Wanna know how to build the perfect Euro/JDM cross? Look no further at this BMW E36/8 (S52) M Coupe. It’s got the right amount of euro oomph and flair thanks to its prim-n-proper snail install, BMW’s renowned I-6 motor, a drizzle of classic Dinan goodies and the unmistakable shoe shape…and from the Far East, it’s packing some perfectly matched Work wheels and a fatty HKS single-exit muffler. Excuse me while I have a Zen moment.
Okay, I’m back. I absolutely love M Coupes and this one is to DIE for. It is still a must-have car in my dream garage…parked next to an NSX that my wife would take to the track.
The son of new prime minister of Japan has education at Moscow state University as Evgeniy Primakov. That Primakov with native relations with Kazakhstan and Georgia was from Ukrainian special service with connections with Nikita Krushev. In any words great kazachian- georgian’s mixe.
Who was my adopting mother before she decided to appropriate the own name of my own mother, her own daughter and her inheritance , business, financies and profits?
Native son of Evgeniy Primakov- Aleksandr now in Greece play the role of great bankier, robb and kill the old peoples and stole the childs. In any words he has strong connections with raven’s and with mass cemetery in Greece. Some years ago that Primakov has the big debts for Arab countries and started the war between Kuwait and Iraq. In Kuwait he took a financies and happenly defecated them’s.
Native daughter of that Primakov Nina was a director of the school where my own sons has education- school 60 in Vilnius. Native granddaughter of that Primakov for there’s legende died in twin -towers, when they ruined the property of my own grandfather and my own inheritance twin-towers 11.09.2001. – and three weeks later they started first savaging attacks against me.
Don’t forgett ,that they killed David Rockefeller in 1975 in the Primakov house and to USA happenly going the double – illusionist and the conjurer and became to rule in my own inheritance.
Another native daughter of thart Primakov- Natalia Stroganova happenly helped to Sergey Lopatinskiy to spend my own inheritance financies. When they need more – they ordinary took that financies in oil and gas concern Opec- under the trusteeship my own inheritance – as for my own needs. Paying for me with my own youngest son 60 dollars for both. When my oldest son became to help me and to sent financies -they ordinary opened against him mass criminal cases, beating, him at regular basis, makes a mass of gangster’s attack’s against him and his office and blocked at there’s villages. They undressed him in regular basis, when they see that he have financies. And sticks round with there prostitute’s and villages familes.
Natalia Stroganova was the wife of the son of Yuriy Vladimirovich Andropov- Yuriy Stroganov. One controll me in the newspaper, she control me not only by installation but with the help of her sister pressed my own sons in school too.
Her native brother Aleksandr help to Natalia Bondarenko-Lopatinskaya from the bank Snoras – system of Conversbank to take my own profits from my own inheritance. Who decided to sell my own profits for that bank and for what reason? That Aleksandr at that moment has the name Alex Gliklad. He -the partner of Josif Kobson- great and interesting singer with the name -policeman in zone and son of Josif Stalin.
And why was mass killing in Kuwait?
That Primakov was the native brother of Raisa Gorbacheva- which now with Arkadiy Volskiy and his Conversbank at my own financies and profits happenly lived in Spain.
She legalisated her death 20.09.1999. With strong connections with Larisa Bakova- native daughter from my adopting parents- now Asma Al Assad in Syria and with doubles as Letizia in Spain.
That Larisa from native relations with gipsy’s and tatarian maids as Raisa Gorbacheva. Such gipsy’s liked very much some Smirnov – Gromov- Elcin’s family with connections with Ezov- ex soviet fascist.
There’s native daughter has a picture as Barbra Streizand and Ludmila Putina. Her name was- Tatiana Elcina.
The great financial ruler of all tha gangster’s clan- Sergey Lopatinskiy with the face of the actor Sergey Stepanchenko and Sergey Zagrebnev- Zarembo. Both of them with native relations with Nikita Krushev, Ezov , Voroshilov.
Both of them helped to new prime minister of Japan some Yukio Hatoyama to seat down at that place. With the installation in nose. Who knows what is it ?
BMW M5 este o versiune de inalta performanta a Series 5 de la BMW, realizata de divizia de curse M, a aceleiasi companii.
Prima incarnare a lui M5 a fost prezentata pentru prima data la Salonul Auto de la Amsterdam in 1984. Modelul a fost construit manual folosind sasiul de la 535i si un motor modificat de la BMW M1. La acel moment era cel mai rapid sedan din lume.
Variantele ulterioare M5 au fost produse de-a lungul anilor avand la baza generatii diferite Series 5.
Viitorul M5, surprins si in aceste fotografii-spion, va promova…
Citeste continuarea articolului despre BMW M5 si vezi mai multe poze spion pe Auto.ro
a black BMW convertible
wrong side up
in the carpool lane
3 paramedics
2 police officers
1 man on the ground
not moving
unconscious
on his way to work
blood stains on his necktie
the pressed white shirt
with extra starch
untucked
torn
covered in shattered glass
he had just woken up
45 minutes ago
showered
ate breakfast
shaved
kissed his wife
checked his e-mail
and his
to-do list,
never once
considering
the present circumstance
happens every day
to someone
and the best we can do
is hope
it’s not us
I am currently developing multiple site builds using WordPress and Host Gator, with the goal of building my own mini-network of sites covering a selective range of subject matter. I could of course just build one mega-site, however I really want to keep each site in it’s own webverse with their own look , feel, and specific content. I currently own 132 Domains covering about 10-15 topics,…… So this should be a fun exeriment in web design.
Falar em barato para um carro de 30 mil euros é algo relativo, mas olhando à gama BMW, somos forçados a dizer que um Série 1 a gasóleo por menos daquele valor é realmente um óptimo preço. E ainda por cima não perde qualidades dinâmicas e o motor com 115 CV não deixa muito a desejar. Até parece perfeito…
Porém, a perfeição não existe e como tal este preço faz lembrar a história do “gato escondido com o rabo de fora”. Não fique já a duvidar da qualidade deste 116d, pois a analogia não tem nada a ver com alguma aldrabice ou escamotear de situações menos claras.
Ao contrário do que possa pensar, o motor deste 116d é um 2.0 litros e não um 1.6 como o nome poderia sugerir. Estamos perante uma versão descafeinada do bloco que equipa várias gamas da marca germânica com 115 CV e 260 Nm de binário. É a versão mais comedida a seguir ao 118d (143 CV), o 120d (177 CV) e o 123d (204 CV), todos eles tendo por base o tetracilindrico de 2.0 litros.
Para custar “apenas” 29.950 euros, este Série 1 não é igual aos outros. Por fora as jantes são mais pequeninas – 16 polegadas – e não há nenhum apêndice aerodinâmico e os frisos das janelas e portas não trazem nenhum adorno. Nem os faróis de nevoeiro são de série. É um puro e duro!
Lá dentro, além da habitual falta de espaço atrás (e nesta versão de 3 portas, as coisas complicam-se devido à acessibilidade menor ao banco traseiro) falta muita coisa. Temos ar condicionado, mas manual (já nem nos lembrávamos de ver um BMW com este tipo de sistema…) que funciona muito bem na mesma – já pode poupar uns trocos na lista de opcionais – bancos desportivos em pele, sensores de chuva e luminosidade, comandos no volante, cruise control, rádio de elevada qualidade e sensores de estacionamento além da regulação eléctrica do banco. Ficamos assim com um Série 1 limpinho e cheio de qualidade que continua a ter uma excelente posição de condução.
Está a torcer o nariz? Então?! Provavelmente queria um Série 1 por menos de 30 mil euros, mais barato que o 118i a gasolina e carregado com aquilo que muitos pagam quase 40 mil para ter, não?
Com 115 CV é obvio que não podemos esperar o mesmo que um 120d com 177 CV. A caixa manteve-se com seis velocidades, com a sexta um pouquinho mais longa para ajudar nos consumos, mas a verdade é que como não existe a perfeição, também não existem milagres: estando muito longe de serem ridículas, as prestações do 116d em termos de aceleração mas principalmente de recuperação de aceleração, são modestas. Na velocidade máxima está bem com 200 km/h e os 10,2 segundos do 0-100 km/h (não conseguimos melhor que 11,8…) aceitam-se.
Palavra para a travagem equilibrada e para a direcção e suspensão que, apesar de não contarem com ajudas exteriores – suspensão desportiva e assistência activa à direcção – provam aquilo que há muito era já uma certeza: o Série 1 é dos melhores carros de tracção de tracção traseira no seu segmento com um comportamento extraordinário. O conforto é razoável, embora viajar atrás, enterrado nos bancos traseiro e com muito pouca visibilidade provoque alguma claustrofobia. O DTC raramente intervém e quando o faz não é demasiado brusco. E pode sempre optar pelo segundo programa do DTC que lhe dá mais alguma liberdade. O motor é que não dá para muito…
O recurso a pneus de reduzido atrito (uns Michelin nas medidas 195/55 R16) estreitinhos e a utilização do sistema “Stop&Start” consegue colocar a fasquia da emissão de CO2 nuns muito interessantes 118 gr/km, mas é no consumo que este 116d se destaca. Segundo a BMW, não gasta mais de 5,6 litros em ciclo combinado. Porém, no ciclo combinado que nós realizamos em cada ensaio (que ainda assim possui muitos percursos em cidade) nunca conseguimos descer dos 6,3 litros, ainda assim um valor excelente.
Contas feitas, este é um BMW para os… que gostam da marca mas não possuem bolsos fundos o suficiente para escalarem na gama.
Honesto, eficaz e agradável de conduzir, o BMW 116d não será o melhor carro da sua gama de modelos, mas é o mais barato pagando-se assim menos por quilómetro de diversão ao volante.
Características técnicas
Motor – 4 cil. 16V; 1995 c.c.; “common rail” c/turbo de geometria variável; Potência (CV/rpm) – 115/4000; Binário (Nm/rpm) – 260/1750-2500; Transmissão – Traseira, caixa manual 6 vel.; Suspensão (fr./tr.) – Independente, McPherson/Independente, multibraços; Travões (fr./tr.) – Discos vent./Discos; Comp./Larg./Alt. (mm) – 4239/1748/1421; Dist. entre eixos (mm) – 2660; Capacidade da mala (lt) – 330-1150; Peso (kg) – 1295; Velocidade Máxima (km/h) – 200; Acel. 0-100 km/h (s) – 10,2; Consumo médio (l/100 km) – 4,4; Emissões CO2 (gr/km) – 118 (Categoria B); Preço – 29.950 Euros
Uno delos automóviles más extraño de los que se tiene memoria. Adquirió el apodo de Huevo con ruedas debido a su peculiar forma de huevo y sus ventanas de burbuja.
Apareció en 1954, tenía una sola puerta en el frente y las dos llantas traseras parecían unidas. Sólo podía viajar una persona cómodamente o dos apretadas.
Con la gran demanda de este vehículo la BMW pudo recuperarse de la crisis de la posguerra.
BMW Motorrad has announced that the UK price for the S 1000 RR will be £10,950 OTR for the standard model. The S 1000 RR will also be available in a ‘Sport’ specification costing £12,235 OTR.
The S 1000 RR Sport version will be factory fitted with Sports ABS, Dynamic Traction Control and Gearshift Assist. This offers customers a saving of £213 over the cost of a standard model with the three options purchased separately.
Although Motorrad has launched these two model specifications, a customer ordering an S 1000 RR will still have the facility to select any individual options they desire.
S 1000 RR factory fitted options and prices:
• Race ABS is £785
• Race ABS + Dynamic Traction Control is £1,199*
• Gear Shift Assist is £299*
• Anti-theft Alarm is £172
• BMW Motorrad Motorsport colour scheme is £390
*standard on S 1000 RR Sport
Technical highlights of the standard S 1000 RR include:
• A bench mark setting power output of 193 bhp at 13,000 rpm with peak torque 82.5 lb-ft (112 Nm) at 9,750 rpm.
• The S 1000 RR weighs 206.5 kg in road trim. With a full tank, this is the lightest supersport bike in the 1000-cc class. The dry weight is 183 kg.
• It has the best power-to-weight ratio in its class: just 1.05 kg and 1.06 kg per horsepower without/with Race ABS.
• The engine features high-speed, ultra-strong valve drive with individual cam followers and titanium valves, following the example of BMW’s Formula 1 engines.
• S 1000 RR has various riding ‘modes’ available at the touch of a button, to optimise performance on wet surfaces, regular roads, race tracks with sports tyres, and race tracks with slicks.
• The innovative exhaust system has a short rear-end muffler, pre-silencer and electronically-controlled interference pipe flaps, as well as a fully controlled exhaust gas manifold and two three-way catalytic converters.
• The S 1000 RR has supreme aerodynamics and sporting ergonomics that are ideal for riders of all sizes.
Technical highlights of the S 1000 RR Sport
• The S 1000 RR is the only supersport machine to offer Race ABS, DTC Dynamic Traction Control and engine management modes in combination.
• The Race ABS gives outstanding braking performance and safety. The weight of the entire system is just 2.5 kg, which compares favourably with similar competitor ABS systems weighing up to 10 kg.
• DTC Dynamic Traction Control, in conjunction with the Race ABS, provides optimum performance and maximum ‘active’ safety under acceleration.
• The four riding ‘modes’ provide an all-round set-up, co-ordination and balance for the Race ABS, DTC Dynamic Traction Control and engine management.
• The Gearshift Assistant enables riders to ‘speed shift’ up through the gears without using the clutch and with no interruption to torque or pulling power.
For further information, or to locate your nearest BMW Motorrad dealership, please call 0800 777 155 or visit www.bmw-motorrad.com
A Interbrand soltou o relatório de 2009 com a avaliação das marcas mais valiosas do mundo. Para se qualificar para a lista, uma marca tem que ter dados financeiros publicados e tem que gerar pelo menos 1/3 das suas vendas fora do país de origem (por isso, por exemplo, que o Walmart não se qualifica).
A Coca-Cola continua no posto de marca mais valiosa seguida de IBM, Microsoft, GE, Nokia, McDonald’s, Google, Toyota, Intel e Disney. Lista abaixo com os 10 primeiros (lista dos 100 primeiros no site da Interbrand aqui).
A Coca-Cola cresceu 3% vs. o ano anterior, e o relatório diz que isso é em razão da agressividade da empresa durante a crise. A Coca lançou 700 produtos no mundo todo em 2008 e “se mantém super focada em marketing in-store e embalagens.” Olha, eles realmente fizeram e fazem um grande trabalho. Mas quando você olha os números, vê que seus concorrentes e empresas de natureza similar tiveram resultados de crescimento similares (por exemplo, Pepsi também cresceu 3%).
A Google continua com crescimento fantástico (25%). Já escrevi sobre algumas decisões que considero erros estratégicos (post: Google Chrome – Estratégia certa para o Google?), mas no geral não há o que questionar o sucesso da estratégia de foco constante em inovação e criação de novas categorias.
Já escrevi sobre a confusão em que estão as eletrônicas (post: Bola fora do novo slogan da Sony). A falta de foco no consumidor é grande e os resultados da Sony (-12%), Phillips (-2%), Canon (-4%), Panasonic (-1%) e Samsung (-1%) mostram isso. Como disse antes no mesmo post, não é a toa que a Apple está comendo no quintal deles (cresceu 12%).
Gillete parece não ter sofrido com a compra pela Procter & Gamble (+4%).
Industria automobilística: Toyota (-8%), Mercedez Benz (-7%), BMW (-7%), Honda (-7%), Porche (-8%). Já escrevi dos problemas desta indústria (post: Crise das Montadoras de Automóveis é de Branding).
Dá pena ver o Starbucks (-16%), mas também já escrevi sobre o problema duas vezes (Starbucks e Mais sobre o Starbucks).
Parabéns a Amazon com inovação via Kindle (+22%)
Harley-Davidson caiu 43%!!!! Parece que não pelos mesmos problemas de branding das montadoras, mas seu tipo de negócio (supérfluo caríssimo de luxo) sofreu com a crise.
Teria mais coisa… mas o post já está longo demais.
Algunos pensarán que es una barbaridad el titulo de este post, sobre todo en una época en la que la ausencia de emisiones se está llevando la palma en las innovaciones en el mundo del motor. Si algo está en la agenda de los medios, tarde o temprano estará también en nuestras mentes -aunque nos cueste reconocerlo, se nos convence de una manera demasiado sencilla-. Pero no seáis mal pensados. Hablo del líder de emisiones, pero del líder a la baja, es decir, la marca que menos emisiones medias de C02 lanza a la atmósfera. And the winners are…
Fiat, Mini y Toyota. No pensaríais que os iba a dar la respuesta en la entradilla, ¿verdad?
La consultora Jato Dynamics ha realizado un estudio para comprobar este dato, correspondiente al primer semestre del año 2009. Y Fiat, ganadora del estudio, ha sido la encargada de dar a conocer la noticia. Después de estas tres marcas se han situado Lancia, Peugeot y Citroën. Claramente ha sido una victoria de las marcas europeas, que han conseguido 5 de las 6 primeras posiciones.
Veamos ahora los datos. Fiat se ha situado a la cabeza con unas emisiones medias de 129,1 gramos de Co2 por kilómetro recorrido. Mini sigue de cerca a la italiana, con 129,7 gramos por kilómetro. Toyota eleva sus emisiones hasta 132,9 gramos. Citroën, situada en la sexta posición, emite una media de 138,8 gramos de co2 por kilómetro recorrido.
Esto es lo que ocurre en la parte superior de la tabla. En la parte intermedia tenemos un montón de marcas, como Hyundai, Renault, Ford, Chevrolet, Seat, Suzuki, Opel, Volkswagen… Volkswagen, que ocupa la posición vigésima, se sitúa con unas emisiones medias que ascienden a 152,5 gramos de Co2 por kilómetro recorrido.
Pasemos por último a la parte baja de la tabla. En el puesto vigésimo primero nos encontramos con BMW, con 158,4 gramos por kilómetro recorrido. Nissan, que ocupa el puesto 22º, emite 158,9 gramos. Audi (162,6 gramos), Mercedes (178,8) y Volvo (179 gramos) cierran la lista por la parte de abajo.
Analizando un poco los datos, lo más sorprendente para mí es la posición que ocupa Nissan. Supongo que será a causa de las emisiones que generen sus todoterrenos y todocaminos, pero es la única marca no Premium que nos encontramos en la parte baja de la lista. Es lógico que Mercedes o BMW estén por ahí, puesto que un M6 o un SL 65 AMG no van a emitir lo mismo que un Nissan Micra, Almera o Primera.
No obstante, enhorabuena a las marcas vencedoras y enhorabuena a todos nosotros, que gracias a estos avances podemos vivir en un mundo un poquito más respirable. Los coches se han convertido en una máquina imprescindible para nuestra sociedad. Nos guste o no, seguirán existiendo, pero al menos lo harán de una manera más respetuosa con el medio ambiente.
O destaque da Rolls-Royce no Salão de Frankfurt foi a apresentação do seu novo fantasma, o Ghost. O carro utiliza a plataforma do próximo BMW Série 7. É também da BMW, que é dona da marca, o motor V12 de 6.6L capaz de gerar 570 cv de potência.
A velocidade máxima é limitada em 250 km/h. Como um dos mais exclusivos carros do mundo, a RR tem também os mais inusitados equipamentos a disposição de seu dono. Entre eles, portas do tipo suicida e até um guarda chuva que pula de dentro da porta.
BMW: O destaque da marca de Munique foi a apresentação do conceito Vision Efficient Dynamics, que é um híbrido (diesel/elétrico) capaz de gerar 356 cv de potência. Outro modelo apresentado no salão foi o Série 5 GT, versão com traseira curta que antecipa um pouco a próxima geração do modelo.
KIA: A fabricante de carro sul-coreana levou cinco lançamentos para Frankfurt. Talvez o de maior impacto seja o Venga, que irá concorrer mundialmente com o Honda Fit. A marca mostrou ainda os reestilizados Cee’d e Sorento, além de um modelo Forte híbrido e de um conceito ecológico.
FORD: O destaque da fabricante americana foi o lançamento da nova minivan Grand C-MAX, que antecipa as linhas dos próximos modelos da marca. Entre eles, o próximo Ford Focus, que muito interessa aos brasileiros.
LEXUS: A marca de luxo da Toyota apresentou no salão o conceito CT-200h, um híbrido (gasolina/eletricidade) em forma de esportivo. Um hatchback que antecipa algumas das linhas futuras da marca.
Just hours after the FIA announced that the team did not have a guaranteed slot on the 2010 grid BMW has confirmed that the Sauber team has been sold.
The buyers are the mysterious Qadbak Investments, a Swiss-based fund that is backed by money from Qatar, including it is believed from the royal family. Qadbak’s highest profile involvement thus far is in British soccer club Notts County.
The news that the team has been saved makes BMW’s decision not to sign the new Concorde Agreement look even more foolhardy, because to get onto the grid next year it is now relying on someone else not making it or the FIA being able to change to rules to allow a 14th team.
The German manufacturer has been searching for a new owner for the team it bought from founder in Peter Sauber in 2005 since July having unexpectedly decided to quit Formula 1 at the end of the season owing to a “strategic realignment”. A statement from BMW said: ‘BMW AG, based in Munich, Germany, is pleased to announce today that Qadbak Investments Ltd, a Swiss-based foundation which represents the interests of certain Middle East and European based families, has agreed to purchase the BMW Sauber F1 Team, based in Hinwil, Switzerland.
‘The contract was signed today (Tuesday). A strong investor has therefore been found for the Hinwil-based team. Qadbak´s interest in the team will be represented by Lionel Fischer, a Swiss national. BMW wishes Qadbak and the Sauber Team every success for the 2010 season and beyond.
Op het Autosalon van Frankfurt wordt de BMW 320d Efficient Dynamics Edition officieel voorgesteld. Met een normverbruik van 4,1 liter per 100 kilometer wordt het de zuinigste auto uit het BMW-gamma. In een persbericht meldt het BMW dat dit vooral gericht is op de Duitse, Italiaanse, Spaanse en Franse markt. De lancering is voorzien voor maart 2010. Belgische kopers hebben recht op een overheidspremie van 3 % omdat de BMW 320d Efficient Dynamisch Edition slechts 109 gram CO² per kilometer uitstoot. Bron: Autoweek.nl.
Yamaha dikabarkan akan membangun sebuah Motor Moto2 yang akan siap untuk bersaing ketika menggantikan seri 250 kelas, baik di tahun 2010 atau 2011. Motor ini dinamakan YZR 600 M2, Motor dengan warna merah dan putih ala Motor Yamaha Lama.
Tetapi berita ini nampaknya tidak masuk akal, Karena Dorna sebagai promoter MOTOGP sudah menetapkan Honda sebagai penyuplai engine untuk Moto2 2010, jadi sangat tidak mungkin Yamaha akan turun di 2010 misalnya saja dengan Frame Yamaha engine Honda… kan Yamaha dan Honda berseteru…
Kabar ini memang belum jelas tetapi untuk musim 2011 bisa mungkin terjadi… karena aturan Moto2 bisa berubah-ubah, lha wong aturan MotoGp saja bias berubah-ubah kok… kita tunggu perkembagan Moto2 dan Saya Pribadi berharap untuk Moto2 nantinya tidak hanya Honda sebagai Single Suplier untuk engine Moto2 tetapi produsen motor lainnya bias ambil bagian seperti Yamaha, Bimota, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Triumph, Ducati, KTM, Aprilia, BMW, Gilera, Derbi dll… biar persaingan balapan jadi lebih menarik….
Social movements and trade unions are the future of the South African Left
September 09, 2009 Edition 1
Imraan Buccus – The Mercury
Philani Mgwaba (in the Sunday Tribune) is quite right to compare the South African Communist Party (SACP) to George Orwell’s brilliant anti-Soviet satire Animal Farm. When a communist leader “needs” a R1.1 million BMW in a context where impoverished children die of diarrhoea, it is quite clear that “all people are equal (but some are more equal than others)”.
The fiasco was surprising as this particular leader has been consistent in his championing the agenda of the working class. In this context Cosatu’s call for leaders to display modesty in their car choices should also be welcomed.
After the fall of the Berlin Wall there was a period of introspection, beginning with Joe Slovo’s famous paper “Has socialism failed us?” Many hoped for a democratisation of the Left within the tripartite alliance, but in the end we got just plain old neo-liberal economics. The SACP became a form of top-down social control and, by 2000, people were being purged from the SACP for championing communism.
Some people in South Africa like to say that our Communist Party is a Cold War anachronism. This is a silly and Eurocentric perspective.
After all, China is ruled by a communist party, as are large swathes of India. The issue is not whether or not we should have a communist party but, rather, what the political character of a modern communist party should be.
The fact is that, across the world, modern communist parties support capitalism and repress ordinary people.
The Chinese Communist Party controls dissent with ruthless authoritarianism while enabling the most rampant capitalism in the world.
There is a very similar situation in Bengal where the communist party represses popular dissent against its cor- porate partners with shocking brutality.
There were many who thought that the strengthening of the SACP in the alliance subsequent to the rise of Jacob Zuma would mean a dramatic shift to the Left, but this has not been entirely so. It’s now becoming clear that Zuma’s government has engaged in its own glasnost – allowing debate, being more responsive to the people and thawing things out after Thabo Mbeki’s great chill.
A genuine Left must, by definition, uphold the interests of the poor. But we all need to understand that overcoming poverty is in all of our interests. There can be no viable future with the current levels of inequality afflicting our country. Crime will not disappear and social cohesion will not be built until everyone has a stake in this society. If the rich see their future in this country, they need a strong Left as much as the poor.
We all have a stake in building a just society.
We should also be looking elsewhere to build up the Left in South Africa. Under Mbeki, with all his paranoia about a “third force” and the ultra left, this was difficult.
But with Zuma’s glasnost we are freer than we have been in a long time to explore alternative politics.
We have to start from the enormous popular anger against local councillors and the fact that this is a clear demand for democratisation.
This fact means that people will not accept a new version of authoritarianism couched in the language of the Left – be it from political “groupuscles” riding high on their own delusions of grandeur, wannabe big men looking to rally “troops” to their cause or NGOs looking to buy “supporters” to gain influence.
It is a plain fact that a new Left will have to be democratic and that it will, to use a famous American phrase, “be for the people and by the people”.
There are two spaces where this is possible – trade unions and social movements. We have a well-organised and large trade union movement in our country and while it has been too close to the ANC and SACP, it remains membership-based and willing to be critical where necessary. If the trade union movement can take more direction from below and less from above, it could become part of a renewal of a democratic Left in our country.
We also have some very innovative poor people’s movements that have proved their staying power and ethical integrity over the years.
The problem with these movements is that they usually operate with very, very little in the way of resources. Most of these movements tend to reject donor and NGO funding on the grounds that it will compromise their autonomy.
But this means that while these movements can be incredibly effective at the local level, they really struggle to operate at a national level.
In order to overcome this barrier, sustained access to resources is required.
The obvious solution is a possible social movement and trade union alliance. But there is an equally obvious barrier to such an alliance, which is that Cosatu is with the ANC while the other social movements are independent of party politics.
If the movements and the unions can find a way to each give a little, there could be a way forward to a genuine Left and a more humane and viable society.
But if this problem can’t be resolved, we’ll be left with the poor in their shacks and the communists in their BMWs.
Will we see the Team Lotus or Group Lotus name in F1?
The silence from the FIA regarding the ‘spare’ slot on the 2010 grid created by the withdrawal of BMW is leading to increasing speculation as to who the final team will be. This is not to mention the potential for Toyota to pull out, should TMC’s half year results make continuing with F1 unsustainable, and also the potential for Renault to leave F1 if the upcoming FIA tribunal finds them guilty of race fixing in 2008.
The recent move by Dany Bahar, formerly Dietrich Mateschitz’s right hand man at Red Bull, from Ferrari to head of Group Lotus, owned by Malaysian car manufacturer Proton, has led to increased speculation that Lotus may be planning to re-enter F1. In the history of F1 Lotus is probably the closest to Ferrari in terms of a team which both shaped and dominated particular periods of the sport. Lotus founder, the late Colin Chapman, is often cited as one of the most influential people in the history of F1, along with Enzo Ferrari and Bernie Ecclestone.
The complicating factor is of course that there are many other potential entrants, some of whom have been strung along since June of this year when their entries were unsuccessful, but they have been encouraged by the FIA to keep their proposals ready should the situation change.
The situation is also further complicated by the fact that there has already been a Lotus proposal based on the Litespeed bid which involved former Jordan, Renault and Toyota Technical Director Mike Gascoyne and uses the Team Lotus name (Team Lotus being the F1 team which was not included in the Proton purchase of Group Lotus). So we have not one but two potential Lotus’s to add into the pot of intrigue and conspiracy which is bubbling merrily away.
I’d like to say that all we be revealed in the next few weeks, but in the twists and turns of the world of F1 that is about as likely as Bernie Ecclestone’s biography being published in a totally unexpurgated form.
Împătimit al tehnologiei, şeful statului ţine pasul cu ultimele tendinţe din IT. Se cunoaşte că preşedintele alocă destul de mult timp navigării pe net, răspunzându-le celor care îi adresează mesaje pe blogul său. De puţin timp, Traian Băsescu a mai făcut un pas îndrăzneţ: are cont pe YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/HETraianBasescu . Acesta este contul de pe YouTube pe care cei de la biroul de presă al Administraţiei Prezidenţiale l-au deschis din ziua de 29 august. Pe el vor fi postate imagini şi declaraţii ale preşedintelui din timpul activităţilor sale. Deşi există de numai câteva zile, curioşii au intrat deja pe această adresă.
Con algo de retraso os comento que estuve en Valencia viendo el Gran Premio de Fórmula 1. Fue algo completamente imprevisto. Estaba el sábado a punto de entrar al cine, cuando recibí una llamada de un amigo diciéndome que estaba allí con varias entradas gratis para algunos amigos, y que le sobraba una. Así que sin pensármelo demasiado me pegué el madrugón para salir hacia Valencia, y estar allí para ver mi primer Gran Premio de la Fórmula 1 moderna (ya he estado en dos de Fórmula 1 clásica). No era como lo que estoy acostumbrado a hacer en los rallies. No podía moverme del sitio, y estaba en una grada a una distancia bastante grande de los coches, pero algo decente desde el punto de vista fotográfico salió.
Primero salieron los coches de GP2 (a la Fórmula BMW que salían antes no llegué)…
… y algunos estaban que echaban fuego al verse perseguidos.
Después de los Porsche, donde las fotos no me dijeron demasiado, llegaba el plato fuerte. La Fórmula 1.
Aunque no lo parezca, algunos se perseguían. Logre un efecto curioso en esta foto, que es lo que me gusta. El coche de delante, y el de detrás están movidos, y el del centro está nítido. Fue un poco de suerte, por que a esa distancia, era difícil andar haciendo filigranas, pero… salió.
Ver como estos pilotos pasaban pegados al muro, y luchando entre ellos a esa velocidad, impresiona.
Y aquí una de las mejores fotos laterales que logré, eso si, favorecida por que Raikkonen acababa de parar en boxes, y no pasó la curva por donde solían hacerlo, si no que entró algo más cerrado, y la valla que separa al público, no me molestó.
En fin, hice infinidad de fotos, pero al no poder moverme en todo el día, son todas mucho más parecidas entre si de lo que me gustaría. Creo que esto es una pequeña muestra, con la que además, os informo de que he vuelto tras este pequeño parón.
