2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty power stroke Diesel is cleanest ever; fuel economy greatly improved
The all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty delivers best-in-class torque, horsepower, towing and payload capability – and does it all more efficiently, resulting in less fuel usage and extended maintenance intervals that can translate directly into bottom-line savings for customers.
“The 2011 Super Duty is not only the most powerful, most capable and fuel-efficient heavy-duty pickup truck on the road, it performs the tough jobs with even more efficiency than ever before,” said Doug Scott, truck group marketing manager. “Customers can be confident that Super Duty’s class-leading capability comes with Ford’s ‘and solution’ of best-in-class fuel economy.”
All-new diesel and gas engine powertrains are the backbone of the 2011 Super Duty’s best-in-class towing (26,400 pounds for F-550 chassis cab with fifth-wheel hitch) and payload capability (6,520 pounds for F-350 dual rear-wheel pickup). The Ford-designed, Ford-engineered and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine produces best-in-class 735 ft.-lb. of torque at 1,600 rpm and best-in-class 390 horsepower at 2,800 rpm. The new engine is compatible up to B20 biodiesel fuel as well.
The new 6.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine also boasts best-in-class numbers of 405 ft.-lb. of torque at 4,500 rpm and 385 horsepower at 5,500 rpm. The new engine is E85 compatible.
Mated to each engine is the all-new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission. The added feature content and overall efficiency of the transmission are the main reasons for the improved fuel economy. The all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty equipped with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel averages an 18 percent improvement for pickup models and up to 25 percent improvement for chassis cabs versus 2010 models. Trucks equipped with new base 6.2-liter V-8 gas engine average a 15 percent improvement versus 2010 models.
“The new transmission is a ‘clean-sheet’ design, developed specifically to handle the significantly increased torque produced by the new diesel engine and the higher rotational speeds produced by the new gas engine, and to deliver the power to the wheels seamlessly and efficiently for heavy-duty truck customers,” said Al Bruck, transmission engineering manager. “Each system and component was scrutinized to deliver optimum performance.”
Here’s a closer look at what was achieved and the benefits to the customer:
– New torque converter that locks at a far lower rpm than the competition: The new, stronger torque converter is core to the improved transmission performance. One key component is the long-travel turbine damper that allows the transmission to lock earlier, at a lower rpm, which translates to less slip and more fuel efficiency. The new transmission locks down to 900 rpm, which is about 200 rpm less than the outgoing product and more than 100 rpm less than competitors. The second key component of the torque converter is the closed-piston design. This design allows for better control of the lock-up clutch, which enables controlled converter clutch slip during lock-to-lock upshifts that are seamless to the customer.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Locked converter operation at lower speeds means less wasted heat energy and better fuel economy.
– Optimized shift and converter lock-up schedule: After analyzing the entire shift schedule, Ford calibration engineers fine-tuned it by measuring and optimizing the fuel flow. The system recognizes light or heavy throttle use, and puts the transmission in the right gear for best performance and efficiency. The entire operating range has been optimized to get the best fuel economy by locking up the converter as soon as possible and as much as possible.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Optimizing the shift schedule and lock schedule ensures customers automatically operate in the most efficient gears and save fuel.
– Gearing and double-overdrive: The 6R140 transmission has a ratio span of about 5.9, which is quite a bit wider than competitors. This wider span means the transmission has a deeper first gear that allows customers to get the load moving quicker, and a tall overdrive ratio for good highway efficiency. While the gearing itself is important, the key to overall efficiency is matching that gearing to the correct axle. With the diesel engine, up to four axle ratios are available on the pickups – 3.31, 3.55, 3.73 and 4.30. Matching up the gearing with the right axles means better overall efficiency.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: The double-overdrive gear means even if a customer gets a downshift on the highway, the transmission remains in overdrive. Also, the F-450 pickup went from a 4.88 axle to a 4.30 axle at launch for the 2011 model mated to the wide ratio span of the transmission. This and other optimizations mean the F-450 now has about a 30 percent improvement in fuel economy.
– Optimized pumping pressure: A certain amount of pressure is required to hold the clutches together so they don’t slip. The trick is to have the right amount of pressure to do the job. Too much pressure wastes fuel. The solution is to optimize the size of the pump and precisely control the pressure for all operating conditions.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: At highway speeds, for example, the line pressure is reduced, which helps save fuel. The system maintains the right amount of pressure for any given speed range. The less energy needed for internal pump pressure means less fuel used.
– Optimized drainback to reduce spin losses: A main objective is to get the fluid through the main barrel to lubricate and cool components, and get it back to the sump as quickly as possible. This reduces windage and parasitic loss. The clutch friction plates were designed to allow fluid to flow through them efficiently for cooling and reduced drag. Clutch housings, connecting shells and the main case housing were optimized to quickly drain the fluid out of rotating components and back into the sump.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Fewer parasitic losses due to reduced churning of fluid increases fuel economy.
– Warmer operating temperature: Tied in with spin losses, the 6R140 cooling system has been optimized to allow for the proper amount of cooling when towing heavy loads in high ambient temperatures, while running at an overall higher stabilized temperature. This higher stabilized temperature lowers the viscosity and helps the fluid flow more easily, which reduces parasitic losses and saves fuel. The fluid also warms up faster because it does not flow to the cooling circuit until properly warmed up. Faster warm-up also reduces overall parasitic losses.
- Customer fuel economy benefit: Fewer parasitic losses due to reduced fluid viscosity translates to less internal drag on the system and increases fuel economy.
Lighter, more efficient than competition
The 6R140 transmission is about 25 pounds lighter than those of competitors. The new engines are lighter than the outgoing products as well, which altogether means much more efficient power flow on a pound-for-pound basis. The 6R140 also has a 150,000-mile fluid change interval, which is 2-1/2 times greater than the outgoing product. A patent-pending high-efficiency dual-media filter is the main reason for the extended maintenance interval, which is another savings for customers.
Cleanest Power Stroke ever
The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel employs an aftertreatment system to help comply with 2010 federal regulations to reduce NOx levels in diesel emissions by more than 80 percent compared with the previous standard. The Ford aftertreatment system is a three-stage process; a key component is the use of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).
Injection of DEF to reduce NOx is a proven technology that’s been used throughout the automotive industry. Unlike other strategies used to control NOx, the DEF system allows the diesel engine to run at its optimum range in terms of fuel mixture. Some systems require the engine to run richer – which can be harmful to diesel engines – in order to control the NOx.
The aftertreatment system works like this:
Step One: Cleaning and Heating – The first step in cleaning the diesel exhaust occurs when the exhaust stream enters the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC). The role of the DOC is twofold. First, it converts and oxidizes hydrocarbons into water and carbon dioxide. This conversion happens at about 250 degrees Celsius.
Second, the DOC is used to provide and promote heat, using specific engine management strategies, into the exhaust system. Through appropriate thermal management, this heat increases the conversion efficiency of the downstream subsystems in reducing emissions.
Step Two: Knocking Out the NOx – The next step in the process is what’s known as Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). In this process, the NOx in the exhaust stream is converted into water and inert nitrogen, which is present in the atmosphere and harmless. Before the exhaust gas enters the SCR chamber, it is dosed with DEF, an aqueous solution that is approximately 67.5 percent water and 32.5 percent pure urea.
When heated, the DEF splits into ammonia and carbon dioxide. These molecules are atomized and vaporized, then enter a mixer that resembles a corkscrew. This twist mixer evenly distributes the ammonia within the exhaust flow. The ammonia enters the SCR module, which contains a catalyzed substrate, and through chemical reactions combines and converts the NOx and ammonia into the harmless inert nitrogen and water. Dosing occurs between 200 and 500 degrees Celsius.
Step Three: Scrubbing Away the Soot – The final part of the cleansing system for the diesel exhaust gas involves the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF). The DPF traps any remaining soot, which is then periodically burned away, known as regenerating, when sensors detect the trap is full. The regeneration process sees temperatures in excess of 600 degrees Celsius to burn away soot.
This industry-proven technology ensures that the new 6.7-liter diesel is the cleanest Power Stroke ever, as well as the most fuel-efficient.
“Having this diesel designed in-house at Ford meant we were able to work on optimizations and refinements right from the start,” said Tim Ogilvie, vehicle energy supervisor. “We’re able to deliver to customers a more refined, more fuel-efficient Super Duty, with class-leading torque and horsepower and the class-leading capability they demand.”
Revolutionary invention allows planting without irrigation
The Groasis waterboxx invented by science award winning Dutch innovator Pieter Hoff is about to change the course of history.
On March 16 at the Green California Summit in Sacramento, Mr. Hoff. will announce global planting experiments without irrigation. Four projects to be conducted in California’s high and low deserts of Palm Springs, in the Napa Valley with the Robert Mondavi Winery and USA’s first sustainable city, Sonoma will join twenty other global experiments in seven countries spanning four continents.
Mr. Hoff completed a four-year treeplanting test in Morocco’s Sahara desert with 88.2% survival rate. Monitored results of the worldwide tests will prove that mankind can plant trees on bushes, rocks, mountains, in deserts or any other difficult place, without irrigation. California along with the rest of the world eagerly looks forward to the results of these tests as a way to solve deforestation, food shortage and water conservation.
The Groasis waterboxx is the size of a motorcycle tyre with an opening in the center, that surrounds a sapling or seed that is planted in the soil. This ‘intelligent water incubator’ produces and captures water from the air through condensation and rain, without using energy. Additionally it prevents water evaporation from the soil and protects the roots against sun, wind, weeds and rodents. After a year, the tree is strong enough to grow by itself and the box can be easily removed and reused.
Hoff, one of the largest flowerbulb exporters of Holland, sold his business five years ago with one thought in mind, to find a way to reforest the planet and feed the world. He expects the waterboxx to reforest 2 billion hectares (5 billion acres) of desert, eroded by mankind, in the next 40 years. CO2 molecules can be unbound through trees, which produce fruit, medicines, oils, etcetera while transplanting the C atoms from fossil fuels into wood. Let’s make money with trees while unbinding the CO2 molecules instead of continuously talking about climate change, he explains in his book ‘CO2, a gift from heaven’.
What’s Hoff’s motivation? He states: “I want to leave a better world for our children.” Launching the Groasis waterboxx at the largest environmental US Summit makes that a reality.
http://www.groasis.com/page/uk/animation.php
Source: AquaPro Holland BV
Student teams ready to battle Lunar Terrain at NASA’s 17th Annual Great Moonbuggy Race
More than 100 student teams from around the globe will drive their specially crafted lunar rovers through a challenging course of rugged, moon-like terrain at NASA’s 17th annual Great Moonbuggy Race in Huntsville, Ala., April 9-10.
Some 1,088 high school, college and university students from 20 states and Puerto Rico, Canada, Germany, Bangladesh, Serbia, India and Romania are expected to participate in the race at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
Students begin to prepare for the event each year during the fall semester. They must design, build and test a sturdy, collapsible, lightweight vehicle that addresses engineering problems similar to those overcome by the original Apollo-era lunar rover development team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville in the late 1960s.
The buggies are based on the design of those classic rovers, which American astronauts drove across the moon’s surface during the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions in the early 1970s. Teams of students build their vehicles using trail bike tires, aluminum or composite-metal struts and parts. The best teams drive trains, gears, suspension, steering and braking systems they find or construct.
Top prizes are awarded to the three teams in both the high school and college/university divisions that post the fastest race times, which include assembly and penalty times. A variety of other prizes are given by race corporate sponsors. These include “rookie of the year” and the “featherweight” award, presented to the team with the lightest, fastest buggy.
NASA’s Great Moonbuggy Race is one of many educational projects and initiatives the agency conducts each year to attract and engage America’s next generation of scientists, engineers and explorers. They will carry on the nation’s mission of exploration to unchartered destinations in our solar system.
“NASA is committed to inspiring young people in science, technology, engineering and math, and the Great Moonbuggy Race is an excellent way for us to reach out to young people and get them excited and involved in technical opportunities available to them,” said Mike Selby, an avionics technical assistant in the Marshall Center’s Engineering Directorate. While completing his engineering degree at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Selby was a member of the school’s moonbuggy teams, helping them to a second-place finish in 1995 and to first place in 1996. Since 2001, he has served each year as a volunteer scorekeeper.
The race is hosted by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, and is sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, The Boeing Company, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Jacobs Engineering ESTS Group, all of Huntsville.
For more information about the competition, visit: http://moonbuggy.msfc.nasa.gov
Mercedes-Benz Financial expands mobile platform to include smartphones
“Coolest way to pay” now includes users of BlackBerry, Droid and more
Mercedes-Benz Financial is now the first automotive financial services company to expand personalized and convenient account management features to all of its customers using smartphones like BlackBerry®, Droid ®, and other mobile devices with internet capability.
Mercedes-Benz Financial last Fall became the first auto finance company to offer account management features with the launch of its iPhone® App free download.
Account holders must first register online at www.Mercedes-BenzFinancial.com to access secure account management features. Detailed instructions for smartphone users are available at www.Mercedes-BenzFinancial.com/mobile.
All smartphone users, even those who are not customers of Mercedes-Benz Financial, will be able to locate the nearest Mercedes-Benz authorized dealer, contact a customer service representative and see what’s new from Mercedes-Benz Financial.
Account holders of Mercedes-Benz Financial will be able to make a payment, view their account summary and request a payoff quote.
“We are closing in on 10,000 downloads of our iPhone App which validates our decision to expand our mobile capabilities to all customers who are smartphone users,” said Andreas Hinrichs, Vice President of Marketing for Mercedes-Benz Financial. “By expanding our mobile services to smartphone users, more of our customers will enjoy the conveniences of connecting with us from the palm of their hand.”
Lexus and Scholastic announce Lexus Eco Challenge #2 winners
All Winning Teams Invited to Participate in the Final Challenge for $270,000 in Grants and Scholarships
Creating rain gardens, building a biodiesel processor, and promoting the use of solar chimneys were some of the actions taken by the winning teams in the second round of the Lexus Eco Challenge, an educational program and contest that empowers young people to make a positive difference for the environment. The 15 winning middle and high schools teams in Challenge #2 were awarded $10,000 each and are now qualified to participate in the Final Challenge for a chance at one of two $30,000 grand prizes and 14 $15,000 first-place awards. In all, Lexus will award a total of $500,000 in grants and scholarships throughout this year’s program. All award money is shared among the students, teacher advisor and school.
“Since launching the Lexus Eco Challenge three years ago, we’ve enjoyed watching as thousands of students have stepped up to protect our environment, and this latest round of entries did not disappoint us,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “We’ve been impressed, humbled, and most of all, inspired by the dedication of the teams and their teacher advisors.”
For each of the challenges, teams are required to define an environmental issue that is important to them, develop an action plan to address the issue, implement the plan, and report on the results. The Challenge #2 winning teams that best addressed environmental challenges associated with air and climate were (winners listed in alphabetical order by state along with city, team name. school name, and each project’s subject).
High School Winners:
– Florida (Newberry) – “P.A.N.T.H.E.R. – Providing a New Way to Help Environmental Restoration” – Newberry High School – “Green” Christmas initiative
– Georgia (Atlanta) – “Westminster Greencats” – The Westminster Schools – Reducing greenhouse gases and investing in renewable energy sources
– Hawaii (Honolulu) – “LEXgo” – W.R. Farrington High School – Preservation and recycling
– Illinois (Chicago) – “McAuley EcoMacs: Operation Haiti” – Mother McAuley High School – Built a biodiesel processor and solar-thermal heating system
– Missouri (St. Louis) – “Team Neon” – Parkway North High School -Addressed destruction of natural prairies
– New Jersey (Manalapan) – “Project Blue Sky” – Manalapan High School – Educated about renewable energy sources
– Pennsylvania (Souderton) – “SAVE – Students Against Violating the Earth” – Souderton Area High School – Encouraged use of solar chimneys
– Utah (Orem) – “R.A.W.R. – Rocky-Mountain Area Wildlife Research” – Timpanogos High School – Environmental research and education about effects of climate change
Middle School Winners:
– Florida (Boca Raton) – “Tap In Too” – Logger’s Run Middle School – Recycling plastic water bottles and switching to reusable water bottles
– Kentucky (Lexington) – “E.F.B.S. – Eco-Friendly Bag Savers” – SCAPA Bluegrass – Impact of plastic and paper bags on the environment
– New York (East Greenbush) – “Goff Gone Green” – Howard L. Goff Middle School – Conservation of fossil fuels
– New York (Rosedale) – “The Eco Team” – PS 270 – Air pollution reduction
– South Carolina (Hanahan) – “HMS Hawks” – Hanahan Middle School – Conserving fossil fuels by reducing energy use.
– Utah (Holladay) – “Unplug the Thug” – Olympus Junior High – Energy conservation by unplugging cell phone chargers
– Wisconsin (Milwaukee) – “Bayside Pollution Revolution” – Bayside Middle School – Energy conservation by reducing use of electricity
This year’s Lexus Eco Challenge launched on Sept. 28, 2009, and concludes with the announcement of the first place and grand-prize-winning teams during Earth Month in April 2010. All winners from Challenges #1 and #2 have been invited to participate in the Final Challenge with an entry deadline of March 16, 2010.
In addition to the ongoing contest, the Lexus Eco Challenge also includes educational materials developed by Scholastic to encourage teachers to integrate creative lesson plans into their classrooms to help teach students about the environment. For each challenge, the Web site (www.scholastic.com/lexus) has lesson plans and teacher instructions including questions to help guide a discussion about the current challenge, facts about the topic, and guidelines for a specific classroom project.
The Lexus Eco Challenge is part of The Lexus Pursuit of Potential, a philanthropic initiative that generates up to $3 million in donations each year for organizations that help build, shape and improve children’s lives.
Chicago is worst city for auto repair
AutoMD.com Report Measures Affordability, Price Disparity Range and Shop Integrity
Chicago, Illinois ranked last overall in AutoMD.com’s Advocacy for Repair Shop Fairness Report, the first study ever to analyze how the top-50 most populated U.S. cities stack up when it comes to providing consumers with fair quotes for auto repair. Chicago ranked 46th for Affordability, 30th for Price Disparity Range, and 50th for Shop Integrity. Memphis was ranked as the best city.
For the report, AutoMD.com mystery shoppers conducted a fairness check of over 600 shops in the top-50 DMAs* (including a range of dealers, independent shops, and franchises like Pep Boys) by requesting quotes on a typical auto repair job: a front brake replacement job for a Ford Focus. To measure pricing integrity, the mystery shoppers called back two weeks later with an industry standard price estimate. The best and worst list was then calculated based on each city’s rankings for three critical factors, Repair Affordability, Price Disparity and Shop Integrity, weighted equally:
1. Repair Affordability: Chicago ranked 46th among the top 50 US markets for the average price/cost-per-job – with an average quote of $226 for the repair. Miami ranked #1 for affordability with an average quote of $127 for the job.
2. Price Disparity Range: Chicago ranked #30 when it came to the market’s variance in quotes for the same job. For Chicago, quotes ranged from $150 to $425, representing a 183% variance. Long Beach, California ranked #1, with the lowest Price Disparity Range of the 50 cities tested.
3. Shop Integrity Factor: Chicago ranked 50th for Shop Integrity, a measure of the percentage of shops that shifted their original quoted price by more than 5% when presented with an industry standard price estimate. One hundred percent of Chicago shops tested shifted their price. The top ranked city, Memphis, was number one for Shop Integrity.
With Chicago’s poor marks in affordability, price disparity, and shop integrity, AutoMD.com recommends that Chicago residents compare shops to make sure they receive the best possible repair shop quote before setting foot into the repair shop.
“Doing your research is critical to getting a fair shake at the repair shop,” said AutoMD President, Shane Evangelist. “Fortunately, car owners now have access to online tools so they can compare local repair shops, establish a local market repair invoice price and make sure that they get a fair deal.”
* Designated Market Area
NASA announces new rocket engine testing opportunity at Stennis
NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Stennis, Miss., unveiled an initiative today to chart the future of the nation’s premier rocket engine testing facility.
Stennis Director Gene Goldman announced plans for the center to test Aerojet AJ26 rocket engines for Orbital Sciences Corp. as part of a NASA partnership with the companies.
“We’re excited about this program and the opportunity to collaborate with two of the world’s leading space technology companies,” Goldman said. “This also helps pave the way to the future for Stennis. Testing the AJ26 engine not only supplies a service for the Taurus II program, it also provides Stennis a unique opportunity will help sustain the skills and capabilities we need for future test projects.”
The AJ26 testing is part of NASA’s new direction for space exploration. Under NASA’s proposed fiscal year 2011 budget, NASA will work closer with commercial interests to develop space travel capabilities.
The Aerojet AJ26 is a prime example of that new direction and of the immediate future of Stennis, which completed engine testing for remaining space shuttle flights last July. The AJ26 is the first new engine in years to be tested at Stennis and representative of the commercial work the facility now is pursuing. The center also provides RS-68 rocket engine testing for Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.
Stennis operators have been modifying their E-1 Test Stand since last April in order to test the AJ26 engines. Work has included construction of a 27-foot-deep flame deflector trench, which was toured by media during the Feb. 24 press conference.
Orbital is working in partnership with NASA under the agency’s Commercial Orbital Transportations Services (COTS) joint research and development project. Orbital is under contract with NASA through the Commercial Resupply Services program to provide eight cargo missions to the ISS through 2015. The AJ26 Aerojet engines will power Orbital’s Taurus II space launch vehicle for the supply missions.
“Our team is very excited to begin the ground testing of the AJ26 engine here at Stennis, one of the great rocket engine testing facilities in the world,” Orbital President and Chief Operating Officer J.R. Thompson added. “We have worked with the NASA’s Stennis staff and our Aerojet counterparts to develop and install facility upgrades to accommodate our particular needs, and we are pleased with the results. As currently envisioned, each AJ26 engine that will be used aboard our Taurus II rocket will come through the Stennis facility for prelaunch testing, prior to being integrated with the rocket.”
Source: NASA
UC Berkeley Extension announces free and low-cost public events for Spring 2010
Programs to highlight green chemistry, technology in education, the Obama administration, and interior design
The newest developments in green chemistry, the impact of technology on education, an in-depth analysis of President Obama’s first 15 months in office, and the latest trends in working with color are the subjects of this spring’s public lecture series from UC Berkeley Extension. These free and low-cost public programs are part of how UC Berkeley Extension fulfills its mission to bring the educational excellence of the University of California, Berkeley, to the community.
Can We Achieve a Sustainable Future? The Role of Green Chemistry
Discover the latest developments in green chemistry, a growing field that is reducing and eliminating the use of hazardous substances in the environment. Join Dr. Robert Peoples, director of the American Chemistry Society’s Green Chemistry Institute, for a lively dialogue about green chemistry’s role in weaning the public off petroleum and tackling the challenges of global sustainability.
Thursday, March 25, 6:30-8 p.m.; UC Berkeley campus, 105 Stanley Hall; free
The 29th Annual Panel on the Presidency: Obama Settles In
During his first 15 months in office, President Obama has faced a series of political challenges: an economic crisis, record-breaking unemployment, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and health care reform. Join political experts and commentators for a lively discussion of the president’s performance and what may lie ahead. Presented by the Institute of Governmental Studies and UC Berkeley Extension.
Monday, April 12, 6:30-8 p.m.; UC Berkeley campus, 155 Dwinelle Hall; free
How Technology Is Transforming the World of Education
Collaborative technology and interactive media are dramatically changing education in the classroom and how students learn. Join Chris Walsh, director of innovation and design for New Tech Network, for an inside look at the major trends in the use of Web 2.0 — from e-learning to professional development — as he outlines important steps that educators, parents, and students can take now to prepare for the changes ahead.
Saturday, April 17, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; UC Berkeley campus, 160 Kroeber Hall; free
The Power of Color
This fast-paced lecture offers insight into working with color, including how to use color indexes, how to pick colors for any space, and how to understand the latest trends in color. Through in-class exercises, learn how seeing and vision are distinguished, how light influences color, and how pigments are harmonized.
Saturday, May 1, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; UC Berkeley Extension Art and Design Center, 95 Third St.; $10
For more information or to reserve a seat for any of these events, visit: extension.berkeley.edu/prog/public.html
Cyber ShockWave shows U.S. unprepared for Cyber Threats
Bipartisan Policy Center Convenes Former Senior Administration Officials to Respond to Simulated Cyber Attack
The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) hosted Cyber ShockWave, a simulated cyber attack on the United States, in Washington D.C. providing an unprecedented look at how the government would develop a real-time response to a large-scale cyber crisis affecting much of the nation. CNN will air the event exclusively as “We Were Warned: Cyber Shockwave” on Saturday, February 20 and Sunday, February 21 at 8:00pm, 11:00pm and 2:00am ET each night.
Cyber ShockWave highlighted the immediate, real dangers of cyber-terrorism by bringing together a bipartisan group of former senior administration and national security officials playing the roles of Cabinet members. The simulation envisioned an attack that unfolds over a single day in July 2011. When the Cabinet convenes to face this crisis, 20 million of the nation’s smart phones have already stopped working. The attack, the result of a malware program that had been planted in phones months earlier through a popular “March Madness” basketball bracket application, disrupts mobile service for millions. The attack escalates, shutting down an electronic energy trading platform and crippling the power grid on the Eastern seaboard.
The simulation was created by former CIA Director General Michael Hayden and the BPC’s National Security Preparedness Group, led by the co-chairs of the 9/11 Commission, Governor Thomas Kean and Congressman Lee Hamilton. Cyber ShockWave was developed in partnership with General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, SMobile Systems, Southern Company, Georgetown University, and PayPal, with contributions from Symantec Corporation.
The Cabinet members, whose mission was to advise the President and mount a response to the attack, did not know the scenario in advance. They reacted to the threat in real time, as intelligence and news reports drove the simulation, shedding light on how difficult, split-second decisions must be made in response to an unfolding and often unseen threat.
In a post-event discussion moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, the participants broke out of their roles to discuss the lessons learned during the exercise. Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, who chaired the simulated National Security Council, said cyber-terrorism “ought to be treated as a threat of sufficient seriousness that we give it the priority attention we’ve given weapons of mass destruction.” Cyber-terrorism is “more complicated by the fact that it involves every individual. Anybody who has a smart phone, who downloads an app or gets on their PC is engaged in this process.”
“A useful aspect of something like this simulation is it helps people visualize what is realistic and possible in some circumstances. The smart thing is to prepare now, to do the legislation now, to do the bipartisan work now, to do the intelligence work now, the foreign policy work,” said John McLaughlin, playing the role of Director of National Intelligence. “These are all very complicated things and we need to get started on them.”
Stephen Friedman, who played the role of Secretary of the Treasury, said of a potential cyber attack on the U.S., “there is no question in my mind that this is a predictable surprise and we need to get our act together.”
The panel agreed that cyber-terrorism is a national security issue that needs to be addressed quickly in a bipartisan manner. “It raises an issue of the system’s responsibility to be able to come together in a nonpartisan way and figure out the answer to questions as opposed to kicking the can down the road until we’re in an emergency,” said Chertoff.
During the exercise, legal questions were raised regarding personal privacy versus national security. “We have to come to grips with the implications for our personal privacy and the relationship between the federal government and the private sector,” said Jamie Gorelick, who played the role of Attorney General.
“Cyber ShockWave demonstrated the tremendous challenges the government has in dealing with potential cyber attacks,” said Jason Grumet, founder and president of the BPC. “Our goal for Cyber Shockwave was to identify real policy and preparedness issues that need to be addressed in order to combat an attack of this magnitude that escalates rapidly and is of unknown origin.”
Former senior administration officials and national security experts participating in the event included:
– Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff as National Security Advisor
– Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte as Secretary of State
– White House Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend as Secretary of Homeland Security
– Director of Central Intelligence John McLaughlin as Director of National Intelligence
– Senator Bennett Johnston as Secretary of Energy
– Director of the National Economic Council Stephen Friedman as Secretary of Treasury
– Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick as Attorney General
– White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart as Counselor to the President
– General Counsel of the National Security Agency Stewart Baker as Cyber Coordinator
– Deputy Commander U.S. European Command Charles F. Wald as Secretary of Defense
Cyber ShockWave was sponsored by General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, SMobile Systems, Southern Company, Georgetown University, and PayPal with contributions from Symantec Corporation.
Source: Bipartisan Policy Center
T-Mobile USA’s HTC HD2 to bring a never-before-seen mobile experience to entertainment fans across the U.S.
T-Mobile to Deliver a Multimedia Powerhouse With Content From Barnes & Noble, BLOCKBUSTER, MobiTV and Paramount Pictures on the Largest Screen on a Smartphone
T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced the creation of a comprehensive mobile entertainment experience for the upcoming HTC HD2, available exclusively in the U.S. from T-Mobile this spring. Offering the largest touch screen on a smartphone in the U.S., the new HTC HD2 will come ready with access to millions of eBooks, movies, television programs and more.
The slim and sleek HTC HD2 comes equipped with an industry-leading, high-resolution 4.3-inch capacitive touch display, a blazing-fast 1GHz Snapdragon(TM) by Qualcomm processor, and support for T-Mobile’s high-speed 3G network for a fast mobile data experience. Designed by HTC, the HTC HD2 is also the first Windows phone with HTC Sense(TM).
“T-Mobile is committed to offering innovative solutions to connect, inspire and entertain our customers through the power of mobile technology,” said George Harrison, vice president, marketing product innovation, T-Mobile USA. “By combining leading innovation in the world of entertainment with the large screen and processing power of the HTC HD2, we’ve created a unique and powerful mobile entertainment experience.”
Consumers will have access to a complete entertainment package consisting of pre-loaded content and new pre-installed applications. In addition to the device’s array of built-in multimedia applications, the HTC HD2’s top entertainment features include the following:
– Barnes & Noble eReader application puts the world’s largest eBookstore in your hand with access to more than a million eBooks, newspapers, magazines and your Barnes & Noble digital library everywhere you go. Enjoy reading on the largest screen available for eReader smartphone software.
– BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® application is for discovering and downloading the hottest new releases on the go. Blockbuster’s first-ever video download application on a smartphone allows consumers to buy a movie on one device and watch on another connected device through Blockbuster’s library.
– MobiTV mobile application offers consumers access to live and on-demand TV on their phone — including news, sports and entertainment. Favorite channels such as MTV, NBC, COMEDY CENTRAL, ESPN and more are available for HTC HD2 consumers to watch at home or away. Plus, when HTC HD2 consumers subscribe to MobiTV, their first 30 days of service are free.
– Paramount Pictures’ popular films “Transformers” and “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” come pre-loaded on the device’s memory card and
optimized for viewing on the HTC HD2’s high-resolution screen.
– Gogo® Inflight Internet service offers consumers who purchase the HTC HD2 an added bonus: up to six months of free in-flight Wi-Fi access on
their device, with Internet access on 2,500 daily flights in the continental U.S. and growing.
“With an ultrafast 1GHz processor, crisp, vivid 4.3-inch screen and the hallmark HTC Sense user experience, the HTC HD2 represents the ultimate fusion of power and usability,” said Jason Mackenzie, vice president of HTC America. “By building on this highly capable platform with a wide range of mobile entertainment options, HTC is helping deliver a multimedia powerhouse to people looking to enhance their on-the-go lifestyle.”
“Windows phones offer flexibility for people who want to get the most out of life — work and play — with no compromises,” said Andy Lees, senior vice president, Mobile Communication Business, Microsoft Corp. “The HTC HD2 is an ideal phone for people who are always on the go as it gives access to the things they care about most. Whether it’s music, TV, Internet or e-mail, they have what they want, when they want it.”
In addition to the comprehensive entertainment features of the device, the HTC HD2 delivers advanced phone features including Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system, GPS functionality with access to turn-by-turn navigation from TeleNav GPS Navigator(TM), a Web browser, a pre-installed 16 GB microSD card, and an advanced 5 megapixel autofocus camera with dual LED flash for capturing images, even in dim conditions.
Availability
The HTC HD2 is expected to be available in the U.S. exclusively to T-Mobile customers this spring. More details will be available at http://www.sticktogether.com/htchd2.