. Acceleration was strong -- about 8.0 seconds 0-60 -- but you dare not use full power very often. Even careful drivers were hard-put to get more than 60 miles on a full charge.
With that and the rise of more-practical gasoline/electric "hybrids," interest in the EV1 tailed off. GM ended production in late 2000 after fewer than 1000 units, but continued the lease program for a time.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Car Sales Fail in Japan
Saturn No. 1,500,000, a blue SC2, rolled out of Spring Hill on January 17, 1997. There was little product news, though: just a standard low-fuel warning light for all '97 models and, with the optional keyless entry system, an antitheft feature that sounded the horn in the event of a break-in.
But in another highly symbolic event, GM's import-fighting brand began selling cars in Japan, something even Saturn godfather Roger Smith hadn't planned. Critics had long maintained that American cars weren't good enough for demanding Japanese buyers. But Saturns were selling well against many Japanese cars in the U.S., so why not Japan itself?
The export models were reengineered for right-hand drive and equipped to satisfy both local regulations and, it was hoped, the local market. Unfortunately, sales commenced in April 1997 just as the Japanese economy was slipping into recession, and there were only eight dealers for the entire country.
But the main difficulty, said one Japanese industry analyst quoted by U.S. trade weekly Automotive News, was that "Saturn didn't have any brand appeal. American brands are hard to sell in Japan because some people still have a low-quality image of them." After four tough years and only 4324 sales, Saturn gave up.
It was just as well, for troubles were mounting at home. Calendar-year sales fell nearly 10 percent in 1997, another 7.7 percent in '98. The problem, many observers felt, was that Saturns hadn't changed much and the competition had -- and not just import-brand rivals.
Meanwhile, the '98 Saturns appeared with only re-tuned suspensions, for a smoother ride, and more powertrain refinements -- an almost yearly ritual -- aimed at reducing noise, vibration and harshness. Retailers soon found themselves with more cars than buyers for the first time, yet Saturn's one-price policy precluded rebates and other incentives to trim the backlog.
The only thing left was to trim production, and the Spring Hill, Tenn., factory scaled back in September 1997 by about 17 percent to some 275,000 cars a year. There were no layoffs, prohibited by the UAW contract, but workers were worried all the same.
Sales were basically flat in calendar 1999, which was relatively good news. And Saturn finally had some real product news that year: three-door coupes. A number of extended-cab pickups had lately sprouted auxiliary rear doors to improve back-seat access, and the idea made even more sense for the small Saturn SCs.
New Jersey retailer Stuart Lasser reportedly suggested it after noticing how his son Hal had trouble getting in and out of the regular two-door. Engineers worked fast, and the "back door" coupes were in dealerships by November 1998.
The extra door was on the driver's side, rear-hinged, about 19 inches wide, and could open to near 90 degrees. You had to open the driver's door first, because the rear-door latch was flush-mounted in the front doorjamb for safety's sake. Opening both doors left a spacious unobstructed opening 62 inches wide.
The third door changed roof styling slightly -- but only on the left -- and added a mere 50 pounds despite required structural reinforcing. Unfortunately, it also cut rear hip room by three inches and rear shoulder room by 5.5 inches. Young Hal Lasser might have had an easier scramble in and out, but less space to move around in once inside.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Car L-Series
With sales flat in the late 1990s, and after several years of dithering, GM had finally decided to fund the additional products Saturn so badly needed. First up was the all-new mid-size L-Series, launched in early 1999 for model-year 2000.
A $1.2-billion effort, the L-Series was loosely based on GM's European Opel/Vauxhall Vectra, and Saturn took pains to make sure reporters understood how loose the relationship was. Though the L-Series used the Vectra's basic architecture and front-drive powertrains, only about 130 parts, mostly fasteners, were said to be interchangeable -- as one engineer demonstrated by pouring them out of a small laundry basket at the press preview. "That is literally everything this car has in common with the Vectra," he declared.
Saturn took over an older GM plant in Wilmington, Delaware, and retooled it for the L-Series, which was built under a more-traditional labor agreement than existed in the initial Saturn factory in Spring Hill, Tenn.
Despite similar "global GM" styling, the L-Series strode a 2.5-inch longer wheelbase than its Euro cousin and looked recognizably Saturn. It even had plastic fenders and door skins, though they attached to a conventional unibody rather than a spaceframe.
Two engines covered five models with familiar Saturn nomenclature. Powering the LS and LS1 sedans and LW1 wagon was a dohc 2.2-liter four-cylinder, part of GM's new "L850" engine family and marketed under the "Ecotec" name. The LS2 sedan and LW2 wagon carried a twincam 3.0-liter V-6, also designed by GM Europe and shared with Saab of Sweden (by now part of the GM empire).
The V-6 teamed only with a four-speed automatic transmission, which was also available for four-cylinder models in lieu of five-speed manual. Options included ABS with traction control across the board, leather upholstery except on the base LS sedan, and a rear spoiler for LS1/LS2. V-6 models came with rear disc brakes.
Hopes were high for the L-Series, though the odds seemed against it. After all, Saturn was wading into a very crowded and competitive market where the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry were perennial contenders as America's best-selling car line.
But with total sales of some 3.5 million units a year, the mid-size class offered huge growth potential for Saturn and GM -- an irresistible opportunity. What's more, critics found the L-Series had most everything necessary for success. Said Car and Driver: "We're not about to bet against the top dogs…but the LS1 covers all the sedan bases very well and could make the others sweat a little if Saturn can persuade Americans to take notice of its new model."
Unfortunately, Saturn fumbled. Unexpected production glitches kept supplies tight in the critical early weeks, and initial advertising touted "the next big thing from Saturn" without giving a clear idea of what the L-Series was. As a result, calendar-2000 deliveries were just over 94,000. Saturn had projected 192,000 the first year and up to 300,000 a year thereafter.
Cars started piling up once the factory got cranking, forcing Saturn to slash production twice in quick succession. To jump-start sales, Saturn granted a $1000 per car "advertising allowance" that retailers could use any way they liked. Many simply passed it on to customers as a hidden rebate, but even that didn't help. Zero-down leases were being offered by July, when Business Week reported that average incentives for all Saturn models were at a record $1116 per vehicle.
With the L-Series in the lineup, the smaller Saturns were named S-Series for 2000. The SW1 wagon was dropped. Remaining models sported a new gauge cluster and switchgear, redesigned center console, revised front seats with more rearward travel, plus new lower-body panels that increased length by 1.2 inches but were hardly noticeable.
Coupes had a short model year, with slightly restyled '01s arriving in early 2000. Powertrains were fiddled with yet again, getting a new induction system and other changes in the continuing quest for smoothness and quietness. Consumer Guide® thought a decade of effort had "finally paid off -- at least in the '2' models. Their twincam engine now feels coarse and buzzy only at maximum rpm. The changes don't affect [output], so acceleration with either transmission remains slightly better than the class norm."
But at age 10, the original Saturn design looked downright old against most rivals, and sales took a beating in calendar 2000, dropping 23.7 percent to a little over 177,000. With that, Spring Hill was put on furlough to give dealers time to clear stocks -- including some leftover '99s. Still, Saturn's total sales rose 16.9 percent to 271,800. The L-Series, disappointment though it was, more than made up for the S-Series' decline.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Car Company Losses in 2000 and 2001
Saturn sales were flat in the late 1990s, but sounding a hopeful note in 2000 was the April 25 announcement of a $1.5-billion cash infusion.
Two-thirds would go toward capital improvements at the Spring Hill, Tenn., plant for building Saturn's first SUV, starting in late 2001. Remaining funds were earmarked for equipment needed to build the 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine, which Saturn would supply for all North American GM vehicles using it, as well as a new continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
Intriguingly, the announcement also mentioned a "yet undisclosed future Saturn" with a Honda V-6. The engine would be supplied under a recently concluded agreement between GM and the Japanese automaker, who was to get diesel engines from GM affiliate Isuzu in exchange. "Our challenge now," said new Saturn president Cynthia Trudell, "is to keep up with customer demand for a wider variety of vehicles…and [to] position Saturn as more than just a small-car company."
Actually, it was do-or-die time. In 2000 alone, Saturn lost nearly $840 million, more than $3000 on each sale. The brand created to stop buyers from deserting GM was itself being deserted. With that, nearly half of Saturn's total factory capacity was left idle that year, according to an internal report.
By April 2001, GM was nearly out of patience. Saturn was told to double productivity at Spring Hill, boost production there by two-thirds while cutting employment by 18 percent, and to at least break even on operations -- or else.
Suddenly, everything seemed to depend on the new SUV. If it bombed like the L-Series, reported Automotive News, GM would cancel the redesigned S-Series set for model-year 2003. Though Trudell expected to carry out all of management's marching orders, she admitted, "If we are not successful with [the SUV], no one would put in more products."
But 2001 was another discouraging year. Aggravated by a sharp downturn in the national economy, calendar-year sales slid 4.2 percent from the previous 12 months to just above 260,000. The L-Series was up (to just over 98,000 units), but the S-Series was down (by 8.6 percent to 162,110).
Product news was again scant. Both lines added optional curtain side airbags that dropped down from above the doors to cushion occupants' heads in a side impact, but neither yet offered torso side airbags. Midsize model names changed -- four-cylinder L100 and L200 sedans, V-6 L300 sedan, and LW200 and LW300 wagons. And that was about it.
For 2002, the S-Series lost its remaining wagon, while every L-Series standardized ABS, curtain airbags, and traction control. L-Series also expanded options with an in-dash six-disc CD changer, minivan-style rear-seat DVD video, GM OnStar communications/assistance system, and 16-inch chrome wheels.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Vue
The national nightmare of September 11, 2001, was the unforeseen backdrop for the rollout of Saturn's vital SUV, the Vue.
Americans were flocking to car-based "crossover" wagons like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. Vue was intended to match or beat them for roominess, versatility, performance, and fuel economy. Significantly, Vue introduced the "Theta" platform destined for similar vehicles at other GM brands, but maintained Saturn tradition by wearing thermoplastic vertical body panels.
Vue initially offered the two L-Series engines. The V-6 came only with a new five-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system (AWD) with no transfer case or low-range gearing. The four-cylinder teamed with front drive and five-speed manual or with front drive or AWD operating through the promised CVT, called VTi (for "Variable Transmission, intelligent").
Developed by GM's Hydramatic Division and sourced from Europe, the CVT was another Saturn first in American production. Like similar designs at Honda and Audi, it used a special drive belt running between two laterally expandable pulleys to provide a near-infinite number of drive ratios. Electronic control insured the transmission was always in the right "gear" for optimum performance and fuel efficiency.
Interestingly, Saturn claimed 0-60 mph acceleration of 10.2 seconds for the front-drive Vue with CVT versus 11.1 with manual. The AWD V-6 was pegged at 8.4 seconds, which Car and Driver verified in its first full Vue test. Another class exclusive was electric power steering, with motors replacing power-sapping hydraulics.
Otherwise, Saturn's SUV closely matched its rivals in dimensions, utility, and fuel economy. Consumer Guide® found that it "leans more in corners than Escape or CR-V and tends to nose-plow where most compact SUVs feel nimble." Steering was "vague on-center and doesn't impart much road feel."
But ride was judged a "strong point. Tires and suspension [four-wheel independent] do a good job of absorbing the worst bumps…" CG's overall assessment: "What Vue lacks in handling it more than makes up for in versatility, ride quality, and interior comfort. Even more attractive are its competitive pricing [about $16,300-$22,600] and the high customer-satisfaction ratings for Saturn's dealership experience and no-haggle price strategy."
Vue got off to a good start, finding more than 75,000 buyers in calendar 2002 and nearly 82,000 in '03. Though that was a modest showing by historic U.S.-industry standards, it was creditable in the far-more diverse and ruthless new-century market.
Most buyers preferred the AWD V-6 with its orthodox automatic transmission -- a good thing, as the CVT was delayed by teething troubles to mid-2002 and was hard to get even then. Automotive News estimated that only 37 percent of Vue production was so equipped. No matter. The V-6 increased its popularity for 2003, when Saturn offered it with front-wheel drive, too. One other change that season was the new option of leather upholstery and heated front seats.
Calendar 2004 deliveries rose six percent to nearly 87,000. Making sense of that 2000 press release, Vue exchanged the 181-bhp 3.0-liter GM V-6 for a 250-bhp 3.5-liter Honda unit, basically the same engine used in Honda's popular Odyssey minivan.
Though the swap did wonders for Vue acceleration and mechanical finesse, it was a telling move for the world's largest automaker. Awkward, too, as Saturn now had to sell, service, and warranty a competitor's engine while avoiding mention that it was a competitor's engine.
But the Honda V-6 made a fine starting point for the Vue Red Line, the first in a planned series of sporty Saturn submodels. Arriving at mid-2004 as a $1995 package for V-6 versions, the Red Line also included a lower-riding firmed-up suspension with 18-inch wheels and tires, plus specific trim inside and out.
All '04 Vues received recalibrated steering, chrome-ringed white-face gauges, and available satellite radio; AWDs added standard 17-inch wheels, a new option on mainstream front-drivers.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Sales Plunge, Company Restructures
Vue was a timely tonic for total Saturn sales, which inched up some 20,000 in calendar '02 to exceed 280,000. But the car side was still slipping, and the 2003 total retreated to around 271,000.
Though that partly reflected the transition to a new small car, the real culprit was the L-Series: down 17 percent in '02, then by 20 percent more -- to just 65,000 or so -- despite facelifted '03s with standard curtain side airbags and detail chassis improvements.
Worse, as Consumer Guide® noted in '03: "A decent mid-size car is now less of a value because Saturn charges extra for ABS and traction control, yet increases base prices…except on the manual-transmission L200…At least the L-Series has been a tepid seller, so lease incentives and low financing rates may be available."
They were indeed, as Saturn was pushing incentives harder than ever, including zero-percent financing with GM's market-priming "Keep America Rolling" promotion in the wake of 9/11. Yet neither that nor later lures could spark buyer interest in the mid-size Saturn, and orders plunged a whopping 70 percent in calendar '04 to less than 19,500.
All were L300s with standard ABS/traction control reinstated and no manual shift offered. Not surprisingly, the unloved L-Series faded away during model-year '05, when only an unchanged V-6 sedan was available with far fewer options. Just over 5000 were sold.
Saturn by now had a capable new leader in Jill Lajdziak. She reported both to G. Richard "Rick" Wagoner, named GM chairman and CEO in 2001, and to the celebrated "product czar" he quickly brought aboard, former Chrysler Corporation president Robert A. Lutz.
Lajdziak enjoyed rather less freedom than her predecessors, however. Bit by bit, Saturn was losing its independence, a shift highlighted by the untimely death of former president Skip LeFauve in January 2003. As Automotive News observed at the time, "LeFauve's Saturn organization [now] looks noticeably different. Decision-making is often conducted higher in the GM organization, and Saturn operates more like a standard GM division with traditional GM practices."
But tightening Saturn's orbit was necessary in light of a worsening financial crisis that would have GM on the brink of bankruptcy by 2006. With Oldsmobile already being phased out as a recovery measure, Business Week wondered whether struggling Saturn might soon be dumped, too. "That is out of the question," Lutz told the magazine in mid-2003.
Three years later, Lutz revealed an entirely new game plan for Saturn. From here on, most of the brand's core products would be rebadged versions of select Opel models designed and engineered at GM's German subsidiary. The aim was to save money and get out new product more quickly through the closest ever collaboration among GM's worldwide business units.
The pattern, Lutz said, was the British Vauxhall branch, which had been building and selling retrimmed Opels for years. Saturn might advise Opel on design tailoring for the American market, but innovation was no longer a part of its brief. Even Spring Hill was increasingly seen as just another plant supplying all GM makes, not just Saturn.
A tangible early sign of Saturn's shifting status was the 2003 Ion, the belated successor to the subcompact S-Series. This was the first in a planned global family of GM small cars on the new front-drive Delta platform conceived largely by Opel. Ion styling was Saturn's own, however, and plastic was once again used for the front fenders and outer door skins, though the inner structure was a conventional steel unibody.
A simple twist-beam axle replaced the S-Series' tri-link rear suspension to keep cost down. Antilock brakes shifted to the options list, but now included traction control. Curtain side airbags were newly available, a plus for Saturn's safety-minded clientele and for the small-car field.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Ion
The Saturn Ion bowed with the all-aluminum "Ecotec" four-cylinder tuned for 145 bhp, a whopping 40 bhp up from the previous single-cam base engine. Sedans launched first with trim levels prosaically named 1, 2 and 3, plus an extra-cost five-speed automatic transmission as another class plus.
The two-door Saturn returned in spring '03 as the "Quad Coupe." Sporting rear access doors on both sides, it came in 2 and 3 versions with roughly the same features as like-named sedans. The wheelbase of all Ions went up an inch over the S-Series span, while overall length stretched 6.4 inches more on sedans, 4.5 inches on coupes.
With that and a two-inch rise in overall height, Ion claimed class-leading interior and cargo space. A bold departure -- controversial, too -- was a central dashtop gauge cluster canted toward the driver. Only Toyota's subcompact Echo dared something like it.
Also brave was making coupes available with the CVT as well as the torque-converter automatic. Unusual, too, was the interchangeable roof-rail trim available through Saturn dealers in colors and patterns to mix and match with paint and interior decor.
As Saturn's most affordable car and the replacement for its top-seller, the Ion was critical for near-term success. Saturn planned to peddle 160,000 a year, yet hardly budged the sales needle from the S-Series' last calendar year: about 114,000 through the end of '03.
Reviewers were critical on many counts, none more than Car and Driver, which pronounced Ion "probably the most disappointing all-new American car in a decade…Its chassis refinement, advanced safety systems and value for money are impressive" -- base prices ran around $11,600-$16,000. "But uncomfortable seats, funky ergonomics, cut-rate materials and low-quality engine sounds send the message, 'You should have spent more if you wanted a real car'."
Consumer Guide® was more charitable, noting that established Saturn virtues made up for the Ion's various vices. But plenty of shoppers thought otherwise. Within seven months, Ion inventory had ballooned to 100 days versus the desired 60-day supply. In all, it was a disheartening and worrisome debut.
To its credit, Saturn went right to work on fixes. Interiors gained visibly better-quality materials for 2004 and again for '05, when an early facelift gave most Ions a simple oblong grille and more exterior chrome, an attempt to add visual class.
Adding visceral appeal at mid-2004 was a racy Ion Red Line coupe with a supercharged 2.0-liter Ecotec pumping out 205 eager horses. The $21,000 list price included mandatory five-speed manual, a tauter suspension on 17-inch wheels and performance tires, rear disc brakes, big-bolster front seats, snazzy leather/cloth upholstery, and the obligatory "go faster" body addenda, though Saturn wisely left a bulky rear spoiler to the options card.
This Ion aimed at the fast-growing youth market for tuned-up, glammed-up "sport compacts." It was mostly on target: nimble, eye-catching, and noisy but quick. Car and Driver clocked 0-60 mph at a brisk 6.1 seconds versus a sedate 8.4 for the base 140-bhp manual coupe.
Turning up the Red Line's wick for 2006 was a little-promoted $1375 Competition Package. This delivered a limited-slip differential to get max power to the pavement, dashboard lights to guide gear-swapping, plus a turbo-boost gauge, fog lamps, and unique alloy wheels. The Red Line wasn't the sort of car Saturn customers were used to, but that was the point. After so many years of sensible shoes, it was a refreshing dash of exuberance.
Red Line wasn't, however, a tonic for Ion sales, which slipped in calendar 2004 and again in '05, landing at just under 101,000 despite the availability of a 170-bhp 2.4-liter Ecotec for Ion 3s. Buying a Saturn might still be a first-class experience, but even the beautified Ions seemed second-rate against many import-brand foes.
Worse, model-year '05 brought intramural competition in Chevrolet's Delta-based Cobalt, which had no trouble luring buyers with its mainstream styling and superior fit and finish. It was an odd situation for a company founded on small cars, especially as Saturn seemed unsure of what to do about it.
In April 2006, Automotive News reported that Saturn was scrapping a planned Ion replacement and was looking for another GM car to take over after model-year '07. Trouble was, this substitute couldn't get to market until model-year '08, leaving Saturn dealers with the prospect of having no entry-level car to sell for eight or nine months, an eternity in auto retailing.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
2004, 2005, 2006 Saturn Cars
Another in a series of blows to Saturn's pride came in 2004, when GM decided to scrap the still-troublesome CVT option for both the Ion compact and Vue SUV. This, too, seemed strange, as Audi, Ford, Honda, and Nissan all had vehicles with CVTs that worked like a charm. But maybe it wasn't so strange. GM had made many mistakes since Saturn's birth, and it wasn't the company it used to be.
A first-ever minivan should have brightened Saturn's sales picture considerably, but proved another miscalculation. A triumph of marketing style over product substance, the new-for-2005 Relay was basically a rehash of an eight-year-old GM design that had always lagged the class leaders and was no more competitive as a "crossover sport van" with SUV-flavored styling.
It even lacked Saturn's trademark plastic body panels, and had little to recommend it over close cousins Chevrolet Uplander, Pontiac Montana SV6, and a first-ever Buick minivan, the Terraza. Buyers saw through the 1980s-style cloning and mostly stayed away from all four models. Relay, though, was particularly disappointing in light of Saturn's still-strong consumer image, drawing a little more than 17,000 orders from late 2004 through the end of '05.
Reflecting the ho-hum response to both Relay and Ion, overall Saturn sales fell a sharp 21.8 percent in calendar 2004 to just over 212,000. The '05 total was just 640 units higher. The one sort of bright spot was Vue, which edged up to some 87,000 in '04, then to nearly 92,000 in '05.
Like Ion, Vue got unwanted in-house competition: the 2005 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent built on a stretched Theta platform with different engines. At least tidier size and the available Honda V-6 helped Vue stand apart from that twosome, as well as a thundering herd of class rivals. A modest 2006 facelift and interior sprucing helped keep it looking fresh.
Serving the cause of fresher air was the Vue Green Line, General Motors' first mainstream vehicle with a low-emissions, high-mileage gasoline/electric hybrid powertrain. An early 2007 addition, it employed a 2.4-liter Ecotec four and a nickel-metal-hydride battery pack feeding 10 kilowatts to an electric motor/generator. A four-speed torque-converter automatic transmission channeled a maximum 170 net horsepower to the front wheels.
Like Honda's Integrated Motor Assist system, the Vue's hybrid drive used the motor/battery pack to give the gas engine a kick when needed. The motor would charge the battery pack in coasting or braking, so no plug-in charging was required as on the pure-electric EV1. Also like most other hybrids, the engine would automatically shut off on coming to a stop to save gas, then restart on applying the throttle.
Projected EPA fuel economy of 27 mpg city and 32 highway was mighty compelling at a time when gas had shot above $3 a gallon and looked to go higher still. Saturn eyed a $23,000 starting price, around $4000 less than Ford's year-old Escape Hybrid and a whopping $10,000 below the new Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices
Saturn Sky and Saturn Green Line
The environmental-minded Vue Green Line arrived in summer 2006, promising to generate much-needed showroom traffic. So, too, did three more newcomers that made the 2007 line the broadest in Saturn's short history. Though those models also await history's verdict, they looked to give Saturn the competitive reach it had so long been denied.
First on the scene was Sky, a genuine two-seat sports roadster with an even higher fun factor than the Ion Red Line. Starting sale in spring 2006, it was an upscale version of the rear-drive Pontiac Solstice that had launched in late 2005 with a long waiting list. Sky caused the same clamor, orders pouring in before the first one left the Wilmington, Del., plant that had been refurbished after finishing with the L-Series.
Sky wore a Saturn face on an all-steel body that was four inches longer than the Pontiac's but with the same general look. It also sported a spiffier cockpit and a $23,000 base price, about $3000 upstream of its sibling. That was owed to no-cost antilock brakes, air conditioning, cruise control and power windows/door locks, all options for Solstice.
Sky also had its own suspension tuning for the plusher ride Saturn thought its customers would prefer. Otherwise, it was the same appealing package: base 177-bhp 2.4-liter Ecotec four, manual or optional automatic five-speed transmissions, all-disc brakes, 18-inch rolling stock, a manual-folding cloth top with heated rear window, and an options sheet showing limited-slip differential, leather upholstery, satellite radio, rear spoiler, and chrome wheels.
Released in fall was a performance-minded Sky Red Line. A counterpart to the Solstice GXP, it packed the same new supercharged 2.0-liter Ecotec with 260 bhp. That was the highest specific output in GM history, abetted by direct fuel injection, a first for a North American GM car.
Naturally, Sky Red Line had specific styling touches inside and out, including a deeper front fascia with large brake-cooling ducts. Regular or Red Line, Sky was an exciting symbol of a hoped-for Saturn renaissance.
But the real money is always in mass-market products like midsize sedans, so a lot was riding on the 2007 Aura. Scheduled for release in August 2006, it embodied the new Bob Lutz strategy for Saturn, being a close relation of the European-bred Opel/Vauxhall Vectra, but built at GM's Kansas City plant.
On paper -- and in the showroom -- Aura looked light years ahead of the old L-Series, with crisply honed styling, solid engineering, and most of the features buyers craved. It bowed in two versions, each a front-wheel-drive V-6. The entry-level XE married an iron-block 224-bhp 3.5-liter pushrod engine to a four-speed automatic transmission. The uplevel XR boasted an all-aluminum twincam 3.6 sending 252 bhp through a new six-speed GM automatic.
Variable-valve timing enhanced efficiency on both V-6s, and was a claimed first for the "cam in block" 3.5. Headlining a long standard-equipment roster were front torso and curtain side airbags, four-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction control, tilt/telescope steering wheel, and GM OnStar assistance with a year's free service. XR added 18-inch wheels to replace 17s, GM's Stabilitrak antiskid system, remote engine starting, extra interior amenities, and a little more brightwork.
Due later in the '07 model year was a Green Line Aura, GM's first hybrid-power passenger car, using the basic Vue Green Line powertrain. With all this, Aura seemed poised to be the sales success the L-Series was not.
No less important to the profit outlook was the aptly named 2007 Outlook, a large crossover SUV. Saturn was entering new territory here, but badly needed a presence in the booming market for new-age family wagons with carlike comfort and road manners.
Significantly, Outlook introduced the unibody Lambda platform that had been designed expressly for crossover vehicles and that would soon serve other GM marques. Wheelbase was a generous 118.9 inches, nearly a match for the big truck-based Ford Expedition and more than sufficient to allow for the three-row seating most all shoppers demanded.
Like most every class rival, Outlook offered a choice of front-drive or AWD in a four-door package with passenger-car amenities, plus versatile accommodations for seven or eight. A lone powertrain mated GM's new six-speed automatic with a 3.6-liter V-6, basically the Aura engine tuned for 217 bhp and more low-end torque. With a full slate of standard safety aids and useful options like power liftgate, remote starting, and rear-obstacle-detection system, Outlook loomed as another big Saturn sales booster upon its scheduled early 2007 showroom debut.
Set to follow Outlook is a new-generation 2008 Vue, likely with bold new styling patterned after the Opel-designed PreVue concept presented in April 2006. That and a fill-in for Ion will complete a remarkable product expansion for a make that seemed to be at death's door just a few years earlier. Even so, Saturn is hardly of the woods yet, because General Motors itself must still hack through a forest of daunting challenges. But assuming everything works out, Saturn may at last be set for a truly bright, successful, and permanent future -- even if it is no longer "a different kind of car company."
For more information on Saturn cars, see:
- Saturn New Car Reviews and Prices
- Saturn Used Car Reviews and Prices


text:
No products
Prices are tax excluded
Compagnie St Francis
Compagnie St Francis
The amazing therapeutic qualities of this formula are the object of numerous and enthusiastic accounts. Due to the diversity of its benefits, we recommend its daily and continuous use.
Urtica dioica
Tabebuia impetiginosa
Tabebuia impetiginosa
Urtica dioica
Epilobium parviflorum
Chamomilla recutita
Monday to Friday: 09:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Saturday: From 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
We will be closed on monday, the 2nd April. Thanks!
At the moment, Herboristerie Desjardins does not accept online orders placed outside of Canada.
Our products are for purchase in Canadian Dollars only.
Our product prices may change without notice.
You may place an order for our organic herbs by telephone only.
Using medicinal plants is based on centuries-old knowlege. The fact that herbs and herbal remedies continue to be used the world over attests to their healing power. Nevertheless, it is important to take certain precautions when using any herbal remedy. We recommend that if you are suffering from an illness, or are pregnant, you should consult a health practitioner before taking any herbal remedy.
A herbal remedy does not replace proper nutrition and exercise.


text:
UH Manoa Distinguished Lecture Series welcomes world-renowned evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins
Free public lecture scheduled at Campus Center on Tuesday, Feb. 20University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Department of English
HONOLULU - The UH Manoa Distinguished Lecture Series continues its Centennial year program this month with a presentation by Professor Richard Dawkins, the first holder of the newly endowed Charles Simonyi Chair in the Public Understanding of Science, and a Fellow of New College, at the University of Oxford. Dawkins' presentation, entitled "Queerer Than We Can Suppose?: The Strangeness of Science" is scheduled for the UH Manoa Campus Center Ballroom beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 20. The event is free and open to the public.
Professor Dawkins has written numerous bestsellers on evolutionary biology, science, and religion; these include The Selfish Gene (1976; second edition, 1989), The Extended Phenotype (1982), The Blind Watchmaker (1986), River Out of Eden (1995), Climbing Mount Improbable (1996), Unweaving the Rainbow (1998), A Devil's Chaplain (2003), The Ancestor's Tale (2004), and The God Delusion (2006).
His visit to the Manoa campus is co-sponsored by the UH Manoa College of Natural Sciences, Departments of Botany and Zoology, Lyon Arboretum, and the Center for Conservation Research and Training.
In addition to the presentation at Campus Center, Dawkins will lead a seminar on the topic, "Is Evolution Predictable," on Wednesday, February 21, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the School of Architecture Auditorium. The seminar is also open to the public at no charge.
More information about this month's presentation and the Centennial year series may be found on the Web at www.manoa.hawaii.edu/dls.
More information about Richard Dawkins is available at http://richarddawkins.net.
For more information, visit: http://www.manoa.hawaii.edu/dls


text:
As much as I'm a confessed total trendoid--I'll try almost anything once!--my roots are pure prep and I'll always melt for a classic crested blazer. If you love penny loafers and Love Story and guys who do crew as much as I do, but you're ready to update the look in a totally modern way, these outfit ideas are for you!
Source: tumblr.com via Chelsea on Pinterest
Just add animal print: Start with some tried-and-true basics, like an oxford shirt under a v-neck sweater and a structured camel tote, then throw a major dose of glam into the mix with some leopard print. This gal's coat is pure fabulous factor.__
Source: inthecitywithcrystalin.tumblr.com via Suely on Pinterest
Inject ethnic influences: The classic bateau-striped top and white blazer are yacht-ready, but the addition of an oversize beaded necklace and a bright textured bag keep the whole outfit from being too perfect.
Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Lauren on Pinterest
__Go for bold color: With regular blue jeans, this double-breasted blazer would look straight-up collegiate. But when you put bright red denim into the equation, it becomes totally on-trend for 2013.
What do my fellow preppies out there think of these looks? Which one is your favorite? Would you try out this trendy take on a classic look? Discuss!


text:
Oprah has been pretty much quiet all summer but has a date with her faithful today.
She will be at Palo Alto's Facebook headquarters for an hour long chat that begins at 1:30 p.m.
Oprah said she will answer fans' questions during a town hall type event that will be live-streamed for all to see on line.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Oprah is the latest celeb to take part in Facebook Live.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg won't be hosting this event. He's left that to COO Sheryl Sandberg. Sandberg and Oprah have reportedly become quite close. The WSJ is reporting that Oprah will be joining Sandberg for one of her high powered dinner's featuring prominent women Thursday night in Atherton.
Winfrey ended her talk show in May after 25 years. She has spent the summer attempting to jump start her faltering network. The dinner is being touted as a brainstorming session for OWN which has been struggling to find an audience.
If you have questions for Oprah, you can ask them on her official Facebook page.


text:
The Havelock Board of Commissioners isn�t ready to let a planned expansion to the animal shelter go to the dogs.
The Havelock Board of Commissioners isn�t ready to let a planned expansion to the animal shelter go to the dogs.
Commissioners rejected the idea of spending an extra $23,860 on the expansion during their meeting Monday night and have instead decided to advertise the project with more specific details in an effort to get a lower price.
The plans called for three additional dog storage spaces, a storage/euthanasia room, unisex bathroom and separate room for cats. Last year, commissioners approved $42,600 for the project designed to address overcrowding issues at the existing animal shelter.
The city put the project out for bids and only two came in, ranging from $66,460 to $103,000. Four other potential bidders passed on the project and did not submit bids.
Commissioner Danny Walsh said that if the $66,460 bid from Osprey Construction was reasonable, the city should accept it.
"If somebody puts out a bid and it�s within reason, and nobody wants to do it any cheaper, then that�s the cost of doing business in the government," Walsh said.
However, Commissioner George Liner said the project plans may have not been specific enough.
"I don�t feel that all the bidders knew what they were bidding for," he said. "I don�t think everyone was on the same page here."
Commissioner Jim Stuart made a motion to accept the low bid, and the motion was seconded by Walsh.
However, Mayor Jimmy Sanders said that the amount of the bid was 50 percent higher than what had been budgeted.
"That sounds like a huge disparity to me," he said. "You can solve this by rebidding it with more specifics."
Liner, with fellow commissioners Will Lewis and Karen Lewis, voted against Stuart�s motion to accept the bid.
Bill Ebron, public services director, and Havelock Police Chief G. Wayne Cyrus, whose department oversees the operation of the animal shelter, have said the project is needed. With that in mind, Ebron told the board the project would be put out for bidding again with more specifics.
In other business Monday night, the board:
-- heard from Cyrus that a new prescription drug drop box had been added to the lobby of the Public Safety Building for disposal of old or unused medicine. The box is for old medicines in pill form, and no liquids or syringes may be left. Those dropping off medicine may tear off their personal information from the prescription bottles before depositing the medicines. The box is designed to help keep prescription medication out of the hands of non-patients and to prevent them from being flushed down the toilet or discarded in trash, which depending on the medicine can be an environmental hazard.
-- appointed Norman Girard to a seat on the Planning Board.


text:
Oct 14: OOW13 - Day 2 - Oak Table World in the Cloud
Despite others best attempts - "Just one more" - I managed yet another early-ish night and so by the morning I was in a better than expected state for my Oak Table World presentation at 9am. I certainly looked in a better state than Tim Gorman, but thanks to him for showing up! When I put my name down for this, I didn't really think through the 9am slot, but I *did* think through going for the smaller of the two rooms that OTW had expanded to. 50 rather than 100 seats suits my modest persona and, man, I love that circular room! Better still, it was absolutely packed. Your slides projected on the wall, strangely effective acoustics and feeling that you're almost sitting on the laps of the other people in the room, many of whom are people I think the world of! Weird. Check out a couple of Kyle Haileys photos here and here. Oh, and yes, I was wearing my Sinclair ZX81 T-shirt again! What can I say? I like it so it tends to turn up on special occasions.
I had fun!
Some days things just work and, whilst the actual content of the presentation might not be the best (but don't tell anyone ) good presentation days can compensate for that a little. Certainly, the feedback I had from people was very positive although as I tweeted at the time, when I have fun presenting then it generally means it worked well for other people too. Maybe there's a Best Practice in here?
When you're having fun doing something, the results are probably good too.
One or two people asked for the slides, which are now on Slideshare here but, even better (as long as it doesn't shatter my illusions) is that I think all of the OTW2013 presentations were videoed and should appear on the Oak Table World site at some point in the future.
There you go ... Sometimes I walk away happy! (Well the one thing I wish I hadn't done was .... Let's not start that!)
Actually, there was one follow-up item I should have covered better. I wish I'd had a much longer conversation with the guy who came up at the end of the presentation to discuss global statistics and aggregation on partitioned tables. It's not a straightfoward subject and in the absence of time to cover it properly I suggested he checked out the paper I wrote on the subject, but I think I might have been a little curt so if he's reading this, I would love to discuss it more! Hopefully he picked up one of the extremely bling but slightly out of date business cards I'd just had made up, with the *old* OakTable logo. It's the one including the .net and was changed just after I'd ordered the cards. Never mind, it will make them collectors items.
Thanks to Kyle Hailey and all of the sponsors for their contributions and hard work putting Oak Table World together. I didn't spend nearly enough time there because it was during my two days of presentation worry and the recovery, but the reports I heard back from others were consistently good and I hope every effort goes into continuing this event. It's not just a vendor party or some more free food and drink but some additional knowledge-sharing of a completely different but complimentary nature to the main conference.
So now I was FREE and full of adrenalin but just ready to do nothing at the same time. Strange feeling I vaguely remember just walking around the conference enjoying the sunshine, eating food and being happy before settling down in Howard Street to watch the second major keynote. Yeah, the one that was obviously less interesting than a boat race. However, perhaps with the advantage of the sun, some beer (you are allowed to sneak a carry-out in, right? ) and the infrastructure focus of the presentation on various as-a-Service offerings, I kind of enjoyed it. In fact, Thomas Kurian is growing on me as a speaker. Larry is so hit-and-miss these days and, working with the grown-up clients that I do, I think Kurian delivers what I expect from a keynote. Maybe not sexy and fun, but professional. Although the freakiest thing was when he kept saying 'Announcing' but he didn't need to because all I could see was that 'Announcement' slide from that template I was still trying to get out of my brain!
I know Oracle announced some Cloud stuff last year which always seemed a bit Mickey Mouse to me and the announcements this year will take some time to be fully developed, but it felt like they were finally starting to think about the professional services that real customers might actually want and clearly the Nimbula deal was a central part of this.
The thing I probably enjoyed most about the keynote, though, was an hour and a half of the sun on my face with no upcoming responsibilities
My final presentation of the day was the Maria Colgan and Jonathan Lewis tag-team effort - 'Oracle Optimizer Boot Camp - 10 Optimizer Tips You Can't Do Without'. (It probably needed two of them just to come up with that title!) With two terrific presenters on top form and lots of useful content, it was definitely one of the highlights of the agenda for me. You can grab the presentation slides at the Optimizer Development Group Blog.
By now the power on all of my devices was giving out (a theme of the week as I can be lazy about charging any my iPhone 4s is on it's last legs) so I decided to make moves back towards my hotel, only to bump into Graham Wood who persuaded me to have just one beer now that the presentation was done. The next thing I knew, and it really did happen quickly, a bunch of Oak Table types descended on Chevys and before I knew it I was being dragged off kicking and screaming to a very enjoyable Chinese meal. As well as being able to catch up with some friends, they were carrying charging devices which took some of the stress away! I had been keeping an eye out for Cary Millsap so I could give him one of my new business cards. As a man of taste and style who is obsessed with typography I just knew he would admire them deeply I think he truly appreciated the effort although they might be a bit Vegas for his tastes!
By the end of the evening I'd given quite a few out and so insisted on a group shot.
My thanks to Dan Norris' lovely girlfriend Anne for helping us out with the picture. We hadn't been in the bar of the W long, but she was still probably in better condition than most!
No comments


text:
You will get the design file in a zip folder the following extensions: SVG PNG DXF EPS AI
You will need to know how to unzip the folder and move the file to your software program.
Due to the nature of digital products there are no refunds or returns.
Watermarks will not appear on your purchases.
No fonts are included with any Monogram Frames, all monogram files will come empty.


text:
The feature story below on men's golf senior captain Michael Shore, is part of a year-long commitment to highlight Harvard's captains and other intriguing student-athletes. For more question-and-answer features click here and enjoy the high-caliber student-athletes whom we have come to enjoy.
Senior captain Michael Shore
was one of four men's golfers who finished in the individual
top 10 as Harvard took first place at the Yale Spring Opener,
defeating eight other teams on the way to defending its 2008 title.
Shooting an 11-over 151, Shore took seventh at the event. The Boca
Raton, Fla., native will look to keep that momentum going as the
Crimson competes in the Princeton Invitational this weekend,
followed by the Caves Valley Spring Intercollegiate next weekend
leading into the Ivy League Championships at the end of the
What is your concentration?
What are your plans for a career after you graduate?
I'll be working on an emerging markets trading desk. This job will provide me with experience in global markets and an education in valuing risk.
Which class has been your most memorable to date?
Positive psychology taught by Tal Ben-Shahar. This class truly changed my mindset so as to focus on the positive and good.
Has it hit you yet that you'll soon be done here at Harvard?
Sort of, especially when one of the freshman golfers referred to me as an old-timer the other day (I'm 22 years old). Still, I have more than half the spring golf season left and plenty of academic work to go.
How did you get involved in squash? Do you still play?
I picked it up as a winter sport in high school after deciding that I didn't want ringworm from the wrestling mats. I still play now and then and got involved in IM squash this past winter.
How did you first become involved in golf?
I grew up playing with a good friend in Florida at a course near to where we lived. We would fish the ponds on the course and hit the driving range almost everyday after school.
Who has been instrumental in developing your golf game?
Coach Jim Burke here at Harvard. He's great at simplifying the game, which I have a tendency to complicate. Last weekend after one of my teammates asked what the optimal temperament on the golf course is, he responded that the golf ball doesn't know whether you're happy, sad, mad or whatever else.
Did you feel more comfortable this season being a captain after performing the duties your junior year?
Definitely. Like anything else, experience helps. I'd say the biggest thing I learned is that a captain's responsibility does not include appeasing everyone.
What was the best course you ever played at? At what course would you like to play a round?
I really enjoyed playing Cypress Point a few years back with the team. It's a perfect course whether you're looking for peace and solitude or competition in a match (see "The Match" by Mark Frost). I would do almost/basically anything to play Augusta National. The place is, in a word, special.
If you could spend a day golfing with anyone, whom would it be and why?
My mom because she's my inspiration and my best friend.
What has been your most memorable round, hole, shot, etc.?
On spring break last year, I hit, if I may say so myself, a pretty ridiculous flop shot through a small gap from the woods onto the green. My playing partners gave me a look of disbelief when the ball landed near the hole, and I responded with an even greater look of disbelief.
What type of clubs and ball do you prefer? Why so?
Unlike a lot of other college players, I'm relatively shameless in playing very player-friendly and forgiving clubs. Although I might sacrifice some shot making capabilities, I know that my equipment will at least not hinder me in hitting those shots that I am comfortable with. For these reasons, I like a lot of the equipment from Callaway.
Is anyone else in your family good at golf? If you know people who aren't, do they try to get your help on their game?
My whole family – step-dad, mom and two sisters – has gotten involved with golf, which has been great since we can all play together. If I tried to put them in any sort of order by skill, I know that I would be getting myself into trouble. That being said, my sister Michelle vehemently claims that she is "more naturally talented" than me. They certainly come to me for pointers, and my best advice is that that the game's supposed to be fun so just lighten up.
Describe what life is like in Boca Raton. Was it a change of pace when you began your schooling at Philips Exeter in New Hampshire?
Growing up in Boca Raton was wonderful. I got to play lots of sports with my friends and enjoyed the beach and ocean as much as I could. When I left for Exeter in high school, it certainly was a changeup, but one I am very grateful for. I was the first in my family and my circle of friends to attend any sort of prep school, and I feel like I gained a much different perspective at a young age.
What is a good vacation spot to go to? What city/place have you never been to that you'd like to see?
I have family in Rio de Janeiro, and it's always a great time when I go to visit them. I went there this past New Year's and got to enjoy dancing at a samba hall, coconut water on the beach and great, freshly cooked meals every day. I would love to go to remote trout fishing destinations like Patagonia or Kamchatka.
If someone is looking for a quick bite to eat close to campus, what place(s) would you recommend?
A couple of my favorites include Sabra Grill, Market in the Square and, of course, Pinocchio's.
What type of music would we find you listening to in the car?
I listen to basically everything, but if it means anything – and to my roommates who have to listen to it all day, it does – I maintain that "Lollipop" (remix) by Lil Wayne, Static Major and Kanye West is the greatest musical recording ever.
What professional or collegiate teams do you root for? What sports besides golf do you enjoy watching/attending?
I root for the Miami Dolphins first and foremost. After that, I like the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox and the University of Florida Gators. I'll watch/attend all the sports that I can. In my time at Harvard, one of my most memorable nights was going into Boston with a friend to watch a boxing fight at The Garden between Luis Collazo and Ricky Hatton.
If the entire golf team was put on "Survivor," coaches included, who would win? Who would be voted off first?
"Big" John Christensen would win because he has an unparalleled physical and mental fortitude and absolutely no fear of anything. Greg Shuman would be voted off first.
What is one thing you know now that you wished you had known before?
That four years at Harvard flies by, and you should take advantage of every opportunity to experience something new and different while you can.
Describe your favorite childhood memories.
Between birthday parties on the weekends, my friends and I playing on the same sports teams together and home-cooked meals, middle school was the greatest!


text:
Maybe you stayed home this summer and enjoyed the season from the comforts of your own backyard or rooftop, but writer Amy Flurry took to the road. As a former editor, Flurry's no stranger to sifting through hundreds of pitches each week. Ultimately, she drew on this experience for her first book, Recipe For Press , a guide to getting your own press for designers and entrepreneurs. This summer, she packed her bags and racked up many miles of driving time to present her book at designer incubators and indie gift shows across the country.
Along the way, Flurry kept her eyes peeled for the local gems that were truly standout pieces. From Charleston to San Francisco, Birmingham to Seattle, this writer filled us in on the American-made brands and buys we need to know about. Check out her picks...and then warm up the car.


text:
In Home Rehabilitation
The professionals at Star Multi Care Services and subsidiaries offer a variety of in-home rehabilitation services in the comfort of your home, leaving behind the impersonal, clinical feel of a nursing or rehabilitation facility.
Aiming for Patient Independence
Our state licensed professional rehabilitation team includes physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists who work closely with patients recovering from various procedures, including back, spinal cord and brain injuries, hip and knee replacements, complex fractures, neurological disorders and many other types of health issues. Our professional staff will assist families and take every step necessary to ensure that the patient returns to as full and productive a life as possible.
Professional Rehabilitation Assistance in Your Home
Our rehabilitative services include physical, occupational and speech therapists. While physical therapists focus on therapeutic exercise, balance activities and ambulation training to assist the patient in regaining functional mobility and gross motor skills, occupational therapists assist patients with daily living routines. Speech therapists provide patients with assistance in the production and understanding of speech, as well as facilitating communication skills. Focusing on fine motor, cognitive, perceptual and sensory exercises and tasks, therapists train patients in regaining a sense of normalcy.
At Star Multi Care, it is our belief that the benefits of in-home rehabilitation therapy reach far beyond a clinical environment. In the home, a therapist is able to assess the patient's personal environment. At the same time, home therapy allows the patient's family members, friends and neighbors to play a vital role in everyday activities and continuously provide the encouragement necessary for a successful recovery.
Our home health experts will be glad to discuss your at home rehabilitation needs and develop a personalized plan for you or someone for whom you are responsible.


text:
Written by William Lee
The Knicks did a great job of defending the Pelicans in the first quarter, forcing them to shoot 23.8%, going 5/21 from the field. Kenyon Martin set the tone from the tip, he did a good job of harassing Anthony Davis on the first two Pelicans' possession, poking the ball from Davis, causing the Pelicans to start off with two turnovers. A couple possessions later Anthony Davis made a strong move to the rim, attempting to dunk the ball, but Andrea Bargnani was there to contest it without fouling. Bargnani had an amazing defensive effort in the first quarter, blocking three shots in the period, highlighted by a block on Jason Smith which led to a fast break alley opp to Carmelo Anthony. Anthony Davis left at 1:33 remaining in the first quarter, with the Knicks leading 18-16, and never returned. The New Orleans sophomore stud suffered a non-displaced fracture on his left hand. His season averages coming into tonight's match up with the Knicks was 19.6 points 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game. This was another golden opportunity for the Knicks to take advantage of, to finally stop their losing streak.
With the Pelicans' superstar sidelined, the bench came out swinging in the second quarter with Tyreke Evans and Ryan Anderson both scoring ten points in the quarter. This kept the Pelicans in the game with the Knicks in the first half, with the Knicks leading 49-44 going into intermission. The Knicks were sharing the ball and had great ball movement, with 13 assist on 18 made field goals at the half. Raymond Felton led the way for the Knicks at the half with 10 points and 5 assist. Continue reading