| Blog: Auto World's Cheapest Car Greeted by Environmentalist Protests
When your average salary is a $250/month, you don't buy a car. You ride a scooter, a vehicle which for much of Asia's population is the de facto mode of transportation. Of course, putting four or five people on a seat meant for one and a half isn't comfortable or even safe. The children have to be constantly held. Occasionally they'll sit on the rear tire shield or stand on the front, skipping the seat entirely. Accidents are common-- and without any sort of protection, even the most trivial often cause serious injury. Exposure to the elements has its health effects, especially for small children who in bad weather typically arrive rain-soaked and covered in mud from foul city streets. The Indian company Tata is trying to change all that. Its new vehicle, the Nano, has a starting cost of only $2,500.
SC gives final chance to six states for reply
The trickiest issue relates to the Gorshkov deal that has been hanging fire for more than four years since India agreed to pay $ 1.5 billion for retro-fitting of the aircraft carrier that Russia had initially offered as a gift. The Russians have since been demanding for an additional payment of $ 1.2 billion for the delivery of the aircraft carrier that is going to take at least three more years for delivery. The Indian side has done some hard talk with the Russians and even dropped hints of adopting enough is enough approach. This would have meant the Russians left with no choice but to keep Gorshkov, rechristened INS Vikramaditya by India, in the Russian Navy. However, indications are that New Delhi may settle for paying $ 600 million, or half the additional price being demanded by Russia.
C.U. Republicans Call for New Gun Policy
In the wake of last week's tragedy at Northern Illinois University and last April's massacre at Virginia Tech, the seemingly endless series of school shootings has incited debate over the safety of college communities across the country. Yesterday, the Cornell College Republicans placed about 20 signs on the Arts Quad that publicized their stance on the increasingly polarizing issue of the concealed carry of weapons. They have joined the approximately 12,000 students nationwide who are part of a grassroots effort that is advocating for concealed weapons license holders to be able to carry their weapons on campuses. Although prevalent on the Arts Quad during the morning hours, the removal of many of the signs by the afternoon conveyed a sense of disapproval from some members of the Cornell community who support the University's “gun-free zone" policy.
City offers ‘free’ ID theft protection
It was discovered Tuesday that the city was being billed for time security guards were not present at the Election Commission and the city is asking Wackenhut for proof their employees were on duty. The city is also threatening legal action.In addition, a local law firm last week filed a lawsuit on behalf of three voters.Councilman Gotto, while in agreement with the mayor's decision, said it was only one piece of a larger puzzle and that the next necessary steps are “finding out just how bad the problem is in Metro as far as security of data and security of buildings."Results of an internal full-scale data security audit of every Metro department are expected today. Dean called for the audit Jan. 2.Gotto has requested an independent audit of the Department of General Services, Information Technology Services and the Election Commission.IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION FOR VOTERS:- Mayor Karl Dean announced Thursday that all voters who wish to participate would be receiving a free year of identity theft protection through Debix Identity Protection Network.- Voters should be receiving a letter no later than next week containing detailed instructions on how to enroll with Debix, a Texas based company, including an activation code to either mail in an enrollment form or register for the service online at debix.com/nashville.- Voters can opt to renew coverage for an additional year at a discounted price of $9.50.- For more information, contact Debix at (888) 332-4963 between 8 a.m.
IAF finally gets Hawks to train pilots
After an agonising wait of 27 years during which over 200 air crashes blotched its flight safety record, the IAF finally inducted the British Hawk-132 advanced jet trainer (AJT) at the Bidar airbase on Saturday. Hawks will simplify the conversion of fledgling fighter pilots from subsonic Kiran trainers to supersonic fighters such as Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000 and different MiG variants. The IAF has inducted eight Hawks and another 58 will join its fleet by 2010. Once that happens, rookies will no longer train on the unforgiving MiG-21, whose infamous crash history has earned it epithets such as ‘widow-maker' and ‘flying coffin'. Dedicating the Hawks to the nation, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said the government has plans to acquire 40 more Hawks. Group Captain Michael Fernandez, the chief instructor at Bidar, the cradle of fighter pilots in India, remains loyal towards the primitive Iskra trainer he flew in the early 1980s as a rookie.
V.I.O. Inc. and U.S. Army Research Laboratory Collaborate to Advance ...
MARQUETTE, Mich., Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- V.I.O. Inc., the leading innovator of hands-free video technology, announced today a direct funding collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) to perform research and development of specialized wearable video technology for military and law enforcement applications. Part of a multi-year agreement with the ARL, first year funding of $862,000 was awarded to V.I.O. Inc., a developer of wearable video technology based in Marquette, Michigan. Under this agreement, V.I.O., subcontracted with Michigan Technological University, will perform research and development of wearable video capture electronics specialized for military and law enforcement. V.I.O will demonstrate to The Army new R&D refinements on their current video system, the POV.1 to help military and law enforcement succeed in a variety of applications in the future.
Former Congressman Hamburg Joins 9/11 Commissioners, Military Leaders ...
The co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission (Thomas Keane and Lee Hamilton) said that the CIA (and likely the White House) "obstructed our investigation". The co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission also said that the 9/11 Commissioners knew that military officials misrepresented the facts to the Commission, and the Commission considered recommending criminal charges for such false statements, yet didn't bother to tell the American people (free subscription required). Indeed, the co-chairs of the Commission now admit that the Commission largely operated based upon political considerations. 9/11 Commission co-chair Lee Hamilton says "I don't believe for a minute we got everything right", that the Commission was set up to fail, that people should keep asking questions about 9/11, that the 9/11 debate should continue, and that the 9/11 Commission report was only "the first draft" of history.
Update: 'Mind-blowing' ruling against towns around Candlewood Lake
The state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the five towns bordering Candlewood Lake lack the power to enforce zoning or building regulations in the narrow band of land that circles the lake. "Wow!" Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said after learning of the decision. "We absolutely see the issue differently." "It's mind-blowing," said Sherman First Selectman Andrea O'Connor. While lawyers for the towns must now parse the Supreme Court's unanimous decision to try to understand exactly what limits it imposes on them, many officials worried Tuesday the ruling will allow people to simply bypass zoning and building code laws for any construction on the shores of the lake. "It will be the wild, wild West," said New Fairfield First Selectman John Hodge. Because the crux of the case involves town power vs.
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