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"Everything can be improved." -- Ross Lovegrove Designer Ross Lovegrove Fiercely original and unapologetically innovative, Ross Lovegrove describes himself, somewhat reluctantly, as an industrial designer. "It's not as grimy, it's not as deep and dark as that sounds," he says. Famous for his tactile and sensual fluid forms, he takes his inspiration from nature to create an organic minimalism that he calls "fat free" design. "Nature is a very big part of my work and always has been. I've never seen it as a trend or a fashion," he told CNN. In the early 1980s, with Frog Design in West Germany, he worked on projects including Sony Walkmans and Apple computers. He later moved to Paris as a consultant to Knoll International. Since returning to London in 1986, Lovegrove has worked with a wide range of clients including Airbus Industries, Peugeot, Apple Computers, Issey Miyake, Olympus Cameras, Tag Heuer, Herman Miller, Japan Airlines and Toyo Ito Architects in Japan, as well as a host of top design brands. See some of Ross Lovegrove's designs. » Away from his client work, one of Lovegrove's projects is the "Car on a Stick," an electric bubble car that turns into an elevated streetlight at night. "I'm interested in developing an aesthetic for the 21st century which comes from the intelligent use of resources, materials and structures," he says. Lovegrove's methods blend organic inspiration, a fresh approach to function, cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and cross-application of techniques. "In my own work, I'll learn from doing a super-lightweight suitcase in Osaka," he says. "Then I'll think, 'How can I use that super-lightweight technology to do the chassis of a car?' It's transfer and exchange of knowledge." His work has been extensively published and exhibited internationally and is held in permanent collections of various design museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA), the Design Museum in London and the Vitra Design Museum Weil Am Rhein, Basel, Switzerland. .......................... What do you think of Ross Lovegrove's work? What do you make of his "car on a stick"? Share your views -- or read others' thoughts in the Just Imagine forum.

question: Who is Ross Lovegrove?, answer: Designer | question: Where is his work held?, answer: in permanent collections of various design museums around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA), the Design Museum in London and the Vitra Design Museum Weil Am Rhein, Basel, Switzerland. | question: Where is lovegrove's work held?, answer: permanent collections of various design museums around the world, | question: What is the name of the designer?, answer: Ross Lovegrove | question: For what Ross Lovegrove is known for?, answer: Designer | question: What kind of a designer is he?, answer: industrial | question: Whose work is held at MOMA?, answer: Designer Ross Lovegrove | question: Who is known for flowing forms?, answer: Ross Lovegrove

'SINDH KALAY', England (CNN) -- The aroma of freshly baking flatbread wafts through the air as a unit of British soldiers position themselves for a quick patrol around the village of Sindh Kalay. A British soldier on patrol in the mock Afghan village of Sindh Kalay. Market vendors hawk grapes and melons, as a group of village elders sit smoking water pipes and suspicious-looking men lurk beside battered motorcycles. What should the soldiers do? Conduct a weapons search? Approach the village elders first? In the complex political and cultural terrain of Afghanistan, what is the best course of action? Except this is not Afghanistan. It's Norfolk, England. Instead of the Hindu Kush mountains, it is the green ladscape and tidy farmhouses of the English countryside that stretch out behind them. Welcome to the British Army's state-of-the art training ground. It cost more than $20 million to build and every British soldier serving in Afghanistan will do his or her training here. "I think it's the closest thing you are going to get short of being in Afghanistan itself," says Col. David Colthup of the 2nd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment. His troops have already served one tour of duty in Afghanistan's Helmand province and are training for another. British troops serving in Helmand province are tasked with mentoring and training Afghan security forces. Not an easy job in a Taliban stronghold and Afghanistan's center of opium production. "Ultimately, a soldier joins the army and trains to fight. That's what a soldier trains to do. But today, it's a much, much more complex environment," explains Colthup. "The business of being able to interact either through an interpreter or through Afghan security forces, whether they are police or army. And to understand how the people operate and how we can interact better with them. Because ultimately, that's what it's about," he says. The most distinctive features of Sindh Kalay are the high three-meter walls that make up the village compound, creating narrow alleyways difficult for troops to patrol. The village is staffed with Afghan asylum-seekers, many of whom have fled the Taliban. They play the roles of market vendors, village elders and sometimes Afghan security forces. Several Afghan women are also on hand, useful for training British soldiers on the religious and cultural sensitivities of entering an Afghan home. Watch British troops training in mock Afghan village » The Taliban insurgents are played by Nepalese Ghurkha soldiers authorized to handle weapons. They play their roles silently, unable to partake in the Pashtun banter among the Afghans. Fazel Beria is also an asylum-seeker from Afghanistan. He is responsible for recruiting and for creating the sights and smells of Sindh Kalay and is easily identifiable as the only Afghan in the market in Western clothes. He beams with pride walking down the bazaar and clearly relishes his role in training the British Army. "Everything with the culture comes up with the issue of hearts and minds," he explains. "If you want to win that, you need to know about their culture. You need to respect their culture, their religion and their way of life." He gives high marks to the soldiers training so far. After each exercise, the Afghan actors talk directly to the soldiers about what went wrong and what went right. Sometimes, it's the little things that count. "Yes, there have been quite a lot of surprises," Beria says. Like Afghan will sit cross legged for hours. "The British soldier cannot do that," he laughs. "The Afghan will be sitting very comfortable and the British soldier is not. So, they have to get used to it." See photos of British troops on patrol in Sindh Kalay -- and for real in Afghanistan » Previously, the army trained on farmhouses and in urban neighborhoods that resembled Northern Ireland more than Afghanistan. But Sindh Kalay does more than mimic the physical reality of Afghanistan. It also mirrors the changing tactics on the ground. Troops are grilled in

question: Where were they being deployed to?, answer: Afghanistan's Helmand province | question: What does the village train soldiers to understand?, answer: how the people operate and how we can interact better with them. | question: Where do British soldiers train?, answer: mock Afghan village of Sindh Kalay. | question: Where will British troops be deployed?, answer: around the village of Sindh Kalay. | question: Where did the soldiers train?, answer: Norfolk, England. | question: What are soldiers being trained to understand?, answer: how the people operate and how we can interact better with them. | question: Who play the part of Taliban militants?, answer: Nepalese Ghurkha soldiers | question: What does the village feature?, answer: high three-meter walls | question: Who plays Taliban militants during mock Afghan village?, answer: Nepalese Ghurkha soldiers | question: What does the village train the soldiers to do?, answer: religious and cultural sensitivities | question: Who plays the role of "Taliban militants"?, answer: Nepalese Ghurkha soldiers authorized to handle weapons. | question: What do the mock Afghan villages contain?, answer: British Army's state-of-the art training ground. | question: What did British soldiers do before being deployed to Afghanistan?, answer: training

(AOL Autos) -- At the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and MINI showed the world what electric vehicles of the future will look like. And the future of driving looks fun. The Dodge Circuit EV can blast from 0-to-60 mph in around 4 seconds. Those in the know realize that sometime in the future, the vast majority of light cars and trucks in the US will feature electric final drive systems. The motors used in these systems will be powered by batteries, fuel cells, on-board generators, and perhaps even the sun. But this open issue doesn't change the inevitability of this reality. Given our current economic times, reality demands practical, tangible, and achievable ideas of what electric vehicles (or "EVs" for short) might actually look like. This is it ... Chrysler Three of the four electric vehicles Chrysler showed in Detroit, Michigan, were shown at other events and even to Washington bureaucrats. Each of these vehicles is a running prototype, not some pie-in-the-sky-we'll-never-build that idea. ENVI is the special group of engineers at Chrysler that develops the company's EVs. To date, the ENVI group has developed four electrically powered models, each quite different from the other: a Dodge Circuit EV sports car (rear-wheel drive), a Chrysler Town & Country minivan (front-wheel-drive), a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (all-wheel-drive), and now a Jeep Patriot (front-wheel-drive). Chrysler promises to offer at least one of these models in 2010, and three more by 2013. AOL Autos: Dodge Circuit EV photos Chrysler approaches electric vehicles with simple plug-and-play engineering. Every one of their vehicles uses similar electric drive motors (only varying in power output), advanced lithium-ion batteries, and a power management controller. Each plugs in to 110- or 220-volt household outlets for recharging. The Chrysler and both Jeeps use an on-board range-extending battery charger (a generator). This generator automatically turns on after the vehicle's initial batter charge has been spent (usually within a range of 40 miles), supplying extra voltage that give these three vehicles an estimated range of approximately 400 miles. The generator is powered by a small gasoline-powered engine that runs with exceptional efficiency. This technology is similar in concept to what General Motors has shown in their Chevrolet Volt, a vehicle that should be ready for production in 2010. AOL Autos: Cadillac Converj photos The Dodge Circuit carries a larger battery pack and no generator, so its range on the charge it carries is approximately 150-200 miles. Its large battery pack combined with compact dimensions and the exceptional torque provided by its electric motor blast the car from zero-to-sixty mph in around four seconds, exceptionally fast for any sports car regardless of engine type. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz used the 2009 Detroit Auto Show to showcase their Concept BlueZERO vehicles. The Mercedes approach was to develop one efficient body style, and then equip it with three different electric drive packages. AOL Autos: Mercedes Stirling Moss photos Much of the hardware for the all-electric front-wheel-drive propulsion units is built into what Mercedes calls "sandwich-floor" architecture that the company uses on several production cars. The design helps keep heavy components mounted low on the chassis for better handling, enhanced safety, and maximized interior room. All three Concept BlueZERO vehicles include electric drive and batteries. The E-Cell uses a large battery pack that is said to deliver a range of 120 miles. The F-Cell utilizes a smaller battery pack, but supplements the vehicle's range with a hydrogen fuel cell. The fuel cell produces electricity to recharge the battery pack that extends cruising range to 240 miles. The E-Cell Plus, with a range of approximately 360 miles, is the distance champion. The key is the on-board generator powered by tiny 1-liter turbo-charged three-cylinder gasoline engine.

question: What debuts at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show?, answer: electric vehicles | question: Who shows electric cars?, answer: Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and MINI | question: Where is the Detroit Auto Show located?, answer: Michigan,

(AOL Autos) -- Buying a used car may seem like a simple topic. Used car sales company CARMAX had an influx of trucks and SUVs after gas prices skyrocketed. But when you begin slicing and dicing the various possibilities among approximately 3.3 million vehicles that are for sale at any given time, interesting insights into consumer preferences begin to emerge. For Krista Glotzbach, director of marketing at Vast.com, the San Francisco, California-based aggregator of data (which provides used vehicle search data for AOL Autos), the various permutations are nearly endless. But users shouldn't worry because, with the help of search filters, vehicle fashion statements (what color do you want) and budgetary considerations (what price range do you want) easily come to the surface for faster used car searching. Because Vast.com has a variety of sources for its data, including Web "crawls" (an automated Internet search for used vehicle information), the data is, by definition, revealing in its own right. AOL Autos: Safest cars But industry player CARFAX, which makes its vehicle history reports available to the public, provides a different kind of insight. AOL Autos: Used luxury cars As Larry Gamache, director of communications, pointed out, used car sales dominate the automotive industry. With that volume comes its share of fraud, notably in the marketing of vehicles damaged by flood. And even if a vehicle doesn't look bad, what you can't see can hurt. "The problem with flood-damaged cars is that they're rotting from the inside out," Gamache said. It's also a potentially big safety issue. "Air bags that have been submerged do not function properly," Gamache noted. "They either don't deploy or could deploy at speed." But not all used cars have skeletons in their closets. Actually, most of the vehicles sold in the U.S. are used. AOL Autos: Most popular crossovers Here are a few water cooler tidbits that might make you say "hmm": 1. Three out of four automotive transactions in the U.S. involve previously owned vehicles. 2. The average vehicle will likely have three owners in its lifetime. 3. Industry experts believe one of every 25 air bags that have been deployed have not been properly replaced. They're also the most stolen item from a vehicle (having surpassed radios). AOL Autos: Best resale value cars 4. About half the cars that are flood damaged end up back on the road. As far as Hurricane Katrina is concerned, estimates are that about 200,000 vehicles were dried out and resold. 5. The most frequently searched price range for a used vehicle is under $5,000. 6. Consumers lose as much as $4 billion a year due to odometer fraud, with the average rollback being 15,000 miles. AOL Autos: Best hybrid cars 7. There are more used Silverado pickup trucks for sale than any other model (nearly 120,000 throughout the U.S.) 8. Texas has more used vehicles than any other state (more than 220,000); Houston alone has more than 32,000 on the market at any given time. 9. Chevrolet tops the list of most-available brands in the U.S. (with about 450,000 available), followed by Ford (425,000). There are "only" about 280,000 Toyotas on the market at any given time. 10. Silver is the most available color in the used vehicle market -- more than 447,000 vehicles, followed by black (429,000), white (409,000), and red (321,000). Blue (309,000) and gray (277,000) are also aplenty. The color you're least likely to find? Pink, with just 249 used vehicles listed. 11. Age does appear to matter, at least when it comes to a used vehicle. Nearly half those listed at any one time (about 1.5 million) are model years 2007-2008. 12. Automatic transmissions outnumber manual 10 to 1 in the market for used vehicles. 13. Six cylinder vehicles are the most popular on

question: What does Texas have?, answer: has more used vehicles than any other state | question: What will the average vehicle have?, answer: three owners in its lifetime. | question: What is the number of owners that an average vehicle will have in it's lifetime?, answer: three | question: What is the number of pink used vehicles listed?, answer: 249 | question: What is the least available colour?, answer: Pink, | question: What is the least available color on the market?, answer: Pink, | question: How many owners will the average vehicle have?, answer: three | question: How many transactions in the US involve used vehicles?, answer: Three out of four automotive

(AOL Autos) -- Collecting cars is an expensive hobby. Here's a twist: Buy a new car today that will be worth a fortune as a collectible years from now. The Audi S5 is a slick coupe with solid credentials. Best of all, you don't need to break the bank to buy a hot and value-appreciating ride. But you do have to be patient, since waiting is key. "Many consumers could be driving a future collector car right now," McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, a specialty insurer of collector cars in the United States, and himself a respected collector car valuation expert. "Our goal was to find cars that are currently on the road but may be considered nostalgic in 15 to 20 years. Each car on Hagerty's Hot List possesses a 'buzz,' a wow factor that resonates with consumers of all ages, many cars being daily drivers that turn heads already." Why do some vehicles become tomorrow's collector car? Hagerty says it's a combination of pop culture popularity, limited production numbers and the style of the next generation of collectors. Hagerty's Hot List, the top 10 collector cars of the future: 1. Cadillac XLR-V Roadster Under the hood sits a hand-built 4.4-liter V8 that's been supercharged and puts out 443 horsepower. This is a serious domestic roadster that competes with the Mercedes SL-Class, Porsche 911 Cabriolet and Jaguar XKR, as well as the four-seat BMW M6 convertible. AOL Autos: Cadillac XLR Roadster 2. Lotus Exige S Most practical people will find the Lotus Exige is a miserable little car -- that is if you are shopping for a grocery getter! Research uncovered one anonymous review stating "Bottom Line ... my heart beats faster when I think about this car ... it is that rewarding." AOL Autos: Lotus Exige S 3. Audi S5 A slick coupe with solid credentials. It provides good looks, impressive all-wheel-drive handling and an affordable price tag for this segment. AOL Autos: Audi S5 4. Mustang Shelby GT 500 KR The new GT500 KR (King of the Road) takes the bare bones of a GT500 and turns it into a 540 horsepower muscle car that pays tribute to the legendary Carroll Shelby. Production is expected to be around 1,000. AOL Autos: Mustang Shelby GT 500 KR 5. Chevrolet Corvette Z06 The ferocious Z06 is a fixed-roof coupe with a 7.0-liter V8 that produces 505 horsepower. The last 50 years have proven that most Corvettes eventually become collectible. AOL Autos: Chevrolet Corvette Z06 6. Smart At first look, the Smart seems too small to be practical. It's not. Rather, it is a marvel of packaging efficiency. This is the first year they will be available en masse in the United States. 7. Subaru Impreza WRX STi Some Subaru enthusiasts may not like the idea of being spotted in a hatchback, but this will make it more collectible down the road. 8. Honda S2000 CR Less than 2,000 of the CR editions will be built. This is a high-performance version of the stock S2000 that is regarded as Honda's only true sports car. 9. Pontiac Solstice/Saturn Sky This pair of roadsters from GM have all the necessary ingredients: rear-wheel drive, a powerful engine, independent suspension and an impressive weight balance. 10. Dodge Charger Super Bee It has a 6.1 liter HEMI V8 with 425 horsepower and 420 ft.-lbs. of torque. Need we say more for a family sedan?

question: What can compete with the Mercedes SL Class?, answer: Cadillac XLR-V | question: What will make the Subaru Impreza a collectible later?, answer: hatchback, | question: What will make the Subaru Impreza WRX STi collectible?, answer: hatchback, | question: How many Honda S2000 CR's will be built?, answer: editions | question: What could be worth a fortune in the future?, answer: a new car | question: What kind of car can compete with the Cadillac XLR-V Roadster?, answer: Mercedes SL-Class, Porsche 911 Cabriolet | question: What type of car is the Subaru Impreza?, answer: hatchback, | question: Name of the roadster that can compete with Mercedes SL-CLass, answer: Cadillac XLR-V | question: What car can compete with the Mercedes SL-Class?, answer: Cadillac XLR-V Roadster | question: What will make the hatchback a collectible later?, answer: pop culture popularity, limited production numbers and the style | question: Number of the Honda cars that will be built?, answer: Less than 2,000

(AOL Autos) -- Have you ever wondered what your neighbors are carrying around in their car's trunk or SUV's cargo hold? I decided to find out -- by asking 100 strangers in a department store parking lot. Strollers, playpens, toys and diapers take up a lot of space, but a lot of parents still had organized trunks. The mission To uncover the secret contents of the average American trunk and cargo hold. The stakeout I spent two weekend afternoons at the Empire Center in Burbank, California, with my camera and notebook, approaching shoppers as they arrived or departed. I identified myself as a reporter for AOL Autos, and asked if I could see what they had in their trunk, and maybe take a picture. I hoped that I'd be able to see a trend in trunks. AOL Autos: Small cars with room in the trunk The raw data My decidedly unscientific study yielded some interesting results. First of all, I discovered that even in a big city (Burbank is a suburb of Los Angeles), people are exceedingly nice if you are respectful and forthright. About 80% of the people I approached were kind, open and helpful, and gladly opened their trunks for a glance. The 20% who refused were either in a rush, guarded or shy -- but they were still remarkably polite. The second surprising thing was that the vast majority of trunks and cargo holds were clean and uncluttered. I really expected to discover overstuffed trunks, full of cast-off items and flea market finds. But even the most fully-used storage areas were tidy and organized. AOL Autos: Used fuel-efficient crossovers Not surprisingly, people with small children tended to have the most crowded trunks and cargo holds. Strollers, playpens, toys and diapers take up a lot of space, but most families have discovered that clean, organized trunks make getting to your kids' supplies much easier and more efficient. AOL Autos: Best new cars for 2009 Another trend I noticed was that athletic folks tend to use their car's trunk as a portable gym locker. I saw a lot of gym bags, sports equipment and sneakers. On a hot day, this was a bit of a mixed blessing; baked sneakers have a decidedly pungent odor. No one seemed to have a good solution to this problem. I would put a cabin air freshener, like the Little Tree, in my trunk if I regularly carried my tennis shoes. AOL Autos: Celebrity cars you can afford For the non-athletic, the most common item I saw was the collapsible chair. One family had an entire beach setup in their trunk: four collapsible chairs, a beach blanket, a sun umbrella and an empty cooler, all neatly tucked against the back wall. They said that they always wanted to be ready for a beach day, should the opportunity arise. Some people were extremely proud of their trunks. One woman bragged that her brother taught her how to organize her tools, and that she had taken the organization to the next level. She had multiple storage boxes in her neat, clean trunk, each with a different set of useful items. AOL Autos: Most fun cars for under $20,000 A few families were downright sheepish about the state of their cargo holds. They apologized in advance before opening the trunk, and said that they were in the middle of a project that had foiled their attempts at organization and cleanliness. I have to take them at their word; I'm not making a return trip to that hot parking lot to follow up. The conclusion After two days pounding the asphalt, I'm pleased to report that I actually uncovered some useful information and some fun trivia. There are good reasons for keeping your trunk as empty as possible: 1. Less junk in the trunk equals less weight, and less weight can mean greater fuel efficiency. 2. Under certain circumstances, shifting content in your trunk can adversely affect handling. 3. An empty trunk provides space for that roadside find or warehouse store bargain. How else

question: what did the report try to uncover?, answer: secret contents of the average American trunk and cargo hold. | question: What do athletic folks tend to use their trunk for?, answer: portable gym locker. | question: What did the study find?, answer: some interesting results. | question: what does athletic folk do, answer: portable gym locker. | question: what was the unscientific study about?, answer: average American trunk | question: what does unscientific study find, answer: nice if you are respectful and forthright.

(AOL Autos) -- Price of gas got you crying at the pump? Is it eating into your household budget? Well, get used to it. Gas in California, the second worst state, hits $4.59 per gallon for regular unleaded in this July 14 photo. That's the word on the streets as the price of a gallon of gasoline soars to record highs. With regional differentials pushing the price much higher in some places, drivers and small-business owners are finding it hard to cope. But which states' motorists get the best deal, and in which states do drivers pay the most to fill-up? Here come the numbers Alaska has the highest gas prices in the nation, with a gallon of regular gasoline at $4.623, followed by California at $4.583 as of June 30. Hawaii, Connecticut and Washington make up the top five states with highest prices, with New York and D.C. not far behind at $4.292 and $4.160 respectively. Best states to buy gas? Missouri comes out top at $3.862 for a gallon of regular, followed by Oklahoma at $3.866, South Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. Iowa, Kansas and Alabama are next in line. AOL Autos: Cars with 30+ MPG for $300 or less per month Past prices We use the term 'best states to buy gas' with this caveat: Back in June 2004, gas hovered at around $1.74 a gallon, according to figures from gasbuddy.com. Geoff Sundstrom, AAA's fuel price analyst, said the primary reasons for rising fuel prices are an increase in demand for petroleum products across the globe and a need for investment in refining infrastructure. "Right now, it is almost impossible to know where oil and gas prices will be in six months to a year," he said. "It's easy to assume that the world economy will continue to grow, we are very clearly at risk of an economic downturn and perhaps a severe economic downturn which could influence the demand side to the point where oil and gas prices may drop. "In 10 to 20 years out, oil and gasoline will continue to be more expensive. But given what's happening in the markets right now, there is some potential that [the] demands side of the equation could fall off a cliff." AOL Autos: Consumer Reports on best fuel-efficient used cars Why so expensive in California? Marie Montgomery, spokeswoman for the Automobile Club of Southern California, says the primary reason behind the high price of gas in California is "market segmentation," a marketing term that basically means California (along with many other states) has developed a "boutique blend" of fuel in a bid to uphold environmental or ecological standards. In California's case, this blend helps clear the state's notorious smog. "We can't use gas they made for Iowa. We use a special blend with additives in it, an ethanol mix," Montgomery said. "When you do that, you can only use refineries that make that gas [mix]. The refineries in California are a major supplier, but, when prices are high and there's not another supplier, we have to go where they make that mix." She pointed out that refineries in Oregon and Washington produce the gas product, and there is a pipeline to Alaska, but that the only other options are shipping in the blend from elsewhere in the nation or Asia, which is not cost-efficient. "People have to figure out how to deal with this on a long-term basis. We've been telling motorists to carpool and here we are in summer, and prices have barely come down," she said. "Usually we're about a month into a downturn, it's cyclical: Prices go up in spring and spike in May, which isn't happening this year. Prices may not come down a lot." Less misery in Missouri Michael Right, vice president of public affairs for AAA Missouri, said his state is usually among the top three in terms of

question: what's the national gasoline average price on june?, answer: $1.74 a gallon, | question: What is at a record high?, answer: gallon of gasoline | question: what alaska has?, answer: highest gas prices in the nation, | question: Where are the highest gas prices?, answer: Alaska | question: Where are the lowest gas prices?, answer: South Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. | question: what fuel prices are rising of?, answer: oil and gas | question: Which state has the lowest price of gasoline?, answer: Missouri | question: What determines the state price for gasoline?, answer: "market segmentation,"

(AOL Autos) -- A directive recently handed down by a Detroit-area suburban mayor has ignited the latest round of a seemingly endless debate -- one that always burns with more intensity in the home of the Big Three than anywhere else. Many residents in the Detroit, Michigan area are auto workers. Thousands have been laid off recently. It's the debate that relates to cars and goes something like this: "Buy American!" vs. "I'll buy what I want!" That debate sometimes, but not always, begins as a civil conversation. But the Detroit area has been hit hard in the last five years by the ongoing, sometimes enormous financial losses posted by the Big Three. The Big Three's financial woes have had a direct impact on the Michigan economy with hundreds of thousands of layoffs and/or buyouts. Given that so many of the state's workers have lost their jobs -- and in some cases, their homes - it sometimes doesn't take long before the car debate escalates into an emotional one. That can lead to angry name-calling and insults - like many of the reader comments that flooded the online edition of the Detroit newspaper that first reported a controversial story. AOL Autos: Best new car deals this month This latest round of the discussion was inspired by a decision made by Jim Fouts, the mayor of Warren, Michigan, a large Detroit suburb and Michigan's third-largest city, and where a good portion of the residents are (or were) autoworkers. In mid-August, Fouts told his department heads, which amount to 40 or 50 of the city's more than 700 employees that he "expects" the next car they buy will be an American model. More to the point, he expects them to drive General Motors or Chrysler vehicles, since both companies have various manufacturing or assembly plants in Warren -- not to mention GM's sprawling Tech Center -- and therefore are the city's two highest taxpayers. Fouts, who drives a 2001 Chrysler Concorde himself, isn't being draconian about it. That is, he hasn't ordered his appointees to run right out and dump their Hondas, Toyotas, Saabs or Audis immediately. "But I strongly suggested that the next car they buy should be an American one, and that I had an equally strong expectation that they will do so," Fouts said. "Legally, since they are 'at-will' employees, I have the right to mandate, and an expectation that they will meet that mandate." AOL Autos: Best hybrid SUVs Some have accused Fouts of over-stepping his authority by "butting in" to his employees' private lives, while others have given the policy a hearty "thumbs up." "Some of them are not enthusiastic about it," Fouts said, noting that one department head currently drives a Mercedes-Benz vehicle. "But many of these department heads make more than $100,000 a year, and I told them that they might not be able to enjoy the economic comforts they currently enjoy if it were not for the amount of taxes that GM and Chrysler pay to the city. AOL Autos: Luxury cars with the best MPG "I think of it as 'economic patriotism.'" Fouts said he did not know how many of his department heads currently drive imports, although one of his appointees, Warren Police Commissioner Bill Dwyer, guessed that about 90 percent of the appointees already drive American-made cars. "But the ones who are not happy about this -- well, they won't talk to [reporters] about that, because they know how I feel about it," said Fouts. Dwyer, who drives a Jeep Cherokee, supports the mayor's "buy American" expectation. "I believe that, the way the economy is that Americans should be buying American cars. And, as department heads, I think it's important for us to be setting an example for the other city workers." AOL Autos: Safest cars One of the reasons usually cited for the U.S. automakers' loss

question: What has an impact of Michigan economy?, answer: The Big Three's financial woes | question: What had an impact on the Michigan economy?, answer: The Big Three's financial woes | question: What did the mayor spark?, answer: round of a seemingly endless debate | question: Who sparks a debate after telling employees to buy American cars?, answer: Detroit-area suburban mayor

(AOL Autos) -- Ah, that new car smell, that eau de car-logne; it does an ego good while it does a wallet bad. And now it turns out, it can do bad things to your health, too. Air freshners can contain aldehydes, esters and ketones, industry spokesman says. All these years, while we were being offered safety first, last and front, side and rear ways, hardly anyone in the vehicle industry had given much thought to what actually was in that perfume de profit, the new car smell that car buyers sought and bought. As everyone knew, pollution related to vehicles originated from the exhaust pipe, not the shifter knob. It was spewed out the back of the rear, not the back of the rear view mirror. Well, what everyone thought they knew was wrong. It turns out -- take a deep breath -- that most of that new car smell is not some carefully-compounded, luxury, feel-good incense to the Mammon gods. But the new car smell comes from toxic gases. Not only that, but like a two dollar cologne, the effects can linger and linger for years, stinking up not only your shiny new car, but the reputation of the entire vehicle industry itself. AOL Autos: Best new small cars Who says so? Just about everyone in the vehicle business these days. But the initiator was The Ecology Center (EC), a membership-based, nonprofit environmental organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. AOL Autos: 10 most fuel-efficient new cars In a 2006 industry-awakening report entitled "Toxic At Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives", this independent green organization declared that much of the material in most car interiors that produce that new car smell is made with toxic chemicals known to pose major public health risks. The report went on to say that not only are vehicle drivers and passengers breathing toxic air, but are also in constant physical contact with dangerous chemicals leaching from just about every interior surface of a new vehicle. The report says these chemicals give off gases that not only contaminate the air, but also coat interior surfaces with toxic "fog," generally seen as that new car film common to new car interior windshields and windows. These are the same type of chemicals that are, "linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births and early puberty in laboratory animals amongst other serious health problems," according to EC. Fake is probably as bad as real. The companies that market those "new car smell" products that are sold at car washes and auto accessories stores generally will not reveal product contents. One fragrance industry spokesman indicated they can contain artificial leather odor, plus aldehydes, esters and ketones, which are all organic or chemical compounds. AOL Autos: Safest cars under $30,000 Back to real. We are not speaking of plastic doodads here. There is an average of 250 pounds of plastic in new cars, the largest portion used for interior seat cushions, arm rests, door panels, steering wheels, dashboards, wire insulation and the plethora of aircraft-type knobs and switch controls throughout a car's cockpit. AOL Autos: 10 least expensive new cars In addition to acettonitrile, decanol, formaldehyde, naphthalene and carbon disulfide used in foams, adhesives and fabrics, the two major problem chemicals in most new vehicles are (a) the PBDEs, which are used as fire retardants throughout the industry and (b) phthalates, which are widely employed to soften PVC plastics. AOL Autos: Best financing deals of the month Extended research by the Ecology Center covered samples from model years 2000 to 2005 made by 11 manufacturers. Part of the research showed significantly higher levels of PBDEs in those vehicles as compared to those levels in homes and offices that had been measured in previous studies, making in-car pollution a major source of indoor air pollution and health danger. In the resultant table of contamination levels, Hyundai rated lowest and Mercedes highest in PBDEs. Volvo rated lowest and Hyundai highest in phthalates

question: Where does "new car smell" come from?, answer: toxic gases. | question: How long can the effect gases linger for?, answer: years,

(AOL Autos) -- As long as people have been making cars, other people have been figuring out ways to evaluate what they're worth. Kelley Blue Book offers one of the best online resources to find out how and why your car is worth X amount. In the case of Kelley Blue Book, they've vehemently pursued vehicle values for over 80 years and offer one of the best online resources for companies and private individuals to understand how and why their cars are worth X amount of dollars. We talked with Jack Nerad, the executive editorial director and executive market analyst for KBB.com, to explain some of the best ways that you can evaluate your vehicle's worth. Don't fool yourself Surprisingly, one of the problems in properly evaluating a vehicle's worth has nothing to do with the vehicle. Think of the computer phrase IT guys like to use, "It's a PICNIC error." Which stands for "Problem-In-Chair-Not-In-Computer," meaning that nothing is really wrong with the computer, the real issue is the person using it. Nerad says that some people trick themselves into thinking their vehicle is worth more than it actually is. "Where we get into difficulty is when people start fooling themselves about the condition of their car -- that they believe it is in excellent or pristine condition when actually if it has two or three years on it, it's going to have some miles on it, some wear and tear." AOL Autos: 2009 cars with best blue book values You may have yelled at your family and friends every time they even considered bringing a coffee cup into the car, but it's still a used vehicle, uh, I mean pre-owned vehicle. "Even if you've taken wonderful care of it, it's not going to be as fresh as it was when it left the showroom -- that's something people are going to have to keep in mind." Know the true condition Although you have to be honest with yourself about how your car compares with others on the road, taking good care of it can pay off when selling. "When you have a used car, condition, condition, condition are the three most important things," Nerad explained. AOL Autos: Best-selling sedans "So actually assessing your car's condition is crucial to getting the right value, understanding the right value and arriving at the right value. The good news is that at our Web site we give you a checklist that you can essentially go through and it includes things like mileage, equipment levels and also an assessment of condition, which helps you arrive at the appropriate value." Nerad said that the values KBB gives are estimated ranges of what the vehicle is worth rather than an exact dollar amount because they are factored remotely. Still, an estimate from the Web site is one of the best and simplest ways to calculate your car's worth. AOL Autos: 10 best cars of 2009 Body shops can help, but a wash and wax might be better "Most often, it's been our experience that you're better off giving an honest discloser of the car's condition and selling it as is opposed to doing things like cosmetic changes, which can be pretty expensive and are kind of in the eye of the beholder," Nerad said. AOL Autos: Cars with the worst values He mentioned that the person purchasing your vehicle might not care as much about some of the minor cosmetic flaws and would rather hold onto their money than pay for a car in pristine condition. "I don't think too many people who are buying used cars, especially over a few years old, are expecting a car to be in perfect condition or even nearly pristine condition. I think they're expecting to buy something that has a few miles on it in all senses of that term." AOL Autos: Car cleaning tips There is a difference between taking your car to the body shop and taking your car to have a wash and wax job done, however. Appearance is still

question: What is the name of the expert's company?, answer: KBB.com, | question: What does expert explain?, answer: best ways that you can evaluate your vehicle's worth. | question: What is one of your car's best selling points?, answer: Appearance

(AOL Autos) -- Automotive expert Tom Torbjornsen answers a question about how to diagnose an exhaust problem and what to do about it. Dear Tom, Smoke is coming out of the tailpipe of my 2002 Chrysler Sebring with 90,000 miles. Is this a big problem? I have to put a quart of oil a week in the engine. What should I do? -- Sally, New York Sally, Generally, engines burn oil due to a few reasons: bad valve seals, worn valve guides, pressurized crankcase (oil pan) due to a clogged PCV valve or breather system, and blow-by from worn piston rings. Bad valve seals: The valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. Oil is pumped at 40 to 80 PSI (pounds/square inch) of pressure into the top of the head, lubricating the valve-train. The valves have seals to stop the flow of oil down into the engine when the valve is open. If the seals fail then oil is allowed to flow down into the combustion chamber and is burned. Worn valve guides: A small cylindrical chamber called a valve guide does just what its name says ... it guides the valves. These guides wear out over time causing eccentricity (slop). The excess gap that forms allows oil to flow down the valve stem into the combustion chamber to be burned. Normally the valve seal stops this flow. However, in this case the gap is too great for the seal to work. AOL Autos: Should you use synthetic motor oil? Pressurized crankcase due to clogged PCV or breather system: Your car's engine is a giant air pump, consequently it must breathe. The PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system allows the engine to exhaust the excess pressure buildup (which is a natural phenomenon of the internal combustion engine). Carbon is a by-product of an engine and can build up in the PCV system, clogging the breathing passages. This in turn pressurizes the oil pan and pushes oil up into the fuel delivery system where it is fed into the engine and burned. AOL Autos: Do I need to replace my air filter? Blow-by from worn piston rings: The pistons in your car's engine have seals around them in the form of rings. These rings have two functions: (1) they seal the combustion chamber so that the power developed from the firing of the cylinder is not lost. (2) They provide vital lubrication to the cylinder walls. When the rings wear out, the pressure from combustion reverses down into the oil pan, pressurizing it, and forcing oil into the valve covers. From there it goes through the breather system, back into the fuel delivery system, and into the engine to be burned. I have to put a quart of oil a week in the engine. Is this a big problem? It's hard to say without performing some diagnostics on the engine. A quart of oil a week is excessive. It could be due to a plugged PCV or excessive internal engine wear. Take the car into the shop for engine diagnostics. My guess is that the tech will perform a compression test along with a cylinder leak down test after he/she determines if the PCV system is open. During these tests the tech tries to determine if there is loss of engine compression, blow-by, or excessive oil consumption due to ring wear. If excessive ring wear is discovered then further engine teardown will be necessary to determine if the engine needs to be rebuilt or replaced. AOL Autos: How often should you change your oil What is the difference between blue and white smoke? The engine can emit different colors of smoke: Blue smoke: Blue typically means that engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber. In rare cases, when a vehicle is equipped with a transmission that uses a device called a vacuum modulator valve (to soften shifts between gears according to engine vacuum) the diaphragm can break inside the valve and cause transmission fluid to be sucked into the engine via the vacuum line feeding the valve and burn. AOL

question: What causes blue smoke?, answer: engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber. | question: Where might smoke come from?, answer: tailpipe | question: What does blue smoke indicate?, answer: typically means that engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber. | question: What are some signs of car trouble?, answer: Smoke is coming out of the tailpipe | question: What are signs of trouble?, answer: Blue smoke: | question: What is blue smoke caused by?, answer: engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber. | question: What are signs of trouble for a car?, answer: bad valve seals, worn valve guides, pressurized crankcase (oil pan) due to a clogged PCV valve or breather system, and blow-by from worn piston rings. | question: What does blue smoke mean?, answer: that engine oil is being burned in the combustion chamber.

(AOL Autos) -- Big Al, the used car dealer with that small lot down on the corner, may be your mother's cousin, but that doesn't mean you'll get the best used car deal in town from him. He sells all brands of cars, has no visible shop or mechanical staff, and he is the only one that stands behind the quality of his cars ... until the rear tires clear his driveway. The numbers of items inspected on the cars range from 100 to 300. A better used car? If shopping for regular used cars, whether it be at a dealer or private party, just isn't cutting it for you, there may be a better solution -- choosing to buy from a new-car dealer who also operates a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) used car program. These programs are operated jointly by the manufacturer and the dealer, and practically guarantee the quality, condition, and future long life of the car, truck, crossover, or SUV you're interest in. It's in the dealer's and the manufacturer's best interest to find the best used cars available for these programs, so most of the cars sold through them are clean, undamaged cars coming off of two- or three-year leases or out of rental-car fleet service. Restrictions on which vehicles are allowed in the program, such as age and mileage, vary. Some cars in CPO programs could be as young as six months and have only 6000 miles on them, as in BMW's program, and others could be as much as five years old and have a maximum of 80,000 miles on the odometer, in the case of Volvo. Inspection and warranty Although the content and extent of each brand's certified pre-owned program varies, one of the constants is the complete vehicle inspection offered by every program. Though the number of items -- or points -- inspected on the vehicle varies from 100 to 300, as a consumer you should feel comfortable knowing that everything important on the car was inspected by the dealer, under the guidelines of the manufacturer, and the worn or bad parts were replaced, if necessary, before the vehicle was put into the program. Aside from the inspections, the length and coverage of the certified-vehicle warranty also varies from program to program, and the buyer should make absolutely sure that the original manufacturer is offering the warranty, as opposed to a third-party or extended-warranty company. Depending on a vehicle's age, condition and mileage, it may in fact be cheaper to buy an uncertified used car from a dealer and then purchase a separate extended warranty for the vehicle. The CPO bumper-to-bumper warranties can be a bit complicated, so be sure to do your homework and become familiar with all the ins-and-outs. Some of the warranties start when the car is sold to you, and some warranties start from the date of the original sale or in-service date of the vehicle, but are extended up to six years or 100,000 miles. Certified used car buyers should be sure to read and understand every paragraph of the vehicle and powertrain warranties offered with the vehicle so there are no surprises later. Some warranties also require the buyer to pay a predetermined deductible amount for each repair; some don't (BMW, for instance, charges a flat fee of $50 for any warranty repair). Some CPO warranties are even transferable to the next owner after you, which may be an attraction when it comes time to sell it. In most cases, the original long-term powertrain and corrosion penetration warranty will still apply. You also get perks Beyond the usual vehicle inspection thoroughness and the length of the certified-vehicle warranty, the various manufacturers and dealers offer a large menu of extras on their certified pre-owned vehicles as enticements to a deal. What if you buy a CPO vehicle, load your kids into it, and it stops running halfway to grandma's house? Most programs offer 24/7 roadside assistance for such situations on a CPO vehicle (Hyundai, for instance

question: What does CPO mean?, answer: Certified Pre-Owned | question: what saves you money?, answer: new-car dealer who also operates a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) used car program. | question: what is a cpo behicle, answer: Certified Pre-Owned

(AOL Autos) -- Chrysler and General Motors announced this week that they would shrink their dealer base in the U.S. Chrysler will close 789 dealers. General Motors announced the closing of 1,100 dealers. Chrysler will close 789 dealers, leaving them with approximately 2400 stores in the U.S. General Motors announced the closing of 1,100 dealers and hopes to be at a size of 3,600 dealers at the end of 2010. While Chrysler dealers will be "forced out" by June 9, GM is positioning for a smoother closing of its stores, with each shutting down when it runs out of inventory. Unlike Chrysler's announcement, GM's list of closing dealers will not be made public, leaving that decision to each dealer. What happens to my GM or Chrysler vehicle warranty? Your warranty is valid through its term, regardless of where you bought your vehicle. In March, President Obama announced that the U.S. government would provide the backing for Chrysler and GM vehicle warranties under the "Warrantee Commitment Program." Can I take my vehicle for service and warranty work to another (surviving) dealer? Yes, but make sure it's a certified dealer. If you're going to take your Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge vehicle in for warranty work, you can do so at a closing dealership until June 9. After that time, Chrysler will no longer pay those dealers for warranty work. GM vehicles will receive service and warranty work at closing dealers until they shut down. Will there be good deals on these vehicles? The Chrysler dealerships to close will have about 44,000 units on hand, or roughly what Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge sell across the country every 2-3 weeks (using April's sales numbers as a guide). There will be deals, but be warned that if those 44,000 aren't sold before June 9, Chrysler will work to redistribute them to other dealers. Whether the best deals will be had before or after June 9 is likely negligible; if you're interested in a Chrysler, Jeep or Dodge product, you will save a lot of money on a new purchase right now. One important factor to keep in mind is that approximately 10% of those remaining units are 2008 vehicles. Be careful the car you're looking at hasn't been sitting on the lot inactive for too long; cars actually do "rot." GM's dealer announcement is a different story, since the company isn't releasing the names of the closing dealers. Dealers who chose to disclose their shutdown may provide better deals. AOL Autos: Why do cars rot on the lot? How many people and jobs are affected by closing dealers? The impact on communities will be significant. Since dealers typically employ about 50 people and contract with a handful of suppliers (consider the business that sells paper or office furniture to each dealer), there will be impact within the community. Some economists, however, believe that the impact will be less than expected, since dealers typically have a high turnover rate and technician jobs were in a short supply already. But, the related aspects of dealer closings are certain: think of the little league baseball teams and charities that receive funding from do-gooding dealers. Even real estate is affected; car dealerships usually set the market for commercial real estate in smaller communities. When those go empty, the entire city feels the pain. AOL Autos: Pressure to buy American Why were these dealers chosen? Both Chrysler and GM have expressed interest to shrink their dealer base. Company officials cite various data points related to choosing these dealers, but the main one is performance. GM said that the average dealer of the 1,100 affected only sold 35 cars in all of 2008. Chrysler cites similar numbers, with half their closing dealerships selling less than 100. But, even after these reductions by Chrysler and GM, they still have more dealers than other manufacturers. Using April 2009's sales data as a proxy, Toyota has approximately 95 dealers per 1 point of market share in the U.S., while Chrysler has 256 and GM will have 172 (at the end

question: Who will shrink the dealer base in the U.S.?, answer: Both Chrysler and GM | question: Is the warranty still valid?, answer: through its term, regardless of where you bought your vehicle. In | question: When will Chrysler dealers be forced out?, answer: by June 9, | question: Who will be "forced out" by June 9?, answer: Chrysler dealers | question: Who announced they will shrink the dealer base in the U.S.?, answer: Chrysler and General Motors | question: Who announced that they were shrinking their dealer base?, answer: Chrysler and General Motors

(AOL Autos) -- Consumer Reports recently announced its annual used cars ratings, and we weren't surprised to see one of the major categories was "Best in Fuel Economy." With gasoline and oil prices on a seemingly endless upward spiral, that's a key factor these days when choosing a used car -- or even a new one. The cars that made this list were, according to Consumer Reports, "the affordable and reliable vehicles [that] returned some of the best results in our real-world fuel-economy tests." What follows is a list of the vehicles that magazine rated "Best in Fuel Economy" in the under $10,000 price range, with a short description of each vehicle. The mileage figures stated are the ones calculated by Consumer Reports in their own on-the-road tests. 2000 Honda Insight Overall MPG: 51 When the Insight hit showrooms in 1999 for the 2000 model year, it was hailed as one of the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicles in the world. It was the first gasoline-electric hybrid to be sold in the U.S., and won several design, engineering and technology awards. The Insight employs Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system, combining an extremely lightweight 1.0-liter, three-cylinder gasoline automobile engine with an ultra-thin electric motor. Early models came with a 5-speed manual transmission, but a continuously variable transmission (CVT) was offered starting in '01. 2001 - 2002 Toyota Prius Overall MPG: 41 This was one of the earliest generations of the fuel-sipping Prius, and it certainly has become a green living icon since then. Drawing its power from a combination of a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor, these earlier editions generated only 70 hp, but muscle isn't the point in a hybrid car. It's pod-like design had a certain retro-futuristic appeal, and was roomier than one might think. 2000 - 2005 Toyota Echo Overall MPG: 38 The Echo was rolled out in 2000 as a no-frills compact econo-box, for those who wanted Toyota quality but were on a budget that precluded them from snagging a Corolla. The interior is plain, but the engine is reliable and efficient, and the taut suspension delivers a ride comparable to larger models. This version of the Echo comes with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder 108-hp 16-Valve EFI engine. 1998 - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm Overall MPG: 32 The Prizm of this era bore some resemblance to the Corolla, since both were built on the same assembly line in a joint GM/Toyota plant. A front-wheel-drive subcompact sedan, the Prizm was initially rolled out under the Geo nameplate, but later became a Chevy model. Available as a base model and LSi, the Prizm is powered by single twin-cam four-cylinder engines that produced 120 hp in 1998 and 1999, but the addition of VVT in 2000 boosted the ponies to 125. 1998 Mazda Protégé LX Overall MPG: 32 Mazda redesigned the Protégé in 1995, upgrading it considerably with a more rigid chassis and much-improved ride quality -- not to mention increased interior space. This edition also offers a silkier ride, crisp handling and solid performance for a small car. This model year has a 92-hp 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, and comes in three trim levels. 1998 - 2000 Toyota Corolla CE/LE Overall MPG: 32/31 The Corolla has been a stalwart for more than 40 years, for its quality, dependability and, maybe most importantly, for its fuel economy. The 1998-1999 editions are powered by a 1.8 L, 120-hp, four-cylinder 16-Valve EFI, with aluminum alloy block and head. By 2000, they'd tweaked the engine to deliver 125 ponies. A front-wheel drive job, the Corollas of this period come in three trim levels, but Consumer Reports chose the midline CE and top-end LE. 1998 - 2001 Acura Integra LS Overall MPG: 32 The Acura Integra sport coupe and sport sedan

question: What has been a stalwart for 40 years?, answer: The Corolla | question: What was the Chevy Prizm originally called?, answer: Geo | question: When did Prius become green?, answer: 2001 - 2002 | question: What was the first gasoline-electric hybrid?, answer: 2000 Honda Insight | question: The 1998 - 2000 Corolla has been a stalwart for how many years?, answer: more than 40 | question: What was the first gasoline-electric hybrid sold in the US?, answer: 2000 Honda Insight | question: what 2001-2002 Prius has become?, answer: green living icon | question: what was the first gasoline-electric hybrid sold in the U.S?, answer: Honda Insight | question: What vehicle has become a green living icon?, answer: Toyota Prius

(AOL Autos) -- Do you live in one of the nation's worst cities for road rage? If you live in a major metropolitan area on either coast, chances are you do. If you live in the Midwest or northwest, odds are that you don't. Miami ranks as the worst city for most aggressive drivers for the second straight year in a nationwide study of driver habits followed by New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Washington. But if road rage is a "cultural phenomenon" as one of our experts suggests, how best do we go about combating driver frustration across the nation? Traffic black spots The nation's roads are peppered with traffic black spots, junctions where car snarls elicit road rage in even the most mild-mannered drivers. Southern California has the San Diego (I-405) Freeway, and the nation's busiest junction, where U.S. 101 meets it to the north of Los Angeles. Miami and the East Coast have I-95, which snakes from the world's busiest cruise port up to Maine. The District of Columbia and the Beltway are infamous for gridlock. I've spent three very nervous hours getting to Chicago's O'Hare Airport from the city center (before missing my flight). Traffic by definition is worst in major metropolitan areas -- if your farming community is gridlocked, you'd better be grousing at your local council meetings -- but it is the increase in traffic that leads many to suggest it's just going to get worse. Traffic levels are rising seemingly as fast as home foreclosures in Los Angeles and Miami. In these areas, it's not only the rise in number of drivers, but the rising age of drivers. AAA points out that seniors are the fastest growing demographic in the U.S. That suggests drivers should adjust their habits accordingly. AAA has launched its Lifelong Safe Mobility campaign to help seniors adjust to more crowded roads and perhaps more aggressive drivers. The facts and remedy When the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety studied more than 10,000 incidents of road rage and violent aggressive driving committed in the 1990s, it found that at least 218 people were killed and another 12,610 injured when drivers got angry. Many of these aggressors are males aged 18 to 26. The AAA Web site offers a three-step plan to avoid becoming the victim of aggressive driving: • The first tip is "don't offend," which includes cutting off other drivers, driving slowly in the left lane, tailgating and gesturing to other drivers. • The agency then warns to "not engage," which advises steering clear of trouble, not making eye contact and getting help, by calling 911, in the event of experiencing dangerous, aggressive driving. It then asks at-risk drivers to "adjust their attitude," which involves "forgetting winning" (for the drivers to whom driving is a Darwinian survival of the fittest), or putting themselves in the other drivers' shoes. • Finally, they recommend that, if you think you have a road rage problem, seek professional help. Other people's actions So the wife and I were looking for sofas. It was a Sunday morning and, with me behind the wheel, we were dawdling around quiet streets trying to find one of those seemingly ubiquitous furniture warehouses. Soon, the wife pointed one out but we were almost past it. I hit the brakes and quickly pulled in, then realized that a Mercedes M-Class had pulled in right behind me. A large, squat tattooed guy jumped out and started shouting, about 10 feet from my car. "I have children in the car, I had to slam on the brakes, [how dare] you brake so quickly," he said, getting real mean. I appreciated I'd probably braked quickly and that it was bad driving on my part. However, as his tirade continued, I very calmly asked why he was setting such a bad example for his young children by following another driver off the road, then shouting and swearing. The man continued his harangue before climbing back into his vehicle and driving away. The next

question: what did AAA mention?, answer: seniors are the fastest growing demographic in the U.S. | question: Where is the road rage worse?, answer: traffic black spots, junctions | question: What is blamed for causing much of road rage?, answer: traffic black spots, | question: Who says "Don't engage the angry driver, dial 911 for help", answer: AAA Foundation | question: Who do you call for help?, answer: professional | question: where was the road rage worse?, answer: Miami | question: who was blames for causing much of road rage?, answer: males aged 18 to 26. | question: What is blamed for causing road range?, answer: Traffic black spots | question: What does AAA recommend?, answer: road rage problem, seek professional help. | question: Where is road rage worse, answer: Miami

(AOL Autos) -- Ever wonder what goes into the making of that round, black, rubber thing that holds air, we refer to as a tire? To the casual observer all tires look the same, but there's a lot more to it than meets the eye ... There are many different tire designs and they may contain up to 200 raw materials. Modern tire construction has allowed for a degree of handling, ride comfort, traction, extended treadwear and fuel economy that far exceeds the tires of just a few years ago. Today there are tire designs that contain up to 200 raw materials, as well as complex architecture of steel belts, textile piles and computer designed tread patterns, which deliver maximum traction under all conditions. Each component of a tire is designed to perform its own function and to work together with the rest of the components. For instance, the belt system's job is to provide stability to the tread area, keep the tread grooves open, and work as a unit with the sidewalls to provide stability in cornering and handling. Kind of reminds me of the old song, "The toe bone's connected to the foot bone" well ... you get the picture, right? The major component in tires is rubber. How did this substance find its way into the American automobile tire? As with most inventions, this is a fascinating story. Rubber by itself is a gooey substance that is extremely sensitive to temperature. Back in the early 1830's "rubber fever" was the craze, and it ended as quickly as it started. At first, everybody wanted things made of this new waterproof gum from Brazil, and factories sprung up to meet the demand. Then abruptly, the public became fed up with the messy stuff that froze bone-hard in winter and turned glue-like in summer. Not one of the young rubber companies survived as long as five years. Investors lost millions and everyone agreed that rubber had seen its hay-day in America. AOL Autos: Best car deals of the month Then Charles Goodyear stepped up to the plate. Through extensive experimentation and persistence, Goodyear found that rubber could be stabilized and formed into a useful compound by adding sulfur and applying heat. He found that steam under pressure, applied to the compound for 4 to 6 hours at about 270 degrees Fahrenheit, gave him the most uniform results. This was the beginning of rubber compounds! AOL Autos: Most popular sedans Rubber compounding is like mixing a cake. Different ingredients are mixed together at different degrees to produce rubber with specific characteristics. Some rubber compounds are stickier for better traction when racing. Some compounds are much harder for heavy-duty work in construction or with heavy equipment. All-season rubber for all-season tires is rubber that doesn't freeze below thirty-two degrees, allowing for movement of the tread in the cold weather so it will grip and give maximum traction in all weather. AOL Autos: Best-selling hybrid cars Ever wonder how a steel belted radial tire is constructed? Check this out. 1. First comes the construction of the casing. This is the body (or carcass) of the tire ... the "foundation" upon which everything is built. The casing is made up of a series of cords (most typically polyester) which are combined to form layers or piles. These layers are connected to two circular strands of steel called beads. Then the inner liner is added, serving as the air seal. Once the casing is formed, everything else is added to make up the tire. AOL Autos: Consumer reports picks best used luxury cars 2. Next comes the steel belt. This is a belt made up of woven steel strands that cover the casing of the tire and is located directly under the tread. The steel belt adds strength and durability, aids in keeping the tread grooves open for maximum traction, and protects the casing against impacts and punctures. On high performance tires an extra belt is usually added for strength; this is a nylon overlay that is wrapped around the whole steel belt package. As the tire rolls

question: What forms layers in the tire casings?, answer: series of cords (most typically polyester) | question: Who is credited for developing rubber compounds?, answer: Charles Goodyear | question: What are tires constructed from?, answer: rubber. | question: how many materials to construct tires, answer: 200 | question: Who is being credited?, answer: Charles Goodyear

(AOL Autos) -- Have you ever heard of someone having their car "totaled"? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident, replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life, the reality is sometimes far removed. Ford's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck. In fact, there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle's frame is bent, even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable. Typically these cars are "totaled," which might give buyers the peace of mind knowing they will get a replacement vehicle. But, overall this produces much higher insurance rates for all drivers. Car companies and insurers are working hard to try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers and some of the development is breathtaking in its innovation This effort has already led to many new developments in the design of various auto parts and components -- which have indeed led to a reduction in repair costs for various auto parts, components and structures. And more advances are on the way: some carmakers have recently ramped up their operations in this area, which should result in greater cost savings in coming years. One recent development in this area is the Ford Motor Company's new $650,000 Paint and Body Technology Center in Inkster, Michigan, about 20 minutes from the company's Dearborn world headquarters. The new center was created by merging operations with the company's Safety Crash Test Analysis department. Other car companies have their own versions of this kind of operation, including Ford's crosstown rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. The new Ford center represents an advancement over its previous paint and body tech operation in that it's larger, closer to the company's HQ, and now works more closely with design engineers and auto insurers -- and gets insurers involved earlier in the design process. AOL Autos: Cut your insurance in half The goal is to identify potential repair issues and then use that info to refine designs -- which in turn helps cut the cost of repairs at dealerships and independent repair shops. Plus, this effort allows repair techs to more effectively restore the vehicles to their pre-accident condition. To that end, engineers gather data earlier in the vehicle development process so it can be then analyzed during crash and durability testing. AOL Autos: How to choose a repair shop For Ford, the closer integration of these functions began when the carmaker's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck. During the vehicle's early development period, these engineers realized that new materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel and boron -- helped make the new truck safer, but also could make it more expensive to repair after a collision. AOL Autos: Minor damages, major repair costs "The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new, specific procedures and repair recommendations," said Gerry Bonanni, Ford's collision repair senior engineer. So, Ford engineers designed and developed new front and rear-frame-section kits -- which means one single section of the frame can now be repaired / replaced after a crash, instead of having to replace the entire frame. "Partial-frame repairs cost at least $2,000 less than full-frame replacements," says Bonanni -- and will prevent some vehicles from being "totaled," which would have previously been the case under repair laws in some states. The success of the collaboration on the F-150 prompted the decision to open the new paint and body tech center. A more recent example was the work done on the 2010 Mustang. "Previously, we had no real procedure for sectioning off the rear-frame rails," says Bonanni. "But, by collaborating with repair technicians and the insurance companies, we developed a procedure, which we then documented for the repair techs in our dealers. "That allows them to repair just a short section of the rear-frame rails, instead of replacing the entire frame-rail system

question: Where have there been many new developments?, answer: design of various auto parts and components | question: What helps make vehicles safer?, answer: ultra-high-strength steel and boron

(AOL Autos) -- Have you ever heard of someone having their car "totaled"? While the word might conjure images of a massive car accident, replete with broken glass and the Jaws of Life, the reality is sometimes far removed. Ford's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck. In fact, there are many accidents that produce structural damage such that the vehicle's frame is bent, even though the exterior of the car might even look drivable. Typically these cars are "totaled," which might give buyers the peace of mind knowing they will get a replacement vehicle. But, overall this produces much higher insurance rates for all drivers. Car companies and insurers are working hard to try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers and some of the development is breathtaking in its innovation This effort has already led to many new developments in the design of various auto parts and components -- which have indeed led to a reduction in repair costs for various auto parts, components and structures. And more advances are on the way: some carmakers have recently ramped up their operations in this area, which should result in greater cost savings in coming years. One recent development in this area is the Ford Motor Company's new $650,000 Paint and Body Technology Center in Inkster, Michigan, about 20 minutes from the company's Dearborn world headquarters. The new center was created by merging operations with the company's Safety Crash Test Analysis department. Other car companies have their own versions of this kind of operation, including Ford's crosstown rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. The new Ford center represents an advancement over its previous paint and body tech operation in that it's larger, closer to the company's HQ, and now works more closely with design engineers and auto insurers -- and gets insurers involved earlier in the design process. AOL Autos: Cut your insurance in half The goal is to identify potential repair issues and then use that info to refine designs -- which in turn helps cut the cost of repairs at dealerships and independent repair shops. Plus, this effort allows repair techs to more effectively restore the vehicles to their pre-accident condition. To that end, engineers gather data earlier in the vehicle development process so it can be then analyzed during crash and durability testing. AOL Autos: How to choose a repair shop For Ford, the closer integration of these functions began when the carmaker's repair and safety engineers first began collaborating on the 2009 F-150 pick-up truck. During the vehicle's early development period, these engineers realized that new materials -- including ultra-high-strength steel and boron -- helped make the new truck safer, but also could make it more expensive to repair after a collision. AOL Autos: Minor damages, major repair costs "The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new, specific procedures and repair recommendations," said Gerry Bonanni, Ford's collision repair senior engineer. So, Ford engineers designed and developed new front and rear-frame-section kits -- which means one single section of the frame can now be repaired / replaced after a crash, instead of having to replace the entire frame. "Partial-frame repairs cost at least $2,000 less than full-frame replacements," says Bonanni -- and will prevent some vehicles from being "totaled," which would have previously been the case under repair laws in some states. The success of the collaboration on the F-150 prompted the decision to open the new paint and body tech center. A more recent example was the work done on the 2010 Mustang. "Previously, we had no real procedure for sectioning off the rear-frame rails," says Bonanni. "But, by collaborating with repair technicians and the insurance companies, we developed a procedure, which we then documented for the repair techs in our dealers. "That allows them to repair just a short section of the rear-frame rails, instead of replacing the entire frame-rail system

question: What do new materials do?, answer: truck safer, | question: What did the Ford expert say?, answer: "The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new, specific procedures and repair recommendations," said Gerry Bonanni, | question: What will insurers do?, answer: try and reduce the cost of auto repairs and insurance premiums for consumers | question: What makes the vehicles safer?, answer: ultra-high-strength steel and boron | question: What does the Ford expert say?, answer: "The extensive use of advanced technologies and materials in the 2009 F-150 required us to develop new, specific procedures and repair recommendations,"

(AOL Autos) -- How long did it take you to get a taxi last time you tried? If it was longer than 20 minutes, then chances are you live in the sticks or were calling on a busy Friday or Saturday night. Catching a cab can be easy, whether you're in a big city or a crowded sporting event. But seemingly everyone has had difficulty calling or hailing a cab at some stage, on vacation or a business trip or when stranded in a city center after a night out. So what's the best, and quickest, way to get hold of a cab in New York? Or Los Angeles, California? Or at a major sporting event? We find out. Beware the bandit Basil Enerieze, a taxi driver in Los Angeles, says in general a passenger's situation dictates the quickest way to get a cab. In downtown LA or in a commercial or tourist area, hailing a cab works best, he says, but calling one is the quickest way in suburban areas. Cabbies, he says, prefer fares that are called from a home or business as it gives the taxi company some information about the customer - their phone number, name and residence - in case the fare turns into trouble. Does this mean that taxis are more likely to respond to a call than being hailed? "If they're there and need a ride I stop my cab," Enerieze says. "The biggest problem we face is bandit cabs. Never take a bandit cab," he says. Enerieze says he's seen unlicensed operators in LA since he got his license 15 years ago, and that while they might in some cases be quicker or more available; the risks of hailing one are too great to justify. He says that licensed cabs will be clearly marked with a city insignia, and tells the tale of when he went to the theater in downtown Los Angeles and saw the long lines for a cab and decided, against his better judgment, to hail one of the many unlicensed cabs outside. On the 10-or-so mile drive to his home, he noticed the meter was running too fast. "I said, 'I am a cab driver. I know that your meter is running too fast.' He [the driver] said: 'That's the way it is." And I paid the fare. [But because] it was an illegitimate taxi, I could not phone anyone to complain."AOL Autos: Cheapest family sedans Bad apples in the big apple Matthew Daus, the chairman of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, concurs, telling AOL: "I think the number one, most important thing for anyone seeking taxicab or taxicab-like spontaneous service in New York City to understand is that only yellow, medallion taxicabs are legally empowered to solicit or accept street hails from the public. The driver of any other kind of vehicle that is soliciting passengers or responding to your taxi hail is already doing something illegal." AOL Autos: Cheapest luxury cars He says that in adverse weather conditions or during peak demand hours, customers can be tempted to hop into something that looks like a legitimate limo or black car, but he, too, warns of the risks. "TLC-licensed drivers are drug-tested and have had a criminal background check, and TLC licensed vehicles are inspected three times annually and carry insurance levels well in excess of the state's minimum requirements." AOL Autos: Best car deals this month "Taxicabs go where the people are. If you are hailing from the street, hail in the direction you are traveling to save turn-around time for both you and your driver. If you have the time to plan ahead, a call or Web site visit to a local livery service, black car or limousine service can quickly and conveniently arrange guaranteed door-to-door pick-up and drop-off. Look for the TLC diamond sticker inside the right-hand side of the windshield."AOL Autos: Best looking 2009 cars Use your iPhone Taxi Magic is the latest innovative application

question: What app can help you catch a cab quickly?, answer: Taxi Magic | question: What dictates the quickest way to get a cab?, answer: a passenger's situation | question: What is a good piece of advice to get a cab quicker?, answer: calling one is the quickest way | question: What is the quickest way to catch a cab?, answer: passenger's situation dictates | question: What is the name of the iPhone app?, answer: Taxi Magic

(AOL Autos) -- If you don't eat, sleep and breathe cars, or devour car magazines in minute detail, there's a good chance you don't know all the technological terms that pop up in the media, new car advertising and literature. With new models being released all the time, the acronyms can be overwhelming. With every new model year, it seems, there are new technology and acronyms. Here's a concise list of the terms you're most likely to see and read about in the 2008 literature. ABS: The most common passive safety system found on cars today is ABS or anti-lock brake system. ABS continuously counts wheel revolutions electronically and when one or more wheels stops moving during a skid, the system quickly applies and releases the brakes on the skidding wheels. This is done so that the tires continue to rotate and the car can be steered around an object or an impending accident situation. Tires that are skidding can't do much steering. ALS: This is a relatively new term that stands for active lighting system or automatic lighting system. On some luxury vehicles, you can opt for headlamps that turn left or right (up to about 15 degrees) as the front tires turn to light the road as you make your turns. AWD (also FWD, RWD, 2WD, 4WD): These terms refer to how many and which wheels on your car deliver power from the engine to the road surface. AWD means all-wheel drive and generally means there are no buttons, levers or lower gear ranges. These systems can be full-time, driving all four wheels all the time, or part-time, controlled by computers when conditions dictate the need for more traction. The 4WD label means four-wheel drive and these part-time systems usually have a selector switch or lever to select two-wheel drive, four-wheel drive or even four-wheel drive in a lower gear or locked position for very difficult driving situations. In 2WD, only the two front or rear tires have power. Traditional RWD or rear-wheel drive is almost always found on luxury cars, sports cars, or racing cars. FWD or front-wheel drive is more compact and is more often found on small cars, minivans and crossover vehicles. DOHC: Engineering shorthand for double-overhead camshaft. A DOHC engine has one camshaft that opens the intake valves and one camshaft that opens the exhaust valves, a design derived from racing engines. DOHC engines are more complex than single-overhead-cam engines (SOHC) and overhead-valve engines (OHV) but generally make more power and torque at higher rpm levels because they let the engine breathe better. EBD: An acronym given to the ABS subsystem called electronic brake force distribution. EBD is rapidly becoming standard equipment on cars that already have ABS brakes. In a panic braking situation, EBD distributes the most braking force to the tires that have the most traction. This helps to keep the car from spinning and reduces stopping distances on slippery surfaces. ESC/ESP: Electronic stability control or electronic stability program are interchangeable terms for the same software and hardware. An extension of ABS, ESC uses sensors and computers to determine whether a vehicle is oversteering (rear wheels out) or understeering (front wheels not turning in the desired direction). ESC/ESP reduces engine power and/or applies one of the front or rear brakes to get the vehicle back into its intended path of travel. As a means of protecting against rollover accidents, ESC will be required on all new light vehicles sold in America by September 2011. GPS: All automotive navigation systems communicate with Global Positioning System or GPS satellites. GPS satellites were launched into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense but are now used by motorists, hikers and explorers all over the world. GPS systems are accurate anywhere in the world from 10 to 50 feet. Combined with a CD or DVD map in the vehicle's navigation system, the satellites can track latitude, longitude, altitude and direction of travel in all weather conditions. I6

question: What does ABS stand for?, answer: anti-lock brake system. | question: What is the navigation system called?, answer: GPS: | question: What is this common safety feature?, answer: anti-lock brake system.

(AOL Autos) -- It had never been done before, but as Monte Perlin gunned the engine of his Harley motorbike and prepared to land it in an open boxcar of a moving train, he was strangely calm. Stuntman Monte Perlin putting his motorcycle through its paces. Rather than fret for his own life, he was thinking about the responsibility he had for the life of the woman sitting on the saddle behind him. He laughs to tell the story now, but his moving-train stunt for Disney's 2008 Adam Sandler vehicle "Bedtime Stories" was perhaps the most dangerous Perlin's attempted in his 25 years in Hollywood. His career has involved many films, including "Spider-Man," "Star Trek, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" and portraying Arnold Schwarzenegger's stunt double in "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines." That's right: Monte Perlin is a stunt man. In fact, he said that after completing that train stunt, which involved probably more math than we'd care to compute (consider a man jumping 70 feet on a motorbike at 60 mph from a ramp into an open car of a train traveling at 45 mph, all with a woman on the seat next to him...sounds a bit like a SAT question, doesn't it?) the footage showed he missed. In actuality, he came too close -- or about 6 inches -- to one of the boxcar's doors. So, he had to do it again. "I have to time it with a girl on my back," Perlin said. "Too short, I'm dead. Too late, I'm dead. Too high, fast or powerful, I take my head off. It had to be perfect. While he didn't sleep for two nights before the stunt, he says a strange type of calm precedes any of his attempts at a difficult trick. Then, just before launch, he says, as he revs the engine of whichever "boss hog" he's riding that day, his adrenaline kicks into gear. "I get that feeling, that I could wrestle 10 gorillas, I could jump 10 trains, and boom! I go for it." Perlin completed the stunt, this time "hitting" it almost exactly through the middle of the box-car's open gate and the movie's production team wrapped the scene. "I did it again and just hit it perfect," he said. "I hit the impossible stunt." It didn't start this way Perlin grew up in Lake Arrowhead, not far from Hollywood, where from the age of 10 he ripped around the largely rural area on motocross bikes before he graduated onto some seriously heavy machinery -- including his own super-modified Harley Davidson that packs a 350 Chevy car engine. That gave him a perfect start in his chosen career of motorcycle stunt riding. AOL Autos: Fastest coupes under $30k He got into Hollywood by ditching the small-town naysayers who didn't believe in him, he says, and traveling to Los Angeles. After a couple misfires, he looked into a stunt school he found in a Hollywood trade publication and he found his calling. AOL Autos: Top 10 best car commercials Perhaps more importantly, Perlin met his wife, also a stuntwoman. "(She) changed my life and stopped my drinking," he said. "I told her, 'If we're gonna get married, I gotta have a career.'" In addition to traveling to Africa, Israel, Russia, and all over the world, the couple raised four kids on a 10-acre ranch about 25 miles north of Hollywood in Lancaster. Perlin hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in nearly 25 years. He says he often takes his grandkids for "wheelies" around his neighborhood. As it turns out, stuntin' runs in the family: His 17-year-old daughter is a champion horse show-jumper and is gunning for an Olympic place, but is already a professional stuntwoman

question: How long was Perlin's career?, answer: 25 years | question: What do some of his films include?, answer: "Spider-Man," "Star Trek, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" | question: What is the stuntman's name?, answer: Monte Perlin | question: what did the motorbike stunt involve?, answer: more math than we'd care to compute | question: How far did he jump in a motorcycle stunt?, answer: 70 feet

(AOL Autos) -- It's that time again, when you turn on the A/C to chill out from the summer heat and all you get is hot air! Air conditioning on the fritz? Taking your car to an A/C tech will keep you from getting hot headed. Ughhhh! How do you restore that refreshing, cool air to your vehicle's interior cabin so you can survive the heat? Well ... sit back and relax, and I'll tell you exactly what to expect from your shop. System performance test First, the tech should perform an A/C system performance test. He/she will first check vent temperature to confirm that the system is indeed inoperative. Should this be the case, the tech will then perform a head pressure check. During this process, gauges are installed on the high and low side of the system to determine if there's any refrigerant in the system. An extremely low (or no) pressure reading usually indicates a lack of refrigerant in the system, which means it has leaked out. Sometimes the pressure reading may be too high, in which case there is a restriction in the system, inhibiting the flow of refrigerant. There are three diagnostic paths, depending on the initial evaluations. Should the system be low on refrigerant, the tech should run a leak test, identify the location of the leak, repair it, and recharge the system with refrigerant and oil. If the pressure in the system is too high, the tech should locate the restriction, often caused by dirt that finds its way to the orifice tube, a small in-line filter designed to screen out any particulates in the system. (Restrictions can occur for other reasons that I will not go into here for the sake of space.) Once the plug is found, it is removed, and dirt is flushed from the system. Finally, if the system seems to be operating properly (all head pressures are in line with factory specifications), then the tech will look to the duct system for problems. The duct system The engine in your car generates vacuum as a result of taking in air. This vacuum is used for the duct system. How the system works: Vacuum is collected in a vacuum reserve chamber; this device usually resembles a plastic ball or a coffee can. The vacuum builds up inside this chamber and when A/C is called for, vacuum is channeled through the switch and small vacuum lines (capillary tubing) to the servo motor. The servo motor is responsible for opening a special duct door (the air blend door), which directs the correct amount of cool air into the vehicle's cabin. Problems crop up when vacuum is lost due to a cracked vacuum reserve chamber, broken vacuum line, faulty vacuum servomotor, bad switch, or poor engine vacuum. The tech must track down the cause of the vacuum loss and repair it in order to restore the system. Other causes of poor HVAC air volume are broken air blend door or door hinge, organic debris in the fan squirrel cage inhibiting airflow, worn blower motor shaft bearings slowing down the squirrel cage, or electrical wiring / component problems that control fan operation. Proper A/C leak test procedure The main cause of A/C system failure is refrigerant leak. This system is a closed system, so the refrigerant chemical and lubricant are sealed from the outside atmosphere. When a leak forms, the system drains of both refrigerant chemical and the lubricant vital to compressor life and function. In addition, moisture and dirt can get in through the leak causing contamination. This contamination eats away at the inside of the system resulting in rust and scale buildup, corrosion and erosion in vital A/C system parts. Proper A/C system leak tests are necessary to identify the source of a leak. There are three types of leak inspections: visual, halogen, and dye testing. The visual test includes inspection of all lines and external components (specifically condensers, hi and low pressure lines, compressors, air dryers, and

question: What happens when you have problems with AC system?, answer: all | question: What test should be done first?, answer: an A/C system performance | question: What should Tech do first?, answer: perform an A/C system performance test.

(AOL Autos) -- Letting someone else deal with the day to day expenses of maintaining an automobile (and just paying for what you use) seems to be a novel idea. Joining a "car share," such as the popular Zipcar car sharing service, is gaining in popularity as consumers look to other ways to save money. Car-sharing services let you avoid paying for gas and insurance, but there are fees and rules. By using a car share, you're not only shedding monthly car payments, taxes, insurance and upkeep, but you can let someone else worry about whether the old rattle trap will make it another year. You simply pay a fee and drive the car when you need it. By maximizing the utilization of a single automobile among many users, car sharing services claim they are helping to reduce pollution, too. Every single Zipcar removes about 15 personal cars from the road, the company says. Unclogging traffic and dialing back the amount of single-occupant vehicles burning fuel has a greening effect. Reducing expenses and saving the polar ice caps aren't the only reasons; there's as much justification for joining a car share as you can dream up, from impressing the client at a business meeting with a fancy car to going over the river and through the woods for family gatherings, all without actually owning a car (or paying for its gas or insurance). But is a car share for you? The concept seems best suited to metro areas, where car insurance rates and parking costs can be high. On the other hand, if you work out of your car, use it on a daily basis or live in a more rural or expansive suburban region, you might be better off keeping your current car. AOL Autos: Top 11 distracting things people do in their cars "The ideal candidates for car sharing are consumers and businesses in cities where owning a car is costly, where there is good public transit, and where most amenities are within walking distance," Zipcar President and COO Mark Norman said. "In other words, where you don't really need to own a car. In addition, students are ideal car sharing members, given the high cost of ownership as well as the increasing limits on parking on campus." AOL Autos: Cheapest cars to own Automobiles can be a huge hassle and expense if you only drive occasionally, so we've set out to look at what car sharing involves. AOL Autos: Pay as you drive insurance How does it work? The biggest North American car share, Zipcar, aims to be convenient, easy, and technologically savvy. Far more streamlined than an old-school rental car, Zipcar makes getting the use of an automobile about as easy as making a withdrawal from an ATM. The concept of car sharing had its genesis in Europe and has spread to the North American market as interest in frugality and environmental consciousness has increased. AOL Autos: Twenty cars of the future The first step to using Zipcar is signing up. As a member, you'll get a "Zipcard," which allows you to reserve a vehicle near you via the company's Web site or from a new iPhone application. Once you've reserved a car (or truck -- the beauty of car sharing services is that you can get a big car when you need it, not when you don't), a pretty neat technology unlocks the doors when you walk near your vehicle (we won't bore you with the details, but if you're wondering, it's called radio frequency identification). When it senses the card on you, the doors unlock, at which point, you're on your way. Cars are located all over metro areas (Zipcar gives you a map to the location of the car you've booked). While application approval is usually quick, it takes a few days to get the Zipcard mailed to you. If your city has a Zipcard office, you can pick up your card there. Where can you find car sharing? Car shares are springing up across

question: What don't members have to pay for?, answer: gas and insurance, | question: What is the name of one company who provides the scheme?, answer: Zipcar | question: What do you not pay for with this service?, answer: gas and insurance, | question: Where can you find car-sharing services?, answer: Zipcar car sharing

(AOL Autos) -- Magazines are full of beauty and health secrets with tips on how to improve your inner health and polish and paint your external persona. All of this designed to keep you feeling young. With its low price, boxy-yet-stylish shape and must-have technology, the Scion xB is very youthful. We think that the beauty magazines are missing out on the best way to feel young: drive the right vehicle! New cars for a fresh start No offense to the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Chevy Malibu, but it's almost impossible to feel young behind the wheel of an ordinary sedan, especially when every other car on the road is just like yours. We've picked vehicles that are unique, different and even a little quirky. You are what you drive, and when you drive a spunky, youthful vehicle, that's exactly what you are! So, here are our choices for the top 10 vehicles to keep you feeling young: 2008 smart fortwo pure coupe Not since the original Volkswagen Beetle has a more perfectly youthful car been built than the smart fortwo pure coupe. This smart car has everything: it's cheap, it's fuel efficient, it's safe (check out the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ratings), and best of all -- it is the cutest thing on four wheels. 'Nuff said. Starting at $11,590 2009 Nissan Versa An excellent choice for a safe, efficient car, the Nissan Versa is no stripped-down econobox and it has a European style that makes others take a second look. It's a genuinely comfortable, fun-to-drive cute car that will stand up to the rough treatment a young-at-heart driver can sometimes dish out. Starting at $12,990 2009 Honda Civic Hybrid Driving a Toyota Prius is a statement to your friends and neighbors that you're green; driving a Honda Civic Hybrid is living green, pure and simple. There's almost nothing less attractive than conspicuity. Give your inner beauty the opportunity to be green undercover in a subtle, stealthy Civic Hybrid. Starting at $23,550 2008 Subaru WRX STi Nothing gets the heart beating like 305 hp. Add all-wheel drive and hatchback functionality and you have the Subaru WRX STi. Skip those troublesome, time-consuming trips to the gym and just give yourself a workout flogging the STi around the back roads, or throw some golf clubs in the back hatch and make your tee time in youthful style. Starting at $34,995 2010 Chevrolet Camaro This one will take you back to your youth, the last heyday of the American Muscle Car. The 2010 Camaro is one of the most anticipated new cars due in the production pipeline, and anyone who drives one will be the center of attention. And that will make you feel young and beautiful. Prices to be announced 2008 Mazda5 When a minivan just isn't mini enough, maybe the mini-minivan is the answer to your needs. With seating for 6, Mazda5 brings the capacity for carpooling without the style penalties of its larger minivan competitors, and fuel economy up to 28 mpg doesn't hurt either. Feel young without looking like a soccer mom. Starting at $18,665 2008 Scion xB With its low, low price, boxy-yet-stylish shape and must-have technology, the Scion xB makes a youthful statement just by showing up. Personalize your xB with accessories from Scion's catalog, or from the extensive aftermarket that has grown up around the car. The bonus is that the xB is a very capable vehicle, and a lot of fun to drive. Starting at $16,420 2008 Toyota 4Runner If you want to project an image of youthful vigor, muscularity, agility and strength -- without going over the top -- few vehicles do it as well as the Toyota 4Runner. That image isn't just on the surface; the Toyota 4Runner is as comfortable on the trail as it is on the pavement. You get timeless good looks and reliability in one package. Starting

question: What does Toyota 4Runner project?, answer: an image of youthful vigor, muscularity, agility and strength | question: What vehicle stands for living green, pure and simple?, answer: Honda Civic Hybrid

(AOL Autos) -- Okay, you've decided what model of car you want to buy. And you know, more or less, how much you want to spend -- or how much you can afford. You've kicked tires, talked to salesmen, taken a few shiny new numbers for a test-drive and you're ready to make the deal. If you eat in your car you may want to consider fabric or leather protections. Except, you're not quite done. You still need to decide whether to buy any of those "extras" that your salesperson will always suggest. Some of these extras have real value and are probably worth adding. Others ... maybe not so much. The list of "extras" offered by most dealers, may include paint sealant, fabric protection/leather care, extended warranties, extended 'one price' service contracts, rust/underbody coatings and anti-theft systems, to mention a few. We wanted to know which of these new car extras were worth it and which ones a consumer can do without. To get to the bottom of it, we thought we would consult an expert -- David Bennett, Manager of Automotive Programs for AAA. As it turns out, like most things in life, the answer often just comes down to what's best for you, depending on your own situation, budget or locale. Let's address these add-ons one by one: Paint sealant "I think that most paint jobs on cars are pretty good these days, so in most cases you probably don't need that anymore," said Bennett, who offered one caveat. "But that can depend on what part of the country you live in -- what the climate is, whether you get a lot of snow and ice, and what the road crews put down on the road -- whether it is salt, or if it is something that is less harmful to the paint. But generally, as long as you keep your car washed, and wash that salt off of it, and get it waxed regularly, that paint should last without getting the 'add-on' sealer at the dealership. Also, if you get a chip or a ding, get it fixed so the rust doesn't get a chance to set in and spread." Fabric / leather protection These extras are fairly self-explanatory -- the dealer "treats" the upholstered or leather seating with a "protection" product that make the seats more resistant to stains or scuff marks. "This can be a good purchase, but the first question you should ask before buying it is, 'What kind of lifestyle do I lead?' suggests Bennett. "Do you have a lot of kids and are they prone to spill things? Or is your vehicle mostly going to be occupied by adults?" Do you eat in the car with some regularity? If so, and you're just too darn messy for your own good, a stain protection might be a good way to go. "Also, look at exclusions in the plan," advises Bennett. "If you're a smoker, and the plan excludes burn holes from cigarette ashes, and you're not diligent about making sure your ash is always short, that might not be a good purchase because of that exclusion. Each of these policies or plans is probably offering something different, and you need to read all of the exclusions before making that purchase, because it might not be a good one for you." If you want to save some cash, one option would be to forego the protectant and just make sure you clean your seats regularly with a good upholstery cleaner or leather cleaner. To remove spots from a leather seat, use a good leather cleaner and work it into the spot with a soft cloth. If the spot still remains, let it sit for a few hours. Repeat, as they say, if necessary. It's also a good idea , to use a leather conditioner regularly on leather seats to restore moisture and to maintain its appearance. Rustproofing

question: What won't GM owners need?, answer: Paint sealant | question: What should smokers considering fabric protection check for?, answer: exclusions in the plan," | question: What option do some cars come with?, answer: paint sealant, fabric protection/leather care, extended warranties, extended 'one price' service contracts, rust/underbody coatings and anti-theft systems, | question: What should smokers check for?, answer: burn holes from cigarette ashes, | question: What don't you need if you keep your car washed?, answer: Paint sealant | question: What will GM owners not need?, answer: paint jobs

(AOL Autos) -- Old cars don't die, they just get resold. Check out a vehicle history report to make sure your new used car won't blow smoke down the highway. If you're buying a used car, whether from a dealer or someone who put an ad in the paper, you'll want to know as much about it as you can. Even without anyone trying to deceive you, the vehicle may have problems you can't see from a simple visual inspection or even a short test drive. A vehicle history report prepared by a third party is one way to know what you're getting. Combining information from state DMVs (Departments of Motor Vehicles) and RMVs (Registry of Motor Vehicles) as well as police reports and other sources, a vehicle history report can give you a comprehensive overview of where the car's been. Here are some things to look for -- or look out for -- when you get a report on a vehicle. None of these things is necessarily a reason not to buy a car, but you shouldn't make a decision without asking about anything you see on a vehicle history: Many owners The more garages a car's been in, the less likely it's been lovingly cared for all its life. Not everyone is as responsible about car care as you are. Rental cars and former taxis, for example, will often have undergone a lot of abuse, although they tend to be quite inexpensive. Location, location, location Some parts of the country are more car-friendly than others. Winter storms (with their accompanying salted roads) can be rough on cars, as obviously can floods, excessive heat or even sea air. Cars that have been where these are common may have hidden damage. Name and description Be sure the car in the report is the same as the car you're looking at. Carefully reviewing the vehicle description is one way to avoid various types of vehicle fraud, like VIN cloning. A cloned vehicle involves using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a legally owned, non-stolen vehicle to mask the identity of a similar make/model stolen vehicle. Reports, should include detailed descriptions of the vehicle, so you can make sure the car you're reading about is the same as the one you're looking at. Suspicious markings Keep an eye out for records of body work that might indicate a prior unreported incident. Vehicle history reports, like those from CARFAX, can be very comprehensive. In the case of CARFAX, the company's database contains more than five billion records from thousands of public and private sources, including all DMVs in the United States and Canada and thousands of vehicle inspection stations, auto auctions, fleet management and rental agencies, automobile manufacturers, and fire and police departments.

question: what does body work indicate?, answer: body work that might indicate a prior unreported incident. | question: What could indicate an unreported accident?, answer: records of body work | question: What is VIN cloning?, answer: A cloned vehicle involves using a vehicle identification number (VIN) from a legally owned, non-stolen vehicle to mask the identity of a similar make/model stolen vehicle. | question: What can body work indicate?, answer: prior unreported incident.

(AOL Autos) -- Over the decades, I've interviewed dozens of automotive engineers; engine engineers, transmission engineers, chemical engineers, tire engineers, etc. But never have I interviewed an engineer quite like Ford's Cristina Rodriguez. Cristina Rodriguez has been with the Ford Motor Company for 12 years. What separates Crissy (what she prefers to be called at work) from other engineers is that it seems as though she was born be where she is today; the Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer of the 2010 Ford Taurus. The Taurus goes on sale this summer, and it is arguably the most important vehicle Ford announces this year. This thirty-something Puerto Rican is the only woman at Ford Motor Company to have achieved her status as a Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer. The job is equal parts engineer, race driver and vehicle psychologist. "As an engineer, I need to make sure the car is safe," Rodriguez said. "As a (race) driver I have to make sure the car handles well. And then I have to tune the car to have the right personality for being the latest Ford." AOL Autos: Best sedans under $30K She goes on to define what how cars exhibit personality. "Some cars have a more relaxed personality, so everything about the way they drive is soft and slower to react," she said. "Fords have a DNA that is sportier, more fun to drive, more responsive, more alive, so they need to feel that way." You'll be able to tell whether Rodriguez has done her job well when you get behind the wheel of the new Taurus. While we didn't get to drive the new Taurus, we did get an opportunity to ride in the high-performance Taurus SHO model at Ford Motor Company's Dearborn, Michigan proving grounds (a special test track for developing new cars and trucks). More on that experience later. AOL Autos: Best and worst automotive designs Preparing for success Rodriguez told us about her background in the automotive business. "I've grown into this job because Ford's engineering group works on a model that emphasizes 'technical maturity.'" AOL Autos: First drive of the 2010 Chevy Camaro For Rodriguez, this means that because she first possessed the technical background for the job, she was then able to develop and prove her practical skills on her way to becoming one of the company's most influential engineers. She's been with Ford 12 years. Matter-of-factly, Rodriguez elaborates. "In this job, your body has to become a precisely calibrated instrument that can understand what the car's mechanicals are doing," she said. "It takes a while to tune your body, but I've been working on this particular chassis for eight years, so I really know what it's capable of and how to make it respond." While the 2010 Taurus is an all-new vehicle, it is related to other Ford products (the Lincoln MKS, Ford Flex, and the outgoing Ford Five Hundred/Taurus). Rodriguez also contributed to the ride and handling on those vehicles, a task that began with the Ford Five Hundred back in 2001. Born to Cuban parents who fled Castro's communist regime, Rodriguez grew up in Puerto Rico. "I learned to be a methodical thinker from my father, who was a chemical engineer," she said. "But it was my mother who was the mechanical one. She encouraged me when I was growing up to figure out how things worked, and she never got too mad at me when I put things back together and still had a few pieces left over." While Rodriguez worked on her motor skills, another aspect of her life laid groundwork for her future success. "I come from a very athletic family," she said. "My grandfathers and uncles played Olympic basketball, so we were always active. I can remember that when my brother enrolled in little league baseball, he didn't want to join without a friend, so my mother

question: What is the Taurus 2010?, answer: is an all-new vehicle, | question: What does Ford's Cristina Rodriguez do?, answer: Vehicle Dynamics Development Engineer | question: Who does she work for?, answer: Ford Motor Company | question: What did Rodriguez design?, answer: 2010 Ford Taurus. | question: Who is Cristina Rodriguez?, answer: an engineer | question: What did she design?, answer: 2010 Ford Taurus. | question: Which is one of Ford's most important vehicles?, answer: The Taurus

(AOL Autos) -- Protecting drivers and passengers from injury has been a high priority for car makers for the last 40 years or more. A truck driver tests an anti-collison system. The red light goes on if the car in front of him is too close. Not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because having a reputation for building safe vehicles helps automakers sell more cars. But in recent years, high-tech advancements have come along at such a fast and furious rate that auto-safety systems have entered a whole new universe. For most of the history of auto manufacturing, car makers' efforts in the area of safety have been devoted to developing "passive" safety features -- seat belts, air bags, building a stronger frame for the cabin, side-impact door beams, etc. All those things help you stay safe once you are involved in an accident. But just as advanced technology has changed almost every other industry, so too has it changed the automotive industry, leading to the design of more "active" safety features. AOL Autos: Safest cars It started with now-common features like anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control systems (ESC). But in recent years, engineers have taken safety technology to a new level. And these days, they spend more time and money researching and developing "crash avoidance" features and technologies. These computerized systems, instead of protecting you if a crash occurs, help you avoid accidents in the first place. Some of these systems are already in vehicles on the road today, while others are coming down the pipeline in the next few years. Mercedes uses radar, rear-view monitor Given that it's a higher-priced luxury brand, it figures that Mercedes-Benz is one of the leaders when it comes to these kinds of high-tech crash-avoidance systems. Finely-tuned anti-lock brake and electronic-stability-control systems are standard equipment in all Mercedes cars. AOL Autos: Best and worst hybrids "And presently, a number of our vehicles offer Distronic Plus, a crash-avoidance system that employs dual-band radar that measures the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you," said Patrik Borenius, Mercedes' manager of advanced product planning. "If that distance closes too rapidly, indicating that a crash might be imminent, it emits first an audible signal, then a visual warning, and the system can actually start to apply the brakes to a certain threshold. "Or, if you start to apply the brakes yourself, but not quickly enough to help you avoid impact, our Brake Assist system applies even more braking power." AOL Autos: Most popular fuel-efficient cars "We also have a Blind Spot Monitor that uses radar to examine the area just to the rear and to the left of your vehicle," added Bart Herring, product manager for Mercedes' S-Class and CL-Class. "So when another vehicle, or any object, enters into that blind spot, a red indicator light in your side view mirror lights up. And if you start to change lanes while that other car is in your blind spot that also triggers an audio alert to warn you." Plus, Mercedes' Rear View Monitor "views" anything that is directly behind the vehicle as it is backing up, and then projects that image onto the navigation-system screen. This feature helps avoid accidents in situations where the vehicle is going in reverse and the driver's view of oncoming traffic is impaired -- like in parking structures, or when backing out of a driveway on a heavily-trafficked street. AOL Autos: Most popular crossover vehicles Mercedes also offers a Night View system in the S-Class and CL-Class, which, at night, "gives you a very sharp, daytime-quality picture of everything that is going on in front of you," Herring said. "And it's projected onto a separate display screen that's in the middle of the instrument

question: what helps car sales, answer: building safe vehicles | question: What does Mercedes have that views directly behind the vehicle as it backs up?, answer: passengers | question: A reputation for building what type of vehicles helps automakers sell more cars?, answer: safe | question: what system is being pushed forward, answer: auto-safety | question: What kind of advancements push auto-safety systems forward?, answer: high-tech | question: What does Mercedes' Rear View Monitor do?, answer: "views" anything that is directly behind the vehicle as it is backing up, and then projects that image onto the navigation-system screen.

(AOL Autos) -- Regular readers of AOL Autos know that we have done a series of stories on the development and increasing popularity of cars that run -- or will eventually run -- on alternative fuels. The mandatory use of CNG in public service vehicles began in New Delhi, India in 2000. We've written about hybrids, clean-diesel engines, fuel-cell technology, ethanol and more. That brings us to another entry in the auto industry's ongoing research and development of green-technology: compressed natural gas (CNG). Scientists are trying to determine which alternative fuel will best strike a balance between being environmentally friendly and commercial viability. CNG might be the answer. Vehicles running on CNG have actually been around since the early 1990s, but have not been a dominant force in the marketplace mostly because the infrastructure (i.e. re-fueling stations) is not yet in place to support high-volume sales of CNG-powered cars. Presently, there are only about 1,600 CNG refueling stations in the U.S, compared with up to 200,000 gas stations. Currently there is only one CNG-powered model sold on the consumer market that is actually manufactured as a CNG-powered car. That's the Honda Civic GX, which boasts an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 24/36 miles per gasoline-gallon equivalent. AOL Autos: Best hybrids Rich Kolodziej, president of Natural Gas Vehicles for America said there are other natural-gas-powered vehicles on the road -- about 130,000, he estimates -- but that the vast majority of those are part of commercial or transit fleets or have been converted from gasoline-powered cars. "They're mostly fleet vehicles, like transit buses, delivery trucks, and the fleets maintained by the gas company, the electric company, etc," he said. "We don't have hard figures about conversions, but I'd bet that about 25 percent of those 130,000 were once gasoline-powered vehicles that have been converted to CNG vehicles," Kolodziej said. "There are a growing number of companies making certified conversion systems and installing them." NGVAmerica maintains a list of certified conversion systems on its Web site: www.ngvc.org. AOL Autos: Fuel-efficient used cars Some of those 130,000 are also natural-gas-powered vehicles manufactured and sold by Ford, Chrysler and GM back in the early '90s, he says -- back when the U.S. manufacturers were still in the business of making CNG-powered cars. But we'll get back to that later. But with the price of gasoline currently averaging over $4 a gallon nationally, Kolodziej predicts there will be more and more demand for CNG-powered vehicles like the Civic GX. "I went to a conference a couple of months ago, and every manufacturer we talked to said that their phones were ringing off the hook, from people who are saying they'd be interested in buying a CNG-powered car," Kolodziej said. "And there are more and more people and companies who want to get into the conversion business." AOL Autos: Hybrid SUVs The cost of conversions varies by the type of vehicle, Kolodziej noted. "But most cost in the $10,000 range. Most conversion systems are certified for Ford and GM models, among others," he said. On the financial side, natural gas is about 30 percent less expensive than gasoline when it is purchased at a refueling station. It's about 50 percent less expensive when you fill 'er up at home, via home refueling appliance that tap into your natural gas line, Kolodziej said. Owners of the Honda Civic GX in New York and California who have natural gas piped into their homes can purchase the "Phill" re-fueling system for about $3,500. This Phill system can be used whether your CNG vehicle was manufactured that way or converted, he said. AOL Autos: Luxury cars with best gas mileage "The Phill is about the size of a pay phone, and you hang it on the garage wall, and vent it like a dryer and plug it into a gas line

question: who is trying to determine which fuel is best?, answer: Scientists | question: What is scientists trying to determine for our future?, answer: which alternative fuel will best strike a balance between being environmentally friendly and commercial viability. | question: What number of CNG powered models are sold today?, answer: one | question: In total, how many CNG-powered model had been sold?, answer: 130,000 | question: how many CNG stations in U.S.?, answer: 1,600 | question: What is the answer for alternative fuel?, answer: CNG | question: What is the number of CNG fueling stations in the US?, answer: refueling

(AOL Autos) -- Since there have been cars, people have chosen their rides based on what their cars say about them. AOL Autos put a list of cars before automotive industry experts to capture their take on several popular cars. Drivers of the dependable Camry know what's important in life, says expert. Our panel consisted of Stephanie Brinley, senior manager at Auto Pacific; James Bell, editor and publisher of IntelliChoice and Jim Markwalder, veteran automotive consultant from Detroit. Rest assured, these experts did not pull any punches. Toyota Prius: Green no matter its color Brinley looked through the company's vast data on the Toyota Prius . "Buying a Prius shows the world that you love the environment and hate using fuel," said Brinley. "Compared to the overall industry, Prius buyers are more often women, have fewer kids and more often have college educations." Bell adds, "New Prius buyers want to be part of the 'green' club." "Prius drivers like the video-game challenge of continuously trying to best your own fuel economy achievements," said Brinley. Markwalder opines: "There's a good chance that if you come upon a line of slow moving traffic, a Prius driver will be at the front of the line, self-righteously driving under the speed limit on his or her way to save the world." We're just quoting here, folks. Chevrolet Corvette: Performer for the mid-life crisis The Chevy Corvette "seems to be more often a reward car. Its buyers are older than the industry average, with 88 percent born before 1946, according to Auto Pacific data. Only 11 percent of Corvette owners are in Gen Y or Gen X." Bell adds: "Sadly, the usual stereotype of the Corvette buyer as a 57-year old male deep in a mid-life crisis is proven." Better car than its image suggests Bell sees another side to the Corvette. "It is the absolute greatest performance bargain on the planet," said Bell. "It's an affordable giant-killer." Markwalder adds, "There have been 1.5 million Corvettes produced since 1953, and while plenty of old guys drive them, they are an engineering marvel that will run 180 mph or return 30+ mpg highway fuel economy." Toyota Camry: A major transportation appliance "I think the Camry gets a bad rap for being the 'microwave oven' of the car industry," said Bell. "It's boring, reliable, efficient, and common. But to many drivers, these words are exactly all they are looking for, making the Camry their own personal rock star. A Toyota Camry in the driveway tells everyone that you know what is important in life, and it's not your car." Dodge Challenger: The transcendent pony car The Dodge Challenger looks more like its original than the 2010 Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro. According to Brinley, the Challenger appeals to Baby Boomers who like styling and power. But almost 30 percent of Challenger buyers are Gen X or Gen Y. Surprisingly, this beats out the Prius, a more forward-looking vehicle; only 18-percent of its buyers are Gen X or Y. Auto Pacific's data shows that the Dodge Challenger is winning buyers too young to remember the original 1970-74 Challenger. "All ages stop and stare at this car," said Bell. "Especially when it's in Hemi Orange, from old-skool Hot Rodders to the Import Tuner crowd." This wide appeal makes pegging the Challenger owner more challenging. Ford F-150: Working man's truck According to Auto Pacific data, the driver of a Ford F-150 work truck (a plain, regular-cab model), is an employed man. Markwalder confirms with this: "Basic Ford trucks, like the XLT, make a good tool for the guy who works hard for an honest living." Bell adds, "We'll see fewer non-work trucks because using them for commuting has lost its shine." Mercedes-Benz R-Class:

question: What may be telling people about you?, answer: cars | question: Who would drive a Prius?, answer: buyers are more often women, have fewer kids and more often have college educations." | question: What does a Prius tell about its driver?, answer: shows the world that you love the environment and hate using fuel," | question: What may be telling people all about you?, answer: their cars | question: Does the model of car you drive say something about your personality?, answer: people have chosen their rides based on what their | question: What is a typical Corvette driver?, answer: older than the industry average, | question: What does a Prius say about it's driver?, answer: shows the world that you love the environment and hate using fuel,"

(AOL Autos) -- Small cars continue to be hot sellers among buyers looking for fuel economy, style and all-around fun. See which cars are the winners in this list of best-selling small cars. The Honda Civic is popular for its fuel efficiency and affordability. 1. Honda Civic* August 2008 Sales: 30,052 Change vs. Previous Year: 5.3% MSRP: $15,205 - $20,755 Invoice: $14,021 - $19,111 Fuel Economy: 34 mpg Hwy/26 mpg City The Honda Civic is one of the most reliable and popular economy compact sedans/coupes in its class. For years it has set the quality and performance standard for the affordable, compact car market. *Includes Hybrid Model AOL Autos: Honda Civic 2. Toyota Corolla* August 2008 Sales: 29,443 Change vs. Previous Year: -3.4% MSRP: $15,350 - $18,860 Invoice: $14,198 - $17,067 Fuel Economy: 35 mpg Hwy/26 mpg City The new Toyota Corolla is among the best of the compact sedans: reliable and economical yet refined and comfortable. *Includes Toyota Matrix AOL Autos: Toyota Corolla 3. Ford Focus August 2008 Sales: 16,387 Change vs. Previous Year: 23.4% MSRP: $14,995 - $17,970 Invoice: $14,091 - $16,648 Fuel Economy: 35 mpg Hwy/24 mpg City Small, economical, and fun, the 2009 Ford Focus is a smart choice for those looking for a compact car. AOL Autos: Ford Focus 4. Chevrolet Cobalt August 2008 Sales: 15,281 Change vs. Previous Year: -26.6% MSRP: $15,010 - $22,775 Invoice: $14,184 - $21,522 Fuel Economy: 37 mpg Hwy/25 mpg City The Chevy Cobalt is available as either a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan, each available in three trims: the LS, the LT and the SS Turbocharged. AOL Autos: Chevy Cobalt 5. Mazda3* August 2008 Sales: 10,970 Change vs. Previous Year: 4.4% MSRP: $14,490 - $20,595 Invoice: $13,590 - $19,283 Fuel Economy: 32 mpg Hwy/24 mpg City The Mazda3 is a premium compact car, exciting to drive and look at, and equipped with unexpected luxury features, all at a reasonable price. *Includes MazdaSpeed3 AOL Autos: Mazda3 6. Hyundai Elantra August 2008 Sales: 10,031 Change vs. Previous Year: 13.8% MSRP: $13,970 - $16,670 Invoice: $13,592 - $16,004 Fuel Economy: 33 mpg Hwy/24 mpg City The Elantra is an economic compact car with handsome styling and nice lines. It's renowned in two areas, interior space and standard safety equipment. 7. Toyota Yaris August 2008 Sales: 9,474 Change vs. Previous Year: 20.5% MSRP: $12,205 - $15,125 Invoice: $11,473 - $14,217 Fuel Economy: 36 mpg Hwy/29 mpg City The Yaris manages to combine a well-tailored, roomy interior with agile performance and a fuel efficient engine in an entry-level car. 8. Nissan Sentra August 2008 Sales: 9,207 Change vs. Previous Year: 1.4% MSRP: $16,140 - $20,570 Invoice: $15,275 - $19,181 Fuel Economy: 33 mpg Hwy/25 mpg City The Sentra front-wheel drive 4-door sedan is a practical, roomy and economical car with several trims available to suit a person's needs. 9. Nissan Versa August 2008 Sales: 8,015 Change vs. Previous Year: -5.2% MSRP: $12,990 - $16,210 Invoice: $12,539 - $15,634 Fuel Economy: 31 mpg Hwy/26 mpg City The Versa is Nissan's entry-level car with the intention of attracting economy-minded buyers with its mileage, price and larger size than most other vehicles in its class. 10. Hyundai Accent August 2008 Sales: 6,455 Change vs. Previous Year: 73% MSRP: $11,070 - $15,070 Invoice: $10,822 - $14,642 Fuel Economy: 33 mpg

question: how many doors have sentra, answer: 4-door | question: Small cars continue to be hot among buyers looking for what?, answer: fuel economy, style and | question: what is honda civic, answer: is one of the most reliable and popular economy compact sedans/coupes in its class. | question: What car is noted as one of the most reliable and popular economy compact cars?, answer: Honda Civic | question: The Sentra front-wheel drive 4-door is what type of car?, answer: sedan | question: what is the best car, answer: Honda Civic* | question: who looking for fuel economy, answer: buyers

(AOL Autos) -- Some drivers would say that the United States is a crazy quilt of speed limits, with an emphasis on the "crazy." A sign indicating the highest speed limit in the country stands by Interstate 10 outside of the West Texas town of El Paso. Since 1995, states have been free to set their own maximum speed limits, leading to long debates on safety standards. To some folks, the speed limits are just insane -- either too low or too high, depending on their views about what makes driving safe. Advocates of low speed limits won't find much to like about Texas. True to its frontier roots, it stands out as the land of the fast getaway. The top rural speed limit is normally 70 mph, but in 2006 it set a maximum daytime speed of 80 miles per hour, the highest speed limit on the country, on more than 500 miles of rural interstate in its southwest corner. This includes parts of Interstate 10 between Kerrville and El Paso and of I-20 between Monahans and the I-10 interchange. The speed limit for rural roads in Montana is 75 mph. As a result, it takes just three hours to travel the 228 miles from Billings to Butte at the posted speed. But that's much slower than a Montana driver could have made the trip in early 1999. At that time there was a six-month speeders' honeymoon when the state had almost no control over rural speeds, partly as a result of an unfavorable court ruling. St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands is at or near the other end of the spectrum. In the U.S. territory the speed limit is 20 mph in the city and 30 out in the country. When it comes to accident rates, though, you would be far better off on a Montana interstate than competing with the island's frenetic drivers on the way to Paradise Point. Nationwide, maximum speeds range from 60 miles per hour in Hawaii to 75 in most of the West. Meanwhile, much of the eastern Midwest and the Northeast has opted for maximum speeds of 65 mph, although Michigan and Indiana chose the 70 mph standard more common to the South and the Great Plains states. So if you are cruising west along I-90 out of Ohio, you can enjoy the increase in speed across 150 miles of Indiana before Illinois' lower speed limit -- or its state police -- reins you in. As you continue west, interstate speed limits bump up to 70 in Iowa, and then you can maintain a steady 75 from Nebraska through to the California line, where interstate speeds drop off to 70 again. Should you choose to detour into Oregon, you're back down to 65. From a highway safety standpoint, the patchwork of speed limits at least seems to make sense. Speeds are slower in more populous Eastern states and faster in the wide-open West, although the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety argues that some of the new, higher speed limits out West and elsewhere are costing lives. It estimates that deaths on interstates and freeways have increased 15 percent due to the higher speed limits. But some researchers are skeptical about the link between accidents and high speeds on rural highways, if not on city streets and rural two-lanes. They point to the lower fatality rates on European highways, even though the speeds are generally higher. The maximum legal speed is roughly 80 mph in Poland, Austria, France and a few other countries. There is no speed limit on much of Germany's autobahn, although some sections are restricted to about 80 mph or less. Ironically, the new regime of U.S. speed limits has helped researchers make sense of whether higher rural speed limits are dangerous. Political scientist Robert Yowell, a professor at Northeast Lakeview College in Texas, examined what happened after states began setting higher rural speed limits in 1995. With the federal 65 mph limit gone, it was possible to compare the accident rates before and after the new limits went into effect. The results were clear: "By and large, across the 50 states, there was no discernible effect from the higher limits

question: Who is skeptical of link between accidents, high speeds?, answer: some researchers | question: Who is skeptical of the link?, answer: some researchers | question: Who faces speed limits?, answer: drivers | question: What state has 80 miles per hour speed limits?, answer: Texas. | question: Who has speed limits of 80 miles per hour?, answer: Texas.

(AOL Autos) -- The conventional wisdom, among most folks, anyway, is that buying a used car is usually something done out of necessity, by those on a budget -- that is, people who want, or need, to "move down" from the new-car market because a new model is simply out of their reach. Bottom line, the Lexus reputation is for high-end luxury, quality and long-term dependability. However, there is another category of used cars that appeal to those with a bit more disposable income: used luxury cars. For some buyers, the used-luxury market is a way of getting into that Lexus, Lincoln, Infiniti or Porsche you always wanted, without laying out $70,000 or $80,000 for something you're not actually going to live in. For others, scouring the used-luxury-car listings is a way of re-visiting the halcyon years of their youth. At this point, some of these used-luxe models have been around so long that they almost qualify as vintage throwback editions. Recently, Consumer Reports magazine issued its list of best and worst used cars, and divvied them up by price range. Using CR's recommendations as a guideline, here is a list of some of the best used luxury cars currently on the market in the $24,000-30,000 price range. 2005 & 2006 Acura MDX A luxury SUV, the MDX is spacious, seats seven, and boasts distinctive styling and Acura's famed attention to detail. Plus, it packs some punch under the hood -- this generation was powered by 3.5-liter, 253-hp V6 matched to a five-speed automatic transmission. AOL Autos: Used Acura Priced just right as a new vehicle, it included safety features like dual-stage front airbags, three-point seatbelts and adjustable head restraints for all seating positions. 2007 Acura RDX A crossover vehicle that mixes sedan-like ride with SUV roominess, the '07 RDX offered unibody construction, leather upholstery, heated front seats, power moonroof, 18-inch alloy wheels with all-season tires, xenon HID headlights with foglamps and the 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine -- plus a five-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, and the patented SH-AWD (SH for Super Handling) system. 2006 & 2007 Acura TL A mid-size, front-wheel-drive, four-door sedan powered by a 258-hp 3.2-liter V6, the Acura TL is a fine road machine. Actually, it was available for '06-'07 as both a TL and a higher-end TL Type S -- the latter of which sported an upgraded engine, a 286-hp 3.5-liter. Depending on trim level, you can find it with a five-speed automatic with a console-mounted lever or shift paddles on the steering wheel. 2007 Audi A3 Audi designers have always shown a certain flair for dynamics, and that is evident here, in a sharply-engineered, handsomely-appointed vehicle that offers a fine balance between silky ride, nimble handling and zesty performance. This sporty compact was powered by a 200-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine in '07, and came standard with a six-speed manual and an optional Direct Shift Gearbox. AOL Autos: Used Audi 2005 & 2006 BMW 3-Series The 3-Series is another winning stable of cars, but Consumer Reports especially liked specific model years/versions/features in the 3-Series family: The 2005 RWD coupe and convertible; the '06 325i RWD sedan; the '06 330i RWD sedan and the '05 Z4. Depending on the model year and version, the standard engine ranged from a 184-hp 2.5-L to a 255-hp 3.0-L. AOL Autos: Used BMW 2005 & 2006 Infiniti FX35 Another of the many crossovers that have hit the market the last several years, the FX35 is one of the sportier editions. During these model years, the FX35 2WD came with a 280-hp 3.5-liter V6 and a five-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel-drive was standard, but AWD was also an option. Some spiffier features included leather seating

question: Who lists the worst and best cars?, answer: Consumer Reports magazine | question: Who lists the best and worst used cars?, answer: Consumer Reports magazine | question: What does Consumer Reports list?, answer: best and worst used cars, | question: What market do used car buyers go to for luxury cars?, answer: the used-luxury | question: What do some buyers seek on the used car market?, answer: used-luxury | question: Who released a list of best and worst used cars?, answer: Consumer Reports magazine | question: Where do some buyers go to get a luxury car?, answer: used-luxury market | question: What is a reason some buyers go to used-car markets?, answer: a new model is simply out of their reach. | question: Where were best and worst used cars listed?, answer: Consumer Reports magazine | question: What magazine is discussed?, answer: Consumer Reports | question: What car made the list of cars under 30k?, answer: 2005 & 2006 Acura MDX

(AOL Autos) -- The little two-passenger smart fortwo is the most fuel-efficient car (not counting hybrids) in the U.S. market, with EPA fuel economy ratings of 33 mpg city, 41 highway. For high-mileage frugality, it appears to beat the five-passenger Toyota Yaris and its 29/35-mpg ratings by a long shot. Look at the inside of your car's fuel door to find out whether you're required to use a certain octane gasoline. But wait! Premium fuel -- which cost about 12 percent more than regular at U.S. pumps last month -- is required for the fortwo. Suddenly the gap closes and the Smart no longer looks like as strong of a fuel-budget buster. And with the requirement, they mean it: smart says you'll lose your warranty coverage if you don't ante up. With premium fuel averaging about 24 cents more per gallon than regular, your choices at the pump can add up very quickly. If you drive a 20-mpg vehicle 15,000 miles a year, that's an extra $180, each year, toward those extra few octane points. If you have a thirstier truck or SUV or cover more mileage, it could amount to hundreds of dollars a year. New-car buyers, take notice. Add fuel requirements to your shopping checklist, because it will impact your wallet with every visit to the gas station, for years of ownership. The expensive stuff is typically recommended -- though not always required -- for luxury and high-performance cars, while less-expensive sedans, coupes, and SUVs only require 87-octane. But there are plenty of exceptions. Alan Hall, a spokesman for Ford, says that the automaker no longer has any models that require premium grade and only a few for which it's recommended. Regular unleaded is fine across all the models of Ford's Lincoln luxury brand, says Hall, so "as a luxury car buyer you don't have that added premium of premium fuel." Ford now does all of its engine development and vehicle testing on 87-octane, regular-grade fuel. "We don't want to give you a product that will have durability issues," explains Hall, if premium-grade isn't available everywhere. Another exception in the luxury-car realm is Hyundai; the automaker chose to tune the new high-performance V-8 engine in its Genesis sedan for premium fuel, but it also certified it for regular-grade. The automaker is the first to list power figures both with premium (375 hp) and regular (368 hp), letting owners opt for either top performance or a substantial savings at the pump. For the record, there's no measurable difference in fuel economy between the two grades, or any greater potential for damage, according to Hyundai. "We wanted to give customers the choice," explained Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson. "If you want a few extra horsepower, go ahead and spend a little more at the pump." Along with several European automakers, the BMW Group recommends premium fuel for all of its vehicles -- including the economical MINI Cooper -- yet Ford doesn't even recommend premium for its sporty, V-8-powered Mustang GT. The high-performance, 540-hp Shelby GT500 is the only new Ford vehicle to carry the recommendation for premium ... and Hall concedes the engine will get a "slight boost" from premium. Throwing money away? You might have been led to believe at some point that your vehicle will do better with premium, but with most newer vehicles, that's simply not true. Provided yours just calls for 87-octane, chances are you won't notice the difference, according to a number of experts, and you're essentially throwing the money away. The best way to tell, advises John Nielsen, director of AAA's Auto Repair and Buying Network, is to simply look at the inside of the fuel door; if it says, "use premium fuel only," and specifies a higher octane number (regular is typically 87, premium is 91 or higher), then the expensive stuff is actually required for the

question: What can be found on inside of car's fuel door?, answer: of your | question: What does Ford say?, answer: the automaker no longer has any models that require premium grade | question: What caused Ford to start testing with regular grade fuel?, answer: premium-grade isn't available everywhere.

(AOL Autos) -- There are two good ways to buy your new car or truck at a reasonable low price and avoid all of the negotiating games and hassles: 1. Buy through the Internet Buying your new or used car or truck through the Internet is the easiest and most hassle-free way to make the purchase. All you have to do is choose the vehicle brand and model you wish to purchase as well as provide some basic contact information such as your name and e-mail address. In return, you'll receive - via e-mail - low bottom-line selling prices from dealerships in your area for the exact vehicle you want to buy. Compare the various selling prices and find the lowest one. Then, simply go direct to that dealership's Internet Department, sign the papers and drive your new car home - no negotiating, no hassles. To begin the process, get your free price quotes from AOL Autos. It only takes a few minutes. This service is totally free and you are under no obligation or pressure to buy. AOL, like CNN, is a unit of Time Warner. Within 24 hours, you'll receive your bottom-line selling prices from dealerships in your area. Once you've compared the various prices and found the lowest one, you then have four good options: • You can go to the dealership that gave you the lowest price, sign the papers and drive your new car home -- no hassles, no negotiating. AOL Autos: Best deals of the month • You can try to negotiate the lowest price with the dealership in order to get the price even lower. There's nothing that says you can't. AOL Autos: Aggressive car buying tactics • You can shop the lowest price around to other dealerships to see if any of them are willing to beat it. AOL Autos: Which dealers treat you best? • You can do nothing. If you feel unsure or uncertain, then set it aside for a while. You are not obligated to buy anything you don't want. By getting these low bottom-line selling prices via the Internet, you're avoiding the car salesman's entire negotiating game altogether. And you're buying your car at about the same price you would expect after lengthy negotiations. It's certainly the fastest and easiest way to beat the car salesman. AOL Autos: New rules to car buying 2. Buy through the dealership's Fleet Department Almost every dealership has a division called the "Fleet Department." It usually consists of only a handful of salespeople who specialize in selling fleets of cars -- large orders of several vehicles direct to businesses. This department is authorized by the dealership to sell their cars at bottom-line non-negotiable prices. The prices they offer are about the same as you would expect from an online price quote or after lengthy negotiations. A secret of the car business is that many dealerships' Fleet Departments also sell direct to the public. By the rules of the game, however, they can't advertise to the public since they don't want to compete with the dealership's retail sales team. So to buy from the Fleet Department, you have to specifically ask. To buy your vehicle direct from the dealership's Fleet Department, simply call the dealership and ask to speak with the Fleet Manager. When you get him on the line, explain to him that you're ready to buy a car and you'd like to buy it from him. If he asks you what business you are associated with, tell him where you work. He'll probably be happy to set up an appointment with you. When you arrive at the dealership, the Fleet Manager will show you the vehicle, allow you to test drive it, and then bring you to the office to discuss price. With absolutely no negotiations, he'll offer you a reasonable bottom-line non-negotiable selling price for the vehicle. If the price he gives you falls within the pre-set limits of your buying goal and you're satisfied with the deal, then

question: Where can individuals buy from?, answer: through the Internet | question: What can you shop for?, answer: the lowest price around to other dealerships | question: Can you also buy car from dealer's Fleet Department, answer: through the dealership's | question: Where else can you buy from?, answer: Internet | question: Where can you get best price quotes?, answer: AOL Autos. | question: What can you solicit from car dealers over the Internet?, answer: low bottom-line selling prices | question: From where can you solicit price quotes?, answer: AOL Autos. | question: where can you shop?, answer: the Internet | question: Who can also buy car from dealer's Fleet Department?, answer: the public. | question: what kind of quotes?, answer: free | question: where can they buy a car?, answer: through the Internet | question: Where can you solicit best price quotes from car dealers?, answer: AOL Autos.

(AOL Autos) -- There is an old adage which goes something like this: "The cheap man always pays more in the long run." Consumer Reports analyzed the cost of ownership across the 300 models in their database. Consumer Reports magazine recently reached a similar conclusion when it announced the results of a study that compared the cost of ownership of more than 300 cars. Consumer Reports noted that a car with a cheaper sticker price can often cost consumers more in the long run when compared to a higher-priced alternative. The report, which appeared in Consumer Reports' Annual April Auto Issue, was based on a comparison of the 300 models in the Consumer Reports database. In short, the report concluded that a car's sticker price is one of many factors that should be taken into account when trying to decide between two cars in the same class. For example, at about $17,500, a Mitsubishi Lancer is priced $5,000 less than a Mini Cooper. But when factoring in the total costs of ownership for each vehicle, the Lancer could cost drivers about $3,000 more to own over the first five years, according to the study. And the purchase price of a Toyota Highlander is about $3,000 more than a V6 Ford Explorer -- but the Explorer's total cost of ownership is an extra $6,500 over those five years. The study took into account such factors as depreciation, fuel costs, interest paid on the car loan, insurance, maintenance, repair costs and sales tax. Online subscribers to www.ConsumerReports.org can compare the costs for one, three, five and eight years of ownership. "We think this information is valuable for consumers who have shopped around, and settled on a couple of different cars they like, and then have to decide on one or the other," noted Cliff Weathers, Consumer Reports' deputy editor, autos. "We're giving this information to the consumer to use as a tool to help them make that decision, a tie-breaker, if you will. "If they're trying to decide between a Pontiac Solstice and Mazda Miata, for example, they can go to our Web site and find out which one will cost less to own over that five-year period. And in this particular case, the answer would be the Miata -- which was one of the least expensive cars to own of all the cars evaluated in our survey." Depreciation was factored into the estimates based on the assumption that the vehicle will eventually be traded in when buyers make their next car purchase. "Depreciation is the factor that accounts for the highest cost of ownership," Weathers explained. "Depreciation accounts for 48 percent of the cost of ownership over the first five years." Different models depreciate faster, and more significantly, than others. In order to calculate depreciation for this owner-cost comparison, Consumer Reports started with the price that a typically-equipped model generally sells for. If a particular model often sells at a largely-discounted price that was also factored in. Consumer Reports then deducted the wholesale trade-in value of the car at the end of the period, based on data from their Used Car Price Service, Weathers explained. In those cases when Consumer Reports didn't have depreciation data for a new model, it used estimates based on comparable vehicles. The Fuel Factor The second-biggest factor in cost-of-ownership, after depreciation, is fuel costs, which account for 21 percent of the total ownership costs. "Fuel economy can really make a big difference," Weathers said. "If you have a car that gets 25 miles per gallon, and another car that gets 19 miles per gallon, that's a potential difference of thousands of dollars over five years, if you're driving 12,000 miles a year." Consumer Reports calculated fuel costs by assuming that the vehicles would be driven 12,000 miles a year -- the average annual mileage reported by those who responded to Consumer Reports' annual reader survey. Consumer Reports then applied the national average price of regular gas as of December 2007

question: what was in the report, answer: car's sticker price is one of many factors that should be taken into account when trying to decide between two cars in the same class. | question: What is the second-biggest factor in cost-of-ownership?, answer: fuel costs, | question: what are the costs of owning a car, answer: $6,500 | question: what is the biggest facto in cost of ownership, answer: "Depreciation | question: What is the report based on?, answer: a comparison of the 300 models

(AOL Autos) -- There is no easy cure for teenage traffic deaths and injuries, but Susan Kessler believes she has at least come up with a way to help limit the carnage: When a new driver gets behind the wheel, just slap a temporary warning sign on the car. The Caution and Courtesy Driver Alliance volunteers hand out the magnets during 2008 publicity campaign. Kessler has developed signs for teens with learner permits and first-year licenses. They are attached magnetically to the car's sheet metal and display the words "Caution Newly Licensed." It's not hard to imagine the signs being a nightmare to teens obsessed with what their peers think. But, Kessler, a Kennesaw, Georgia, mother of six, says the real horror is out on the highway: thousands of young people are killed and injured in traffics every year. More than 15,000 of people have ordered the signs since Kessler and a group of other moms introduced them four years ago. Parents can mount one on the trunk when a teenager takes off in the family car and remove it when he or she returns home. Once other drivers see it, they presumably exercise extra caution and create a "protective bubble" around the new driver, or so the thinking runs. AOL Autos: Rules for safe driving Kessler would even like to see states require the use of the signs for new drivers, as some European countries do, and she has found some support for this in the Georgia legislature. Her goal is straightforward: limit teenagers' capacity to do damage to themselves and others. Drivers 16 to 19 years old are four times as likely as older drivers to end up in a collision, all other things being equal, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). All U.S. states have adopted tougher licensing systems since the mid-1990s, generally requiring more supervised hours of driving and imposing more restrictions on new licensees. But they have all stopped short of setting the minimum driving age at 18, as most European countries do. The latest research has confirmed that putting restrictions on young drivers does pay off in lower accident, injury and fatality rates. One IIHS study over 10 years found that states with strong licensing laws had 30 percent fewer fatalities among 15 to 17 year olds than states with weak laws (those lacking restrictions on cell phone use, for example, or having only minimal restrictions on nighttime driving during the first year of driving). AOL Autos: Most common car related injuries Armed with a decade of data, activists like Kessler now see a chance to save more lives with further reform. "My first fear for each of my sons is, 'Please don't let anybody hit them,'" she said. "My second fear is that they might hit anyone else." "Do you have any idea what it is like to be the parent of a 16-year-old who has killed someone?" she asked. "Parents have called me and said it's like living in a black hole." Her campaign started four years ago when she started to worry about her son Donnie, even though his turn at driver training was still a few years down the road. The fact that nearby Atlanta ranked as one of the most congested cities in the country naturally fed her fears. She and a group of friends began to think about ways to give young drivers an edge. They didn't want to force teenagers to wait until they were 21 to drive. But they did want to help them stay safe while they were learning. AOL Autos: Teen driving tips The moms came up the idea for magnetic signs, only later discovering that a similar approach is a requirement for new drivers in parts of Europe, Kessler said. Once, when she proposed the idea to a Georgia state official, he asked her if there was anyone who didn't like it. She laughed and said, "Yes, my son. But we can work on him." But she is happy the other people can readily identify new drivers and give them plenty of room. "

question: What did one mother invent?, answer: signs for teens with learner permits and first-year licenses. | question: What do some countries require new drivers to do?, answer: temporary warning sign on the car. | question: What did the mother of a teen invent?, answer: signs for | question: What did research find?, answer: putting restrictions on young drivers does pay off in lower accident, injury and fatality rates. | question: What does research show lowers accident rates?, answer: putting restrictions on young drivers | question: What some countries require from new drivers?, answer: "Caution Newly Licensed."

(AOL Autos) -- With car companies going in into bankruptcy and shedding famous names left and right, it's important to remember that today's automotive titans started out as tiny startups, not unlike Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. General Motors was almost called International Motors Co. Names like Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota and Porsche call to mind the huge corporate successes of the past and the great automotive families that survive today. But behind every brand name, there is a flesh-and-blood inventor, entrepreneur or industrialist. Most of the time, they gave their name to the companies. And that fame was often about all they ended up with. David Buick, who invented the overhead valve engine, founded the Buick Motor Car Co. in 1903. William C. Durant, the industrialist who would eventually found GM, took over the company in 1904, when it ran into financial trouble. Buick stayed on as a director, but left in 1908, never making much money from the enterprise. He reportedly died in 1929, unable to afford one of his cars. Durant kept the name for one of his company divisions and for the car, even though he worried that people might pronounce it "Boo-ick," according to one author. Strangely enough, the man who practically created General Motors single-handedly never really liked the idea of a 'Durant' car. In another example, Robert Hupp invented the Hupmobile,'a two-seat runabout, in 1908. But he sold his stock in his Hupp Motor Car Company in 1911. He turned around and founded the Hupp Corp. that same year. Investors in his first firm took him to court to make him drop the "Hupp" from his new company's name and they won. His own automotive glory quickly faded, although the Hupmobile survived until the 1940s. Swiss-born Louis Chevrolet's experience was similar. Durant brought him into a new car-building venture in 1911, hoping to trade on his fame as an absolutely fearless race car driver. Chevrolet left the company in 1913, apparently unable to make the adjustment from racing to building production vehicles. But its name stuck to the new Chevrolet vehicles; Durant reportedly liked its musical lilt. It could also work the other way around. In 1925, Walter P. Chrysler got the naming rights to the Maxwell Motor Co. after he and another industrialist steadily bought up shares in the firm over a two-year period. Things turned out a little differently for Henry Ford. He suffered the ignominy of being booted from an early auto company that bore his own name. But his revenge was sweet. The Henry Ford Company, which traded freely on Ford's early fame as an inventor, fired him in 1902 "because he was spending all his time developing a race car, not a passenger car," according to the Encyclopedia of American Business and Biography. AOL Autos: Ford's 'Wonder Woman' engineers most important new car After Ford was gone, the company was renamed Cadillac, after Antoine Laumet de la Mothe Cadillac, the French nobleman who founded Detroit in 1703; his heraldry became the model's badge and the company became a part of General Motors in 1909. After his firing, Ford quickly found investors to help him found his own firm, the Ford Motor Co., in 1903. He introduced the company's first new vehicle, the Model and followed it up with other low-cost vehicles, including his greatest achievement, the Model T, in 1908. Its price tag started at $850 and fell steadily as Ford introduced more production innovations. The young firm became phenomenally successful. AOL Autos: 10 classic American rides In the 1920s, he got the chance to buy the five-year-old Lincoln Motor Co. out of bankruptcy. It was then owned by one of the very people, Henry Leland, who fired him in 1902. Then he used the former aircraft company to launch his own line of luxury cars bearing the Lincoln name. For its part, General Motors almost didn't get the name it bears today. Durant actually incorporated his company

question: who invented the overhead valve engine?, answer: David Buick, | question: Who was Chevy named after?, answer: Louis Chevrolet's

(AOL Autos) -- With car companies going in into bankruptcy and shedding famous names left and right, it's important to remember that today's automotive titans started out as tiny startups, not unlike Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. General Motors was almost called International Motors Co. Names like Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Toyota and Porsche call to mind the huge corporate successes of the past and the great automotive families that survive today. But behind every brand name, there is a flesh-and-blood inventor, entrepreneur or industrialist. Most of the time, they gave their name to the companies. And that fame was often about all they ended up with. David Buick, who invented the overhead valve engine, founded the Buick Motor Car Co. in 1903. William C. Durant, the industrialist who would eventually found GM, took over the company in 1904, when it ran into financial trouble. Buick stayed on as a director, but left in 1908, never making much money from the enterprise. He reportedly died in 1929, unable to afford one of his cars. Durant kept the name for one of his company divisions and for the car, even though he worried that people might pronounce it "Boo-ick," according to one author. Strangely enough, the man who practically created General Motors single-handedly never really liked the idea of a 'Durant' car. In another example, Robert Hupp invented the Hupmobile,'a two-seat runabout, in 1908. But he sold his stock in his Hupp Motor Car Company in 1911. He turned around and founded the Hupp Corp. that same year. Investors in his first firm took him to court to make him drop the "Hupp" from his new company's name and they won. His own automotive glory quickly faded, although the Hupmobile survived until the 1940s. Swiss-born Louis Chevrolet's experience was similar. Durant brought him into a new car-building venture in 1911, hoping to trade on his fame as an absolutely fearless race car driver. Chevrolet left the company in 1913, apparently unable to make the adjustment from racing to building production vehicles. But its name stuck to the new Chevrolet vehicles; Durant reportedly liked its musical lilt. It could also work the other way around. In 1925, Walter P. Chrysler got the naming rights to the Maxwell Motor Co. after he and another industrialist steadily bought up shares in the firm over a two-year period. Things turned out a little differently for Henry Ford. He suffered the ignominy of being booted from an early auto company that bore his own name. But his revenge was sweet. The Henry Ford Company, which traded freely on Ford's early fame as an inventor, fired him in 1902 "because he was spending all his time developing a race car, not a passenger car," according to the Encyclopedia of American Business and Biography. AOL Autos: Ford's 'Wonder Woman' engineers most important new car After Ford was gone, the company was renamed Cadillac, after Antoine Laumet de la Mothe Cadillac, the French nobleman who founded Detroit in 1703; his heraldry became the model's badge and the company became a part of General Motors in 1909. After his firing, Ford quickly found investors to help him found his own firm, the Ford Motor Co., in 1903. He introduced the company's first new vehicle, the Model and followed it up with other low-cost vehicles, including his greatest achievement, the Model T, in 1908. Its price tag started at $850 and fell steadily as Ford introduced more production innovations. The young firm became phenomenally successful. AOL Autos: 10 classic American rides In the 1920s, he got the chance to buy the five-year-old Lincoln Motor Co. out of bankruptcy. It was then owned by one of the very people, Henry Leland, who fired him in 1902. Then he used the former aircraft company to launch his own line of luxury cars bearing the Lincoln name. For its part, General Motors almost didn't get the name it bears today. Durant actually incorporated his company

question: What name stuck for its musical lilt?, answer: Chevrolet | question: who invented the overhead valve engine?, answer: David Buick,

(AOL Autos) -- With fuel prices still high enough to put a hole in your pocket, where does one turn? BMW's MINI division is the best average fuel-economy automaker. For some, it's a vehicle that's been engineered to sip, not guzzle. The question then: Which brand is more likely to ease you out of the gas station without feeling you've been turned upside down and shaken? Perhaps surprisingly, it's not always the Asian-based carmakers that come up on top where fuel economy ratings are concerned. A look at the U.S. government's official fuel economy ratings (published by the Department of Energy, the Office of Energy Efficiency and the Environmental Protection Agency) might not be light reading, but it does give a new sense of perspective on what is a very complex issue. One observation: Carmakers are, on the whole, doing a pretty good job of bringing choice to the market when it comes to fuel economy. AOL Autos: Best-selling fuel-efficient cars There may, however, be two races to win: the most fuel-efficient car on the road and the automaker that "on average" is most likely to save you money at the pump. AOL Autos: Fuel-efficient used cars for sale On a single car basis, the Toyota Prius comes out on top, its hybrid technology delivering 48 city miles on a gallon (like other hybrids, its fuel efficiency drops slightly on the highway, to 45). With fuel prices hitting hard, where are motorists more likely to find relief? On a fleet basis, the best performing manufacturer is BMW's MINI division, with three models averaging out at just over 27 mpg city/highway. But fitting a family any bigger than two or three in the MINI isn't possible; Honda might be a more realistic choice, its 27 models average out at almost 24 mpg combined. Domestically, the winner in average fuel economy is Chevrolet, its 88 models average a combined 23.26 mpg combined city/highway, only slightly lower than Honda's 23.81 mpg average. AOL Autos: Three cheap, fuel-efficient new cars What's more impressive is that Chevrolet's numbers factor in a full line of trucks, not the case with Honda (its only offering in that category being the Ridgeline). But as shoppers would be quick to point out, it's not the fleet that we're buying. It's the individual car or truck. AOL Autos: Cars with 30+ MPG for $300 or less per month By category, the 2008 Fuel Economy Guide singles out the leaders, and there it's more than a little apparent that the traditional Asian and European brands aren't about to give up their leadership position. For two-seaters, it's Mercedes' Smart brand that delivers 33/41 mpg city/highway, followed by Mazda's MX-5 and its 22/27 mpg rating. AOL Autos: 10 cars with the best gas mileage MINI stands alone in the next size category (mini-subcompact), with its two variations (manual and automatic) delivering 28/37 combined and 26/34 respectively. An interesting side note: the traditional argument that manual transmissions deliver higher fuel economy no longer holds true. Several carmakers boast higher fuel economy with the automatic transmission than with a manual (if available). Toyota's Yaris takes top honors in the subcompact category, posting 29/35 with an automatic transmission (29/36 for the manual). The compact category has the Honda Civic Hybrid at the top of the ratings, with its 40/45 mpg, followed by Toyota's Corolla and its 28/37 mpg rating. A little bigger vehicle will still take you further, notably if it's the industry leading Toyota Prius. In second place is the Nissan Versa and its 26/31 mpg rating. The federal government's "large car" category has the Honda Accord at the top with 21/31 mpg (manual) and 22/31 mpg (automatic). Honda once again takes top honors in the small station wagon category, the Fit coming in at 27/34 (automatic) and

question: What is the number one car?, answer: Toyota Prius | question: what is the no. 1 car?, answer: BMW's MINI | question: What is the best rated hybrid car?, answer: Toyota Prius | question: what are the 2 races to win?, answer: the most fuel-efficient car on the road and the automaker that "on average" is most likely to save you money at the pump. | question: Which are the top compact cars in the category?, answer: BMW's MINI

(AOL Autos) -- With the explosive growth of the light truck segment as well as the impending onslaught of winter, I thought it would be fitting to write about four-wheel drive systems. There are a few different types available; and there are special maintenance practices that might cause some confusion. So let's get enlightened! Four-wheel drive systems can make driving safer on wet road conditions. 4WD systems can be classified as Part Time 4WD, Full Time 4WD, and Permanent 4WD. Part Time 4WD is the most basic of all 4WD systems. It gives the driver the choice of driving in two-wheel drive or 4WD. That sounds pretty good! However, the downside is that you shouldn't engage the 4WD on pavement unless it's very slippery. That's because, with this system, when you engage 4WD you lock the front and rear wheels together through the transmission and transfer gearbox. This is great for straight-ahead traction and very slippery surfaces. However, on dry pavement it makes for odd cornering, and handling characteristics. Also you can harm the drive train components by driving in 4WD for extended periods of time on dry pavement. Consequently, you may find yourself having to stop the vehicle to engage or disengage, depending on the road conditions. AOL Autos: Top 5 SUVs So why choose this type of system? Two good reasons: • It's less costly to build and therefore to buy • It's very durable under heavy stress (generally more durable than the other 4WD systems, since it has fewer components) Full Time 4WD is the most commonly used system on the market. Full Time 4WD offers both two-wheel drive mode and 4WD, depending on road conditions (driver must engage and disengage the 4WD). In addition, the 4WD mode offers both a high and low mode for when the going really gets tough (driver shifts to high or low). AOL Autos: Top 5 crossover vehicles Besides a transmission and transfer gearbox, a center differential couples the front and rear wheels. This differential allows the front and rear wheels to turn at different speeds as needed (unlike Part-Time 4WD system) for better handling. When the wheels start to spin due to slippery road conditions, the system reacts to wheel spin by progressively locking the front and rear wheels together to optimize traction. Although Full-Time 4WD requires the driver to engage it, once engaged it offers more "control" through the high and low mode selection (based on road conditions) and better cornering and handling on varying road conditions due to the differential. AOL Autos: Best luxury wagons Permanent 4WD is similar to Full-Time 4WD but it has no two-wheel drive mode. The vehicle is always in 4WD, so you don't have to determine whether conditions are right to engage it. AOL Autos: Cars with best Blue Book values We still have transmission, transfer gearbox and center differential coupling the front and rear wheels. The only difference is that torque (or power) is constantly being applied to all the wheels, giving maximum traction in all weather and road conditions. Current systems have high and low modes for when the going gets tough; however, most importantly, the system does the thinking for you ... it automatically applies as much lock up (to all the wheels) as necessary for maximum traction. AOL Autos: Best-selling trucks and SUVs Next, a few definitions of common 4WD-drive terms that you may have heard of: Locking Differential - locks both wheels on the axle, forcing them to turn together to allow maximum traction Limited-Slip Differential - detects slippage in one wheel and sends torque to the other wheel that is not spinning. It operates is automatically. On-The-Fly-Shifting - allows the 4WD to be engaged while driving the vehicle (many systems require that you stop the vehicle in order to engage the 4WD). Manual Hubs - In order for 4WD to work, you must have a means of engaging the front wheel drive mechanism. This is done through

question: Is this expensive?, answer: It's less costly to build and therefore to buy | question: what do the cars have?, answer: four-wheel drive systems. | question: What is the difference with the permanent?, answer: 4WD is similar to Full-Time 4WD but it has no two-wheel drive mode. | question: What is full time 4WD?, answer: is the most commonly used system on the market. | question: Is the maintenance is expensive?, answer: less costly | question: What is part time 4WD?, answer: four-wheel drive systems.

(Ars Technica) -- With the planned settlement between Google and book publishers still on indefinite hold, a legal battle by proxy has started. Google partnered with many libraries at US universities in order to gain access to the works it wants to digitize. Now, several groups that represent book authors have filed suit against those universities, attempting to block both digital lending and an orphaned works project. The suit is being brought by the Authors' Guild, its equivalents in Australia, Quebec, and the UK, and a large group of individual authors. Its target: some major US universities, including Michigan, the University of California system, and Cornell. These libraries partnered with Google to get their book digitization efforts off the ground and, in return, Google has provided them with digital copies of the works. These and many other universities have also become involved with the HathiTrust, an organization set up to help them archive and distribute digital works; the HathiTrust is also named as a defendant. The suit seeks to block two separate efforts. In the first, the universities have created a pooled digital archive of the contents of their libraries, maintained by the Hathitrust. No one contests that these works remain in copyright, or that the universities have rights to the nondigital forms of these works. What the authors object to is the fact that the digital works are derived from an unauthorized scan, and will be stored in a single archive that is no longer under the control of the university from which the scan was derived. The suit suggests that the security of this archive is also suspect, and may allow the mass release of copyrighted work. A separate issue in the suit is an orphaned works project started by the Hathitrust that focuses on some of the works within this archive. The group is attempting to identify out-of-copyright books, and those where the ownership of copyright cannot be established. If attempts to locate and contact any copyright holders fail, and the work is no longer commercially available, the Hathitrust will start providing digital copies to students without restrictions. This has not gone over well. The executive director of the Australian Society of Authors, Angelo Loukakis, stated, "This group of American universities has no authority to decide whether, when or how authors forfeit their copyright protection. These aren't orphaned books, they're abducted books." The authors' coalition would like to see everything grind to a halt -- Google and the libraries kept from any further scanning, the HathiTrust's orphaned works project shuttered, and the digital copies on its servers impounded. The digital works wouldn't be deleted, but it wants to see "any computer system storing the digital copies powered down and disconnected from any network, pending an appropriate act of Congress." (Note that they want them shut down and unplugged, just to be sure.) The Authors Guild was actually a party to the Google book settlement, so it's not like it objects to the effort per se. However, the university libraries had not been a party to it, so this may be the Guild's attempt to tie up loose ends when it comes to nailing down digital rights. Alternately, they may simply be sending a message that, until the settlement is approved, none of Google's efforts should be reaching even a limited segment of the public. In either case, this suit could go a long way towards establishing how many digital rights are granted with the ownership of a book. More on Law & Disorder from Ars Technica COPYRIGHT 2011 ARSTECHNICA.COM

question: what did the director say, answer: "This group of American universities has no authority to decide whether, when or how authors forfeit their copyright protection. These aren't orphaned books, they're abducted books." | question: who partnered with google, answer: many libraries at US universities | question: What is the authors object?, answer: to block both digital lending and an orphaned works project. | question: Who partenered with google?, answer: many libraries at US universities | question: what do authors object to, answer: that the digital works are derived from an unauthorized scan, | question: what does executive director say, answer: "This group of American universities has no authority to decide whether, when or how authors forfeit their copyright protection. These aren't orphaned books, they're abducted books." | question: What did the executive director say?, answer: "This group of American universities has no authority to decide whether, when or how authors forfeit their copyright protection. These aren't orphaned books, they're abducted books."

(ArsTechnica) -- Amazon has clarified that the next generation of its 3G Kindle, the Kindle Touch 3G, will not be able to browse the Internet without a WiFi connection. Users will still be able to use 3G to sync book and document purchases, but anything beyond Wikipedia will be off-limits. Browsing was (and still is) an experimental feature on the last iteration of the Kindle, now known as the Kindle Keyboard 3G. The experiment appears to have failed as far as Amazon is concerned, as it will restrict the 3G access of the Kindle Touch 3G to browsing Wikipedia and downloading books and periodicals. The Kindle Touch 3G's webpage does not directly note this restriction, stating only that it has "free 3G wireless" that "works globally," but a post in the official Amazon forums states that "experimental web browsing (outside of Wikipedia) on Kindle Touch 3G is only available over WiFi." Since Amazon subsidizes all Kindle owners' 3G use, the company may have determined the model isn't cost-effective enough to support the use of the entire Internet. The 3G version of the Kindle Touch with special offers costs $149, 50 percent more than the $99 WiFi version, so this restriction may make the jump from WiFi to 3G much harder for customers to justify when both models become available November 21. The announcement doesn't affect the new Kindle Fire announced last week and due for launch November 15, since it is WiFi-only. The Kindle Keyboard 3G, while it is still available, will continue to have unfettered Internet access through the experimental browser. We asked Amazon for confirmation of this policy, but have not received a response as of yet. COPYRIGHT 2011 ARSTECHNICA.COM

question: What is the cost of the new kindle?, answer: $149, | question: What is it called, answer: Kindle Touch 3G, | question: The new what will have limited access to the Internet?, answer: Kindle Touch 3G, | question: What is unfettered, answer: Kindle Keyboard 3G, | question: What is the price, answer: $149, | question: What will the new kindle have?, answer: use 3G to sync book and document purchases, | question: What speed is the kindle?, answer: 3G | question: The Kindle Keyboard 3G will continue to have what?, answer: unfettered Internet access through the experimental browser. | question: The 3G version of the Kindle Touch costs how much?, answer: $149,

(Budget Travel) -- Even the most sophisticated traveler could be forgiven for thinking that there's little more to Panama than its iconic canal, seaside capital, and snorkeler-packed Bocas del Toro islands. The Los Santos region of Panama has spectacular rolling farmlands and blissfully empty beaches. But there's a more secret and equally spectacular side to the country about a five-hour drive west from Panama City: the Pacific coast region of Los Santos. Here, rolling farmlands and stands of mahogany and cocobolo trees hug an azure coastline, luring surfers, nature buffs, and, increasingly, travelers and second-home owners from all over. Although roadside real-estate billboards suggest a far more developed future, Los Santos has managed to stay blessedly free of resorts. In their place are a handful of low-key -- and far more affordable -- boutique hotels. The most stylish is the seven-room Villa Camilla, just outside the fishing village of Pedasí. The red-tiled hideaway, located on an 800-acre parcel of the Azuero Peninsula, started out as a private escape for French interior designer Gilles St.-Gilles and his wife, Camilla. "The area reminded us of Tuscany," says St.-Gilles, who landscaped the estate with fragrant jasmine, plumeria, and hibiscus. In 2005, the couple opened their place as a hotel, and last fall they added 20 new seaside duplex lofts. As stylish as they are family-friendly, the setups come with full-size kitchens, extra guest beds, and mosaic-tile flooring. An in-house stable is ready for shoreline horseback rides, and you can sign up for snorkeling trips to nearby Isla Cañas, a palm-fringed refuge where thousands of leatherback turtles converge to build nests. Farther inland, the center of Pedasí has a cow-town vibe: Picture low-slung cottages painted bright green and yellow, and ranchers wearing handmade Panama hats. Yellow is also the color of choice at the new Casita Margarita. This five-room B&B comes with locally crafted cocobolo furniture and a wraparound veranda overlooking Pedasí's main street. Perhaps best of all, it's within walking distance of local hangout Mano Surf Community, a pro shop that does double duty as a café and juice bar, and El Gringo Dusek, a no-frills, alfresco cantina run by retired U.S. Navy officer Joseph Dusek, which serves the best barbecue ribs in Los Santos. Of course, beyond the culinary surf and turf, the region's big draw is its blissfully empty beaches: Some of Panama's most scenic -- Los Destiladeros, Modroño, and the black-sand Playa Venao with its eight-foot breaks -- are short drives from Pedasí. Closer to home, Pedasí's El Arenal is a good launchpad for day trips to Iguana Island. (Fishermen stationed by the pier rent their motorboats, captain included, for about $50 round trip.) The hotel-free and nearly visitor-free isle is named for its resident black and green iguanas. Sign up for an Iguana Island Foundation snorkeling and hiking tour; you might just get a good look at some hatchlings. While it may be hard to top that sight, 77-year-old Dalila Vera de Quintero knows how to command equal wows. Her lemon-yellow bakery in a bungalow, Dulceria Yely, is famous across Panama for its home-style sweets, like almond queques (pound cakes) and creamy chicheme, a shake blended from sweetened milk, fresh corn, and crushed vanilla beans. She also stashes a cake or two in the kitchen for favorite customers, such as former Panamanian president and Pedasí native Mireya Moscoso. Swoon loudly enough and Quintero may just reward you with a thick presidential slice. If you go ... LODGING Villa Camilla Los Destiladeros, 011-507/232-0171, , from $250 Casita Margarita, Calle Central, 011-507/995-2898, from $99 FOOD Mano Surf Community, Calle Estudiante and Calle Bolivar El Gringo Dusek, Av. Central, 011-507/995-2869, entrées from $5 Dulceria Yely, Calle Ofelia

question: What is the region's big draw?, answer: blissfully empty beaches: | question: What is the time distance between Los Santos and Panama City?, answer: five-hour drive | question: What are the names of the beaches?, answer: Los Destiladeros, Modroño, and the black-sand Playa Venao | question: What is the town of Pedasi a good launchpad for?, answer: day trips to Iguana Island. | question: What country is Los Santos in?, answer: Panama | question: What is around 5 hours away from Panama City?, answer: the Pacific coast region of Los Santos. | question: What is the regions big draw?, answer: blissfully empty beaches:

(Budget Travel) -- Face off with a giant croc! Ride the world's fastest coaster! And seven more of the season's greatest adventures. Get up close with a crocodile at Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin, Australia. Zip line, Maui, Hawaii At Piiholo Ranch, a working horse and cattle ranch on Maui, Hawaii's longest zip line takes you screaming over guava trees and gulches filled with native ferns. Part of a five-line tour, Line 5, which measures more than a half mile, even takes in a glimpse of the island's north shore. 808/572-1717, piiholozipline.com, $190. -- Carolina A. Miranda Rain forest sledding, Ocho Rios, Jamaica To train for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, the famed Jamaican bobsled team resorted to careering down the island's Blue Mountains in a modified pushcart. To relive the team's experience, head to Mystic Mountain, an eco-themed park on the country's north coast. Here, thrill seekers hop into a bobsled on rails that tears through tropical forest and down a 3,200-foot track that, at one point, drops 400 feet at almost 30 mph. 876/974-3990, rainforestbobsledjamaica.com, $62. -- Sara Morrow. Budget Travel: See photos of these summer thrills Crocodile close-ups, Darwin, Australia Meet Choppa, an 18-foot croc who can shred a bull shark with his jaws. At Crocosaurus Cove aquarium, visitors spend 15 heart-pounding minutes in his tank, the Cage of Death. A sturdy acrylic panel separates you from the 1,700-pound reptile -- but that doesn't make the experience any less terrifying. 011-61/8-8981-7522, crocosauruscove.com, admission $18.50, Cage of Death $79, reservations required. -- JD Rinne Rock and Roll Dreams, London, England Crackling amps, glaring lights, the roar of the crowd: Most of us will never know the euphoria of strutting around stage like a superstar. But at London's British Music Experience, you can come close. The 20,000-square-foot interactive exhibit, open since March, has a room full of instruments where you can record your own hits and a studio where footage of you gets spliced into a music video. The grand finale: a room decked out in wall-size video screens, showing excerpts of concerts by the likes of Bowie and the Rolling Stones. 011-44/844-847-2477, britishmusicexperience.com, adults $21, kids under 16 $17. -- Alison Rohrs Tiger tug-of-war, Tampa, Florida Twice a day, up to six visitors to Jungala, a four-acre animal attraction at Busch Gardens in Tampa, get to play tug-of-war with one of the park's 11 Bengal tigers (with the 300-pound beast safely behind a double-mesh fence). Not surprisingly, the tigers have maintained a flawless record -- the feistiest feline, a male named Bhutan, usually wins in about a minute. 888/800-5447, buschgardens.com, adults $70, kids 3 to 9 $60. -- Amy Chen. Budget Travel: More summer thrills Defy gravity, Nashville, Tennessee Channel your inner Neil Armstrong at the Sudekum Planetarium in Nashville, where the new Space Chase wing has two activities that simulate the weightless feeling of space. Guests buckle into a harness and, in minutes, are hurtling above the surface of the moon or alongside a spacecraft. 615/862-5160, sudekumplanetarium.com, adults $11, kids under 12 $9. -- Beth Collins COASTER WATCH On the rails of the newest adrenaline-pumping rides. The Diamondback, Mason, Ohio Named for a deadly viper, this beast opened in April at Kings Island, near Cincinnati. It has 10 vertical drops spread out over 10 acres, but the real thrill is the open-air vehicle itself, with individual stadium-style seats and no sides. 800/288-0808, visitkingsisland.com, adults $32. -- Danielle Lipp Ring Racer, Nürburg, Germany One of pro racing's toughest tracks, the Nürburgring will also, come July, feature the world's fastest coaster --

question: Where do thrill seekers tear through tropical forest in a bobsled on rails?, answer: Ocho Rios, Jamaica | question: who can play tug-of-war with Bengal tigers?, answer: visitors to Jungala, | question: Where is Hawaii's longest zip line?, answer: Piiholo Ranch, a working horse and cattle ranch on Maui, | question: where thrill seekers tear through tropical forest in a bobsled on rails?, answer: Ocho Rios, Jamaica | question: Where can you play tug-of-war with Bengal tigers?, answer: Tampa, Florida

(Budget Travel) -- For many travelers, duty-free is a luxurious enigma wrapped up in discounted Swiss chocolate and soaked in tax-free vodka. Duty-free goods are mostly sold inside international airport terminals, ferry stations, cruise ports, and border stops. Duty-free shops sell products without local import tax. As the name implies, duty-free shops sell products without duty (a.k.a. local import tax). For example, by buying goods in a duty-free shop at Paris's Charles de Gaulle, you avoid paying the duty that France slaps on imported goods (like Swedish vodka) and that French stores ordinarily include as part of a product's list price. In Europe, there's a bonus perk: Duty-free shops in airports and ports are "tax-free shops," too, which means you are spared the value added tax (or V.A.T., a type of sales tax) that would otherwise be included in the price of goods sold elsewhere in the European Union. That means a savings of between 5 and 25 percent, depending on the country. But there's a catch for duty-free products bought in Europe and elsewhere. If you bring into the U.S. more than $800 worth of items purchased abroad -- duty-free or not -- you'll have to pay the U.S. duty. As a rule of thumb, Americans returning from overseas trips must pay 3 percent on the first $1,000 worth of merchandise over the $800 allowance. Import products worth even more than that and you may be taxed at a higher percentage. In short, duty-free is hit-or-miss for Americans. The best deals are on items labeled "tax free" and otherwise taxed heavily -- such as alcohol and cigarettes. You may also find it worthwhile to shop in duty-free stores if you have some local currency left and would rather put it to use than redeem it for dollars (and get hit with the high conversion fee of a bank or currency exchange bureau). Not every duty-free item is a true bargain. Yngve Bia, president of the duty-free research company Generation Research, says price differences depend on two things: geography and currency exchange rates. "Right now, Heathrow and Gatwick in London offer good deals, especially for liquor, because of the weak British pound," he says. For example, a one-liter bottle of Absolut vodka has a typical non-duty-free price of about $30 at retail U.S. shops. But travelers can buy it for just $15 (£10) at duty free shops at London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports. That's a significant savings. We found impressive discounts on booze elsewhere, too. One liter of Absolut sells for $17.50 (€13.50) at duty-free shops at Rome's and Brussels's main international airports, and for a bit more elsewhere, such as in Prague ($18.50, or 399 Czech koruna) and Munich ($21, or €16). Those prices offer substantial savings off the $30 benchmark price at a typical U.S. retail store. But be aware that American states may restrict how much alcohol you may import duty-free. There's a typical one-liter limit for all types of alcohol per person, though the rule depends on your state of residence and the country you've visited. (One exception: You can return from a visit to a Caribbean country with up to two liters of alcohol duty-free.) Cigarettes offer similar savings. Gatwick's duty-free shop sells a carton of Marlboro Reds for $36 (£24). The same carton goes for $27 (€20) at the airport in Rome. In New York -- the state with the highest cigarette tax in the nation -- a carton of Marlboro Reds goes for about $80. In a state with more-typical cigarette taxes, Minnesota, the price of a carton is $44 -- still higher than in duty-free shops. (Note: U.S. customs law allows you to import only up

question: What are the best deals in duty free shops?, answer: items labeled "tax free" and otherwise taxed heavily | question: What kind of items are tax free?, answer: alcohol and cigarettes. | question: who is hit-or-miss for Americans?, answer: duty-free | question: What is called 'hit or miss' for Americans?, answer: duty-free | question: the best deals are on what items?, answer: labeled "tax free" and otherwise taxed heavily | question: Is duty free shopping worthwhile for Americans?, answer: duty-free is hit-or-miss | question: Which countries have tax free shops at airports and ports?, answer: Europe,

(Budget Travel) -- Hard as it may be for anyone under 30 to imagine, there was a time when people used to shoot eight-millimeter films while on vacation and then show them to friends and family gathered around a projector in the living room. Nowadays, capturing video is far easier (whether you use a video camera, a digital still camera with video capability or even a cell phone), as is the sharing: YouTube has proved that millions of folks have learned to upload video to a computer and instantly e-mail a link to family and friends. Whether you use a video camera, a digital still camera with video capability, or even a cell phone, capturing video has never been easier. While YouTube remains a popular venue for sharing vacation videos, Web sites specifically targeting travelers are also springing up. The quality of the applications and usefulness of the content, however, vary greatly. We tested four to see which are easiest, which have bugs to work out and which can even help you offset your travel costs. Travelistic For anyone just getting the hang of online video sharing, no-frills Travelistic -- founded by veterans of Condé Nast, iFilm and MTV -- is a good start. Before you upload a video, Travelistic directs you through a simple registration process and asks you to write a short description of your clip. When the video is posted, you can e-mail friends to tell them to watch it. You can also create a profile page to list your videos, add links to other people's clips and indicate on a world map where you've been and where you'd like to go. Cool: Similar to YouTube, Travelistic gives an embed code for most postings, allowing anyone on the Internet to add the clip to his or her own Web site or blog. Likewise, YouTube videos can be embedded into Travelistic. Not cool: No registration is required to leave comments on other people's videos, leading to spam. Travelistic also doesn't restrict who can post videos, so some material on the site comes from tourism promoters. Upload time: Painfully slow at 20 minutes.* Revver Revver is a general-interest video-sharing site with a category devoted to travel clips. Its process for uploading a video is similar to Travelistic's, but the personal "dashboard" is much more sophisticated. You can collect friends, à la Facebook, and add other people's videos to your playlist (a compilation of favorite clips). There are also more ways to share your videos: The site allows you to use embed codes to link your videos to social-networking sites, and your friends can download the clips as podcasts in iTunes. Cool: The site affixes small advertisements to the bottom of every video, usually promoting something germane. (For example, an ad for a Miami hotel is attached to a home movie of Miami Beach.) Revver then pays you half the revenue it makes from the video ads -- the total depends on how many people view the ads or click on them. You can track how much you've made in your dashboard, and you're automatically paid through PayPal once you've earned at least $20. Earnings can be substantial. The creators of an extremely popular Diet Coke and Mentos video on the site have made $50,000. Not cool: Editors screen all of the videos to ensure that no obscene or copyrighted material will be posted to the site -- the process can take several hours or even a day. If your video has more than 10 seconds of a Beyoncé song in the background, for instance, the editors could consider it a copyright violation and block the clip's posting. Upload time: Five minutes. Tripfilms Founded by four friends in New York City, including former IgoUgo chief executive Tony Cheng, Tripfilms is geared toward people who think of themselves as filmmakers, professional or otherwise, with higher-quality and more informative clips than those on other video-sharing sites. But that shouldn't deter the novice videographer; Tripfilms's videos may be slicker than those on other

question: What gives an embed code for most postings?, answer: Travelistic | question: who do Video-share Web sites specifically targeting?, answer: travelers | question: What do video-share Web sites specifically target?, answer: travelers | question: how many percentage does Revver pay users the revenue it makes from ads on their submissions ?, answer: half the | question: What does Travelistic give for most postings ?, answer: an embed code | question: What does Revver pay?, answer: half the revenue | question: What does Travelistic do?, answer: directs you through a simple registration process and asks you to write a short description of your clip. | question: Who pays users half the revenue it makes from ads?, answer: Revver

(Budget Travel) -- Here's a snapshot of Portugal's defining experiences: beaches, cities, and food and wine. Get a sense of which ones fit your travel style and your budget. Sandy beaches dot Portugal's rugged coastline. Find a secluded beach The Algarve, southern Portugal's balmy riviera, sees nothing but blue sky 300 days of the year. Admire the ocean views from the roof terrace at Dianamar, in the whitewashed old center of Albufeira, just a block from the beach. Rooms are simple, but all have private terraces, and the price includes a generous breakfast buffet and afternoon cake (doubles from $65). The most dramatic coastline is along the drive to the medieval fortress town of Lagos. (Cars can be rented for around $30 a day in Albufeira; book online with companies like Europcar.) Between Praia de Dona Ana and Porto do Mós, the cliffs have been broken by the wind and sea into jagged rock formations pierced by blowholes and grottoes. Secret half-moon bays of golden sand lie hidden from view from all but the ocean. An hour beyond Lagos is Europe's southwesternmost point: Cabo São Vicente, a cape whose plunging cliffs are dotted with crumbling medieval churches and castles. More than 500 years ago, Portuguese sailing ships left to explore the world from these shores. There's great hiking in the fragrant pine woods and peach orchards less than 20 miles inland, around the spa town of Monchique -- a cluster of tiny houses and 18th-century mansions tumbling down a steep, wooded valley. The trail up to the Picota peak has magnificent views out over the coast all the way to the cape. Families from Lisbon take weekends on the beaches of Cascais, less than 20 miles from the capital. There they jostle for space on three broad, short beaches and wander, ice cream in hand, along the ocean esplanade or the clusters of narrow streets crowded around the town's imposing fort. For wilder, lonelier sand, head to Guincho, four miles west. This sweeping, gently curved shoreline is pounded by some of the best surf in the eastern Atlantic. An almost constant wind makes for superb windsurfing; a world championship is hosted here most Augusts. But watch out for those rips and prepare for cold water. While the Algarve is good for swimming from spring to autumn, you'll need a wet suit around Cascais for all but the summer months. The town is easily reached from Lisbon; trains leave from Belém station every 15 minutes and take just over half an hour ($4.50 round trip). But if you choose to stay, take a room at the Solar Dom Carlos, a 16th-century manor in a quiet Cascais backstreet (doubles from $30). There's a pocket-size former Royal Chapel on the hotel grounds. Marvel at opulent chapels and palaces Lisbon spreads in terra-cotta and cobblestone over seven hills, staring out over the Tagus River to the shimmering Atlantic. A rugged Moorish castle tops the skyline, and the streets are lined with baroque churches and Gaudíesque art nouveau buildings. Budget Travel Trip Coach: Friends explore Lisbon and beyond Allow at least three days for a first visit, and make time for the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. Extravagantly decorated doorways lead through long cloisters to a church supported by pillars adorned with stone ropes and coils of faux seaweed. These rise to a fan-vaulted ceiling whose thousands of tons of stone somehow look light and airy. Many Portuguese notables are buried at this monastery, including Luís de Camões, author of Portugal's national epic, Os Lusíadas, and the explorer Vasco da Gama. The Gulbenkian is one of the world's great small museums. Oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian acquired a huge collection of Egyptian, European and Oriental artifacts and Renaissance art, which was brought to Lisbon after his death. Highlights include intricate Roman jewelry, opulent Moorish carpets and tapestries, paintings by Rembrandt and Van Dyck, and an extensive collection of René Lalique's art nouveau glassware. Finish your day with a late afternoon's wander around the narrow, cobbled streets of the Bairro Alto

question: What medieval town can be found while driving along Portugal's most dramatic coastline?, answer: Lagos. | question: Where is the Duoro River?, answer: Portugal's | question: Where is Portugal's most dramatic coastline?, answer: along the drive to the medieval fortress town of Lagos. | question: What type of castle tops the Lisbon skyline?, answer: rugged Moorish | question: What type of castle tops the Lisbon skyline along Portugal's most dramatic coastline?, answer: A rugged Moorish | question: Where in Portugal can some of Europe's oldest vine terraces be found?, answer: Algarve, | question: What unusual building can be found near Lisbon ?, answer: rugged Moorish castle | question: Where is located Portugal's most dramati coastline ?, answer: along the drive to the medieval fortress town of Lagos.

(Budget Travel) -- I've never been a fan of the cold. As a kid, my favorite part of skiing was the hot chocolate, and I relished blizzards for the snow days, not the snowball fights. So when I booked a trip to the Icehotel in northern Sweden, my family and friends were amused -- and a bit concerned, especially when I got sick days before my flight. "You can't go to the Arctic with a cold!" my mother admonished. The hotel in northern Sweden opens every year in early December and closes at the end of April. But I had good reason for wanting to sleep in a glorified freezer: As an environmental reporter, I was curious to see a place where people have turned snow and ice into a moneymaker, one that's spawned copycats in frigid spots from Canada to Romania. Conceived by Yngve Bergqvist, a river-rafting guide who wanted to lure visitors to the Arctic north during the winter, the Icehotel started out in 1990 as nothing more than a crude igloo. Now, it's a fanciful ice castle that's rebuilt every November with an unparalleled level of artistry -- which explains why each winter 16,000 guests pay hundreds of dollars a night to sleep on a slab of ice and thousands more make the trek just to tour the rooms for the day. The 30 most elaborate suites are the handiwork of a team of artists -- sculptors, painters, architects, even comic book illustrators -- many of whom have never worked with ice before. Wielding chain saws and chisels, they spend weeks crafting frozen furniture while electricians install lights to provide an ethereal glow. Surreal? Exceedingly. This winter, German furniture maker Jens Paulus and American industrial designer Joshua Space created a space-station room straight out of "Star Trek," with giant carvings of the sun and moon on opposing walls and twinkling lights in the ceiling. British decorator Ben Rousseau and graffiti artist Insa devised the Getting Cold Feet suite, with oversize high-heeled ice shoes beside the bed. Twenty-nine unadorned snow caves offer a somewhat less pricey and more purist experience. Since no hotel would be complete without a bar, the artists also sculpt a chic space where guests can warm their innards with an Icebar Jukkasjärvi, a mix of vodka, blueberry liqueur, blue curaçao syrup and elderflower juice, sipped from a cube-shaped ice glass. Then there's the chapel, where designs etched into the ice walls resemble stained glass. About 150 couples tie the knot here each year, some brides bundled in snowsuits, others dressed in white wedding gowns, their teeth chattering as they recite their vows. When I arrive in Sweden, I'm surprised to find that the guests actually spend a lot of time in a pair of heated chalets that look like life-size gingerbread houses. The shower and bathroom are located in the one nearest the hotel -- because, really, who wants to sit on a frozen throne? And the other contains the restaurant, where chef Richard Näslin dreams up such intriguing dishes as arctic char ice cream, which has a slightly salty, smoky flavor and is much more delicious than it sounds. Budget Travel Dream Trip: Scale a volcano in Ecuador After my dinner, wrapped in several layers of fleece and down, I waddle out to a tepee for a folk concert by native Laplander Yana Mangi. At the end of each song, the crowd responds with a uniquely Arctic ovation: muffled mitten clapping. My suite has a nautical theme, with walls curved into a frozen wave and an oval bed of bluish ice set beneath a clam-shaped headboard. Topped with a mattress and a reindeer skin, the setup looks snug. Almost. The temperature is a brisk 23 degrees Fahrenheit, and I'm still petrified I'll lose a finger to hypothermia, even in my head-to-toe winter wardrobe. I climb under the furry blanket, making sure not an inch of skin is exposed. Then I gaze through the slits in my microfleece face mask and marvel at the stillness. My breath comes in shallow white puffs. Soon, I'm

question: How long has the Icehotel been around?, answer: started out in 1990 | question: What is in a heated chalet?, answer: shower and bathroom | question: Where can guests stay?, answer: the Icehotel | question: When did the Icehotel start out?, answer: in 1990 | question: What did the Icehotel start out as?, answer: nothing more than a crude igloo. | question: When was the Icehotel first established?, answer: started out in 1990

(Budget Travel) -- If the two forks of Long Island's East End were sisters, the North Fork would undoubtedly be the innocent, modest one. Edgewater Cottage in Orient offers three rental apartments that share a front porch overlooking the water. She has none of the glitz of her southern peninsular twin, the Hamptons. Celebrities don't seem to pay her much attention. She faces the quiet Long Island Sound instead of the lusty open ocean. And instead of a party scene, she offers bucolic countryside dotted with wineries and farm stands. But, as with sex appeal, geographic appeal is a matter of taste. Some of us prefer the North Fork's easygoing charm to her famous sister's haughty glamour. The North Fork may not be as posh as the Hamptons, in other words, but she has a better personality. "The North Fork is like a young Sonoma," says Joe Watson, who opened Vine Wine + Café, in Greenport, one of the area's biggest villages, in 2006. Long Island's wine country occupied fewer than 20 acres of vineyards some 35 years ago, but today there are more than 4,000 acres. Local wines have been touted in Wine Spectator. This -- in combination with easy access to fresh seafood and produce -- has attracted a thriving group of epicures. Chef Tom Colicchio (of Top Chef fame, owner of the Craft restaurant empire, and cofounder of Manhattan's tony Gramercy Tavern) bought a house here in 2004. The area has not, however, become too enamored of its own success. Towns have been gently burnished, but their rural character has remained unchanged. "This is the last vestige of what all of Long Island used to be," says Chris Baiz, owner of The Old Field Vineyards in Southold. Budget Travel gallery: Check out this mellow wine scene Only about 75 miles from Manhattan, the North Fork juts into the Long Island Sound, separated from the Hamptons by the Peconic Bay. The peninsula itself is only about 30 miles long. At Riverhead, strip malls begin to give way to open spaces and, every few miles, a speck of a village just off the road. First Mattituck, then Cutchogue, Greenport, and at the far tip, Orient. When my husband and I turn off Main Road (Route 25) and arrive in Greenport on Friday afternoon, we wander down a quiet side street to Vine. We've been told it's a good spot to start sampling North Fork wines: The restaurant serves a dozen local varieties by the taste, the glass or the bottle. The carefully considered restaurant and wine bar occupies an old-fashioned house on a corner lot and has plenty of outdoor seating on a front porch and a terrace. It's hard to imagine that when Watson first started coming out to the area 10 years ago, much of the town's main street was vacant. "Greenport was still a shambles," he recalls. "So many houses have been bought and fixed up now. It's becoming a cute little village, like Sag Harbor but not as precious." A meal can be assembled from the various small bites or more substantial dishes on the menu, but Watson says he wants to keep the focus on wine. "I love when people have a couple of glasses of wine and some olives, and just hang out," he says. And that sounds like a fine way to spend a weekend. On Saturday, we begin hunting and gathering. Many of the area wineries encourage visitors to bring a picnic to go along with their wine, and we stop at some farm stands for provisions. On Main Road in the village of Cutchogue, Wickham's Fruit Farm has been operated by the same family for about 70 years. Fresh doughnuts (cinnamon, plain, or sugar) are brought out by the plateful, and there are jars of jam, containers of flavored honey sticks, a table of pies and pick-your-own fruit out back. I settle for some fresh-baked bread, a pint of strawberries and homemade cucumber salad for

question: What town has easygoing charm instead of Hamptons glitz?, answer: The North Fork | question: Where is North Fork?, answer: Long Island's | question: What can visitors do at small family-owned wineries?, answer: bring a picnic to go along with their wine, | question: How many acres of vineyards does it have?, answer: 20 | question: How many acres of vineyards are in the area?, answer: more than 4,000 | question: What can visitors do there?, answer: bring a picnic to go along with their wine, | question: How many acres of vineyard is there?, answer: more than 4,000

(Budget Travel) -- In the lodging world, green has gone mainstream. Once chided for being wasteful, the big hotel chains are now constantly trying to one-up each other with smart eco-design upgrades and stringent water and energy conservation policies. Hyatt has begun recycling its own aluminum, plastics and paper in countries where such programs don't exist. Consider this fact: In a recent survey, 68 percent of U.S. hotels said they had energy-efficient lights, and two thirds had implemented towel- and linen-reuse programs, up from just over half five years ago. The number of properties trying to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, the most recognized standard for building sustainability, is also on the rise: Applications to the U.S. Green Building Council for the award spiked by 550 percent between 2006 and 2008. More than 500 hotels could soon earn the label; until four years ago, only one had the designation. Although all the major players are making strides toward better green policies, some are doing more than others. Here's what the leaders have achieved in four earth-changing categories: ENERGY CONSERVATION Replacing inefficient lighting, one energy-draining bulb at a time Accor: More than 8,600 Motel 6 locations in at least a dozen states have been retrofitted with occupancy sensors that cause the thermostat to readjust when guests go out. InterContinental: A trial program has been rolled out at 650 hotels that aims to cut energy consumption by as much as 25 percent. If successful, it could be expanded to all of the chain's 4,000 properties, including Holiday Inns. Marriott: Over the past decade, 450,000 incandescent bulbs have been replaced with compact fluorescent ones, and more than 250 hotels (including some Residence Inns) have earned an Energy Star efficiency label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Starwood: The new Element brand's goal is for every hotel to be LEED certified. Its first property, which opened last year in Lexington, Massachusetts, is fully loaded with Energy Star appliances, LED lighting, and top-notch ventilation systems. All together, that saves enough energy annually to power 236 homes. WATER CONSERVATION Tightening up on all the drips and drops in hotel bathrooms Hilton: The company's aim: to reduce water use at all of its brands, such as Hilton, DoubleTree, and Embassy Suites, by 10 percent by 2014. Its nearly 90 European properties have taken the lead, installing water-saving toilets, showerheads, and faucets over the past three years. Home-turf hotels are next. Hyatt: Nearly all North American properties have "low-flow" showerheads (which use a maximum of 2.5 gallons of water per minute) and toilets (1.6 gallons of water per flush). The improvements helped reduce the chain's overall water consumption by 3 percent in 2007. Marriott: Over the past 10 years, the company has added some 400,000 low-flow showerheads and toilets to all of its locations worldwide. Marriott also buys 1 million towels annually that don't require prewashing, conserving 6 million gallons of water each year. Starwood: All new Element hotels will have low-flow water fixtures in rooms and water-efficient landscaping; its Lexington star has led the way, saving up to 1 million gallons of water per year. GREEN DESIGN Thinking about the environment from the foundation up Accor: The Motel 6 brand broke ground last year on an ultra-green building near Dallas, with laminate flooring made from recycled wood chips and a solar-powered water-heating system. Best Western: Opening this year in Golden, Colorado, the chain's first LEED-certified hotel will run partially on solar power and have a porous asphalt parking lot to reduce storm-water runoff. Hilton: The company's green gem is in Vancouver, Washington: a LEED-approved hotel with low-emission paint on the walls and special drains that funnel rainwater into wells for future use. Hyatt: Seattle's Hyatt at Olive 8, which opened in January, has an 8,000-square-foot rooftop

question: Which Hyatt properties have low-flow toilets?, answer: Nearly all North American | question: Who will cut the energy consumption?, answer: the big hotel chains | question: What percent have these lights?, answer: 68

(Budget Travel) -- It's all the rage to criticize the airlines. But we found some smart, practical initiatives that point the way to a better future. This test design for Personal Rapid Transit is part of plans for driverless pods to replace airport shuttles. Driverless pods at airports Someday, driverless pods may be zipping passengers between an airport and its parking lots. Fully automated, pods are more convenient than shuttle buses driven by humans. Currently, 18 pods are being tested at London Heathrow's Terminal 5. They let you board when you want to, rather than wait for a bus on a fixed schedule. Punch in your destination, such as a parking lot, on a touch screen. Then leave the driving to the machine, which glides on rails at speeds of 25 mph. A bonus perk: The pods are battery powered, so they don't spew out environmentally destructive exhaust. Improved design of coach seats Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airways has reinvented the economy-class seat: As the seat reclines, the bottom slides forward, but the back stays in place. So the passenger sitting behind doesn't have to endure a seat hovering inches from his or her chin. The new seats are especially welcome on long-distance hauls -- which happen to be routes Cathay Pacific flies regularly. American Airlines is among the other carriers reportedly interested in installing similar, slide-forward seats. In-cabin mood lighting Poor cabin lighting on a long flight may worsen jet lag. For instance, exposure to bright light at an hour when you are ordinarily asleep can confuse your body's internal clock. But smart cabin lighting may actually help your body adjust to a new time zone -- and beat back jet lag. Virgin America has an in-cabin lighting system that subtly shifts through 12 shades of violet, including a welcoming, bright blue-purple during the day, a softer violet hue after dusk, and a deep, calming near-black on red-eyes when it's time to sleep. Elsewhere in the world, Air Canada, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Thai Airways offer mood lighting on many long-haul flights. Luggage check before you get to the airport Schlepping your bags isn't fun. It's also not necessary -- at least not in the many capital cities where you can drop checked luggage at bus or train stations and forget about it until you land at your destination. Many passengers can check bags at London's Paddington station (for Heathrow flights), Vienna's Wien Mitte station, Moscow's Kievsky Station, and Hong Kong Station. In the U.S., the best advance luggage-check option is at Walt Disney World: Guests staying at Disney lodging can check bags at their hotel before hopping on the free Magical Express ride to the Orlando airport. Paperless boarding passes Boarding passes printed on flimsy paper seem almost as outdated as paper airline tickets. Now, cell phone check-in is allowed at many airports, such as Chicago O'Hare and Los Angeles's LAX. Punch in your phone number at check-in and a bar code appears on your phone via e-mail or text message. Security officers and gate agents scan your phone's screen, making for an entirely paperless process. Some airlines, including American, Continental, and Delta (plus its sister unit, Northwest), plan to adopt the new technology at every airport gate nationwide. More power --sockets -- for the people Sometimes it's the simple things that count. Virgin America not only became the first airline to offer Wi-Fi on every flight, but it did so in an especially sensible way, with standard sockets (no adapter necessary) at every seat on the plane. Because while Wi-Fi is nice (even when there's a fee for it), it's even nicer to know that you won't run out of juice in the middle of a flight. Sockets obviously work with portable DVD players and cell phone chargers, too. Replacements for outmoded radar-tracking systems Radar is outdated. Locating a plane's position can take up to half

question: Which airline has lighting that subtly shifts throughout the day?, answer: Virgin America | question: Which airline has in-cabin lighting?, answer: Virgin America | question: How many driverless pods were there?, answer: 18 | question: Where are the driverless pods being tested, answer: at airports | question: How many pods are being tested?, answer: are | question: What shifts throughout the day?, answer: in-cabin lighting system

(Budget Travel) -- It's every city's favorite excuse for a party. Here are ten spectacular ways to ring in 2009. Brilliant and colorful fireworks light up Australia's Sydney Harbour Bridge last New Year's Eve. Bangkok: A fresh tradition If Times Square's light show doesn't cut it for you, head to the capital of Thailand, where a 52-foot-high Greeting Ball Tower signals the arrival of midnight. Outside of the giant CentralWorld shopping mall, about 500,000 revelers join hands to count down to the New Year. Earlier in the evening, events include seven concert performances by Thai stars. Grab a glass of Chang beer from an outdoor garden for about $1.50. BudgetTravel.com: See slideshow of New Year's hot spots Details: handsbangkokcountdown.com or tourismthailand.org. Hot tip: Catch traditional Thai dance and folk music on the city's historic parade ground, Sanam Luang. At midnight, fireworks explode over the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Berlin: The best and the wurst Despite temperatures of around the freezing point, Berliners host an open-air New Year's Eve bash, and the city claims that it is the largest such party in the world. Roughly one million merrymakers pack the nearly mile-and-a-quarter-long stretch between the Victory Column and the Brandenburg Gate. Colorful lasers illuminate the sky while music -- mostly pop and dance -- blares from giant speakers. Elsewhere in town, Germans are as law-abiding on Silvester (New Year's Eve) as always, lighting their private fireworks in designated spaces under police watch. But they also cut loose with practical jokes, such as filling homemade doughnuts with mustard instead of the usual jelly. Details: silvester-berlin.de. Hot tip: If you need a breather, duck into one of the scattered party tents. Rest on free heated benches and munch on specialty sausages, such as bratwurst for around $3. Or else head to Unter den Linden Boulevard, which presents a clearer, less claustrophobic view of the fireworks. Cape Town: Where the Second is best A slave's only day off in 18th-century South Africa was on January 2, and so it's on Tweede Nuwe Jaar (Second New Year) that Cape Town parties the hardest. Up to 2,800 minstrels paint their faces white and storm the streets for the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival. Expect crowds of more than 80,000. Clad in bright colors, participants carry instruments (such as whistles) and umbrellas while parading from Keizersgracht Street past City Hall and into Rose Street. South African wares and local delicacies are hawked along the route, and troupes compete for titles like Best Dressed. Details: capetownminstrels.co.za and tourismcapetown.co.za. Hot tip: Pop into a café along the cobblestone streets of the Bo Kaap residential neighborhood. Watch from indoors as minstrels perform patterned dances past brightly painted houses. Edinburgh: Scottish night lights The Scottish capital toasts every New Year with a four-day festival called Hogmanay (pronounced hog-muh-NAY). On the Monday before New Years 2009, a torchlight procession along Princes Street whisks a giant wicker lion to Calton Hill, where it's torched. Then on New Year's Eve, indie rockers like Glasvegas blast away in the streets, while more mainstream rockers like Paolo Nutini perform at the Princes Street Gardens. Nearby, there's a ceilidh, a traditional Scottish party where locals dance gigs and reels to a piper's beat. Details: edinburghshogmanay.org and visitscotland.com. Hot tip: Practice the traditional Scottish song "Auld Lang Syne" in advance. Everyone belts it out when the clock strikes 12. Hong Kong: Reaching for the stars The waterfront promenade Tsim Sha Tsui is a fine vantage point to take in the midnight pyrotechnics above the city's tallest building, 2 IFC. For an even more memorable view, jump aboard the Shining Star Ferry for a two-hour cruise of Victoria Harbour. It departs from the Tsim Sha Tsui pier; price has still not been set but will probably be around $20 per adult

question: In what country is Cape Town located?, answer: South Africa | question: How many jammed the streets of Cape Town?, answer: 2,800 | question: How many hard partiers jam streets of Cape Town, South Africa on January 2?, answer: 80,000.

(Budget Travel) -- Just a two-hour detour from Paris, the Loire was once a playground to Renaissance royals. Now its vaunted châteaux are attracting enterprising young couples and artists who have remade them into captivating -- and surprisingly affordable -- inns. Surrounded by 10-foot-high limestone walls, Le Clos d'Amboise offers an unexpected sanctuary in the town of Amboise. CHINON Hôtel Diderot "If you've never eaten a brioche with fresh Ste. Maure goat cheese, honey and walnuts for breakfast, then you haven't been to the Loire," says Laurent Dutheil, who is justifiably proud of the simple breakfasts he serves at his 23-room hotel in the western corner of the valley. Dutheil also produces dozens of fragrant artisanal jams such as apple-lavender and quince-cinnamon. (Sadly, they aren't for sale, but you can buy Dutheil's recipe book, "Jam in the Cupboard.") The traditional foods fit well with the hotel's venerable atmosphere: Diderot is housed in a sprawling 15th-century home that the Chinon-born Dutheil, along with his two sisters, Martine and Francoise, bought and renovated six years ago. Budget Travel: See the hotels Dutheil tackled structural issues, taking care to keep the exposed oak beams and original stone walls intact, while his sisters refurbished the rooms with cheerful striped wallpaper, toile bedding, and 19th-century armoires they scavenged on trips to Paris. The largest room, which sleeps four, has double windows with views of a courtyard. In the distance lie vineyards full of the red Chinon grapes much loved by 16th-century novelist and satirist François Rabelais. 4 rue de Buffon, 011-33/2-47-93-18-87, hoteldiderot.com, rooms from $72. THÉSÉE Le Moulin de la Renne A tunnel of towering fir trees leads to the entrance of this converted 19th-century mill in Thésée, on the banks of the Cher River. Guests are greeted by an enormous Bernese mountain dog named Alpha and his equally friendly owners, Véronique and Christophe Villanfin. There are 13 guest rooms, decorated with items such as embroidered quilts and framed puzzles of boats assembled by jigsaw fanatic Véronique. Jazz enthusiasts, the Villanfins host occasional concerts featuring local groups, including Les Bras'Coeurs, a quartet that performs Georges Brassens standards. The soirees are held in the restaurant, known locally for its coq au vin: rooster stewed in cabernet bottled at Le Chai des Varennes winery next door. 11 route de Vierzon, 011-33/2-54-71-41-56, moulindelarenne.com, closed Jan. 10--Feb. 10 and 10 days in Nov., rooms from $76, entrées from $15.75. CIVRAY-DE-TOURAINE Château de l'Isle The Château de l'Isle is quiet to the core -- unless you count the chorus of quacks coming from the duck pond on the 35-acre grounds. The 18th-century manor house had been abandoned for 10 years when Denis Gandon bought it in 1986 and transformed the place into a 12-room hotel. Still, the château somehow feels like a private home: A portrait of Gandon's grandfather hangs over a 100-year-old antique table in the dining area, and an amiable Jack Russell terrier entertains guests with endless rounds of fetch. The stylish bedrooms have exposed wood beams and beds draped with coverlets in shades of crimson and marigold. Budget Travel: See the hotels In the summer, breakfast is served in an expansive glassed-in terrace overlooking the garden. A nearby potager (or kitchen garden) supplies produce for some of chef Fabrice Cherioux's breakfast treats, such as a zesty tomato confiture. 1 rue de l'Ecluse, 011-33/2-47-23-63-60, chateau-de-lisle.com, rooms from $69, breakfast $13. CHENONCEAUX La Roseraie This 18-room hotel in Chenonceaux was a must-stay on the itineraries of political notables after World War II, when the Allies were trying to figure out how to piece Europe back together. Winston Churchill, Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt all, at one time or another, laid their heads at La Roseraie.

question: Where is the Hotel Diderot in Chinon?, answer: Loire," | question: What has 18 rooms?, answer: La Roseraie | question: In what century Hotel Diderot is housed?, answer: 15th-century

(Budget Travel) -- Just a two-hour detour from Paris, the Loire was once a playground to Renaissance royals. Now its vaunted châteaux are attracting enterprising young couples and artists who have remade them into captivating -- and surprisingly affordable -- inns. Surrounded by 10-foot-high limestone walls, Le Clos d'Amboise offers an unexpected sanctuary in the town of Amboise. CHINON Hôtel Diderot "If you've never eaten a brioche with fresh Ste. Maure goat cheese, honey and walnuts for breakfast, then you haven't been to the Loire," says Laurent Dutheil, who is justifiably proud of the simple breakfasts he serves at his 23-room hotel in the western corner of the valley. Dutheil also produces dozens of fragrant artisanal jams such as apple-lavender and quince-cinnamon. (Sadly, they aren't for sale, but you can buy Dutheil's recipe book, "Jam in the Cupboard.") The traditional foods fit well with the hotel's venerable atmosphere: Diderot is housed in a sprawling 15th-century home that the Chinon-born Dutheil, along with his two sisters, Martine and Francoise, bought and renovated six years ago. Budget Travel: See the hotels Dutheil tackled structural issues, taking care to keep the exposed oak beams and original stone walls intact, while his sisters refurbished the rooms with cheerful striped wallpaper, toile bedding, and 19th-century armoires they scavenged on trips to Paris. The largest room, which sleeps four, has double windows with views of a courtyard. In the distance lie vineyards full of the red Chinon grapes much loved by 16th-century novelist and satirist François Rabelais. 4 rue de Buffon, 011-33/2-47-93-18-87, hoteldiderot.com, rooms from $72. THÉSÉE Le Moulin de la Renne A tunnel of towering fir trees leads to the entrance of this converted 19th-century mill in Thésée, on the banks of the Cher River. Guests are greeted by an enormous Bernese mountain dog named Alpha and his equally friendly owners, Véronique and Christophe Villanfin. There are 13 guest rooms, decorated with items such as embroidered quilts and framed puzzles of boats assembled by jigsaw fanatic Véronique. Jazz enthusiasts, the Villanfins host occasional concerts featuring local groups, including Les Bras'Coeurs, a quartet that performs Georges Brassens standards. The soirees are held in the restaurant, known locally for its coq au vin: rooster stewed in cabernet bottled at Le Chai des Varennes winery next door. 11 route de Vierzon, 011-33/2-54-71-41-56, moulindelarenne.com, closed Jan. 10--Feb. 10 and 10 days in Nov., rooms from $76, entrées from $15.75. CIVRAY-DE-TOURAINE Château de l'Isle The Château de l'Isle is quiet to the core -- unless you count the chorus of quacks coming from the duck pond on the 35-acre grounds. The 18th-century manor house had been abandoned for 10 years when Denis Gandon bought it in 1986 and transformed the place into a 12-room hotel. Still, the château somehow feels like a private home: A portrait of Gandon's grandfather hangs over a 100-year-old antique table in the dining area, and an amiable Jack Russell terrier entertains guests with endless rounds of fetch. The stylish bedrooms have exposed wood beams and beds draped with coverlets in shades of crimson and marigold. Budget Travel: See the hotels In the summer, breakfast is served in an expansive glassed-in terrace overlooking the garden. A nearby potager (or kitchen garden) supplies produce for some of chef Fabrice Cherioux's breakfast treats, such as a zesty tomato confiture. 1 rue de l'Ecluse, 011-33/2-47-23-63-60, chateau-de-lisle.com, rooms from $69, breakfast $13. CHENONCEAUX La Roseraie This 18-room hotel in Chenonceaux was a must-stay on the itineraries of political notables after World War II, when the Allies were trying to figure out how to piece Europe back together. Winston Churchill, Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt all, at one time or another, laid their heads at La Roseraie.

question: What century was the home?, answer: 15th-century | question: Where is Hotel Diderot?, answer: western corner of the valley. | question: Where is the 18-room La Roseraie?, answer: CHENONCEAUX | question: how many decorated rooms have Auberge du Centre?, answer: 13 guest | question: Where is the hotel housed?, answer: Amboise.

(Budget Travel) -- Last October, more than 40 people followed signs depicting a skull and crossbones, with a knife and fork in place of the bones, to a secluded Bavarian-style hunting lodge 30 minutes north of St. Louis. An Entre dinner party was hosted in a Missouri hunting lodge. The attendees didn't have any idea where they were headed or what to expect. All they knew was that they were in for a five-course meal courtesy of John-Jack, an undercover chef who'd invited each of them via a top-secret e-mail to the latest of what he calls his Entre dinner parties. Guests arrived to a bluegrass band jamming in a room decorated with deer antlers. As a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace, they dined on wild-elk medallions, home-cured bacon, grapefruit confit, and butternut squash ice cream -- and toasted their good fortune with pumpkin ale from nearby microbrewery Schlafly. Welcome to the world of underground supper clubs. Getting a reservation requires a little detective work, but once in, you may never go back to eating out the old-school way again. The idea behind these dinners is to let talented chefs work their whisks in an affordable, relaxed setting. And since they're often operating out of their own kitchens, without a license to serve the public, these cooks have to keep the locales, and their own identities, under wraps. Budget Travel: The utterly random dinner party "The trend started in food-centric cities like San Francisco, but in the last year, groups have been popping up across the country," says Jenn Garbee, author of "Secret Suppers," which spotlights some of the more than 80 clubs now up and running in the U.S. One such is Guerrilla Cuisine, founded by an incognito cook in Charleston, South Carolina, who uses the alias Jimihatt and wears a ninja mask at his gatherings. As at many clubs, diners must submit their reservations weeks in advance on Jimihatt's Web site and then wait for an e-mail with directions to the hush-hush locale. Based on his track record, you won't be disappointed: The bearded Jimihatt and his rotating crew of sous-chefs have served secret, Southern-style suppers (andouille sausage gumbo, Cajun smoked chicken, chocolate beignets) in galleries, wineries, even a grocery store. Budget Travel: Haute diners Jimihatt now has a little friendly competition from an Atlanta cook named Lady Rogue. Her RogueApron shindigs each have a different theme. At a recent event, a Great Depression-style repast in Lang-Carson Park, guests stood in a soup line for pancetta minestrone with porcini mushrooms, and lemongrass-spiked corn broth. Then they divided into teams for an impromptu game of Wiffle ball. "Our goal," Lady Rogue says, "is to make dining more inclusive and to have strangers connect over food. What better way to meet people?" For those hoping to break bread with their own buddies, there's 12B in Vancouver. To keep operations simple, its mastermind, Chef Todd, hosts the six-course dinners in his own apartment, hence the name. And unlike most supper clubs, 12B cooks only for groups of friends (up to 12 at a time). Budget Travel: Pay-what-you-like restaurants "Even after working 16-hour days, I would sit at home and think, 'I've got to find a way to feed more people,'" Chef Todd says. Money isn't the incentive. His minimum-donation fee of $50 just covers costs for a feast (stuffed artichoke hearts, five-mushroom ravioli, butter-poached scallops served with BBQ pulled pork) that would average twice as much in a restaurant. But as Chef Todd will attest, these clubs are less about saving and more about spending a night eating exceptionally well in the unlikeliest of places, whether a cozy lodge straight out of a fairy tale or a humble living room. Supper Clubs Entre, St. Louis, Missouri, http://danssouslaterre.com/

question: How many supper clubs are in the U.S.?, answer: 80 | question: Do the chefs of underground supper clubs have licenses?, answer: without a | question: What started in food-centric cities?, answer: "The trend | question: What ways are people invited?, answer: via a top-secret e-mail

(Budget Travel) -- Last October, more than 40 people followed signs depicting a skull and crossbones, with a knife and fork in place of the bones, to a secluded Bavarian-style hunting lodge 30 minutes north of St. Louis. An Entre dinner party was hosted in a Missouri hunting lodge. The attendees didn't have any idea where they were headed or what to expect. All they knew was that they were in for a five-course meal courtesy of John-Jack, an undercover chef who'd invited each of them via a top-secret e-mail to the latest of what he calls his Entre dinner parties. Guests arrived to a bluegrass band jamming in a room decorated with deer antlers. As a fire crackled in the massive stone fireplace, they dined on wild-elk medallions, home-cured bacon, grapefruit confit, and butternut squash ice cream -- and toasted their good fortune with pumpkin ale from nearby microbrewery Schlafly. Welcome to the world of underground supper clubs. Getting a reservation requires a little detective work, but once in, you may never go back to eating out the old-school way again. The idea behind these dinners is to let talented chefs work their whisks in an affordable, relaxed setting. And since they're often operating out of their own kitchens, without a license to serve the public, these cooks have to keep the locales, and their own identities, under wraps. Budget Travel: The utterly random dinner party "The trend started in food-centric cities like San Francisco, but in the last year, groups have been popping up across the country," says Jenn Garbee, author of "Secret Suppers," which spotlights some of the more than 80 clubs now up and running in the U.S. One such is Guerrilla Cuisine, founded by an incognito cook in Charleston, South Carolina, who uses the alias Jimihatt and wears a ninja mask at his gatherings. As at many clubs, diners must submit their reservations weeks in advance on Jimihatt's Web site and then wait for an e-mail with directions to the hush-hush locale. Based on his track record, you won't be disappointed: The bearded Jimihatt and his rotating crew of sous-chefs have served secret, Southern-style suppers (andouille sausage gumbo, Cajun smoked chicken, chocolate beignets) in galleries, wineries, even a grocery store. Budget Travel: Haute diners Jimihatt now has a little friendly competition from an Atlanta cook named Lady Rogue. Her RogueApron shindigs each have a different theme. At a recent event, a Great Depression-style repast in Lang-Carson Park, guests stood in a soup line for pancetta minestrone with porcini mushrooms, and lemongrass-spiked corn broth. Then they divided into teams for an impromptu game of Wiffle ball. "Our goal," Lady Rogue says, "is to make dining more inclusive and to have strangers connect over food. What better way to meet people?" For those hoping to break bread with their own buddies, there's 12B in Vancouver. To keep operations simple, its mastermind, Chef Todd, hosts the six-course dinners in his own apartment, hence the name. And unlike most supper clubs, 12B cooks only for groups of friends (up to 12 at a time). Budget Travel: Pay-what-you-like restaurants "Even after working 16-hour days, I would sit at home and think, 'I've got to find a way to feed more people,'" Chef Todd says. Money isn't the incentive. His minimum-donation fee of $50 just covers costs for a feast (stuffed artichoke hearts, five-mushroom ravioli, butter-poached scallops served with BBQ pulled pork) that would average twice as much in a restaurant. But as Chef Todd will attest, these clubs are less about saving and more about spending a night eating exceptionally well in the unlikeliest of places, whether a cozy lodge straight out of a fairy tale or a humble living room. Supper Clubs Entre, St. Louis, Missouri, http://danssouslaterre.com/

question: Where do the chefs operate?, answer: Missouri hunting lodge. | question: how many clubs are there, answer: 80 | question: What country houses more than 80 of these clubs?, answer: U.S. | question: Where did these clubs start?, answer: San Francisco, | question: where did the Underground supper clubs start, answer: San Francisco,

(Budget Travel) -- No offense to the nation's capital, but the landmarks of our heritage extend far beyond the District of Columbia. Yellowstone National Park preserves an enormous natural bounty, including 10,000 hot springs and 300 geysers. Sears Tower (Willis Tower) It's fitting that the country's tallest building, the Sears Tower (we haven't come to terms with the new name either), is in the same city that built the first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, demolished in 1931. Chicago's innovation sparked a worldwide race that continues to redefine city skylines from London to Dubai to Taipei. There's simply no better way to experience those early architects' remarkable vision than to stand on The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago, a transparent observation box that suspends you 1,353 feet above street level, on a wisp of glass just one and a half inches thick. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania The site of the Civil War's bloodiest battle and of one of Abraham Lincoln's most famous speeches, Gettysburg National Military Park is a lasting memorial to the devastation caused by, and the reasons for, the war that remade the union. In its successful efforts to fend off encroaching development, Gettysburg also reflects the struggles of many historic sites to preserve the sanctity of their land. nps.gov/gett. Yellowstone National Park Yes, other National Parks are stunning (Grand Canyon and Yosemite come to mind), but Yellowstone, signed into being by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, was the very first in the world -- and established an early precedent for land conservationists internationally. This majestic park, bordered by Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, preserves an enormous natural bounty: It is home to 10,000 hot springs and 300 geysers, numerous lakes and rivers, and wildlife such as bighorn sheep, bison, grizzly bears, and more than 1,000 gray wolves. nps.gov/yell. New York Harbor It's still easy to imagine the bay as millions of immigrants might have perceived it on their way to the United States: the promise of the Statue of Liberty, the judgment of Ellis Island, and the hope of Manhattan's skyscrapers rising in the distance. Emma Lazarus's ode to the huddled masses, inside the Statue of Liberty's pedestal, is a timeless reminder of our common bond as immigrants, a history that stretches from Jamestown to the current day. Budget Travel gallery: See the 8 sights Monticello Why Thomas Jefferson and not George Washington, you ask? It's undeniable that Washington was the greater warrior, but it was Jefferson who authored the Declaration of Independence and helped define our claim to liberty -- the reason we fought in the first place. Monticello, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is filled with more than 5,000 of Jefferson's prized artifacts, like botanic microscopes, an illustrated engraving of the Declaration of Independence, and elk antlers from the Lewis and Clark Expedition (which Jefferson sponsored). The residence provides a fascinating exhibition of the progressive, transformative ideas of its owner. monticello.org. Graceland Born in Mississippi and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Elvis Presley incorporated the homegrown sounds of the Delta blues and country music into his songs, and then shared them with the rest of the world. Graceland, his home in Memphis, is a similar melting pot of styles and tastes. Like his music, it's American through and through. Among the highlights: two private jets named Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II, five gold-plated showerheads, and in the car museum across the street, 10 of the King's favorite rides, including his famous pink Cadillac. elvis.com/graceland. Pearl Harbor The bombing of Pearl Harbor transformed a sleepy, remote naval base in Hawaii into a fiery catalyst for America's entry into World War II. Within the space of a few hours, the U.S. Pacific naval fleet was devastated, more than 2,300 servicemen died, and the nation united around a common cause. It's hard to imagine a more poignant memorial than the Alfred Preis-designed bridge that hovers over the midsection of the sunken battleship, the USS Arizona, which remains the underwater grave for 1,177 of her crewmen. nps.gov/valr.

question: Name two sights that the editors considered., answer: Yellowstone National Park | question: What sights make the list?, answer: Yellowstone National Park | question: Which national park made the list?, answer: Yellowstone

(Budget Travel) -- On your next trip, you could be checking into a wine cask, a salvaged 727 airplane, or a room where the furniture defies the law of gravity. The casks at the Hotel De Vrouwe Van Stavoren in the Netherlands once held the equivalent of 19,333 bottles of wine. Upside-down stay At Berlin's Propeller Island City Lodge, each of the 30 rooms is weird in its own way. The artist-owner, Lars Stroschen, has seen to that. One room, the first built, is made to look like a brightly painted medieval town, with an ultra-mini golf course surrounding the castle bed. Another has furniture attached to the ceiling, another has coffins for beds, and still another has lion cages on stilts (the Web site claims that kids "love to sleep" in them). Then there's the Freedom Room, which resembles a prison, complete with a toilet next to the bed -- oh, that German humor! 011-49/30-891-90-16, propeller-island.com. A place to unwine'd When they were owned by a Swiss château, the four enormous casks on the grounds of the Hotel De Vrouwe Van Stavoren in the Netherlands held the equivalent of 19,333 bottles of wine. Now, after some creative recycling, it's guests rather than booze that mellow out inside the casks. The richly worn and airtight oak barrels have two narrow beds, with a small sitting area outside. The grounds are quite close to tiny Stavoren's harbor, which was a major port in the Middle Ages. 011-31/51-46-81-202, hotel-vrouwevanstavoren.nl. A bad trip (with none of the consequences) The daughter of Ho Chi Minh's number two masterminded the Hang Nga Guest House and Art Gallery, a complex that more than earns its local nickname, the Crazy House. This LSD nightmare's three main buildings are Gaudi-esque concrete treehouse-like growths that appear as if they flowed organically out of the ground. Inside, the walls seem to dissolve into the floor, and right angles are avoided entirely. Each guest room is built around a different animal theme: the Eagle Room has a big-beaked bird standing atop a huge egg, while another has arm-sized ants crawling up the wall. The animal theme continues outside -- a large giraffe statue on the property contains a teahouse, and human-size "spider webs" are set up here and there. 011-84/63-82-20-70. Budget Travel: Check out these unusual hotels In a league of its own Hydrophobics should stay far from Jules' Undersea Lodge, named for novelist Jules Verne of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" fame. The 600-square-foot lodge, a former marine lab, is 21 feet underwater, close to the bottom of the mangrove-filled Emerald Lagoon, in Key Largo. You'll have to know how to scuba dive to reach your room, and guests without the mandatory certification must take a course at the hotel. Once you've reached the lodge, which sleeps up to six, you'll be close to angelfish, anemones, barracuda, oysters, and other creatures -- each room is equipped with a 42-inch window, so you don't need to be suited up to keep an eye on the neighborhood. 305/451-2353, jul.com. Crash in a jet plane Near a beach that's within Manuel Antonio National Park, the Hotel Costa Verde doesn't lack for great sights. But few are as amazing as its own 727 Fuselage Suite, a salvaged 1965 Boeing 727-100 that looks as if it's crashed into the Costa Rican jungle (it's actually mounted atop a 50-foot pillar and reached via a spiral staircase). The jet's interior was once able to hold up to 125 passengers, but there are few reminders left of its days in the service of South African Airways and Colombia's Avianca Airlines. The suite's two bedrooms, dining area, and sitting room are now covered over entirely in teak to match the surroundings. Guests can play "spot the toucan" on the small

question: A Costa Rica hotel offers stays inside a salvaged what ?, answer: 727 airplane, | question: What town has a hotel has an Airstream trailer park on the roof?, answer: Stavoren in the Netherlands | question: What hotel offers stays inside of a salvaged airplane?, answer: De Vrouwe Van Stavoren in the Netherlands

(Budget Travel) -- Prohibition-style bars and speakeasies have been popping up all over, but these lounges go beyond the gimmicks in their near obsessive devotion to the art of old-time cocktails and decor. The perpetually packed Beehive in Boston is known for its Beehive julep and champagne cocktails. The Edison, Los Angeles, California The 1920s scene at legendary watering holes like the Cocoanut Grove and Ciro's of Hollywood inspired this cavernous lounge, where current industry players mingle in their best vintage cocktail dresses and blazers. The Edison is in the basement of a former power plant; leather furniture surrounds preserved industrial elements like furnaces and power generators. Silent movies play on brick walls, and a circus troupe performs weekly. On Soup Kitchen Fridays, drinks mixed from house-made Bath Tub Gin are 35 cents from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and come with free grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. edisondowntown.com. The Violet Hour, Chicago, Illinois Luxurious floor-to-ceiling velvet curtains create intimate spaces inside the Violet Hour, discreetly hidden behind an unmarked, wood-paneled door. Circles of high-backed leather chairs and the warm glow from crystal chandeliers and working fireplaces encourage conversation. So does a strict no-cell-phones policy. Eight kinds of ice -- shards, crushed and cubes of varying shapes -- are tailored to specific drinks, which gives an idea of how seriously this bar takes its cocktails. A favorite is the Juliet and Romeo, Beefeater gin with mint, cucumber and rosewater ($12). theviolethour.com. Budget Travel gallery: See the bars APO Bar + Lounge, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Look for the pharmacy cross marking the entrance to APO, short for apothecary -- a place where ingredients like gin and bitters were put to medicinal use way before the cocktail was born. Inside the sleek, green-hued lounge, barkeeps sporting '30s-style suits serve cocktails spruced up with creative, unusual ingredients. The Booty Collins, for instance, is green-tea-infused gin with brandied cherries, passion fruit and homemade seltzer, finished with agave nectar, cayenne pepper and fresh valerian root ($10). The bar recently introduced a simpler recession-proof menu of $6 drinks that lose the exotic accents and just mix fine spirits with fresh fruit juices. apothecarylounge.com. Flatiron Lounge, New York City In a landmark 1900 building in Manhattan's Flatiron District, this lounge evokes jazz-age glamour with velvet bar stools, red circular booths and an entire wall covered in blue vintage mirrored-glass tiles. The anchor is the 1927 mahogany bar salvaged from The Ballroom, where Frank Sinatra partied. Painstakingly crafted drinks range from fresh-fruit-infused cocktails ($13) to daily martini flights -- three mini cocktails with a common theme, such as the Flight Back in Time, featuring a Sazerac, a Sidecar and an Aviation martini ($22). flatironlounge.com. The Beehive, Boston, Massachusetts Named for a Paris café des artistes that once hosted artists Marc Chagall and Amadeo Modigliani, this Moulin Rouge-esque supper club presents jazz, cabaret and burlesque performances on a shimmering stage draped with theatrical red-velvet curtains. At round stage-side tables, diners feast on stick-to-your-ribs comfort food like gravy-smothered poutine. Chandeliers hang among exposed pipes over the perpetually packed bar, known for champagne cocktails and Beehive juleps ($10.50). beehiveboston.com. Velvet Tango Room, Cleveland, Ohio This funky 1800s brick house was a speakeasy during the '20s, and it feels like not much has changed since then, as evidenced by the well-used jazz piano and the secret room hidden behind a two-way mirror. Bartenders measure ingredients on scales to ensure exact proportions go into cocktails ($15) made with throwback mixers like frothy egg whites, fresh-brewed bitters and homemade ginger soda. velvettangoroom.com. Illusions Magic Bar, Baltimore, Maryland With custom-made chandeliers above the cherry wood bar and jazz and swing played on the piano, Illusions gives the impression of being like any other roaring '20s-themed jazz club

question: Where in Boston can I see jazz, cabaret and burlesque?, answer: Beehive | question: Where is the Beehive located?, answer: Boston, Massachusetts | question: How many kinds of ice are mixed into cocktails?, answer: Eight | question: Where is the Velvet Tango Room?, answer: Cleveland, Ohio | question: What club in Cleveland used to be a speakeasy during the '20s?, answer: Velvet Tango Room, | question: What does the Beehive present?, answer: julep and champagne cocktails. | question: Where is the Violet Hour?, answer: Chicago, Illinois | question: Where was the speakeasy?, answer: Cleveland, Ohio

(Budget Travel) -- Some of my greatest travel memories are about exploring the local markets -- digging through the goods, chatting with vendors, feeling my way through the nuances of a spirited negotiation. Each time, I walk away with an earful of native lore and insider info -- on top of armfuls of awesome finds. The Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market in Ohio takes place one weekend each month, excluding February and July. Once, I picked up a pair of swingy silver earrings at a market in Uruguay and simultaneously bagged a tip for the best spot to dance to candombe music, something the seller insisted I do while wearing my new purchase. It was just the kind of authentic encounter I'd never have found in a shop on the main drag. Each of these American markets will leave you with that same richness of experience -- as well as heaps of quality souvenirs. Who needs another plastic snow globe, anyway? BRIMFIELD ANTIQUE & FLEA MARKET SHOWS Where & when: Brimfield, Massachusetts; six consecutive days each in mid-May, July and September. What: A local auctioneer, Gordon Reid, started this outdoor market, now the country's largest, on a somewhat humbler stage back in 1959: his own backyard. Now, more than 1 million visitors flood in every year to shop the peerless selection of affordable New England collectibles (weather vanes, decoys and Nantucket baskets) and maritime accoutrements (brass lamps and ships' wheels) spread across more than 20 "fields" on either side of the town's main road, each containing hundreds of vendors. Budget Travel: 20 great flea markets around the world Three of the best fields are Dealer's Choice, known for its quality rustic furniture; Heart-O-The Mart, favored for hobnail glassware and intact grain sacks; and J&J Auction Acres, flush with high-end items like colonial cherrywood chests and convex mirrors. Even the food has a regional bent: Try the generously sized $10 lobster rolls, the fresh-popped kettle corn, and the Pilgrim Sandwich, a supersoft roll layered with roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayo. brimfield.com. Best shot at a bargain: The slower July and September markets may yield better deals than the crowded May outing, which serves as the region's antiquing-season opener. Gigi's find: A portable radio. "I love how [it] is part gadget, part accessory: It swings closed into a ring shape you can carry around like a purse as it plays. I got it years ago at Brimfield for $15." Budget Travel gallery: See these cool flea markets SPRINGFIELD ANTIQUE SHOW & FLEA MARKET Where & when: Springfield, Ohio; one weekend each month, excluding February and July. What: Over the course of its quarter-century run, this busy market held on a county fairground has won a reputation as the heartland's go-to source for all things folky and primitive, such as old metal pails, Shaker boxes, cross-stitched samplers, and calico quilts. Farmhouse antiques, like blanket chests, milk-paint cupboards, and sturdy rocking chairs also figure prominently, as do well-preserved dishware and tabletop items. Budget Travel: How to shop every market like a pro During each year's three supersize Extravaganzas -- in May, June, and September -- the number of vendors swells to more than 2,500, some operating out of cattle barns and poultry houses. Visit the market's online discussion forum to connect with sellers, preview goods, and even post wish lists. springfieldantiqueshow.com. Best shot at a bargain: Go in September, when dealers are trying to liquidate their stock for the winter. BROOKLYN FLEA Where & when: Brooklyn, New York; Saturdays from mid-April through Thanksgiving. What: In less than two years, this sale in a Brooklyn schoolyard has attracted a large enough following to justify a second location and seasonal spin-off events. Shoppers come for the mix of vintage clothing and jewelry, architectural salvage, and decorative objects like modernist table lamps and metal

question: Which town has an antique and flea market the first Sunday of each month?, answer: Springfield | question: When is the next Brimfield market in Massachusetts?, answer: six consecutive days each in mid-May, July and September. | question: what state is Brimfield market held in?, answer: Massachusetts; | question: When is the next Brimfield market?, answer: six consecutive days each in mid-May, July and September. | question: Where can you find second hand goods?, answer: The Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market in Ohio

(Budget Travel) -- Thanks to a vibrant design culture and growing tourism industry, Spain now has some of the best boutique hotels on the continent -- including a recent wave of hotel chains that's making chic accommodations affordable. The real estate boom has been a key factor. Spying the potential, many entrepreneurs snapped up 19th-century residential buildings and converted them. Gat, a trailblazer, operates two hotels in Barcelona's Raval, a multicultural neighborhood just off Las Ramblas. Both feature abstract art, acid green walls, and stylishly minimalist furniture. Book weeks in advance for the Xino (more appealing than sister hotel, the Raval). All its rooms have private baths, and you can admire the city skyline from the rooftop terrace (doubles from €70 ($110)). The Room Mate chain is multiplying rapidly, with branches in Granada, Madrid, Malaga, Oviedo, Salamanca, Valencia and counting. (It first caught our attention last year.) But don't think chain-like conformity. Each property, named after an imagined roommate, has its own personality, as interpreted by a crew of hot young interior designers. In Madrid, book Room Mate Alicia, a cultured, original, and slightly edgy creature, according to the owners. Near major museums, the hotel's light-filled, airy rooms are stylish without going overboard on showy design elements. Ask for one that looks out over Santa Ana, the city's hottest 'hood (doubles from €100 ($157)). Hot is regularly used to describe Madrid these days -- and not just in reference to the climate. Finally stealing some of the limelight from Barcelona, Spain's capital is going through a renaissance in food, design and counterculture. Visiting creative types head for fashionable Chueca and check in to Colors Host, decorated in a chromatic riot of shades. Book rooms 1, 2, 10 or 11 for an enclosed balcony overlooking Calle Fuencarral (doubles from €45 euros ($71)). At the other end of the spectrum, the Analina Rooms offers tastefully modernist brown-and-white interiors and breakfast next door at Maestro Churrero, a café famous for the quintessential Spanish snack, chocolate con churros (doubles from €65 ($102)). Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE!

question: Is there abstract or modern art there?, answer: Both feature | question: What do the Analina rooms offer?, answer: tastefully modernist brown-and-white interiors and breakfast next door at Maestro Churrero, | question: What do these hotels feature?, answer: abstract art, acid green walls, and stylishly minimalist furniture. | question: What do Barcelona's Gat hotels feature?, answer: abstract art, acid green walls, and stylishly minimalist furniture. | question: Where is Barcelona located?, answer: Spain | question: What are Analina Rooms?, answer: offers tastefully modernist brown-and-white interiors and breakfast next door at Maestro Churrero,

(Budget Travel) -- We've found 15 water parks in your own backyard. Before the dreaded "are we there yet?" echoes from the back seat, you'll be in the parking lot. At Splish Splash in Long Island, New York, the most popular offerings pitch you into darkness. Wilderness Territory Waterpark Resort at Wisconsin Dells Near Madison, Wisconsin (55 miles) The Wilderness Territory's most popular ride is the Hurricane: Riders experience the eye of the storm as they rapidly descend through a four-story funnel. Flashes of lightning, rumbling thunder and drifting fog convey the sense of a full-blown natural disaster. Details: 511 E. Adams St., Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, 800/867-9453, wildernessresort.com. Kids eat free with adult purchase. Other Wilderness locations: A new, 150-acre Wilderness resort in Sevierville, Tennessee. Other water parks in Wisconsin Dells: Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park and Noah's Ark. Kalahari Resort, Sandusky, Ohio Near Toledo, Ohio (60 miles) Kalahari doubled the size of the park in December 2007. The highlight is the Swahili Swirl. In a four-person inner tube, you'll be ejected from a steep tube slide into a 60-foot-diameter bowl; it's a dizzying three times around before you're sucked down the drain and dropped into a 50-foot-long landing pool. It's like a really fun toilet bowl. To mellow out, relax under the 40,000-square-foot clear Texlon roof, which houses tropical plants and allows guests to catch sun year-round. Budget Travel: See the parks Details: 7000 Kalahari Dr., Sandusky, 877/525-2427, kalahariresort.com. Look for "Beat the Clock" lodging specials on the Web site. Other Kalahari locations: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. And a new water-park resort is under development in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Geauga Lake's Wildwater Kingdom, Geauga Lake, Ohio Near Cleveland, Ohio (25 miles) Older children and teens flock to the 60-foot-tall, 253-foot-long Liquid Lightning tornado slide. The ride launches you -- at speeds of up to 24 mph -- from a tube slide into a giant funnel, before spitting you into the calm waters of the finishing pool. Tamer settings include the Splash Landing family activity center, with waterslides, soaker hoses, bubbling geysers and a raining umbrella, and Coral Cove, an activity pool with three basketball hoops and huge climbable animals. Details: 1100 Squires Rd., Aurora, Ohio, 330/562-8303, wildwaterfun.com. Aquatica by SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida Near Tampa, Florida (85 miles) The signature experience here is the Dolphin Plunge, 250 feet of clear underwater tubes that plunge riders into a lagoon populated by charismatic black-and-white Commerson's dolphins. For a split second, you'll feel as if you're swimming with them. Aquatica's attractions include something for everyone: 36 slides, six rivers and lagoons and more than 80,000 square feet of white-sand beaches. Details: 5800 Water Play Way, Orlando, 888/800-5447, aquaticabyseaworld.com. Daytona Lagoon, Daytona Beach, Florida Near Orlando, Florida (55 miles) Daytona Lagoon's most hair-raising experience is Blackbeard's Revenge. After you climb the 62-foot tower and mount an inner tube, you'll take a 15 mph, six-story tumble down a twisting, pitch-black tunnel slide. Don't miss the brand-new Kraken's Conquest, either: It's a four-lane, 55-foot-long ProRacer-series speed slide. Friends and families can challenge each other to high-speed, watery showdowns. Details: 601 Earl St., Daytona Beach, 386/254-5020, daytonalagoon.com. The park offers a different special each day; for example, every Thursday you can get unlimited use of miniature golf, the carousel, and the rock-climbing wall from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for $10. Splash Island at Cypress Gardens, Winter Haven, Florida Near St. Petersburg, Florida (74 miles) At the interactive water-play area, the towering Tikki Head --

question: Where is the Kalahari Resort?, answer: Sandusky, Ohio Near Toledo, Ohio | question: When did the park size double?, answer: December 2007. | question: What size is the Ohio park?, answer: 150-acre

(Budget Travel) -- Whatever your vibe, one of these new hotels will fit the bill. Hotel Erwin overlooks the hopping Venice Beach boardwalk. VENICE BEACH Hotel Erwin Surf and skate culture inspired the decor in the hotel's 81 rooms and 38 suites. Graffiti-style art covers the doors, and safety-yellow metal partitions in the rooms display sunglasses for sale. Private balconies overlook the hopping Venice boardwalk. We especially love the pillow menu and the open-air rooftop lounge, which has views of the Pacific Ocean, 250 feet away. But what's with the fireplaces in the suites? Really, in Venice? 1697 Pacific Ave., 310/452-1111, jdvhotels.com, rooms from $179. LAX AIRPORT Custom Hotel Working hard to prove that airport hotels needn't be dull, the Custom employs a private shuttle that takes guests to and from LAX while playing techno music over silent Greta Garbo movies. Clearly, this place is a playground for grown-ups. DJs spin Afro-Cuban tunes at Hopscotch, the pool bar and grill with a fire pit, four cabanas and vintage video games. Artistically inclined guests can borrow art supplies from the 12th-floor studio, Scribble. 8639 Lincoln Blvd., 310/645-0400, customhotel.com, rooms from $95. DOWNTOWN O Hotel This 68-room hotel sits in the heart of newly hot downtown L.A. Built in the 1920s, the steel-and-glass structure was recently renovated and now has a modern feel (think mood lighting that shines from under the beds and ergonomic desk chairs). The minimalist motif is mostly nice, except when it comes to things like cramped shower stalls. The on-site O Bar & Kitchen serves tapas and martinis until 11 p.m. -- till 2 a.m. on weekends; a 7,000-square-foot underground lounge opens next spring. 819 S. Flower St., 213/623-9904, ohotelgroup.com, rooms from $129. HOLLYWOOD Hollywood Heights Hotel In prime Hollywood, this hotel is within three blocks of the Walk of Fame, Madame Tussauds (opening August 1), and Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The lobby mixes the contemporary -- white metal-frame sofas and graphic-print rugs -- with black-and-white photos of film stars like Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. Low-key restaurant and bar Hideout serves pot pies, short ribs and mac and cheese. 2005 N. Highland Ave., 323/876-8600, hollywoodheightshotel.com, rooms from $169. LOS FELIZ Los Feliz Lodge This group of 13 casitas was built in the 1920s as an enclave for the Paramount silent-film elite. The bungalows and villas -- some of which still belong to full-time private residents -- have amenities like stocked kitchens, washers, dryers and French doors that lead to a communal patio. Los Feliz is a rare walkable neighborhood, and the Metro is only a five-minute stroll away. 1507 N. Hoover St., 877/660-4150, losfelizlodge.com, two-person bungalows from $150. Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., all rights reserved. Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

question: what location has stocked kitchens, answer: Los Feliz Lodge | question: What can hotel guests borrow?, answer: art supplies | question: What has stocked kitchens?, answer: Los Feliz Lodge | question: what hotel is three blocks from the Walk of Fame, answer: Hollywood Heights | question: Where are the kitchens stocked?, answer: Los Feliz Lodge | question: Who can borrow art supplies?, answer: Artistically inclined guests

(Budget Travel) -- When you have beach on the brain, who wants to bother with a layover? Budget Travel has prepared the ultimate insider's guide to seven resort towns south of the border that are just one quick flight away. The Pacific-coast resort of Puerto Vallarta has attracted artists in recent years with its natural beauty and well-preserved colonial architecture. MAZATLÁN As resort towns go, Mazatlán is one of Mexico's prettiest, with an assortment of 19th-century neoclassical, republican, and French baroque buildings in pastel colors. The best place for wandering is Old Mazatlán, particularly the tree-lined streets around Plazuela Machado, where guitarists and singers roam from one sidewalk café to the next. Eat Sample traditional Sinaloan dishes at Pedro & Lola, a restaurant with seating on the square that's known for its Mexican Molcajete, grilled beef served with cactus and onions (011-52/669-982-2589, restaurantpedroylola.com, beef $14). Drink On nearby Belisario Domínguez street, locals gather nightly for tequila and Pacifico beers at La Tertulia, a bullfighting-themed bar that's owned and staffed by actual bullfighters and has posters, costumes, and pictures of the sport's greats all over the walls (no phone, tequila from $2). BudgetTravel.com: Find a nonstop route to Mexico Stay Among the hotel options in the area, the 72-room Best Western Posada Freeman Express has the most character -- it's in a renovated 1940s high-rise and has a rooftop pool with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean (011-52/669-985-6060, book.bestwestern.com, from $80). Detour To lose the crowds, jump on one of Aqua Sport Center's boats to tiny, uninhabited Deer Island just off the coast. It has a white-sand beach, trails for hiking, and clear waters that are perfect for snorkeling (011-52/669-913-3333, $12). IXTAPA-ZIHUATANEJO The twin cities of Ixtapa and Zihuatanejo are separated by just three miles, but despite that proximity, they don't have a lot in common. Zihuatanejo, which dates back to precolonial times, is a relaxed fishing town set on an enclosed bay with not a single high-rise hotel. Stay The 30 rooms at the Hotel Brisas del Mar are accented with Mexican tiles and have hammocks on the balconies (011-52/755-554-2142, hotelbrisasdelmar.com, from $102). Ixtapa, in contrast, was built 36 years ago as part of a government effort to spur tourism development on the coast. Today, it has a gleaming strip of beachfront hotels, manicured lawns, and a wide range of restaurants, from local spots to large Mexican chains. Eat El Arbolito serves fresh seafood dishes, such as camaronillas -- shrimp and cheese in a fried tortilla -- and creative cocktails like the Black Banana, a mixture of Kahlua, coconut liqueur, and orange juice (011-52/755-553-3700, entrées from $8). Drink At Barceló Ixtapa Beach Hotel's Sanca Bar, bands play salsa and Cuban music on weekend nights (011-52/755-555-2000, barcelo.com, beer from $3). Do Ixtapa has no shortage of beaches, but if you're in the mood for something more active, rent a bike at Xplora Adventours (011-52/755-553-3584, $3 per half hour) and take a ride through Parque Ecológico Aztlán, a forest teeming with native birds, turtles, and iguanas. BudgetTravel.com: Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo photos ACAPULCO Acapulco got its glamorous start in the 1950s and '60s, when celebrities like Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Judy Garland turned the exclusive hotels on the rugged cliffs over the bay into their playground. Drink One of these spots, the 78-year-old Hotel el Mirador, is the place to go for a quintessential Acapulco experience: Watching cliff divers plunge 130 feet into the bay while having a watermelon daiquiri on the patio at the on-site La Perla bar (011-52/744-483-1155, hotelelmiradoracapulco.com.mx, $24 drink minimum). For another

question: What is a diving hot spot?, answer: Acapulco

(Budget Travel) -- With rates as low as $36, these flashy new European hotels take the convenience of the pod concept and expand it with style. Qbic hotels have a clever lighting concept -- Deep Purple Love, anyone? You can pick the color you like, or turn them off altogether. YOTEL Where: Inside terminals at London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports (in Terminal 4), and Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. The concept: Catering to those with a long layover, these glossy, no-nonsense capsule hotels are small but convenient for business travelers -- or someone just looking for a nap and a shower. What you get: A windowless room (about 75 square feet) that looks like a cruise ship cabin -- there's a shower, a TV, a fold-out work desk and an overhead storage rack; Wi-Fi is free. Bonus: a 24-hour room-service menu of snacks and drinks delivered within 15 minutes. What it'll cost: There's a four-hour minimum, which costs about $36 for a standard cabin in the London locations. After that, pay by the hour (about $10). Premium cabins are probably better for shares -- those start at $57 for four hours. yotel.com. QBIC Where: Antwerp, Belgium; Maastricht and Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The concept: A completely self-service hotel. You check yourself in at the kiosk and buy everything with your hotel key card. What you get: In the center of each room is a Cubi, a 75-square-foot enclosed platform for the bed, a bar-like work-and-dine space and the bathroom. The lighting is at your discretion -- Mellow Yellow, Deep Purple Love -- it's all pretty club-like. There's a vending machine in the lobby filled with drinks, locally made snacks such as organic bread and things you may have forgotten -- like neckties. What it'll cost: From $91. qbichotels.com. CITIZENM Where: Near Amsterdam's Schiphol airport and in central Amsterdam's posh Zuid neighborhood, which started taking guests this April. The concept: Keeping prices down by using prefabricated everything -- the 150-square-foot rooms are built in a factory, stacked up and then shot through with plumbing and electrical wiring. Budget Travel wrote about citizenM in a February 2009 story on boutique hostels. Budget Travel: See photos of the boutique hostels What you get: Only single-bed rooms are offered, each with an ultramodern cylindrical shower. Use a control panel (called a moodpad) to manage the room temperature, blinds, alarm clock, stereo and lighting -- there are clever choices like "I'm here to party," with intense colored lighting and dance music. There's also a 24-hour self-service cafeteria; if you're craving a martini, a bartender is on duty in the evenings. What it'll cost: From $109. citizenm.com. EXPANSION PLANS All three of these mini chains have plans to expand -- some more than others. CitizenM will open a third hotel in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2009, and plans to expand into London and New York City in the next five years. Yotel will open in London and then at all major airport hubs in Europe and the U.S., but there are no fixed dates. Qbic hopes to pursue a franchise model -- if you (really) like what you see, apply to be a franchise-owner on the Web site. Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel, Inc., all rights reserved. Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

question: which is the price of a room, answer: as low as $36, | question: What gives the rooms a club-like feel?, answer: lighting | question: How much do you pay for four hours?, answer: $57

(CNET) -- Amazon plans to unveil a thinner Kindle with a sharper picture in August, according to a Bloomberg News report on Saturday citing anonymous sources. Two people familiar with the online retailer's plans told Bloomberg the next-generation e-book reader will not have a touch screen or color, but the display will be sharper and more responsive. Earlier this week at Amazon's annual shareholder meeting in Seattle, CEO Jeff Bezos said a Kindle with a color reflective screen is still a ways off. A story in The Wall Street Journal on the meeting quoted Bezos as saying he had "seen several things in the laboratory, but they are not quite ready for production." The New York Times reported in February that Amazon had bought Touchco, a New York start-up developing flexible multitouch panels. That led to speculation that the e-tailer was planning an answer to the iPad, Apple's tablet device. Bezos said Tuesday that Amazon intends to keep the Kindle focused on what it has always been -- a reading device. CNET e-mailed Amazon on Saturday afternoon seeking a comment on the Bloomberg report. Bloomberg said a call to an Amazon representative was not returned. On Thursday, Sony announced it is releasing its Reader -- which launched in the U.S. in 2006 -- in several new countries this year, including Japan, China, and Australia. Also on Thursday, Marvell said it's teaming up with the One Laptop Per Child foundation to create an inexpensive tablet, which they plan to show off at CES next year. © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

question: What does Amazon plan to unveil in August?, answer: thinner Kindle with a sharper picture | question: Will the product have a touch screen?, answer: not | question: What does amazon plan to unveil?, answer: a thinner Kindle with a sharper picture | question: What is rumored to not have a touch screen?, answer: the next-generation e-book reader | question: What is Amazon going to unveil?, answer: thinner Kindle | question: Who is the CEO?, answer: Jeff Bezos | question: What will the e-book reader not have?, answer: a touch screen or color, | question: Whats the ceo called?, answer: Jeff Bezos | question: What does CEO Jeff Bezos say?, answer: Kindle with a color reflective screen is still a ways off.

(CNET) -- Are you confused by the myriad changes Facebook keeps making to its privacy settings? Are you angry about your data being exposed without your express consent? Are you just fed up and not going to take it anymore? You're not alone. A recent poll from Sophos found that an estimated 60 percent of users are considering quitting Facebook over privacy issues. More than 11,000 people have committed to ditching the social-networking site on May 31, according to QuitFacebookDay.com. And more people are searching Google for ways to delete their Facebook accounts than ever, according to the Search Engine Land blog. But leaving Facebook can be almost as confusing as navigating the privacy backwaters on the site. Here are some tips on deleting your account and answers to questions about what that means for your data, and more. What's the difference between deleting and deactivating a Facebook account? Deactivation means the profile information and content are hidden from view of others but are saved on Facebook servers in case you want to reactivate the profile. Messages you've sent and Wall posts remain, but your name appears in black text that is not clickable since your profile is now hidden. Deleting an account removes it from the site permanently and you have to start from scratch if you decide later that you want to be on Facebook again. There is a 14-day delay before the data is completely deleted to give users time to change their mind. If you change your mind you can merely log into the account and the deletion request will be canceled. How do I deactivate my account? Click the Account tab in the upper right-hand corner of your main page. The Settings tab should be highlighted and there is a Deactivate link at the very bottom of the list. When you click it, you will be asked if you are sure you want to deactivate your account and why you are doing so. You will also be shown photos of you with friends with accompanying messages that say "(Your friend here) will miss you." There is also a box to check at the bottom to opt out of receiving e-mails from Facebook if friends tag you in photos or invite you to join the site. How do I delete my Facebook account? It's not as easy to find out how to delete your account. I clicked on the Account tab and then Help Center and typed in "delete account" in the search window. Under the question prompt "How do I permanently delete my account" there is a link to this page where you can click the Submit button or the Cancel button. What happens to my data after I delete my account? According to this Facebook Help Center page all personally identifiable information associated with your account will be purged from Facebook's database if you choose to permanently delete the account. "This includes information like your name, e-mail address, mailing address, and IM screen name," the site says. "Copies of some material (photos, notes, etc.) may remain in our servers for technical reasons, but this material is disassociated from any personal identifiers and completely inaccessible to other users. Facebook also does not use content associated with accounts that have been deactivated or deleted." I asked a Facebook spokesman why copies would need to be kept at all and for how long, exactly when all traces of the data are gone entirely, and whether any data remain on any servers of partners, and if so for how long? Here is his reply: "When a photo or video is deleted, or when a person deletes his or her account, we quickly delete all of the metadata for the photo as well as any and all tagging and linking information. For all practical purposes, the photo no longer exists, and we wouldn't be able find it if we were asked or even compelled to do so. This is similar to what happens when you delete information from the hard drive of your computer. Technically, the bits that make up the photo persist somewhere, but, again, the

question: Who has a PR problem?, answer: Facebook | question: What is hidden from view?, answer: profile information and content | question: What does poll find?, answer: that an estimated 60 percent of users are considering quitting Facebook over privacy issues. | question: What percent of users are considering quitting Facebook?, answer: 60 | question: What does deactivation mean?, answer: are hidden from view of others but are saved on Facebook servers in case you want to reactivate the profile. | question: What percent of Facebook users might quit over privacy issues?, answer: 60 | question: What issues are they considering quitting over?, answer: privacy

(CNET) -- At a hacker conference no one is safe. Demographic of Defcon conference for hackers is older, wiser and employed. When I first went to Defcon in 1995, the halls were mobbed with teenagers and attendees seemed more concerned with freeing Kevin Mitnick and seeing strippers than hacking each others' computers. Jump forward to Defcon 17 this year, which was held over the weekend in Las Vegas, things certainly have changed. The attendees are older and wiser and employed, most of the feds aren't in stealth mode, and even the most savvy of hackers is justifiably paranoid. "Welcome to the hacker world," said Defcon founder Jeff Moss. The evolving demographic of Defcon attendees shows that the hacker community, like all of us, is aging. But it's also a reflection of how the threat landscape has changed. Web site defacements have given way to much more serious risks like financial fraud and unaddressed critical infrastructure weaknesses. It's a cornucopia of phishing e-mails, cross-site scripting attacks that poke holes in trusted Web sites, and criminals harvesting credit card numbers and selling them on the underground equivalent of eBay with guarantees of service and support. Defcon and Black Hat, the pricier and more corporate sister confab held the two days preceding Defcon ($120 for Defcon registration versus $1,395 to $2,095 for phased registration at Black Hat), offer a forum for researchers to share information about vulnerabilities they find in software, hardware and systems. Targeted this year were everything from the iPhone and surveillance video feeds to e-parking meters and security underlying the Domain Name System. Vendors and users weren't the only ones who need worry. Attendees had plenty to fear and security experts themselves weren't spared. On July 27, Web sites belonging to a handful of security researchers and groups were hacked and passwords, private e-mails, IM chats, and potentially sensitive documents were exposed on the vandalized site of security golden boy Dan Kaminsky. (Mitnick, whose jailing in the '90s for computer crimes made him a cause celebre at "Free Kevin" benefits at Defcon at the time, was among those attacked.) There were more widespread threats at the shows, too. Anyone using the Wi-Fi networks at the events had better be careful lest they get their password sniffed and posted on the Wall of Sheep. Then there was the USB thumb drive that was passed around among attendees of Black Hat that was found to be infected with the Conficker virus. Reporters who aren't nearly as geeky as the sources they interview are always easy prey. One reporter was concerned about being hacked via the local area network in the press room after a rare Blue Screen of Death crashed his laptop. Last year, three French men were expelled for sniffing the press room LAN at Black Hat. They said they had obtained eWeek's and CNET's passwords but failed to prove the CNET allegation. This year, three South Koreans registered as press were ejected for asking questions that led organizers to believe were on an intelligence-gathering mission instead of merely reporting, according to the IDG News Service. I had a panic of my own at Defcon this year. I was connected to the Internet using an EVDO wireless card and a virtual private network and was startled a short while later when a Web page opened up out of the blue and I noticed the VPN was disconnected. Granted it looked like a legitimate page for my wireless carrier, but not wanting to take any chances I immediately logged off. (See "Defcon: What to leave at home and other do's and don'ts" for tips on how to best protect yourself.) Unfortunately, I had neglected to disable the Wi-Fi on the laptop. Because Windows XP event logging is lacking, it's not clear whether someone may have spoofed the name of a wireless network the laptop is configured to automatically connect to. Time to call the help desk. At least I didn't use any automatic teller machines at the hotel. Defcon organizers confirmed on Monday that a fake ATM was discovered

question: What was passed around at conference?, answer: USB thumb drive | question: What was passed around at the conference?, answer: USB thumb drive | question: What do you share on Defcon?, answer: information about vulnerabilities

(CNET) -- Google's Chrome browser continued to carve away share of worldwide browser usage from rivals in May, new statistics show. Chrome rose 0.3 percentage points to 7.1 percent of share, said Net Applications, which monitors browser usage on a network of Web sites. The statistics reflect activity, not the number of people using a browser, as people load up about 160 million pages each month on sites Net Applications monitors. Because Web usage is increasing, the absolute number of people using a browser can increase even as its fractional share of usage drops. The share losses came from Microsoft's Internet Explorer, which dropped 0.3 percent to 59.7 percent, and Mozilla's Firefox, which dropped 0.2 percentage points to 24.4 percent. Fourth-place Safari from Apple rose 0.1 percentage points to 4.8 percent, and Opera rose 0.1 percentage points to 2.4 percent. The browser market has become hotly competitive with new features being built in to support new Web standards. Even Microsoft, long considered a technology laggard even as its browser dominated, is back in the game with aggresive work developing IE9. Microsoft has been trying to rid the world of Internet Explorer 6, introduced in 2001 and now considered outmoded, slow, and insecure. Even though IE lost share overall, Microsoft can point to progress in upgrading: The various versions of IE8 accounted for 28.9 percent of usage. Meanwhile, another analytics firm, StatCounter, reported IE6 use had dropped below 5 percent in the United States and Europe and to 9.8 percent worldwide. "At these levels, Web developers now have valid justification not to support IE6 in the future," StatCounter Chief Executive Aodhan Cullen said in a statement. The company collected its data from 15 billion page views of Web pages in May. Net Applications also released statistics for iPad use, showing gradual gains since the Apple tablet's release. With the iPad now for sale internationally, usage peaked May 29 with 0.17 percent. Net Applications' data shows the iPad is relatively popular on the weekend. Use generally is lowest as a fraction of browsing on Monday, climbs gradually as the weekdays progress, than roughly doubles on the weekend days. The company also tracked mobile-phone browsing usage. Java ME, a mobile phone version of the technology from Sun Microsystems and now owned by Oracle, took the top spot with 40 percent of usage share. Next in line was iPhone OS with 32.8 percent, Symbian at 14 percent, Android at 6.2 percent, and BlackBerry at 3.6 percent. © 2010 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

question: Which browser has 7.1 percent of worldwide usage?, answer: Chrome | question: Who is trying to rid the world of Internet Explorer 6?, answer: Microsoft | question: How many percentage points did Chrome rise to of worldwide browser usage?, answer: rose 0.3 | question: What do statistics reflect?, answer: Google's Chrome browser continued to carve away share of worldwide browser usage from rivals | question: How many percentage points did Chrome rise?, answer: 0.3 | question: What is Microsoft trying to do?, answer: rid the world of Internet Explorer 6, | question: What does Microsoft think about IE6?, answer: outmoded, slow, | question: What do the stats reflect?, answer: activity, | question: What do the statistics reflect?, answer: activity,

(CNET) -- When Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg recently announced a "Like" button that publishers could place on their Web pages, he predicted it would make the Web smarter and "more social." What Zuckerberg didn't point out is that widespread use of the Like button allows Facebook to track people as they switch from CNN.com to Yelp.com to ESPN.com, all of which are sites that have said they will implement the feature. Even if someone is not a Facebook user or is not logged in, Facebook's social plugins collect the address of the Web page being visited and the Internet address of the visitor as soon as the page is loaded -- clicking on the Like button is not required. If enough sites participate, that permits Facebook to assemble a vast amount of data about Internet users' browsing habits. "If you put a Like button on your site, you're potentially selling out your users' privacy even if they never press that button," says Nicole Ozer, an attorney with the ACLU of Northern California. "It's another example of why user control needs to be the default in Facebook." In the last few months, scrutiny of the privacy practices of the Internet's second most popular Web site has reached an all-time high, with politicians threatening probes and privacy activists calling for formal investigations. In response to the outcry, Zuckerberg convened a press conference last week at Facebook's Palo Alto, California, headquarters, where he pledged to make privacy "simpler." For its part, Facebook told CNET on Tuesday that the information about who viewed what pages with a Like button is anonymized after three months and is not shared with or sold to third parties. A representative acknowledged, however, that the current privacy description of Facebook's social plugins "is not as clear as it could be, and we'll fix that." Facebook's FAQ says: "No data is shared about you when you see a social plugin on an external website." No mention of this data-sharing appears under the "Information from other websites" section of the company's general privacy policy. Publishers like "Like" Almost as soon as Zuckerberg had finished describing the Like buttons at the F8 developer conference in April, they became a hit with Web publishers hoping for a traffic boost. Wired's Webmonkey.com published a tutorial, a WordPress adaptation appeared, and Foursquare quickly incorporated the concept too. Facebook itself confirmed that after only a week, "more than 50,000 sites across the Web have implemented" social plugins. SearchEngineLand.com said Like buttons are "recommended" for virtually all Web sites; one blogging how-to guide reported that "small, blue Like buttons are now multiplying across the Web faster than you can say 'pandemic.'" Marc Rotenberg, director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said that if his group had been aware of how the Like button was implemented, it would have raised this topic in a request for a Federal Trade Commission investigation of Facebook's privacy practices. (The statement sent to the FTC says, in part, that social plugins "violate user expectations and reveal user information without the user's consent.") "The recent Facebook changes are too complex and too subtle for most users to meaningfully evaluate," Rotenberg said. "And it's not obvious that the recent announcement from Facebook has addressed all of these problems." On the other hand, some of the Like button's features can work only if Facebook receives the user ID and URL of the Web page being visited. That allows a custom bit of Javascript code to customize the Like button. Social plugins "work the same basic way all widgets across the Internet do," said Barry Schnitt, a Facebook spokesman. "The URL of the Web page the user is viewing must be sent to Facebook for Facebook to know where to render the personalized content." Schnitt said Facebook does not correlate pages viewed with advertising, so someone who spends a lot of time reading articles about German sports cars on caranddriver.com will not receive Porsche 911

question: How many sites have implemented plugins?, answer: 50,000 | question: What allows Facebook?, answer: Like button | question: What do like buttons allow?, answer: Facebook to track people | question: What does the like button allow?, answer: Facebook to track people | question: How many sites have implemented social plugins?, answer: 50,000 | question: What collect Facebook's social plugins?, answer: address of the Web page being visited and the Internet address of the visitor as soon as the page is loaded | question: What does the Facebook plugins collect?, answer: the address of the Web page being visited and the Internet address of the visitor | question: What do Facebook social plugins do?, answer: collect the address of the Web page being visited and the Internet address of the visitor as soon as the page is loaded

(CNET) -- A post on the Facebook developer blog announces the big application program interface (API) update from the social network that was first reported on Sunday night, which it's calling the Open Stream API. The "Open Stream API" was front-and-center with Facebook's controversial redesign earlier this year. It's the first major implementation of an emerging (read: brand new) open standard called Activity Streams, on which Facebook has been collaborating with developers for the past few months. Basically, what it means is that third-party developers will have access to a feed of all content posted to news feeds--notes, photos, videos, links, "likes" and comments, and activity from other applications built on the social network's platform. "We've officially moved away from the Web of just blog posts, which a lot of these formats were originally designed for," said open-source developer and advocate Chris Messina, who has been spearheading the development of Activity Streams for about a year now. "Over time, what I think will happen is (that) you'll see something toward the type of cleverness and ingenuity that has surfaced around the Twitter community, but in a way that is even more expressive and rich," Messina said. "In the case of Twitter, you're just talking about status updates; in the case of Facebook you're talking about a lot of different activities." Previously, only status updates--the most Twitter-like part of Facebook--were accessible to developers. That's why this announcement likely makes the biggest difference to the creators of social feed aggregation applications like TweetDeck and Seesmic Desktop. But because Activity Streams is an open standard, other social-networking and media-sharing applications will be able to use it too. This means that there could be, say, an Adobe Air-based desktop application that brings in updates across photo-sharing applications like Facebook, Flickr, and Photobucket. Facebook is also targeting different types of developers -- specifically mobile and desktop -- rather than strictly the Web app developers whose creations made Facebook's platform such a wild success when it debuted two years ago. "One of the most important stories to tell here is this is the first time that we've ever opened the core Facebook product experience, which was previously called the 'feed' and which we're now calling the 'stream,'" Facebook senior platform manager Dave Morin explained to CNET News. "We're especially excited to see the types of desktop applications and the types of mobile applications which developer are going to build for the stream. We've sort of never really allowed this before, so we're pretty excited to see what developers come up with." Facebook will be holding an event on Monday afternoon in Palo Alto, California, to introduce developers to the new API. Presenting at the event will be representatives from Adobe, which is building a Facebook application in its Air runtime environment, and Microsoft, which is doing the same in Silverlight; contact management system Plaxo and third-party app Seesmic Desktop (which already has unveiled its support for the Open Stream) are also presenting. The "stream" took front-and-center with Facebook's controversial redesign earlier this year. Inspired by the likes of Twitter, the revamped design marked a shift in strategy for Facebook from static profiles to a real-time flow of information. At the same time, it proved unpopular among some users. But Facebook isn't the only big social-networking player to be implementing Activity Streams. The emerging standard was behind the upgrades to MySpace's MySpaceID product that the News Corp.-owned service launched in March at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival. "It was sort of one of the earlier opportunities we had to take a nascent spec and see it all the way through to launch," MySpaceID product lead Max Engel told CNET News, adding that his team first started working on Activity Streams last September. It's what powers a new MySpace "gadget" for Google as well as its

question: What changes were made?, answer: third-party developers will have access to a feed of all content posted to news feeds--notes, photos, videos, links, "likes" and comments, and activity from other applications built on the social network's platform. | question: What will third-party developers have access to?, answer: a feed of all content posted | question: A post on the Facebook developer blog announces what?, answer: the big application program interface (API) | question: What will API users be able to use to interact with their stream?, answer: news feeds--notes, photos, videos, links, "likes" and comments, and activity from other applications built on the social network's platform. | question: Who will have access to feed of all news feed content?, answer: third-party developers | question: Which users interact with their stream?, answer: third-party developers

(CNET) -- Compact-camera manufacturers have begun testing the waters with a wealth of high-end features as they search for new ways to gain revenue, market share, and recognition. A prototype of Olympus' Micro Four Thirds model, one of several small cameras with big features. In earlier digital photography days, a camera with an extra megapixel of resolution, face recognition, or image stabilization could stand apart from the herd. But now that herd has grown larger, most folks who'll buy a digital camera already have done so, the economy has put consumer spending on ice--and camera makers are making some bolder bets with high-end features. Among them: Nikon's built-in GPS support to record where a photo was taken, Casio's high-speed video, and the Micro Four Thirds camera system from Panasonic and Olympus. Premium features aren't an easy sell. They tend to appeal to market niches rather than the mainstream. Early implementations are often rough around the edges. And it's hard enough to convince people to buy a new camera, much less one with the higher price of premium features. But winning those customers can have a good payoff with better profit margins. And that's critical in this day and age. Market research firm IDC expects that after years of growth, the shipments of digital cameras will decline in 2009. "It's crowded, and it's getting crowdeder," IDC analyst Ron Glaz said of the digital camera market. "We're anticipating that with the slowdown in economy and disposable income, we'll start seeing consolidation of the vendors." In other words, even though something in the neighborhood of 38 million digital cameras are sold annually, some companies will throw in the towel. Even as the compact-digital market saturated in recent years, digital SLRs showed strong market growth. Some high-end compact models are geared for those thinking of buying an SLR, but who want something less bulky and complicated. Another type: SLR owners who need something they can slip into a pocket or easily take on a trip. Dethroning Canon The company to dethrone here is Canon, the leader of the compact camera market. Not only does it have seemingly innumerable cameras for every variation of consumer, but it also has long offered its G series for enthusiasts who are willing to pay a premium for high-end features. The current PowerShot G10 offers 14.7 megapixels of resolution, full manual controls, support for raw image format, a durable body, and a relatively fast lens. "There have always been competitive products for the G-series. However, the range of competitors has expanded recently. Now, not only high-end point-and-shoot, but also low-end DSLR products are priced about the same as the G10," Canon said in a statement. The company has offered a new G-series model each year since 2006, and Canon believes the G10 to be the leading high-end compact camera in the United States. Canon shares dominance in the SLR market with Nikon, and in the compact market, Nikon's Coolpix P6000 is aimed straight at Canon's G10. The P6000's chief distinguishing feature is its built-in GPS receiver, which enables the camera to know where it is when a photo is taken. That location data is written into the image file through a process called geotagging that lets people sort their photos not just by when they were taken or by what folder on a computer they were stuffed into, but also by where they were taken. "Having GPS in the camera makes all the sense in the world to me," Glaz said. "People are now capturing thousands of pictures a year. There are only a few things they remember about them--I was in Paris, it was around the holidays." So location data is important, especially as software arrives that can convert a photo's latitude-longitude information into a place name. That will let people search for photos by typing in text, not just by looking at image thumbnails on a map

question: Who is testing high end features?, answer: Compact-camera manufacturers | question: When are shipments of digital cameras expected to decline?, answer: 2009. | question: Who is the leader of the compact camera market?, answer: Canon, | question: Which company is the leader of the compact camera market?, answer: Canon, | question: What are expected of the shipments of digital cameras after years of growth?, answer: will decline in 2009. | question: What are the camera maker testing the market with?, answer: a wealth of high-end features

(CNET) -- Craigslist's managers have complied with the wishes of most of the state attorneys general who demanded they rid the site of prostitution ads. Craigslist says it has removed prostitution ads, but some issues remain. The Web's dominate classifieds publication replaced its controversial "erotic" section with a new "adult" category. And where Craigslist once relied on readers to flag dodgy advertisements, the company's employees now review every ad submitted to the adult area before they appear online. Yet, the site has been unable to block every solicitation for sex. Catherine, a self-described sex worker from San Francisco, confirmed for CNET that she successfully posted an ad for her services to the adult section late last week. She wished to remain anonymous, so neither the ad's photo nor text can be included in this story. Regardless, it isn't hard to find questionable ads in Craigslist's new adult section. The most noticeable difference between Craigslist's erotic and adult categories is the photos. In the adult section, the photos are less provocative. Less skin is showing. When it comes to the text, however, the two sections are very similar. Both are packed with ads for massage services. Ads in both areas include descriptions of the masseuse's breast size ("I'm a natural C cup") and they are often photographed dressed in their underwear. Even if most of these services are legitimate, and only a few are veiled offers of sex in the new adult area, plenty of others make little if any pretense about what they offer. These ads typically include words such as "busty," or "fantasy girl" in their descriptions. Often, they feature photos of a woman or man dressed provocatively in their underwear or bathing suit. Some include hourly rates. Clearly, Craigslist faces a significant challenge as it tries to purge prostitution from its Web pages. While it can ban nude photos and overt offers of sex, how can anyone expect the site to outlaw ads featuring photos of bikini-clad women offering phone numbers? One can find racier images in department store ads. The Internet has made it easier for merchants of all kinds to conduct commerce and reach wider audiences. Should anyone be surprised that the sex trade has benefited from this as well. If Craigslist were to disappear tomorrow, does anyone really expect that would curb prostitution? A review of some competing online classifieds shows that while Craigslist has been a popular destination for sex workers, it is by no means the only one. For example, Backpages.com is an online classified publication and Craigslist competitor. The content it produces can also be found on the Web sites of some entertainment and alternative publications in major metropolitan areas, such as New York's Village Voice or San Francisco's SFWeekly. Craigslist is G-rated compared with the photos found in Backpages' adult section. Ads included nude photos while others showed people engaged in sexual intercourse. A common ad would show a bare chested woman asking men to call her at a phone number. In the area of Backpages that services Charleston, S.C., one ad found on Tuesday by CNET featured a photo of a bare-chested woman apparently engaged in masturbation. It must be noted that there was nothing as graphic on Craigslist. This is relevant because Henry McMaster, South Carolina's attorney general, last week threatened Craigslist with a criminal investigation. McMaster hasn't made any similar threats--at least none that has been publicized--against Backpages. Managers at Backpages did not respond to an interview request. In November, Craigslist and 40 state attorneys general, including McMaster, signed an agreement that called for the site to add more safeguards. The classifieds publication followed through and one of the new changes was a new requirement that anyone posting to the erotic section must provide a credit card. All the parties hoped that criminals would be unwilling to provide identification and this would be deterrent. "Many of the classified and communication services on the Craigslist site provide the public with a valuable service," McMaster wrote to Craigslist CEO Jim Buckmaster on May 5. "However

question: What did advert show on Tuesday?, answer: photo of a bare-chested woman apparently engaged in masturbation. | question: What has been banned from Craigslist?, answer: prostitution ads. | question: What had Craigslist banned?, answer: prostitution ads. | question: What did craigslist ban?, answer: nude photos and overt offers of sex, | question: When did the ad show a bare-chested woman?, answer: Tuesday | question: who has banned sex ads?, answer: Craigslist | question: What type of ads were still located?, answer: prostitution | question: What type of ads are now banned?, answer: prostitution | question: When did an ad on the site shows bare-chested woman ?, answer: Tuesday | question: What list has banned sex ads, but some still remain ?, answer: Craigslist

(CNET) -- If you want to consider a difficult computational problem, try thinking of the algorithms required to animate more than 10,000 helium balloons, each with its own string, but each also interdependent on the rest, which are collectively hoisting aloft a small house. The production team at Pixar faced many new technological challenges on "Up," its tenth feature film. That was the challenge the production team at Pixar faced when it set out to begin work on "Up," its tenth feature film, five years in the works, which hits theaters on Friday. There was absolutely no way the team was going to hand-animate the balloons. Not with their numbers in five-figures, and especially not when you consider that within the cluster, every interaction between two balloons has a ripple effect: If one bumped another, the second would move, likely bumping a third, and so on. And every bit of this would need to be seen on screen. In "Up," the story revolves around the main character, 78-year-old Carl Fredricksen, who, frustrated with his mundane life, ties the thousands of balloons to his house and sets off for adventures in South America. A small boy ends up marooned on board, and hilarity ensues. The cluster of balloons is so central to the film's branding--it's called "Up," after all--that to promote the film, Pixar teamed up with two of the world's cluster ballooning experts for a nationwide tour involving a real-life flying armchair and dozens of huge, colorful balloons. "You have a movie that's about a house that flies, which is a pretty far-fetched idea," said Steve May, the supervising technical director on "Up." "We all know, from kids' parties, how a bunch of balloons behave, so if we could animate balloons in a realistic way, the believability that the house could fly would sell." For May, "Up" producer Jonas Rivera, director Pete Docter, and the many others involved in making the film, believability was key, even within the context of a story about a flying house. And while a major part of instilling that believability must come from a well-conceived and executed story and script, the animation is no less responsible for winning over potentially skeptical audiences. Balloons, the mother of animation invention May said that the animation department at Pixar never even considered hand-animating the balloons. But even standard computer animation wouldn't be up to the task, because of the N-squared complexity involved in the thousands of interdependent balloons. Instead, the studio's computer whizzes figured out a way to turn the problem over to a programmed physical simulator, which, employing Newtonian physics, was able to address the animation problem. "These are relatively simple physical equations, so you program them into the computer and therefore kind of let the computer animate things for you, using those physics," said May. "So in every frame of the animation, (the computer can) literally compute the forces acting on those balloons, (so) that they're buoyant, that their strings are attached, that wind is blowing through them. And based on those forces, we can compute how the balloon should move." This process is known as procedural animation, and is described by an algorithm or set of equations, and is in stark contrast to what is known as key frame animation, in which the animators explicitly define the movement of an object or objects in every frame. Procedural animation has been around for some time, but May suggested that even the most difficult uses of it in the past don't come close to what Pixar had to achieve in "Up." Pixar fans may remember the scenes in "Cars" of a stadium full of 300,000 car "fans" cheering on a high-speed race below, each of which was independently animated. That, too, was done with procedural animation, May said, since creating so many cars individually would have been a non-starter.

question: What is the movie about?, answer: Carl Fredricksen, who, frustrated with his mundane life, ties the thousands of balloons to his house and sets off for adventures in South America. A small boy ends up marooned on board, and hilarity ensues. | question: What company created the film "Up"?, answer: Pixar | question: Who faced many new technological challenges?, answer: production team at Pixar | question: What company made the film Up?, answer: Pixar | question: How many balloons were animated?, answer: more than 10,000 helium | question: What day does the film "Up" open on?, answer: Friday.

(CNET) -- Investigators for the Department of Justice began asking questions about Apple's business practices involving digital music at least three weeks ago, multiple music industry sources told CNET. DOJ investigators have interviewed numerous executives at record companies and digital music stores and according to those with knowledge of the discussions, it is clear that investigators are interested in learning whether Apple has employed anticompetitive tactics. The sources said that the department's inquiry is just in a fact-finding stage and that there is nothing to indicate investigators have found any wrongdoing or would file a complaint against Apple. Representatives from Apple and the Justice Department did not respond to interview requests. This is what we know about the investigation so far. • DOJ investigators have interviewed executives from the four major music labels and several digital music retailers about how Apple wields its iTunes influence. • Part of what investigators are interested in is whether Apple used its market dominance to discourage two of the top record companies from participating in a special Amazon music promotion called the "MP3 Daily Deal." • Apple has a history of throwing its weight around the music sector. Apple's iTunes accounts for 70 percent of all digital song sales and wields huge power. Apple has often used that clout to dictate terms to suppliers -- that is, the major labels. Here are just a few examples: The major labels wanted variable pricing on songs and albums and for years Apple resisted. In 2005, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the top recording companies were "getting greedy"after music execs considered a music price hike. Last year, Apple finally gave the labels some additional control over song pricing. The big record companies wanted the ability to sell albums that were unbundled, meaning they wanted Apple to sell hot LPs as a full package and refrain from selling individual songs from these works. Again, on this issue Apple hasn't given much ground. To iTunes' fans, Apple was a freedom fighter. The perception was that Apple was standing up for consumers. Apple's refusal to force customers to buy full albums saved them from having to shell out money for songs they didn't want. To them, Apple's reluctance to raise the 99 cent song price was another way the company kept music costs down. And the government never made a peep about these practices. Deal or no deal? But what may not seem as consumer-friendly is the accusation that Apple tried to squash a competitor's effort to offer discounted music. Amazon's "MP3 Daily Deal," is a promotion that involves slashing prices on specific music titles and pushing them heavily on the day of their release. Amazon sometimes negotiated to get exclusive access to the music for a period of time, and the labels and their artists would often support the Daily Deal by promoting it on their Web sites. Apple managers informed the labels that any music included in Amazon's promotion would receive no promotion at iTunes, music industry sources told CNET in April. In one case, Apple complained to Sony Music Entertainment after seeing material from Alicia Keys touted as part of the Daily Deal. In March, Ed Christman, from Billboard magazine, broke the news about Apple's attempts to make the labels "rethink" their support for the Daily Deal. He wrote that Apple contacted EMI executives with similar gripes about such albums as Corinne Bailey Rae's "The Sea," Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now," and Ke$ha's "Animal." When it comes to tracing iTunes' potential DOJ troubles, one has to start with Apple's success. During the last decade, with its iPod digital music players and iTunes music store, the company completely remade the way people across the globe listen to, store, and buy music. Apple's iTunes store accounted for 28 percent of all music purchased by U.S. consumers in the first quarter of this year, research firm NPD Group said Wednesday. Two years ago during the same period, iTunes' market share was 19 percent. Companies that dominate a market as much as Apple rules digital music often are accused of anti-trust violations

question: Who was asking questions about Apple's business practices?, answer: Investigators for the Department of Justice | question: What do investigators want to know?, answer: whether Apple has employed anticompetitive tactics. | question: What accounts for 70 percent of all digital song sales?, answer: Apple's iTunes | question: What do the investigators want to know?, answer: whether Apple has employed anticompetitive tactics. | question: What percentage of all digital song sales does iTunes account for?, answer: 70 percent | question: What percent of Apple's iTunes accounts of digital song sales?, answer: 70 | question: What company is the Department of Justice investigating?, answer: Apple | question: What did Investigators want to know about Apple?, answer: whether | question: Who is asking questions about Apple's business practices?, answer: Department of Justice

(CNET) -- Microsoft has applied for a patent on metered, pay-as-you-go computing. Under a Microsoft proposal, consumers would receive heavily discounted PCs, then pay fees for usage. U.S. patent application number 20080319910, published on Christmas Day, details Microsoft's vision of a situation where a "standard model" of PC is given away or heavily subsidized by someone in the supply chain. The end user then pays to use the computer, with charges based on both the length of usage time and the performance levels utilized, along with a "one-time charge." Microsoft notes in the application that the end user could end up paying more for the computer, compared with the one-off cost entailed in the existing PC business model, but argues the user would benefit by having a PC with an extended "useful life." "A computer with scalable performance level components and selectable software and service options has a user interface that allows individual performance levels to be selected," reads the patent application's abstract. The patent application was filed June 21, 2007. "The scalable performance level components may include a processor, memory, graphics controller, etc. Software and services may include word processing, email, browsing, database access, etc. To support a pay-per-use business model, each selectable item may have a cost associated with it, allowing a user to pay for the services actually selected and that presumably correspond to the task or tasks being performed," the abstract continues. Integral to Microsoft's vision is a security module, embedded in the PC, that would effectively lock the PC to a certain supplier. "The metering agents and specific elements of the security module...allow an underwriter in the supply chain to confidently supply a computer at little or no upfront cost to a user or business, aware that their investment is protected and that the scalable performance capabilities generate revenue commensurate with actual performance level settings and usage," the application reads. 'A more granular approach' According to the application, the issue with the existing PC business model is that it "requires more or less a one chance at the consumer kind of mentality, where elasticity curves are based on the pressure to maximize profits on a one-time-sale, one-shot-at-the-consumer mentality." Microsoft's proposed model, on the other hand, could "allow a more granular approach to hardware and software sales," the application states, adding that the user "may be able to select a level of performance related to processor, memory, graphics power, etc that is driven not by a lifetime maximum requirement but rather by the need of the moment." "When the need is browsing, a low level of performance may be used and, when network-based interactive gaming is the need of the moment, the highest available performance may be made available to the user," the document reads. "Because the user only pays for the performance level of the moment, the user may see no reason to not acquire a device with a high degree of functionality, in terms of both hardware and software, and experiment with a usage level that suits different performance requirements." By way of example, the application posits a situation involving three "bundles" of applications and performance: office, gaming, and browsing. "The office bundle may include word-processing and spreadsheet applications, medium graphics performance and two of three processor cores," the document reads. "The gaming bundle may include no productivity applications but may include 3D graphics support and three of three processor cores. The browsing bundle may include no productivity applications, medium graphics performance and high-speed network interface." "Charging for the various bundles may be by bundle and by duration. For example, the office bundle may be $1.00 [68 pence] per hour, the gaming bundle may be $1.25 per hour and the browsing bundle may be $0.80 per hour. The usage charges may be abstracted to 'units/hour' to make

question: Who has applied for a patent on metered, pay-as-you-go computing?, answer: Microsoft | question: Which company has applied for a patent?, answer: Microsoft | question: Who would pay regular fees to use the computer?, answer: consumers | question: Under the proposed plan would consumers pay regular fees to use a computer?, answer: a Microsoft | question: what is pay as you go, answer: consumers would receive heavily discounted PCs, then pay fees for usage. | question: What would be given away or heavily subsidized?, answer: PCs,

(CNET) -- Now that stereo Bluetooth has become a common feature in a lot of music phones, it's no surprise that stereo Bluetooth headsets have become quite popular as well. Stereo Bluetooth headsets come in many shapes and sizes, from the behind-the-ear style of the Motorola Rokr S9 to the over-the-head style of the Jabra BT8030. The Jabra BT3030 is in the style of a pendant, or as its design suggests, more of a dog tag. It's been available for a while now, but we think it's still worth it. The Jabra BT3030 can be purchased for around $39.99. Of course like any stereo Bluetooth headset, the Jabra BT3030 requires a cell phone with the A2DP or stereo Bluetooth profile. The Jabra BT3030 consists primarily of a small remote control unit housed in a dog-tag style pendant. Measuring 2.1-inches long by 1.6-inch wide by 0.38-inch thick, the pendant is slim and compact with a metal finish and a rubberized border all around it. All of the controls are laid out right on the front face in a straightforward grid. They are the Play/Pause key, the track shuffle keys, the volume controls, plus the multifunction Call key. The keys are all made of rubber, and are raised above the surface for a nice tactile feel. The 3.5mm headset jack is on the right spine, while the charger jack is on the bottom. On the top is an opening for an optional lanyard. Also on the top is a tiny microphone. Getting the headset set up is pretty simple. Just power it on via the multifunction Call button, and turn on the Bluetooth pairing mode on your cell phone. We managed to pair the Jabra BT3030 with the LG Chocolate 3 without a problem. From there, we could play/pause tracks, skip songs, and adjust the volume, all from the Jabra BT3030. The Jabra BT3030 comes with nice pair of ear buds that sit comfortably in the ear, but since it has a 3.5mm headset jack, you can use any headphones of your choosing. Aside from using the Jabra BT3030 for music, you can also use the it to make calls via the last number redial or voice command. When there's an incoming call during music playback, the music will pause and you will hear a ringing tone. You can then hit the Call button to answer the call. After you hang up, the music will resume from the paused point. Other features include call-waiting support, the ability to reject calls, plus the ability to transfer calls from the headset to the phone, and vice versa. Sound quality was quite good, and comparable to most MP3 players on the market. The bass was a little weak, but the overall quality was decent. Call quality was mixed. While we heard our callers just fine, we did have to bring the pendant close to our mouths for callers to hear us. They reported a little bit of static and echo from us as well. This seemed to vary from caller to caller, however, so we urge you to give it a trial run before you settle for it. The Jabra BT3030 also comes with an optional clothing clip accessory, plus an AC adapter. It has a rated battery life of 8 hours talk time, 7 hours music streaming, and 9.58 days standby time. © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

question: What is a great and affordable option for a stereo Bluetooth headset?, answer: Jabra BT3030 | question: What is the music quality like?, answer: comparable to most MP3 players on the market. | question: What is the music quality?, answer: quite good, | question: Is the device slim or fat?, answer: pendant is slim and compact | question: What is the size of the headset jack?, answer: 3.5mm | question: Which is an affordable option for a stereo Bluetooth headset?, answer: Jabra BT3030 | question: What is slim and lightweight?, answer: The Jabra BT3030

(CNET) -- Suleman Ali cashed out just in time. Suleman Ali sold Esgut, his portfolio of Facebook applications, for seven figures in April. The 26-year-old, a former Microsoft employee who helped put together the Windows Home Server product, founded a company called Esgut within months of the debut of Facebook's developer platform in May 2007. Esgut is a portfolio of Facebook applications, and a few of them, like Superlatives and Entourage, became genuine viral hits. In April, Ali sold the 12-employee Esgut to the Social Gaming Network, a Silicon Valley company backed by the likes of Bezos Expeditions, the Founders Fund, and Greylock Partners. He said the price was in the seven figures. But Ali is the first to acknowledge that for upstart social-platform developers, hailed just months ago as the Valley's hottest breed of bright young things, the condition has taken a significant turn for the worse. "Most people are not counting on anything," the lanky and bespectacled Ali said over lunch at an organic restaurant near New York's Union Square in early December. "They're just operating from day to day." When Facebook's developer platform launched, the social network's traffic began to really skyrocket. What had started as a no-frills networking site for students at elite universities became a Silicon Valley buzz factory with legitimate geek credentials. And however gimmicky many of the most popular Facebook Platform apps were, millions of people decided they now had a reason to join the site. The floodgates had opened. Facebook was a phenomenon. When other social networks such as MySpace, Friendster, and Hi5 also paraded out developer platforms, the tech world took it as evidence that there was a big future in building platform applications. More importantly for developers and ambitious tech entrepreneurs, it looked like there could be gobs of money in it; the open, anyone-can-play attitude created the notion that there was enough for everyone. "The social platform (on Facebook) actually launched the last day that I was at Microsoft...I was quitting without any idea of what I was going to do," Ali recalled. His aims for leaving Redmond were starry-eyed. "I left because I wanted to do a start-up. I wanted to see what I could do out there on my own. And I wanted to care deeply about what I was working on." But he had no concrete plans to go the Facebook route initially, he said. "I ended up in my parents' house in Florida and was kind of bored, and started building Facebook apps just out of restlessness and the desire to do something." Then, Ali continued, he went to the Graphing Social Patterns West conference in San Diego in March and met Social Gaming Network founder Shervin Pishevar. At the time, he was looking to raise venture funding but hadn't thought about selling his apps. "We talked for 30 minutes and he was like, 'You sound like the exact type of people we want at SGN.'" Ali sold Esgut to Pishevar's company the next month. Widgets buzz turns into hush Ali got lucky. Even before the reality of the recession set in, the social-platform craze was subsiding. The venture capital buzz about widgets began to quiet over the summer. Some of the sillier novelty apps wore off in popularity. Companies that were snapping up small apps and raising huge amounts of venture capital, like Slide and RockYou, grew intimidatingly bigger--but the glut of independent apps made it more difficult to grab the attention of potential buyers. And after new restrictions, a redesign, and then the social network's focus on expanding through its Facebook Connect log-in service, it became evident that a social-network platform is still a new phenomenon that can change dramatically, and not always to the benefit of little start-ups. "There's definitely a lot of tightening up," Ali said. "There's a few people that I know that have apps that are relatively small, and they're selling them

question: What is Esgut?, answer: a portfolio of Facebook applications, | question: How much did Esgut sell for?, answer: in the seven figures. | question: Who founded Esgut?, answer: Suleman Ali | question: Who sold his tech startup in April?, answer: Suleman Ali | question: Who sold Esgut?, answer: Suleman Ali | question: What was the selling price for a tech startup in April?, answer: in the seven figures. | question: What other company is associated with Esgut?, answer: Facebook

(CNET) -- The imagined inventions of Victorian-era French novelist Albert Robida may be coming closer to reality. Who, you ask? Robida was an illustrator and writer for popular science-fiction magazines, and is sometimes compared to Jules Verne. In his 1890 novel "Le Vingtieme siecle. La vie electrique," he described something called a "telephonoscope." Since then, we've seen telephonoscopes -- basically videophones -- in everything from "The Jetsons" to "Blade Runner." What we haven't seen is the videophone in our living rooms. That may finally be changing. The common use of videophones could happen through three technologies that separately aren't exactly considered bleeding edge today: high-speed Internet, a television, and Skype. Samsung says it will put the VoIP calling service Skype as an application on its televisions, allowing phone calls to be made on camera right from a couch, just like Jane Jetson talking into her TV set. The Samsung Skype-enabled TV follows similar announcements from Panasonic and LG at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. The models will range from to $1,200 to $2,000 for Panasonic's set. Samsung and LG have not yet announced how much they will charge. The Skype on TV application should work similarly on all three models, which in turn should closely mimic the version of the application that many people use to make free PC to PC calls, or for a fee, PC to landline. Skype accounts are free to set up and can be activated using the TV's remote control right on the screen. The video calls will also be free, as will voice calls between Skype users. Using Skype to call traditional landline and mobile phones is a few cents per minute. Calls can be answered while watching a program, but it's not yet possible to both talk and continue to watch uninterrupted. By the time these models actually hit stores in late spring there should be three TV makers offering Skype on their TVs. And not just any three TV makers, but the world's largest overall (Samsung sells practically one of every five TVs sold), the leader in plasmas (Panasonic), and LG, which is close behind Samsung, selling 15 percent of all TVs. While Robida wrote about the idea, AT&T did the most to advance the idea from the pages of Victorian sci-fi to actuality. Unfortunately its 1960s videophone system, known as the Picturephone, was a bust. Few ever signed up for the service because you had to reserve call times and pay a whopping $16 per minute. The idea, however, was at least on the right track: making videophones accessible to normal folk. Today teleconferencing is a common tool for companies to put employees in different locations virtually, if not physically, in the same conference room. But the high cost of the fancy systems from companies like Cisco and Hewlett-Packard doesn't make them consumer-friendly. Cisco also announced at CES it would be offering a home version of its telepresence software sometime this year, and did not yet mention a price. Videophones for the home have never really caught on in the way they have at businesses. Even versions of the concept built into a corded telephone didn't really generate much excitement. Usually this was a small screen attached to a phone base station and conversations had to take place wherever the phone was plugged in, which tended to be places like a dresser or a kitchen counter. Video calls today can be made online. They're easy and cheap, and of course don't require the purchase of an pricey new TV. A computer with a built-in Webcam and a voice-over-IP service like Skype or a chat application like Yahoo Messenger usually suffice, but it is still an activity that's attached to a computer, and therefore going to be intimidating to people who either don't like or have trouble with technology. TVs are far more accessible though. Now with major companies like Samsung, Panasonic, and LG pushing the idea of the TV as videophone, the concept does at least

question: What will Samsung include in its TV's?, answer: the VoIP calling service Skype | question: What would combine?, answer: television, | question: What does Samsung say?, answer: it will put the VoIP calling service Skype as an application on its televisions, | question: What television is Skype going to be on?, answer: Samsung | question: What could combine t make a video phone?, answer: high-speed Internet, a television, and Skype.

(CNET) -- Well, here's what we've all been waiting for. Apple put out a couple of announcements on Tuesday related to its desktop computers. Apple on Tuesday announced a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor. The company unveiled a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor, a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine, and updated iMacs that include the lowest price point yet for the consumer desktops. Let's look at the new Mac Pro first: priced at $2,499 for the quad-core version and $3,299 for the eight-core version, those Intel "Nehalem" Xeon processors run at 2.93 GHz, and the interior of the machine has been cleaned up to make physical expansions easier. On the green front, it meets the new Energy Star 5.0 requirements that will go into effect later this year. The new iMac desktop is a 24" machine that is priced at $1,499, the cost of Apple's previous 20" iMac. The 20-inch is now $1,199. The 20" is powered by a 2.66 GHz processor; the 24" has processor speed options of 2.66 GHz, 2.93 GHz (for $1,799), or 3.02 GHz (for $2,199). The 24" comes with a 640GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB; the 20" comes with a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM expandable to 8GB. "Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $1,499," Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook, currently standing in at the helm of the company in place of iconic CEO Steve Jobs, said in a release. "The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, it's also the world's most energy efficient desktop computer." As for the new Mac Mini, the big upgrade is NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics that Apple says will improve its graphics performance as much as fivefold. The monitor-free machine costs either $599 for a lower-end edition (1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive) or $799 for the higher-end (2GB RAM, 320GB hard drive). All these machines, like the new Mac Pro, meet Energy Star 5.0 requirements. Rumors of new Apple desktop computers were first reported at AppleInsider. © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

question: What is it powered by?, answer: Intel's "Nehalem" processor. | question: What did Apple unveil?, answer: new Mac Pro high-end desktop | question: Who unveiled a new Mac Mini Machine?, answer: Apple | question: Who announced on Tuesday?, answer: Apple | question: Is there double the memory now?, answer: twice the | question: What did Apple announce?, answer: a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor. | question: What has twice the memory and twice the storage?, answer: 24-inch iMac

(CNET) -- Well, here's what we've all been waiting for. Apple put out a couple of announcements on Tuesday related to its desktop computers. Apple on Tuesday announced a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor. The company unveiled a new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor, a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine, and updated iMacs that include the lowest price point yet for the consumer desktops. Let's look at the new Mac Pro first: priced at $2,499 for the quad-core version and $3,299 for the eight-core version, those Intel "Nehalem" Xeon processors run at 2.93 GHz, and the interior of the machine has been cleaned up to make physical expansions easier. On the green front, it meets the new Energy Star 5.0 requirements that will go into effect later this year. The new iMac desktop is a 24" machine that is priced at $1,499, the cost of Apple's previous 20" iMac. The 20-inch is now $1,199. The 20" is powered by a 2.66 GHz processor; the 24" has processor speed options of 2.66 GHz, 2.93 GHz (for $1,799), or 3.02 GHz (for $2,199). The 24" comes with a 640GB hard drive and 4GB of RAM expandable to 8GB; the 20" comes with a 320GB hard drive and 2GB of RAM expandable to 8GB. "Our flagship 24-inch iMac with twice the memory and twice the storage is now available for just $1,499," Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook, currently standing in at the helm of the company in place of iconic CEO Steve Jobs, said in a release. "The Mac mini is not only our most affordable Mac, it's also the world's most energy efficient desktop computer." As for the new Mac Mini, the big upgrade is NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics that Apple says will improve its graphics performance as much as fivefold. The monitor-free machine costs either $599 for a lower-end edition (1GB RAM, 120GB hard drive) or $799 for the higher-end (2GB RAM, 320GB hard drive). All these machines, like the new Mac Pro, meet Energy Star 5.0 requirements. Rumors of new Apple desktop computers were first reported at AppleInsider. © 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. CNET, CNET.com and the CNET logo are registered trademarks of CBS Interactive Inc. Used by permission.

question: What did Apple unveil?, answer: new Mac Pro high-end desktop powered by Intel's "Nehalem" processor, | question: What product has twice the memory and twice the storage?, answer: 24-inch iMac | question: What is the name of the processor in the Mac Pro?, answer: "Nehalem" | question: What makes the 24-inch iMac updated?, answer: "Nehalem" processor, a new and more graphics-intensive Mac Mini machine, | question: What product did Apple announce on Tuesday?, answer: Mac Pro high-end desktop | question: Who made an announcement on Tuesday?, answer: Apple | question: What is the name of Intel's processor?, answer: "Nehalem" | question: What is the price range of the new Mac Pro high-end desktop?, answer: $1,499, | question: When did Apple announce the new Mac Pro high-end desktop?, answer: Tuesday

(CNET) -- When it comes to 3D television, I don't see it. Literally. The technology that's supposed to convince me that a 3D image exists when I look at a 2D screen doesn't work for me. Nor does it work for a small but significant percentage of the population -- 4 percent to 10 percent, depending on which expert you ask. Me, and millions of people like me, are being left behind by content and hardware companies as they move to 3D. I don't mean to complain. It's not the end of the world. Flat-viewers, like me, can watch 2D versions of 3D content. I saw "Avatar" in the non-3D version. As a bonus, the theater was nearly empty--the 3D showing down the hall was more crowded. Plus, we didn't have to wear those dorky glasses. Of course, we are social beings, and not being able to view 3D means that group or family outings to 3D showings are awkward for the flat viewers, who may have to sit through a showing that will cause headaches or just look bad to them. But the flat-viewer's experience with 3D imagery can vary. While I find viewing 3D imagery uncomfortable, Daniel Terdiman, another person at CNET who can't see 3D, saw the 3D version of Avatar and wore the 3D glasses. It looked fine to him, just not 3D. Manufacturers are mute At CES this year, the trend toward 3D in home television sets was unmissable, but there was no mention by the manufacturers of how this move would affect flat viewers. I was curious how the hardware companies, which fight for every point of market share jealously, could cavalierly ignore the large number of us who won't like this new direction. It's a lot of market. How are they planning to deal with losing it? Oddly, none of the HDTV manufacturing companies I reached out to could provide a direct comment on this topic, but I did talk with people familiar with the industry and with an optometrist who has a vested interest in promoting the growth of 3D content viewing. Bruce Berkoff of the LCDTV Association and formerly a marketing executive at LG, noted that for all the hype around 3D, the television manufacturers are not really investing much in putting products on store shelves, nor are they expecting consumers to pay for it yet. Adding the capability for televisions to display alternating images for stereoscopic viewing through electronic shutter glasses is not expensive. It's the glasses themselves that are, and only a few 3D-capable sets actually come bundled with them. So consumers will be able to soon buy televisions ready for 3D without spending much. Berkoff, and everyone else I talked to about 3D TV, reminded me that a good 3D TV is also a good 2D TV. You should be able to turn off the 3D display features and view content designed specifically for 3D but in 2D: You just show the view for only one eye. If the refresh rate of the program is high enough, you should not notice much of a difference in picture quality. Get your eyes examined From the optometrist's perspective, the inability to process stereoscopic imagery is, for many people, a treatable condition. Dr. Brad Habermehl, president of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development, told me, "You don't have to be a 3D refugee if you get to the root of the problem. The majority of stereo-blind people really can be helped." Habermehl says that there are methods to teach people to see in 3D. Using graduated methods and physical aids (lenses) as "training wheels," he says, people can eventually learn how to "point both eyes to focus on the same space." It's like riding a bike. Once you learn, the training wheels come off and you can't imagine not doing it. "Vision is definitely learned," he says. "That's what vision training is." The doctor sounded to me suspiciously like a spokesperson for the 3D television manufacturers, or at least a

question: Can all individuals view 3D images?, answer: Nor does it work for a small but significant percentage of the population | question: What is the percentage of the population that cannot see 3D images?, answer: to 10 percent, | question: How much of the population cannot see 3D images?, answer: 4 percent to 10 percent, | question: What do TV makers say people can do to view TVs in 2D?, answer: turn off the 3D display features | question: What kind of images can the author not see?, answer: 3D

(CNET) -- With its launch of iPhoto 09, Apple has begun showing some reasons why it's worth enduring the hassle of geotagging your photos. Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president, unveils iPhoto 09 at Macworld Tuesday. It's generally not easy right now to label your photos with information about where you took the pictures -- the process usually is done with special software to marry the photos with location data taken from a separate GPS receiver. Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, demonstrated what you can do with iPhoto at the Macworld 2009 keynote Tuesday. iPhoto 09 works best with photos that already have been tagged. That's getting more common, as GPS hardware support becomes less of a rarity. For example, Nikon's Coolpix P6000 has a built-in GPS receiver, and Nikon has begun selling its GP-1 GPS receiver, which can plug into its SLR's flash mount so location data is embedded in the photo. Apple's iPhone can geotag its own photos, and camera manufacturers say GPS support in cameras has become a matter of when, not if. But the software also can help you tag your own images. Clicking a photo flips it over, letting you type in a location, then showing the spot using a map. (Google supplies back-end mapping services). Helpfully, iPhoto then can spread that location data to other photos with similar time stamps, and they can be bundled together into a group called an event. OK, but what can you do? Once you have geotagged photos, what can you do with them? For one thing, sift through them geographically using iPhotos' new Places interface. Viewing an iPhoto event can show an associated collection of pushpins on a map, and clicking each pin shows the photo. For another, you can search for photos based on where you took them, not on whatever filing system you might use. iPhoto can handle geographic hierarchies, so if you labeled a photo with "Eiffel Tower," it'll find it with a search for "France" or "Paris." Last, you can create photo books based on location. For people who want to create albums of their travels, this is a good idea, especially since you can use the tags both for selecting photos to print and to add maps into the book itself. There's no support for the painful part of geotagging, though: extracting location data from a GPS unit. There are other programs that can handle that chore, including Microsoft's Pro Photo Tools, Breeze Systems' Downloader Pro, or GPS Photo Linker. iPhoto is bundled with Macs, along with other members of the iLife suite: iMovie, Garage Band, iWeb, and iDVD. People who have earlier versions can upgrade to iLife 09 for $79. Tag, you're it In some glorious future, computers might be able to understand the content of your photos just by "looking" at them, letting them retrieve just what you want when you ask. But for now, it's mostly up to you to add metadata, textual information such as titles, captions, star ratings, and geotags. If you want to find pictures of the Sydney Opera House, you'll have to know when you took them, what folder you tucked them into, or hope you labeled them with appropriate tags. iPhoto 09, like Google's Picasa Web Albums, adds another major tagging automation feature, though: face recognition. The software finds faces, lets you put a name to them, then offers other views of what it judges to be the same person. After you're done, you can view photos of a specific person. And if you've tagged people in Facebook, it'll slurp up those tags through a synchronization process. Yahoo's Flickr, which has extensive tagging and geotagging abilities, also benefits from this synchronization ability. So what's the upshot here? Good news and bad news. The good news is that the world of digital photography is moving to a new organizational scheme,

question: Which software marries photos with location data?, answer: iPhoto 09 | question: Which phone brand is able to geotag its own photos?, answer: Apple | question: What does geotagging lets you search for?, answer: photos. | question: Which phone can geotag its own photos?, answer: Apple's iPhone | question: What is used for location data?, answer: GPS receiver. | question: When will it happen?, answer: Tuesday.

(CNET) -- Would you like to let AT&T know when your iPhone has dropped a call? Well, now there is an app for that. AT&T on Monday released a new application called "Mark the Spot," which lets iPhone users submit complaints about dropped calls, poor service coverage, and less-than-perfect voice quality. The application is free and available in the iTunes App Store. It uses GPS technology in the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS to pin point where the user is when experiencing the problems. For first generation iPhones, it uses cell tower-triangulation to get a fix on problem areas. Once the application is launched, users have several complaint options. They will see a screen that has buttons that let them report a dropped call, poor voice quality, or poor service coverage. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel said AT&T plans to use the data collected to identify trends and prioritize the company's network investments. "We think this is a great way to get customer feedback to improve our network," Siegel said. "We are always looking for ways to make it easy for customers to share their experiences. And this app lets customers report issues. It logs the time and location and automatically forwards the information to our network planning team." iPhone owners have been complaining about AT&T's network since the Apple iPhone went on sale in the summer of 2007. Complaints mounted after the 3G version of the phone was released a year later in 2008. And as more iPhone users come onto the network, more people, particularly in densely populated urban areas, such as New York City and San Francisco, have experienced problems with dropped calls and congested data networks. AT&T executives have not said that AT&T has a problem with its network. But executives, such as AT&T Chief Technology Officer John Donovan, have said that the company has seen a surge in data traffic attributed to iPhone users, who typically consume more wireless bandwidth than other AT&T wireless customers. AT&T has been upgrading its network to keep up with demand. But problems persist. And AT&T's network recently got a poor ranking in terms of customer satisfaction in a Consumer Reports survey. Verizon Wireless, AT&T's chief rival, has taken advantage of AT&T's struggles with a series of advertisements that point out AT&T's lack of 3G network coverage in certain parts of the country. Verizon is running advertisements that mock the Apple "There's an app for that," catch phrase with one that says, "There's a map for that." AT&T fired back with a lawsuit and an advertisements of its own featuring actor Luke Wilson, who points out AT&T's strengths while taking a few shots at Verizon Wireless. AT&T recently dropped its lawsuit against Verizon. And Verizon, which had been suing AT&T over claims that it has the fastest 3G wireless network, also dropped its lawsuit against AT&T. Siegel said that the new "Mark the Spot" application was not prompted by the bad publicity around its network issues nor was it prompted by the current ad wars going on between AT&T and Verizon. Instead, he said that the application was simply a part of AT&T's ongoing commitment to listening to customers. "We are always looking at ways to get customer feedback in as timely a manner as possible," he said. "That's why we pay attention to Twitter, Facebook and blog. One of the great values of these social networking tools is that it's a great way to get instant feedback. And it helps us identify problems." The "Mark the Spot" application can be downloaded onto all iPhones running version 3.0 or later of Apple's operating system or it can be access using iTunes and synchronized to the iPhone via a PC or Mac. Siegel said that AT&T is testing the "Mark the Spot" app for other devices. And he said AT&T hopes to offer applications on other smartphones in the future. No date has been announced yet. And Siegel didn't specify which devices might get the new application, but considering that AT&T sells a lot of

question: What technology is used to pinpoint the problem area?, answer: GPS | question: What is the new app called?, answer: "Mark the Spot," | question: Who published the app?, answer: AT&T | question: What iPhone app lets users complain about poor coverage?, answer: "Mark the Spot,"

(CNET.com) -- The HP Pavilion Media Center TV m8120n is proof positive that quad-core processing is ready for mass consumption. This $1,150 entertainment-minded desktop serves up Intel's Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU, a quad-core chip that up to this point we've seen only in much higher-end systems meant for gaming. While HP's own Pavilion Slimline or Apple's Mac Mini might be better fits for most people looking for a PC to pair with their plasma, the m8120n is a great buy if you need a high-end PC that can do pretty much everything outside of gaming. This fixed-configuration retail PC serves up a host of audio and video connections, plenty of hard drive space, more memory than we were expecting, and integrated Wi-Fi -- all inside a functional and good-looking case. The result is a surprisingly powerful media PC; you won't find a better performer for less. Only its lack of a next-gen optical drive prevents a higher recommendation. We're also not thrilled with the amount of shovelware. Aside from its black exterior, the m8120n is similar in design to the Pavilion Media Center m7780n we reviewed at the start of the year (HP moved to its current Media Center chassis in the spring). We turned on the system and looked over the components, expecting to find a few incremental upgrades from the previous models. Instead, we were shocked to find not only a quad-core processor but also 3GB of fast 1,066MHz memory -- 1GB more than we anticipated. A quick scan of our quad-core reviews confirmed our suspicion: this is by far the cheapest quad-core PC we've reviewed. HP is able to keep the price down in large part by not going after gamers with this system (the preloaded trial offers -- shovelware -- also help subsidize the cost of the PC). Instead of putting money toward a powerful but pricey graphics card, HP uses a low-end Nvidia GeForce 7350LE TurboCache card. It borrows resources from the main system memory when it needs more than its 128MB of dedicated video RAM, but it's more than capable for everything but supplying suitable 3D framerates as our tests show. Beneath the graphics card is a TV tuner card that features an NTSC tuner, an over-the-air ATSC HD tuner, and an FM tuner. It allows you to connect it to your cable box or grab over-the-air channels via an HD antenna (which you'll need to supply yourself). The m8120n uses Vista Home Premium, which includes the Media Center shell. You can use it as your subscription-free DVR front-end to watch, pause, and record TV. It also lets you access other media files--photos, music, videos--via the included Media Center remote. A slick, slim wireless keyboard is also included, but it lacks a mouse control nub or ball, which means living-room use will require mousing on your thigh, the arm of the couch, or coffee table if it's something you can't control with the remote. A pair of 320GB hard drives provides ample storage out of the box, and you can add more via the Personal Media Drive bay on the front panel that can accept HP's external hard drives. The drives come in 160GB, 300GB, and 500GB capacities and require no wires to connect -- just slide them into the slot. They also feature a USB port should you need to connect them to another PC. Aside from that, there isn't much room for expansion. All four memory slots are occupied, as are both PCI slots. You can easily get rid of the modem card if you need a free PCI slot, however, and there is an available x1 PCI Express slot. Beneath the 15-in-1 media card reader conveniently located across the top of the front panel are two 5.25-inch drive bays. We were hoping HP's hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD drive would occupy one of the two slots, but, alas, we discovered a LightScribe DVD burner

question: What type of processor does the HP Pavillion Media Center TV m8120n have?, answer: Intel's Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU, | question: What is the retail on the media center?, answer: $1,150 | question: What does the Media Center TV retail for?, answer: $1,150 | question: What type of processor does it have?, answer: Core 2 Quad Q6600 | question: How much does the HP Pavillion Media Center TV m8120n retail for?, answer: $1,150

(CNN Student News) -- Discussion Questions 1. When is Black History Month observed? When did Black History Month get its start? Who was Dr. Carter G. Woodson? What was his role in the establishment of Black History Month? 2. What are some significant events and milestones in U.S. black history? Who are some of the individuals who have contributed to black history? 3. How does black history help to tell the story of what it means to be an American? How have African-Americans enriched that story? What lessons can be learned from the experiences of black history makers? Learning Activities Use these activities to encourage your students to learn about and appreciate the history, culture and achievements of African-Americans. 1. A Milestone in U.S. History Remind students that they have witnessed a truly historical event in their lifetime: the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president. What will they remember about this milestone? What do they want future generations to know about it? Challenge students to write letters to students who will be in their place 100 years from now, describing the event and its significance for all Americans. Combine the letters into a book or a Web site, or create a video of students reading their letters. Present the finished product to your school's historian or media specialist for archiving. 2. Covering Black History Ask students: What if CNN correspondents had been on the scene to record key moments in black history for the entire world to see? Organize students into small teams of reporters, and have each team select a time period in American history and a key figure or event that helped to define that time period for African-Americans. Then, have students imagine that CNN was there to cover the historical figure or event. Ask: How do you think that CNN reporters might have covered these stories? Encourage the teams to write scripts for news stories on their historical figures and events. After students have presented their scripts, have them compare their reports to eyewitness accounts and local newspaper reports that were written at the time. 3. Harlem Renaissance Inform students that during the 1920s and 1930s, an African-American cultural movement occurred in the United States that was known as the Harlem Renaissance. It was a literary, musical and artistic explosion that was born in Harlem, New York, and it had a profound impact on African-American culture and on the U.S. as a whole. Have your class host a Harlem Renaissance cultural fair. Direct students to online resources to learn about some of the great artists, writers and musicians who were part of the renaissance and their contribution to this cultural movement. Have each student select one of these African-American artists and design a display that tells about the life and times of the artist and the importance of his or her work. Invite guests from your school and community to attend the exhibit. Have students serve as "roaming curators" to instruct and interest guests in the Harlem Renaissance and the creative works of these great African-Americans. 4. Profiles in Black History Do your students show a personal interest in science, music, politics, theater, sports or education? Inspire them to celebrate the contributions of African-Americans by having them write profiles of African-Americans in the categories that interest them. For example, a budding young scientist might choose to profile the inventor of the ironing board, the lawn mower or the space shuttle retrieval arm, all of whom were/are African-Americans. Direct your students to online and print resources and have them conduct research on their chosen individuals. Then, encourage students to write proposals to have their selected persons commemorated in new postage stamps. Students should accompany their proposals with designs for the stamps. In their presentations, students should try to convince classmates why their profiled persons should have a stamp created in their name. Post the designs around the classroom. 5. Local African-American History Valuable lessons in black history may be found just a few steps away in the stories and documents that can be found in local libraries, historical

question: What are the activities for?, answer: encourage your students to learn about and appreciate the history, culture and achievements of African-Americans. | question: What does this month help students do?, answer: learn about and appreciate the history, culture and achievements of African-Americans. | question: What do the students learn?, answer: the history, culture and achievements of African-Americans.

(CNN Student News) -- May 11, 2009 Quick Guide Russia Victory Day - Discover how an anniversary is connected to a show of Russia's military might. Charging for Content? - Debate whether there's a future in charging readers to view news content online. Final Visit - Depart the Earth's surface for a maintenance mission needed in outer space. Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's Monday, I'm Carl Azuz, and this is CNN Student News! Thank you for joining us. We're gonna start things off with a quick check of some headlines. First Up: Headlines AZUZ: Fierce battles are still raging in northwestern Pakistan, where the country's military is waging an assault against Taliban forces. Officials say as many as 200 members of the militant group were killed in a single day over the weekend. CNN can't confirm that information, because journalists aren't allowed in the region. The United Nations is concerned about this impact on civilians. Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis are leaving the area to try and get away from the violence. And in California, firefighters are getting some help from the weather as they battle that blaze in Santa Barbara. Authorities say low winds and increased humidity are helping to keep the flames under control. The fire, which had destroyed or damaged about 80 homes, was at least 55 percent contained by Sunday. Russia Victory Day AZUZ: And Russia is celebrating the end of World War II with its 64th annual Victory Day. The occasion, which took place on Saturday, marks the date in 1945 when Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the former USSR, which Russia was part of at the time. As Matthew Chance shows us, the weekend ceremony gave Russia an opportunity to show off its military might. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is the biggest show of force in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Columns of tanks and missile launchers thundered over the cobblestones of Red Square in the center of Moscow for these Victory Day celebrations, marking the defeat of Nazi Germany but also reflecting the Kremlin's efforts to revive Russia's armed forces and global power. Well, opening the parade, Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev told spectators that Russia's military is ready to respond to any aggression, and he referred obliquely to the country's brief war with the neighboring former Soviet republic of Georgia last year. DMITRY MEDVEDEV, PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA (TRANSLATED): Now more than ever, it is clear a safe world is possible only where international law is strictly abided by. And that is why our country has initiated a new treaty on European security. Security based on safe arms control and reasonable sufficiency of military construction for the broadest cooperation of states and the exclusively peaceful settlement of conflicts. And we will firmly pursue the execution of these principles. CHANCE: About 9,000 troops took part in a display of military equipment which, for the first time, included state-of-the-art S400 air defense missiles, which the United States and others is concerned may be sold to Iran. Russia also rolled out its new Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missiles, a stock reminder that this fast country remains a formidable nuclear power. Matthew Chance, CNN, Moscow. (END VIDEO CLIP) ID Me ERIK NIVISON, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I first appeared in the United States in the late 1600s. I'm a printed item that's usually published daily or weekly. I've been a major source of news for millions of people around the world. I'm the newspaper, the answer to that old joke, "What's black and white and read all over?" Charging for Content? AZUZ: Except newspapers aren't being read as much these days. In fact, at least 120 of them have closed in the U.S. since January of 2008. One reason: Readers are getting their

question: What did future say?, answer: Charging for Content? | question: What happened in russia?, answer: Victory Day | question: What does the document say to debate?, answer: view news content online. | question: What are they debating what there is a future in?, answer: charging readers to view news content online. | question: What was created as a show of Russia's military might?, answer: Victory Day | question: What is needed in outer space?, answer: a maintenance mission

(CNN Student News) -- Each month in 2008, CNN Student News will be "Talking Democracy" by introducing an election-year topic on the show and online. From caucuses to conventions and primaries to polls, CNN Student News will be breaking down these election-year concepts for students and teachers. Classes are invited to show what they know about the political process by submitting iReports to CNN Student News. Classes are encouraged to use original video, music, animation and other production elements to demonstrate their knowledge of each political concept. There's a list of political concepts and the months they will air below. The best iReports may appear on CNN Student News. This Web page is your one-stop destination for Talking Democracy educational materials and iReport information. As the year unfolds, additional materials will be added to this site that address the different topics your students will learn about in the Talking Democracy series. Be sure to revisit often! Talking Democracy Topics January: Caucuses and Primaries February: The Right to Vote March: Political Parties April: Campaign Finance May: Polling June and July: The Issues August: Conventions September: Debates October: What's at Stake? November: Electoral College Learning Activities • Caucuses and Primaries • The Right to Vote • Political Parties • Campaign Finance • Polling • Political Issues • Conventions • Debates Viewing Guide • Electoral College Reform • Predict Electoral College Votes One-Sheets • Caucuses and Primaries • The Right to Vote • Political Parties • Campaign Finance • Political Polls • Political Issues • Conventions • Debates • Electoral College Talking Democracy Questions Use these questions to test your knowledge of the presidential election process, then check the answers to see how you did. Videos • Delegates 101 Delegate-hunting can be a mathematical challenge, but CNN's Jill Dougherty says it adds up to American-style democracy. • Right to Vote CNN Student News explores the right to vote, and an iReporting classroom chimes in with reasons to exercise it. • Political Parties 101 Discover some of the differences between the Democratic and Republican parties. • Campaign Finance 101 Check out some of the rules concerning cash for presidential campaigns. • Polling 101 Discover why a random sampling is an important aspect of an opinion poll. • Conventions 101 CNN Student News takes you behind the scenes of the national political conventions. • Debates 101 The candidates face off as CNN Student News provides the background and backdrop for presidential debates. • Electoral College 101 CNN Student News' Carl Azuz gives us the 411 on the Electoral College Interactives Why delegates matter in the presidential race Click through this interactive for an explanation of the different types of delegates and how they are chosen in the nomination process for the Democratic and Republican parties. Electoral Map Calculator Use this Electoral College map to examine how the presidential candidates may fare in November's election, based on analysis from the CNN Political Unit. Then call the race yourself! Click on a state, choose a winner, and watch the electoral votes add up. Cable in the Classroom's eLECTIONS campaign simulation Make all the decisions for a virtual run for the U.S. presidency, allocating budget, selecting key issues, choosing where to campaign, and responding to the opponent's moves and other external events. Debate Quiz How much do you know about debate history? These questions will test your knowledge and include video of some memorable moments in presidential debate history. Related Resources • CNN Election Center 2008 • FEC: 2008 Presidential Caucus and Primary Dates • Project Vote-Smart.org: How Does the Primary Process Work? • CNN Campaign Trail Jargonbuster iReports Students can demonstrate their understanding of election-related topics by sending in their own Talking Democracy iReports. Click here for information on how to send in iReports.

question: What does Talking Democracy do?, answer: an election-year topic on the show and online. | question: What is the name of the program?, answer: "Talking Democracy" | question: What broke down concepts for teachers?, answer: CNN Student News | question: Where can you watch "Talking Democracy"?, answer: CNN Student News | question: What broke down election year concepts for students?, answer: CNN | question: Who was it for?, answer: students and teachers. | question: Who is the breakdown for?, answer: students and teachers. | question: What breaks down election-year concepts?, answer: CNN Student News | question: What is Talking Democracy?, answer: educational materials | question: Who is "Talking Democracy" for?, answer: students and teachers. | question: What did it break down?, answer: election-year concepts for students and teachers.

(CNN Student News) -- April 14, 2010 Download PDF maps related to today's show: • Haiti • Mexico • Kyrgyzstan Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Lend us your ears and follow your nose. This broadcast of CNN Student News appeals to the senses. From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz. First Up: Nuclear Summit U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Two decades after the end of the Cold War, we face a cruel irony of history. The risk of a nuclear confrontation between nations has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up. AZUZ: The risk that President Obama is talking about is from terrorists. This week's Nuclear Security Summit is focused on how to prevent that risk. Dozens of world leaders working on ways to secure nuclear materials. Several ideas have come out of this summit. We reported yesterday that Ukraine plans to get rid of its enriched uranium, which can be used to make nuclear materials. The U.S. and Russia agreed to update a treaty aimed at eliminating weapons-grade plutonium from their military programs. You can see Secretary of State Clinton and her Russian counterpart signing off on the agreement. Plus, Mexico and Canada have announced plans to downgrade supplies of enriched uranium so that they can't be used to make nuclear weapons. Tuesday's session began on a sad note: a moment of silence for the victims of a plane crash that killed the president of Poland, along with that country's first lady and many top Polish officials. President Obama has said that he'll travel to Poland for the president and first lady's funeral. I.D. Me TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1964. I graduated from Princeton University and got my law degree from Harvard. I have two daughters: Malia and Sasha. I'm first lady Michelle Obama, the country's first African-American first lady. Michelle Obama AZUZ: Right now, Michelle Obama is on her first official, solo trip as first lady. She arrived in Mexico yesterday for a three-day visit there. It's being made "in recognition of the deep ties between the United States and Mexico." While she is there, Mrs. Obama will meet with the first lady of Mexico, tour different cultural museums, and give a speech at a local university. But before that, she was in Haiti. It was a surprise stop Tuesday on her way to Mexico. She toured some of the areas that were devastated by the massive earthquake that hit the country in January. Afterward, the first lady promised that the U.S. is committed to helping Haiti recover from the disaster. Offer of Resignation AZUZ: In Asia, Kurmanbek Bakiev, the president of Kyrgyzstan, says that he is willing to resign, but only if he and his relatives are allowed to leave the country safely. Kyrgyzstan has been going through some political turmoil recently. And when protesters took over the main government building, Bakiev left the capital city and a temporary government took over. Some officials in that new government would be just fine with Bakiev leaving Kyrgyzstan. Others think the president should have to stay and be held accountable for what they say are criminal actions. Charges have been filed against some of his relatives and associates. But Bakiev says he doesn't recognize any decisions made by the interim government. Rare Safety Warning AZUZ: "Don't buy: Safety risk." It's a warning that Consumer Reports doesn't make too often. But it is making that warning about a sport utility vehicle made by Lexus. The Lexus GX460, you see right here, during a severe turn, it slides almost completely sideways. Consumer Reports says that's because a system that should stop the slide doesn't kick in in time, and that could cause a rollover. That's why the magazine issued the rare "Don't buy" warning. The last one of those was given

question: who is the first lady, answer: Michelle Obama, | question: where is michelle obama going?, answer: Mexico | question: who is michelle obama?, answer: first African-American first lady.

(CNN Student News) -- August 20, 2007 Quick Guide Stories of Summer '07 - Catch up on some of the big news stories from the summer of 2007. Hurricane Dean - Find out how some U.S. officials are preparing for Hurricane Dean. Earthquake in Peru: Learn about relief efforts in Peru following a deadly earthquake. Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: We're back with a brand new school year of CNN Student News. Glad to have you with us everyone. I'm Carl Azuz. Bracing for the storm: U.S. and Mexican authorities are preparing for a powerful hurricane tearing through the Caribbean and looks to be headed for the Gulf of Mexico. And wrapping up the summer: You might have been out of school, but the news doesn't take time off. So we're reviewing some of the summer's big stories First Up: Stories of Summer '07 AZUZ: You might have spent the last couple months working at a summer job or working on your tan, but the news didn't stop when school let out last spring. There was tragedy in the Twin Cities when a bridge in Minnesota collapsed during rush hour, and questions in America's pasttime when a slugger's record-breaking trip around the bases raised a cloud of controversy. We've followed it all and we're ready to get you caught up on some of the biggest headlines of the summer. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RUSTY DORNIN, CNN REPORTER: It was an extended family of rescue workers from around the country who converged on Charleston to honor the nine fallen firemen, joining blood relatives, friends and the local community. HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN REPORTER: The relatives of those victims deal with the wrenching but definite news that everybody on board the flight from Puerto Allegre died during yesterday's crash. LIZ KENNEDY, CNN REPORTER: The questions for the CNN-sponsored debate were submitted to the online video sharing Web site YouTube. BRIAN TODD, CNN REPORTER: Animal rights protesters target their rage at an NFL star as he enters a federal courthouse. Inside, Michael Vick pleads not guilty to felony charges of dogfighting and conspiracy. ANDERSON COOPER, CNN REPORTER: Six o'clock on Wednesday evening, rush hour in Minneapolis. Cars, trucks, buses crawl across the I-35W bridge bumper to bumper. Just minutes later, that slow traffic comes to a tragic halt. JOHN VAUSE, CNN REPORTER: Many of the toys made here for the U.S. giant Mattel were coated in lead paint, and earlier this month more than a million were recalled. BARRY BONDS: This record is not tainted at all, at all, period. You guys can say whatever you want. JOHN LORINC, CNN REPORTER: Nearly a week into the search for six miners trapped in the Crandall Canyon coal mine, rescuers will now try a new tactic: drilling a third hole in an effort to find the men. BARBARA STARR, CNN REPORTER: Top U.S. commanders are now using the strongest language to condemn the killing and wounding of hundreds after multiple suicide vehicle bombs exploded in remote northern Iraqi villages, home to a religious minority group known as Yazidis. HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN REPORTER: People waited in lines for hours, desperate for food, water and blankets. Civil defense authorities estimate more than 17,000 homes were destroyed in one town alone. (END VIDEO CLIP) Promo AZUZ: If you want to keep the discussion going on the stories in our summer round-up, we've got a learning activity that will help you take a closer look. Students can talk about how time and perspective might shape opinions about news events and examine how the stories from this summer might be presented in a history textbook. You can check out the free activity at CNNStudentNews.com. Hurricane Dean AZUZ: Several countries are preparing for a deadly storm that's blowing through the Caribbean. Hurricane Dean has been tearing across the area since late last week, and on Friday, it strengthened into

question: What can be found out about U.S. Officials?, answer: preparing for Hurricane Dean. | question: What happened in Peru?, answer: a deadly earthquake. | question: What can be learned about from Peru?, answer: relief efforts | question: In what year are the big news stories?, answer: 2007. | question: What is the name of the hurricane?, answer: Dean | question: What type of natural disaster occurred in Peru?, answer: Earthquake | question: What year are the big news stories from?, answer: 2007. | question: What can you do over the summer of 2007?, answer: job or working on your tan,

(CNN Student News) -- December 13, 2010 Download PDF maps related to today's show: • Minneapolis, Minnesota • Ivory Coast • Cancun, Mexico Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz. This is CNN Student News, coming to you from Atlanta, Georgia, where we saw some unseasonal snowflakes over the weekend...in Georgia! Some parts of the country, though, are dealing with much worse conditions than we are. First Up: Winter Weather AZUZ: Especially the midwestern U.S. A powerful snowstorm plowed through that part of the country over the weekend. Parts of Wisconsin got more than a foot and a half of snow, the state's governor declaring a state of emergency for more than 70 counties. What that does is help free up emergency workers and resources to help deal with it. Minnesota got hit pretty badly, too. In Minneapolis, the hometown Vikings were supposed to play an NFL game against the Giants yesterday. But this before-and-after picture shows you why that couldn't happen. That is the Metrodome, the Vikings' stadium. On the left is what the roof is supposed to look like. On the right: what it looked like yesterday. The roof caved in! This is a dome that's held up by air pressure. And after it got more than 17 inches of snow, just too much extra weight caused it to fail. Some workers were up on top, trying to shovel off the snow. They're not sure how long it's gonna take for the building to open back up. The Vikings game got moved back until tonight, and it'll be played in Detroit. Holiday Wreath Laying CORAL VIDAL, FORTMAN, MARYLAND: I took my time and then, after I laid the wreath, I said thank you for your service. And I think it's just awesome being here laying these wreaths. JOHN ROYSTER, WEST POINT, VIRGINIA: I read whose name was there and their dates and said a thank you. These are men and women who have given the ultimate. All gave some, some gave all. AZUZ: Two of the hundreds of volunteers who helped lay wreaths on the gravesites of American troops at Arlington National Cemetery this weekend. It's a tradition that's been going on for nearly 20 years, and it happened at hundreds of other cemeteries across the country. I.D. Me APRIL WILLIAMS, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm a West African nation located between Ghana and Liberia. I gained my independence from France in 1960. My official name is Côte d'Ivoire. Many people know me as Ivory Coast, and I'm home to around 21 million people. Political Crisis AZUZ: Côte d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast, is in the middle of a political crisis. After a run-off in the country's recent presidential election, both candidates -- the current president and one of his opponents -- declared victory. That's not gonna work. The heads of other West African countries say the idea of two leaders just isn't for Côte d'Ivoire. Christian Purefoy gets us up to speed on the situation. (BEGIN VIDEO) CHRISTIAN PUREFOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT, LAGOS: Sworn in as President of Ivory Coast, Laurent Gbagbo stands defiant. The Ivorian people did not elect him president, says the international community. This man, Alassane Ouattara, who has also sworn himself in, is the true president, according to the independent electoral commission U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: We are in full agreement that Alassane Ouattara is the rightfully-elected president of Cote d'Ivoire, and that former President Laurent Gbagbo should respect the results of the election and peacefully transfer power to his successor. PUREFOY: Since the election results were announced this month, there has been a dangerous stalemate in Ivory Coast, a standoff threatening to degenerate into civil war. In the early 1990s, Cote d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast

question: What hammered the midwest, answer: A powerful snowstorm

(CNN Student News) -- December 9, 2009 Download PDF maps related to today's show: • Baghdad, Iraq • Kabul, Afghanistan • New Orleans, Louisiana Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, I'm Carl Azuz. You've landed on CNN Student News. First Up: Job Creation AZUZ: During a speech yesterday, President Obama offered some ideas on how to create new jobs and help out the country's economy: offering tax breaks to small businesses, expanding some of the government's stimulus programs, and spending more funds on infrastructure projects -- things like roads, bridges and water systems. The thing is, all of that costs money. And that's where the TARP comes in. That's the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the financial industry bailout passed last year. The bailout ended up not costing as much as expected, and President Obama thinks the extra could be used to help out in other ways. U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: The TARP program was flawed and we have worked hard to correct those flaws and manage it properly. And today, TARP has served its original purpose and at much lower cost than we expected. In fact, because of our stewardship of this program and the transparency and accountability that we put in place, TARP is expected to cost taxpayers at least $200 billion less than it was anticipated just this past summer. AZUZ: Couple of things to keep in mind here, though. First, White House officials say that they can't just use TARP money to pay for infrastructure projects; the program just doesn't work like that. And second, some Republicans are outraged by the idea of spending any unused TARP funds because they say that money was supposed to help pay off the country's debt. REP. JOHN BOEHNER, (R) MINORITY LEADER: This makes me so angry. I was there. I know all about TARP. First, it was never intended that all this money would ever have to be spent. But any money that wasn't spent was to go to the deficit. And the idea of taking this money and spending it is repulsive. Health Care Debate AZUZ: Senators are considering alternatives to part of their health care legislation. Specifically, the so-called public option: That's a government-run health insurance program. Senate Republicans, and some Democrats and Independents, are against that plan. A group of Democratic senators was working to come up with some other ideas that could replace the public option. Late last night, they said they had reached an agreement. If the Senate passes its health care bill, that doesn't make it law. It would still need to be combined with the House bill, and then that final version would need to pass both the House and the Senate. Baghdad Bombings AZUZ: The head of Iraq's government says that a series of suicide bombings is designed to create chaos in that country and prevent progress toward elections that are scheduled for next year. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called yesterday's terrorist attacks "cowardly." The five explosions killed more than 125 people and injured more than 440 others. The bombings all took place within minutes of each other Tuesday morning. They targeted several government buildings around the capital city of Baghdad, as well as a neighborhood and a business district. Is this Legit? TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Is this legit? Hillary Clinton is the U.S. secretary of defense. Not legit! Robert Gates is the defense secretary. He was appointed by President George W. Bush, and President Obama asked him to stay on the job. Defense Secretary Visit AZUZ: It's Mr. Gates' job to advise the president on military issues like the war in Afghanistan. And that is where the defense secretary is right now, meeting with military officials and Afghan leaders following President Obama's announcement that he plans to send 30,000 additional U.S. forces to Afghanistan. Barbara Starr has more on Mr. Gates'

question: What kind of unused money is proposal causing controversy?, answer: TARP funds

(CNN Student News) -- Discussion Questions 1. When did the U.S. government establish a holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? When in January does this holiday typically take place? 2. Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? What are some of his accomplishments? What cause did he work for? How did he approach this cause? How did he think that people should bring about political and social change? 3. What is the title of Dr. King's most well-known speech? When and where was this speech given? What do you think Dr. King was trying to say in this speech? Why do you think that it has become so famous? 4. How does community service play a role in the MLK holiday? What does "A day on, not a day off" mean? What are some of the activities that people participate in to observe the holiday in Dr. King's honor? Activities 1. Read or listen to Dr. King's famous "I have a dream" speech. What were the points Dr. King was trying to make? What views did he express on equality? Why do you think that he chose to promote peaceful protest as a means to that end? What are your reactions to this speech? Share your thoughts with the class or write them in a journal. 2. In the "I have a dream" speech, Dr. King says that he hopes that one day, his children "will be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." What does this mean? Create artwork, song lyrics or an interactive presentation that captures what Dr. King meant when he spoke of the content of one's character. Share your creation with the class. 3. Many people volunteer for community service projects on MLK Day. If you have ever been part of a community service project, share your experience with the class and talk about how the community benefited from the project, and what you got out of helping others. If you have never been involved in community service, consider what you could do to help someone else. Do you have a talent or skill, however small, that might help someone else? Elderly neighbors might appreciate your willingness to pick up their mail, for example. Another student might need help in a subject that you excel in. And if you are capable (and have your parents' permission), you might even consider being part of a bigger project, like landscaping around a school or painting a community center. Think about what you can do, not just on MLK Day, but on a regular basis to help your community be a better place, and then make a commitment to make it happen. Standards Social Studies V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions. VI. Power, Authority and Governance Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance. The Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (http://www.socialstudies.org/standards/strands/) are published by the National Council for Social Studies (http://www.socialstudies.org/). Resources The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute (http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/) Constitution.net: The I Have a Dream Speech (http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html) Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service (http://www.mlkday.gov/) The King Center (http://www.thekingcenter.org/)

question: When is Martin Luther King Jr. Day?, answer: January

(CNN Student News) -- February 17, 2010 Download PDF maps related to today's show: • Afghanistan • Iran Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: This Wednesday, February 17th, CNN Student News begins with a big story out of southeast Asia. I'm Carl Azuz, reporting from the CNN Center in Atlanta! First Up: Taliban Leader Arrested AZUZ: First up: What could be a major defeat for the Taliban. Pakistani officials say the Taliban's second-highest leader has been arrested. Details, right after some fast facts on the Taliban: This is a militant organization that used to control Afghanistan. It allowed the al Qaeda terrorist group to live and train there. A U.S. led coalition knocked the Taliban out of power in late 2001, after the September 11th attacks on America. Now, Pakistani intelligence says Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was caught several days ago in Pakistan, which borders eastern Afghanistan. Baradar's capture could be a huge victory for the U.S. because America has been hunting him for years and he could have some incredibly valuable information about both the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists. American officials are saying this could be a turning point in the war in Afghanistan. But there is a hitch: the Taliban deny that Baradar's been caught. They say he's still working for them and that reports of his arrest are designed to hurt the Taliban's morale. That is important to them right now because America, along with other coalition forces, are currently fighting the Taliban in southern Afghanistan. In the town of Marjah, a stronghold of the Taliban, U.S.-led forces are making progress. Marines took over a police headquarters there yesterday. New Nuclear Power Plant U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We are announcing roughly $8 billion in loan guarantees to break ground on the first new nuclear plant in our country in three decades. AZUZ: And it would be an expansion of this nuclear facility in the eastern part of Georgia. The Obama administration claims the two, new nuclear reactors would create more than 3,000 construction jobs and 850 permanent jobs at the nuclear plant. The White House also says the power it would generate would be enough for more than half a million homes. Republican leaders, including both of Georgia's senators, like this idea. Sen. Saxby Chambliss says it's a step in the right direction, adding, the power generated by the Burke County Facility -- that's the one that's already there -- is safe, reliable, emissions-free and environmentally responsible. But some Democrats are against it, along with nuclear power critics. One of those, energy analyst Ben Schreiber, says, "The last thing Americans want is another government bailout for a failing industry." Schreiber went on to call nuclear power "unsafe and dirty." Iran's Warning AZUZ: Iran's nuclear plan is worrying diplomats at the United Nations. And Iran's leader is warning the U.N. Security Council not to punish his Middle Eastern nation for its nuclear program. At a news conference yesterday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wants the U.N. to "move in the spirit of cooperation." But if it doesn't, he says Iran would react in a way that would put the U.N. to shame. To the international community, those are very unwelcome words. The U.N. wants Iran to stop enriching uranium, because enriched uranium could help Iran make an illegal, nuclear weapon. Iran continues to argue its program would be used only to help provide power to civilians. The global community doesn't believe it. Cybersecurity AZUZ: There are attacks going on in the U.S. that most people never hear about probably because most of the time, they fail. We're talking about cyber attacks. And many times, they come from other countries, testing our electronic systems -- they might target cell phone companies, power companies, Internet companies. Yesterday, a panel of former government workers got together in a cyber-attack drill to work on ways the U.S. could

question: what could be the major blow, answer: the Taliban's second-highest leader has been arrested. | question: where are the militants fighting, answer: southern Afghanistan. | question: who is major blow to Taliban militants?, answer: second-highest leader has been arrested.

(CNN Student News) -- February marks the beginning of Black History Month, a federally recognized, nationwide celebration that provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African-Americans have played in the shaping of U.S. history. But how did this celebration come to be, and why does it take place in February? We should emphasize not Negro History, but the Negro in history. What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world void of national bias, race hate, and religious prejudice. - Dr. Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) on founding Negro History Week, 1926 Dr. Carter G. Woodson, considered a pioneer in the study of African-American history, is given much of the credit for Black History Month, and has been called the "Father of Black History." The son of former slaves, Woodson spent his childhood working in coalmines and quarries He received his education during the four-month term that was customary for black schools at the time. At 19, having taught himself English fundamentals and arithmetic, Woodson entered high school, where he completed a four-year curriculum in two years. He went on to receive his Master's degree in history from the University of Chicago, and he eventually earned a Ph.D from Harvard. Disturbed that history textbooks largely ignored America's black population, Woodson took on the challenge of writing black Americans into the nation's history. To do this, Woodson established the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. He also founded the group's widely respected publication, the Journal of Negro History. In 1926, he developed Negro History Week. Woodson believed that "the achievements of the Negro properly set forth will crown him as a factor in early human progress and a maker of modern civilization." Woodson chose the second week of February for the celebration because it marks the birthdays of two men who greatly influenced the black American population: Frederick Douglass (February 14), an escaped slave who became one of the foremost black abolitionists and civil rights leaders in the nation, and President Abraham Lincoln (February 12), who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery in America's confederate states. In 1976, Negro History Week expanded into Black History Month. The month is also sometimes referred to as African-American Heritage Month. (Source: http://blackhistorypages.net/pages/cgwoodson.php, http://www.chipublib.org/002branches/woodson/woodsonbib.html)

question: What will help us understand the origins?, answer: Black History Month. | question: What is this information about?, answer: Black History Month, | question: what is Black History Month, answer: a federally recognized, nationwide | question: what information do we know about Black History Month, answer: celebration that provides the opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the significant roles that African-Americans have

(CNN Student News) -- January 18, 2008 Quick Guide Focus on: The Economy - Hear about the "r" word, and see how a possible recession could be fought. No Girls Allowed - Learn why a Florida family is balking at a statewide baseball rule. A Song for Spain - Consider what it would be like to have a national anthem without lyrics. Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Fridays are awesome! Thanks for spending part of yours with CNN Student News! From the CNN Center, I'm your host, Carl Azuz. First Up: Focus on: The Economy AZUZ: First up today: Technically, recession isn't a four-letter word. But it is one that Americans don't like to use, because it describes a downturn in the economy over time. Why might this happen? Well, many Americans' home mortgages are going up. And they're not able to pay. More people are out of work, consumers --like you and me-- are spending less money overall. And we don't even need to mention gas prices. Now these factors add up to an economic forecast that's not so good; Your family may be feeling the pinch. And all this is lighting a fire under government officials to fight a possible recession. Brianna Keilar considers the options Congress has, to try to prevent America from slipping into the red. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN REPORTER: With fears of a recession growing, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke was on Capitol Hill Thursday, urging Congress to act quickly on an economic stimulus package. BEN BERNANKE, FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN: Stimulus that comes too late will not help support economic activity in the near term and it could be actively destabilizing if it comes at a time when growth is already improving. KEILAR: The president had a conference call with Senate and House leaders from both parties, the White House characterizing it as a consultation rather than a negotiation. All sides are indicating partisan bickering will take a backseat to finding a quick solution. Today marks the first time the White House has said President Bush is backing a stimulus plan, but spokesman Tony Fratto shied away from discussing specifics. TONY FRATTO, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECY.: The headwinds that we're dealing with right now are things that we see over the next coming quarters. So we do want to try to pass something quickly. KEILAR: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner met for the second day in a row. Both sides are stressing a bipartisan effort, but proposals are still vague. One option Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on: tax rebates: checks sent to taxpayers in an attempt to quickly pump money into the economy. Democrats say they'll scuttle any Republican attempts to extend the president's tax cuts as part of the stimulus package. Privately, congressional Republicans acknowledge it's a fight they can't win. What's more, Bernanke told Congress Thursday, making the tax cuts permanent won't help in the short term. BERNANKE: I think that the evidence suggests that measures that involve putting money in the hands of households and firms that will spend it in the near term will be more effective. KEILAR: Speaker Pelosi is hoping to have a final agreement before the State of the Union on January 28th. Brianna Keilar, CNN, the White House. (END VIDEO CLIP) No Girls Allowed AZUZ: The next question today is, are girls as good as boys at sports? And if they are, should they be allowed to play at the organized, school level? Swing by Jacksonville, Florida, and you'll find that very controversy rounding the bases. But it's not over a school rule-- It's a state one. Laura Mazzeo of affiliate WJXT steps up to the plate. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ALYSSA PITRE, WANTS TO PLAY BASEBALL: I can play as well as a boy. LAURA MAZZEO,

question: What is being considered, answer: an economic stimulus package. | question: What might you consider about the national anthem?, answer: without lyrics. | question: which is the name of the state, answer: Florida | question: What is the ''r'' word, answer: recession | question: What is a Florida family is balking at?, answer: statewide baseball rule. | question: Who is balkingat a statewide baseball rule, answer: a Florida family

(CNN Student News) -- January 28, 2010 Download PDF maps related to today's show: • Wilmington, Ohio • Machu Picchu, Peru • Israel Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: I'm Carl Azuz, and you're tuned in to CNN Student News. Let's go! First Up: State of the Union AZUZ: "He shall from time to time give to Congress information on the state of the union." The words of the U.S. Constitution and the reason why President Obama delivered his State of the Union address to Congress last night. A little background for you here: This speech hasn't always been called the "State of the Union." It used to be called the "annual message." But the purpose has always been the same: for the president to talk about some of the biggest issues facing the country. That is why President Obama spent a good part of last night's speech talking about the economy and the challenges facing the country. U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: One year ago, I took office amid two wars, an economy rocked by a severe recession, a financial system on the verge of collapse, and a government deeply in debt. Experts from across the political spectrum warned that if we did not act, we might face a second depression. So we acted, immediately and aggressively. And one year later, the worst of the storm has passed. But the devastation remains. One in ten Americans still cannot find work. Republican Response AZUZ: After the State of the Union, it's traditional for the other party to offer its response to the president. Last night, the Republican response was given by newly-elected Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell. He won that election last year. McDonnell made his speech from the Virginia state House. He talked about some of the political issues that both parties agree on. But he also focused on some of the areas, especially when it comes to the economy, where Republicans and Democrats don't see eye to eye. GOV. BOB MCDONNELL, (R) VIRGINIA: In the past year, more three million people have lost their jobs, yet the Democratic Congress continues deficit spending, adding to the bureaucracy, and increasing the national debt on our children and grandchildren. The amount of this debt is on pace to double in five years and triple in ten. The federal debt is already over $100,000 per household. This is simply unsustainable. The President's partial freeze announced tonight on discretionary spending is a laudable step, but a small one. Web Promo AZUZ: For more details on the State of the Union and the reaction to it, plus a quiz about the history of this annual address, head to the Spotlight section on our home page, CNNStudentNews.com Running on Hope AZUZ: All right, so the economy -- you know it -- a big theme of last night's speech. It's also a big concern for residents of Wilmington, Ohio. 15,000 people live there. And when the largest employer left town, about 10,000 of those people lost their jobs. Wilmington is hoping that money from the government's stimulus bill will turn things around. Mary Snow examines how much it could help. (BEGIN VIDEO) MARY SNOW, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: DHL stopped operations here last year, bringing shipping to a halt. Nearby businesses started to topple and continue to fall. In all, 10,000 people in this area lost their jobs. The head of the county's homeless shelter tells us she's seen the effects, and she's having a hard time meeting the demand for shelter and food. Denise Stryker-Grant is getting stimulus money through a grant, but it's not much; $200,000 spread out over 3 years that will help keep people in their homes. But she says jobs, the only thing that would really help, remain elusive. DENISE STRYKER-GRANT, CLINTON COUNTY HOMELESS SHELTER: The frustration of continuing to

question: Which town was hoping to turn around the economy?, answer: Wilmington, Ohio. | question: What is the GOP response?, answer: He talked about some of the political issues that both parties agree on. But he also focused on some of the areas, especially when it comes to the economy, where Republicans and Democrats don't see eye to eye. | question: The GOP responded to what speech?, answer: State of the Union | question: Where is the town that is hoping to turn around the local economy?, answer: Wilmington, Ohio.

(CNN Student News) -- June 1, 2009 Quick Guide A Look Back - Take a drive back in time as another American icon's wheels come off. Cybersecurity Concerns - Plug into the reasons why President Obama has cybersecurity concerns. Reusable Lessons - Step onto the campus of a school that's a model of sustainability. Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: I'm Carl Azuz and this is CNN Student News! It is the first day of June and our last week before summer break. Thank you very much for joining us. First Up: A Look Back AZUZ: First up, a major move for the country's largest automaker as General Motors is expected to file for bankruptcy today. This comes one month after Chrysler, another of the so-called "Big Three" U.S. car companies, did the very same thing. Under the terms of General Motors' bankruptcy, the company will be reorganized and essentially taken over by the government. Thirty years ago, GM made up more than 40 percent of U.S. auto sales. Today, that number is 19 percent. The company's reported more than $90 billion in losses since 2005. As the bankruptcy process begins, Christine Romans looks back at the history of GM and the American car. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Henry Ford started at the beginning of the last century with four wheels and a running board; 1908 was the birth of American car culture. That same year, General Motors was formed in Flint, Michigan. It wasn't until 1925 when the "Big Three" was complete with the formation of Chrysler Corporation. JOHN DAVIS, HOST, MOTORWEEK: When the Big Three emerged, they not only emerged as rivals that really gave Americans much better automobiles at the time, but they also cemented the American automobile as a world standard. ROMANS: "As goes General Motors, so goes the nation." That phrase defined America's economic power for much of the last century. PETER MORICI, ECONOMIST, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND: So many folks were either employed at General Motors or the other two major car makers, making steel and all the other components that go into cars. It just meant that if the automobile companies were prospering, the country was prospering, too. ROMANS: Today, there are 74,000 rank-and-file GM workers in the U.S. But in its heyday, GM was the largest industrial company in the world; a technology leader. By 1979, 600,000 people worked for GM. Those good jobs helped build America's middle class. DAVIS: It also allowed us to migrate out from the cities to have the quarter lot in a suburb, to basically get away from a lot of the congestion of the metropolitan areas. ROMANS: General Moters was the company that revolutionized what we drove, how we thought about our cars, and how we paid for them. GM invented auto loans and the model year. It was the first to hire designers instead of engineers to create new car concepts; think big fins and chrome of the 1950s and 60s. And everything changed. Ford adopted flashy fins with the Ford Fairlane, as did Chrysler with the popular Desoto. Automobiles from the Big Three put their stamp on popular culture, from music to movies to television. What's considered to be the first rock and roll song ever recorded was "Rocket 88" by Ike Turner, about a GM product. The Pontiac GTO, considered by many to be the first true muscle car, was showcased in a song by Ronnie and the Daytonas. RONNIE AND THE DAYTONAS, "LITTLE GTO": Little GTO, you really.... ROMANS: The Corvette on Route 66. The 1948 Ford in the iconic movie "Grease." FROM "GREASE": Go grease lighting, go grease lighting... ROMANS: The TransAm in Smokey and the Bandit, and Archie Bunker's Old La Salle. CARROLL O'CONNOR AND JEAN

question: Take a drive back where?, answer: in time | question: Who is concerned with security?, answer: President Obama | question: Who has cybersecurity concerns?, answer: President Obama | question: What do they call the campus of the school?, answer: a model of sustainability. | question: Who's wheels came off?, answer: General Motors'

(CNN Student News) -- March 18, 2010 Download PDF maps related to today's show: • Detroit, Michigan • Israel • Oxford University Transcript THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: A prestigious scholarship or a professional football career? One student athlete is trying to prove that you can have both. I'm Carl Azuz. CNN Student News starts right now! First Up: Jobs Bill AZUZ: First up, a bill aimed at creating new jobs is about to become a law. A vote in the Senate put the final seal of approval on the legislation yesterday, moved it on to President Obama for his signature. The bill has gone back and forth in the House and the Senate. At $17.6 billion, it's actually a scaled-down version of a jobs bill that was put together last month. Here's some of what it includes: Tax breaks for companies that hire people who are currently unemployed. Tax breaks for businesses that spend money on major investments or purchases. And funding for highway and transit programs this year. Some experts say the bill could create 300,000 new jobs. Others say it doesn't guarantee that companies will start hiring, and some lawmakers have argued that the bill doesn't do nearly enough. Rising Waters AZUZ: In parts of the midwestern United States, National Guard members and local volunteers are fighting to keep the Red River at bay. A lot of these volunteers are high school and college students who are spending their spring breaks filling and stacking sandbags. The river's waters are on the rise thanks to melting snow, and there's a threat of serious flooding. This same thing happened last year when the Red River hit a record level in Fargo, North Dakota. Rob Marciano has more on the impact of the severe weather then and now. (BEGIN VIDEO) ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: In Fargo, North Dakota, residents are trying to stack one million sandbags in hopes of pushing back the Red River, which could crest 20 feet above flood stage later this week. Last year, about 100 homes in the area were damaged and thousands of people were evacuated when the Red didn't go down for a record 61 days and crested twice. In the Northeast, a wild storm has left hundreds of thousands of residents either without power or with most of what they own underwater. Trees ripped down power lines, tore up sidewalks and crushed cars. The storm is being blamed for at least seven deaths. Many had to leave their front doors by boat or in the arms of heavy equipment. (END VIDEO) I.D. Me RICK VINCENT, CNN STUDENT NEWS: See if you can I.D. Me! I'm a U.S. city that was founded in 1701. I'm known as the Motor City because of my connection to the auto industry. I'm not the capital of Michigan, but I am the largest city in the state. I'm Detroit, and I'm home to about 4 million people. Closing AZUZ: In three months, more than 40 Detroit schools will be closed. It's part of a $1 billion plan that was announced yesterday. The Detroit School District is looking for ways to cut costs. Officials say this plan will save $31 million in 2010 and help save money in the future. At a meeting to announce the proposal, Robert Bobb, the Emergency Financial Manager for Detroit Public Schools, said it will create a "leaner, smarter" school system. Detroit is dealing with buildings and facilities that are getting older. Plus, student enrollment in the district has dropped significantly; there are 50,000 empty seats. Community members will get a chance to offer feedback at a series of town hall meetings. But yesterday, Mr. Bobb outlined the long-term goals for the district. ROBERT BOBB, EMERGENCY FINANCIAL MANAGER, DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS: We believe that this plan provides certainty where, in the minds of some, there may be uncertainty. We want to build flexible

question: How many schools does Detroit plan to close?, answer: more than 40