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April 26, 2011
New York International Auto Show 2011: April 22 - May 1
Photo: 2012 Subaru Impreza at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: 2012 Nissan Versa at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz Concept A Class at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: Chrysler 300C Executive at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: 2012 Audi A7 at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: SCION FR-S Concept at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: Honda Civic Si Coupe at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: 2013 Taurus LTD at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: 2013 Chevrolet Malibu ECO at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: 2012 Hyundai Accent at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
Photo: Kia Motors Globally Debuts All-New 2012 Rio at New York International Auto Show.
Photo: Laura Soave, Head of Fiat Brand North America, introducing the 2012 Fiat 500 Cabrio at the 2011 New York International Auto Show.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 11:33 AM | View the original post
April 24, 2011
2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Photo: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 BB&T Chevrolet, leads Michael Waltrip, driver of the #15 Aaron’s Auburn National Champions Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 17, 2011 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR. © 2011 Getty Images.)
Photo: Cars race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 3, 2011 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Chris Trotman. © 2011 Getty Images.)
Photo: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, leads Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Rheem Pool & Spa Heaters Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway on March 26, 2011 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR. © 2011 Getty Images.)
Photo: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 Fastenal Ford, celebrates with a flip after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 8, 2011 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR. © 2011 Getty Images.)
Photo: A young race fan stands by the car of Joey Logano, driver of the #20 GameStop Toyota, on pit road prior to the NASCAR Nationwide Series Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway on March 26, 2011 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images. © 2011 Getty Images.)
Photo: Elliott Sadler, driver of the #2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet, and Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 Rheem Chevrolet, lead the field to start the NASCAR Nationwide Series Aaron’s 312 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 16, 2011 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR. © 2011 Getty Images.)
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:15 AM | View the original post
April 23, 2011
Conversations on Diplomacy
Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger film, “Conversations on Diplomacy, Moderated by Charlie Rose,” at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., on April 20, 2011. (State Department Photo.)
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“There are few ironclad rules of diplomacy but to one there is no exception. When an official reports that talks were useful, it can safely be concluded that nothing was accomplished.”
— John Kenneth Galbraith.
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:52 AM | View the original post
April 21, 2011
UN Headquarters Display Laser Message: "No Slavery"
Photo: As part of a media-art installation by Swiss artist Johannes Gees, a “No Slavery” laser-beamed message is projected onto the north wall of the UN Secretariat building. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 10:44 AM | View the original post
World's First Hybrid Car is Recreated
Photo: 111 years - Porsche hybrid today and yesterday - the Panamera S Hybrid and the Semper Vivus in New York.
In 1900, Professor Ferdinand Porsche built the first functional hybrid car. Called Semper Vivus, which means “Always Alive,” this historic car has been resurrected 111 years later.
The fully functional Semper Vivus replica, based on original drawings and exhaustive research, is a collaborative effort between Porsche Engineering, Germany, and Karosseriebau Drescher, Germany. It is on display for the first time in the United States at the New York Auto Show, where, Porsche is also unveiling its New Panamera S Hybrid.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:40 AM | View the original post
April 20, 2011
Shell Eco-Marathon Americas 2011
Photo: Universite Laval student Mathilde Jean-St-Laurent on the track at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Saturday, April 16, in downtown Houston.
Photo: St. Paul’s School students Ryan Durr and Bobby Bayer prepare their car for inspection at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Friday, April 15 in downtown Houston.
Photo: Penn State students Melissa Cardone, Tim Brookins and Nate Peterman prepare their car for the race at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Sunday, April 17 in downtown Houston.
Photo: Northern Arizona University student Lauren Green prepares her car for inspection at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Friday, April 15 in downtown Houston.
Going the farthest distance might sound like a foot race. But this past weekend, it meant stretching the boundaries of fuel efficiency as student teams competed in the fifth annual Shell Eco-marathon Americas, a challenge for students to design, build and test fuel-efficient vehicles that travel the farthest distance using the least amount of energy.
High school and university students from Canada and the United States competed in the two-day street course challenge in downtown Houston.
For the third year in a row and beating last year’s mileage by 77 mpg, the student team from Universite Laval in Quebec, Canada took home the Internal Combustion First Prize with an astonishing best run of 2,564.8 miles per gallon in the Prototype class. And in the UrbanConcept class, the team from Louisiana Technical University in Ruston, La. took First Prize by achieving a best run of 646.7 mpg.
“Every year, the competition at Shell Eco-marathon Americas gets a little tougher,” said Anthony Bernier of Universite Laval. “With more teams participating this year, there are a lot of really smart and innovative fuel-efficient ideas to be seen on and off the track. We put a lot of time and hard work into our vehicle this year and are very proud of how we did. We are excited to be Shell Eco-marathon Americas champions for the third year in a row and to have beat our mileage achieved last year!”
Photo: Louisiana Tech students Sam Ashley and Justin Dowty prepare their car for inspection at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Friday, April 15 in downtown Houston.
Photo: University of Illinois at Urbana-Chapaign student Federico Scholcoff takes a test run on the track at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Friday, April 15, in downtown Houston.
Photo: California State University Los Angeles student Erick Munoz on the track at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Saturday, April 16, in downtown Houston.
Photo: Benton High School student Kevin Larue prepares his car for the race at Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2011 on Sunday, April 17 in downtown Houston.
Bruce Culpepper, Shell Oil Company Executive Vice President Americas Operations, kicked off the challenge on Saturday, April 16, by waving the green start flag and asking the teams to “Start your fuel-efficient engines!” The competition was steep with a record number of 62 student teams and their 68 vehicles competing.
Shell Eco-marathon continues to grow and challenge students to push the boundaries with their innovative fuel efficiency solutions. In that spirit, an e-mobility category was added to the 2011 competitions. This category includes both Prototype and UrbanConcept vehicles powered by electric motors using hydrogen, solar or, for the first time, ‘Plug-in’ battery energy sources. Other fuels in the internal combustion powered vehicles include gasoline, diesel, GTL, biodiesel or ethanol.
Shell Eco-marathon is a part of Shell’s “Smarter Mobility” program, which is aimed at meeting the needs of today’s drivers as society faces an increasing demand on energy for transport.
• Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Royal Dutch Shell plc, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies with 93,000 employees in more than 90 countries.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:16 AM | View the original post
April 18, 2011
CAMPER gets ready for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012
Photos: Yacht “CAMPER” with Emirates Team New Zealand. Skipper Chris Nicholson takes the new 3rd generation Volvo Open 70 yacht for its first sail in the Hauraki Gulf in New Zealand. Photo © Chris Cameron 2011.
CAMPER is the first Volvo Open 70 that has been launched for the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12. This was also the first opportunity to see the yacht’s full graphic design. Her striking graphics are from the pen of world leading British studio Farrow.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:33 AM | View the original post
April 15, 2011
Spring Returns to UN Headquarters in New York
Photo: Daffodils are in full bloom as spring returns to the campus of UN Headquarters in New York. April 14, 2011. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/John McIlwaine.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 12:12 PM | View the original post
April 14, 2011
Renault 2016: Drive the Change
Renault 2016: Drive the Change is founded on Renault’s ambition to make sustainable mobility accessible to all. It is expressed in the brand tagline “Drive the Change”.
According to Renault, this strategic plan covers a six-year period with a mid-term review at the end of 2013.
Renault 2016 - Drive the Change has been built to meet two objectives:
• Ensure the Group’s growth.
• Generate free cash flow on a lasting basis.
Photo: Renault at 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Credit: OMG.
Photo: Renault at 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Laurens van den Acker - Director of Design, Renault. Credit: OMG.
Photo: Renault Megane R.S. French Gendarmerie. Credit: SIRPA.
Photo: Renault Twizy being exhibited in a mall near Paris. Credit: Vincent BAILLAIS.
Photo: A mall near Paris. A little girl enters a lucky draw to get a chance to test-drive Renault Fluence ZE. Credit: Vincent BAILLAIS.
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Edited & Posted by the Editor | 2:54 AM | View the original post
April 13, 2011
DISCOVERY CHANNEL — POLAR BEAR: SPY ON THE ICE
Photo: Mother polar bear with her cub. Credit: Discovery Channel / BBC.
Spy cameras capture the dramatic moments of polar bear motherhood, in POLAR BEAR: SPY ON THE ICE, premiering April 17 on Discovery Channel.
POLAR BEAR: SPY ON THE ICE follows polar bear mothers Aesa and Svanna as they lead their cubs on a journey across frozen land in arctic Norway. Their destination — sea ice on the edge of the polar ice cap surrounding the North Pole.
” It’s an expedition that will take months and the perils will be especially great, with brand new cubs in tow. Each mother will need endurance, ingenuity, and steadfast determination to safely make it through this incredible journey alive,” Discovery Channel explains.
POLAR BEAR: SPY ON THE ICE presents viewers with an enchanting look at the daily life of two very special polar bear families and the other bears they encounter along their journey.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:06 AM | View the original post
April 12, 2011
UN Peacekeeping Operations: Top Five Troop-Contributing Countries
Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (third from right) meets with the representatives of the top five countries contributing troops to UN peacekeeping operations.
From left:
• Hardeep Singh Puri, Permanent Representative of India to the UN;
• Abulkalam Abdul Momen, Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the UN;
• U. Joy Ogwu, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN;
• Abdullah Hussain Haroon, Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN; and
• Maged A. Abdelaziz, Permanent Mission of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the UN.
April 11, 2011. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 7:48 AM | View the original post
April 11, 2011
U.S. Postal Service: Open for Business in All Circumstances
Photo: U.S. Postal Service Poster
U.S. Postal Service has released a poster declaring that even if the Federal Government Shuts Down, USPS Will Still Be Open for Business as Usual.
The United States Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
Photo: JAZZ Appreciation Stamp recently issued by the U.S. Postal Service.
Photo: U.S. Postal Service Delivers a Greener America - One Stamp at a Time: 16 Easy Ways to Help the Environment.
A self-supporting government enterprise, it reaches every address in the USA — 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes.
According to U.S. Postal Service, it has annual revenue of more than $67 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 3:50 AM | View the original post
April 9, 2011
Liechtenstein Royal Castle
Photo: View of Vaduz Castle, the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. Vaduz, Liechtenstein. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
Liechtenstein is a small Alpine principality in central Europe between Austria and Switzerland. It was created as a principality within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719 and became independent in 1866. Vaduz is the capital.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 5:07 AM | View the original post
April 6, 2011
Miss Universe 2011 Pageant: Sao Paulo, Brazil, is Getting Ready to Host the Event
The Miss Universe 2011 contest will be held in Brazil.
Photo: Ximena Navarrete, Miss Mexico 2010, of Guadalajara, is crowned Miss UNIVERSE 2010, and becomes the 59th MISS UNIVERSE. Her spectacular year long reign will include traveling throughout the country making special appearances on behalf of the Miss Universe Organization, its sponsors and affiliated charities. Credit: MISS UNIVERSE Organization. Photographer: Darren Decker. © Miss Universe L.P., LLLP.
Photo: Ximena Navarrete, Miss Mexico 2010, of Guadalajara, is crowned Miss UNIVERSE 2010, and becomes the 59th MISS UNIVERSE. Her spectacular year long reign will include traveling throughout the country making special appearances on behalf of the Miss Universe Organization, its sponsors and affiliated charities. Credit: MISS UNIVERSE Organization. Photographer: Greg Harbaugh. © Miss Universe L.P., LLLP.
• The MISS UNIVERSE pageant is a Donald J. Trump and NBC Universal joint venture.
Contestants from more than 80 countries around the world will travel to Brazil for almost a month of activities.
“I am very pleased to announce our partnership with media conglomerate Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicacao and the selection of Sao Paulo as the host location for Miss Universe 2011,” said the pageant’s owner, Donald J. Trump. “Brazil is rapidly becoming an economic powerhouse and is a great place to do business. This decade, Brazil is hosting three of the greatest and most-watched worldwide events: the World Cup, the Summer Olympic Games and now, to kick it all off, Miss Universe.”
“Grupo Bandeirantes is delighted that we have reached an agreement with the Miss Universe Organization to host the Miss Universe 2011 pageant in Sao Paulo, Brazil,” said the network’s president, Joao Carlos Saad. “We believe it is fitting for Brazil to set the stage for this glamorous event, and we look forward to showing the contestants, and the almost 200 countries around the world who watch the pageant every year, the exciting and vibrant culture of our beautiful country.”
Photo: Ximena Navarrete, Miss Mexico 2010, of Guadalajara, is crowned Miss UNIVERSE 2010, and becomes the 59th MISS UNIVERSE. Her spectacular year long reign will include traveling throughout the country making special appearances on behalf of the Miss Universe Organization, its sponsors and affiliated charities. Credit: MISS UNIVERSE Organization. Photographer: Darren Decker. © Miss Universe L.P., LLLP.
Donald J. Trump, NBC Universal, and Miss Universe Organization President, Paula M. Shugart, have announced that the 60th Annual MISS UNIVERSE Competition will air live from Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011.
At the conclusion of the telecast, Miss Universe 2010, Ximena Navarrete from Mexico, will crown her successor.
Meanwhile, Chinese Laundry has been named the Official Footwear Sponsor of the MISS UNIVERSE and MISS USA 2011 Pageants.
• “MISS UNIVERSE”, “MISS USA”, and “MISS TEEN USA” are registered trademarks of Miss Universe L.P., LLLP.
The pictures appearing above are the property of and have been provided for display on GlobalGiants.Com by:
• The Miss Universe Organization, 1370 Avenue of the Americas, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10019, U.S.A.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 6:29 AM | View the original post
April 4, 2011
Cola-Cola and the Band "Maroon 5" Release Track Created in 24 Hours
“Is Anybody Out There” by the band, Maroon 5, featuring PJ Morton, now available for free download.
• See the Previous Related Post.
Last week music history was made as fans from 139 countries across the world tuned in to watch and inspire the band, Maroon 5, as they wrote and recorded a brand new track in just 24hrs at the Coca-Cola Music 24hr Session.
Today, “Is Anybody Out There”, the up-tempo track created at the session, is released for free download at www.cocacola.com/music. For the first 100,000 downloads, Coca-Cola will make a donation to support Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) in their work to provide access to safe drinking water to communities in Africa. The band entered Metropolis studios in London at 5pm GMT on March 22 and worked around the clock to create the track using inspiration sent in by fans via the @Coca-Cola Twitter stream.
Over 350,000 views were logged on the live stream throughout the duration of the session as fans tuned in to watch the creative process unfold. Providing inspiration for the song, over 25,000 fans tweeted their thoughts and messages of support to the band in the studio.
Commenting at the end of the 24hrs, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 said; “This has been an amazing and entirely unique experience. It was 24hrs of creativity, brought to you by Coca-Cola. We’d like to thank all our fans for their Tweets of support, ideas and inspiration throughout a really productive and intense 24hrs.”
Click at the link below to hear the song. You may download it for free.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 8:10 AM | View the original post
April 3, 2011
Goodyear Highway Hero
Photo: The Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tire has sidewalls with high sidewall puncture resistance and its wraparound tread offers enhanced traction in deep mud, sand and rocks.
Photo: The Goodyear Wrangler SilentArmor Pro-Grade is a tire for heavy-duty pickups, offering a new tread compound and enhanced toughness for those who regularly haul or tow heavy loads.
Founded by Goodyear in 1983, the Highway Hero program recognizes professional truck drivers and the often unnoticed, life-saving rescues and roadside assistance they provide as their jobs take them across North America.
The 28th annual Goodyear North America Highway Hero is an Olympia, Washington truck driver, Tilden Curl, who helped save the lives of two people in a car that had come to a stop on railroad tracks, including pulling the unconscious driver from his car before it was struck by an approaching train. Tilden Curl accepted the 2010 Goodyear North America Highway Hero award from among four finalists.
• Just after noon on October 27, 2010, Curl was driving southbound on Highway 99 near Tulare, California, when a vehicle appeared to lose control and cross traffic, leaving the highway and finally coming to a stop with its front wheels lodged over the railroad tracks that run parallel to the highway. Curl stopped his truck to check on the car and noticed a train was coming. An elderly woman exited the passenger side of the car, and Curl yelled for her to get clear of the tracks. He then noticed that the driver was unconscious and trapped inside. At first, the door couldn’t be opened, but Curl was able to squeeze his arm inside and unlock it. Working quickly, he was able to unfasten the man’s seatbelt and drag him out of the car and away from the area just seconds before the train collided with the stranded vehicle.
“We are grateful to Tilden Curl for his quick thinking and brave actions, which ultimately led two strangers to safety. This is a clear example of the selflessness and professionalism of many of today’s professional truck drivers, who are out on our highways every day to deliver the goods and services upon which we all depend,” said Joseph Copeland, Goodyear’s vice president of commercial tire systems.
“Each of these finalists is a true Highway Hero, and their efforts to help others should be applauded. In honoring Tilden Curl, specifically, we acknowledge that he witnessed a dangerous situation and immediately pulled his truck to a stop as a way to provide help. He then reacted quickly and put himself in harm’s way, in order to help rescue strangers who were in peril. Because of that decision, lives were saved. For this, he has earned the right to be called a hero,” Copeland said.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:52 AM | View the original post