The Shame of College Sports

This extensive article written by Taylor Branch brings the scandalous workings of the NCAA out into the open. It also describes how the student-athlete is the victim. Many large sports corporations offer money to high school graduates in order to recruit them to whichever college team they please. The NCAA receives mass amounts of money from media, merchandise, and sports equipment corporations. The NCAA then sends money out to all the member schools, the big revenue schools making 40 to 80 million dollars a year. None of this money makes it to the student besides their scholarship. But if an athlete gets injured or performs poorly he is left out to dry. Taylor Branch gives multiple examples of students who lost cases against the NCAA because of the student-athlete policy. However there are still a large number of lawsuits working their way through the courts system that have the potential of destroying the NCAA.

Worlds Smallest Car

We have a hard time imagining anyone would find the Smart ForTwo uncomfortably large or the Scion iQ too big for their needs, but a group of businessmen in the UK believe there's a market for even smaller transportation. The group has resurrected the Peel brand, and the manufacturer is now accepting orders for both the P50 and the Trident. Both models will launch with a 49 cc two-stroke gasoline engine making just 3.35 horsepower, but buyers will also be able to choose one of two electric motors as well.

A brushless electric motor producing 1.6 horsepower and 2.5 pound-feet of torque can propel either vehicle to a golf-cart rivaling 15 mph. So equipped, the P50 and Trident deliver an operating range of around 50 miles. A more potent 4-horsepower motor is also available, which propels the three wheelers to a top speed of 50 mph with the same range. Both Peel models are limited to 28 mph.

With the Trident weighing just 130 pounds and the P50 tipping the scales at a slightly heavier 198 pounds, even the most atrophied among us should be able to drag the machines into a convenient parking space or elevator. As of the time of writing, only 9 of the 50 first limited edition Peel models remain available. Prices start at around $10,772, but if you want one, you'll need to place a $1,546 deposit. Head over to the Peel website for more information, and follow the jump for our favorite Peel video ever: Clarkson bringing one to the office for Top Gear.

 (Original post by Zach Bowman, Jan. 22 2012)
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/22/worlds-smallest-car-headed-back-into-production/

It's pretty awesome when someone takes technology from the past and implements modern technology. The Peel P50 and Trident are good examples of this. The original Peel microcar was produced from 1962-1965, it was sold for about $300. The new Peel is available with the original gasoline engine or one of two newly developed electric motors for around $12,000. If only they had a turbocharged version, I would definatly buy it.