Category Archives: news analysis

One in Five Americans Blissfully Untroubled by the Internet

One out of five American adults does not use the internet, according to the latest study by the Pew Internet Project, which has been closely tracking the internet since 2000. Senior citizens, Spanish speakers, adults with less than a high school education, and those living in households earning less than $30,000 per year are the least likely adults to have internet access. Continue reading

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Local News is Newspaper Strength in Shifting Media Fare. Duh

What this means to struggling local newspapers is unclear. Nevertheless as a group, local news consumers are more likely than others to prefer newspapers for almost all of 16 topics asked about in the survey—including crime, local politics, community events, arts and culture, local schools, taxes, government activity, restaurants, other local business, housing issues, job openings, and local zoning issues. Continue reading

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Hapless SEC Sues AutoChina for Alleged Stock Manipulation

AutoChina (OTC: AUTCF), China’s largest commercial vehicle sales, servicing, leasing, and company said the SEC’s complaint is without merit, thereby setting up an intricate and lengthy court battle with the watchdog that does not bark. SEC claimed that AutoChina senior executive and director Hui Kai Yan, a former AutoChina manager, and others fraudulently traded AutoChina’s stock to boost its daily trading volume. Continue reading

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State Tax Collections Increase $62 Billion in 2011

Politicians will have more money to spend – or squander – depending on your viewpoint, according to a new U.S. Census Bureau report released today. State government tax collections increased $62.1 billion to $763.7 billion in fiscal year 2011. Continue reading

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Automobile$ Provide $91.5 Billion in $tate Tax Revenue$

The amount of revenue involved begs questions about the lack of U.S. industrial policy – alone among industrialized countries – as well as what critics say is anti industry attitudes among politicians and regulators. These critics also point to the actively hostile policies of the U.S. State and Defense Departments, which support and protect offshore automakers, while increasing taxes for U.S. based automakers. Continue reading

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Toyota Starts Sub-Compact Yaris Hybrid Production in France

Toyota Motor Manufacturing France began production today of an all-new Yaris Hybrid. This means that TMMF is the first French and first European auto plant to produce full hybrid vehicles for the high-volume sub-compact B-segment. Continue reading

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DOT Launches ‘Choose the Right Seat’ for Children in Cars

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages one through 12 years old. From 2006 to 2010, 4,028 children aged 12 and younger were killed in crashes involving passenger vehicles. Another estimated 660,000 children were injured in crashes – a figure greater than the entire population of Boston, Massachusetts. Continue reading

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Justice Department Seizes Counterfeit Chinese Sports Jerseys

The Department of Justice has seized more than $896,000 in proceeds from the distribution of Chinese made counterfeit sports apparel and jerseys as the result of an investigation into the sale of bogus goods on commercial websites. The individuals involved, based in China, sold counterfeit professional and collegiate sports apparel, primarily counterfeit sports jerseys. Continue reading

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Jobless Recovery as U.S. Employment Barely Grows in March

Some independent estimates have the real U.S. unemployment levels at 14% or more, as politicians in a dysfunctional Washington try to cast the blame on the other party. One thing is certain; unemployed do not increase revenues via payroll or social security taxes, at a time of soaring deficits. Continue reading

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Ford to Expand Chongqing Plant, Raising Capacity to 950,000

This will make Chongqing by far the largest Ford production site in the world – a latter day Rouge for communist customers. The latest expansion includes a new assembly line, body and paint shop. Construction on the extension is expected to begin immediately and the first vehicle is expected to come off the line in late 2014. CFMA already operates two assembly plants and an engine plant in Chongqing, with another engine plant and a transmission plant currently under construction. Continue reading

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Ford and PSA Peugeot Citroën to Drop JV on Diesel Engines

PSA Peugeot Citroën and Ford said today that the companies have decided to independently develop and manufacture their larger diesel engines displacing more than 2-liters starting in 2015. The announcement, likely the result of the PSA and General Motors JV announced in February, ends a 12-year business relationship. Continue reading

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Offshore Brands Take 56% of U.S. Auto Market in March

Six of the top ten vehicles were international brands. At number six, the Toyota Prius made its strongest showing in history with sales of 28,711 units – a 54.3% increase over March 2011. As the top selling car in America, the newly revised Toyota Camry continued to sit in second place behind the Ford F-Series pickup truck; sales for the sedan were up 35.3% over March 2011. The aging Nissan Altima also remained strong at Number Three; Altima sales were up 27.1%. The new Honda CR-V held the fifth position – with sales up 54.3% – while the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic took the ninth and tenth spots, respectively. Continue reading

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New Chevrolet Ads with Verlander, Fielder for 2012 Season

As the 2012 major league baseball season begins, Chevrolet is using Justin Verlander and Prince Fielder of the Detroit Tigers in 15-second spots that are a remake of the now classic 1974 “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet” TV ad. Don’t quit your day (and night) baseball jobs, guys… Continue reading

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Fisker Shows Atlantic EV – Will It Ever Be Built?

In essence, Fisker – similar to EVs – has a range problem with doubts about whether it can reach its stated destination of creating 2,000 autoworker jobs building 100,000 plug-in hybrids per year at the 3.2 million square-foot factory in Delaware before it runs out of cash. Continue reading

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U.S. Auto Sales Shift to Efficient and Less Profitable Cars

One potentially negative result because of the downsizing and easier credit trends is declining profits at automakers. The shift to smaller vehicles—in addition to the increase in financially less-qualified new–vehicle buyers, who tend to be younger and with less money to spend—means the average transaction price for new vehicles has dropped substantially in the recent quarter. Continue reading

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