People & achievements in the greater Ann Arbor area, including Dickinson Wright and the Kathy Toth and Team - Keller Williams

Jordan Schreier

From new hires and promotions to industry awards, here’s a roundup of achievements by businesses and individuals in the greater Ann Arbor area:

• Attorney Jordan Schreier has joined the Ann Arbor office of Dickinson Wright PLLC as a member. Schreier’s practice primarily involves advising for-profit and nonprofit employers on planning and compliance issues involving all aspects of employee benefits.

• Kathy Toth and Team Realtors announced the addition of a new member, John Price, to the Ann Arbor team. The Toth team is affiliated with Keller Williams Realty.

• Ann Arbor resident Dane Visnick has been admitted to the North Bennet Street School in Boston, where he has begun a two-year training program in cabinet and furniture making. The educational institution is known internationally for its rigorous teaching methods and for its role in promoting the preservation of traditional crafts skills. Visnick is a graduate of Ann Arbor's Pioneer High School and a 2012 graduate of Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

• Advanced Photonix, an Ann Arbor-based supplier of optoelectronic components and systems, has acquired optoelectric assets from Silonex Inc, based in Montreal. To facilitate this transaction, Advanced Photonix established a new Canadian subsidiary that will be called Advanced Photonix Canada, Inc.

• ProQuest, based in Ann Arbor, and OCLC, headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, are launching a data exchange program that will allow library users access to OCLC's WorldCat Local service, ProQuest's Summon service, the full-text of ProQuest Central and ebrary e-books. ProQuest Central is a multidisciplinary, full-text database, while WorldCat is the world's largest database of bibliographic information.

• A new $7.5 million fund called the U-M M-TRAC for Life Sciences will help University of Michigan medical discoveries move from the laboratory to the market. Funded in part by a new $2.4 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. 21st Century Jobs Fund, the new effort will help the U-M Medical School and U-M Tech Transfer "fast forward" medical research projects with a high potential of commercial success. Over the next three years, U-M medical researchers will be able to apply for translational research funds to help them pursue early-stage "proof of concept" projects with high commercial potential and value.

Email items for People & Achievements to business@annarbor.com. Sign up for the weekly Business Review email newsletter here.

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For $5,500, Keep This Beetle Weird

The mantra of a certain eclectic Texas town is to keep Austin weird. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe 1970 Bug is Austin-located, and with a Mazda 13B is kind of weirdly wonderful. Hopefully for its seller, the price won’t weird you out.

Around here, two grand for a working car is usually considered a deal. Add to its being a runner the fact that yesterday’s 1985 Honda Civic Wagon was also set up for some serious ground clearance and you get a slam dunk 83% Nice Price win.

You might remember Monday’s Texas-resident SEAT - a car that was atypical of everything for which the Lone Star State stands. Today’s Austin-based 1970 Wankel-powered VW Bug not only seems as eclectic as its home town, but also proudly lets its state’s freak flag fly on its door.

Switching a car from air-cooled to water is no mean feat. Add to that the need to keep the engine in the caboose, and the radiator somewhere where the air flows and that means you’d typically be laying more pipe than Ron Jeremy.

The builder of this ’70 Bug has done just that, tossing out the original VW flat four for a hummeriffic 13b from an ’85 RX7. That motor, while stock, is said to be freshly rebuilt, and is cooled via an aluminum radiator up in the front where the Bug's spare tire normally lives.

Other notable mechanical features are the Megasquirt ECU, Gene Berg short throw, new steering and suspension bits, and the wise choice of stainless steel for both cooling and exhaust.

It also should be noted that this Beetle has been fitted with disc brakes all the way around. Original Bug brakes are about as effective for stopping as is trying to put out a fire by farting on it. With the added poop the 13b provides the better clampers are a prudent measure.

Visually. . . well, it’s kind of a clapped out Beetle. There’s some rust on the running boards, and the car seems to be at least three shades of old man underwear in various places. There is that flag on the door, and if that’s not eclectic enough, there’s a big-ass tach sitting just ahead of the windscreen - on the outside - ala Pontiac’s Judge.

More gauges take the radio’s place in the flat dash, and ahead of that is one of those steering wheels you might find on a forklift or carny ride. Looking somewhat incongruous, facing that are a pair of Subaru WRX thrones.

While many aficionados prefer the earliest cars - split windows and the like - should you want to have a Beetle and “do things to it” then you can’t do better than picking one of the post-‘68 models as they come with 12 volt electrics and fully articulating IRS as opposed to swing axles in the back. This ‘70 is a good base for all the mods made, as it enjoys those updates, and it’s one that no one in particular will ever lament for lack of originality.

The question for you now is whether or not anyone would truly lament paying the seller’s $5,500 asking price for the honor of taking over ownership of this 13beetle. What do you think, is that a reasonable price to pick up this Texas two door? Or, is that price too high to apex seal the deal?

You decide!

Austin Craigslist or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to ninjacoco for the hookup!

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For $2,000, Are This Civic’s BFGs A BFD?

Top Gear is presently in the middle of a cracking two-parter about the lads traversing Africa in three estates they bought for 1500 quid each. Today’s Nice Price or Crack Pipe Civic Wagon is even less than that, but do you think it’s worth it to try and catch up with Jezza, Captain Slow and the Hamster?

Quick, when you think of Texas, what’s the first thing that pops into mind? Shiner Bock? Friday Night Lights? The Alamo? Nope, what jumps to the front of the line when thoughts turn to the Lone Star State are pick-em up trucks, usually Chevies. What doesn't appear on that list however, not even below Democrat or unarmed, is weird little car from Spain.

And while Texans might want to say ignore him, he’s from Barcelona, there was no ignoring the fact that yesterday’s 2005 SEAT Ibiza made its way to the Lone Star state, nor could you turn a blind eye to its incredibly narrow 52% Crack Pipe loss.

Hondas have been coming here legally for decades, even to Texas. This 1985 Civic Wagon 4x4 is a couple of states over in Arizona, but with its 3" lift it looks ready to search for the source of the Rio Grande. Hint, it’s Canby Mountain in the Colorado Rockies.

The third generation Civic was the second to offer a wagon bodystyle here in the States, but unlike the previous model’s traditional longroof appearance, it went for a high-roof, uber hatch look. Variously named the Wagovan, Wagon, or Shuttle, it mirrored the competing Toyota Tercel in having an over-sized third light, and offering part-time 4-wheel drive.

This one is claimed to do daily driver duty despite the likely road noise generated from its massive BFG meats. The seller claims that it runs and drives just great, and that with the 6-speed transmission - 5 plus a granny gear for when the shit gets real - it can still manage 30 highway.

Visually the car looks to be in decent shape, not having succummed to the tin worm as have many of the breed. There is a rather sizable dent on the bottom of the driver’s door, but that’s better than having an inconsiderate Englishman take a pair of snips to it. Plus, chicks dig scars.

They might also like the big tires and enhanced ride height, as do I, but one thing that may be concerning is the 1” spacers that keep those gnarly gumballs from saying how do you do to the inner fenders. The only other mechanical issues noted in the ad and that might affect valuation are torn inner axle boots. The seller says he’s including a set of rebuilts along with the sale, so at least only labor would be a concern should the current ones go belly up.

He’s also throwing in a new clutch, catalytic convertor, resonator, carb rebuild kit and the original wheels as well. It’s a good thing this Civic is a wagon as you might not be able to fit such a spare part bounty in anything smaller.

The Top Gear team never have to spend their own money on any of the cars they buy for their various challenges, but that’s not a luxury typically afforded the rest of us. Someone out there will likely want to buy this cool Tonka Toy of an old Civic wagon, and to do so they’ll need to come up with $2,000 in trade.

Your challenge is to determine if this 4x4 Civic Wagon seems worth that kind of change. What do you think, is this Rock and Rolla' Honda worth $2,000? Or, is this a bruiser that’s cruisin’ for a losin’?

You decide!

Phoenix Craigslist or go here if the ad disappears

H/T to Fish for the hookup!

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LaFerrari: Is This It?

We've heard the new Ferrari Enzo replacement, which we've been calling the Ferrari F150, may be called the LaFerrari. That's not a joke. This image above cropped up and, while it may be a render, people are calling it a very accurate image of the car. Oh, and we've got real stats (we think). Power. Speed. The whole LaEnchilada.

Let's start with the image, which looks good, even if it isn't real. If you take FerrariChat's word, then the people who claim to have seen it seem to think it's accurate. So, alas, with just a few hours to go here's an image of something that seems to match what's under the sheet.

And then there's a spec board next to the car from Harry Metcalfe of EVO, which shows all sorts of interesting things. There's a 6.3-liter V12 mated to an electric motor producing what looks like 789 horsepower (800 CV) @9000 RPM and 516 lb-ft of torque at 6,750 RPM. The HY-KERS system provides an additional 160 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque.

In total that's around 950 horsepower and 716 lb-ft of torque.

All that equals a 0-62 mph time of less than three seconds with a top speed of 217 mph if real.

Next to car is this board, which I'm guessing is the new Enzo's spec details.. V12, 588KW & 120KW electric.. twitter.com/harrym_evo/sta…

— Harry Metcalfe (@harrym_evo) March 5, 2013

There's much up in the air, but if this is the LaFerrari its specs are significantly more impressive than its name.

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Top Gun gets the GC SRT ready.

Top Gun gets the GC SRT ready. Next stop: A certain surprise locale.

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A Trip To The NASCAR Hall Of Fame And Our First Challenges On The Road To SXSW

Let's say you have a 470 horsepower Jeep and an open invitation from NASCAR to come hang out for a few hours. What do you do? You go play on their race simulators and make an ass out of yourself practicing a pitstop. That's what you do.

When NASCAR heard we were making the run to SXSW, we got a gracious offer to come hang out for an hour or so and check out the Hall of Fame museum as well as their offices.

We were greeted by something that doesn't happen very often: An opportunity to park our trusty steeds on the plaza in front of the Hall of Fame for a photo op.

So what's missing? The Viper.

We were supposed to grab the car at the HoF around noon today, but weather has thrown a monkey wrench into those plans. I'm waiting for the Viper to arrive tonight and then I'll power down to Atlanta, fueled only by Doritos, Red Bull, and NASCAR brand granola bars.

Oh. And possibly gasoline.

But we were actually here for a reason. Other than looking at the cool cars around the museum, this was the site of our first Jalopnik vs. Gizmodo challenge of the trip. We went against each other on the iRacing simulators as well as NASCAR's pit stop simulator.

iRacing was no contest. We finished first and second (I may or may not have won by an entire lap). Those boys know gadgets, but driving? Not too sure. I'm not certain either one of them completed an entire lap.

The use of gadgets does mean that they're good with their hands. So, as you might expect the pit stop contest was nip and tuck. In round one, Chris and Joel beat Matt and me thanks to a fumbled release of the jack. In round two, we fixed our bad jacking ways and got the jump on them by a second.

It all came down to this. If Matt and I won, we'd have a comfortable lead going into our next challenge in Houston. If Chris and Joel won, we'd be even.

So what happened? We left the fuel filler in the car and lost. My bum crack might also have made an appearance. I'm going to say that we lost on purpose. Y'know, to make the next challenge more exciting.

For now, that's it. If you're in the Atlanta area, come hang out with us (well, most of us, the Viper and I will be a little late), tonight at Partner's Pizza II in Peachtree City, GA. We should be there around 8 PM.

See you tonight.

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Fleeing From Police In An Electric Toy Truck Is A Terrible Idea

We know what you're thinking: this had to have happened in Florida. For once, a barefoot drunk woman with no pants on crashing her car into a trailer and trying to ditch the cops in some kid's Powerwheels didn't go down in the Sunshine State. It happened in the Natural State: Arkansas.

When they finally did catch her (maybe the toy truck's battery died a little and slowed her down), police said Jamie Jeanette Craft was "irate." She had crashed her 2001 Pontiac Grand Am into the side of a mobile home, then, in an apparent panic over causing the accident, stole the Powerwheels for her getaway.

Craft's blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit. Go figure. (Hat tip to $kaycog!)

Photo credit: Craighead County Sheriff's Office; Fisher-Price

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'Maximum' Bob Lutz Body Slams Ex GM CEO Ed Whitacre

Former AT&T boss and 10-month GM CEO Ed Whitacre has a book out about how he saved GM. I've already lampooned that notion, but it's nice to see 'Maximum' Bob Lutz chime in, if only because Lutz was there and because Lutz is a jet-flying, Global Warming-denying madman who always speaks his mind. Lutz, predictably, calls Whitacre's story a "fable."

The rant over on Forbes is pure Lutz. It's self-effacing, hilarious, and even a little surprising (he says something nice about President Obama).

Here are the best bits:

Presumably, each of these pockets of ineffectiveness was cured after their encounter with “Big Ed”, and rapidly spread the gospel until all of GM’s hundreds of thousands of global employees got the word and quickly set about creating compelling new products, thus rocketing the company to financial success.

If you believe any of this, I need to talk to you about ocean front property in Nebraska.

Classic.

Ed’s most notable contribution to design was a comment I recall at a Cadillac styling session. Professing to know nothing about cars (true), he nevertheless opined that Cadillacs had the look of “old-fashioned Choo-choo trains”.

Get it? He's old and out of touch!

Ed Whitacre is a good leader and he made an incremental improvement to the organization. But to suggest that he is the architect of GM’s current success is a bit like crediting the rooster with making the sun come up.

We love you Bob Lutz.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Why Does Everybody Forget About The NSX?

With hypercars spilling out of Italy and England, it's all quiet on the NSX front. Why?

While we were musing about hybrid hypercars from Porsche, McLaren, and Ferrari, reader Crossdrilled came to point out that somebody had been forgotten.

Hey guys, you forgot me again...

To which kaisermachead replied,

He still has to sacrifice himself to save Geppetto from Monstro to be a real car.

Ouch. It all kind of factors in with another comment made by Eric Sidiecki.

Ever since I started keeping up with the automotive industry, and poring over automotive blogs and such, it seems like I'm never as excited about a new car being released or unveiled as I was when I was 12 and just heard about it when it came bursting onto headlines and stuff. It really hit me this morning when I got on here to see that the F70 (I refuse to call it by any other name) had been revealed.

I got really really excited, looked at the photos, then got kind of sad that it looked essentially like what I expected it to look like (blame all the countless renderings), and I already knew many of the important details regarding engine specs and all that jazz. I suppose that's why I'm way more excited about the Veneno.

It was a complete surprise. It may not be as capable as the F70, but it's got the flamboyance that a hypercar deserves. This isn't to say that I don't think that the F70 is sex on wheels, because surely it is. I just wish I hadn't known so much about it before today.

So there's some free advice for you carmakers. If you tease a car for too long, everybody forgets about it.

Photo Credits: Raphael Orlove (top, from the 2012 New York Auto Show) Peter Orosz/Jalopnik (below, 2013 Geneva Motor Show)

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Here's More Of The Most Eccentric Car Collection In The World

When we met with longtime Jalopnik commenter/car collector Myron Vernis (aka Junkman) at his garage in Ohio late last year, we wound up with too much material to use in our Junkman profile for Jalopnik on Drive. So we pasted together some extra footage of oddball Junkman cars we had to leave out.

Cars like the Pontiac V8-powered '62 Deutsch-Bonnet LeMans Spyder that first ran on Jalopnik back in 2007, or the batshit insane Olsen Eagle Toronado that Junkman saw here first, then bought, then asked you guys how to make it even uglier. There's also the Matra Murena with three seats -- for driver, wife, and mistress -- and an airbrushed black panther mural on the hood for added fuck-yes insanity via the previous owner.

Oh, you caught the panther-Matra connection? Good for you! That car's sister ship is the Matra Bagheera. If you'll recall, Bagheera was the name of the black panther from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. Boooosh. Mind blown.

And that's not all. We could go back to Junkman's garage every year for 10 years and still not get everything. Maybe we'll try to do that. Someone has to.

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Guest column: Stay strong and say no to Keystone XL

Anne Woiwode  

Anne Woiwode is the state director of the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter. For 30 years Anne has been a leader within Michigan environmental community, working on issues ranging from wilderness protection to regulation of toxic wastes to animal factory pollution.

By Anne Woiwode

Jobs and the economy are on everyone's minds these days. Our country needs a solid economic boost, but not one that comes with the risk of poisoned drinking water and a massive contribution to climate disruption.

Such is the threat of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. Residents in Michigan can easily remember the reality of what happens with pipelines. In 2010, an Enbridge pipeline ruptured in the Kalamazoo River, spilling more than a million gallons of tar sands oil. The residents and ecosystem are still recovering today.

Throughout this spring, activists across the state of Michigan are turning out to energy forums hosted by Governor Rick Snyder in Lansing, Grand Rapids, University Center, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Marquette and Traverse City, which were set up with the purpose of collecting data and testimony on Michigan's energy issues. To Michiganders like me - who see disturbingly milder winters and Lake Michigan at the lowest levels of our lifetimes - the facts and data are clear, and time is running out to make the profound changes we must make to protect our home state.

More than 400 Michiganders boarded buses bound for Washington, DC on President’s Day weekend for the Forward on Climate rally to call on President Obama to protect their families, their environment, and their economic future by blocking the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline. While we do groundwork at home to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and invest in clean energy, Senator Carl Levin must be our voice inside the Beltway and help us fight the most important battle of our lifetimes.

Actress Daryl Hannah, center, is arrested in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 13 as prominent environmental leaders tied themselves to the White House gate to protest the Keystone XL oil pipeline. AP Photo | Ann Heisenfelt  

We need Senator Levin to stay strong on Keystone XL by calling on President Obama to reject the dangerous pipeline. Senator Levin has been a major supporter of the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, and he knows the importance of protecting our planet for future generations.

Tar sands oil is the most toxic fossil fuel on the planet. Mining and refining tar sands oil produces three times more climate-disrupting pollution than conventional oil. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if Keystone XL is built, the climate pollution increase would be equal to adding more than 6 million cars to our roads - and that's not even including the pollution caused by then refining the oil in the U.S. then shipping it overseas.

We ask Senator Levin to call upon President Obama to reject Keystone XL, and instead encourage the U.S. to invest in clean energy. We need constructive jobs - like those being generated in the fast growing clean energy sector. 2012 marked the first time ever that wind energy was the number one source of new US electric generating capacity, with more than 600 megawatts coming online in Michigan. We can do better for our economy and future generations by choosing wind and solar power over dirty fuels.

American prosperity and economic recovery require that we get big oil out of the way of a clean energy future, which will create jobs and break Big Oil’s power grip on our public officials and on our air and water.

America is on track, we are already cutting our oil use through increased vehicle efficiency and new technologies - we need more innovation, more efficiency and more transportation choices to break our addiction to oil and build a sustainable, prosperous clean energy economy.

When we stop the pipeline, we slow the exploitation of tar sands oil and make the right choice to cut carbon pollution and stop climate disruption.

President Obama was right to deny the Keystone tar sands pipeline proposal the first time. We need Senator Levin to join us in calling on the president to do the right thing and stop the pipeline for good.

------

Do you have a guest column to share? Contact MLive Community Engagement Director Jen Eyer at jeyer@mlive.com.

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Rock Ventures CEO Matt Cullen on making Detroit an attractive place to ‘live, work and play’

MLive Detroit  

DETROIT, MI – The effort to make Detroit an attractive place to “live, work and play” is moving forward full throttle for companies invested downtown such as Rock Ventures, and the company’s president and CEO laid out multiple projects underway to underscore that point.

Matt Cullen told attendees of the Detroit Policy Conference Thursday at Motor City Casino that a “drumbeat” of negative media the city is getting is being offset by these developments, outlined below.

He played attendees the “Opportunity: Made in Detroit” commercial featuring Kid Rock. The Quicken Loans marketing team scrambled to put it together in five days during the World Series last summer.

“You might be wondering why somebody’s talking about ‘opportunity’ and ‘Detroit’ in the same sentence,” Cullen said.

Talks about an emergency manager, bankruptcy, population loss and political scandal have all dominated headlines, Cullen said.

But, “Our goal is to make Detroit a great place to live, work and play,” he said.

Here are some of the examples Cullen gave:

Live
The company continues to participate in the $10 million Live Downtown and Live Midtown incentive program, which has thus far helped 516 young professionals with rent and helped 89 people buy a house.
Rock Ventures and Quicken Loans has had 175 of its own employees go through the program.
Occupancy for residential units in “greater downtown” is approaching 97 percent.
“We got people moving in all the time and packing the great buildings downtown,” he said.
Broderick Tower and The Auburn were both highlighted as successful residential developments in downtown and Midtown, respectively. Soon, Cullen notes, the David Whitney Building – across the street from the Broderick Tower on the edge of downtown – will also be developed into residential housing units and a boutique hotel .
He mentioned the Capitol Park development, where three buildings are being developed into retail, residential and office space.
“I think you're going to see a dramatically different Capitol Park over the next few years,” he said.

Work
Cullen noted that Rock Ventures has moved 7,500 employees and recruited 65 companies to downtown over the past three years, and new companies continue to move to the city’s inner core.
“As we bring all these people down, we’ve suddenly found ourselves, unbelievably, almost out of office space,” he said.
The Chrysler House is now at 93 percent occupancy, and the Chase Building is 100 percent full.
Cullen said Rock Ventures hopes to get 1,000 interns in Detroit this year, a rise from 700 last year, and along with other companies, the city could see 7,000 interns downtown this summer.

Play
Cullen highlighted the redvleopemnt of the city's reiverfront, which he ahs been actively involved with: “Eventually someone can ride bike 20 miles down along the river.”
He highlighted the city's entertainment and sports venues, the recently reopened Michigan Science Museum and the Detroit Institute of Arts.
He said that Greektown Casino-Hotel has a lot of potential to be opened up to the rest of the surrounding area. His company has been trying to purchase it since mid-January.
For that matter, there is no reason the city could not open up continuous green space connecting Campus Martius and Cadillac Square to the riverfront, he said.
"Why couldn’t we do a promenade all the way down Woodward to the river and start tying that together?" he said.
There is still, however, the matter of retail.
“It’s always a chicken and the egg issue,” he said. A lack of sufficient populace downtown means retailers won’t come; people won’t move to a downtown that lacks merchants. Rock Ventures has said for some time that it in talks with major retailers, but has yet to reveal any specific deals.
“We’re getting kind of tired of that sequential discussion, so we’re going to try to get big bang approach,” Cullen said.

More from the conference:
-With emergency manager on the way, Mayor Dave Bing comments on debt exaggeration claims

-'Creative Class' author Richard Florida: Region should stop blaming Detroit

-State economic development official: It has to get easier for businesses to open in Detroit

-Opening date of Whole Foods in Midtown Detroit to be announced Friday

-Rock Ventures CEO: Downtown Detroit’s Greektown Casino-Hotel area ‘can be a lot more vibrant’

-Rock Ventures to host design contest for building at Hudson's site in Downtown Detroit

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991 GT3 Configurator is live! [EDIT: Everyone already knows]

Now also on the UK site: http://www.porsche.com/uk/

German site: http://www.porsche.com/germany/

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Kia sales down in February as they have no more Sedonas to appeal to buyers who want a Korean miniva

Kia sales down in February as they have no more Sedonas to appeal to buyers who want a Korean minivan.

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Mercedes Had The CLA, A45 AMGs And Usher

According to Mr. Z, the CLA is like Switzerland in that it doesn't need to be big to offer the premium experience. Well done PR people! They also had a special edition A45 AMG with a wing called Edition 1 which they will only sell for a year, while Usher made some easy money wearing a chain and red shoes. Peter didn't know who he was, but guessed hip hop artist correctly.

Photo credit: Thomas Endesfelder

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Look At Some Rare Japanese Racing Footage From Nismo

After announcing the street legal Nismo GT-R, Nissan has released some videos that should keep us excitied about the opening of the new Nismo production facility and headquarters near Yokohama.

Above is a film about the Japanese tuning brand's history, and here's how they built their new HQ:

Are you ready for some Nismo action?

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The next VW Golf GTD (think diesel GTI) will be coming to America.

The next VW Golf GTD (think diesel GTI) will be coming to America. Thanks VW!

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Is Chevrolet Planning An Even Cheaper "Budget Corvette" Coupe?

Pricing hasn't yet been announced for the upcoming 2014 Corvette, but if it's anything like the outgoing Corvette C6, it will start around $50,000. But there's a possibility that Chevrolet is working on an even less expensive "budget Corvette."

According to this report from an unnamed source in Motor Trend, Chevrolet is working on bargain Corvette that won't be called Stingray. They claim it will simply be dubbed the Corvette Coupe.

Don't worry, 'Vette purists -- they say it will still have a V8, just a smaller 5.3-liter mill with under 400 horsepower. And that will supposedly come with a lesser price tag than the Stingray as well.

While I'm a bit skeptical of this report, I do hope it becomes a reality. If you're willing to cope with the Corvette's shoddy interior and sometimes-questionable build quality (two things that are going away with the new C7), the car has always been a tremendous performance bargain. Anything that gets that performance into the hands of enthusiasts for even less money is alright by me.

Also, a "budget Corvette" that still performs well could help move the 'Vette away from the old, fat, bald guy demographic. If this gets younger drivers into Corvettes, it could be a win for GM and everyone else who likes to drive fast.

What about you guys? Any interest in a 'Vette for less?

Photo credit GM

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This Harlem Shake On An Airplane Triggered A Federal Investigation

Good Lord, I am so glad that the whole "Harlem Shake" thing is on the way out. To say that it was "massively irritating" is the understatement of the year. (It seems to have been replaced by a meme that involves putting screams into a video by someone named Taylor Swift.) But before the shake goes away forever, it has triggered an investigation from the Federal Aviation Administration.

This video was made by students from a Colorado College ultimate frisbee team on their way to San Diego for a tournament. The shake was recorded in mid-air. This has prompted the FAA to see if any federal regulations were violated, according to the school's newspaper, The Catalyst.

“They are still looking into it, it’s still open,” Tony Molinero, a spokesman for the FAA said this week. “…I don’t know where the [investigators] were told about it, but when they saw the video they just decided to look into it because it is better to be safe than sorry.”

Aviation experts who spoke to the newspaper say it's highly unlikely that any rules were broken, as the video was made when the fasten seatbelt sign was off and passengers were free to move around. The students even got the go-ahead from one of the flight attendants.

But the FAA still has to make sure nothing happened that was against the rules. You see what you've done, Harlem Shake? Another great use of our tax dollars, all thanks to you. Taylor Swift and I hope you go away forever.

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Why NoFollow Should Only Be Used on Content You Don’t Control

The idea of the NoFollow attribute on links was to help prevent spam from appearing on user generated content sites, particularly Wikipedia. It was intended as a way to tell Google (and eventually all major search engines) that a link was not supposed to transfer any “link juice” to the recipient of the link. In essence, it was designed to stop SEO spammers from trying to insert their links where they didn’t belong for the sake of improved rankings.

It has become an abused attribute. This needs to stop.

Modern use of nofollow by many websites is to prevent link juice “leakage” from a website onto other websites. Many put the attribute on any link that isn’t internal. Some go so far as to put it on every link, internal or external. This is ludicrous.

There may be some merits to the idea that leaking PageRank juice to others is a detriment to the optimization of a website, but if there is, it’s minimal. I’ve seen websites that have a completely closed nofollow policy that doesn’t “leak” any juice at all that have major troubles ranking and I’ve seen sites (such as all of my sites) that rank exceptionally well while giving link value to everyone.

There are exceptions. UGC, as mentioned before, should have nofollow attributes attached to links that are not vetted. If it’s a UGC site that passes through the eyes and scrutiny of an editor, the nofollow attribute isn’t necessary. If it goes live immediate, it’s necessary.

Comments or other areas where links can be added by anyone should also be nofollow. Some use plugins like CommentLuv to encourage comments by making links followed. This is up to site owner and as long as the comments and links are vetted I have no problem with it at all. If the links in comments aren’t vetted, I don’t suggest it.

Otherwise, there should never be nofollow links on websites. If a link is good enough to post, it’s good enough to get juice. Trying to sculpt or channel your link juice is futile, ineffective, and an argument can be made that it’s actually more damaging than good.

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Why The Lamborghini Veneno Is The Next Poster Your Child Will Put On His Wall

McLaren: "The P1 is the result of decades of aerodynamic research." Lamborghini: "We hired a seven year old that likes cars to design the Veneno." Lamborghini got it right. The Veneno is the next fantasy car for kids and adults alike. Here's why.

For starters, just look at it. You haven't seen anything like it since that time you were bored in sixth grade math and drew your ultimate supercar. The all-carbon fiber car looks kind of like an FIA GT/LMP car, doesn't it? This also has to be one of the most complicated designs I've ever seen.

Everywhere you look there's something going on. The aero detailing is just exquisite. Look at that front end. Sure, it's busy, but I'm sure in person all of those little details will pop.

There are four of these worldwide, not three. One white, one red, one green, and the show car, which is silver with the tricolore stripe. That car will only exist in the Lamborghini Museum in Sant Agata and is the only one that will have that stripe.

And, from what I've heard, two of the three will be in the United States. They'll be nearly as common on these streets as Camrys.

Power is via a tuned version of the Aventador's really weak V12. Thank God they pumped up the jam. We have a 750 horse version under the hood to motivate the amazing ride to 220ish MPH.

Price is a paltry 3 million euro, or $3,9 million before taxes. So yeah, it's pricey. But who cares? Don't you look at it and feel like a kid? It reminds me of when I used to doodle in elementary and middle school when I was supposed to be paying attention in math class.

Kudos Lamborghini. I freaking love this thing.

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Drifting A 1.3 Million-Pound Dump Truck

Today we saw a bus going Maximum Touge Attack on a snowy Kansas City street, taking out a street light. It made us wonder if anything bigger has ever gone sideways.

Reader CJ_S4 answered our idle musings almost immediately, with a story of skidding a full-size Caterpillar mining dump truck. He posted it with a picture of a 797B model, which weighs roughly 1.375 million pounds and has 3,370 horsepower at the flywheel.

I worked an internship at a mine in southern Colorado one year and was allowed to drive (with supervision) one of the large dump trucks that brings material out of the pit. I was instructed to pretty much treat the accelerator as a on/off switch. When I got to the top I was told to drive to the opposite side of the yard, but not before a giant water truck turned the surface into silty mud. Naturally, I floored the accelerator while turning and all 4 of those 10' tall rear wheels broke loose - DUMP TRUCK DRIFT!!!

If this story is true, it might just be the biggest vehicle to ever get some opposite lock. Have you seen anything bigger/heavier go slideways?

Photo Credit: Caterpillar

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Firm that streamlines check handling wins key endorsement from Michigan Bankers Association

VerifyValid LLC co-founders, (left to right) Dean Tribble, Todd Tracey and Paul Doyle started their company three years ago. Courtesy photo  

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – VerifyValid, LLC, a 3-year-old Grand Rapids firm that streamlines how businesses issue and receive checks, has won a key endorsement from the Michigan Bankers Association (MBA).

VerifyValid eliminates the cost of handling and mailing of checks by creating a secure platform in which checks can be emailed to customers, said Paul Doyle, co-founder and president of VerifyValid, a 12-person company headquartered at 401 Hall Street SW.

Businesses who get the emailed checks can print them out and cash them or immediately deposit them using VerifyValid’s check receipt system, Doyle said. “We’ve simply helped modernize the oldest and the most effective form of non-cash payment,” he said.

“VerifyValid revolutionizes the entire payment process by modernizing the check,” said Matt DeWolf, executive vice president of MBA, in a news release announcing the endorsement on Monday, March 4.

“With VerifyValid, a check can be deposited either as a paper item or an entirely digital entity—so payments originate and remain in the banking system throughout the whole process. It is the wave of the future,” DeWolf said.

“With no additional equipment needed, the VerifyValid system allows banks to round out their treasury management offerings and fills a need in the market as customers lean to technology for making payments. The result is a fast and secure process that saves time and money.”

“VerifyValid is an innovative solution that will increase efficiency for banks and commercial customers, and we are delighted to have been recognized as an MBA Endorsed Partner,” said Doyle, one of the three persons who founded the company in 2010.

Their new system allows businesses to maintain their traditional bookkeeping and checking systems. VerifyValid collects a fee for the service that is about equal to the cost of postage, Doyle said.

“Banks can offer their business customers a remote deposit capture (RDC) service that requires no new equipment (no check scanner), no software installation, and requires no maintenance or service calls. Banks can add it to a customer’s account in minutes.”

Although many large companies accept payments via online transfers, most of the 25 million businesses in the U.S. still make and accept payments using checks, Doyle said.

While any business can sign up for VerifyValid’s check service without changing their accounting, only one bank – ChoiceOne Bank of Sparta – had adopted the company’s check receipt system, Doyle said.

“With the MBA endorsement, we anticipate many many banks getting on board pretty quickly,” Doyle said.

VerifyValid also has been chosen as a finalist in the “Payments Innovator Awards” category of Pymnts.com’s Innovation Project 2013 project, Doyle said.

A panel of judges in the payments industry selected VerifyValid as a finalist in the Best Check category, Doyle said. They are one of five in this category. The process included more than 500 submissions across all the categories.

from Bluepic Studios on Vimeo.

E-mail Jim Harger: jharger@mlive.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JHHarger

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Apple, IBM Top List of Most Valuable Global Brands in 2012

From: Connecticut Ford Via: BrandZ

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