Pope heads into busy Christmas season tired, weak

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI seems worn out.

People who have spent time with him recently say they found him weaker than they'd ever seen him, seemingly too tired to engage with what they were saying. He no longer meets individually with visiting bishops. A few weeks ago he started using a moving platform to spare him the long walk down St. Peter's Basilica.

Benedict turns 85 in the new year, so a slowdown is only natural. Expected. And given his age and continued rigorous work schedule, it's remarkable he does as much as he does and is in such good health overall: Just this past week he confirmed he would travel to Mexico and Cuba next spring.

But a decline has been noted as Benedict prepares for next weekend's grueling Christmas celebrations, which kick off two weeks of intense public appearances. And that raises questions about the future of the papacy given that Benedict himself has said popes should resign if they can't do the job.

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi has said no medical condition prompted the decision to use the moving platform in St. Peter's, and that it's merely designed to spare the pontiff the fatigue of the 100-meter (-yard) walk to and from the main altar.

And Benedict rallied during his three-day trip to Benin in west Africa last month, braving temperatures of 32 Celsius (90F) and high humidity to deliver a strong message about the future of the Catholic Church in Africa.

Wiping sweat from his brow, he kissed babies who were handed up to him, delivered a tough speech on the need for Africa's political leaders to clean up their act, and visited one of the continent's most important seminaries.

Back at home, however, it seems the daily grind of being pope — the audiences with visiting heads of state, the weekly public catechism lessons, the sessions with visiting bishops — has taken its toll. A spark is gone. He doesn't elaborate off-the-cuff much anymore, and some days he just seems wiped out.

Take for example his recent visit to Assisi, where he traveled by train with dozens of religious leaders from around the world for a daylong peace pilgrimage. For anyone participating it was a tough, long day; for the aging pope it was even more so.

"Indeed I was struck by what appeared to me as the decline in Benedict's strength and health over the last half year," said Rabbi David Rosen, who had a place of honor next to the pope at the Assisi event as head of interfaith relations at the American Jewish Committee.

"He looks thinner and weaker ... which made the effort he put into the Assisi shindig with the extraordinary degree of personal attention to the attendees (especially the next day in Rome) all the more remarkable," Rosen said in an email.

That Benedict is tired would be a perfectly normal diagnosis for an 84-year-old, even someone with no known health ailments and a still-agile mind. He has acknowledged having suffered a hemorrhagic stroke in 1991 that temporarily affected his vision. And his older brother, who has a pacemaker for an irregular heartbeat, has expressed concern about Benedict's own heart.
But Benedict is not a normal 84-year-old, both in what he is called to do and the implications if he were to stop.
Popes are allowed to resign; church law specifies only that the resignation be "freely made and properly manifested."

Only a handful have done so, however. The last one was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants.

There's good reason why others haven't followed suit: Might the existence of two popes — even when one has stepped down — lead to divisions and instability in the church? Might a new resignation precedent lead to pressures on future popes to quit at the slightest hint of infirmity?
Yet Benedict himself raised the possibility of resigning if he were simply too old or sick to continue on, when he was interviewed for the book "Light of the World," which was released in November 2010.
"If a pope clearly realizes that he is no longer physically, psychologically and spiritually capable of handling the duties of his office, then he has a right, and under some circumstances, also an obligation to resign," Benedict said.
The former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had an intimate view as Pope John Paul II, with whom he had worked closely for nearly a quarter-century, suffered through the debilitating end of his papacy. After John Paul's death at age 84, it was revealed that he had written a letter of resignation to be invoked if he became terminally ill or incapable of continuing on.
And it should be recalled that at the time Benedict was elected pope at age 78 — already the oldest pope elected in nearly 300 years — he had been planning to retire as the Vatican's chief orthodoxy watchdog to spend his final years writing in the "peace and quiet" of his native Bavaria.
It is there that his elder brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, still lives. Ratzinger, who turns 88 next month, is nearly blind. Benedict has said his brother has helped him accept old age with courage.
Benedict said in "Light of the World" that he knew his own strength was diminishing — steps are difficult for him and his aides regularly hold his elbows as he climbs up or down. But at the same time Benedict insisted that he had no intention of resigning to avoid dealing with the problems of the church, such as the sex abuse scandal.

"One can resign at a peaceful moment or when one simply cannot go on. But one must not run away from danger and say that someone else should do it," he said.

As a result, a papal resignation anytime soon seems unlikely.
And Benedict is maintaining a hectic agenda. His planned trip to Cuba and Mexico next spring will fall shortly before he turns 85 on April 16. He has also said he'd like to make it to Rio de Janeiro in 2013 for the next World Youth Day.
Sometime in the New Year he will presumably preside over a new consistory to name the new cardinals who will elect his successor. And he has lots of unfinished business close to his heart: Bringing back breakaway traditionalists under Rome's wing, the fate of the sex abuse-scarred Irish church, tensions with China.
And he still cuts a robust figure in public given his age, walking briskly, speaking clearly and emphasizing key points. But his public engagements have been trimmed back; he had far fewer speeches in Benin than during his September visit to his native Germany or the United Kingdom last fall.
And behind closed doors, during audiences without the glare of TV cameras or throngs of the faithful encouraging him on, he has begun to show his age, acquaintances say.
The Rev. Joseph Fessio, Benedict's U.S. publisher and onetime student, sees the pope every so often, including during the summer when Benedict gathers his former theology students for an informal academic seminar at the papal summer retreat in Castel Gandolfo.
Fessio recalled a day in the 2010 edition that remains with him: "In the Saturday morning session, the pope looked older and weaker than I had ever seen him before. In fact I remarked to someone that it's the first time I've seen him look like the old man that he is. He was speaking in softer tones than even his normally soft speaking voice. His head was bowed. He was pale. He just looked frail."
But then, after lunch and an apparent rest, Benedict returned for the afternoon session. "It was a complete transformation. He was lively, vigorous, attentive, and with his usual good humor," Fessio said.

Clearly, at his age Benedict has good days and bad, even good half-days and bad.

Yet he's never called in sick. In fact as pope, he has only had one significant known medical incident: He broke his right wrist when he tripped on the leg of his bed and fell while on vacation in the Alps in 2009.

Lombardi says the pope realizes the limitations of his strength, and that's why the recent trip to Benin was a one-stop-only affair.
"I think it's an example of the great willingness and wisdom of the Holy Father to continue doing these trips, even those that are difficult or far away," Lombardi said. He said the pope "measures well what his strengths are, and the possibility of doing the trips well."

"When I'm 84 I think I'll have been buried for many years," he added.

But he refused to give any kind of medical updates on the pope.

"I'm not a doctor. I don't give medical bulletins," Lombardi said. He paused, then added quietly: "In this phase. At this moment.

The Original Source

What You Don’t Know About Orange Juice

Traditionally the flavor of processed orange juice depended only on the oranges squeezed. Now the flavor is sourced from all parts of oranges everywhere. Many consumers would be shocked and disappointed to learn that most processed orange juice, a product still widely perceived to be the definition of purity, would be undrinkable without an ingredient referred to within the industry as “the flavor pack.”

The fact that the modern orange juice flavor pack has retained almost complete anonymity is a symptom of orange juice standards of identity that were literally “fixed” in the 1960s. Significant advances in orange flavor manufacture have rendered the original regulations, upon which the current rules are based, out of date. 

The growing complexity of the orange juice flavor pack and the ambiguity surrounding its regulation highlight a fundamental problem with the standard of identity. Its content rather than its packaging-focused approach is ill-suited to the regulation of a processing sector that has become sophisticated enough to skirt the FDA’s radar.

During the 1961 [FDA orange juice standard of identity] hearings, orange juice processors surprised the FDA with testimony that they had been experimenting with orange essence since the 1950s. After the hearings, James Redd became known as the man who turned orange flavor extraction into a highly lucrative commercial enterprise. Redd, who also flew to Brazil after the Florida freeze of 1962 to lend his expertise to Brazil’s growing juice-processing industry, started Intercit, the first company in Florida devoted to recovering orange essence for resale to juice processors. Firmenich eventually bought Intercit, which is now home to the international flavor and fragrance company’s Citrus Center in Safety Harbor. Renamed, and the essence recovery systems that Redd engineered for Intercit updated, the Citrus Center retains the same purpose: to capture the essence of orange juice.

The deal that now almost every orange juice processor makes to create a decent-tasting processed juice involves an intricate give and take between orange juice processor and flavor manufacturer, usually an outside flavor and fragrance house operator. Typically, the orange oils and essences that juice concentrators collect during evaporation are sold to flavor manufacturers, who then reconfigure these by-products and sell them back to juice companies. The flavor house that purchases this material may use some of it for fabricating fragrances and flavors for other products, and the rest is broken down and reconfigured into “flavor packs” for reintroduction into orange juice. Renée Goodrich of the Citrus Research and Education Center says that “it’s only been fairly recently that we’ve had the good equipment to take out excess peel oil that lets us get down enough to then add back the flavor packages.”

While most brands rely on flavor packs to restore to their product the aroma of freshly squeezed juice that is destroyed during processing, others use the flavor pack to imitate the best imitations. Former flavor house employee Daniel King, who moved on to become director of technical services at the Florida Citrus Processors Association, recalls customers asking for blends that, when reintroduced into their juice, would mimic the taste of a specific brand.

Minute Maid has a reputation for having an especially distinct flavor. Its “from concentrate” orange juice, says a former agricultural technology expert at Tropicana, is known for the “flowery flavor package that’s floating on top.” His colleague at the time, a Tropicana director, is more specific: “If you drink Minute Maid, it has and always has had a unique candy-type flavor to it. The oranges as they come out of the grove aren’t always like that. But obviously the orange has that flavor, and that’s one that is highlighted in whatever they’re adding to their juice. Maybe people who like Minute Maid like it for that reason.”

Not all orange juice companies can afford distinctive flavor packs. King says the blends of different companies vary in their degree of sophistication: the “more specialized the flavor package is . . . the more expensive components one blends into it . . . the more complexity the cost.” But however modest the investment, it appears to be worth it. Industry consultant Allen Morris has tried undoctored concentrate: “If you taste the bulk concentrate that hasn’t had the essence added back, it just tastes like sugar.”

Tropicana’s former agricultural technology expert offers a parallel perspective, particularly for frozen concentrate and the reconstituted cartons of orange juice that Minute Maid makes from it: “Once you strip all your volatiles out . . . what have you got? Brix (orange sugar solids) and acid. You cut it back and add a flavor pack until you’ve got orange juice.”

During the 1961 hearings, juice processors vigorously denied suggestions that their interest in essence derived from its capacity for deception. They did not want to give the FDA or consumer representatives the impression that they were using essence to cover poor-quality juice. However, the contemporary flavorist is not shy to admit that the modern flavor pack serves, in the words of the Firmenich flavorist, “a protective or masking role.”

The high-tech concoctions of varying fractions of orange essence and oil soften the effects that processed orange juice suffers at the hands of processors who, the flavorist says, like to “crank up” the heat to get rid of dangerous bacteria and increase shelf stability. Goodrich does not think the smaller-scale premium juices made by companies such as Odwalla contain flavor packs — more evidence that they act as a Band-Aid for processors who are rough with their oranges.

The Original Source

Why Your Face Looks Older?

TRIBUNNEWS.COM, JAKARTA - The aging process is a natural process experienced by everyone. However, not everyone can accept this reality. Not a few of those who perform a variety of ways to avoid the onset of aging. Moreover, if the aging process that happens before their time, or so-called premature aging.
Entering a new age of 30 years, but around the eyes of existing fine lines that form wrinkles (crow's feet). Corner of the lips, neck, or back of the hand, also has appeared wrinkles.
Basically, there are some things that cause us to age, or look older. Here are some of the causes of aging:
1. Biological clock, ie the aging process that occurs naturally with age. This can not be avoided. When the skin becomes dull, dry, or more concave, because the skin is already losing its malleability.
2. Expression.The more expressive a person, it becomes increasingly easy to skin thinning. Waves are seen on the skin more deeply, many, and elongated. You would never hear, people who often frown (either because of glare or are thinking hard), will make faster forehead wrinkles. People often laugh will make the folds of laughter (smiling lines) or bending the corner of his eye more clearly visible.
3. Certain habits.Often we are not aware of having done a bad habit that makes us even wrinkled skin on one side only. For example, people who have a habit of sleeping sideways on one side only, usually cheek stuck to the pillow wrinkles faster. People who like to drink with a straw, or often smoked, lip muscles will tend to gravitate to the front.
"So also with people who like snacking, muscles are trained to chew it like a hard-harder than a soft chew," said Dr. Olivia Ong, Dipl.AAAM, antiaging physician, when the talk show "Discover Your Potential Unknown Beauty" in his clinic in Hang Canal street area streaky, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, Wednesday (23/11/2011).
In addition, poor sitting habits, such as often leaning or bending, will indirectly affect the future shape of your body posture.
4. Earth's gravity.The attraction of the earth to make the facial skin and other body parts to be pulled down, aka sag. Usually the fastest visible are the cheeks, folds under the chin, and of course the breast. So, do not be surprised when he realized the breast begin to slack (sagging).
5. Lifestyle.You smokers and alcohol drinkers? Just so you know, toxins and free radicals contained in them can attack the skin cells, making skin a little slow to replace cells that die. This makes the skin dry quickly, wrinkles, and dull. "Lack of exercise, and diet (diet) is not so good also makes us get old," said Olivia again.
But in a world of beauty technology has now made beauty experts were able to slow or cope with various symptoms of aging. For example, the injection procedure Botox or filler, which serves to reduce wrinkles and aging lines on the face, or wrinkle.

Reduce Pain Tips When 'Waxing'

Woman talks about waxing (plucking the body) always mention the pain. The process of waxing, pull the feathers from the skin with the help of wax, it is often imagined as a painful process. Not entirely wrong, but certainly there are ways to cope and reduce them.
The right timeSelection of the appropriate time can help reduce the pain of waxing. Two-three days before and after menstruation, the skin becomes more sensitive so avoid waxing. Surely also avoid waxing during menstruation because some parts of the body can become more sensitive.
Do not use moisturizerOn the day you do the waxing, do not use moisturizer on the fur removed. Damp skin will make the feathers attached and difficult revoked. As a result, it could be waxing should be done repeatedly on the same spot, causing more pain and skin irritation. Keep the area that fur will be revoked in the dry state thus simplifying the process.
Skin DisordersAvoid waxing on areas that have acne or injury. Wait until the acne, wounds, or other skin disorders recover completely before performing hair removal. Contacts between the sticky wax to the skin when removed can create a wound or skin infections that already exist to get worse.
ScrubRubbing the skin with a scrub before waxing can help open the pores. It is expected that the skin pores open a little can help smooth the hair removal process.
Pain reducerSome women often take a mild pain medication 30-60 minutes before waxing. Generally this is done when plucking the sensitive area. Should consult with health experts to ensure the painkillers that suits your body condition.
Special salonOne important thing that determines whether or not the process of waxing pain you are the therapist and the methods used. Some special waxing salon offers a variety of methods that can reduce pain. If you are waxing for the first time, you should select a professional salon and much recommended. Do not forget to note the cleanliness. Choose a place that does not use wax spreader sticks repeatedly because the risk of spreading germs among customers.
RelaxedIf all of the above are met, then the last thing you can do is try to relax. Listening to music or do things that will distract you from the pain such as reading a magazine or browsing the Internet can be done. Inhale deeply to make the body more relaxed.

Tip: To prevent post-waxing irritation try not to wear tight clothes in the areas of waxing, hot showers, exposed to direct sunlight, and avoid friction at least until 48 hours after the waxing process. After 3 days, use the scrub in an area deprived of their fur to avoid the itching caused by in-grown hair or ingrown hairs, causing irritation.

http://id.she.yahoo.com 

New Stress is Symptom: SMS's Sleep

Symptom of stress faced by busy people experiencing a new phenomenon, namely SMS's when she was sleeping.


This strange habit at the time, people send an SMS containing a strange message to family or friends, without ever realizing it we do it while sleeping.


"I deal with patients who have sleep disorders, which often send SMS while sleeping. It is not often the case, and certainly not the usual trend," said Dr David Cunnington, of the Sleep Disorder Centre Melbourne, Australia.


According to Dr. Cunnington, send messages or SMS while sleep is due to stress experienced by a person, even more dense activity and the amount of work to be done throughout the day.


"People are too much activism every day, so sometimes they feel should always be ready when a call comes though in the rest of the night. Especially now smartphone facilitate all communication facilities," Dr Cunnington said.


Dr Cunnington reminded to keep your phone from the mattress if you menginkan quality rest at night.


"The key point is that people need to appreciate the time you sleep and try to turn off (cell phone) at night," he added.


Until now there has been no research that addresses the behavior of sending an SMS when she was sleeping. But, according to Dr. Cunnington, in 2008 there was a similar study, ie sending email during sleep, conducted by researchers from the University of Toledo, USA.


Researchers from the University that found a case of a 44-year-old woman who can send mail while he was asleep, but can not remember what he had done when awakened from sleep.

http://id.berita.yahoo.com 

2005 CMX custom softail

Description

Thanks to a recent surge in two-wheel popularity, there are many extremely talented motorcycle builders who use small shops and back yard shade trees to build some of the nicest custom bikes on the road. Unlike some of the bigger names in the market, these creations aren’t just assembly line, sell to the highest bidder business boosters either; they’re highly detailed, highly thought out machines which culminate through the blood, sweat and tears of a passionate enthusiasts who strive for perfection. Built by a fanatical owner who spared no expense to create the ultimate hobby piece to show off and enjoy, this 2005 CMX custom softail takes the ‘best of everything’ approach to a whole new level.

If you were into 1932 Fords, and had the means to build your own version of the ultimate Deuce, utilizing all modern amenities, chances are you would use virtually no original 1932 parts. Rather, you would select the best aftermarket components available to build your ultimate car. The “custom Harley” world offers the same advantages; virtually every component needed to build the ultimate custom bike is available from the American aftermarket. This softails custom build began with a 2005 Chassis Made Xtreme (CMX) frame that was fitted with a custom Paul Yafee fuel tank and awesome, contoured fenders. Once those parts were properly aligned and all the bikes clearances were met, both the frame and sheet metal were sprayed in incredible tri-tone House of Kolors custom metallic paint and covered with a thick clearcoat shell. The end result is a spectacular glossy finish that doesn’t appear as overdone as most of the professional builds, yet still manages to convey a uniquely custom appeal.

With the dramatic paint curing to perfection, the build was completed by a number of purposeful and professional tweaks which add an aggressive and timeless visual sizzle. Up front, a polished telescopic fork holds a modern chrome headlight above a 21 inch Pro One ‘Storm’ polished aluminum wheel, a 90/90 Metzeler tire and a Hawg Halters four piston chrome brake caliper which clamps a large drilled brake rotor. On top of the polished fork, custom metallic brown handle bars hold aggressive looking polished rearview mirrors above chrome hand controls and a slick Dakota Digital speedometer. Behind those handle bars, the bikes CMX frame holds a polished and completely chrome detailed S&S V-twin engine above a wicked looking polished BDL 3 inch belt drive. Above that belt drive, a custom tan leather seat sits in front of a ridged rear fender that caps a second Pro One ‘Storm’ aluminum wheel that’s wrapped in a wide 280/35 Metzeler tire. At the side of that tire, a Hawg Halters sprocket secures a second Hawg Halters chrome four piston caliper and second drilled rotor across from a vertically oriented tag bracket and chrome LED tail light. Fully sorted, 100% road ready and turning heads all day, this custom softail bike would be right at home cruising the strip on a hot summer night or carving up curves on a bright fall afternoon.

Despite being considered low tech by some, the softail frame is a blast to ride, and is a blatant nod to the heritage of American motorcycles. On this CMX custom softail, Legend Air Ride Shock absorbers are positioned along the axis of the motorcycle to both add to the vintage hardtail look and provide a modern feeling that doesn’t fatigue the rider. Power comes from a proven 113 cubic inch S&S Super Sidewinder V-twin engine that utilizes 93 octane pump gas, roller rockers and a traditional ‘square motor’ configuration with two valves per cylinder to create a stout 10 to 1 compression ratio and a broad, flat torque band. Founded in 1958, S&S Cycles is one of the biggest and most trusted motorcycle engine builders in the world, and this choppers V-twin is one of the smoothest and most powerful engines they produce. At the top of the highly detailed motor, chrome rocker box covers sit above “S&S Super Stock” scripts that are stamped on the polished, air cooled cylinders. On the right side of the bike, an S&S Cycles ‘Super G’ one barrel carburetor sits behind a chrome “S&S Super” branded air cleaner that’s positioned just above custom stainless steel exhaust pipes. Below the carburetor, chrome rod covers lead your eye down the motor to a polished S&S cam cover that hides an S&S 600 cam behind great looking Accutronic forward controls. On the left side of the bike, a gloss black Dyna Coil sits in front of matching black plug wires that snake to the engines spark plugs on either side of a chrome ignition switch. Under the seat, a custom designed oil bag blends perfectly into the bikes metallic brown frame, and a polished Roland Sands Design 6-speed manual transmission sits just inside a nice looking Arlen Ness kickstand.

The best way to summarize this incredible 2005 CMX custom is: no gimmicks. It represents years of open road freedom in a reliable, fully sorted turnkey wrapper that can be yours for an unbeatable price. Cosmetically, its knockout custom brown, gold and orange paint will stand with the best customs on the road. Mechanically, its proven drivetrain and excellent looking hardware will make even the harshest bike critic want to take it out for a spin. And financially, you simply can’t touch a ground up custom motorcycle build for our list price.

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/inventory 

 

 

2012 Honda Pilot

Video system

i-MID system

  

Streamlined controls

Transmission

Thanks to a few small changes inside, outside and under the hood for 2012, the Honda Pilot remains a top performer among large SUVs with three rows of seats.

When compared with six other vehicles in our $37,000 SUV Shootout — including some newer and more recently redesigned models — the Pilot took first place. The secret of its success is doing virtually everything well and offering more standard features than we've come to expect in a Honda at this price.

The Pilot starts at $28,470 for the LX trim level and also comes in EX, EX-L (the "L" is for leather) and Touring trim levels. The car we used in the comparison test was an EX-L with one option added, for a total of $36,170.

New for 2012

The Pilot's enhancements for 2012 prove that little things mean a lot. Adding 1 mpg to its gas mileage in the city and 2 mpg to its highway figure made the Pilot the second most efficient model in our Shootout, with an EPA-estimated 18/25 mpg (21 mpg combined) with front-wheel drive. The smaller Kia Sorento is rated 20/26 mpg (22 mpg combined). The all-wheel-drive Pilot rates 17/24 mpg (20 mpg combined).

None of our editors are wild about the Pilot's boxy styling, but a few of the previous model's detractors celebrated the grille's new horizontal cross-members. (Apparently all an automaker has to do to win praise for a mundanely conservative grille is supplant it for a few years with a giant branding iron.)

The standard alloy wheels on EX and higher trim levels are now 18 inches rather than 17, which looks nicer but likely will translate to more expensive replacement tires.

Honda addressed two of my complaints in the space of a square foot by redesigning the dashboard's center control panel. The cheap-looking silver plastic has been replaced by a darker, patterned material, and order has come to the previous model year's dizzying hodgepodge of buttons. The controls are more logically laid out, and knobs have replaced some of the ventilation-control switches. Even the multifunction controller, which comes on higher trim levels, has fewer buttons and functions.

A Family-Friendly Ride

All these improvements rest on a strong foundation. Though the Pilot is one of the shorter models in its class measured from bumper to bumper, its boxy shape pays off in interior space, and it's one of only two models in our test that seats eight. It also has a feature we found critical in this SUV class: sliding second-row seats. There are two benefits: the flexibility to apportion legroom between the second and third rows (or choose between passenger space and cargo space), and ease in accessing the third row. The second row's tilt-and-slide motion is just easier than some competing models' fold-and-tumble routine. That being said, the Pilot's third row isn't the easiest to get into overall. Though headroom is workable for adults, the floor is relatively high, so even if the second row is scooted forward enough for those adults to fit, their knees will be raised.

We were thrilled to see that three child-safety seats fit in the second-row seat. Visit MotherProof's Car Seat Check for full details on the second and third rows.

The Pilot is the undisputed leader when it comes to storage nooks and pockets, with cubbies and bins practically everywhere you look. There are bi-level pockets on the front and rear doors, though they don't incorporate the now-common bottleholders. The glove compartment isn't very large, but the center storage console provides ample covered storage space and expertly houses audio ports and power sockets.

Cabin Fever

Opinions were mixed on the issue of interior quality. The important touch-points are soft, but some editors objected to the hard surfaces elsewhere. I'm not fond of the gauges, whose attempt at dimensionality is undone by the cheap white-plastic-under-glass effect. Cloth upholstery is standard. Our test Pilot EX-L had quality leather in the first two rows (vinyl in the third), and the front seats provided notable comfort.

We like how bright and open the cabin feels, though when you check your blind spot you'll find the C- and D-pillars are a bit thick, and the second-row head restraint comes between the driver and the right-rear quarter window. The third-row head restraints drop deeply into the backrests, but if a passenger leaves one raised, you'll be sorry. These things are tall and obstructive and resemble droid heads, which might come in handy if a clone war breaks out at the mall. Otherwise, they just block your rear view.

The EX-L and higher trim levels come with a new "intelligent Multi-Information Display," which includes a backup camera. We were impressed by the display's 8-inch size — roughly that of a navigation screen without the added expense. The Toyota Highlander's non-navigation backup display is comparatively wee. The i-MID screen also impressed with its large, readable type — including music information — and simple menus and iPod integration.

Cargo & Towing

The Pilot's boxiness pays off once again in the cargo hatch. With 18 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the third row and a total of 87 cubic feet with all the rear seats folded, it has more room than the Dodge Durango and Ford Explorer, though less than the large Chevrolet Traverse and Mazda CX-9. The Highlander, which is shorter than the Pilot, beats it with 95.4 cubic feet of maximum volume but is tighter behind the third row, with just 10.3 cubic feet. The Pilot and Highlander stand out because their rear windows can be opened independent of their liftgates, which is helpful especially when there's little clearance behind or above the truck.

Having 2,000 pounds of towing capacity with front-wheel drive and 4,500 with all-wheel drive, the Pilot's limits are on the higher side of SUVs in this class. Heavier, rear-wheel-drive models, such as the Dodge Durango, tend to have higher towing capacities. The Durango starts at 5,000 pounds with a V-6 engine.

Driven to Adequacy

The area where the Pilot rates only adequate is in some driving aspects. We found ride quality to be firm and occasionally unsettled, and there was more wind noise than in some competing models. We concluded, however, that the average family buyer wouldn't object, and we were all happy with the Pilot's drivetrain. It's quick when it needs to be, falls into the background otherwise, and the automatic transmission suffers little of the hunting and delays we see far too often these days. It may be "only" a five-speed, but that doesn't seem to be hurting its performance or mileage.

Safety

In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the Pilot earned the top score of Good in frontal, side and rear crash tests. It scored a disappointing Marginal rating in the rollover test, which means that its roof wasn't strong enough to support four times the vehicle's weight. Of the 23 models in IIHS' Midsize SUV class subjected to this test, 13 scored Good, three scored Acceptable and seven rated Marginal. Because it's a relatively new test, older models tend to fare worse until they're redesigned.

The Pilot has frontal airbags, front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags and curtain airbags that cover the side windows along all three rows of seats in a side impact or rollover. As is federally required of all 2012 models, the Pilot has standard antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. For a list of all standard safety features.

Features

All Pilots have power windows, with one-touch up/down for the front doors, and power locks with remote keyless entry. Also standard are air conditioning, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, cruise control and an AM/FM/CD stereo.

The EX adds a power driver's seat, three-zone automatic climate control, HomeLink, XM Satellite Radio (subscription required), fog lights, roof rails, alloy wheels and body-colored side mirrors and door handles (in place of the LX's black). New for 2012, the Pilot EX adds Bluetooth hands-free cellular and audio streaming and 2 gigabytes of digital music storage.

In addition to leather, the Pilot EX-L adds heated front seats, a power passenger seat, a moonroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a USB jack for the stereo, and i-MID with a backup camera. It's also the first trim level that can be had with a navigation system or a backseat DVD video system.

The Pilot Touring includes leather, the navigation system and the rear entertainment system, plus it adds a few more features, including driver's seat-position memory, sonar parking sensors, and a premium stereo with additional speakers. Typical of Hondas, the Pilot offers few separate options, so with the addition of all-wheel drive for $1,600, the Pilot Touring tops out at $41,630, including the destination charge.

Pilot in the Market

The Honda Pilot was one of the first car-based SUVs of its size, and though nine years on the market doesn't guarantee relevance, Honda has kept the model competitive in the face of growing challenge. There were other SUVs in our Shootout that we singled out as the sporty one, the roomy one or the smooth one, but the Pilot rose to the top because it represents an excellent balance of features, performance and other characteristics, even without excelling at any one. What solidified its position was our test vehicle's equipment levels, which Honda has wisely reinforced to keep up with the new, more competitive market.

Way-back storage

Cargo capacity

 

 

http://www.cars.com/honda 

What is the story with getting clothing for Christmas??? Possibly, a bad joke that Santa plays on us...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you enjoy receiving a sweater for Christmas?  It appears that receiving socks, underwear, or a sweater for X-mas is a child's nightmare.  As a matter of fact, receiving clothes may be considered a nightmare at any age (depending on which gender you ask).  Actually, even if you ask the gender that typically does enjoy clothing for X-mas, they may not actually like Santa's taste in fashion...  Nothing worse then finding clothing under the tree that you would not be caught dead wearing (even if you were stuck freezing in the North Pole).  My personal opinion is that it is totally fine for Santa Claus to deliver clothing on X-mas morning.  However, he better be delivering to other people and NOT to me...

 

Reasons to Dislike Receiving a Fashion X-mas:

• If you receive clothing for Christmas, you clearly did NOT receive what you actually wanted (you must have wanted something better then clothes).
• Shirts are not TOYS ("toys" meaning; games, electronics, cars, boats, bicycles, etc).
• Pants are not TOYS.
• Socks are not TOYS.
• Sweaters are not TOYS.
• Flannel Pajamas are not TOYS.
• Bathrobes are not TOYS.
• Belts are not TOYS.
• Mittens are not TOYS
• Scarves are not TOYS
• Wool Sweaters make you itch.
• Tearing open Christmas wrapping to find socks is depressing.
• Hate to be left asking, "so where are the toys???"

Note: Lingerie is an acceptable gift for Santa to bring to mom (as long as it is from Santa Claus and not some other dude named Santa or Mr. Santana)

 

Benefits of Receiving Fashion for Christmas:

• You will have new clothes.
• Santa makes your clothing so you parents do not have to spend their own money (maybe now they can afford to buy you TOYS like you wanted).
• Santa has elves working as sewers, printers, knitters etc.  If Santa required less clothes, they would need to find new elf careers.

Well, that is certainly a short list of benefits to receiving Christmas clothing.  Yes, this list of benefits is shorter then Santa's "naughty kids" list.

 

Message to Santa: I hope this does not put me on the wrong list, but the reality is that if you bring me a Fashion Christmas this year, I am burning logs in the fireplace next year.  Not to mention, I will certainly be eating the cookies that my wife and kids leave for you.  If you do not mind, I can use some more electronics.  And if it would not be too much trouble, I think my wife may be a bit out dated.  A replacement under the tree would be greatly appreciated.

 

Make sure you have a Merry Christmas and a Fashionable New Year...

 

By the way, this Fashion Christmas website is clearly not realistic.  We all know that CLOTHING is the most important item in the universe.  Ask anyone at Apparel Search or the Fashion Industry Network.  I am sure that they will tell you that fashion, style, and clothing is the key to a long life healthy life, success, and happiness.

 

Help support the fashion industry, give apparel and fashion accessories for Christmas.  By the way, you may want to send Santa a little gift for all the years he has treated you so well.  Possibly, you can do some shopping for him.  After all, not really sure that red is in fashion this year...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://fashionchristmas.com/ 

 

 

 

TEENGE GIRLS VULNERABLE TO SEX CRIMES

GEORGE TOWN, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Teenage girls are most vulnerable to sexual

harassment with statistics from a survey conducted by the Women''s Centre for

Change (WCC) showing that it is at an alarming stage,

WCC programme director, Dr D Prema said the survey was carried out between

January and August this year at 11 schools in the Timur Laut and Seberang Perai

Selatan districts, involving 100 female students, aged between 15 and 17 years,

who claimed they were exposed to sex crimes.

"They received sex threat through telephone calls, short messaging service

(SMS), multimedia messaging service (MMS)and social websites, normally from

their male friends and unknown men, besides their lover," she told a media

conference today.

She hoped that the outcome of the survey conducted by WCC would provide

guidelines for the government in finding ways to address the problem.

http://my.news.yahoo.com 

Clean sweep for S'pore paddlers at SEA Games

Singapore’s paddlers have once again shown their dominance at the SEA Games, sweeping all five gold medals.

In the women’s singles final on Wednesday, Feng Tianwei had an easy outing against fellow Singaporean Isabelle Li, winning 4-0, at the GMSB Sports Complex in Jakarta.

“Isabelle has a lot of promise and I hope she can be my successor one day,” said world number 4 Feng,who added that the youngster needed to improve her attacking strategies.

As for the 16-year-old paddler, Li told Yahoo! Singapore she was loving every minute of her SEA Games debut.

“It was a process I really enjoyed. The finals really did not come easy, so I told myself I had to cherish every moment of it,” said the teen.

The men's singles final which was yet another all-Singapore affair saw Gao Ning comfortably defeating Yang Zi, 4-0.

Singapore's paddlers enjoy a clean sweep of gold medals at the SEA Games

Over in Palembang, the Singapore swim team garnered its 15th gold of the competition, surpassing their record 14 gold medal haul previously.

This means it is their best ever showing at a SEA Games competition.

Swimming sensation Tao Li was pumping her fist in the air after she won gold and broke her own SEA Games record in the 100m backstroke event, clocking 1minute and 02.11seconds.

Danny Yeo and his 4x200m freestyle team had the honour of clinching the swim team's 15th gold medal after winning the event.

Earlier  in the evening Yeo had broken the national record in the 100m freestyle with his timing of 50.98seconds but it was not enough to beat his Vietnamese opponent and he settled for silver.

Mylene Ong and Amanda Lim won silver and bronze respectively in the women's 100m freestyle.

Meanwhile Singapore’s wakeboarding team got off to a winning start at the SEA Games in Palembang on Wednesday afternoon.

Sasha Christian, 18, won a gold medal in the wakeboarding competition with a score of 60.45 points.

Her teammate Kalya Kee came in second to take home the silver.

This is the first time the sport is being featured at the SEA Games.

"It's a good start indeed and with the gold medal, the pressure is slightly off but I'm still keeping focused on the other events," said Sasha.

Her coach and team manger Paul Fong said she clearly was the best among the competitors.

"Sasha gave a flawless performance and was miles ahead of everyone else in terms of ability," he added.

Sasha’s older brother Matthew Christian managed to grab a bronze in the men’s final.

Earlier in the day, sisters Daphne Tan and Cherie Tan won the silver medal in the women’s bowling doubles with a total score of 2456.

"I'm disappointed that we missed out on gold by a bit (7 pinfalls). We went through a tough pair and didn't have that extra bit of luck. Hopefully Thursday will not be like this," said Cherie.

In the men's snooker doubles finals, Singapore's Lim Chun Kiat and Ang Boon Chin won the silver medal after losing to Malaysia 0-3.

Singapore's Joanna Chan and Saiyidah Aisyah clinched a bronze in the Women's W2 rowing event.

Sasha Christian wins wakeboarding gold.

http://sg.news.yahoo.com

61 whales die in New Zealand mass stranding

More than 60 pilot whales died in a mass stranding at a remote New Zealand beach, conservation officials said Wednesday.

Tourists found the pod of 61 beached whales on Monday at Farewell Spit, on the top of the South Island, the Department of Conservation (DOC) said.

DOC local manager John Mason said a large number were already dead and hopes the survivors would refloat at high tide on Tuesday were dashed when the whales swam back to shore.

He said 18 whales remained alive early Wednesday and DOC staff decided to euthanize them, rather than prolong their suffering.

"It's the worst outcome and it's not a job our staff enjoy doing at all," Mason said.

Pilot whales up to six metres (20 feet) long are the most common species of whale in New Zealand waters, with mass standings occurring about two or three times a year.

Scientists are unsure why pilot whales beach themselves, although they speculate it may occur when their sonar becomes scrambled in shallow water or when a sick member of the pod heads for shore and others follow.

This handout photo taken on February 20, 2011 by New Zealand's Department of Conservation shows pilot whales stranded on a remote beach on Stewart Island. More than 60 pilot whales died in a mass stranding at a remote New Zealand beach, conservation officials said Wednesday

 

 

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/ 

New Italian Cabinet Contains No Politicians

Italy's new leader Mario Monti has formed a technocratic government containing no politicians as the country attempts to stave off financial disaster.
Economist and former European commissioner Mr Monti, who will be both prime minister and economic minister, has announced his new cabinet after two days of consultation.
Among the unelected technocrats appointed by him was Corrado Passera, chief executive of Italy's biggest retail bank Intesa Sanpaolo. He was named infrastructure and industry minister.
Mr Monti has the task of pushing through tough austerity plans demanded by European leaders to restore shattered confidence in the country.
Mr Monti said he was aiming to restart economic growth in Italy and hoped international markets would be placated by the installation of the new government.
He said it would need to convince the Italian public and parliament about what were expected to be painful austerity policies, and also paid tribute to outgoing PM Silvio Berlusconi who resigned on Saturday, bowing to market pressure.
The new government contained no politicians after disputes among the parties which had complicated Mr Monti's task of forming an administration.
Some analysts said lack of politicians in the line-up could make it more vulnerable to ambushes in parliament as it pushes through unpopular measures.
But Mr Monti said the lack of politicians would strengthen rather than weaken the government by enabling it to avoid political disputes and push ahead with vital reforms.
Underlining how much is at stake, yields on Italy's 10-year bonds went through 7% again on Wednesday, the level at which Greece and Ireland were forced into bailouts.
Mr Monti said he would present his austerity programme, to the Senate on Thursday. This is expected to be followed by a confidence vote in both houses of parliament.
Meanwhile the Greek coalition is due to win a confidence vote today as the two countries continue to battle their debt woes.
Despite the progress, there are fears that the crisis could spread to core eurozone members because of signs that France is being hit by rising borrowing costs.
Asian markets struggled as a result. Japan's Nikkei and the broader Topix index were both slightly down and the euro fell to a five-week low, dropping 0.6% against both the dollar and the yen.
It followed new discouraging data which showed the eurozone economy barely grew in the third quarter and predicts it will be in mild recession by the end of the year.
Both Italy and Greece have new governments which are working to push through painful reforms and austerity measures to slash their debts.
In Greece, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos is expected to win a vote of confidence in his six-day-old government as he tries to secure vital EU funding.
Lawmakers are due to give the new premier a three-month mandate to implement budget measures which will secure fresh bailouts from the other eurozone nations.
Mr Papademos has to implement tax rises and spending cuts in return for the loans.
Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said on Tuesday: "We will help ourselves and the eurozone if we do what we have to do now, quickly, responsibly, so that Greece can always be a member of the eurozone and for the eurozone to exist, to permanently overcome the risk of a default."
The government is set to start thrashing out a deal with private bondholders on Thursday to slash public debt but the Greek people fear it could lead to years of austerity.
Already angry after two turbulent years, tens of thousands of protesters are due to join an annual rally on Thursday to mark an uprising in 1973.
EU governments have until a summit on December 9 to come up with a more convincing strategy to bolster the eurozone.
Many analysts believe the only way to stem the contagion is for the European Central Bank to buy large amounts of bonds - in a similar way to quantitative easing - though Germany is reluctant.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com