Diesel vehicles now account for nearly half of all new vehicle sales in Europe. In some European countries (such as France), diesel vehicles account for as much as 70 percent of new car sales. Are diesel vehicles a viable alternative to hybrids?
The Diesel Difference
Diesels are also known as compression ignition engines, and have a different combustion cycle than gasoline engines. In a gasoline engine, fuel is sprayed into the cylinder, mixed with air, and ignited by a spark from the spark plug.
In a diesel, air is drawn into the cylinder and compressed first without fuel present. This compression heats the air to such a high temperature that when fuel is then injected into the cylinder, it combusts. By using higher compression ratios and higher combustion temperatures, diesels operate more efficiently. As a result, diesel vehicles attain better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. This fuel economy advantage is enhanced by the fact that a gallon of diesel fuel contains about 10% more energy than a gallon of gasoline. These two factors help modern direct-injection diesels achieve roughly 50% higher fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. For example, a European model Honda Accord with a 2.2 liter i-CTDi diesel engine is rated at 43.3 MPG, 49 percent higher than the rating of a Honda Accord with a 2.4 liter gasoline engine. The Camry Hybrid is rated at 39 MPG, 10 percent lower than the diesel Accord.
Diesel Emissions
Modern diesels require something of an environmental tradeoff. While generating fewer greenhouse gas emissions (due to greater fuel efficiency), diesels emit larger amounts of two other pollutants:
* Particulate matter is the black cloud that trails many older diesel vehicles. Diesel particulates are harmful to human health as well as aesthetically unpleasing.
* NOx, while less visible, is a key ingredient in the formation of urban smog, and also can contribute to the formation of acid rain.
Higher emissions of these pollutants are diesels’ greatest drawback. There has been an ongoing split in diesel emissions regulations in the US between those required by the Environmental Protection Agency, and those required by the California Air Resources Board.
Currently no new diesel passenger vehicles can be sold in the five states that adhere to the more stringent California requirements: California, Massachusetts, Maine, New York and Vermont. The current diesel Liberty, Beetle, Golf and Jetta, in other words, are 45-state vehicles. The EPA, however, is tightening its diesel emissions requirements, and moving them more into alignment with the California requirements. The point at which the two map exactly for passenger cars is called Tier 2 Bin 5 (T2B5).
For a 2007 or later model year diesel passenger car to be sold in all 50 states, it must meet the T2B5 emissions requirements. Currently, there are no T2B5-compliant, 50-state diesel cars. One is on the horizon-the new Mercedes E320 BLUETEC, to be introduced in 2007. BLUETEC refers to the emissions after treatment system that enables the vehicle to meet the T2B5 standard. The 2007 E320 BLUETEC has NOx emissions that are more than eight times lower than the outgoing 2006 E320 CDI
The Diesel Dilemma
PROS CONS
Fuel Economy: 81% of U.S. diesel buyers say they bought a diesel engine for higher fuel economy. U.S. buyers should be aware, however, that in the United States diesel could often be more expensive than unleaded gasoline. (In Europe, diesel is taxed less heavily in Europe, and therefore can be substantially cheaper than gasoline.)
Availability: Until cleaner fuel and advanced emissions controls arrive here, availability of diesel models will be limited. New diesels are already absent from five states (California, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, or Maine) that have stricter air quality standards. At the end of 2006, federal pollution rules will tighten, pushing cleaner diesel models out of the entire U.S. market.
Longevity: Diesel engines tend to last longer than gasoline engines, leading to higher resale values for many diesel-equipped models.
Emissions: Particulate and NOx emissions are higher than those of comparable gasoline vehicles. (Most diesel engines can use biodiesel without any modification.)
Power: Diesels provide greater torque, which can be important for drivers who carry heavy loads or tow trailers.
Price: Adding a diesel engine to a Volkswagen Jetta adds over $1000 to the car’s price, and in medium-duty pickups the increased cost of a diesel engine can exceed $5000.
Incentives: Future clean diesels will be eligible for the same types of tax benefits that hybrid vehicles receive. Buyers of the Mercedes E320 BLUETEC, for example, qualify for $1500 off of their tax bill.
Availability of Fuel: Diesel owners must also cope with a refueling network that is more limited than that of gasoline, although their vehicles’ longer range means they have more time to find a station that sells diesel.
Not an Either-Or Situation
It’s technically possible to use a hybrid drivetrain with a diesel engine. In fact, PSA Peugeot Citroën recently showed a diesel-hybrid prototype: the 307 CC Hybride HDi, a compact convertible that gets 70 miles per gallon, about 30 percent better fuel economy than the existing diesel version. No one makes diesel hybrids yet, mainly because they are expensive. The added benefits come at a double expense-more for the hybrid system and more for the diesel engine. PSA Peugeot Citroën may introduce a diesel hybrid to the market as early as 2010. But no promises yet from the company.
Like the Supreme Court and the College of Cardinals, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is an exclusive and obscure deliberative body that is prone to its own brand of weirdness. The Academy loves to reward actors who play endearing lunatics and actresses who hag it up for a part. It throws trophies at lavish historical epics and anything about the Holocaust. And for a long time, it had a strange aversion to Martin Scorsese. Though some times the most deserving film took home the top prize — “Casablanca” won in 1943, “The Godfather” in 1972, and “The Last Emperor” in 1987 — more often than not the Academy drops the ball. Here are just a few of the Oscar’s worst Best Pictures.
Cimarron (1931)
Here is a flick that really hasn’t stood the test of time. “Cimarron,” a big-budget tale about how the West was won, racked up huge box office earnings and took home the big prize in 1931. So why have you probably not heard of it? It most likely has something to do with the film’s ridiculous storylines, hammy acting, and overt racism.
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
John Ford’s heart-warming tale about Welsh coal miners has earned the unfortunate notoriety of stealing the Best Picture Oscar from what many call the best movie ever made, “Citizen Kane.” In some cinephile circles, the movie is regarded with a distain usually reserved for tobacco lobbyists and banking executives.
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Sure, this epic spectacle was shot in 70mm and featured lots of location footage, which was pretty impressive at the time, but it’s also about as deep as the skin on tomato soup. James Dean’s final movie “Giant” would be an infinitely better choice.
Rocky (1976)
The Academy couldn’t possibly have foreseen “Rocky” IV, V or VI when they handed this film a trophy. That being said, Stallone’s pugilist fairy tale seems pretty pale next to its fellow nominees, “Network,” “All the President’s Men,” and of course Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver.” Over the years, the Academy developed a fetish for nominating but not rewarding Scorsese’s best work.
Ordinary People (1980)
Another example of the Academy hosing Scorsese. “Ordinary People,” about emotionally-repressed suburbanites, is a well-crafted, well-acted movie. It just not even in the same ballpark as Marty’s savage masterpiece “Raging Bull,” a movie that many critics have dubbed the best of film of the 1980s.
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
A well-meaning but muddle-headed Best Picture winner about rich white folk learning a little something about racism by talking to the help. The film’s warm and fuzzy Hallmark card version of race relations is particularly galling since Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” — the actual best pic of the year — wasn’t even nominated.
Dances With Wolves (1990)
In a perfect world, the poor would be fed, the Cubs would win the World Series, and “Goodfellas” would have won Best Picture. Instead, this steaming pile of self-congratulatory new-age twaddle got the nod. Director Kevin Costner went on to make “The Postman” while Scorsese would have to wait sixteen more years before landing the prize in 2006 for “The Departed.”
Forrest Gump (1994)
Robert Zemeckis’ manipulative, schmaltzy Boomer yarn made piles of cash and wowed about half the critics in the country, but the movie’s sentimental platitudes and cheap nostalgia really don’t hold a candle to “Pulp Fiction,” the most influential and imitated film of the ’90s.
Gladiator (2000)
A poor man’s “Spartacus” tarted up with lots of CGI. For a director as talented as Ridley Scott, it’s hard to understand why the action scenes in “Gladiator” were as incoherent as they were. It was as if the entire editing staff was hopped up on Red Bull and Twinkies. If you want to see better-constructed action scenes in a better movie, check out the flick that should have won, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Crash (2005)
One of the great “What were they thinking?” moments of Oscardom. Instead of choosing the best-reviewed movie of the year — “Brokeback Mountain” — the Academy picked this contrived, hectoring paean to liberal guilt. What made Ryan Phillippe shoot that guy? Racism. What made Ludacris jack that car? Racism. What made Sandra Bullock fall down the stairs? Racism. The movie is about as nuanced as a hammer blow to the head, as enjoyable as listening to your parents fight, and about as honest as your average Enron executive.
So this year, will the Academy get it right for a change or will it drop the ball once again? And what Oscar winners of the past do you think had no business taking home the gold?
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama took to the airwaves Saturday to promote his economic aid plan in what’s-it-mean-to-me terms: thousands of better schools, lower electricity bills, health coverage for millions who lose insurance.
It was the latest appeal from the new president for a massive spending bill designed to inject almost $1 trillion into the economy and fulfill campaign pledges. As lawmakers consider an $825 billion plan and Obama woos them with an eye toward a second economic package, he used his first radio and Internet address from the White House to update the public about his goals.
“Our economy could fall $1 trillion short of its full capacity, which translates into more than $12,000 in lost income for a family of four. And we could lose a generation of potential, as more young Americans are forced to forgo college dreams or the chance to train for the jobs of the future,” Obama said in a five-minute address.
“In short, if we do not act boldly and swiftly, a bad situation could become dramatically worse.”
Obama aides have refused to rule out that the administration would seek a second economic recovery plan – even before Congress approves the first – to patch an ailing economy. Some are considering a sequel to assuage members of their own Democratic Party who fret that too little of the money is being spent on infrastructure that would employ their constituents.
“Look, let’s get one done, and start seeing that impact on the economy before I get into hypotheticals about what we might do later on in the year,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said on Friday.
Along with the speech, Obama’s economic team released a report designed to outline tangible benefits of the plan and shore up support. Aides said they wanted people to understand exactly what they could expect if Congress supported the proposed legislation.
The United States lost 2.6 million jobs last year, the most in any single year since World War II. Manufacturing is at a 28-year low and even Obama’s economists say unemployment could top 10 percent before the recession ends. One in 10 homeowners is at risk of foreclosure and the dollar continues its slide in value.
That harsh reality has dominated Obama’s first days in office. He scheduled a meeting late Saturday morning with his economic team to talk about the proposed stimulus package and the federal budget.
A day earlier, he invited Democratic and Republican leaders to the White House to hear their ideas on the economy. At that visit, he did not share the details he released Saturday.
“We presented President Obama with our ideas to jump start the economy through fast-acting tax relief – not slow-moving government spending programs,” House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio said in the weekly GOP address. “We let families, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and the self-employed keep more of what they earn to encourage investment and create millions of new private-sector jobs.”
Boehner said the Republicans would cut taxes for every taxpayer, dropping even the lowest income tax rates. “That’s up to an extra $3,200 per family every year – money that can be saved, spent or invested in any way you see fit,” Boehner said. He also proposed a tax credit for home purchases, an end of taxation of unemployment benefits and tax incentives for small businesses to invest in new equipment and hire new employees.
“We cannot borrow and spend our way back to prosperity,” Boehner said.
Obama also plans to travel to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with Republican leaders, his latest move to bring along his rival party to pass an economic package that has GOP support.
Many of the goals in the speech and report were familiar from Obama’s two-year campaign, such as shifting to electronic medical records and investing in preventive health care. Other parts added specifics.
Obama’s recovery package aims to:
_double within three years the amount of energy that could be produced from renewable resources. That is an ambitious goal, given the 30 years it took to reach current levels. Advisers say that could power 6 million households.
_upgrade 10,000 schools and improve learning for about 5 million students.
_save $2 billion a year by making federal buildings energy efficient.
_triple the number of undergraduate and graduate fellowships in science.
_tighten security at 90 major ports.
The plan would spend at least 75 percent of the total cost – or more than $600 billion – within the first 18 months, either through bricks-and-shovels projects favored by Democrats or tax cuts that Republicans have pushed.
There is heavy emphasis on public works projects, which have lagged as state budgets contracted. Governors have lobbied Obama to help them patch holes in their budgets, drained by sinking tax revenues and increased need for public assistance such as Medicaid and children’s health insurance. Obama’s plan would increase the federal portion of those programs so no state would have to cut any of the 20 million children whose eligibility is now at risk.
Obama’s plan would also provide health care coverage for 8.5 million people who lose their insurance when they either lose or shift jobs.
“It’s a plan that will save or create 3 to 4 million jobs over the next few years” and recognizes “there are millions of Americans trying to find work even as, all around the country, there’s so much work to be done,” he said.
But Obama cautioned again against expecting instant results: “No one policy or program will solve the challenges we face right now, nor will this crisis recede in a short period of time.”
WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has said no nation is more important to the United States than China. But ties between the two powers may be off to a rocky start just days into the Obama administration.
In his inaugural address Tuesday, President Barack Obama spoke of how earlier generations of Americans had “faced down fascism and communism.” China’s state broadcaster quickly faded out the audio of its live broadcast, the camera cutting back to a flustered studio anchor.
Then, on Thursday, Obama’s choice to lead the Treasury Department, Timothy Geithner, wrote that Obama believes China is “manipulating” its currency, which American manufacturers say Beijing does to make its goods cheaper for U.S. consumers and American products more expensive in China.
Chinese officials closely follow U.S. political rhetoric and frequently decry what they consider foreign interference in China’s internal affairs. The United States often criticizes China about human rights and trade abuses, but Washington and Beijing find themselves increasingly intertwined in a host of crucial economic, military and diplomatic efforts.
State media in China reported Saturday that a deputy governor of China’s central bank dismissed Geithner’s comment. Su Ning was cited as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency that the remarks were “not in line with the facts.”
“We thought in the face of the financial crisis, there would be a spirit of self-criticism beneficial to finding ways of resolving the issue and overcoming the crisis,” Su said, adding that it was imperative to avoid any excuses to encourage trade protectionism.
Earlier, China’s foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, said Beijing was committed to working with the Obama administration to strengthen ties and cooperation.
Selig Harrison, director of the Asia program at the U.S.-based Center for International Policy, said it was “very ill-advised for the new administration to confront China as if this were 10 years ago and we were in a strong financial position internationally.”
“We are dependent on Chinese goodwill for our economic survival and viability, and, therefore, it seems to me that this type of posture is very risky,” he said.
Despite an early face-off with China over an intercepted U.S. spy plane, former President George W. Bush made it a priority to strengthen relations with China while also pushing the country to live up to what he considered its duties as an emerging global superpower and a veto-holding member of the U.N. Security Council.
Trade ties between the United States and China often are tense. China says it has made progress on currency changes and worries about bills introduced in Congress that would impose economic sanctions on China unless it moves more quickly to let its currency rise in value against the dollar.
Although Geithner said China is “manipulating its currency,” he suggested Thursday that now might not be the right time to brand Beijing as a currency manipulator under U.S. trade law, which could lead to U.S. trade penalties against imports from China.
His testimony may not have been a complete shock to China. Yang, the foreign minister, has said he studies American television and newspapers. Obama and Clinton, during their long campaigns to secure the Democratic nomination for president, made no secret of their desires for a tougher position with China about its human rights record and its trade practices.
Still, Obama’s young administration is not complete. He has yet to name many of the officials who will be dealing with China issues. He also has not yet decided whether to continue the high-level economic discussions the Bush administration has held twice a year with China since late 2006.
Bonnie Glaser, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, said the Chinese have said during the past few months that they want a good start to their relationship with the new U.S. administration.
“Everybody just needs to be a little patient on this,” Glaser said. “I would not draw any premature conclusions that the administration has decided to take a tougher stance, and hopefully the Chinese will be patient while the administration works this out.”
WASHINGTON – Visiting one of his favorite Chicago restaurants in November, Barack Obama was asked by an excited waitress if he wanted the restaurant’s special margarita made with the finest ingredients, straight up and shaken at the table.
“You know that’s the way I roll,” Obama replied jokingly.
Rick Bayless, the chef of that restaurant, Topolobampo, says Obama’s comfortable demeanor at the table – slumped contentedly in his chair, clearly there to enjoy himself – bodes well for the nation’s food policy. While former President George W. Bush rarely visited restaurants and didn’t often talk about what he ate, Obama dines out frequently and enjoys exploring different foods.
“He’s the kind of diner who wants to taste all sorts of things,” Bayless says. “What I’m hoping is that he’s going to recognize that we need to do what we can in our country to encourage real food for everyone.”
Phrases like “real food” and “farm-to-table” may sound like elitist jargon tossed around at upscale restaurants. But the country’s top chefs, several of whom traveled to Washington for Obama’s inauguration this week, hope that Obama’s flair for good food will encourage people to expand their horizons when it comes to what they eat.
These chefs tout locally grown, environmentally friendly and – most importantly – nutritious food. They urge diners, even those who may never be able to afford to eat at their restaurants, to grow their own vegetables, shop at farmer’s markets and pay attention to where their food comes from.
Dan Barber, chef at New York’s popular Blue Hill restaurant and a frequent critic of the country’s food policy, says a few small gestures from the president and first lady Michelle Obama could accomplish what many of the chefs have been working toward for years.
“I recognize that I’m an elitist guy,” says Barber, who cooked a $500-a-plate meal for incoming Obama aides and other guests at a small charity fundraiser the night before the inauguration. “Increasingly raise awareness, but don’t do it through chefs like me. … My advice would be more of a symbolic nature, and to not underestimate what can be done through the White House.”
Barber said good food needs more publicity, and he hopes Obama and his wife will advertise what they are eating and what they are feeding their children, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha.
Many high-end chefs like Barber believe that most food in the United States is over-processed, over-subsidized and grown with no regard to the environment, making it harder for small farms to make a profit selling more natural, nutritious food.
Barber cooks with food grown at his farm, the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, N.Y. At the pre-inauguration fundraiser, organized along with several other dinners by food guru Alice Waters, passed hors d’oeuvres included carrots, lettuce and cauliflower – untarnished and raw, delicious in their natural form. Sweet beets had been recently chiseled from Stone Barns’ frozen ground, and hog snouts left over from slaughter were used as a garnish on a plate of Maine sea scallops.
Most of the chefs say they realize food policy and government support for larger corporate farms won’t change any time soon. Congress, with Obama’s support, overwhelmingly enacted a $290 billion farm bill last year that directs many subsidies to the largest agricultural players.
But Obama has already given chefs like Barber a small reason to hope. At his confirmation hearing, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made an overture to the growing number of food groups and experts who have criticized government subsidies for large corporate farms, saying he will seek to work “with those who seek programs and practices that lead to more nutritious food produced in a sustainable way.”
“There’s a lot of work that can be done in this area,” Vilsack said after he was sworn in.
Other chefs in town for the inauguration and Waters’ dinners had many suggestions to improve food policy. Daniel Boulud, the veteran New York chef of the restaurant Daniel who has cooked for at least five former presidents, said he thinks the Department of Agriculture should form an agency that exclusively oversees small farms. Lidia Bastianich, a New York-based Italian chef who has starred in several cooking shows on public television, says the government needs to encourage regulations and incentives to small farmers to give them the opportunity to compete against the “big giants.”
Chef Tom Colicchio, the lead judge on the popular cable television series “Top Chef,” agrees. He says foods that are genetically engineered should be labeled as such and fewer subsidies should go to corporate farms.
But despite loftier goals, Bayless, the Chicago chef, says the Obamas could make a world of difference if they just publish what they are eating every day.
“Everyone’s going to want to be like the Obamas,” he said.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Tens of thousands of children wearing uniforms and carrying satchels flocked back to schools in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, days after Israel ended its fierce military operation against the territory’s militant Hamas rulers.
Children returning to school presents another step back to normality for Gaza’s 1.4 million residents, seven days after a cease-fire was called, ending Israel’s 3-weeek air and ground assault in the tiny coastal territory, aimed at stopping Hamas rocket fire on southern Israel.
The onslaught killed 1,285 Palestinians, including some 280 children, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. Thirteen Israelis, including three civilians, were also killed during the fighting, according to the government.
Along with Gaza’s public schools, which have been run by Hamas since it took over the territory in 2007, the scores of schools run by the United Nations re-opened their doors to the 200,000 children who attend them.
“Of course, the first thing we have to do is a roll call to see who has, and who has not, survived the conflict,” said U.N. spokesman Chris Gunness.
More than 30 U.N. schools were damaged in the fighting. The schools were also used as makeshift refuges by thousands of Gazans fleeing clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants in border areas, and by others whose homes were destroyed in the fighting.
In the U.N.’s Fakhoura Elementary school in the northern Gaza Strip town of Jebalia, three chairs in an eighth-grade class were adorned with the names of students who were killed during the offensive.
During the fighting, Palestinian militants fired rockets from next to the school, where hundreds of Gazans had huddled, according to witnesses. Israeli forces responded by lobbing back mortars that hit near the school and killed around 40 people, mostly civilians, according to Palestinian health officials.
Schoolteacher Bassam Salkha told his students to show their determination to live through studying hard. Other teachers took their students to play games in the courtyard, seeing who could clap the loudest.
The U.N.’s relations with Israel have been strained, most recently because Israeli military shelling in Gaza damaged around 50 buildings belonging to the international organization. Among them was the organization’s main compound in Gaza City, which the U.N. and human rights groups said was hit by white phosphorous shells, setting its food warehouses ablaze.
The Israeli army says it has launched an internal investigation into whether its troops inappropriately used phosphorus shells in civilian areas. The intensely hot munitions are used to create smoke screens and to illuminate the night.
Many children were still afraid of going to school on Saturday, fearing renewed shelling.
One man accompanied his two grandchildren, who carried heavy school bags. “They said, granddad, take us to school,” he said.
Thomas “Tom” Ricketts (15 January 1853 – 20 January 1939) was an English American silent film actor, director and screenwriter who was involved in almost 350 motion pictures.
Ricketts directed the first motion picture ever in Hollywood in 1909, entitled Justified. Starting in the honkytonks of London, he became one of the most able Shakespearean actors of his day. Ricketts directed over 100 silent films between 1909 and 1919, but in 1919 he decided to concentrate on his career as an actor. A hard worker, Ricketts acted in almost 200 films, right until his death. He appeared in one of the most popular films of the late 1930s, Son of Frankenstein, shortly before his death.
Filmography
* Son of Frankenstein (1939) Burgher
* The Prince and the Pauper (1937) Sexton ringing bell
* A Star Is Born (1937) Ray, Vicki’s servant
* Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936) Reginald (old man)
* Show Boat (1936) (uncredited) Minister
* A Tale of Two Cities (1935) Tellson Jr
* The Three Musketeers (1935) Pigeon Receiver
* Cardinal Richelieu (1935) Agitator
* Clive of India (1935) Old Member
* The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) Cockeye
* Bulldog Drummond (1929)
* A Christmas Carol (1908) Ebenezer Scrooge
Mutulu Shakur (born August 8, 1950, in Baltimore, Maryland as Jeral Wayne Williams and also known as Dr. Mutulu Shakur) was a proponent of the Republic of New Afrika and a close friend of Geronimo Pratt.
Shakur is best known for planning the infamous $1.6 million robbery of a Brinks armored truck in New York in which a guard and two police officers were killed. One of his accomplices in the holdup was Kathy Boudin, a member of the Weather Underground and a fugitive on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for 11 years. Boudin was arrested at the scene of the crime, but Shakur escaped. Shakur had been a leader of an offshoot of the Black Liberation Army. He is currently incarcerated in the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons “Administrative Maximum” (ADX) Facility in Florence, Colorado.His projected release date is February 10, 2016.
The robbery and arrest
On October 20, 1981, after six previous unsuccessful attempts to rob a Brinks truck, Shakur and five or six other men succeeded in robbing the Brinks truck, killing one of the Brinks guards. They drove to another location where they transferred the money to a U-Haul truck driven by Boudin and her husband David Gilbert. However, the transfer was seen and called in to the police, who set up a roadblock at the Tappan Zee Bridge. A shootout occurred in which two Nyack policemen were killed and Boudin was captured.
In the 1980s, he was arrested on RICO charges of bank robbery and aiding his sister, Assata Shakur, in her escape from prison on November 2, 1979. While at large, on July 23, 1982 he became the 380th person added by the FBI to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. He was arrested February 11, 1986 in California and was subsequently found guilty of taking part in the armored-truck robbery and the prison escape.
While in ADX Florence he was visited by novelist Jonathan Franzen. The visit forms part of Franzen’s essay “Control Units,” which is included in his book of essays How To Be Alone, published in 2002.
Personal life
Shakur is the stepfather of late rapper Tupac Shakur, and father of rapper Mopreme. Shakur was interviewed in the Oscar-nominated documentary “Tupac: Resurrection”, in which he described how he wrote a “Code OF THUG LIFE” Thug Life Handbook” with Tupac, which expressed an anti-drug and anti-violence message.
Mutulu founded a New York-based organization by the name of “Dare 2 Struggle,” and released a compilation CD under the same name. As Shakur explains it the CD was created in order to motivate, inspire, and challenge Black People to “Dare 2 Struggle” against all of their obstacles. He also recorded a radio PSA for Deejay Ra’s ‘Hip-Hop Literacy’ campaign, encouraging reading of books about Tupac.
Shakur has five children including two daughters (Sekiywa and Nzingha) and two sons (Mopreme, Chinua).
In 2006, he released a 10 year anniversary tribute album for Tupac Shakur called A 2Pac Tribute: Dare 2 Struggle featuring artists such as Mopreme Shakur, Outlawz and Imaan Faith. It was released through music industry veteran Morey Alexander’s First Kut Records and Canadian activist Deejay Ra’s Lyrical Knockout Entertainment.
Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of 2000, the population was 86,265. The county seat is Ukiah.
The county is noted for its distinctive Pacific Ocean coastline, Redwood forests, wine production and liberal views on marijuana.
The notable historic and recreational attraction of the “Skunk Train” connects Fort Bragg with Willits in Mendocino County via steam-locomotive trains and other vehicles.
Contents
History
Mendocino County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Due to an initially low population, it did not have a separate government until 1859 and was under the administration of Sonoma County prior to that. The county contains several of the original Spanish land grants of Alta California including the Sanel Rancho in Hopland, and the Yokayo Rancho that forms the majority of the Ukiah Valley.
The county derives its name from Cape Mendocino, which was probably named in honor of either Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain, 1535-1542 (who sent the Juan Cabrillo Expedition to this coast in 1542), or Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, Viceroy from 1580 to 1583. Mendocino is the adjectival form of the family name of Mendoza.
In the 19th century, the county witnessed many of the most serious atrocities in the extermination of the Californian Native American tribes who originally lived in the area, like the Yuki, the Pomo and the Wintun. The systematic occupation of their lands, the reduction of many of their members into slavery and the raids against their settlements led to the Mendocino War in 1859, where hundreds of Indians were killed. The segregation continued well into the 20th century; and today the local Native Americans are fighting for land rights, to obtain gaming operations and against widespread poverty.[citation needed]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,878 square miles (10,044 km²), of which, 3,509 square miles (9,088 km²) of it is land and 369 square miles (956 km²) of it (9.52%) is water.
Cities and towns
* Albion
* Anchor Bay
* Boonville
* Branscomb
* Calpella
* Caspar
* Cleone
* Comptche
* Covelo
* Dos Rios
* Elk
* Fort Bragg
* Gualala
* Hopland
* Inglenook
* Laytonville
* Leggett
* Little River
* Longvale
* Manchester
* Mendocino
* Navarro
* Noyo
* Old Hopland
* Philo
* Point Arena
* Potter Valley
* Redwood Valley
* Rockport
* Talmage
* Ukiah
* Willits
* Westport
* Yorkville
Adjacent counties
* Sonoma County, California – south
* Lake County, California – east
* Glenn County, California – east
* Tehama County, California – northeast
* Trinity County, California – north
* Humboldt County, California – north
Humboldt County and Trinity County Tehama County
v • d • e
Pacific Ocean North Lake County and Glenn County
West Mendocino County, California East
South
Sonoma County
Transportation infrastructure
Major highways
* U.S. Route 101
* State Route 1
* State Route 20
* State Route 128
* State Route 162
* State Route 175
* State Route 222 (unsigned)
* State Route 253
* State Route 271
Public transportation
The Mendocino Transit Authority provides local and intercity bus service within Mendocino County. Limited service also connects with transit in Sonoma County
The Greyhound Bus Lines currently serves Ukiah.
AMTRAK has bus service that connects Mendocino to passenger service on rail lines such as the “Coast Starlight”.
The historic “Skunk Train” connects Fort Bragg with Willits in Mendocino County via steam-locomotive trains and other vehicles. Conceivably, it could be used for public transportation, as well as its recreational uses.
Airports
* Ukiah Regional Airport is a general aviation airport owned by the City of Ukiah. It is located south of downtown Ukiah.
* Little River Airport is a general aviation airport serving the Mendocino coast.
For commercial service, passengers in Mendocino County need to go to Eureka, one county to the north in Humboldt County, or to Sacramento or San Francisco, well to the south.
Demographics
A vineyard in Mendocino county
As of the census of 2000, there were 86,265 people, 33,266 households, and 21,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 36,937 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.76% White, 0.62% Black or African American, 4.76% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 8.61% from other races, and 3.90% from two or more races. 16.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.2% were of German, 10.8% English, 8.6% Irish, 6.1% Italian and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 84.4% spoke English and 13.2% Spanish as their first language.
There were 33,266 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,996, and the median income for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $33,128 versus $23,774 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,443. About 10.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
Government
* Chief Executive Officer- Tom Mitchell
* Board of Supervisors
o 1st District-Michael Delbar
o 2nd District-Jim R. Wattenburger
o 3rd District-John Pinches
o 4th District-Kendall Smith
o 5th District-J. David Colfax
Politics
Presidential election results Year DEM GOP Others
2008 69.8% 27,843 26.9% 10,721 2.3% 1,366
2004 63.5% 24,385 33.7% 12,955 2.8% 1,089
2000 48.3% 16,634 35.7% 12,272 16.0% 5,504
1996 45.7% 14,952 29.9% 9,765 24.4% 7,975
1992 50.2% 18,344 21.8% 7,958 28.0% 10,236
1988 55.4% 17,152 41.9% 12,979 2.6% 816
1984 45.8% 14,407 52.1% 16,369 2.1% 646
1980 38.2% 10,784 44.1% 12,432 17.7% 5,008
1976 49.5% 10,653 45.5% 9,784 5.0% 1,072
1972 43.3% 9,325 51.0% 11,128 5.7% 1,251
1968 44.3% 7,935 46.4% 8,305 9.3% 1,664
1964 65.1% 11,869 34.7% 6,322 0.2% 36
1960 50.2% 9,476 49.3% 9,301 0.5% 94
Mendocino is a strongly Democratic county in Presidential and congressional elections.[2] The last Republican to win a majority in the county was Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. It is part of California’s 1st congressional district, which is held by Democrat Mike Thompson. In the state legislature Mendocino is in the 1st Assembly district, which is held by Democrat Patty Berg, and the 2nd Senate district, which is held by Democrat Pat Wiggins. As of April 2008, the California Secretary of State reports that Mendocino County has 47,168 registered voters. Of those, 22,264 (47.2%) are registered Democratic; 11,422 (24.2%) are registered Republican; 4,179 (8.9%) are registered with other political parties, and 9,303 (19.7%) declined to state a political party.
In 2000, Mendocino County voters approved Measure G, which calls for the decriminalization of marijuana when used and cultivated for personal use.[3] Measure G passed with a 58% majority vote, making it the first county in the United States to declare prosecution of small-scale marijuana offenses the “lowest priority” for local law enforcement. Measure G does not protect individuals who cultivate, transport or possess marijuana for sale. However, Measure G was passed at the local government level affecting only Mendocino County, and therefore does not affect existing state or federal laws. The city of Berkeley has had a similar law since 1979 which has generally been found to be unenforceable.[4]Mendocino County is a county located on the north coast of the U.S. state of California, north of the greater San Francisco Bay Area and west of the Central Valley. As of 2000, the population was 86,265. The county seat is Ukiah. The county is noted for its distinctive Pacific Ocean coastline, Redwood forests, wine production and liberal views on marijuana. The notable historic and recreational attraction of the “Skunk Train” connects Fort Bragg with Willits in Mendocino County via steam-locomotive trains and other vehicles. Contents History Mendocino County was one of the original counties of California, created in 1850 at the time of statehood. Due to an initially low population, it did not have a separate government until 1859 and was under the administration of Sonoma County prior to that. The county contains several of the original Spanish land grants of Alta California including the Sanel Rancho in Hopland, and the Yokayo Rancho that forms the majority of the Ukiah Valley. The county derives its name from Cape Mendocino, which was probably named in honor of either Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy of New Spain, 1535–1542 (who sent the Juan Cabrillo Expedition to this coast in 1542), or Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, Viceroy from 1580 to 1583. Mendocino is the adjectival form of the family name of Mendoza. In the 19th century, the county witnessed many of the most serious atrocities in the extermination of the Californian Native American tribes who originally lived in the area, like the Yuki, the Pomo and the Wintun. The systematic occupation of their lands, the reduction of many of their members into slavery and the raids against their settlements led to the Mendocino War in 1859, where hundreds of Indians were killed. The segregation continued well into the 20th century; and today the local Native Americans are fighting for land rights, to obtain gaming operations and against widespread poverty. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,878 square miles (10,044 km²), of which, 3,509 square miles (9,088 km²) of it is land and 369 square miles (956 km²) of it (9.52%) is water. Cities and towns * Albion * Anchor Bay * Boonville * Branscomb * Calpella * Caspar * Cleone * Comptche * Covelo * Dos Rios * Elk * Fort Bragg * Gualala * Hopland * Inglenook * Laytonville * Leggett * Little River * Longvale * Manchester * Mendocino * Navarro * Noyo * Old Hopland * Philo * Point Arena * Potter Valley * Redwood Valley * Rockport * Talmage * Ukiah * Willits * Westport * Yorkville Adjacent counties * Sonoma County, California – south * Lake County, California – east * Glenn County, California – east * Tehama County, California – northeast * Trinity County, California – north * Humboldt County, California – north Humboldt County and Trinity County Tehama County v • d • e Pacific Ocean North Lake County and Glenn County West Mendocino County, California East South Sonoma County Transportation infrastructure Major highways * U.S. Route 101 * State Route 1 * State Route 20 * State Route 128 * State Route 162 * State Route 175 * State Route 222 (unsigned) * State Route 253 * State Route 271 Public transportation The Mendocino Transit Authority provides local and intercity bus service within Mendocino County. Limited service also connects with transit in Sonoma County The Greyhound Bus Lines currently serves Ukiah. AMTRAK has bus service that connects Mendocino to passenger service on rail lines such as the “Coast Starlight”. The historic “Skunk Train” connects Fort Bragg with Willits in Mendocino County via steam-locomotive trains and other vehicles. Conceivably, it could be used for public transportation, as well as its recreational uses. Airports * Ukiah Regional Airport is a general aviation airport owned by the City of Ukiah. It is located south of downtown Ukiah. * Little River Airport is a general aviation airport serving the Mendocino coast. For commercial service, passengers in Mendocino County need to go to Eureka, one county to the north in Humboldt County, or to Sacramento or San Francisco, well to the south. Demographics A vineyard in Mendocino county As of the census of 2000, there were 86,265 people, 33,266 households, and 21,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 25 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 36,937 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.76% White, 0.62% Black or African American, 4.76% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 8.61% from other races, and 3.90% from two or more races. 16.48% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.2% were of German, 10.8% English, 8.6% Irish, 6.1% Italian and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000. 84.4% spoke English and 13.2% Spanish as their first language. There were 33,266 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county the population was spread out with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males. The median income for a household in the county was $35,996, and the median income for a family was $42,168. Males had a median income of $33,128 versus $23,774 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,443. About 10.9% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over. Government * Chief Executive Officer- Tom Mitchell * Board of Supervisors o 1st District-Michael Delbar o 2nd District-Jim R. Wattenburger o 3rd District-John Pinches o 4th District-Kendall Smith o 5th District-J. David Colfax Politics Presidential election results Year DEM GOP Others 2008 69.8% 27,843 26.9% 10,721 2.3% 1,366 2004 63.5% 24,385 33.7% 12,955 2.8% 1,089 2000 48.3% 16,634 35.7% 12,272 16.0% 5,504 1996 45.7% 14,952 29.9% 9,765 24.4% 7,975 1992 50.2% 18,344 21.8% 7,958 28.0% 10,236 1988 55.4% 17,152 41.9% 12,979 2.6% 816 1984 45.8% 14,407 52.1% 16,369 2.1% 646 1980 38.2% 10,784 44.1% 12,432 17.7% 5,008 1976 49.5% 10,653 45.5% 9,784 5.0% 1,072 1972 43.3% 9,325 51.0% 11,128 5.7% 1,251 1968 44.3% 7,935 46.4% 8,305 9.3% 1,664 1964 65.1% 11,869 34.7% 6,322 0.2% 36 1960 50.2% 9,476 49.3% 9,301 0.5% 94 Mendocino is a strongly Democratic county in Presidential and congressional elections.The last Republican to win a majority in the county was Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. It is part of California’s 1st congressional district, which is held by Democrat Mike Thompson. In the state legislature Mendocino is in the 1st Assembly district, which is held by Democrat Patty Berg, and the 2nd Senate district, which is held by Democrat Pat Wiggins. As of April 2008, the California Secretary of State reports that Mendocino County has 47,168 registered voters. Of those, 22,264 (47.2%) are registered Democratic; 11,422 (24.2%) are registered Republican; 4,179 (8.9%) are registered with other political parties, and 9,303 (19.7%) declined to state a political party. In 2000, Mendocino County voters approved Measure G, which calls for the decriminalization of marijuana when used and cultivated for personal use.Measure G passed with a 58% majority vote, making it the first county in the United States to declare prosecution of small-scale marijuana offenses the “lowest priority” for local law enforcement. Measure G does not protect individuals who cultivate, transport or possess marijuana for sale. However, Measure G was passed at the local government level affecting only Mendocino County, and therefore does not affect existing state or federal laws. The city of Berkeley has had a similar law since 1979 which has generally been found to be unenforceable. In 2008, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors placed Measure B on the June 3 county-wide ballot. After three months of hard-fought campaigning and national attention, voters narrowly approved “B”, which repealed most of the provisions of 2000′s Measure G.However, opponents of Measure B intend to continue the challenge in court as the wording of Measure B relies heavily on S.B. 420′s state limitations which were recently ruled unconstitutional by the California supreme court. On July 3rd, the Sheriff and District Attorneys offices announced that they would not be enforcing the new regulations for the time being, citing pending legal challenges and conflicts with existing state law. In 2004, Measure H was passed in Mendocino County with a 57% majority, making it the first county in the United States to ban the production and cultivation of genetically modified organisms. On Nov. 4, 2008 Mendocino County voted 63.2 % against Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages. Rivers from south to north * Russian River (inland) * Gualala River * Garcia River * Elk Creek * Navarro River * Albion River * Little River * Big River * Noyo River * Pudding Creek * Ten Mile River * Eel River (inland) Beaches A Beach Near the Town of Elk * Big River Beach * Caspar Headlands State Beach * Van Damme Beach * Greenwood State Beach * Seaside Beach * Wesport-Union Landing State Beach * Manchester State Beach * Navarro Beach * Portuguese Beach * Schooner Gulch State Beach * Long Valley Creek * 10 Mile Creek Parks, reserves and related places Islands off the Mendocino coast * Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area * Caspar Headlands State Recreation Area * Hendy Woods State Park * Jughandle State Reserve * MacKerricher State Park * Mailliard Redwoods State Reserve * Manchester State Park * Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens * Mendocino Headlands State Park * Mendocino National Forest * Mendocino Woodlands State Park * Montgomery Woods State Reserve * Navarro River Redwoods State Park * Point Cabrillo Light Station * Reynolds Wayside Campground * Round Valley Indian Reservation * Russian Gulch State Park * Sinkyone Wilderness State Park * Smythe Redwoods State Reserve * Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area * Van Damme State Park Education Community Colleges * College of the Redwoods (satellite campus) in Fort Bragg * Mendocino College in Ukiah Local Schools * Mendocino K-12 Public School Districts
In 2008, the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors placed Measure B on the June 3 county-wide ballot. After three months of hard-fought campaigning and national attention, voters narrowly approved “B”, which repealed most of the provisions of 2000′s Measure G.[5] [6] However, opponents of Measure B intend to continue the challenge in court as the wording of Measure B relies heavily on S.B. 420′s state limitations which were recently ruled unconstitutional by the California supreme court. On July 3rd, the Sheriff and District Attorneys offices announced that they would not be enforcing the new regulations for the time being, citing pending legal challenges and conflicts with existing state law.
In 2004, Measure H was passed in Mendocino County with a 57% majority, making it the first county in the United States to ban the production and cultivation of genetically modified organisms.
On Nov. 4, 2008 Mendocino County voted 63.2 % against Proposition 8 which amended the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.
Rivers
from south to north
* Russian River (inland)
* Gualala River
* Garcia River
* Elk Creek
* Navarro River
* Albion River
* Little River
* Big River
* Noyo River
* Pudding Creek
* Ten Mile River
* Eel River (inland)
Beaches
A Beach Near the Town of Elk
* Big River Beach
* Caspar Headlands State Beach
* Van Damme Beach
* Greenwood State Beach
* Seaside Beach
* Wesport-Union Landing State Beach
* Manchester State Beach
* Navarro Beach
* Portuguese Beach
* Schooner Gulch State Beach
* Long Valley Creek
* 10 Mile Creek
Parks, reserves and related places
Islands off the Mendocino coast
* Admiral William Standley State Recreation Area
* Caspar Headlands State Recreation Area
* Hendy Woods State Park
* Jughandle State Reserve
* MacKerricher State Park
* Mailliard Redwoods State Reserve
* Manchester State Park
* Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens
* Mendocino Headlands State Park
* Mendocino National Forest
* Mendocino Woodlands State Park
* Montgomery Woods State Reserve
* Navarro River Redwoods State Park
* Point Cabrillo Light Station
* Reynolds Wayside Campground
* Round Valley Indian Reservation
* Russian Gulch State Park
* Sinkyone Wilderness State Park
* Smythe Redwoods State Reserve
* Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area
* Van Damme State Park
Education
Community Colleges
* College of the Redwoods (satellite campus) in Fort Bragg
* Mendocino College in Ukiah
Local Schools
* Mendocino K-12 Public School Districts
A penile fracture is an extremely rare injury caused by the rupture of the tunica albuginea, which envelops the corpus cavernosum penis. It is an uncommon injury, most often caused by a blunt trauma to an erect penis.
Presentation
A popping or cracking sound, significant pain, immediate flaccidity, and skin hematoma of various sizes are commonly associated with the event. These symptoms are similar to a common bruising or contusion of the penis.
Treatment and prognosis
Penile fracture is a medical emergency, and emergency medical surgical repair is the usual treatment. Delay in seeking treatment increases the complication rate. Non-surgical approaches result in 10%-50% complication rates including erectile dysfunction, permanent penile curvature, damage to the urethra, and pain during sexual intercourse.
Causes
In the western world the most common cause, accounting for about 30%-50% of cases, is intercourse. Of those, woman-on-top positions resulting in impact against the female pelvis or perineum and bending laterally are most common.
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