Honda Debuts Sleek and Sophisticated Concepts for All-New 2012 Civic Si Coupe and Civic Sedan Models(Press Release)

DETROIT, Jan. 10, 2011 – The Honda Civic Si Concept coupe and Civic Concept sedan are making world debuts at the North American International Auto Show today, providing the first official glimpse at the styling direction of the all-new, ninth-generation 2012 model set to go on sale this spring, the company announced.

"The Civic is known for providing a balance of 'just-right' packaging, fun-to-drive character and outstanding fuel economy, at a price that even first-time buyers can afford," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. "The redesigned Civic builds on this legacy and promises to be the best Civic yet."

The 2012 Civic embraces the company's vision as a "Civic for all people," a phrase originally expressed in defining the goal of the first-generation Civic. With the widest array of engine choices available in its class, the 2012 Civic lineup intends to meet the needs of an increasing group of compact-vehicle buyers with a renewed vision of a "Civic for all people." The diverse vehicle range includes a sedan and a coupe with conventional gasoline models, two sporty "Si" performance versions, along with one hybrid and a natural gas alternative-fuel variant. Collectively the depth of the Civic line offers a compelling balance between fuel economy, low emissions and fun-to-drive performance unlike any other vehicle in the industry.

As a new interpretation of the current Civic's iconic "one-motion" mono-form shape, the upcoming, ninth-generation Civic conveys a more substantial, high-energy appearance. The exterior styling of both Civic concept models showcases the sedan's and coupe's clean-yet-powerful lines with steeply raked windshields, wide stances and pronounced character lines along the profile. The lower character line on both models broadens toward the rear fenders to enhance the dynamic feeling of forward energy. The front fender surface treatments form a complex, three-dimensional look to further enhance the image of sophistication and structural depth against the deeply set headlights.

The Civic Concept sedan takes on a sophisticated presence with a front grille defined by crisp lines and a solid bar that integrates a chrome Honda emblem. The look of the Civic Si Concept coupe conveys an aggressive demeanor with a more angular front fascia, mesh grille and a tapered rear roofline that flows smoothly into the trunk. The Civic Si Concept coupe is exclusively equipped with a rear air diffuser, a center-mounted exhaust outlet and a rear deck lid spoiler with dual vents. Each concept model has 19-inch machined alloy wheels.

Powertrain Technology

The Civic's family of engines with "intelligent" Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (i-VTEC®) technology become even more fuel efficient for 2012. The upcoming Civic Hybrid offers the latest generation of the compact and lightweight Integrated Motor Assist™ (IMA™) gasoline-electric hybrid system and features the first application of a lithium-ion battery in a Honda hybrid.

Building on its emphasis on fuel-economy, most upcoming Civic models receive Honda Eco Assist™ technology, already available in the CR-Z and Insight hybrids. The 2012 Civic is the first U.S. Honda model to employ Eco Assist technology in a gasoline-only powered vehicle. Eco Assist is just one example of how the new Civic can be customized and configured by the drivers to suit individual preferences.

Additionally, Honda is expanding retail sales of the natural gas-powered Civic GX model, which is the only OEM-built, dedicated CNG passenger car assembled in America. The increased availability of the Civic GX helps bring inherently clean-burning natural gas technology to an even broader audience while also supporting diversity in transportation energy resources.

Safety

The 2012 Civic continues to emphasize safety and is anticipated to score well in both the federal government's New Car Assessment Programi (NCAP) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safetyii (IIHS) vehicle evaluations. The 2001 Honda Civic Coupe was one of the first two passenger cars ever to earn the federal government's top 5-star crash safety ratingiii for the driver and front- and rear-seat passengers in both frontal and side-impact crash tests.

All 2012 Civics are equipped with Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) as standard equipment. Additionally, the ninth-generation Civic continues to provide Honda's exclusive and innovative Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure for frontal collision energy management.

Accolades and Manufacturing

As a top-selling model for Honda, the current, eighth-generation Civic has sold more than 1.5 million units since the 2006 model went on sale in late 2005. The 2006 Civic earned both the prestigious Motor Trend "Car of the Year" and the North American Car of the Year awards.

The current-generation Civic continues to be a significant entry-point to the Honda brand for younger buyers, introducing on average more than 90,000 new-car customers under the age of 35 to the brand every year. More than 95 percent of all Civics sold in the U.S. as of calendar-year 2010 were madeiv in North America at manufacturing facilities in either Greensburg, Indiana or Alliston, Ontario in Canada.

Detroit 2011: Honda Civic Coupe and Sedan Concepts are visions of a compact future

Honda dusted off concept versions of the ninth generation Civic Coupe and Sedan at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show today, and the automaker says that along with mildly updated exteriors, both vehicles will wear improved interiors compared to the current-generation Civic. Judging from the history of Honda concepts, there's a good chance that the production versions of both the four and two-door Civics will be very similar to the vehicles you see above. That means that the Civic Coupe will wear styling influenced heavily by the current Accord Coupe.

Meanwhile, four-door buyers can expect an exterior design very similar to the 2011 Civic. Though the sedan's front-fascia wears a little bit more menace than the current design, the carried-over grille and headlights are more than a little familiar. Out back, new tail lamps and a re-sculpted trunk deck dominate the view.

Honda says that for the first time, buyers in all 50 states will be able to get their hands on the natural-gas Civic. Previously, the green machine was only available in select markets. Additionally, the Civic Hybrid will now boast lithium-ion batteries as opposed nickel-metal hydride.

Microsoft details Office 365 for education plans

Microsoft today unveiled five new plans for its Office 365 suite aimed at giving educational institutions access to hosted Office services, as well as a licensed version of the Office software.
The educational version of Microsoft's Office 365 service, which Microsoft says will be available to K-12 institutions later this year, runs from a free plan that brings things like Web e-mail and antivirus protection, all the way to a $17-per-month plan that includes VoIP and a license to MS Office Professional Plus for faculty and staff. This top-end plan can be had by students for $5 a month:

As part of the new plans, Microsoft is offering its Lync Online communications platform and SharePoint Online free of charge for students, while charging faculty and staff $10 per month, per user.
Microsoft introduced Office 365 late last year as a re-branding of its Business Productivity Online Services Standards Suite, and has since been it rolling out to an increasing number of businesses as part of a private beta. Missing from the equation had been plans for an educational version, which the company is remedying with today's news.
Along with the new plans, Microsoft said that the number of Live@edu users is up to 15 million students, up from 11 million three months ago. Live@edu is Microsoft's free e-mail, calendaring, and Office Web apps offering, which it's pushed out to institutions through agreements like the one the company made last month with State University of New York, or SUNY schools. Compared to these new Office 365 offerings, Live@edu is on the lower spectrum of utility, though will be getting some performance and security improvements sometime next month.

Facebook settlement under fire: The Winklevoss twins ask court for more

Mark Zuckerberg’s former Harvard classmates - twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss - have changed their mind about a $65 million settlement from Facebook in 2008 and have asked an appeals court to void it, arguing that Facebook didn’t disclose an accurate valuation of its shares before agreeing to pay them $65 million in stock and cash, according to a Bloomberg report.
The lawyer representing the Winklevoss brothers says that the lawyers on both sides of the original settlement “made a mistake” with the settlement, noting that the transaction had “business issues that needed to be addressed and weren’t. They ended up with an agreement that’s vulnerable to the attack we’re making on it.” He argued that the settlement should be worth more now that Facebook has received a $450 million investment from Goldman Sachs.
Facebook has argued that the settlement is enforceable and that the Winklevosses are suffering from “settlers’ remorse..”
I’m inclined to side with Facebook on this one. Can anyone really expect a court to void a year-old settlement because the company is now worth more? Of course it’s worth more - it’s growing. And, at this rate, it will continue to grow even more. Are we to expect the Winklevoss brothers to try to void a settlement every time Facebook shows signs of valuation growth?
The Winklevoss brothers should take their money and move on. The Facebook of today isn’t the same Facebook that was launched on the Harvard campus. This is the Facebook that Zuckerberg and his team in Palo Alto have built into what it is today.
If the courts void the settlement and bring this matter back into the judicial system, the only ones sure to get paid will be the lawyers.

U.S. Looks to Japan for EV Quick-Charge Plug

One major hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles is the time needed to recharge them. So-called quick chargers that do the job in about 30 minutes address that problem, but one major obstacle to the widespread adoption of quick chargers is the lack of a standardized plug.
That may soon change.
Earlier this year the Japanese embraced a standard plug they call CHAdeMO. Now it appears the United States may follow suit. According to a report in Yomiuri Shimbun, the United States (presumably through the Department of Energy) will install 310 CHAdeMO-equipped quick-chargers in Arizona, California, Texas, Tennessee, Oregon and Washington.
Those markets happen to be where the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt are currently available.

As Yomiuri Shimbun notes, widespread adoption of CHAdeMO by the United States and Japan almost certainly would make it the world standard for 440-volt DC charging. The Nissan Leaf already features a CHAdeMO-ready socket — it’s the larger one in the photo above. This is the first large-scale use of the standard outside of Japan, and speaks to the foresight of the Japanese automakers in rallying around a standard.
CHAdeMO, adopted by Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Subaru and 154 other Japanese companies, is a riff on charge de move, or, roughly, “charge for moving.” It’s also a pun on the Japanese phrase “O cha demo ikaga desuka,” which means, “Let’s have a tea while charging.”

Aussie Solar Car Aims for World RecordAussie Solar Car Aims for World Record

A team from the University of New South Wales is hoping the sun will lead them to a Guinness world record for fastest solar-powered vehicle.
The record run is set for Friday on a naval base in the town of Nowra and should be a piece of cake for the team behind the Sunswift IV — affectionately known around campus as IVy. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, they already hit 64 mph back in 2009, during a race between Darwin and Adelaide. The current world record is 49 mph, and IVy’s drivers are hoping for 56 mph. That means the sweet taste of victory might just be bitter Vegemite.
IVy is the fourth incarnation of the Sunswift car project, which first formed way back in 1995. Since then, the team racked up a lot of engineering awards, while the Sunswift III (IIIvy?) gained a world record crossing Australia from Perth to Sydney.
IVy, built at a cost of around $180,000 U.S. over the course of 18 months, has about the same footprint of an average car but with half the height. Onboard solar panels generate 1,300 watts, which the team proudly notes is the same amount of power needed to toast two pieces of bread.
Instead of pumpernickel, the panels charge a lithium polymer battery that runs the brushless 1800-watt DC motor that turns IVy’s three wheels.
If you’re interested in following their progress but can’t make it to Australia, the team has set up a Facebook page and a Twitter feed. We’ll be sure to update you if any records shatter down under.

Fast Formula to Validate User Tables in Oracle HRMS

In this practice you will learn how to write a fast formula that validates the user table. For this you need to first write a validation formula and then select the formula in the Columns window and test it by entering values outside the valid range in the Table Values window.
Writing Formulas to Validate User Tables
Write a validation formula that returns an error and a message if a user enters a value less than 10 or greater than 50 in the Dues column of your Union Dues user table. Name the formula XX_CHECK_UNION_DUES, where XX is your group identifier.

Select the formula in the Columns window, and test it by entering values outside the valid range in the Table Values window.

Writing Formulas to Validate User Tables
1. Navigate to the Formula window using your local Super HRMS Manager responsibility.
(N) Total Compensation > Basic > Write Formulas
2. Set your effective date to 1 January 2000.
3. Enter XX_CHECK_UNION_DUES in the Name field.
4. Select User Table Validation in the Type field.
5. Select the Edit button.
6. Write your formula, and verify it.
7. When the formula verifies successfully, close the Edit Formula window.
8. Save your work.

Formula
Your formula should be similar to the following:

INPUTS ARE entry_value(text)
IF TO_NUM(entry_value) <> 50
THEN
(formula_status = 'e'
formula_message = 'Union Dues must be between 10 and 50. Please re-enter.')
ELSE
formula_status = 's'
RETURN formula_status, formula_message

Selecting the Validation Formula in the Columns Window
9. Navigate to the Table Structure window using your local Super HRMS Manager responsibility.
(N) Other Definitions > Table Structure
10. Set your effective date to 1 January 2000.
11. Query: xx Union Dues in the Name field, where xx is your group identifier.
12. Select the Columns button.
13. Select your validation formula in the Formula field.
14. Save your work.

Testing Your Validation Formula
15. Navigate to the Table Values window using your local Super HRMS Manager responsibility.
(N) Other Definitions > Table Values
16. Set your effective date to 1 January 2000.
17. Query: xx Union Dues, where xx is your group identifier.
18. Select Query By Example - Run from the View menu.
19. In the Union A row of the Values region, enter 5 in the Value field. Tab to the next field. Your error message should be displayed.
20. Re-enter 30 and tab to the next row.
21. Select Correction.
22. Enter 60 in the Value field and tab to the next field. Again, your error message should be displayed.
23. Re-enter 32.
24. Select Correction.
25. Save your work.