The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will use mass timber an innovative technology to build large buildings from wood to construct a $5 million facility in Newberry.

The new building, still in the design stages, will house both the DNRs customer service center and field offices in Newberry, in the eastern Upper Peninsula. Current facilities are outdated. The new building will include about 10,000 square feet of office space, 16,500 square feet of garage space and a community room that will be available for public use. Funding was approved when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the fiscal year 2021 budget last week.

We are excited to be on the cutting edge of this new technology to build a facility the public can use and enjoy, said Shannon Lott, DNR deputy director.

Lott has played a critical role on the DNRs mass-timber team, which co-sponsored a statewide summit about mass timber with the Michigan Forest Biomaterials Institute.

Mass timber can substitute for concrete and steel, and is sustainable. It is a construction system that uses large solid or engineered wood columns, beams and panels to create multistory buildings from renewable materials. The construction technique is becoming more common in areas such as the Pacific Northwest and parts of Europe but is new to the Midwest. Construction is typically faster than traditional concrete-and-steel building because components are manufactured off-site and delivered just-in-time for installation.

Michigan has 20 million acres of forest land and a growing forest products industry worth over $20 billion, Lott said. This building will help showcase both of these Michigan assets.

Unlike steel and concrete, the wood used in mass-timber buildings helps take carbon out of the atmosphere. As trees grow, they absorb carbon from the air and sequester it for long periods of time. The carbon benefit remains even after a tree is converted to wood.

DNR-managed forests, covering nearly 4 million acres, are certified as sustainable by two independent organizations.

The new Newberry building is planned on the same site as the existing DNR field office, on M-123 about 1.5 miles north of M-28.

Design of the building had begun before COVID-19 caused a halt in many projects this spring, said Dave Graham, a program manager with the DNRs Finance and Operations Division who is on the team developing the project.

Were looking toward the end of the year. Well be nailing down the design and getting a better idea of the costs and the timeline, he said.

The Newberry building is one of a few mass-timber projects in the works in Michigan. Michigan State University is nearing completion of its new STEM Teaching and Learning Facility, which created a 117,000-square-foot building out of the old Shaw Lane power plant with multistory mass timber additions. Michigan Technological University is planning a mass-timber complex to serve its engineering and health technology programs.

Watch this MSU video to learn more about how mass timber works.

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DNR plans to replace Newberry facilities with state-of-the-art mass-timber building - Daily Mining Gazette

CRANFORD - The Cranford Preservation Award for 2020 was presented to the owners of 37 Algonquin Drive, and the Cranford Movie Theater.

According to the release,The Cranford Preservation Award, sponsored jointly by the Cranford Historical Society and the Cranford Historic Preservation Advisory Board (HPAB), is given annually to owners of a residence and a business who have helped preserve and maintain the history and character of Cranford.

Kate Carlson and Lorrie Bove received the Award for their sympathetic expansion of their house at 37 Algonquin Drive in Sunny Acres, working to preserve and maintain their houses original design to continue the Sunny Acres legacy. Each year,additions and modifications to the houses in Sunny Acres make the original designs undistinguishable. Needing more room, rather than add a floor or totally remodel the house, the awardees chose to add an extension to the back of the Cape Cod house, making it look virtually identical to the way it looked in 1942 when it was built.

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Sunny Acres, a community of 172 residences which was developed between 1940 and 1943 by the Sears Modern Homes Division, was designated in 2018 as Cranfords first Local Historic District. It consists of Cape Cod and Colonial Revival style houses in a variety of pre-designed layouts.

There were 12 standardized, numbered designs or styles offered, but by placing the main body of the house lengthwise or endwise to the street, moving the placement of the garage to either side of the house, set forward or back, and adding a breezeway to detached garages, the houses were made to look different. 37 Algonquin is one of the 19 homes built in Style #6.

The Cranford Theater was honored for its place in the community as well as for the recent physical renovation that was done by owners by Jesse and Doreen Sayegh. The theater unexpectedly closed in September2019, and during the time it was closed, the citizens of Cranford realized what they had lost. After undergoing a full renovation including new seats, drapes, floors, digital projectors, sound system, and an upgraded concession stand, the Cranford Theater reopened on November 8, 2019.

Cranford had a movie theater as early as 1909 at North Avenue and Eastman Street. On November 29, 1926, on the site of the old Township building at 25 North Avenue West, the Branford Theater opened. Two months later, the B in the theater name was swapped out for a C, and the Cranford Theater was born. The 1300 seat theater had both a stage and a Wurlitzer pipe organ, as most theaters of the time did, but it functioned primarily as a movie theater. It closed but then reopened several times over the years, and ownership and operators changed several times.In 1998, the Cranford Theaterwas divided into five screens. With its recent renovation and rescue as an independent movie theater, the Cranford Theater will remain an important and valued resource to the Cranford community.

About theCranford Historical Society

Founded in 1927, the Cranford Historical Society is a non-profit educational organization, with membership opened to the public, whose mission is to preserve and perpetuate the history of Cranford. For more information, visitwww.cranfordhistoricalsociety.com.

About the Cranford Historic Preservation Advisory Board(HPAB)

The Cranford Historic Preservation Advisory Board is a Township committee established in 1993. HPABs mission is to aid in the preservation of Cranford's architectural heritage through documentation of significant structures, education of the public as to the value of preservation, and advice to the Township on laws and activities impacting preservation. You can find more information on HPAB atwww.preservecranford.com.

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Cranford Movie Theater and Algonquin Drive Home Receive Preservation Awards - TAPinto.net

Singer-songwriter Gerry Cinnamon has been added to the Leeds-Reading Festivals bill for 2021

New additions to the line-up include Scottish anthemic singer-songwriter Gerry Cinnamon, Norwegian indie pop singer-songwriter girl in red and alternative rock band Sports Team.

The three-day festival takes place on August 27-29, returning to Bramham, Leeds with headliners Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, Post Malone, Queens of the Stone Age, Catfish and the Bottlemen and Disclosure.

Artists alternate appearing at each venue over the weekend.

Other names announced for the main stages include the celebrated British hardcore punk band Gallows, who last performed at the festivals in 2013.

Nova Twins are a London-based female duo who champion their own unique bass-heavy sound. They use their platform to advocate inclusivity.

Another newly-announced act, Dreya Mac, exploded on to the rap scene with her debut single Skippin.

Liverpool legendary indie rockers The Wombats are also making a return to the festival.

Other names on the bill include Manchester house DJ duo Solardo, Watford-born YouTuber and rapper KSI and Bradfords Bad Boy Chiller Crew (BBCC) with their new take on garage music.

Thank you to all who support local journalism with a print subscription. The events of 2020 mean trusted, local journalism is more reliant than ever on your support. We couldn't do it without you. Please subscribe here https://www.localsubsplus.co.uk/ so we can keep campaigning on your behalf. Stay safe.

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Day tickets go on sale and new names announced for Leeds and Reading Festivals - Sheffield Telegraph

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Town of North Hempstead Board of Zoning Appeals Pursuant to the provisions of the Code of the Town of North Hempstead, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Zoning Appeals of said Town will conduct a Zoom meeting, on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, to consider any matters that may properly be heard by said Board, and will hold a public hearing on said date to consider applications and appeals. The following cases will be called at said public hearing starting at 2:00pm. APPEAL #20949 Niroun Khan; 2 Holiday Gate, New Hyde Park; Section 8, Block 278, Lot 1; Zoned Residence-AVariances from 70-31(B) & 70-231 to legalize one-story additions too close to a side property line and a garage that is too long. The full list of cases for this calendar may be obtained at http://www.northhempsteadny.gov. All interested persons should appear and will be given an opportunity to be heard at such meeting and/or hearing. DAVID MAMMINA, R.A., Chairman; Board of Zoning Appeals LEGAL NOTICETOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEADBOARD OF ZONING APPEALS HEARINGOCTOBER 7, 2020, 2:00PM PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that effective immediately and based upon notices and health advisories issued by Federal, State and Local officials related to the COVID-19 virus, the Board of Zoning Appeals will not be holding in-person hearings. Until further notice, all future Board of Zoning Appeals hearings and meetings will be held via videoconferencing, as permitted by the NYS Open Meetings Law. Due to public health and safety concerns, the public will not be permitted to attend at the remote locations where the Board members will be situated. The public, however, will be able to fully observe the videoconferencing hearing and comment at appropriate times. To the extent internet access is not available; the public can attend and participate via telephone by dialing the number listed in the Zoom information provided below. The Board of Zoning Appeals calendar is available online in advance of the meetings at https://www.northhempsteadny.gov/bza and the public can email written comments or questions addressed to the Board at bzadept@northhempsteadny.gov. Questions and/or comments will be accepted and made a part of the record, prior to the meeting, during the meeting and up until 4:30 PM on Friday, October 16, 2020. Any member of the public who has questions regarding the aforementioned process should contact the Secretary to the Board in advance of the meeting at bzadept@northhempsteadny.gov. Anyone having difficulty connecting to the meeting should contact Zoom for IT assistance during the meeting. This hearing will be transcribed and a copy of the transcript will be made available on the Town website. This hearing will also be live streamed. Live streaming can be accessed at https://northhempsteadny.gov/townboardlive Should you wish to provide comments or ask questions during an appeal hearing, please register in advance by sending an email to bzadept@northhempsteadny.gov no later than Friday, October 2, 2020. Please include your first and last name, street address, email address, any prepared written comments/questions and the appeal number you wish to be heard on. Comments will be limited to 3 minutes per speaker. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Board of Zoning Appeals hearing of Wednesday, October 7, 2020 at 2:00PM can be accessed from the Towns website at https://www.northhempsteadny.gov/bza and via the following link: When: Oct 7, 2020 2:00PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)Topic: Board of Zoning Appeals (Afternoon Session) Please click the link below to join the webinar:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84361294353Or iPhone one-tap: US: +19294362866,, 84361294353# or +13126266799,, 84361294353# Or Telephone: Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location): US: +1 929 436 2866 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 6833 Webinar ID: 843 6129 4353

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING: Town of North Hempstead - Board of Zoning Appeals - Legal Notices - The Island Now

Remember Bugs Bunny and how he would occasionally say, This means war? Turning the thermostat up or down by a degree can certainly feel like an act of aggression. This is because, in many homes, especially split-level homes, someone is too hot, someone is too cold and no one is happy.

Even in a home with adequate central air conditioning, mom or dad may find the temperature to be fine in the kitchen or living room, but the basement game room might be so frigid the daughter has to find sweaters for her friends to wear. Upstairs, their son is visiting from college and actually wanting to study at his desk, yet the desk is so hot that he has trouble concentrating. This is a house that might benefit from a zoned HVAC system.

What is a zoned HVAC system?

A zoned HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) system allows the homeowner to set different temperatures in different parts or zones of the house. Instead of only using one thermostat for the entire house, each zone can be regulated with its own thermostat, fully customized to the preference of the user. A zone can be as small as a room, as large as an entire floor, or an addition to the house.

How does zoning work?

A common misconception is that, to have multiple zones, multiple systems must be installed. In a home with an existing forced air heating and cooling system (and one thermostat), however, it may be possible to install an automatic damper system into the ductwork, to divide the home into zones.

The better way to set up a zoned HVAC system is with ductless mini-split units. Though these units come in a variety of styles and models, it is basically just a small heating/cooling unit that is mounted high on the wall (or to the ceiling). This indoor air-handling unit (evaporator) is hooked up to an outdoor compressor/condenser unit. Several indoor units can be hooked up to one outdoor unit, and each indoor unit is controlled with its own thermostat. Another key benefit of these systems is that they bring fresh air directly inside and it isnt recycled through ductwork.

Reasons for switching to a zoned HVAC system

Ductless mini-splits are a great solution for a newly constructed house, and a good retrofit for houses with non-ducted heating systems. They also work well for new additions to a house that lack ductwork or separate buildings like a garage or shed converted into offices or hobby rooms.

Why might you want to look into installing some ductless mini-splits?

Chris Jones and the team at Green Dot HVAC are committed to provide their clients with a consultative, transparent approach, driven by innovative technology and a diligent work ethic. With a team of highly trained and versatile technicians, a focus on helping clients make informed decisions, and a commitment to deliver substantial value, Green Dot HVAC is a leader in the Southeast North Carolina marketplace. To arrange a free at-home consultation, a repair/installation or simply find guidance about the nuances of modern heating and air conditioning systems, call 910-791-0480 or text 910-612-0052.

Excerpt from:
Save On Cooling/Heating With Dual Zone HVAC Systems by Chris Jones | Sponsored Insights - Greater Wilmington Business Journal

From the April 1986 Issue of Car and Driver.

According to Webster, a milestone is "a significant point in development." The term applies perfectly to Ford's new Taurus and its sibling, the Mercury Sable. With their smooth, flowing lines and European-style road manners, the Taurus and the Sable chart a new direction for mainstream American sedans. But you undoubtedly know that by now. Ford has orchestrated an unusually long and intensive publicity program to prepare the public for these novel cars. We've done our share by devoting many of our pages to praising the design and performance of the prototypes we've tested.

Unfortunately, milestone prototypes do not always lead to good cars in dealer showrooms. A prototype's virtues can be compromised by the penny-pinching of heartless bean counters, by manufacturing shortcuts required to meet introduction deadlines, and by last-minute second thoughts in the product-planning department. The purpose of this road test is to see whether the production Taurus lives up to its promise.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

The moment of judgment has been a long time coming because Ford postponed its introduction of the Taurus and the Sable from last fall to the day after Christmas. That day hardly figured to be the best time for a new-car launch, but Ford needed the additional months to iron out the final production-line glitches. After gambling $3 billion on a high-risk design, the last thing Ford wanted was a problem-plagued introduction.

If the Taurus LX we tested is representative of the line, Ford's extra time was well spent. The Tauruses lined up at your local Ford dealer have every sweet, windblown line in place, and they haven't been sullied by last-minute additions of chrome strips, opera windows, or stand-up hood ornaments. The cars look so buttoned-down sleek that every Ford dealer should make sure its banners are displayed prominently, lest any customers walk away under the assumption that they have stumbled into a premium foreign-car emporium.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

Even if the Taurus were styled like a boxcar, we would love it for the way it drives. This car's European connection is more than skin-deep, and you feel it the moment you slip behind the wheel. Unlike the sofa-soft seats of most mainstream American sedans, our test car's split-bench front seat had firm padding and a proper contour. It provided solid support for long stints behind the wheel.

The Taurus's steering is also a departure from the over-assisted, lifeless American norm. The power-assisted rack-and-pinion mechanism is fast, communicative, and nicely weighted. With only 2.6 turns lock-to-Iock, the Taurus responds crisply to steering-wheel commands and changes direction in clean, precise arcs without any two-stage turn-and-wait action. At the same time, the steering has a pronounced on-center feeling. There is a distinct toggle-switch action when you turn the wheel off the straight-ahead position, and you can feel the pressure build in your hands as the front tires go to work in a corner.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

This outstanding steering can be appreciated in any kind of driving, but it is particularly welcome when the Taurus is pushed, because it collaborates beautifully with the car's excellent handling. Whether charging through an entrance ramp or slaloming down a winding mountain road, the Taurus feels reassuring and composed. There is always a bit of understeer, but only enough to keep the rear wheels in line; deliberate action is required to bring the tail out. The Taurus never pushes so much that it shreds its front tires, not even at its cornering limit. That limit is held to a modest 0.76 g by all-season tires, but the car's friendly handling makes all of this grip available without demanding any daredevil driving.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

Such behavior is not the result of any dazzling new suspension breakthroughs, for the Taurus rides on fairly conventional struts at all four comers. The secret is a commitment to excellent handling from the design's inception, which has resulted in a number of subtle developments. The targets for this car's suspension behavior came from Europe rather than from the Lincoln line. Such details as the negative camber and four degrees of caster in the front suspension, and the calibration of the springs, shocks, anti-roll bars, and bushings, are what produce the Taurus's European-style road manners. Best of all, these details are not exclusive to a special handling package. Each and every Taurus LX handles the same. (The base Taurus, however, has different tires and lacks the LX's rear anti-roll bar.)

Another result of the suspension tuning is a ride with more control than any big Ford sedan has ever had. And its control is not achieved in the usual American way, with stiff springs and thick anti-roll bars. The Taurus's springs are soft enough to follow most road imperfections, and its shock absorbers have enough damping to keep a tight rein on body motions. One typically European feature that the Taurus lacks is very hard suspension bushings. As a result, the Taurus rides just like an Audi or a BMW over large undulations, but absorbs small ridges and sharp edged bumps a bit better.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

No doubt some of the credit for this performance belongs to the Taurus's rigid chassis. Our test car had that carved-from-a-solid-billet-of-steel feeling that is common among premium European sedans. This solid structure is apparently a result of plenty of material rather than of a perfectly optimized design, because our Taurus weighed a hefty 3251 pounds. A comparably sized Audi 5000S weighs in at under 2900, and a Pontiac 6000STE weighs only 3100 pounds.

Fortunately, the all-new Taurus powertrain deals easily with the excess poundage. The transversely mounted 3.0-liter V-6 is typically domestic in its use of a pushrod valvetrain and iron construction for its block and heads, but it does employ port fuel injection, Ford's sophisticated EEC IV engine-control system, and aluminum castings for a number of components. It operates in conjunction with a four-speed automatic transmission that uses an electronically controlled lockup torque converter and an overdrive fourth gear to deliver good highway fuel economy.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

With 140 horsepower on tap, the Taurus accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds and through the standing quarter-mile in 17.4 seconds at 79 mph. For comparison, that's about as quick as an automatic BMW 528e, and quicker than both the Pontiac 6000STE and the normally aspirated Audi 5000. Furthermore, the Taurus's 20 mpg on the EPA city cycle betters the mileage of all of these competitors.

Despite the V-6 engine's American design, it has the refined, purposeful note at high rpm that we usually associate with premium European machinery. Indeed, it produces a bit more powertrain noise than is usual in large American sedans, reaching 76 dBA during hard acceleration. The engine is quite subdued during cruising, however; a slight wind whistle accounted for most of our test car's 71-dBA interior sound level at 70 mph.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

Much of the credit for the powertrain's performance belongs to the transmission, which provides smooth shifts and unobtrusive converter lockup at moderate speeds and snappy downshifts to more aggressive ratios when acceleration is called for. We do wish that the transmission would stay in fourth gear under full throttle at high speeds. Its refusal to do so limits top speed to 114 mph, which corresponds to the redline in third gear. With 140 hp and a 0.32 drag coefficient, we're sure that the Taurus could do better with a little help from its fourth gear.

We also found that the Taurus's brakes could stand improvement. Its 194-foot stopping distance from 70 mph is not bad, especially with its low-grip tires, but the pedal feel was spongy, making it difficult to modulate the braking. Evidently, Ford engineers agree, because we have been advised that a redesigned brake booster is already in production; all but the very first Tauruses should have better brake feel. Our track testing also revealed that a little more fade resistance would be useful, though we never noticed any loss of braking capacity on the street.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

We suspect that few Taurus buyers will subject their cars to repeated panic stops. They'll be more likely to test its volume and load capacity. The EPA rates the Taurus at 100 cubic feet of interior volume, which puts it on the line that divides midsize and large cars. We found plenty of room inside for four adults. The rear passengers are treated to a comfortable, chair-high bench and commodious footwells under the front seats. In a pinch, the cabin is even wide enough to seat six; in front, however, the contours of the split bench will leave the center passenger sitting uncomfortably on a pair of raised bolsters. The trunk volume is also generous and usefully shaped.

Functionally, the Taurus's interior is the equal of any European car's, but some aspects of its styling reveal its Detroit origins. The tan A-pillar moldings in our test car were attached with exposed black screws. There was also an exposed bolt in the center of the dash near the base of the windshield, and a few interior panels fit less than perfectly. We think that the fake wood-grain on the dash and door panels is out of sync with the interior's cleanly sculptured shapes, and the location of various minor controls lacks the military precision of most German cars. Some of the exterior details are also ragged, like the uneven line formed by the bottoms of the headlights, turn signals, and grille panel.

These are very minor nits to pick, however. All in all, the Taurus is an outstanding car. It has all of the comfort and utility that one expects in a large cruiser. And for the person who enjoys driving, American sedans don't come any better.

Aaron KileyCar and Driver

The Taurus is competitive with European sedans as well. In performance, handling, ride, fuel economy, and utility, it is as good as or better than the Audi 5000S and the BMW 528e. And while the Audi costs $18,065 and the BMW $26,280, the Taurus LX can be had for $13,351. That price includes air conditioning; power windows, locks, mirrors, and lumbar support; the V-6 with the four-speed automatic; a four-speaker AM/FM-stereo radio; and premium interior trim. Even at the $15,079 price of our fully loaded test car, the Taurus is priced very competitively.

The Taurus doesn't quite have the assembly quality or the careful detail design of the best European cars, but are the small differences worth several thousand dollars? Most of us think not. Furthermore, we suspect that Ford will do its best to smooth out the Taurus's few rough edges in the coming months. Then the only remaining problem will be to convince the skeptics that one of the world's finest sedans is a Ford.

Now there can be no more excuses. The Taurus is finally in production, and it either lives up to its promise or it doesn't. Ford revealed this car to the press so early in the development process that it seemed like an old friend long before the production lines were cranked up to full speed.

That's the soft spot in the early review process. Mass production, like marriage, always changes something. Some pieces of the giant mechanical jigsaw puzzle suddenly won't fit anymore, because a stamping machine in some far-off factory has gone out of toleranceor who knows what might happen? Anything can go wonky. For this reason, we tried in our previews of this car to keep a tight rein on hyperbole. That was tough, because cars as promising as the Taurus come along only once in a long while.

Now that I've finally driven a production Taurus, I'm more than ready to tackle the question we've been posing for the past several months. Is this Ford really a breakthrough, a car with European breeding, German-luxury-car moves, a strong dose of value, and all the goodness that can be packed into a cut-rate Audi 5000? The answer is yes. Rich Ceppos

There was a time many months ago when I was convinced that the Taurus and the Sable were too advanced for mainstream American tastes. The new sedans so neatly fit my philosophies about what a modern American sedan should be that I couldn't imagine the greater car-buying public nodding in agreement. Now that the assembly lines are rolling and the dealers are dealing, it's clear that I wasn't the only bloke waiting for Detroit to produce a worthwhile sedan. Plenty of folks with cash in hand have stepped up to the counter, and a good share of the first year's production is already sold.

Yes, Martha, there really is a demand for functional, affordable, and distinctively good-looking automobiles. GM has also gotten the message, and it has literally rushed back to the drawing boards in response to the initial success of the Taurus and the Sable. Our testing of one production Taurus has uncovered no flies in the ointment, and I couldn't be happier. Although there won't be a Taurus or a Sable in my garage in the foreseeable future, I'm certainly looking forward to having a few hundred thousand of my kind of car on the road. Don Sherman

I'll wait six months, thanks. Ford has left itself a little detail work now that it's flat nailed the basics of designing and producing a league-leading sedan. The Taurus's big stuff is in the bag: great looks, great aero, great space, great comfortin short, all the benefits you gain by carefully studying the big problems and responding to them with great understanding.

Now it's time for Ford to address the little stuff. The screw heads staring from their open sockets in the interior trim. The atrocious orange-ish "woodgrain" that stretches across the dash but fails to match the darker inserts that adorn the doors. The big gaps in the LX's exterior door spats. The wind noise around the A-pillars. The brake pedal's closeness to the driver's seat, which only emphasizes the brakes' touchiness. The gas pedal's oversensitivity at low speeds. The automatic's often jerky shifting.

With the little stuff still on the loose, the Taurus isn't ready for games of coordination with an Audi 5000S. But because the basics are so bullish, I am willing to wait. Larry Griffin

SPECIFICATIONS

1986 Ford Taurus LX

VEHICLE TYPE

front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 6-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE AS TESTED

$15,079 (base price: $13,777)

ENGINE TYPE

pushrod 12-valve V-6, iron block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 182 in3, 2986 cm3

Power: 140 hp @ 4800 rpm

Torque: 160 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

TRANSMISSION

4-speed automatic

CHASSIS

Suspension (F/R): strut/multilink

Brakes (F/R): 10.2-in vented disc/8.9-in drum

Tires: Firestone Supreme, P205/70R-14 M+S

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 106.0 in

Length: 188.4 in

Width: 70.4 in

Height: 54.4 in

Passenger volume: 100 ft3

Trunk volume: 17 ft3

Curb weight: 3251 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 9.8 sec

100 mph: 31.2 sec

Top gear, 3050 mph: 5.4 sec

Top gear, 5070 mph: 6.7 sec

1/4 mile: 17.4 sec @ 79 mph

Top speed: 114 mph

Braking, 700 mph: 194 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.76 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY

Observed: 20 mpg

EPA FUEL ECONOMY

Combined/city/highway: 23/20/28 mpg

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Tested: 1986 Ford Taurus LX Shapes the Future of the Family Sedan - Car and Driver

Sometimes, these 2 supercar brands dial things up a notch by creating special edition cars made available to only the privileged clientele.

Ferrari and Lamborghini are two Italian rivals that are locked in an eternal battle for dominance in the world of supercars and hypercars. In fact, the Lamborghini company was formed as a result of a feud between Ferruccio Lamborghini and Enzo Ferrari.

Over the years, both companies have delighted the car world with a series of incredible machines that seamlessly combine engine performance and handling. On occasion, they dial things up a notch with the creation of special edition cars that are made available to only a few privileged clientele. We focus on that here and showcase some of the best wonders-on-wheels to have emerged from these Italian powerhouses.

The J50 was a surprise announcement by Ferrari in December 2016. The car was designed to celebrate the 50th year of Ferrari business in the Japanese market. It is based on the 488 Spider but the 3.9-liter V8 has been jacked up by 20 hp to a total of 681 hp. Its exterior styling is much more aggressive too with pronounced lines and an extended rear bumper that helps with high-speed handling and stability. Only 10 units were made and Ferrari allowed each lucky customer to customize each one according to personal taste.

Lamborghini is not into the business of building one-offs however, they may relax the rules for the right customerand the right price of course. This mental SC18 Alston is proof of that; a car rumored to have cost the owner over $7 million. It is the first one-off from the companys motorsport division and is based on the Aventador SVJ platform The SC18 Alston but has more power though, with the V12 engine tuned to produce 800 hp. It also has an extreme aero package designed to help glue the car to the roads at high speeds.

The SA Aperta was unveiled to the public at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and only 80 examples were built to preserve its exclusivity. All 80 units were sold before production had even commenced. It is essentially a convertible 599 GTB but with certain additions that make it more potent; like the 661-hp V12 engine and the super-responsive gearbox from the bonkers 599 GTO. The SA Aperta needs just over 3 seconds to get to 60 mph and the needle will keep climbing until it maxes out at 202 mph really impressive for a convertible.

The Gallardo is one of Lamborghinis most successful models and over 14,000 units were built in a 10-year production run. There were a few special editions runs included in that number; with the Valentino Balboni Edition arguably the among the best Gallardo variants. This 550 hp baby Lambo was specially created in honor of the famous Lamborghini Test driver, Valentino Balboni, who spent almost 4 decades with the company. The Gallardo Balboni Edition was limited to a run of 250 units and cost over $10,000 more than the regular model.

As the name implies, the Centenario was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ferruccio Lamborghini, the company founder. 40 units of the car were built 20 coupes and 20 roadsters with each one costing almost $2 million. The cars V12 engine produces 759 hp and 509 pound-feet of torque. The car does feature a few prominent styling elements like the massive air intakes along the sides of the car and the gigantic rear diffuser with vertical fins that seem to extend downwards, right from the engine bay.

This otherworldly Lamborghini creation is not for everybody. First, only 20 units were built at a cost well north of $2million. As if that was not exclusive enough, this insane car is not road-legal and can only be used on the tracks. There is no denying its capabilities though; needing only 2.5 seconds to get to 60 mph before a blistering run to its top speed of about 186 mph. The car is little more than a carbon-fiber tub and engine to save weight which works to its advantage when its out on the tracks defying nature.

In 2014, the F60 America was launched as part of Ferraris 60th-anniversarycelebrations. They only produced 10 units; with a price tag of $2.5million slapped on each one. That mattered little though as all 10 examples were snapped up by eager customers shortly after the car was announced. The F60 is based on the F12 Berlinetta however in the F60, you get to enjoy the roar of the naturally aspirated V12 without restrictions as it is a proper convertible. It is the ultimate in an open-top driving experience that only a precious few get to experience.

Related:15 Facts About Pierre Bardinon And His Crazy Ferrari Collection

The Aventador SVJ is the last hoorah for Lamborghinis iconic naturally aspirated non-hybrid V12 engined cars. The company has made sure it will be a memorable exit indeed with the introduction of the exclusive SVJ63. The 63 is a reference to the year the company was formed and can be applied to the car in a variety of custom decals. This beast will hit 60 mph in less than 3 seconds before maxing out at a 217 mph top speed. There will be 63 units of the coupe and roadster versions and yes, they have all been sold out.

Related:15 Rarest And Most Exclusive Lambos Ever Made

This special one-off Ferrari is based on one of the best naturally aspirated V8 supercars the 458 Speciale. It was designed on request by Ferrari Special Projects division for a wealthy British businessman who also happens to be a Prancing Horse fan. The engine remains unchanged from the 458 Speciale but a lot of design work went into the 458 MM to make it even more aerodynamically stable. You can immediately spot new additions like the air scoop on the flanks and the addition of a spoiler at the rear.

This is one car that may be out of reach even if you can afford the insane $2.6 million price tag. The FXX K Evo is an invite-only, track-only car thats only offered to members of the Ferrari Corse Clienti Programme. You also have to commit to a number of requirements before you are allowed ownership privileges. First, the FXX K Evo can be no garage queen and has to actually be actively driven. The car will also remain with Ferrari for the first few years of ownership while they study its technology that may be a part of mainstream production cars in the future.

Next:These One-Offs Were Made On Special Request

Next The 10 Worst Modifications You Can Make To Your Motorcycle

A simple bloke with a not-so-simple car obsession!

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Here Are The Greatest Special Edition Cars From Ferrari And Lamborghini - HotCars

From the architect:

This project involved the restoration and modification of an historically significant single storey Victorian era Italianate villa in inner Melbourne.

The brief was to combine the historic original building with a new addition to create a home for contemporary living.

The original house remains largely intact to retain historical value whilst the new additions provide an opportunity to add contemporary amenity commonly lacking in Victorian era houses; including providing new spaces which are well oriented, naturally lit & ventilated and meaningfully connected to outdoor space.

This project offered a range of opportunities to engage with tradition in different ways including the faithful restoration of traditional features, the reinterpretation of existing architectural ideas such as the iron columns of the traditional veranda and the introduction of new discordant ones like the use of Perspex to amplify the characteristics of the original house and provide a new way of seeing the old.

The building functions as dwelling and display for the owners contemporary art collection. Consideration of the house as both gallery and home were considered during the design stages and influenced decisions such as window placement, and the play of natural and artificial light. Spaces are designed to accommodate a wide variety of sculpture, hanging wall art, video and light installations inserted into the everyday domestic setting of kitchen, pantry and powder room.

The clients were also keen to adapt and reuse steel framed windows reclaimed from a previous project.

The extension is legible as distinct works while being sympathetic in scale to the original house. The new built form is understated when viewed from the street. The new north facing two-level extension has been located to the rear behind a brick garage and pool area partly over clad in black Perspex which mirrors the lush garden and the detailed Victorian faade in the distinctive large setback on approach to the front door.

New works are contemporary in appearance and reference a more industrial take on traditional Victorian era materials such as recycled brick and steel

The existing house was carefully restored and upgraded to include new artificial lighting, heating, mechanical ventilation and increased thermal performance.

More robust interventions to the original house included demolition of some internal walls in order to better connect spaces. Detail design components include the adaptive reuse of steel window frames and recycled bricks used in the new addition. The transition between old and new is expressed with a glazed atrium framed in steelwork and glass.

Steelwork extends outside to form a colonnade facing the pool area and references Victorian iron detailing including clustered iron columns to the original front veranda.

This has been a collaborative process with valuable input from all disciplines. Landscape design plays a central role in the design with most rooms enjoying direct access to the outdoors. The landscape varies as the house progresses in formality from public to private.

The landscape reinterprets traditional details including the tessellated motifs of the front veranda tiling.

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The Italianate brilliance of Sister Tatlow's house - Architecture and Design

Michael Calore: Is that the new flavor of smoothie that shows up in your Hello Fresh box?

LG: Does Hello Fresh deliver smoothies?

MC: [Laughs] I don't know. You tell me.

LG: I don't know, but I'm intrigued. No, I'm going to explain what that means. Just keep that phrase in mind. Absolutely bananas insane.

[Intro theme music]

LG: Hi everyone, I'm Lauren Goode. I'm a senior writer at WIRED, and you're listening to Gadget Lab. I am joined remotely by my cohost, WIRED senior editor Michael Calore, who is back from a break. We missed you.

MC: Thank you. Thank you. It's great to be back, and it's great to see your face on the little postage stamp on my screen.

LG: I'm sure you missed Zooming in your time off.

MC: I did, yes.

LG: All right. "Absolutely bananas insane" is what WIRED's digital director, Brian Barrett, tweeted the other day when he shared his story about the harassment campaign that six former eBay employees allegedly launched against a Massachusetts couple who happened to run an ecommerce news site. And that is what we're going to talk about first on today's podcast. Brian, thanks for coming on Gadget Lab.

Brian Barrett: Thank you guys for having me back.

LG: Then later in the show, WIRED's Lily Hay Newman is going to join us to take us through the details of a troubling Russian disinformation campaign. But first, I'm just going to call this story bananas eBay. Is that OK? Can we just call it bananas eBay? I think that's what it says in the court documents, right?

BB: Yep. I think so. Allegedly bananas eBay.

LG: A criminal complaint released this week by the Massachusetts District Attorney's Office lays out this series of bizarre allegations that former eBay executives coordinated a long outrageous harassment campaign. Brian, take us through the details of the case. How did this all start? What do we need to know?

BB: Well, I will just give you the speed-run version, because there are too many details. It's a 56- or something page criminal complaint, and every page is more bizarre and alarming than the last. So it all started last August. Two eBay executives who we now know to be the former CEO and the former head of PR we're texting each other, complaining about a site called EcommerceBytes, which they felt was covering eBay too negatively. The former CEO says to the former head of PR something to the effect of, "Take her down." That was in one of the texts. And that launched an alleged caper that lasted for two or three weeks. One thing I want to make clear is that everything here, nothing's proven. There's still a legal process to play out, and the two executives in question are not charged with anything. It's sort of a Thomas Beckett, "Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest?" situation. It feels like where they handed the ball to their head of global security and he ran with it and threw it at a middle-aged couple from Massachusetts.

LG: So what exactly did they do?

BB: We have six eBay employees and contractors, all of whom have left the company since or were fired, who plotted a bizarre campaign to harass this couple. The strategy was two-pronged. One, they were going to mail increasingly disturbing packages to their home that included live cockroaches, a Halloween mask that looked like a bloody pig's face, live fly larvae, live spiders, a funeral wreath, and a book about how to cope with a dead spouse. This is a married couple. Phase two was to create a phony social media profile that would continually batter these people with DMs, taking credit for all of the deliveries that were going on. Eventually, in a huge galaxy brain strategy moment, the eBay employees said, "You know what? We're going to make this couple feel like they're under attack, and then step in as eBay and solve their problem for them so that they will be nice to us."

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eBay and the Deliveries You Never Wanted - WIRED

For better and worse, Grand Theft Auto Online has been updating since it was released in 2013. Some updates brought back beloved characters from the single player campaign, while other updates added wacky situations to the game. While some of these updates pleased fans, others made them wonder what Rockstar was thinking.

RELATED: 5 Things That Saints Row Does Better Than Grand Theft Auto (& 5 Things It Does Worse)

Updates forGrand Theft Auto Online can range from adding new missions to the game to allowing players the tools to make their own maps. For any fan of the online portion of the game, there is most likely an update that has either left them pleased or left them disappointed and wanting more. Here are the five best and five worst updates onGrand Theft Auto Online.

While it is pretty nice that snow was added to Los Santos, it did not last and neither did the items the player could get. Clothes were added in the update, allowing the player to look like snowmen, elves, or reindeer. The sad part is that the clotheswould vanish forever if the player took them off after the update passed.

This is not the first updateGTA Online received, so it makes no sense why they would take away the items. The player had to pay for these items with their money, making it odd these clothes would disappear forever.

This update allows the player to buy and operate a nightclub in Los Santos. Aside from this, the player can go to their friend's nightclubs and dance the night away. Tony Prince makes a comeback fromGrand Theft Auto IV,too, which is a treat for older fans.

Also included in the update are new clothes and vehicles, such as the blimp and theflying motorcycle. There is a lot for players ofGTA Online, giving them either new vehicles or new missions to promote their club.

This update does not even have a name, if that says anything. This update added the Drop Zone mission for adversary mode, while also adding two new vehicles that can be upgraded at Benny's garage.

RELATED: The 10 Weirdest Grand Theft Auto Mods Ever

No new clothing was added, despite new clothing being used for the adversary mode. Only about a week later, Rockstar released the Valentine's update for 2016. It seems like this update could have waited the week to release.

The Cunning Stunts update focused entirely on racing, adding new tracks and racing cars to the game. What was also added was giant tubes and rings of fire to be added to custom race tracks. Fans of the racing inGrand Theft Auto Online will definitely love this update.

The races offered in this update has the player drive through tubes that are suspended up above downtown Los Santos. New outfits are added, too. These outfits take inspiration from real racing suits and motocross suits.

The Beach Bum Update was the first update introduced toGrand Theft Auto Online. Beach clothing and beach vehicles were added, but these outfits do not really change from what the player was able to buy already.

It might have been the first update and Rockstar might have learned what players want, but it was still a bit of a disappointment. The only upside was the addition of a van you can paint a shark onto.

The Bikers update allows the player to start their own motorcycle club with their friends. Also included are new motorcycles and outlaw clothing to make the perfect gang. Also added is the ability to use melee weapons while riding a motorcycle.

Fans of theLost and DamnedDLC fromGrand Theft Auto IV will definitely enjoy this update. With Rockstar giving players double rewardsat random times for doing biker missions, it is worth forming a club.

The High Life update added new clothes, vehicles, and the ability to buy a second property. More jobs were also added for the player to complete. The bad part, though, is a new mental state system was added to the game.

The mental state of a player will rise as they kill NPCs, players, and blow up cars. This will rise, even if the player is killing in self defense. It might not seem like a big deal, but it will lead to players being more likely to kill you.

This update added a casino, allowing players to gamble and own their own penthouse. New missions were added to the game relating to the casino, such as attacking the current owner soTao Cheng becomes owner. Also included were new survival missions, new races, and new vehicles for the player to buy.

RELATED: 10 GTA V Locations That Are Based On Real-Life

Content forRed Dead Redemption II was also added, in a way. By collecting 54 cards, the player will be rewarded with an outfit onRed Dead Online. With this update, players are finally able to see inside the casino and gamble with their friends.

This update was added to celebrate the 4th of July. Added was a musket, fireworks, and vehicles with American flag decals. As cool and fittingly patriotic as these additions sounded, the one majorissue is a lot of this stuff is only available once a year.

Much like the Holiday Special, players are only able to buy this gear when the event happens. This means if they miss the 4th of July, they have to wait an entire year if they want a musket or fireworks. Additionally, this means players would have to ration their fireworks for an entire year before they could get more.

The Heists Update was finally added to the game on March 10, 2015. This added heists the player could do with their friends, while offering a quick way to earn money. The heists are different from ones found in single player, making them truly unique.

Heists can range from robbing drugs from gang members to robbing a bank and escaping on motorcycle. Also included are new vehicles, such as an armored car and attack helicopters. The heists are a fun way to work together with friends, trying to do better each time a heist is started.

NEXT: Grand Theft Auto: 10 Best Cheats In Franchise History (& How To Do Them)

Next 5 Underrated Simulation Games For Playstation 4 (& 5 That Are Overrated)

Brian Winters is a video game fan from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. He goes to The University of Southern Mississippi and works for the school paper. His favorite video game series are 'Half-Life', 'Fallout' and 'Metro'.

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Grand Theft Auto Online: 5 Of The Best Updates (& 5 Of The Worst) - GameRant