While You Were Sleeping: February 27th, 2015

by Derek Kreindler

February 27th, 2015 1:34 PM

while you were sleeping february 27th 2015

Want to get your hands on a diesel Mazda CX-3? If you’re in Japan, you’re in luck. You won’t have any other choice.

Mazda is launching the CX-3 crossover in Japan with a diesel only engine lineup.
In other Mazda news, the company is hoping that their new Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition engine will match Toyota’s hybrid system for fuel efficiency.
Here’s what Americans spent their savings from lower gas prices on.
A Democrat Congressman is trying to ban red light cameras.

#WhileYouWereSleeping

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16 of 20 comments

Marc on Feb 27, 2015

Please use correct terminology regarding political parties, lest one accuse you of a right-leaning bias (nah, not here....) In anywhere other than Fox News, the adjective to describe the left-leaning US party members is Democratic, not Democrat. One should say "a Democratic congressman," not "a Democrat congressman." To say the latter is partisan and a slur. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democrat_Party_(epithet) Even the article referenced uses the correct terminology. "The democratic U.S. representative..." off my soapbox........

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- CJinSD on Feb 27, 2015
  
  I feel so sorry for you.
  
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- Marc on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @CJinSD Why? because I care about journalistic integrity? Maybe you don't care. Or maybe you believe that using what is generally considered a slur is okay, which speaks to your political leanings. Either way, worry about yourself, please. I have no need for your pity or snark.
  
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- Lampredotto on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @CJinSD Marc is correct about the lexicon, though I don't think Derek's intent was malevolent, simply an oversight. The Right Wing has subtly pushed "Democrat" as an adjective in lieu of the historically correct "Democratic", in the interest of casting the opposition and their policies in a negative light ("Democratic" has positive connotations, i.e. "democracy", where "Democrat" sounds like "rat".) It's the same school of thought that attempts to rebrand the estate tax as the "death tax". And unfortunately it's seeping into mainstream usage.
  
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- CJinSD on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @Lampredotto The Democratic party used to refer to itself as the Democrat party interchangeably, with citations available going back to 1839. This open wound victimhood crybaby act is the historical revision. Synonyms aren't slurs, and getting upset about usage that is/was correct in the context of a link to an article casting a Democrat in a positive light is the act of a small, miserable person.
  
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- Marc on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @CJinSD Somebody pee in your coffee this morning, CJ? I guess Chris Matthews is a small, miserable person too, as the article I linked explaining why this usage is incorrect references him. I guess you are a much better person than he. Historical usage has no bearing on current usage. It used to be appropriate to say "colored people." Perhaps Derek did not know better. If that's the case, then my comment serves as a small contribution to his knowledge of politics in the US. I lived in Canada for 17 years, and I wouldn't have known this distinction then. But I know it now. Democrat is a noun. Democratic is the correct adjective. Regardless, I calls them as I sees them. And this one deserved a shout out. If you don't see the value in that, nothing I say will change your mind. But stop with the pettiness directed towards me, It only reflects poorly on you.
  
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- Suto on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @Lampredotto I am against estate tax. That money was already taxed when it was earned. A workaround would be to just withdraw the money and hand it off shortly before death, but that is more than a little morbid, and is impossible when death is unexpected.
  
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- Lampredotto on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @CJinSD Can we have this discussion without engaging in ad hominem attacks?
  
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- Jimble on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @Suto Most of the inheritances subject to the estate tax were accumulated through unrealized capital gains, not earned income, so they were not taxed already.
  
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- Lie2me on Feb 27, 2015
  
  @CJinSD "Can we have this discussion without engaging in ad hominem attacks?" Not a chance
  
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- Ect on Mar 01, 2015
  
  @Suto The US estate tax is a hopeless jumble, that only enriches lawyers and accountants. In the early 1970's Canada eliminated its estate tax in favour of a much simpler system. When someone dies, they are (except for rollover to a spouse) deemed to have disposed of capital assets at fair market value, and the estate is taxed on that, at capital gain rates. The heirs inherit the assets at the stepped-up value. Non-capital assets (like cash) pass on tax-free. Estate planning is still an industry, but a lot of lawyers and accountants had to find other ways to make a living.
  
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- Highdesertcat on Mar 01, 2015
  
  @Suto ect, there are all sorts of legal ways to get around that hopeless jungle of estate taxes. Millions of Americans are already doing it. If you have an 'estate' in America, you'd be well advised to seek an attorney who specializes in taxes and estate wealth management. One of the simplest and legal ways is to make a cash distribution among your heirs BEFORE you kick the bucket. Another is to have multiple owners on real estate properties, with rights of survivorship. Another is to Quit Claim deeds and titles to your heirs before you check out. Don't fret about sheltering your wealth. Visit money boards or seek help from an advisor. They still make a living that way, among other aspects of the legal profession. What a lot of Middle Classers are doing is to buy chattel that can easily be transferred to their heirs, like guns, ammo, reloading gear, jewelry, precious gems, precious metals, etc etc etc etc. The list is just about endless and actually includes cars, trucks, boats, jetskis, ATVs. Anyway, don't fret about the tax laws. They're easily and legally circumvented. How else do you think that members of the US government can get around them?
  
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Suto on Feb 27, 2015

While I like Mazda, I don't think they could match Toyota on hybrids. By that I mean I don't think they can make something the size of a Prius that gets Prius gas mileage. The level of refinement and improvement the Prius has seen between the 1st and 3rd gen is significant. I would be very impressed if Mazda could just jump right in and match them. I do like that they "are hoping to match" Toyota, and not claiming they will beat it outright. Good luck.

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Mike89 on Feb 27, 2015

"Want to get your hands on a diesel Mazda CX-3?" Why would you ? Mazda diesels sucks.

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Big Al from Oz on Mar 01, 2015

I love to read the reasons why the SkyActiv diesel isn't represented in a Mazda vehicle in the USA. So much mis-information. The reason is NOx levels from the engine using the different grade of US diesel is higher. US diesel is a lower quality fuel than what is currently used in other developed nations. It has a lower cetane value, higher scar rate (lower lubricity) and contains more sulphur. The problem is NOx emissions in the US. The SkyActiv diesel is required to run using a lower compression ratio than what the low cetane US diesel can sustain. So, the higher the compression ratio equals more pressure which equal more heat which lead to more NOx emissions. I don't know why the US just doesn't use a better quality diesel fuel like the rest of the modern world. Here's a cut and paste; “Mazda understands its Skyactiv-D can meet emission-regulation requirements without the use of a NOx after-treatment system.” “With the Skyactiv-D, Mazda engineers decreased pollution, boosted mileage, and eliminated the cost of exhaust after-treatments by building the world’s lowest-compression diesel engine,” the magazine explained. So, this talk of harsher US emissions regulations might be a little overplayed. Maybe it might be the US'es poorer diesel fuel quality. Here's more; "Popular Science said that this “low compression ratio cuts emissions of nitrogen oxide and other pollutants enough to meet present (and future) standards both in Europe and the U.S. As a result, the Mazda6 does away with expensive urea tanks (which drivers have to refill every 10,000 miles or so) that many diesels use to neutralize emissions.” The link; http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2014/01/09/skyactiv-d-delay-may-reflect-mazda-tack-on-nox-emissions/

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- Eyeflyistheeye on Mar 02, 2015
  
  I have no idea why you waste time worrying about what the United States does in regards to transportation and waste even more time pointlessly arguing it when you have no stake in our country. The only thing I'm jealous about Australians is your women. But the good thing is they don't dream about guys in Mahindras and Great Walls, they come here and fetishize over our Raptors, Camaros and Challengers. Loved rooting a bogan Sheila in the back of my Sequoia.
  
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