Tag Archives: COD
Do You Think BobbyA1984 Could Outrun a Bear? – Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Over the weekend, IGN’s COD fan went to a school to figure out if he could outrun a bear. I’m not making this stuff up. Listen to his story, watch some COD. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games
Tax Tips From the Pros
By Kelly Phillips Erb, Contributor Tax season starts on January 30! To get things started, I asked tax professionals around the country to give me their top tax tips. Here’s some of what they had to say: If you refinanced in 2012, be sure to write off any prior refi costs that you have been writing off over a number of years. – R. Milton Howell, III, CPA, CSEP, CGMA (@DMJTax) Use an accountant! Not the cheapest one either! – David Crosson, Esq. Shoeboxed.com. Get everything scanned so you can give your tax preparer a CD or USB of PDFs and a spreadsheet summary. Beats handing over an actual shoebox. – Christopher Foundas For those claiming dependents or credits such as the EITC, have a folder of documents such as medical records, report cards, or anything else that proves that the dependent lived with you for at least half of the year. I find this the most challenging part of overcoming any exam or audit reconsideration, especially for tax years that are 5 or more years ago. Keep your address current with the IRS by using Form 8822. 11 percent of IRS mail is returned as undeliverable. “Did you hear about that new Obama stimulus credit?” Neither did I. Be wary of claims that are too good to be true, because they often are scams preying on the uninformed. If you have gone through a foreclosure, keep contemporaneous records of the event. Was it a foreclosure? A short sale? Modification? What was the bid price? What was the outstanding principal? Are you insolvent? All of these questions are critical in resolving Cancellation of Debt (COD) issues. To make matters worse, banks often issues a 1099-C with incorrect information. Having a record that is created at the time of the foreclosure will help you resolve the potential COD issue down the road. – Andrew Jack VanSingel, Director of the Low Income Tax Clinic at Prairie State Legal Services in Wheaton, IL Important records to keep: bank statements /cancelled checks, receipts for repairs and improvements to your home or business property, ie show what you pay for. Important records to make: mileage logs for business, charitable and medical travel. – Patti Harriman For tax pros, my advice is to remember to build in the 3.8% NII surtax into your calculations when preparing estimates. – Felix Russo, CPA If anyone needs to track rental property and with a click of a button produce reports with Sch E line #s, check out the Rental Property Organizer at Simp-List.com. Free download. Contains data for a quick evaluation. – Stan McBride Make sure your tax preparers are using Refundo when they print a check for you. www.refundo.com – Emilio J Jimenez Have a check list. Scan pertinent documents you need to share never send originals. Work with a professional that will be patient and speak English not accountant to you. Don’t wait until January or even worse, March to contact your tax preparer. Lay good ground work during the year in your accounting practices and your year end should take no time at all. – Meghan Blair Valero, Bookkeeper/President Fogged In Bookkeeping Nantucket, MA Remember that (if you are eligible) you can still contribute to a Traditional or Roth (or a combination of the two) up until the end of tax season. If your AGI puts you where you can get the Retirement Savers Credit the end result is that up to 50% (again, depending on AGI) of that retirement contribution is credited back to you. This likely will not apply to most who contribute to a 401k since they will have already used that for the maximum credit if eligible, but remember that the spouse may still be eligible even if they did not have earned income. I love to go over the figures on Form 8880 with clients to show them how they can get that immediate return on their retirement contribution. Unfortunately, 1) I don’t think most understand the implications and 2) it does take some planning ahead since those who do qualify for the credit tend to be lower income and tend to not have up to $2000 at their disposal (even though they may get some of it back in a refund). This is especially useful if there is Child Tax Credit that becomes Refundable Child Tax Credit when you add the Retirement Savers Credit. Another tip (but not so original to me) is to move any money you have invested for your child who had earned income into a Roth IRA – any earnings on that subsequently become non-taxable (as long as all the rules are followed, of course!). – Debra Sloan-Shiflett For my best tax tips, check out these prior posts: My Best Tax Advice Ever, Part I: Open Your Mail My Best Tax Advice Ever, Part II: Get Some Help My Best Tax Advice Ever, Part III: Make Friends With a Tax Pro My Best Tax Advice Ever, Part IV: Don’t Lie to Me —
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest
2014 Audi RS7 Sportback Debuts in Detroit with 560 Horsepower & 189 MPH Top Speed
By Darryl
Although there are many introductions and reveals of new vehicles during this year’s International Auto Auto Show in Detroit, not many of the vehicles on display come packing a coupe-look with 4 doors, a rear hatch and a potent 560 force-fed V8 engine under the hood – In the all-new 2014 Audi RS7.
The new Audi RS7 is aimed at taking the new BMW M6 Gran Coupe and Benz CLS63 AMG head on and has the goods to get the job done. The luxury hatchback features a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine with 560 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque taken directly from the larger Audi S8. The RS7 in its base form will reach an electronically limited top speed 155 mph but equipped with a dynamic plus package consumers can reach a dare-devil 189 mph.
The new Audi RS7 is not only poised in shear performance but it is also relatively efficient getting up to 25 mpg by means of a cylinder-on-demand system where the V8 engine deactivates up to 4 cylinders by closing corresponding valves.
We welcome you to hit up the images and full press release below to get more information on the new 2014 Audi RS7 due to launch later this year on US shores.
Dynamics at their most beautiful – the Audi RS 7
Audi is expanding its RS model lineup: The RS 7 Sportback, which is making its debut at the North American International Auto Show 2013 in Detroit, stands for dynamics at their most beautiful. The large five-door coupe uses a 4.0 TFSI engine producing 412 kW (560 hp). The sprint from zero to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) takes just 3.9 seconds, and the speed governor can be deactivated upon customer request to permit a top speed of up to 305 km/h (189.52 mph). Despite this superior performance, the Audi RS 7 Sportback consumes on average just 9.8 liters of fuel per 100 km (24.00 US mpg).
Aesthetic design, innovative technology and impressive sportiness: The RS 7 Sportback, the large five-door coupe from Audi, combines many strengths to produce a fascinating character. Its strong heart is the 4.0 TFSI, which takes Audi’s downsizing strategy to the high-end category. The twin-turbo V8 displaces 3,993 cc and develops awesome power, with 412 kW (560 hp) available between 5,700 and 6,700 rpm. A constant 750 Nm (553.17 lb-ft) of torque are available between 1,750 and 5,500 rpm.
Because the high-revving four-cylinder engine has been rigorously designed for low load-change and flow losses, it develops this power quickly and spontaneously. The cylinder heads have the exhaust side on the inside and the intake side on the outside. The two twin-scroll turbochargers, which produce up to 1.2 bars of relative boost pressure, are located together with the intercooler in the inside V of the cylinder banks. Consequently, the gas paths are very short and response very good. The RS-specific engine management and unthrottled intake system also contribute to the dynamic character of the twin-turbo V8. Switchable flaps in the exhaust system make the engine sound even fuller at the push of a button or under strong acceleration. Audi also offers an optional sport exhaust system.
The RS 7 Sportback sprints from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 3.9 seconds. Audi limits the top speed in the standard configuration to 250 km/h (155.34 mph). Top speed with the optional dynamic package is 280 km/h (173.98 mph) and
305 km/h (189.52 mph) with the dynamic package plus.Yet the new top model of the model series consumes on average just 9.8 liters of fuel per 100 km (24.00 US mpg). This top value is due in part to the standard start-stop system and innovative thermal management.
The most innovative efficiency technology in the new Audi RS 7 Sportback is the cylinder on demand (COD) system. At low to medium loads and engine speeds, it deactivates cylinders 2, 3, 5 and 8 by closing their valves via electromechanical actuators. The 4.0 TFSI then runs as a four-cylinder engine until the driver accelerates more strongly again. The operating points in the active cylinders are displaced toward higher loads, increasing efficiency.
All of these operations take just a few hundredths of a second and occur so smoothly and quickly that they can hardly be felt or heard. Active engine bearings, another high-end solution from Audi, use out-of-phase counter-oscillations to compensate for the slight vibrations that occur during four-cylinder operation. The COD technology reduces NEDC fuel consumption by roughly five percent, and even greater savings of approximately 10 percent are possible when driving at moderate speeds.
The standard eight-speed tiptronic is specially tuned to the sporty character of the Audi RS 7 Sportback. Drivers can choose between the modes D and S or change gears themselves using the shift paddles on the steering wheel or the selector lever, which sports a unique RS design. While the lower gears of the tiptronic are closely spaced for sporty response, eighth gear is tall like an overdrive to reduce fuel consumption.
The Audi RS 7 Sportback comes standard with quattro permanent all-wheel drive for its decisive advantage in traction and driving safety compared with its two-wheel-drive competitors. At the heart of the quattro system is a center differential with a high locking rate and a separate oil cooler to regulate its temperature. It distributes the power as needed within a wide range between the front and rear axles. In the standard configuration, 60 percent flows to the rear and 40 percent to the front.
An intelligent software solution called torque vectoring supports the work of the differential at the cornering limit with minimal braking of the wheels that are under a reduced load. Audi also offers the optional sport differential for the rear axle, which uses two superposition gears to actively distribute the power between the wheels.
The Audi RS 7 Sportback comes standard with polished, 20-inch forged lightweight wheels in a seven twin-spoke design. The five-door high-performance coupe also rolls on optional 21-inch cast wheels in a choice of three designs.
Powerful brakes are located behind the large wheels. The four internally vented discs feature a weight-saving wave design and measure 390 millimeters (15.35 in) in diameter up front. Pins decouple the steel friction rings from the aluminum brake caps. Black painted six-piston calipers – optionally available in red – grip the discs. Audi also offers optional 420 millimeter (16.54 in) carbon fiber ceramic discs with anthracite gray calipers. The electronic stabilization control (ESC) has a Sport mode and can also be deactivated entirely.
Equipped with the air suspension, which harmonizes perfectly with the dynamic character of a sport coupe, the new RS 7 Sportback is sporty, yet still comfortable. The RS 7 adaptive air suspension lowers the body by 20 millimeters (0.79 in). Adaptive damping, another of the system’s features, adjusts the suspension’s response to the condition of the road, the driver’s style and the mode selected in the Audi drive select system, with which the driver can alter the function of key components in multiple steps.
Audi offers the taut sport suspension plus with dynamic ride control (DRC) as an alternative to the air suspension. It uses steel springs and three-stage adjustable dampers that are connected to one another via diagonal oil lines and a central valve. Another option, which can also be integrated into Audi drive select, is the dynamic steering with its steplessly variable steering boost and ratio. As with the standard electromechanical steering, its characteristics are specially tailored for the RS 7 Sportback.
The body of the Audi RS 7 Sportback includes up to 20 percent aluminum and includes many parts of high-strength and ultra high-strength steels. Its high rigidity is the foundation for the precise handling, excellent workmanship and quiet cabin free of intrusive noise.
The character of the Audi RS 7 Sportback is immediately obvious. A series of specific design details give a sporty edge to its flowing coupe design. These include the distinctive bumpers and high-gloss black protective grille with honeycomb structure at the front of the car as well as add-on parts in matt aluminum. At the rear of the car, which features a power extending spoiler, the diffuser and the two large, elliptical tailpipe trims of the exhaust system catch the eye.
The RS 7 Sportback is available in a choice of ten exterior colors, including the new shade Nardo gray and the exclusive finish Daytona gray, matt effect. Two styling packages – matt aluminum and carbon – further customize the appearance. With these, the front center air inlet also sports a quattro badge. With the carbon styling package, the front splitter and the diffuser are somewhat more boldly shaped. Other options include the exterior mirrors with exposed carbon housings and the all-LED headlights, whose designer trims are tinted for a unique look.
The elegant dynamics carry over to the cockpit of the Audi RS 7 Sportback. The dial instruments have black faces, white scales and red needles. A 3D RS 7 logo in the tachometer is a further accent. The key, the flat-bottomed, three-spoke leather steering wheel, the illuminated door entry sills and the displays for the MMI and driver information system also sport RS badges. The driver information system includes a shift light, which indicates when the rev limit is reached. Displays for boost pressure and oil temperature plus a lap timer round out the RS 7-specific menu.
Colors and materials provide for further differentiation. The footrest, pedals and soft keys in the standard MMI navigation plus terminal shine in an aluminum-look finish. The decorative trim below the retractable monitor sports a piano finish.
6/21 www.audi-mediaservices.comCarbon inlays are standard, with four additional materials available as options. The headlining comes standard in black cloth, with options for lunar silver or black Alcantara. Of course, the Audi RS 7 Sportback can also be personalized using the Audi exclusive program.
RS sport seats with pronounced side bolsters, integrated head restraints and RS 7 logos are standard. They are covered in a combination of black Alcantara and leather, and the center sections feature diamond quilting. The seats can also be covered alternatively in high-grade, honeycomb-quilted Valcona leather in either black or lunar silver. Audi offers optional power-adjustable comfort seats with memory function. The two rear seats are powerfully contoured. Luggage capacity ranges from 535 to 1,390 liters (18.89 to 49.09 cu ft) depending on the position of the rear seat backs.
The Audi RS 7 Sportback comes with a generous list of standard equipment, including xenon plus headlights, a tire pressure monitoring system, the parking system plus, three-zone automatic air conditioning, cruise control and the Audi sound system in addition to features mentioned previously. High-end options include a head-up display, a comfort package, the dynamic package and the dynamic package plus.
The Bluetooth online car phone is an ideal complement to the standard MMI navigation plus. Its UMTS module delivers the tailored Audi connect services to the on-board monitor, and a WLAN hotspot connects the passengers’ mobile devices. Topping the range of audio modules is the Advanced Sound System from Bang & Olufsen.
The Audi RS 7 Sportback also leads the pack when it comes to driver assistance systems. One of these is the adaptive cruise control with stop & go function including Audi pre sense front. This keeps the powerful coupe at the proper distance from the car ahead and in many situations can help to avoid accidents or mitigate their consequences.
Audi active lane assist helps the driver to keep the RS 7 Sportback on course. The park assist handles the steering when parking. The night vision assistant with highlighting of detected persons reduces the stress of driving in the dark. Audi side assist and the speed limit display round out the list.
Call of Duty Movie? Not So Much
Don’t get your hopes up for a movie based on the Call of Duty games. Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said in a recent interview that the company has no interest in adapting their FPS series for the big screen.
According to an article in the New York Times (via /Film), several studios have approached Activision about turning COD into a feature film, but the company has turned down their requests. As Kotick put it, “movies based on video games rarely please devoted fans and could taint the brand.”
Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Movies