Electric cars are starting to take off in Japan

Green cars powered by alternative fuel sources have become more visible on the roads in recent years.

One cause could be the introduction of legislation and higher taxes to penalise drivers of gas-guzzling vehicles by governments around the world. (Source: news.BBC.co.uk)

Read More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/8395971.stm

Indy-Cator LCD Shift Knob

I used to hate manual cars until I came to know about this revolutionary product and state of the art technology. How would you feel if you have a technology in your car that allows your shift knob showing you what gear you have on? Check out this Indy-Cator's latest technology which manages to spice up an otherwise ordinary shift knob by outfitting it with a built-in LCD. According to Indy-Cator this LCD shift knob not only adds some kool looks to your manual car but also decreases the consumption of your car by 15% by adopting a certain driving style. They have also claimed that this revolutionary product (LCD Shift Knob) increases driving safety which I kind of don’t understand how.

This LCD shift knob fits all cars with manual transmissions up to 6 speeds and is designed to work with every gearshift pattern but it won’t work if you have to press some sort of button to shift to reverse gear. And to ensure a clear view of the LCD at all the times a light sensor in the Indy-Cator LCD shift Knob controls the brightness of the LCD according to the light in the environment.
This LCD Shift Knob comes in three colors. A red display, a blue display and a green display

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Song Of The Day: HELLO (I Love You) by ROGER WATERS

"Hello (I Love You)" is a song performed Roger Waters who is a former Pink Floyd Lead singer and songwriter. The song was created for the 2007 film The Last Mimzy which was based on a 1943 short story "Mimsy Were the Borogoves" authored by Lewis Padgett. The song was made in collaboration with Howard Shore. In an interview Waters stated, "I think together we've come up with a song that captures the themes of the movie - the clash between humanity's best and worst instincts, and how a child's innocence can win the day".

A video was also produced for the song that features images from the film as well as recording sessions with Waters, Shore, producer James Guthrie and actress Rhiannon Leigh Wryn. In the movie Jo mother of Emma is shown listening to the song and the song is also played during the end titles of the movie. In the song Waters performed vocals and the bass for the song.

The song also contains references to the Pink Floyd albums The Wall and The Dark Side of the Moon, as well as Waters' solo album Radio KAOS.


Lyrics to Hello I Love You :
Have you heard
it was on the news
your child can read you like a bedtime story
Like a Magazine
Like a has-been out to grass
Like afternoon T.V.
Why is my life going by so fast.

Hello I love you
Is there anybody in there?
Put down the phone
Shut up the shop
Make all their techno babble stop
We'll find a short-waved frequency
the wave connecting you and me
Hello I love you

Have you heard
it was on the news
the general staff can't figure out
is this campaign win or lose
Life is long but it goes fast
the kids will have to separate
their future from our past

Hello I love you
Is there anybody in there?
the ghosts are walking by my side
I feel their love I feel their pride
For I have built a bridge or two
bridges between me and you
Hello I love you

Have you heard
it was on the news
you can make your peace
on the dark side of the moon
I'll see you there we can rock 'n' roll
we can make our choice
we can say goodbye or say hello

Hello (I Love You) - Roger Waters

Technology Bite: Nissan Pivo

Nissan Pivo is a concept electronic car by Nissan. It was introduced by Nissan in 2005 Tokyo motor show. The car is a master piece of the modern technology. It literally pivots on the chassis of 4 wheels hence called Pivo. It can turn around at an angle of 360 degree because its cockpit is a rotational cabin, which means no need to reverse and parking the car becomes easier. Its cabin rotations are controlled electronically via wireless technology.

Pivo is powered by a lithium Ion battery resulting into zero emission and almost 100% engine efficiency and the only sound you hear is your radio. Its futuristic design features large doors and large wind screen for better and clear view. It also features Nissan’s view around camera which displays all the details around the car on the monitor fixed on the inside of the car’s A pillars located on both sides of the wind shield of the car hence reducing the Blind Spots(points on the road which are not visible) almost to zero. In the interior of the car it has Infrared devices attached to make sure the driver’s attention does not gets diverted from the road while driving. To increase the volume of your radio all you need to do is move your finger up or down. It has a capacity of 2 passengers and a driver that a mean 3 people can comfortably fit in. Its cabin is rotational and on the front and end of the car there is a place for anyone to sit (The pink spot at the front of the car in the image down is the one I am talking about, they have it both on both sides) when the car is not moving. Right now it’s on a concept level but its production is planned to be started in a few years.

Technology Vs. Environment: Honda Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic Hybrid is the hybrid version of the Honda Civic sedan by Japanese Automobile manufacturer HONDA. It features a CVT (continuously variable transmission) and an IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) which allows the car to switch on electric engine whenever the car is on a steady speed or decelerating or if it's not moving making it a hybrid system just like that in Honda Insight (but not as ugly as Insight) and creating a fuel efficient hybrid luxury Sedan. Because of less emmisions and its great fuel efficiency Honda Civic Hybrid is considered to be one the greenest cars in the world and also one the most fuel efficient cars.It Feels great to have such an environment friendly car which is not even very ugly.

It was introduced in February 2002 as a 2003 model which was based on the seventh generation Civic. Along with the conventional Civic, it received updated styling for 2004. Due to a delay in rolling out the succeeding Hybrid, the first generation Hybrid continued to be sold alongside the eight generation Civics for several months in 2006. The second generation Civic Hybrid is actually based on eighth generation Civic, with styling differences between the USDM and JDM Hybrids.

2nd Generation (2006-Present Model):

4th generation IMA

1.3 L single overhead cam four-cylinder gas engine same as before; yet, there is now the addition of high profile camshaft. This increases power to 93 hp (69 kW) @ 6000 rpm.

Addition of third stage of i-VTEC and VCM (Variable Cylinder Management) permits deactivation of all four cylinders when decelerating and constant cruising. This allows the car to run only on electric power for the first time.

Manual transmission option discontinued.

EPA increased to 40 mpg (US) which is equivalent to 5.9 L/100 km or 16.94 km/L in city and 45 mpg (US) which is equivalent to 5.2 L/100 km or 19.23 km/L on highway.

It comes with 15-inch lightweight alloy wheels

Details:

Engine: gas: 1.3 L I4 SOHC
electric: 156 volt 15 kW

Transmission: CVT(continuously variable transmission)

Length: 2006-08: 176.7 in (4488 mm)
2009: 177.3 in (4503 mm)

Width: 69.0 in (1753 mm)

Height: 56.3 in (1430 mm)

Fuel capacity: 12.4 US gal. / 47 litres

Album Of The Day: "Viva La Vida" By Coldplay

Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Coldplay. It was released on 11 June 2008 in Japan, 12 June 2008 in the United Kingdom, and 17 June 2008 in North America. Coldplay released four singles from the record: "Violet Hill" and "Viva la Vida" in May 2008 and "Lost!" and "Lovers in Japan" in November 2008. "Viva la Vida" is the band's first song to reach number one in the United States and the United Kingdom. The album was the world's best-selling album of 2008, selling over 7 million copies and won numerous awards including three Grammys; Best Rock Album, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, and Song of the Year (for the song, "Viva La Vida").

The name of the album is Viva la Vida which is a Spanish phrase that translates into English as "long live life". It takes its name from a painting by Frida Kahlo, who was an acclaimed 20th century Mexican artist.

The cover art of the album is an 1830 painting by Eugène Delacroix entitled "Liberty Leading the People." The orginal painting(Liberty Leading the People) by the artist(Eugène Delacroix) is shown below:

Here is the Track Listing of the Album:

1. "Life in Technicolor" (Berryman/Buckland/Champion/Martin/Hopkins) 2:29

2. "Cemeteries of London" 3:21

3. "Lost!" 3:55

4. "42" 3:57

5. "Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love" 6:51

6. "Yes" (includes hidden song "Chinese Sleep Chant") 7:06

7. "Viva la Vida" 4:01

8. "Violet Hill" 3:42

9. "Strawberry Swing" 4:09

10."Death and All His Friends" (includes hidden song "The Escapist": Berryman/Buckland/Champion/Martin/Hopkins) 6:18

BONUS TRACKS:

11. "Lost?" 3:40

12. "Lovers in Japan (Acoustic Version)" 3:49

The band produced another version of Lost with a little protion of rap with Jay-Z which was performed at United Center Arena in Chicago on July 23 2008.