Okay, here we go again! This is really getting sad. I am so sick and tired of enduring the stupidity of these constant suggestions that President Obama is not entitled to any and every benefit, advantage and perk of the office of the president of the United States that every other President before him has had — including using Air Force One during his campaign for re-election.
So now, Reince Priebus (ugh, that name), who is Chairman of the RNC (Republican National Committee) has filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Office saying that President Obama has “crossed the line” by campaigning for re-election on Air Force One and that he may escalate his complaint to the Federal Election Commission. Really???
This kind of silliness should be knocked down where it stands and any responsible media person would and should. The benefit that the RNC gets is that even if they know their complaint won’t go anywhere, just having the media discussing it nonstop on national TV gets the idea in the minds of some voters that there is some kind of Obama taxpayer mischief going on — and that’s all they need and want, and before you know it, voila, the media has unwittingly done their job for them! Bravo, RNC!
I truly don’t recall hearing this much ruckus about how much it cost for George W. Bush to fly to Crawford, Texas every other month during his presidency but for some reason replica watches, people have decided to count nickels and dimes every time the current president even looks at Air Force One.
And this has been an ongoing diatribe. First we had the “Obama shouldn’t be going on vacations” tantrums. Then, there were the “First Lady and her daughters shouldn’t be going on vacations” tantrums. Then we had the “Obama shouldn’t be playing golf” tantrums. Recently, there were the “Presidents shouldn’t be going on talk shows” tantrums. Now, we have come to our favorite part of the show, the “Obama shouldn’t be using Air Force One to campaign for re-election” tantrums.
And to my dismay replica watches, even some in the so-called mainstream media have picked up the right-wing mantra and started talking about how much it costs for President Obama to fly on Air Force One. I guess Nixon, Reagan, George Bush, Sr. and George Bush, Jr. all fundraised and campaigned for re-election on Southwest Airlines!
This kind of discussion has taken us from silly season to dumb dailies! What these small-minded people are missing in their childish rants is that the president is ALWAYS the president, whether he is traveling to a summit in Japan or going on vacation or flying to a campaign event … he’s still the president! He does not stop being president just because he is campaigning for re-election (again, as all other presidents have done before him). He still needs to be in touch with world leaders, he still needs access to his military personnel, he still needs to stay connected to crucial cabinet members (i.e. Secretaries of State, Defense, Treasury, etc.). This is not new; this is not a surprise; it’s one of the benefits of the job. Air Force One is the president of the United States’ only mode of airplane transportation. Use of the plane is built into the presidential budget like his meals, rent and utilities, which by the way is my guess for the next RNC target: Should the president really live in the White House while he’s campaigning? Wait for it — it’s coming!
Re-election campaigning is something that has been going on through generations of presidents, but for some reason, we want to constantly scrutinize President Obama for doing things every other president of the United States has done. Every other president has taken vacations, (almost) every other president has played golf, and every other president has traveled on Air Force One while fundraising and campaigning for re-election, but it’s somehow wrong for Barack Obama. Why?
Barack Obama is the first president to run for re-election in the age of Citizens United and as such he may in fact travel a bit more for campaign/fundraising trips because he has a whole lot more to fight against than past presidents. But the fact is that there are plenty of legitimate topics to discuss during this election season, (i.e. jobs, unemployment, economy, Afghanistan, Middle East, Iran, North Korea, health care, gas prices, education, Congress, environment, immigration, crime, etc.). I would hope that the media would concentrate on these topics and not allow itself to be used to make a mini-scandal out of this, and other nonissues, during such an important election. We already know that the RNC and right-wingers will use any and every tactic in the book to try to throw a lay-up against President Obama cheap replica watches, I just hope the media doesn’t give them the assist!
Summer is upon us, which means that Americans are heading to the beach to slather on the sunscreen and slip out of their clothes. In honor of the season Tattoo Supplies, we present a two-piece celebration of the two-piece: In 2006 replica watches, on the swimsuit’s 60th birthday Beats by Dr Dre, Julia Turner chronicled the rise of the bikini in America. Click on the module above to launch that slide-show essay, “A Brief History of the Bikini,” reintroduced below. For a Magnum photo gallery of the bikini, click here.
Sixty years ago this week, the world’s first bikini made its debut at a poolside fashion show in Paris. The swimsuit is now so ubiquitous that it’s hard to comprehend how shocking people once found it. When the bikini first arrived, its revealing cut scandalized even the French fashion models who were supposed to wear it; they refused replica watches, and the original designer had to enlist a stripper instead. Click here to read a slide show that explains how the bikini slowly gained acceptance—first on the Riviera, then in the United States—and became a beachfront staple.
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Word is bumping around the internets that Jaguar may be interested in dusting off a sub-XF model. Doing so would put the big cat into direct competition with the mighty BMW 3 Series – a feat Jaguar attempted once before with the ill-fated X-Type. But according to Adrian Hallmark, the automaker’s new global brand director, the company won’t be repeating past mistakes.
Instead, buyers can look forward to being able to choose between a sporty coupe and a volume sedan if the project gets green-lit. Offering two models would allow Jaguar to deliver a high-quality vehicle while simultaneously reducing its own costs.
Additionally, there’s word that Jaguar wants to ensure that the new car packs all of the luxury and craftmanship of its bigger brothers at a more affordable price point.
Unfortunately Replica Watches, it may be a good long while before we see the fruits of Hallmark’s labors come to the surface. Jaguar says that it is just now beginning to look into a new, smaller model and that it could be four years or more before the vehicle actually shows up on dealer lots. If that’s what it takes to keep Jaguar from churning out another X-Type, we’re all for the wait.
[Source: Autoweek]
1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Popemobile – Click above for high-res image gallery
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There was a time when the Pope set about cruising the world in class and style. While we’ll have no part in arguing the functionality of the current Popemobile Replica Watches, the machine simply can’t hold a candle to the classy lady you see above.
This particular 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman landaulet was built specifically for Pope Paul VI and served three additional pontiffs before getting mothballed in 1985. Why do you care, you ask? Because this particular piece of motoring history is headed Stateside for the very first time as part of this year’s Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance celebrations next month.
Mercedes-Benz has dug the unique 600 out of storage just for the event. Aside from the standard air-ride suspension, power brakes and heating and air conditioning, this particular model came equipped with bullet-proof glass and a unique rear seat that could be raised and lowered so that the Pope could be more easily seen by crowds.
The 2011 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance kicks off on March 11 and runs through the 13th, featuring classic vehicles from all over the globe. Hit the jump to check out the press release.
Related Gallery1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Popemobile
Live photos copyright © 2011 Michael Harley / AOL
[Source: Mercedes-Benz]
2011 Lexus GX 460 – Click above for high-res image gallery
Despite the rise of the crossover, there’s still a market for traditional SUVs. Moreover, some buyers don’t want to sacrifice luxury to get the capability that a full-frame, truck-based sport utility offers. Lexus makes the GX 460 for consumers who want a blend of opulence and a sure-footed, full-frame, locking-transfer-case 4×4 architecture that’s not afraid to pull a substantial trailer and won’t roar loudly enough to cause permanent hearing damage.
While the Lexus RX grabs the hearts of buyers looking for an L-Finesse crossover, the GX 460 is an alternative choice if you’re considering an LR4 or Range Rover Sport Replica Watches, the most direct competitors in terms of architecture and market segment. Taking price and mission into account, a disparate field of rivals ranges from the BMW X5 and Audi Q7 to the GMC Yukon Denali or even the Ford Expedition King Ranch. The GX 460s footprint and price puts it in between larger crossovers and even bigger SUVs Replica Watches, perhaps an awkward place to be, but sales goals are modest.
So does the GX 460’s tinge of uniqueness help it stand out from the herd? Have the changes made since being knocked for potential instability been effective?
Continue reading Review: 2011 Lexus GX 460…
Related Gallery2011 Lexus GX 460: Review
Photos copyright ©2011 Dan Roth / AOL
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There’s something deliciously old-school about the Land Rover Defender. The product of continuous development since 1948 and produced in its current form since 1983, the Defender is to SUVs what the Porsche 911 is to sports cars: unapologetically faithful to its original form. But while the iconic Land Rover is still the very embodiment of the go-anywhere vehicle, the company is reportedly preparing to give it a complete overhaul.
Initial reports pertaining to the development of a new vehicle typically come with few details because inside sources remain tight-lipped. In this case, it appears that there are no details to be divulged simply because Land Rover hasn’t decided what they’ll be yet. At this point Replica Watches, according to British reports, JLR is intensively studying what is needed before it goes ahead with development – which strikes us as a smart course of action when you’re dealing with replacing a vehicle as legendary as the Defender.
All we know at this point is that the new Defender is likely to feature a highly adaptable chassis on which will be built a wide variety of body types, from convertibles to wagons to pickups. After Land Rover does finally decide on the way forward, it is expected to unveil a concept sometime in early 2013 before it can begin production in 2015.
Related GalleryLand Rover Defender SVX
[Source: Autocar]
Some companies respond to “losing money at a frightening pace” by studying the problem at length as they continue to lose more money, by asking for more money or, in the worst cases Replica Watches, not doing anything at all. Nissan didn’t do any of those things: after posting a loss of $2.4 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March of 2009, Carlos Ghosn put Nissan EVP Colin Dodge in charge of a financial recovery task force. Just months later, the task force is about to disband itself. Said Dodge, “We’re not losing money anymore.”
How did they do it? The usual tactics: new car programs shelved, production moved to China and Thailand, suppliers dropped — you know the drill. The noteworthy thing is how quickly Nissan did it: just about half a year. Said Dodge Replica Watches, “The industry has made hard work out of decisions like this. It doesn’t have to be so studied.”
Nevertheless, while Nissan has stopped losing money — and that’s a great thing — how will those shelved programs affect Nissan’s future lineup and how thoroughly do you vet a new supplier that you turn to in a panic? It isn’t the first time that Nissan has been in dire trouble, and they’ve made it out all right before, so we figure they know what they’re doing. But the real proof of Dodge’s work, and apparent success, won’t be seen for a while.
[Source: Auto News, sub req'd]
Shopobot Replica Watches, a service that aims to help consumers time their purchases judiciously by tracking price changes and trends, announced today it had received an undisclosed amount of seed funding from Google Ventures, AOL Ventures, Lucas Nealan Replica Watches, Jump Ventures and several other investors. The company also opened the beta version of its site to the public.
New forms of loyalty programs are cropping up to eliminate the need to carry a plastic card for every grocery store, coffee shop and department store you go to. The debate is not over whether it will change, but which model will dominate in the future.
At least two companies FreeMonee and BillShrink are presenting today at Finovate, a two-day event in San Francisco, which shows off some of the biggest trends in payments.
The idea piggybacks on concepts that have been in existence for years. Today Replica Watches, credit card companies reward customers with points when they visit certain hotels or rental car companies, so why can’t that be applied on a much wider basis? Why can’t your credit card company track how much you’ve spent at particular retailers, and calculate what rewards you may qualify for?
Additionally, credit card companies and banks see this as an opportunity to create a new revenue stream. By tracking spending patterns–presumably with privacy settings in place–the companies would be able to work with merchants and brands to deliver relevant offers.
“The thing is that a number of financial institutions have started to realize that they have tons of data on where consumers shop, how they shop and how much they spend. Up until now, they haven’t done anything with it and they aren’t monetizing it,” said Gwenn Bézard, research director at Aite Group, which tracks the banking industry.
That’s all about to change.
This morning at Finovate, FreeMonee is unveiling the rewards program it has been working on for the past year and a half. The company has raised $11 million in venture capital from Redpoint Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, Opus Capital Ventures, Pinnacle Ventures and Contrarian Group. It has built a platform that enables merchants to give cash gifts directly to individual credit and debit cardholders in order to entice them to go to a store and make a purchase.
The company is being started in part by former Visa SVP Jim Taschetta and Mike Linton Replica Watches, former CMO of eBay and Best Buy.
Linton said that merchants will be able to target users by a number of factors, such as geography, type of spend, type of store or other demographics. They can then send consumers gifts of cash directly to their card. The idea is a little similar to the Groupon space. Consumers would get about a week to spend the cash, which comes with very few if any conditions. They get to use the cash to buy whatever they want, and they aren’t obligated to spend more–although the retailer would hope they do.
Linton, who speaks from experience from his years at Best Buy, said you are willing to pay a lot to get customers in the store, through circulars and other advertising. He argues this isn’t a loyalty program because the goal isn’t to make current customers even happier. It’s designed to get new people in the door.
BillShrink also presented at Finovate today. The company, which has been about helping users save money on their various bills, including phone and cable, is unveiling a new program for banks that could replace loyalty programs.
“You don’t have to sign up for a new card, you don’t have to share any information with the merchant,” Schwark Satyavolu, BillShrink’s co-founder and CEO, said.
BillShrink’s program is integrated into your online banking account. From within the stream of purchases a consumer has made, it can insert offers that you may be eligible for. For example, you have already spent $100 at Toys R Us, but if you spend $50 more, you will be able to save 10 percent on your next purchase.
“The Groupon model has made everyone more aware of the consumer demand for incentives,” Satyavolu said. “But the Groupon model is untargeted….This gives consumers the ability to see what they care about, and gives merchants much better reach and banks the ability to cultivate existing relationships.”
BillShrink and FreeMonee are not the only two companies that are meddling in this space. Others include Clovr, Offermatic and Cardlytics.
The brand that consumers will see when Visa’s digital wallet launches early next year won’t be the Visa logo.
The payments company will be using the name V.me to differentiate it from its more well-known services found at thousands of retail locations around the world.
Consumers will be able to fund the digital wallet using a variety of sources — a Visa, MasterCard or bank account.
It will be used to check out online using a user name and password, rather than having to key in the 16-digit number each time. The idea is similar to eBay’s PayPal, and to services by Amazon as well as e-wallet services being developed by American Express.
It will also be useful for checking out while shopping from a browser or application on a mobile phone or tablet. Later next year, Visa plans to roll out mobile payments to the register, where consumers will be able to tap and pay using near field technology.
The digital wallet is in a closed beta today but will be coming out in early 2012, after the holidays.
Jennifer Schulz Replica Watches, Visa’s head of product, strategy and innovation, said the wallet is intended to be open and funded through sources outside of Visa, and therefore “we wanted [the brand] to evoke Visa, and link to it, but without saying Visa.”
To accelerate the adoption of Visa’s payments services, including V.me, Schulz said Visa is unveiling a new developer program that will give anyone, including retailers, merchants and start-ups, access to its payments services.
The tools give mobile developers easier ways to accept payments on the phone, and help game developers that want to sell low-priced digital goods. There are also tools for big-box retailers.
American Express is also trying to woo developers, but rather than focusing on opening up its platform to developers, it has created a $100 million fund to invest in digital commerce opportunities.
Visa’s developer center brings its subsidiaries — including Authorize.Net, CyberSource, Fundamo and PlaySpan — together under one roof.
“We are announcing the Visa Developer Center, which is our platform for engaging developers globally with our Visa payment solutions Replica Watches,” Schulz said. “It provides us with a platform for engaging an important set of constituents.”