AUTOS: Best Of The Web

AUTOS: Best Of The Web

Your weekly car-guy guide to automotive excess on the Internet.

Lamborghini time
The Italian automaker prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year, starting off with this dramatic video. Check out: Running of the Bulls.

Koenigsegg revealed
This teaser advances a new nine-part video series exploring innovations that puts the Swedish supercar builder at the leading edge of performance, hosted by the man himself, company founder Christian Von Koenigsegg. The series starts Jan. 8. Check out: Carbon Fiber Finesse.

Porsche obsession
Most all-too-serious Porsche guys know the famous web site with the made-up name, The Unobtainiate, that honors the time-worn quest for spare parts. For everybody else, here it is. Lots of good stories and photos. Check out: Behind the Rear Axle.

Kuwait a minute
Sports Car Digest photographer Tim Scott focuses on the latest Concours d?Elegance in Kuwait City, where they seem to really dig American muscle cars. Check out: Oil money.

Playing safe
Here?s the list of the best 2013 cars and trucks for surviving crashes, as compiled by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Check out: Cracked Up.

Sex on wheels
A vintage clip from the 1965 film Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill featuring three sexy crazy women driving sports cars ? Triumph TR3, MGA and Porsche 356 ? and going nutso in the desert. It?s terrible. And great. Check out: Black and White.

Dogs in cars
A fantastic video showing what dogs like to do best when they?re riding in cars. No, not that. Check out: Just Sniffin.

If you know of a fabulous web site or recent entry that we should include in "Best of the Web," send the URL for consideration to: Bob Golfen at

PLEASE NOTE: By clicking on links found on SPEED.com, you are subject to that site's privacy policy when you leave our site. References in this website to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by SPEED.com. SPEED.com is not responsible for the contents of any "off-site" web page referenced from this server.

Source: http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-best-of-the-web1421/

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NYC looks to eclipse 2012's record tourism numbers

3 hrs.

A. Pawlowski , NBC News contributor

Frank Sinatra famously yearned to wake up in the city that never sleeps and it seems more travelers than ever want to follow in his footsteps.

New York attracted a record number of tourists in 2012, prompting officials to vow to keep the momentum going.

?(I?m) confident that 2013 will be another mammoth year for tourism in our city,? said Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who was surrounded by the Rockettes during a news conference at the American Museum of Natural History on New Year?s Eve.

?Tourism is booming because we?re the nation?s most exciting city and during 2013, we?re going to keep adding to the parks and cultural institutions that bring millions of people here every year.?

Here are the statistics that are making officials smile: New York City welcomed 52 million visitors in 2012 -- the most ever, despite the impact of Hurricane Sandy. They resulted in a $55 billion impact to the city?s economy and led to the Big Apple selling a record 29 million hotel room nights. The city?s hotel occupancy stands at 87 percent, the highest in the nation, the mayor said.

The sightseers included 41 million tourists from within the United States and 11 million from abroad. ?

Those international visitors are crucial because they spend far more money than domestic tourists, Bloomberg said. Luring them to the Big Apple and getting them to stay longer has been a primary focus of marketing efforts, added George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company. The city?s official tourism agency has 18 offices around the world to spread the word that New York is the place to be.

Their work has paid off. Of all the overseas visitors who arrive in the United States, one third now come to New York City. Emerging markets such as Brazil, China, Argentina and Australia, have been particularly big, growing 447 percent, 442 percent, 258 percent, 157 percent respectively since 2006, the mayor?s office announced.

Tourism officials ?will continue to be relentless? in trying to attract international visitors, Fertitta said. It?s not hard to do with all of the shopping, the Broadway plays and the famous sights that New York offers. But another important part of the city?s allure is its vibe as an ?aspirational destination.?

?We always like to say it?s sort of a rite of passage for people to come to New York,? said Chris Heywood, a spokesman for NYC & Company. ?They see it in pop culture and they have a connection to it.?

If you?re pondering a visit to New York, here is a taste some of the events coming up this year:

Grand Central Terminal Centennial
One of New York City?s most iconic buildings celebrates its 100th anniversary with a yearlong celebration that kicks off on February 1 with a rededication of the terminal. The event will include performances, celebrity appearances and the opening of the New York Transit Museum?s ?Grand By Design? multi-media installation. In May, historic trains come back to the terminal during the Grand Centennial Parade of Trains.

New York-themed cruise ship
Launching in late spring, the Norwegian Breakaway will be the largest ship to homeport in New York City year-round.?The Rockettes, who will christen the ship on May 8, will also serve as the ?godmothers? of the Breakaway and two of the dancers will sail on select cruises to meet and greet passengers.

The on-board entertainment includes a ?New York-Inspired Ice Bar,? which will feature ice sculptures of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty and the Chrysler Building.

Norwegian commissioned artist Peter Max to paint the hull artwork, which includes images of Lady Liberty and the Manhattan skyline.

?The Big Apple is known for its love of art and its many galleries ? and now, Norwegian Breakaway becomes a floating piece of art that will cruise in and dock every Saturday on New York?s West Side,? said Kevin Sheehan, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, in a statement.

New York City bike share
Citi Bike launches in May, providing visitors with a new way to get around the big Apple. You can pick up one of 10,000 bicycles at any of the 600 solar-powered docking stations and ride to a drop-off near your destination. Smartphone apps will allow users to find out about bike and station availability in real-time.

?There?s just so much to do and see here and the beauty about New York is that it continually evolves and reinvents itself,? Heywood said.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/big-apple-has-big-plans-eclipse-2012s-record-tourism-numbers-1C7803364

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Paula Deen on Impressive Weight Loss: All About Moderation!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/01/paula-deen-on-impressive-weight-loss-all-about-moderation/

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Katt Williams -- Quentin Tarantino Has No Business Using the N ...

Katt Williams
Quentin Tarantino Has No Business Using the N-Word

EXCLUSIVE

In between getting out of jail and getting in the middle of a parking lot brawl, Katt Williams took the time to talk to TMZ about "Django Unchained" ... and threatened to beat the crap out of?Quentin Tarantino if he gets the chance.

Williams didn't voice his opinion in a polite way like Spike Lee did. First he threatened to punch QT in the face, then told us, "Qunetin Tarantino thinks he can say the N-word. But I checked with all of Ni**adom and nobody knows where he got his pass from. I hope he didn't get it from Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx cause they aren't going to help you when I see you."

When our photog tried to compare QT to Steven Spielberg (who made "Amistad" in 1997), Katt shot back, "Quentin Tarantino is no Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg doesn't wanna be black, Quentin Tarantino thinks he is. So when he meets a real ni**a, we'll see if he is or not."

Quentin, you've been warned.

Source: http://www.tmz.com/2012/12/29/katt-williams-quentin-tarantino-django-unchained/

looper

Retail Opportunity Investments Acquires $114M Retail Portfolio ...

Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (NASDAQ: ROIC) announced today, in an off-market transaction, it has closed on three shopping centers and has a binding contract to acquire a fourth shopping center. The four properties together comprise a portfolio transaction totaling $114 million, encompassing approximately 444,000 square feet of gross leaseable area. The portfolio was previously owned and operated by a Southern California family. The acquisitions are being funded with borrowings under ROIC's unsecured credit facility.

Stuart A. Tanz, President and Chief Executive Officer of Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. stated, "We are excited to be acquiring this exceptional portfolio of Southern California shopping centers.?The properties were not marketed.?We accessed the transaction through a long-standing relationship.?The shopping centers are well-located at major intersections within densely populated communities, which we know extremely well, and are an excellent strategic fit with our current Southern California portfolio.?The four shopping centers represent a balance of stable cash flow, derived from well-established anchor retailers, and numerous value-added growth opportunities."?Mr. Tanz added, "With three of the four properties closed, we have completed a total of $278.0 million of shopping center investments in 2012, surpassing our target for the year.?Looking ahead, we expect

See full press release

Posted in: News, Guidance, Asset Sales, Management, M&A, Global

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Source: http://www.benzinga.com/news/12/12/3203029/retail-opportunity-investments-acquires-114m-retail-portfolio

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PANTHERS MAKE STUPID PETS (Gametime with Smosh) - YouTube

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Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz2FXZN1vQc

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The Fine Line Between Self-Confidence & Cockiness - Psych Central

We all know people who sing their own praises at every work or social opportunity. You may sometimes wonder if they know something about self-confidence that you don?t. Perhaps their annoying habit is a sign that they?ve discovered some secret to waking up every day feeling ready to conquer the world. Truly, the line between self-confidence and arrogance can seem finer than it really is.

Cocky or Confident?

Cocky people do have confidence, but it comes from a different place than true self-assurance. Arrogance is one result of building self-esteem from outward sources such as financial privilege or constant praise. However, yank the external support system away, and the person?s sense of self-worth goes with it.

You build true self-confidence from within and project it to the world. Confident people have a realistic picture of their own traits and abilities and trust themselves enough to respond to life authentically. They learn from failure rather than letting it define them, and they forge ahead a bit wiser.

A hallmark of the genuinely self-assured person is the ability to admit to a mistake without excessive apologizing or rationalization. A cocky colleague, on the other hand, is more likely to pass the buck.

Four Ways to Tell the Difference

1. Style vs. Bling Addiction.?

True style is personal and has little to do with trends. Confident people enjoy what they have without defining themselves by their possessions. These are the folks who survive disasters with a strong and giving spirit. Their sense of self remains constant even if they must physically rebuild.

Arrogant people are more often emotionally devastated by material losses and may struggle harder to define their core values in the face of adversity. Not everyone who flaunts ?stuff? is cocky, but ostentation suggests a distorted self-image.

2. Active Listening vs. the Monologue.

That person who insists on holding court in any gathering is probably a frightened jester rather than a monarch.

Arrogant people need to validate their belief of being better than others and are constantly looking for opportunities to sell themselves.

If you like yourself as you are, you free up energy to be genuinely interested in other people. You engage in active listening and ask sincere questions. In turn, people will respond positively to your attentiveness.

3. Ambition vs. Ruthlessness.?

Ambition is not a crime. Confident people relish achievement and contributing their talents to the world. They don?t feel threatened by others? successes and instead try to learn from them.

Cocky people need to believe that they are on top even if reality says otherwise. This can lead to unnecessarily manipulative or callous behavior as they focus on defending a power base at all costs.

4. The Human vs. the Greek God.?

As a self-confident person, you accept that you are just a human being. You are intrinsically no better or worse than anyone else. In addition to your successes, you have flaws, failures and really bad hair days or even years. You treat yourself with compassion while taking responsibility for your choices, and you learn from misfortune and mistakes.

Arrogant people can?t risk the fragile persona crumbling in the face of defeat and run from criticism. They tend to go to extremes of either deflecting blame onto others or condemning themselves for being only human.If you wonder about your own cocky moments, you are probably in the ballpark of self-confidence.

Truly secure people evaluate their own behavior and face their doubts. By letting go of fear, you set yourself up for success.

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Confident guy photo available from Shutterstock

Derek Whitney is an active blogger for the website Aligned Signs, an astrology matching website, he blogs regularly about modern psychology, astrology, and self-awareness.

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????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 26 Dec 2012
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Whitney, D. (2012). The Fine Line Between Self-Confidence & Cockiness. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 27, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/26/the-fine-line-between-self-confidence-cockiness/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/26/the-fine-line-between-self-confidence-cockiness/

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