2011 New Toyota Matrix Review

The 2011 Matrix is due a minor styling facelift and its sporty and all-wheel-drive (AWD) models will likely get a new engine. The 2011 Matrix will remain basically a station wagon version of the 2011 Toyota Corolla compact sedan but with the additional benefit of available AWD. Toyota is phasing-in the installation of an electronic brake override designed to thwart sudden acceleration and every model-year 2011 Matrix will have the upgrade. Most 2010 models should have it as well.

Wait for the 2011 Matrix if you want the latest styling tweaks or you’re interested in a bit more power. Neither should be compelling enough, however, to pass up a great deal on a 2010 Matrix if you need a compact wagon now. Toyota’s extending generous cash-back and low-interest incentives as it tries to recover from sales lost during the sudden-acceleration recall. Obviously, verify with your dealer that any 2010 Matrix you’re considering has the brake-override system as well as the modified gas pedal and replacement driver’s-side floormat fitted as part of the recall.

The 2011 Toyota Matrix ranks 6 out of 7 Affordable Compact Wagons. This ranking is based on analysis of 43 published reviews and test drives of the Toyota Matrix, and analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2011 Toyota Matrix is fuel-efficient and utilitarian, but reviewers say it can’t top its competitors: Its performance is underwhelming, and it doesn’t offer nearly as much cargo space.

The automotive industry finds that 2011 Toyota Matrix is a hodgepodge of highs and lows. Let’s start with the good. The Matrix has some of the highest fuel economy ratings in its class, good cargo space, a comfortable interior and Smart Stop Technology. With a base model and a manual transmission, you can get 26/32 mpg city/highway, figures that are only topped by the Mini Cooper Clubman and Nissan Juke, both of which are too small for most shoppers. 

The Matrix also has a maximum cargo capacity of 49.4 cubic feet, which is plenty of space for hauling groceries or luggage. If you check out the Matrix’s interior, you should be satisfied with driver and passenger seating. The back seat is roomy, and there’s a standard tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Finally, Toyota added Smart Stop Technology, a system that reduces engine power when the brake pedal and accelerator are pressed at the same time, to the Matrix’s standard features list.

For these reasons, some journalists think the Toyota Matrix is a good choice. “Behold the Corolla wagon,” says Car and Driver. “Sharing its mechanicals with Toyota’s bestselling small car, the Matrix attracts with spacious and practical hatchback utility." However, after testing the Matrix’s sporty S trim and comparing the Matrix to its competitors, other test drivers think there are better affordable compact wagons on the market.

For example, reviewers find the base 1.8-liter engine is acceptable for daily commutes, but report that it’s underpowered compared to the Matrix’s sporty S model and the competition. If you upgrade to the S trim, you’ll still encounter a few problems. Performance is significantly better, but fuel economy plunges to 21/29 mpg city/highway with an automatic transmission. That’s down from 26/32 with the base engine and a manual transmission. Plus, the S model starts at about $21,400, which is expensive considering its decent but forgettable performance.

Even if you are satisfied with the performance upgrade, you may be disappointed with interior quality on either trim, which looks and feels inexpensive. Next is cargo space. The Matrix’s maximum cargo capacity is good, but when you compare the Matrix’s figures to its competitors, this wagon is easily bested by the Honda Fit, a hatchback, and the Hyundai Elantra Touring and Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen, all of which have more than 57 cubic feet with the rear seats folded.

When it comes down to it, the Matrix’s final grade looks pretty grim, and as a result, many reviewers aren’t impressed with this wagon’s complete package. “She's fun around town -- a good commuting car, really,” says Mother Proof . “But in the end, my hard, hard heart wasn't completely sold on the Matrix." But, if you are sold on the Matrix, don’t be discouraged. The Matrix will get you from point A to point B without hassle.

The Toyota Matrix gets a few changes for the 2011 model year. It has new wheels, two engines – down from three last year – standard Smart Stop Technology and an S model that features a 2.4-liter engine and 17-inch wheels. All-wheel drive is optional on the S trim. The base model has a 1.8-liter engine.

Compared to the rest of the class, as well as hatchbacks and compact SUVs, the Matrix is pricey. It starts at about $18,550 for the base model, and reaches about $21,400 for the sportier S model. At this rate you might as well start equipping a Honda Fit or Hyundai Elantra Touring with optional interior features or get a compact SUV.

Available Piggies - Texas Tiny Pigs. Also, an educational postcard about pigs, "the most intelligent farm animals"[?]

Please visit and enjoy teacup-size, live piglets! Available Piggies - Texas Tiny Pigs

Here's a postcard with normal piglets, that may be almost as big as the adult tiny pigs (10 pounds) from that Texas farm.

I superimposed a Romanian stamp, just to see how it would be if I were to make a wildcard...non-traditional maximum card, with a domestic pig old stamp (not valid for postage anymore).

The back of this rare, educational card says that pigs are the most intelligent farm animals!

http://www.zazzle.com/oh_really_postage-172747913297627772?rf=238693463283865848

============
PINK PIGS! :)

Happy Pink Saturday! (still open on Sunday!)

^{Please visit "Pretty in pink"/ "Show us your pink" [objects, that is :)] meme here:}

^{http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/}

Pre-Indy 500 Solar Car Race In New Mexico Team

100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 this year. In the first week of May, before the air is filled with the raspy voice supercharged engine, iconic racetrack will host the show gasoline-free when 12 teams from around the country race their solar-powered car in the Formula Sun Grand Prix. A group of engineering students from the University of New Mexico will be racing three-wheeled, single seat vehicle, Lobo del Sol, which can hit speeds up to 70 mph.

Four drivers will take shifts because their car lap around the 0.9 mile closed track with the aim of racking the most mileage for three days of racing, explained Olga Lavrova, research assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering university and advisor teams. Pod-like craft resembling a retro science fiction movies, Lobo del Sol is 6 feet and width 16 meters. Array 64-square-foot photovoltaic cells mounted on the front and back of the car to convert sunlight into electricity to run the engine, which uses between one and two kilowatts of power for normal driving. This compares with a microwave oven that uses an average of about 1.5 kilowatts of electricity.

The car also has an on board battery that stores enough energy to power the car for between half an hour and an hour in cloudy conditions or after sunset. The battery can charge from zero to full capacity in about three hours, Lavrora said.

“That’s the beauty of the solar cars: most of the daytime they don’t ever need to be plugged in,” said Lavrora. “If you need some capacity to drive after the sunset that’s when they have to be plugged in.”

“That’s why I am strong believer that solar should become a feature on more cars. A lot of times cars sit in the parking lot and it’s full-blast sunshine and you could be recharging your battery,” she said.

While lightweight cars, like the students’ racer, are readily juiced with solar energy, full-scale commercial solar cars are still a thing of the future since roof-mounted photovoltaic cells produce a minimal amount of electricity. This is because they occupy little space and their ability to function optimally is compromised since they lie flat, instead of being angled toward the sun like photovoltaic cells on buildings, according to MIT’s Technology Review.

Using stationary solar panels to charge the batteries of plug-in hybrids is a cheaper and more efficient way to harness solar power, according to the Review. Fully electric cars, like the Nissan Leaf, can be charged the same way.

However, small buggy-like solar machines do exist. The Venturi Eclectic, an electric car that has solar panels and a wind turbine on the roof, and can also be plugged in to charge, has been on the market since 2007. Popular Mechanics described the vehicle as “very comfortable and manageable as an urban get-around car,” while referring to it as a “golf-cart-on-steroids” with “slightly-better-than-motorcycle crash protection.” The French made car can reach a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour and has a range of 30 miles.

Lavrora pointed to the new Toyota Prius, which comes with the option of having solar cells installed on the roof, as an example of the incorporation of solar technology into car design. The cells do not power the car, but rather run fans that extract hot air from the car when it’s parked, which cools the car down so the air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard.

When asked what she envisages for solar power’s contribution to transportation in 10 years time, Lavrora said she sees people making use of small, solar-powered commuter cars on a “when needed” basis. These cars might form part of car sharing networks, similar to Zipcar, she explained.

Solar power could also be used in more buildings and be used to power streetlamps and traffic lights, she said.

Solar power could already be more widely used, but its implementation is being held back because tax breaks are given to oil and mining companies while very few are given to solar and wind companies, she said.

“And then, of course, you hear the general public complain that solar is so expensive. Well, the truth is gas and oil has been made cheaper for us through subsidies and that’s why nobody is complaining about it,” she said.

September 11, 2001: "Thank you for your heroic efforts! To all firefighters, police officers, medical personnel, etc." personalized postage stamp / personalised postage stamp / customized postage / P-stamp that I designed at Zazzle.com

http://www.zazzle.com/thank_you_for_your_heroic_efforts_postage-172577911750488767?gl=dorinco

"Thank you for your heroic efforts! To all firefighters,

 police officers, medical personnel, etc."

 Public Domain photo from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:September_15_2001.jpg 

New York, N.Y. (Sept. 15, 2001) .

 A tired search dog finds time to rest as rescue efforts at the World Trade Center in New York City continue just a few feet away. 

U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 1st Class Preston Keres.

Personalized postage stamp / personalised postage stamp / customized postage / P-stamp that I designed at Zazzle.com.

See links to stamps from around the world that celebrate the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton. Also, I show you a very nice maximum card with a ROE-yal "wedding" from the Animal Kingdom, within the United Kingdom: The Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Best wishes to the newly-married couple! :)

I like them, and I hope they'll have a great marriage!

See: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/stamps/content1?catId=32200669&mediaId=136900792

I LIKE Royal Mail, inclusively at its Facebook page. :)

Please read this interesting website, which I follow in my blogroll: Stamp News | Philately News | Postage Stamp | philately
See more stamps with Will & Kate from other countries.

"Prince William, Duke of Cambridge KG FRS (born William Arthur Philip Louis on 21 June 1982) is the elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales, and third eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

He is second in the line of succession, behind his father, to the thrones of sixteen independent sovereign statesknown as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. 

Consequently, he is also second in line, again behind his father, to the position of Head of the Commonwealth (figurehead of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations) and Supreme Governor of the Church of England."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_William,_Duke_of_Cambridge

"Catherine Elizabeth Mountbatten-Windsor, Duchess of Cambridge (usually known as Kate, born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton on 9 January 1982) is the wife of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. 

Their wedding took place on 29 April 2011. 

Catherine grew up in Chapel Row atBucklebury, a village near Newbury, Berkshire,^[2] and studied in Scotland at the University of St Andrews, where she met Prince William in 2001. 

They started a romantic relationship that continued until a break-up lasting for several months in 2007. 

However, they continued to be friends and rekindled their relationship later that year."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine,_Duchess_of_Cambridge
==========
My stamp design, at zazzle:

"

Bridal tiara and veil

The veil is held in place by a Cartier Scroll Tiara, made in 1936 and lent to Miss Middleton by the Queen. 

It was purchased by the Queen's father, the Duke of York (subsequently King George VI) for his Duchess (later Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother) three weeks before succeeding his brother Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor) as King. 

Princess Elizabeth (now the Queen) received the tiara from her mother on her 18th birthday.

Designed by Shane Connolly, the bride's shield-shaped wired bouquet contained myrtle, Lily of the Valley, Sweet William and hyacinth.^[80]

Groom's uniform

Although William is a serving Royal Air Force flight lieutenant and also holds the equivalent Royal Navy rank of lieutenant and Army rank of captain, he chose instead to wear the full dress uniform of the Irish Guards displaying the rank of colonel. 

William has been entitled to wear this uniform since 10 February 2011 when he was appointed the honorary colonel of the Irish Guards.^[81] 

Additionally he wore the peaked hat of the Irish Guards, rather than the bearskin. 

As a Knight of the Order of the Garter, he wore the order's blue riband, to which was affixed hisRAF wings and Golden Jubilee Medal.^[82] 

The uniform was made by the Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes. 

William did not wear a sword as he was entering a church."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Prince_William,_Duke_of_Cambridge,_and_Catherine_Middleton

=============
Also, I show you a very nice maximum card with a ROE-yal "wedding" from the Animal Kingdom, within the United Kingdom: The Roedeer (Capreolus capreolus)

"The European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), also known as the Western Roe Deer or chevreuil, is an Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread inWestern Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from the British Isles to the Caucasus. It is distinct from the somewhat larger Siberian Roe Deer."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roe_Deer

In the Animal Kingdom, "wedding" is very simple, although courtship can be quite extensive.

They don't need any priest - their wilderness is PRIEST-ine enough...

==============

Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/ (wait until Beth posts the today's Linky tool for the meme, then make your entry, if you want to join).

The Chasam Sofer's not-as-unlikely-as-you'd-think approbation to an 1833 German translation of Rashi.

Leopold (Leib) Dukes was born in Pressburg in 1810, and not surprisingly he learned Torah in the Chasam Sofer's yeshiva. After receiving ordination, he travelled to Wuerzberg, where he was able to continue studying Torah, and secular subjects. (Apparently this was not possible in Pressburg - see more below.) He was quite bright, as he brought to light a German translation of Rashi on Genesis (Prague 1833). Given the transitions of the period, the German text was printed with Hebrew letters, which was still the most comfortable way of reading for many, if not most, Central European Jews.

Not only don't I know too many 22 year olds who are capable of translating Rashi, but this volume featured his learned footnotes and 33-pages of introductory essays, signed 3 Elul 5592.^[1]

The essays gave a synopsis of parshanut, a small biography of Rashi, a section on Tradition (=Oral Law in the Torah), another on Symbolism and Allegory, Middah Ke-negged Middah, Personification, Smichus ha-Parshios, Hebrew linguistic puns, and Gematrios. At the beginning of the volume were haskamos, or congratulatory letters, from the Chief Rabbi of Prague, RabbiShmuel Landau (son of Noda Beyehuda) and R. Shmuel Freund, who was on his Beis Din. In addition, there is a letter to Dukes' father from Moshe Landau, who was R. Shmuel's nephew, the printer of this work, a community leader of Prague, and a famous scholar in his own right. Toward the end there is a 12 page letter, including an epic poem, by Dukes' very good friend and Pressburg native, Mendel Stern.

But without a doubt the coup de grâce is the effusive haskamah from none other than Rabbi Moshe Sofer, the Chasam Sofer, demurely placed after the work proper (after the Rashi translation is about 30 pages of haftaros, and then the haskamah). This haskamah was singled out by both R. Landau and R. Freund in their own approbations. Here it is:

Essentially, the Chasam Sofer writes that Dukes learned in his Beis Midrash from his youth, and grew in studying Gemara, Rashi and Tosafos, and afterward entered "other vineyards," and grew wise in secular studies and languages, and he did well. Upon seeing him back home in Pressburg, he was impressed with his continuing piety and fear of Heaven. He presented his rebbe with his translation of Rashi, from Hebrew to German, and "I saw a great purpose for it," because many Jews in these days speak a foreign tongue (=German) and only read books printed in foreign languages. Furthermore, most translations of the Torah only adhere to the peshat (plain, literal sense) without giving attention to the interpretations of Chazal. But Rashi, the foremost commentator, who followed closely in the footsteps of Chazal, brings the Sages' interpretations that are closest to the plain sense. But since his commentary is in Hebrew, only a few in this generation learn it - it is almost being forgotten!

However, a very mighty young man, a scholar and expert in [these] two languages, who understands Rashi and knows where to find his sources in the writings of Chazal, has translated Rashi into German - this is a great thing for the Jews. He presented to me his translation of all of Genesis with its wonderful introduction (emph. mine), and I looked at much of it, and found it to be correct, and his words beautifully illumine the subject. Therefore I "place my hands upon it," and once it is printed I will purchase one copy at whatever the asking price is, and others should do the same as me, and help support the work of [Dukes].

Not bad, huh?

Interestingly, there is a behind-the-scenes look at the matter of obtaining the haskamah. Although it seems clear that Dukes personally met with the Chasam Sofer, and presented him with a copy of his work, evidently he did not receive a haskamah straight away (which makes sense, since naturally it would take some time to look over the work - the approbation happens to be dated 2 months after the introduction, which must have been written after the translation was completed). It seems that Dukes' friend Mendel Stern actually picked up the haskamah from the Chasam Sofer, and sent it to Dukes. Mendel Stern, by the way, would go on to publish the influential journal Kokheve Yizhak. At the time he was employed by the Chasam Sofer to teach his children Hebrew language and dikduk.

In any case, Ignaz Reich's Beth-el: Ehrentempel verdienter ungarischer Israeliten included a biographical sketch of Leopold Dukes in its first volume (1867). Aside for the interesting fact that Dukes was so pious (per the essay) that he wore Rabbenu Tam tefillin after his Bar Mitzvah, it includes a fascinating letter, dated München 4 November 1832, from Dukes to Mendel Stern. If all that I have written about the haskama thus far doesn't impress you, dear reader, in the article itself it says that Stern obtained it from "dem als hyper-orthodox verschrienen Sophar!" - "the one who is decried as Hyper-Orthodox, Sophar!"

Dukes had just received the haskamah in the mail, and the letter is his acknowledgement of its receipt. Dukes thanks Stern, and then referring to "Die Haskomoh von meinem Lehrer — (den Gott lange erhalten möge!)" says, rhetorically, that one knows the drill about all haskamos (=they exaggerate about the greatness of the author). He will need to work hard to make everything written in the haskamah true about himself! He then says that the haskamah makes him respect the Chasam Sofer, whom he has long respected a great deal, even more. He didn't really expect to receive a haskamah, and if he did receive one, he thought it would be only a few lines so that a former student would not go empty-handed. But now that he sees it, it's a different matter - the Chasam Sofer is perfectly happy with his work! Both Dukes and the pious buying public ("dem frommen kaufenden Publikum") can't be happier with such words as those written by the Chasam Sofer.

He then asks a very good question: Who knows if anyone had done this 20 years earlier, if the Chasam Sofer would have said the same things! This Godol ("der große Mann") is attuned to the "Zeitgeiste" (the spirit of the time). Evidently he ignores the shrill, ignorant "Frömmler" (bigots) in their dear hometown (=Pressburg). And what a bad light this haskamah puts these Pharisees (!) ("jene Pharisäer") in, those who combine ignorance and conceit! Many things would not have happened if two decades earlier the luminaries, the rabbis ("die Koryphäen unserer Rabbinen") had given a little attention to the spirit of the age. They could have saved themselves and their orthodox brethren some annoyances. What they did not then do willingly, they will be forced to do by the times.

On the one hand one wonders if the Chasam Sofer would have been so keen if he had known what Leib Dukes' private thoughts were. On the other hand why should anyone think that the problem of today's generation didn't exist then? Furthermore, according to some, private thoughts don't count. Of course either way the facts laid out by the Chasam Sofer do not change: in his opinion it was a very good work, and very badly needed.

Dukes would go on to complete the work in four more volumes, printed in 1838. He also spent many years in the greatest Judaica libraries in Europe, including a 20-year stint in England where he worked at Oxford's great collection in the Bodleian Library, publishing and revealing much of our great works of the past. He died in 1891.

^[1] I mentioned that I am impressed at the ability of this 22 year old, but in fairness it should be pointed out that a translation of Rashi into a European language already existed. In 1710 Johann Friedrich Breithaupt published his Latin translation of Rashi, R. Salomonis Jarchi, Commentarius Hebraicus, etc.. Dukes refers to it in his own introduction.

Interestingly, in the same year (1833) one L. Haymann printed Rabbi Salomo Jarchi's ausführlicher Commentar über den Pentateuch in Bonn. This translation of the Genesis commentary was entirely in German letters and although I cannot say if there was anything in it content-wise of which the Chasam Sofer would not have approved, the format indicates that it was from and for a different world (it didn't even include the Hebrew text of Rashi, as Dukes did). Considering CS's gloomy prognostication about Rashi in his time - see later in the post from above (if you actually came to this footnote in its proper place in the post) - it seems that the immanent existence of Haymann's volume should cast at least a little doubt on that same gloomy outlook. Clearly there was a perceived audience for Rashi in German, even if Haymann's was apparently more connected with European Bible scholarship than the edification of a lay Jewish public. There can be little doubt that Dukes and Haymann worked entirely independently and neither's edition has anything to do with the other.

If anyone is interested, here is the book's front matter, which included our friend Karl Fischer, the censor of Prague's, note. He too references the Breithaupt translation:

2011 Nissan X-TRAIL Review And Specs

Nissan unveiled the first details on their facelift version for the X-Trail SUV. In Japan the new model will go on sale on July 16th, with prices ranging from 2,239,650 yen to 3,139,500 yen.

The 2011 X-Trail comes with a redesigned front grille, front bumper, and headlights. These new features allow the front of the X-Trail to look a bit more bulky yet with a nice rounded finish that was absent in the previous model. On the interior Nissan added large-size meters for better driver visibility, a vehicle information display system, and a glove compartment with heat-retention and refrigerator functions.

A new addition to the line-up is the new X-TRAIL 20GT model. It features a new 2-liter "M9R" Clean Diesel engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission (with manual shift mode).

A new system available in the 4WD models is the Advanced Hill Descent Control system. This system enables the driver to set his or her desired driving speed within the range from 4km/h to 15km/h, depending on the degree of hill grade.

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the release of the new revised X-TRAIL and the addition of a 6-speed automatic transmission model to the Clean Diesel "X-TRAIL 20GT." Both go on sale July 16th at Nissan dealers nationwide.

The latest refinements to X-TRAIL focus on the exterior, interior and the addition of a new "20GT" Clean Diesel 6-speed automatic transmission model. On the exterior, the front grille, front bumper and headlights have been redesigned to give an even bolder and sportier front-end look. Also, the combination taillights have been changed to LED, improving visibility from following vehicles in bad weather.

In the interior, large-size meters have been adopted for better driver visibility and a vehicle information display system is newly provided to display moment fuel consumption, upcoming maintenance schedules and various other information. In addition, a glove compartment with heat-retention and refrigerator functions is standard on all models.

The versatile utility that only the X-TRAIL can deliver has been further enhanced with the addition of an "Advanced Hill Descent Control" (fitted with a speed-setting function), which can set the desired driving speed suited to road surface conditions, the degree of hill grade or other situations. It has been adopted on 4WD models (except for manual transmission models).

Exterior

Redesigned front grille, front bumper and headlights

New LED combination taillights

Redesigned 17-inch aluminum wheels, tire size changed to P225/60R17

Choice of seven exterior colors, including Himalayan Khaki (Metallic) and Steel Blue (Metallic), among other exterior refinements

Interior

"Vehicle Information Display" provided at the center of the meter panel - this display system is fitted with a drive computer function to indicate fuel consumption, cruising range, etc., a maintenance function to show the time to change engine oil and tires, and a warning information function to display various warnings

Larger size meters

Interior pillar color changed from gray to the same color as the instrument panel

Cross seat material changed from space fabric to suede-like tricot

Mechanism and Equipment

Newly adopted Advanced Hill Descent Control system (with a speed-setting function) for 4WD models - this system enables the driver to set his or her desired driving speed arbitrarily within the range from 4km/h to 15km/h, depending on the degree of hill grade

Glove compartment with heat-retention and refrigerator functions adopted

Three-point seatbelt and a headrest installed at the center of the rear seat as standard equipment

Intelligent Key system + engine immobilizer provided as standard equipment (except for 20S)

6-speed automatic transmission model added to the 20GT - features a highly distributed lean NOx trap catalyst dedicated to the diesel engine and a high-precision engine management system dedicated to the AT model

18-inch aluminum wheels adopted on 20GT models

"Gorillas in the mist", and gorillas in the midst [of us]. The Kaspersky Kidnapping - Lessons Learned | STRATFOR. Also, I show you a maximum card (with my American postcard) from UK, with The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), with a world-class, superb postmark made with a Low Speed Canceller (LSC4500). Here's the Clean Big Secret (not dirty little) of how UK makes the best postmarks in the world, perfecting the PAD PRINTING technology

Please read how an elderly Russian couple made "gorillas" / "muscles" out of their son and two of his friends.

Kidnapping, the future of stealing. 

Better than robbing banks.

But they didn't learn from the undoing of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian Lord of the Drugs, 

by his reckless cell phone call, a few minutes too long.

"Can you hear me now?"

Youbett Chorass.

Tracking and triangulation have allowed an airplane to be dispatched and it launched a deadly rocket.

Escobar was caught between a rocket and a hard place.

The Kaspersky Kidnapping - Lessons Learned | STRATFOR

======================

As a companion item, I also show you the full image of the postmark (no gorilla postmark was available, so I chose this one).

We, maximaphilists, should always have that kind of reference image, for better deciphering and appreciation of the pictorial postmarks.

Royal Mail insists that a valid mailing address should be on the back of a maximum card (MC).

I used my friend Ian's address, by permission, and I obtained the postmark on the First-Class stamp.

Otherwise, with my USA address, Royal Mail would have said that I have insufficient postage.

Even if, in both cases, this MC was not supposed to be mailed alone, like a simple postcard, anywhere!

However, I provided a self-addressed (but not stamped!) return envelope with my USA address.

Postage was considered paid by virtue of me giving up those stamps for postmarking on my MCs.

I love workarounds, loopholes, circumventing and innovating!

Some of my MCs for Royal Mail are "artists formerly known as book cut-outs, folded card halves, etc."

 I added self-adhesive big mailing labels on the back, so I stiffened them to satisfy Royal Mail.

I also added that UK address sticker on all.

I have postcardized the hell out of them! :)

The  International Federation of Philately, Commission for Maximaphily (FIP CfM) "laws of maximaphily" are nothing but subjective rules, guidelines for EXHIBITING in FIP stamp expositions.

Nothing to do with the Justice System.

So, with my MCs from UK, no real law was broken, no animal was harmed in the process, the sky did not fall - everybody is happy! :) :) :)

================

"The Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)^[2] is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. 

There are two populations. 

One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-westRwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The other is found in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. 

Some primatologists say^[3] that the Bwindi population in Uganda may be a separate subspecies, though no description has been finished. 

As of Spring 2010, the estimated total number of Mountain Gorillas worldwide is 790^[4]."

"Adult males have more pronounced bony crests on the top and back of their skulls, giving their heads a more conical shape. 

These crests anchor the powerful masseter muscles, which attach to the lower jaw (mandible). Adult females also have these crests, but they are less pronounced.^[8] "

"The dominant silverback generally determines the movements of the group, leading it to appropriate feeding sites throughout the year. 

He also mediates conflicts within the group and protects it from external threats.^[12] 

He is the center of attention during rest sessions, and young animals frequently stay close to him and include him in their games. 

If a mother dies or leaves the group, the silverback is usually the one who looks after her abandoned offspring, even allowing them to sleep in his nest.^[23]

Experienced silverbacks are capable of removing poachers' snares from the hands or feet of their group members.^[24]

When the dominant silverback dies or is killed by disease, accident, or poachers, the family group may be severely disrupted.^[11] 
Unless he leaves behind a male descendant capable of taking over his position, the group will either split up or be taken over in its entirety by an unrelated male. 
When a new silverback takes control of a family group, he may kill all of the infants of the dead silverback.^[25] 
This practice of infanticide is an effective reproductive strategy, in that the newly acquired females are then able to conceive the new male's offspring.
Infanticide has not been observed in stable groups."

"Fears

For reasons unknown, Mountain Gorillas that have been studied appear to be naturally afraid of certain reptiles. Infants, whose natural behavior is to chase anything that moves, will go out of their way to avoid chameleons and caterpillars. 
Koko, the western lowland gorilla trained in sign language, is afraid of crocodiles and alligators, even though she was born in captivity and has never seen them. 
They are also afraid of water and will cross streams only if they can do so without getting wet (i.e. crossing over fallen logs). 
Dian Fossey observed and noted the Mountain Gorilla's obvious dislike of rain, as well.^[28]"

Gorilla, a consular affair...

"According to an article ^[34] published by San Francisco State University in 1999, "Between four and eight million years ago [...] man, chimps, and gorillas began to evolve along three independent paths (Kimbel & Martin 1993). [...] We are not sure what the early relative of the gorilla was, but it can be traced back to an early ape known as Proconsul africanus. [...] 

Gorillas developed during the Pleistocene era (2 million years ago)."

Researchers recently have discovered that about 800,000 years ago, the mountain gorilla had evolved from the eastern gorilla.^{[citation needed"}

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_gorilla

=====================

Here's the answer that I received from my good philatelic partner and friend Ian Billings (UK):

[DORIN]: Please explain this - and we could post your answer in some websites, too:

4) Why those great, world-class pictorial postmarks are available only for 1 day? Isn't a waste to create so exquisite cancellers, then retire/destroy them after only 1 day?

[IAN BILLINGS (UK)]: They aren't physical cancellers.  

See http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/~ian/library/padcanceller.pdf  

Despite their appearance as hi-quality steel or polypropylene handstamps, they are actually thin plastic foils and use a process similar to off-set.  

The ones that run for more than one day, ie with a rollable date bar below the design, are rubber handstamps.  These are generally shown on our website with no date using the image supplied by Royal Mail."

==============

So, please read this and ask your national postal administration, and many other companies from various industries, to cooperate with the Royal Mail about PAD PRINTING technology:

http://wilding.norvic-philatelics.co.uk/~ian/library/padcanceller.pdf  

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For gorillas, the nose print is an unique identifier of individuals.

But all their noses look like a heart shape, don't they?

Say Yes. :)

Please visit and join The Guest Heart Thursday meme!

http://clytie-randomhearts.blogspot.com/

Welcome to Guest Heart Thursday -
A place to share YOUR hearts!