Microbe Petrol For Better Living

Better biofuel: Stephen del Cardayre, a biochemist and LS9's vice president for research and development. Image Credit: Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover

Microbe Petrol For Better Living

What would happen if technology could deliver a renewable way of creating gasoline in relative minutes as opposed to the millions and millions of years it takes to create the base of gasoline we pump out of the ground (you know, the type that comes from dinosaur remains?

Well, if companies like LS9 and Amyris Biotechnologies have their way, we all will be pumping gas into our tanks that is created through having bacteria make hydrocarbons.

If this technology conversion can be made viable, it would lend a new interpretation to the expression – “Man, that car is SICK!”

This excerpted from Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Technology Review -

Making Gasoline from Bacteria
A biotech startup wants to coax fuels from engineered microbes.
By Neil Savage, Technology Review - Wednesday, August 01, 2007

The biofuel of the future could well be gasoline. That's the hope of one biotech startup that on Monday described for the first time how it is coaxing bacteria into producing hydrocarbons that could be processed into fuels like those made from petroleum.

LS9, a company based in San Carlos, CA, and founded by geneticist George Church, of Harvard Medical School, and plant biologist Chris Somerville, of Stanford University, had previously said that it was working on what it calls "renewable petroleum." But at a Society for Industrial Microbiology conference on Monday, the company began speaking more openly about what it has accomplished: it has genetically engineered various bacteria, including E. coli, to custom-produce hydrocarbon chains.

E. coli - Image Credit: uni-heidelberg.de

To do this, the company is employing tools from the field of synthetic biology to modify the genetic pathways that bacteria, plants, and animals use to make fatty acids, one of the main ways that organisms store energy. Fatty acids are chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms strung together in a particular arrangement, with a carboxylic acid group made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen attached at one end. Take away the acid, and you're left with a hydrocarbon that can be made into fuel.

"I am very impressed with what they're doing," says James Collins, codirector of the Center for Advanced Biotechnology at Boston University. He calls the company's use of synthetic biology and systems biology to engineer hydrocarbon-producing bacteria "cutting edge."

In some cases, LS9's researchers used standard recombinant DNA techniques to insert genes into the microbes. In other cases, they redesigned known genes with a computer and synthesized them. The resulting modified bacteria make and excrete hydrocarbon molecules that are the length and molecular structure the company desires.

Stephen del Cardayre, a biochemist and LS9's vice president for research and development, says the company can make hundreds of different hydrocarbon molecules. The process can yield crude oil without the contaminating sulfur that much petroleum out of the ground contains. The crude, in turn, would go to a standard refinery to be processed into automotive fuel, jet fuel, diesel fuel, or any other petroleum product that someone wanted to make.

Next year LS9 will build a pilot plant in California to test and perfect the process, and the company hopes to be selling improved biodiesel and providing synthetic biocrudes to refineries for further processing within three to five years. (See "Building Better Biofuels.")

But LS9 isn't the only company in this game. Amyris Biotechnologies, of Emeryville, CA, is also using genes from plants and animals to make microbes produce designer fuels. Neil Renninger, senior vice president of development and one of the company's cofounders, says that Amyris has also created bacteria capable of supplying renewable hydrocarbon-based fuels. The main difference between the companies, Renninger says, is that while LS9 is working on a biocrude that would be processed in a refinery, Amyris is working on directly producing fuels that would need little or no further processing.
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LS9's current work uses sugar derived from corn kernels as the food source for the bacteria--the same source used by ethanol-producing yeast. To produce greater volumes of fuel, and to not have energy competing with food, both approaches will need to use cellulosic biomass, such as switchgrass, as the feedstock. Del Cardayre estimates that cellulosic biomass could produce about 2,000 gallons of renewable petroleum per acre.

Producing hydrocarbon fuels is more efficient than producing ethanol, del Cardayre adds, because the former packs about 30 percent more energy per gallon. And it takes less energy to produce, too. The ethanol produced by yeast needs to be distilled to remove the water, so ethanol production requires 65 percent more energy than hydrocarbon production does.

The U.S. Department of Energy has set a goal of replacing 30 percent of current petroleum use with fuels from renewable biological sources by 2030, and del Cardayre says he feels that's easily achievable.

Reference Here>>

Tick, Tick, Tick – Bird Flu Brings Bali "Low"

The Bali Starling lives only on Bali. As few as six may exist in the wild. Image Credit: Adrian Pingstone in January 2005

Tick, Tick, Tick – Bird Flu Brings Bali "Low"

Indonesia has become the country to watch as it relates to bird flu crossover deaths. Human infection and deaths attributed to Avian Flu virus contracted directly from the raising of birds for food have now claimed 82 victims … the most of any country in the world.

If this virus mutates to where it can be transferred from human to human, the health of the world will be in jeopardy through a pandemic that will have little in the way of vaccines and other tools to counter this threat from the world health community.

If this virus is able to make the crossover from bird - human transmission to human - human transmission, forget the war on terror created by radical Muslim Islamists … a pandemic will become the greatest threat to human life and stability in this world as we know it.

Funny how this threat, Avian Flu crossover, happens to be at its worse in a primarily Muslim believing country (Bali is managed as part of Indonesia while primarily believing in Hindi traditions in religion). One has to ask – What is wrong with these societies and infrastructures that would allow this threat to world health to approach a tipping point? It may be just a coincidence but the world needs answers and a clear counter strategy to combat this potential pandemic.

Excerpts from Forbes via The Sydney Morning Herald -

Bali bird flu deaths spark tourism fears
By Kate Benson and Mark Forbes in Jakarta - August 14, 2007

AUSTRALIAN health officials are on alert after a deadly outbreak of bird flu on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali.

The finding is another blow to Indonesia's tourism industry, still struggling to recover from the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings.

Ni Luh Putu Sri Windiani, from north-western Bali, became the island's first human victim of bird flu after she died of multiple organ failure on Sunday.

Doctors at the Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar confirmed last night that the 29-year-old Indonesian woman had tested positive to the H5N1 strain of bird flu.

Ms Windiani's daughter, Dian, 5, died suffering from similar symptoms at the same hospital 11 days ago after playing with sick chickens outside their house, but experts are unable to determine if she had bird flu.

It is also unclear whether Ms Windiani contracted bird flu from the chickens or from her daughter. She started showing symptoms more than a week ago, but was admitted to hospital six days later. She was transferred to Denpasar on Friday and treated in the isolation unit.

Australian officials said they were closely monitoring the investigation into the deaths.
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Australia's travel advisory already warns of the risk of bird flu in Indonesia, but states the danger to short-term visitors is relatively low.

A spokesman from the Bird Flu Information Centre in Jakarta, Joko Suyono, said many chickens around Ms Windiani's house had died suddenly in recent weeks.

"The villagers didn't burn the carcasses. Instead, they buried them or fed them to pigs," he said.

The deputy director of the World Health Organisation's Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Ian Barr, said yesterday there was no need to panic.

"Most of these cases occur in villages, not in downtown Kuta or Denpasar, so I'm not sure that travellers should be too concerned."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Ageing, Kay McNiece, said travellers to any bird flu-affected country should steer clear of birds and should practise good hygiene.
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Indonesia reported its first human bird flu case in July 2005.
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Twenty-one Indonesians diagnosed with the disease have survived.
Reference Here>>

We, at MAXINE, become very concerned when officials are "unclear whether Ms Windiani contracted bird flu from the chickens or from her daughter".

We think it is high time that officials in Bali (and Indonesia) become CLEAR as to the source of this latest death due to Avian flu infection and not be so worried about how this might effect tourism.

Dario Franchitti Survives to “Fly” Another Day - UPDATED ... Dario "Flys" Again!

Andretti Green Racing driver #27 Dario Franchitti celebrates after taking the pole with a speed and time of 218.308 and 32.9810. Image Credit: ERIC SEALS/DFP

Dario Franchitti Survives to “Fly” Another Day

The IndyCar race at Michigan International Speedway was very exciting, close (to close), and virtually unwatched due to a rain delay that pushed the original start time and broadcast outlet off a good four hours (broadcast station from ESPN2 to ESPN Classic which not all standard cable providers carry).

There is no agreement between IndyCar and the MIS to stage another race there and this maybe just fine with Dario Franchitti.

In the late stages of the race, Dan Weldon managed to creep up the track and tangle his tires with Franchitti’s Canadian Club sponsored Andretti Green Racing machine sending him and the car on a wild airborne twisting flip that had the car land upside down. He walked away unscathed! Amazing!

This YouTube video starts at lap 141, moments later Dan Wheldon and Dario Franchitti interlock wheels and Dario goes airborne, bounces off the cars of Scott Dixon and AJ Foyt IV. Note how close Dario's sidepod gets to the helmet of Dixon and the tire marks on AJ IV's helmet.

This morning, on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, Dario wasn’t as lucky.

Contessa Brewer, while reading (and not understanding) the news, managed to mangle Dario’s last name during the full three hour telecast (again, virtually unwatched after the firing of Don Imus from this timeslot). She persisted in pronouncing Dario’s last name Fran-Chet-tea as opposed to Fran-Key-tea.

It is not as if Dario Franchitti’s name, and how it is pronounced, is not well known … he only won this year’s Indianapolis 500 race and he is part of a Hollywood “Power Couple” in that he is married to Ashley Judd and has been for a few years now.

This situation says more about the clueless-ness of the reporter than the fame of the race car driver.


We, at MAXINE, are happy - all that happened yesterday is that Dario Franchitti lost only one point in his series points lead over rival Scott Dixon … further, we can only hope that Contessa Brewer will soon be catapulted by MSNBC for her lack of attention to detail (trust us on this – it isn’t the first time she showed she could not read and understand) and NOT be around to fly another day.

Excerpts from Autoweek -

The Last IndyCar Race at Michigan Wasn’t Pretty
Tony Kanaan held off Marco Andretti for the win.
By CURT CAVIN - Autoweek - This article was last updated on: 08/06/07, 09:33 et

IndyCar said goodbye—at least for now—to Michigan International Speedway, and no one shed a tear.

Not the drivers who crashed out of the rain-delayed Firestone Indy 400, not the team owners who saw their cars damaged, not the Indy Racing League officials who held their breath through the carnage and not the promoter who hosted one of the smallest crowds of the season.

“I’m in no hurry to come back at this moment,” Dario Franchitti said.

Franchitti survived one of the nastiest accidents in recent memory when his car got turned sideways by Dan Wheldon on lap 144 and vaulted into the air, an estimated 20 feet at its peak.

The car, which won the Indianapolis 500, rotated twice before landing on top of that of fellow championship contender Scott Dixon, whose helmet got scuffed by a tire.

Franchitti, who realized immediately what kind of ride he was in for, said the landing was soft. He headed to Dixon to thank him.

“He really saved me,” he said.

The roll bar on Franchitti’s car was sheared off and parts and pieces scattered everywhere. Some of them struck the helmet and car of A.J. Foyt IV; others bounced off Wheldon’s machine.

The incident also collected Tomas Scheckter, Sam Hornish Jr. and Scott Sharp. The situation looked so grim at first that Hornish climbed from his car to assist with Franchitti’s rescue. As it turned out, Hornish was one of 10 people to help put the car back on its wheels.

Then Franchitti, who had led 101 laps, climbed out unharmed. Amazingly, no one else was injured.

“It’s unbelievable,” the Scot said. “The only other time I’ve been upside-down like that was in a DTM testing crash at Hockenheim.

“I certainly don’t want to do that again.”
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Kanaan held off Marco Andretti in the final laps to win by 0.059 second. It was his third win of the season and his 10th overall.
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A crowd estimated at 10,000 watched. For now, none of them will return to MIS for an IndyCar race.
Read All>>

UPDATE Aug. 12, 2007 -

Dario Flys Again ... You Just Can't Keep A Good Man Down

Dario Franchitti takes to the air for the second time in as many weeks!

Excerpted from IndyCar website with contribution from YouTube -

Kanaan wins, Dixon moves to eight points behind Franchitti
By Dave Lewandowski - indycar.com

SPARTA, Ky. – As Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon – locked in a championship duel -- battled for second place through the midsection of the Meijer Indy 300 presented by Coca-Cola and Edy's, Tony Kanaan's No. 11 Team 7-Eleven car was knifing through the twilight air at Kentucky Speedway less than a second ahead.

The lead transferred through pit stop cycles, but Kanaan was never out of the top five.
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But the excitement didn't end for the crowd of more than 56,000 and the ESPN audience. Taking the checkered flag, Franchitti's No. 27 Canadian Club car ran into/over the rear of the No. 55 Panasonic Panther Racing car driven by Kosuke Matsuura just past the finish line and flipped backward – again. Franchitti, who walked away from a frightening crash six days earlier at Michigan International Speedway in which his car flipped several times, also was unscathed in the post-race incident.

"That one was completely my fault; there's no excuse," Franchitti said. "I screwed up twice in the race. I screwed up once coming out of the pits and then after the checkered. I didn't realize it was the checkered. I got the 'Hey, it's a checkered' just as I was hitting him. I'm pretty disgusted right now for that -- for both my mistakes today."

Franchitti, who finished eighth mainly because of a pit lane mistake 20 laps earlier, saw his points lead over Dixon sliced to eight. Kanaan moved to 52 points behind.
Reference Here>>

The Real Survivor Fiji – If It Walks Like A Duck …

STRIKING members of the Fiji Nursing Association will report to work from 6am tomorrow. Kuini Lutua talks to the media at a press conference at the FNA headquarters in Suva. "I think one of the main reasons we've decided to go this way (withdraw strike) is due to the non-negotiation done by the interim government from the beginning; meaning when they wanted to reduce the pay by 5 per cent we were not called in to be consulted. Image Credit: Fiji Times

The Real Survivor Fiji – If It Walks Like A Duck …

The biggest problem that confronts Fiji at this time is the lack of intervention by law abiding, democratic countries that know this coup is wrong and should be put down as soon as possible.

A recent article in the Fiji Times shows how this wait and see approach will only empower Commodore Frank and his position as he slowly, very slowly drags Fiji into extreme economic despair.

This from Fiji Times –

Fiji: Like a duck treading water
BRIJ V LAL - Saturday, August 11, 2007

Fiji today is like a duck treading water, a Fijian political operative told me the other day.

'All calm on the surface, but unknown currents churning beneath.' As a description of the current state of affairs in Fiji, the imagery is pretty apt.

From various government quarters, the talk of change and improvement is optimistic. The so-called 'clean up campaign' is proceeding apace, we are told, the economy is on the mend, the country is at peace, and the people are 'moving on.' That is the official line: nonchalance in some circles, assertive self-confidence, arrogance even, in others.

It is true that the country has not descended into the kind of civil strife some feared when the coup took place and people in all walks of life are muddling along, coping as best they can with what they have. But there is a palpable sense of fragility in the air, the sense that things could go wrong at any time.

Mr Taniela Tabu's experience is a case in point. With the Public Emergency Regulations suspended, Mr Tabu thought he was entitled to his freedom of speech guaranteed under the constitution.

He believed the interim administration was in charge of the country. But arrested and taken to the barracks, he was, he has told the country and the international community, physically humiliated and his life threatened if he continued to speak up. The military council was apparently still in place and in control, very much so. There were the predictable denials from the QEB, but Mr Tabu's account was credible, his injured outrage believable.

The extreme touchiness of the interim administration and the military to any criticism of its action is evident. It instills fear and fosters self-censorship in the populace. To be issued death threats for calling for the resignation of a minister from government says a great deal about the state of affairs in Fiji today.
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The interim administration's optimistic claims about the economy go against the assessments of virtually all the leading businessmen with whom I have spoken.

Contraction is the order of the day, they tell me, in some sectors by as much as 30-40 percent. There is no new investment, and many projects with huge investment and employment potential have been frozen.
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What, I ask, will it take to kick-start the economy?

Firm commitment to returning the country to parliamentary democracy, the businessmen tell me. They place much hope on the interim administration's undertaking given to the European Union that the next general election will be held by March 2009. Without that, the country is looking down at the barrel of the gun, so to speak.

The question is: will general election be held within the time frame stipulated by the EU?

There are those who are optimistic, but I have deep doubts. The Fiji Labour Party has stated that holding general election should not be the country's priority; getting the essential electoral infrastructure right should be: conducting a census, drawing up electoral boundaries, educating the voters. Accomplishing these before 2009 may not be feasible.

The interim Prime Minister has said on various occasions that the timing of the next general election is a matter for Fiji to decide, not for the international community to dictate.
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If the Fijian community continues to feel marginalised and excluded from power, its cherished institutions symbolically humiliated and sidelined, there will be Qarases galore in the future. And they could well be less mindful of multi-ethnic sensitivities and the need for multi-ethnic accommodation than Mr Qarase and other politicians of his vintage.

Talking to Fijians on the streets in Suva, admittedly a small sample, I get the definite sense of frustrated silence in the Fijian community. They feel helpless, hobbled and humiliated. 'What can we do,' a man says to me. 'The guns are there.' There is a silent but definite hardening of race relations. The signs are everywhere.

Every issue, every challenge, is viewed through the prism of race. Predominantly Indian trade unions struck an early deal with the interim administration while predominantly Fijian ones struck, I am told. It is not as simple as that, for support for or against the interim administration is divided across the communities. Not all Indians support the coup, nor all Fijians oppose it. But perceptions, right or wrong, do matter. And the omens do not look good.
The government's handling of the strike has left a bitter taste in many mouths. Its rigid and even vindictive approach to industrial relations, its unwillingness to go to arbitration, its determination to frustrate and break up the trade union movement not willing to succumb to its pressure, all done ironically with the support of some compliant trade union leaders, leaves a sad legacy. The government says its coffers are empty, but then spends funds on purchasing vehicles and paying private attorneys to fight its cases. Somewhere, the priorities have gone wrong.
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Preoccupied with its own survival amidst unrelenting international pressure unlikely to end any time soon, it has adopted an ad-hoc, fire-containing, approach to the challenges facing it: an enquiry here, a raid there, a plea for aid and assistance and skilled personnel from this country or that.

All this points to one inescapable truth: Fiji is a part of the international community; it is an island, yes, but an island in the physical sense alone. We cannot afford to thumb our noses at the international community and then expect to escape retribution. Sooner rather than later, the larger challenges of the proper way to build a multi-ethnic nation will return to haunt the nation.
Read All>>

Commodore Frank Bainimarama will continue to waddle his way into perpetual power through military rule while the former democratic nation of Fiji suffers.

This "Coup Culture" is Quakers!

Ill Opening (continues) At The Boxoffice For SiCKO

“Castro said, under Political Prisoner Health Plan, I could easily lose 90 pounds in 90 days ... and that’s without surgery!” - Caption and Image Credit: Rocketman, Powerline Forum

Ill Opening At The Weekend Boxoffice For SiCKO

Screening Reviews are in:

B- (510 votes)

Slightly above Average but below Good ... not Excellent.

Backdrop From Pre-Release:

This from Internet Movie Database Inc. (IMBd) -

WILL PIRACY INFECT BOX OFFICE FOR SICKO?
Thursday, June 21 2007

Michael Moore’s Sicko had been downloaded about 4,000 times from peer-to-peer websites PirateBay and Mininova as of Wednesday, according to figures posted on the sites.

Clips from the film were also viewed over 1,000 times on YouTube and Google Video before they were yanked following protests by the Weinstein Company, which produced the health-care documentary. (Trailers and interviews with Moore remain.) Moore has said that the piracy appeared to be an “inside job,” given the fact that a perfect digital print was posted on the file-sharing sites.

CNET News writer Greg Sandoval commented Wednesday that he doubted that the online piracy will hurt the film at the box office. “First,” he wrote, “the controversy ... generated plenty of headlines for Sicko.

Nobody associated with the movie is going to be distressed about that. On the sites where the bootlegs appeared scores of comments were posted and that’s the kind of word-of-mouth promotion marketers love.”
Reference Here>>

The results this weekend leave Michael Moore hoping to match “Bowling for Columbine” numbers as opposed to being able to heat up to “Fahrenheit 9/11”!

Excerpts from a FOX News report (7-2-2007) -

1. "Ratatouille," $47.2 million.

2. "Live Free or Die Hard," $33.15 million.

3. "Evan Almighty," $15.1 million.

4. "1408," $10.6 million.

5. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," $9 million.

6. "Knocked Up," $7.4 million.

7. "Ocean's Thirteen," $6.05 million.

8. "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," $5 million.

9. "Sicko," $4.5 million.

10. "Evening," $3.5 million.

"Sicko," Moore's dissection of the ills of U.S. health care, played in 441 theaters, about half the number for his last movie, 2004's $100 million hit "Fahrenheit 9/11." With a $23.9 million opening, "Fahrenheit 9/11" did five times as much business, though.

Still, "Sicko" had the second-best documentary debut ever behind "Fahrenheit 9/11." By comparison, "Ratatouille" opened in nearly 4,000 theaters, about nine times as many as "Sicko."

Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of the Weinstein Co., said he wanted to roll "Sicko" out slowly to give it a longer shelf life and keep Moore's stand for universal health care on the front burner.

"The idea is to hold during the summer and just continue to build this thing," Weinstein said. "I just think the debate in this country is going to catch up with the movie, so we've got to keep it slow."

Weinstein and Moore said they hoped "Sicko" would do in the range of the $21.6 million total for the filmmaker's 2002 Academy Award winner "Bowling for Columbine."
(ht: FOX News)
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Regardless of the spin Harvey Weinstein is putting on the numbers, “SiCKO” NOT the success that Michael Moore was aiming for.

I guess with SiCKO, it is just going to be less for Moore!

UPDATE 7-10-2007:

LOS ANGELES — Robots were Hollywood's big wage-earners over the weekend as "Transformers," the sci-fi saga about warring machines, debuted with $70.5 million.

The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Media By Numbers LLC are:

1. "Transformers," Paramount, $70,502,384, 4,011 locations, $17,577 average, $155,405,412, one week.

2. "Ratatouille," Disney, $29,014,293, 3,940 locations, $7,364 average, $109,531,598, two weeks.

3. "Live Free or Die Hard," Fox, $17,730,149, 3,411 locations, $5,198 average, $84,424,123, two weeks.

4. "License to Wed," Warner Bros., $10,422,258, 2,604 locations, $4,002 average, $17,838,076, one week.

5. "Evan Almighty," Universal, $8,719,135, 3,460 locations, $2,520 average, $78,706,785, three weeks.

6. "1408," MGM, $7,088,979, 2,631 locations, $2,694 average, $53,738,325, three weeks.

7. "Knocked Up," Universal, $5,222,680, 2,213 locations, $2,360 average, $132,089,425, six weeks.

8. "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," Fox, $4,239,993, 2,618 locations, $1,620 average, $123,881,586, four weeks.

9. "Sicko," Lionsgate, $3,600,179, 702 locations, $5,128 average, $11,452,560, three weeks.

10. "Ocean's Thirteen," Warner Bros., $3,525,366, 2,102 locations, $1,677 average, $109,145,316, five weeks.

SiCKO Only:

Date - Jul 6–8
Rank - 9 Weekend Gross - $3,600,179 % Change = -20.0% Theater Count - 702 Change - +261 / Avg. - $5,128 Gross-to-Date - $11,452,560 Week# - 3

Even Michael Moore would have to agree that the trend is not what he and Harvey Weinstein of Lionsgate (the film's distributor) would like to see ... operative number? ... % Change = -20.0%.

UPDATE #2 - 7-15-2007:

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," $77.4 million.

2. "Transformers," $36 million.

3. "Ratatouille," $18 million.

4. "Live Free or Die Hard," $10.9 million.

5. "License to Wed," $7.4 million.

6. "1408," $5.01 million.

7. "Evan Almighty," $5 million.

8. "Knocked Up," $3.7 million.

9. "Sicko," $2.65 million.

10. "Ocean's Thirteen," $1.9 million.
(ht:FOXNews)

SiCKO Only:

Date - Jul 13-15
Rank - 9 Weekend Gross - $2,604,139 % Change = -27.7% Theater Count - 756 Change - +54 / Avg. - $3,444 Gross-to-Date - $15,830,046 Week# - 4

Again, "Moore" bad news ... operative number? ... % Change = -27.7%.

It is going to be a tall order for Michael Moore and Lionsgate to reach the hoped for $21,600,000 that "Bowling for Columbine" achieved for its domestic gross.

UPDATE - Week #5

Date - Jul 20–22
Rank Weekend - 11
Gross - $1,945,723
% Change -25.3%
Theater Count – 1,117
Change +361
Avg. - $1,741
Gross-to-Date – $19,185,853

... In a couple of more weeks, Michael Moore just might make the $21,600,000 he Grossed for “Bowling For Columbine” ... he will have to open in even more theaters though (up nearly 48%), if the take per theater drops any further (this weekend's average per theater gross ticket sales was down slightly over 50%).

UPDATE - Week #6 -

Date - Jul 27–29
Rank Weekend - 15
Gross - $1,173,740
Change -39.7%
Theater Count – 850
Change -267
Avg. - $1,380
Gross-to-Date – $21,493,605

Damn!

Just shy of the re-established BIG GOAL!

This is a pretty poor showing for a film-maker who had "broken through" and made it to the big time. "Bowling For Columbine" numbers from an unknown film-maker is a grand feat ... but these numbers from somebody as well known as Michael Moore simply has to hurt ... and the pre-release to the internet can not explain this train wreck of a showing after six weeks!

Final UPDATE Aug. 9, 2007

Going, Going, … GONE!

SiCKO has played its hand and should be leaving us all soon to be replaced in short order by Blu-ray and DVD.

After seven weeks, SiCKO couldn’t hit the lofty target of $25,000,000 and even though the film only costs a reported $9,000,000 to make this has to be a big disappointment to Lions Gate Films and Michael Moore … especially in a world governed by “Hollywood Math”!

Date – Aug. 3–5
Rank Weekend - 20
Gross - $503,702
% Change -57.1%
Theater Count – 349
Change -501
Avg. - $1,443
Gross-to-Date – $22,640,294
Week# - 7

The Slide Continues - Gay Episcopal Bishop Backs "Muslim" For President

"Person Of The Year", 2007 Affirmation Conference Keynote Speaker, Episcopal bishop, the Reverend V. Gene Robinson - Image Credit: The Advocate via 2007 Affirmation Conference

The long, slow slide to the bottom rung of respected, tradition based, organized religion ladder in America ... continues - Gay Episcopal Bishop Backs "Muslim" For President

What ever happened to the separation between Church and State?

Obama feels his experience living in Indonesia, being taught in Muslim schools for four years as a child, and his ability to speak to Muslims could make him a better president. Apparently so does Episcopal bishop, Reverend V. Gene Robinson.

This is really rich … why don’t we all just throw standards to out the window entirely and not have an election at all! Why don’t we just appoint whomever the Episcopal Church of these United States endorses ... you know, the one that has a good percentage of traditional Episcopal churches seeking to be associated with Episcopal/Anglican governing bodies as far away as ... Africa!

This from the Boston Globe -

N.H.'s Episcopal bishop backs Obama's run
By JAMES W. PINDELL, Boston Globe - August 3, 2007

New Hampshire's Episcopal bishop, the Reverend V. Gene Robinson, endorsed US Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign, saying Obama had a background in faith and activism to which he could relate.

Robinson became an internationally controversial figure in 2003 when he became the first openly gay bishop of the Episcopal Church.

His appointment created a schism that led many to leave the church. The international Anglican Communion has threatened to split from the American church.

The public endorsement of Obama could set off even more uneasiness within the church, which has not been overtly involved in electoral politics.

In a conference call with reporters yesterday, Robinson said that after the Obama campaign reached out to him he became impressed with Obama and "shared his values."

"His experience as a community organizer and as one that did it from a faith background represents the kind of change we need," Robinson said.

Robinson said he has never publicly endorsed a candidate before and will not use the pulpit to advocate for Obama. Yet, his endorsement of Obama is the latest sign in Robinson's growing political profile. Earlier in the year Robinson lobbied New Hampshire lawmakers to become the first state in the nation to approve same-sex civil unions without a court mandate. He also said he plans to enter into a civil union with his partner.

In addition, he has been a public advocate against the state's death penalty.

When it comes to gay marriage, Robinson says he disagrees with Obama's stance of only favoring allowing civil unions.

"At this moment we have no viable candidate who is where we would like them to be on these issues," he said.

Unlike many Democratic candidates in the past the Obama campaign has actively sought out religious groups. In New Hampshire, Obama volunteers organized discussions around the state about the interplay of faith and activism.
Reference Here>>

And this excerpted from NewsMax -

Obama: My Muslim Ties Are a Strength
NewsMax - Tuesday, April 24, 2007 10:00 p.m. EDT

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday tried to reassure Jewish voters concerned about his Muslim ties, arguing that his commitment to Israel's security is unwavering.
----
"If I go to Jakarta and address the largest Muslim country on earth, I can say, 'Apa kabar,' — you know, 'How are you doing?' — and they can recognize that I understand their common humanity," Obama said. "That is a strength, and it allows me to say things to them that other presidents might not be able to say. And that's part of what's promising, I think, about this presidency."

Obama's stepfather was Indonesian, and the future senator lived in the country from ages 6 to 10.
Read All>>

This can only be a marriage ... ahhh - errr, “Union” made in Daily Kos heaven.

The Real Survivor Fiji – Nurses & Teachers Go “Industrial”

Teachers strike in solidarity with Nurses in Fiji (see video at link below). Image Credit: TV3 News, New Zealand

The Real Survivor Fiji – Nurses & Teachers Go “Industrial”

Life is hard under an illegal military rule and despotic regime.

The economy begins to tank, people do not want to visit, citizens have trouble supporting the Commodore’s agenda, and eventually someone … everyone has to pay the price.

In the latest round of “payments”, the nurses and teachers are having their pay cut and their retirement paired back in an effort for the Commodore’s government to be able to meet its obligations.

Does it need to be stated? … Would the Fijian economy and its ability for the government to meet its obligations be in this position if Commodore Frank weren’t so selfish and cavalier in his actions to have the military perform a coup and oust a democratically elected government?

This from TV3 News, New Zealand –

Teachers join nurses striking in Fiji
TV3 News - Thu, 02 Aug 2007 06:23p.m.

Another sector joined the striking nurses in Fiji today as turmoil in the public sector continued.

About 1000 teachers took industrial action in the form of a peaceful sit-in.

But Fiji’s Police Commissioner urged unions and all Fijians to remain calm and act within the law.

At the teachers’ union headquarters in central Suva, striking took the form of unity songs, speeches from union reps and kava.

After threats from the military and warnings from police, union organisers ensured the protest was peaceful.

The teachers were joined by some striking nurses whom police tried to stop at the gate.

1400 nurses are still on strike after a week of industrial action.

300 public works, water and sewerage workers also took industrial action today.

Just after December’s coup, the interim government slashed pay for civil servants by five percent, and the retirement age from 60 to 55.

The unions want both restored and a further 10 percent payrise.

Last night union leader Taniela Tabu was returned to his family after being detained by army and police, and other union leaders have been targeted.

Fiji's Police Commissioner told a news conference today their presence at hospitals and schools is not meant to intimidate.

The strikes are due to continue tomorrow.
Reference Here>>

Video Report Here>>

Detentions were not meant to intimidate ... yea, right!

A Fish For Time … Any Time

Graphic fact file on the coelacanth, a rare fish once thought to be extinct for millions of years until one was caught in 1938 off the coast of East Africa. A living specimen was caught in Indonesia this year, only the second ever in the region. Image Credit: AFP Graphic

A Fish For Time … Any Time

The Coelacanth is just this type of ocean creature.

It has become a fish of our time in that the sightings are so rare that these these occurrences create international attention in the scientific community.

Most scientists believed that this fish was extinct until one was caught and catalogued about 70 years ago, in the Commoros archipelago, off of the coast of Eastern Africa.

Until this latest catch, there was only one other sighting in Indonesia (in the same area, Manado, as this sighting) back in 1998.

Coelacanths, closely related to lungfish, usually live at depths of 656-3,200 feet. They can grow up to 6.5 feet in length and weigh as much as 200 pounds.

This catch was equally unusual, in that, it came on the end of a 360 foot line … about half of the depth that scientists understood this fish could live.

Further, this Coelacanth is a fish for time … any time because it only took a little over two months for information on this capture to make it to general news distribution.

An unidentified researcher measures a coelacanth after it was caught by fishermen at a depth of about 100m off Nungwi, northern Zanzibar July 14, 2007. The fish weighed 27kgs with a total length of 134.8cm. The coelacanth, known from fossil records dating back more than 360 million years, was believed to have become extinct some 80 million years ago until one was caught off the eastern coast of South Africa in 1938 -- a major zoological find. Image Credit: Picture taken July 14, 2007. REUTERS/Dr Narriman Jiddawi/Institute of Marine Sciences in Zanzibar/Handout (TANZANIA)

This from Agence France-Presse (AFP) via Yahoo! News -

Scientists excited by Indonesian-caught coelacanth
By Ronan Bourhis - AFP - Sat Jul 28, 11:06 PM ET

MANADO, Indonesia - Two months ago Indonesian fisherman Justinus Lahama caught a fish so exceptional that an international team of scientists rushed here to investigate.

French experts equipped with sonar and GPS asked Lahama to reconstruct, in his dugout canoe, exactly what it was he did that enabled him to catch a rare coelacanth fish, an awkward-swimming species among the world's oldest.

Indonesian fisherman Justinus Lahama displaying to international researchers how he managed to capture a giant and very rare coelacanth fish in Manado, North Sulawesi, in June. Their fossil records date back more than 360 million years and suggest the animal has changed little in that time. Image Credit: AFP/File/Ronan Bourhis

Last May 19, Lahama and his son Delvy manoevred their frail canoe into the Malalayang river, on the outskirts of Manado, on northern Sulawesi island. Like any other morning, they rowed out to sea and fished within 200 metres (yards) of the beach.
----
"I very quickly unrolled the usual trawl line with three hooks, about 110 metres (yards) long, and at the end of three minutes, I felt a large catch," Lahama recounts.

The pull was strong: "I had painful arms -- I felt such a resistance, I thought that I was pulling up a piece of coral."

After 30 minutes of effort under the searing tropical sun, he finally saw a fish swishing at a depth of about 20 metres (65 feet).

"The sea was very calm this day. There was no wind, no clouds, no current. The water was very clear. The fish let itself be drawn in from there," he says.

"It was an enormous fish. It had phosphorescent green eyes and legs. If I had pulled it up during the night, I would have been afraid and I would have thrown it back in," he exclaims.
----
Lahama, 48, has fished since he was 10 years old, like his father and his grandfather before him. But he was unlikely to have ever run into this "living fossil" species, as scientists have dubbed the enigmatic fish.

Fin of a very rare coelacanth fish in Manado as Indonesian, Japanese and French specialists (unseen) carry out an autopsy, North Sulawesi, in June. Coelacanths are among the world's oldest fish species. Their fossil records date back more than 360 million years and suggest the animal has changed little in that time. Image Credit: AFP/File/Ronan Bourhis

Lahama's catch, 1.3 metres long and weighing 50 kilograms (110 pounds) was only the second ever captured alive in Asia.
----
Their fossil records date back more than 360 million years and suggest that the fish has changed little over that period.
----
Returning to port, he [Lahama] showed it off to the most senior fisherman, who became alarmed.

"It is a fish which has legs -- it should be given back to the water. It will bring us misfortune," he told him. But the unsuperstitious Lahama decided to keep it.

After spending 30 minutes out of water, the fish, still alive, was placed in a netted pool in front of a restaurant at the edge of the sea. It survived for 17 hours.

The local fisheries authorities filmed the fish swimming in the metre-deep pool, capturing invaluable images as the species had only previously been recorded in caves at great depths.

----
The site of capture, so close to the beach and from a depth of 105 metres, had intrigued the scientists. Does the Indonesian coelacanth live in shallower waters than its cousin in the Commoros?

Lahama's fish is to be preserved and will be displayed in a museum in Manado.
Read All>>

Knock, Knock - Orange You Glad We Now Have E85?

What do you get when you unravel the orange peel pictured above? A renewable fuel resource, that’s what! Image Credit: Worth 1000

Knock, Knock - Orange You Glad We Now Have E85?

Yes, this is a new take on that old “Knock, Knock” joke … but the outcome of this exchange holds great promise.

One of the biggest limitations found with the creation of Ethanol come from the type of matter the liquid is processed or converted from. When one uses food substances like corn or sugar cane, this puts additional stress on some segments of our economic society. The costs of everything associated with corn (for example) shoot up because the supply becomes restricted due to the increased demand, all the while, our landfills are burying perfectly good fodder for the Ethanol mill!

Take this item about Orange Peels … that’s right, the stuff that is being carted off to a landfill to take up additional space along with twigs, lawn clippings, and waste cardboard.

At MAXINE, we say convert it all!

This from the National Association of Convenience Stores -

Citrus-Powered Ethanol?
NACS News & Media Center - July 23, 2007

MIAMI – Florida oranges might not just fuel consumers anymore – the citrus fruit might help fuel cars, the Miami Herald reports. FPL Energy revealed plans to work with a citrus processor and a new energy firm to build one of the world’s first processing plants that would use citrus peels as the base for ethanol.

If built during the next two years, the plant could output approximately 4 million gallons of ethanol. On day, the technology could produce as much as 60 million citrus-to-ethanol gallons, a mere fraction of the 8.7 billion gallons of gasoline consumed in the Florida.

“The idea is we would have the land produce both our food and our fuel,” David Stewart, president of Citrus Energy, told the newspaper. Citrus Energy will assist FPL in constructing the plant with approximately $3 million in state financial aid. “We’re turning a liability for the citrus industry into an asset.”

Citrus peel more easily converts into ethanol than corn and, since it uses a waste product, doesn’t use food for fuel, Stewart said.
Share your opinion on this story with NACS

Gov. Charlie Crist praised FPL for looking into alternative fuels. In 2006, Florida produced approximately 110 million 90-pound boxes of oranges.
Reference Here>>

“Emotionally Double-Parked”: Big Reaction To A Small Town Honor

Great American Race 2007 competitors arrive on the tarmac at the Big Bear Lake Airport for the final pitstop of the race. Image Credit: KBHR

“Emotionally Double-Parked”: Big Reaction To A Small Town Honor

For many decades now, there has been a hamlet in the rugged, Ponderosa and Fir covered mountains of San Bernardino located about 100 miles East of LAX, that has provided an island of serenity and small town charm with little fanfare and recognition.

Last week, all of that lack of recognition changed just a little when The Great American Race bestowed the honor of the title - Great American City!

Map of the Great American Race 2007 route. Image Credit: The Great Race

At last weekend's awards ceremony in Anaheim, the drivers of the Great American Race named Big Bear Lake the Great American City out of their 43 cross-country pitstops (roughly 4,000 miles), from Concord, North Carolina to Anaheim, California.

The Great American Race began in 1982 when an auto enthusiast, Curtis Graf, and a close friend, Tom McRae, both of Dallas, Texas, learned about a cross-country rally for classic cars. They approached Norman Miller, a fellow Texan and president of Interstate Batteries, about sponsoring the pair if they entered the race. Miller agreed. Within weeks, the original promoter had lost interest and the entrepreneurial McRae soon found himself in partnership with Miller in promoting the inaugural Interstate Batteries Great American Race.

Knott’s Berry Farm, an amusement park in Buena Park, Calif., hosted the official start when 69 classic cars took the green flag, waved by Tony Curtis, star of the 1960s movie “The Great Race.” Seven days later, 62 vehicles finished in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Great Race was on its way.
(ht: The Great Race)

The race for 2007 (the 25th anniversary edition) decided to include Big Bear Lake on the list of cities in which to stage a pitstop due largely to the lobbying efforts of the president of Bear Valley's own antique car club - Cliff Fowler.

To people who are familiar with Big Bear, Cliff Fowler is a recognizable fixture and personality in that he can be heard on the local radio station, 93.3 FM - KBHR (K-Bear), delivering the weekly fishing report titled "Fowlers Fish Tales". Most people tune in to hear some of Cliff's most famous phrases, delivered in a studied and punctuated style, that may include "that beautiful blue jewel located 7,000 feet up in the San Bernardino mountains", "for the bait boys ... a sliding egg sinker and Goo [Eagle Claw Nitro, Power Bait] or Wigglers off the bottom for some good action along the shore”, and ".... so pull up a rock and teach a worm how to swim, this is Cliff Fowler … for this week’s edition of … Fowler’s Fish Tales".

Great American Race participants made their way up Cushenbury Grade to Big Bear Valley on July 13. They left from Laughlin, Nev., on that morning for what turned out to be a long day. Fowler called the penultimate day of the Great American Race brutal for the drivers.

Cresting the mountain at Cushenbury Grade road that leads from Lucerne in the Mojave desert before a relaxing stopover at the Big Bear Lake Airport. Image Credit: Great American Race

This from The Great Race website –

Big Bear Lake, California wins 2007 Great American City Award
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - July 15, 2007

After the 2007 Great Race participants visited 44 different communities; enjoying celebratory welcomes all the way across America, they voted Big Bear Valley, California the best of the best, giving them the prestigious Great American City Award and $5,000 for their local library. The Big Bear Lake Antique Car Club spearheaded the event and started working on it five months before the arrival of the Great Race. The event was held at the Big Bear Airport as a Pit Stop for the racers on Friday, July 13th, which was also the last day of competition.

“I’m emotionally double parked,” stated Cliff Fowler, Big Bear Lake Antique Car Club President. “Earning the award was something I had a personal vision to do everything in the world to accomplish. I was so honored that thousands of people in town came out for this once in a lifetime event, that’s what Big Bear is all about. We only have 17,000 people who live here, but when it comes to a common cause like this they show their true colors.”

In a scene reminiscent of the 1960’s movie “The Great Race,” thousands lined the winding mountain roads leading into and out of town to cheer on the racers. The reception was a welcome relief after their drive out of the California desert and 120 degree temperatures in Laughlin, NV. Locals waved home made banners, posters and American flags while cheering the racers up the mountain to the community’s 7,000-foot elevation.

“It was a tough choice for the racers with so many great stops to choose from,” said Bill Ewing, CEO of Rally Partners, Inc. “There were so many memorable stops that it was a difficult choice, but Big Bear’s enthusiasm and warmth won out.” With the help from many local sponsors they were able to shower the racers with gifts such as a commemorative hat, a coffee mug and a wooden carved bear driving a red sports car which was raffled off at the competitors final awards ceremony.

“Big Bear was one of my favorite towns,” said Bob LaBine, winner of the 2007 Great American Race. “It was great traveling up the roads and seeing so many people greeting you with signs.”

Portions of Blake Edwards’ 1965 film “The Great Race” were filmed in Big Bear Valley, among other locales in the Big Bear mountain region. The movie was loosely based on the original Great Race that took place in 1908. In 2008, the Great Race will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 1908 race from New York to Paris with The Great Race 2008: New York to Paris.

This was the first time the Great Race had ever been through Big Bear, but it will not be the last.
[Reference Here]

And these excerpts from the Big Bear Grizzly -

Drivers overwhelmed by Valley hospitality
By JUDI BOWERS - Saturday July 18, 2007 - Big Bear Grizzly

They came, they saw and they definitely liked Big Bear. So much so, the Great American Race drivers voted Big Bear as the Great American City.

When the Great American Race 2007 rolled into Big Bear July 13, they were welcomed by thousands of open arms. The Big Bear community turned out to greet the drivers and navigators as they made their way from Yucca Valley up Highway 18 to Big Bear Airport. The welcome didn’t stop there.

Competitors get a grand sendoff as they crest the Onyx Summit when they left Big Bear Lake and the Big Bear Valley, down highway 38 on to the finale in Anaheim. Image Credit: The Great Race

Big Bear also waved goodbye as the teams left Big Bear Airport and headed out of town on Highway 38 over Onyx Summit. Groups of people waited at turnouts along the highway and at Onyx Summit waving, sporting signs and cheering the drivers on.
----
Cliff Fowler of the Big Bear Antique Car Club organized the pit stop in Big Bear. He said the community support put Big Bear over the top as the drivers voted for their top pit stop. There were 45 to choose from. The racers left Concord, N.C., June 30 and made 45 stops along the way.

“It was miraculous,” Fowler said, adding the town came together for a common goal.

Pam Heiman, branch librarian, is thrilled. “We’re pretty ecstatic around here,” Heiman said. She gushed about how fun the event was, how the community under Fowler’s leadership and organization put forth a combined effort. She said it was fun and whether Big Bear won or not, it was a positive experience.
----
Big Bear Lake Airport Landing (tarmac location)

In Big Bear, the flavor of the town began as the cars made their way up the highway from Yucca Valley. Greeters lined the road with signs and flags and more. When the cars arrived at Big Bear airport, they were greeted by hundreds on the tarmac. The drivers and navigators were given gifts and food, and a ticket. The ticket was for a drawing to be held at the rally’s end July 14. George Crezee of Unreal Furnishings, created a bear carving commemorating the Great Race. The carving was sent to the finale site and presented to the holder of the winning ticket there, Fowler said.

Fowler said that Wayne Stanfield, chief operating officer for race organizers Rally Partners, told him the Great Race hadn’t seen this type of enthusiasm from a community in 20 years.

“I could not be prouder of this town,” Fowler said. He said the experience and winning the award leave him very emotional.

Fowler thanked the sponsors, the city of Big Bear Lake, San Bernardino County, the Resort Association, Chamber of Commerce, KBHR and Stater Bros. for the financial support. He said the town couldn’t have pulled off a pit stop of this magnitude without them.

The participants in the Great American Race 2007 left Big Bear with a warm and fuzzy feeling, which is just what Fowler had planned.
[Reference Here]

F1 Shows Up In Full Force At INDY ... UPDATE: For The Last Time!

Image Credit: ING

F1 Shows Up In Full Force At INDY

The premiere open-wheel racing series comes to Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend.

Image Credit: ING

Last year there was a dispute and about only half of the drivers showed up to participate in the race … leaving it with a black eye.

This year, a full field will take the track in one of the most exciting years the series has had, say , in the last five or so.

Coming so soon after the Canadian round in Montreal, this weekend’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has given the teams precious little time in which to regroup. It is safe to say that this race will again be a fight between McLaren and Ferrari, with the possibly of BMW Sauber getting in on the act.

This year features many new drivers and one of the most exciting rookies, Lewis Hamilton, drives for the British team – McLaren-Mercedes.

Lewis Hamilton is highly motivated after scoring his maiden victory in Montreal. This win propelled him to open up an eight-point lead in the drivers’ championship, which caused this reaction: “I come to Indy with great confidence. We have to try and continue with the performance that we have, and I have no doubt we can do that.”

2007 F1 USGP Track Preview Video -

One of the major sponsors of the Formula One racing series has come up with an indexing system to rate each of the racing venues. ING, the Dutch banking and investment powerhouse, has come up with a way to rate, or index each of the tracks and of the 17 racing sites that the Formula One series will race on in 2007, Indianapolis Motor Speedway indexes at #14!

This from ING -

The ING Race Index for the US Grand Prix
In the shadow of a legend

On the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Formula 1 has to drive beneath the shadow of a legend – because this is the venue of the famous Indy 500. A special course has been built for Formula 1 in the world’s most famous oval circuit. It offers the longest full-throttle phase of the season, but for drivers and teams it remains a race full of compromises.

The ING Race Index, which is to Formula 1 what the Dow Jones is to the stock exchange, uses continuously updated information to keep a running assessment of the key factors affecting the race circuits, thus allowing them to be compared. Here the US Grand Prix does not have the same status as Wall Street …

The 2007 F1 United States Grand Prix ING Race Index -

METHODOLOGY -

ING, with its wealth of statistics for Formula 1, has analysed all 17 race circuits from the following aspects:

 Strain on drivers
 Engineering requirements
 Circuit
 Vehicle setup
 Tradition, fascination and emotion of the race

Ranging from a low of 0 to a maximum of 100 points, the ING Race Index shows you at a glance the challenges that each course presents.

Strain on drivers

On each lap drivers have to change gear 36 times. Consequently, there is a limit to the strain, even though they have to take care to remain concentrated despite the monotonous course. One small mistake will take them into the wall. In the ING Race Index the circuit scores only 44 for strain on the drivers, which in turn results in 17th position.

Engineering requirements

One of the most critical spots in Indianapolis is the flat-out section with the only banked curve in Formula 1. This means 24 seconds of full throttle and top speeds of up to 335 km/h (208 mph). Formula 1 only reaches higher speeds in Monza. Engines are tuned to absolute maximum performance. The requirements placed on engineering secure 63 points, which is nevertheless enough for position 8 in the ING Race Index.

Image Credit: ING

Circuit

Many Formula 1 drivers find there is a lack of proper harmony on the track created at the turn of the century and have therefore difficulty getting into a rhythm. This should come as no surprise because it was put together from two completely different sections – one consisting of the original oval with the steep corner and the long full-throttle straights and the other of the new infield with its extremely slow corners. The 53 points are only enough for the 17th and final place in the ING Race Index.

Vehicle setup

This race definitely has its attractions for the strategists on the pit wall. With 62% of the course being driven at full-throttle, petrol consumption plays an important role, and the two pit stops have to be well planned. On the other hand, the track characteristics pose fewer challenges for the engineers in charge of vehicle setup. The ideal solution involves flat wings and low downforce for the full-throttle sections while the twists of the infield call for steep wings and lots of downforce – and, as is so often the case, the solution is a compromise. The ING Race Index awards this complex equation 63 points and position 8.

When in the year 2000 Formula 1 launched a new attempt to win over the hearts of US fans, it was an obvious move to head for Indianapolis, the Mecca of US motorsport. The fascination and tradition of this race circuit, originally built in 1908 using 3.2 million bricks, can be sensed in every corner. The ING Race Index honours this with 61 points and position 8.

Image Credit: ING

Formula 1 has to continue working hard on its expansion course in the USA. This can be seen in the overall rating for the ING Race Index: 57 points are only enough for 14th place among the 17 races.

UPDATE (Saturday Qualifying - 16 June 2007):

Selected quotes from the Official Website of F1 -

McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton proved that his Canada pole was no fluke at Indy on Saturday, but he wasn’t the only new young driver impressing - BMW Sauber’s Sebastian Vettel was seventh on his Grand Prix debut. They and their 20 rivals report back on a tightly-contested qualifying...

Lewis Hamilton, McLaren (1st, 1m 12.331s):
“To be on pole once again within a week is fantastic - I like North America! The fans here have been so enthusiastic and supportive for the team, and I hope they enjoyed today. I screamed into my helmet when I got the confirmation from the team of the pole position. It’s a challenge to come to a track for the first time, and I have learnt new things every single corner and every single lap. I knew I had to push very hard in my second run in Q3. The car is working well, and the team has done a great job - for us to have both cars on the front row is a real advantage, and hopefully the team will be able to make the best of it in tomorrow’s race.”

Fernando Alonso, McLaren (2nd, 1m 12.500s):
“I have had a really quick car all weekend and have been fastest in all practice sessions and the first two parts of qualifying. As a result I’m extremely confident for the race tomorrow and am pleased that the team occupy the front row. I was pushing hard on my last qualifying lap and whilst I was slightly up in the first sector it was not quite enough as I lost some time in the second sector. However the car is working well, and we have had consistent lap times. The two tyre options we have this weekend are close in their performances which gives us reason to be optimistic for the race tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it and hope that I can continue my best ever performance at Indianapolis so far.”

Felipe Massa, Ferrari (3rd, 1m 12.703s):
"I am pretty satisfied and think we can have a strong race tomorrow. We cannot be completely happy about this result but we must not be hard on ourselves either. It would have been difficult to get pole and third place means I will start from a good grid position. We know we can count on a very consistent car in terms of race pace. The start will also play an important part, as will strategy. We will try and make up some place and get the best position possible."

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari (4th, 1m 12.839s):
"All in all, fourth place is quite a good result. It was a very close session and we have to take into account the difference in weights between the cars, something which we will not have an answer to until tomorrow afternoon. Of course, I would like to always be ahead of everyone and there is always room for improvement but I think we can have a good race. It is important that there are no other cars between us and our main rivals. The car has gone well so far this weekend, especially in terms of delivering consistent performance on a long run. We will do our best to bring home a good result."

Nick Heidfeld, BMW Sauber (5th, 1m 12.847s):
“The balance of the car was better today, but I am not really happy with my qualifying as on the last lap I didn’t get it right in the last corner. I had some graining with the tyres and obviously was too aggressive and slid a bit away from racing line, otherwise I think I could have qualified in front of the Ferraris. In Montreal our car was very good over the race distance, so I hope we can continue like this.”

Heikki Kovalainen, Renault (6th, 1m 13.308s):
“It was a good qualifying session for me, continuing a good weekend so far. The car balance felt OK, the set-up is good and I was comfortable on both types of tyre all the way through qualifying. We have improved the car throughout the weekend, and just had a normal weekend. I have always been confident that things would start going better for me, and I haven't made any mistakes or lost any track time here in Indy. When that happens, you can push to the limit and get the maximum from the car. That's what has made the difference compared to last weekend, and now we have to focus on the race. We will have a good strategy and the car is handling well. I'm feeling confident.”
Read All Quotes Here>>

Race UPDATE - Final - 6-17-2007

This from AP via Canada.Com -

Rookie Lewis Hamilton races to second straight Formula One win
Canada.Com - Published: Sunday, June 17, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton did it again, racing to his second straight Formula One victory in Sunday’s U.S. Grand Prix.

The first black driver in F1’s 61-year history has finished all seven races this season in the top three. He now leads Mercedes McLaren teammate and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso by 10 points in the standings.

The two finished 1-2 for the third time this season, but this time the order was reversed from Malaysia in April and last month’s race at Monaco as the 22-year-old Englishman added this victory to his inaugural F1 triumph last week in the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

Alonso tried hard to pass his less experienced teammate at the start, darting to the outside and pulling nearly alongside Hamilton for a moment, then backing off and diving to the inside as the leaders squirted through the first two narrow turns, a sharp right-hander and then a left-hander.

Hamilton managed to stay in front and was able to continue to fend off the pressure by the hard-charging Spaniard to the end of the 73-lap event on Indy’s 4.192-kilometre road circuit.

Alonso almost wrested the lead from Hamilton on Lap 39. He had been dogging the back of his teammate’s McLaren for several laps and pulled alongside on the main straightaway but was unable to complete the pass.

The outcome was still in question until Alonso locked up his brakes on Lap 47 and drove through the grass, allowing Hamilton to pull out to a 2.5-second lead. Hamilton was able to drive on to the win without further challenge, crossing the finish line 1.5 seconds ahead of Alonso.
Reference Here>>


UPDATE 7-12-2007:

Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher, of Germany, takes the checkered flag from Tony George, president and CEO of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Schumacher won the United States Grand Prix at the speedway, in this June 20, 2004 file photo. Formula One's U.S. Grand Prix won't return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year. The race will not be held in 2008 after eight years at the track, spokesman Ron Green said Thursday July 12, 2007. Image Credit: AP Photo/Michael Conroy

F1 won't return to Indianapolis in 2008
By DEANNA MARTIN, Associated Press Writer - Thu Jul 12, 1:18 PM ET

INDIANAPOLIS - Formula One's U.S. Grand Prix won't return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway next year after officials failed to reach a new deal.

Speedway CEO Tony George said Thursday he and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone agreed not to schedule the event for 2008. The only American-based race on the F1 schedule had been held at Indianapolis the past eight years, drawing some of the biggest crowds on the circuit.

"We did agree it was prudent to try and leave the door open for the future," George said. "My sincere hope is that we will have an opportunity to bring it back in the not-too-distant future."

George, who had set Thursday as the deadline for reaching an agreement to extend the contract with F1, said he did not believe a U.S. Grand Prix would be held elsewhere next year, but that such a decision would be up to Ecclestone.

George had said last month he was confident he could reach a new deal with Ecclestone after the two met during U.S. Grand Prix weekend in Indianapolis.

But Ecclestone repeatedly said F1 did not need to race in the United States, although he mentioned the possibility of moving the U.S. Grand Prix to New York or Las Vegas.

George said Thursday it was a "great disappointment" that F1 would not be returning to the 2.6-mile, 13-turn road course that was built inside the speedway's famous oval to attract the series.

"It's not fair to us, it's not fair to our customers, the loyal core of Formula One fans, to just go on indefinitely on hold," he said.

Attendance figures are not released at Indianapolis, but estimates have been around 125,000 each of the past six years. The inaugural race in 2000 drew more than 200,000.

The event was marred in 2005 when 14 of the 20 drivers pulled off the track just before the start over concerns about the safety of the Michelin tires used by seven teams. Afterward, George refused to wave the checkered flag or join Michael Schumacher in the winner's circle.

Last year's negotiations to extend the deal dragged into August before the two sides agreed to a one-year deal. Speedway officials had said they wanted a more permanent solution this time.

Despite F1's absence, the speedway could still be the site of three races next year as track officials expect to announce a deal with MotoGP, the international motorcycle racing series, next week.

Besides the Indianapolis 500, the speedway also is the site of NASCAR's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on July 29.
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