George Psaradakis, the driver of the London bus bombed on 7 July 2005, has condemned the ”gruesome and barbaric” way people lost their lives.
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7/7 bus driver on ‘barbaric’ attack
Oscar-winning Taxi Driver star Robert De Niro will head the jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, organisers announce.
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De Niro to head Cannes film jury
Eight U.S. tourists died today in Aswan, Egypt, after their tour bus crashed into a parked dump truck, officials say. Nineteen Americans were injured along with the driver and tour guide.
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8 U.S. tourists killed in Egypt bus crash
This week on The Atlantic Technology Channel, we’ve been running posts from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s “O Say Can You See?” blog, highlighting the museum’s large collection of automobiles. The earlier models — like the Balzer automobile and the Oldsmobile Curved-Dash Runabout — are remarkable based on their sheer mechanical simplicity, but as the technical specifications of consumer automobiles became more consistent, manufacturers focused more on design. In an April 1955 issue of The Atlantic , Raymond Loewy pondered the advent of the “jukebox on wheels,” writing that “Studebaker’s designer and stylist expresses his irrepressible opinion of the American automobile today, and of what it may be fifty years hence.” Designers today are briefed to “give the public what it wants,” and “what the public wants” is being translated into the flashy, the gadgety, the spectacular. I refuse to believe that today’s automobiles represent, stylewise, “what the public wants” any more than they reflect what we in the automotive industry want. But the result of this mistaken opinion is vulgarity and blatancy. Instead of the automobile’s expressing advancement, the story is now one of external bric-a-brac. This reflects a distorted notion of what is competitive. I think that vulgarity is dangerous for many reasons. The American automobile has changed the habits of every member of modern society. In the past fifty years it has become the symbol, all over the world, of American industrial genius and enterprise. It has become so potent a force that it is very nearly the symbol of American thought and morals to people who don’t know us. It is more than an object to be sold for money. The automobile is an American cultural symbol. But beyond sheer aesthetics, Loewy pondered the future of automobile design and automation in America. “What will cars in 2005 look like?” Some of his predictions: 1. Highways will be able to carry more traffic at greater average speeds. (We shall need better streamlining, smooth undercarriage, higher speeds, better deceleration.) 2. There will be more automobiles everywhere. (Automobiles must be made easier to maneuver in all directions.) 3. Automobiles will increase productivity in all industries. There will be more leisure, more family travel for longer distances. (Increased luggage space is indicated for the family car.) 4. Semiautomatic driving will become the rule. Driving will be easier–therefore more relaxing; therefore more dangerous. (Interior design must take into account that the occupants must be protected more carefully if the driver lapses in attention and dozes. Devices may become standard equipment to prevent this from happening.) Read the rest of Loewy’s ” Jukebox on Wheels .” Revisit more pieces from The Atlantic’s archives with the Technology Channel .
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Jukebox on Wheels
A bus full of skiers in Vermont on Friday flipped over on a stretch of I-91, flipping over and sliding down into an embankment. At least 37 passengers are injured-six critically. A local paper, the Brattleboro Reformer, writes that the driver may have…
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Vermont Ski Bus Flips Over
Elegance, power and sustainability combined in Jaguar’s 75th anniversary concept car First debuted at the Paris Auto Show and more recently presented in LA, Jaguar’s C-X75 concept car is a celebration of design, innovation and class. Loosely based on the classic XJ13 concept the C-X75 exhibits the power and elegance of a supercar while showcasing cutting edge technology that makes it super efficient and environmentally friendly. Each wheel on the C-X75 is driven by an individual 145kW electric motor which are all powered by one large 19.6kWh lithium ion battery. This system delivers all wheel drive and promises to provide extra control and traction as well as intense torque (0-62 in 3.4 seconds). On a single charge, which takes 6 hours from a conventional household plug to achieve, the C-X75 can travel up to 68 miles with zero emissions. For extended range Jaguar has utilized some fantastic aeronautical engineering technology by equipping the vehicle with two 70kW gas powered micro turbines. The turbines can used to quickly recharge the internal battery or can be used in conjunction with the battery to achieve the cars top speed of 205 mph. If you plan on taking a more leisurely drive the turbine charged batteries provide the car with a theoretical range of 560 miles. The vehicle has an complex ventilation system incorporated into the exterior design to cool the micro turbines. There are no side-view mirrors, instead cameras built into the back feed directly to a screen inside the cabin. The beautiful angles highlight the slick hyper aerodynamic look and are complimented by the beautiful 21 and 22 inch aluminum wheels. Up to 50% of the the light weight aluminum used in constructing the car is recycled and increases the performance and economy. As with previous Jaguar models the interior is designed completely around the driver. The seats are fixed into the frame so upon entering the vehicle a flip of a switch brings the entire steering wheel, instrument panel and pedal box toward the driver for optimal positioning. The aeronautical theme is continued in the cabin, the started switch is positioned on an overhead control panel and the gear shift is modeled after the throttle control from a fighter jet. The information panels are also air craft inspired with a 3D simulated heads up display. Never to be out classed Jaguar added a nice analog detail, a custom designed watch from Bremont that mounts into the center console and is wound by the stopping and starting movements of the car.
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Jaguar C-X75
