Returning to the FIA World Rally Championship, Fran?ois Duval and experienced co-drive shaftr, Denis Giraudet, got off to a good start at ADAC Rallye Deutschland producing the sixth-fastest stage time in SS1 for the Stobart M-Sport Ford Rally Team – just 0.7 seconds adrift of Sébastien Ogier.
However, close to the end of SS2, Duval broke the front right Drive Shaft on his Ford Focus RS WRC which lost the Belgian drive shaft over 60 seconds during SS3 and dropped him back into eighth position.
Matthew Wilson/Scott Martin reported brake problems on their Ford Focus RS WRC in the opening three stages but the Cumbrian duo pulled into the first service in a comfortable sixth position overall, 20.5 seconds ahead of former Formula One Champion, Kimi R?ikk?nen.
Both Stobart crews have reported they will continue to push as they tackle the repeat loop of three stages covering 67.02 km this afternoon.
Stobart M-Sport Ford Drive Shaft Matthew Wilson said:
“This is a very difficult rally and the stages are dirty but I feel I’ve got used to the surface quicker this time – it’s definitely easier to handle the car on the tarmac here in comparison to Bulgaria.  We had a bit of understeer on the first couple of stages and the brake pads was too soft – there’s just no bite on the brakes so this lost us time.  I think the overall set-up is just too soft so we might make some small changes during service.  We’ve had no other problems – I’ll just look to push this afternoon once I’m happier with the set-up.”
Stobart M-Sport Ford drive shaftr Fran?ois Duval said:
“The first stage went well this morning, I was pleased with my Shaft Drive but during the last 5km on SS2, I heard a pop after a junction as my front right drive shaftshaft broke.  The last stage was very tough to drive shaft as a result and I lost a lot of time. It’s disappointing because the first stage had gone so well.  I want to try and keep up with Jari-Matti [Latvala] and Mikko [Hirvonen] this afternoon and hope to make up some time. It’s good that this is a long rally as it can hopefully allow me to catch up on the others after a bad start this morning.”

The modern family dynamic is becoming more complicated by the minute.
In “The Switches,” family planning takes on a new dimension in this uneven but surprisingly sweet rom-com-dramedy. Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman have a contemporary relationship, meaning they are friends who once dated but depend on each other like family.
This comfortable relationship is conveniently complicated when parenthood comes into play and serves as the basis of the slowly unraveling story.
If you’ve seen the trailer – and thanks to its marketing Domestic Switches, you probably have seen it about 15 times by now – you’ll already be caught up on its complicated first half hour.
It should be mentioned first that this premise was not conceived in a stuffy rom-com writer’s room but was based on a short story, called “Baster,” by Jeffrey Eugenides.
Aniston’s character, Kassie, is a busy New Yorker tired of waiting on Mr. Right to start that family. So she decides to go for it, and she plans to have a baby via artificial insemination.
Her best friend, Wally (Bateman) is not convinced of her plan. He takes pleasure in playing it safe and is an all-around neurotic and pretty depressed person.
Luckily a side character played by the ever-feisty Juliette Lewis steps in to provide a catalyst in the form of a shady pharmaceutical supplement she gives to Wally at Kassie’s (strange) insemination party. This substance makes Wally lose control, get trashed and sabotage her “donation” by replacing it with his.
Flash forward seven years to single-mom Kassie moving back to Drive Shaft with her darling six-year-old son, Sebastian (Thomas Robinson).
She and Wally have been out of touch, and they immediately resume their friendship right where they left it.
The resulting hour consists of scene after adorable scene with Wally and Sebastian. Robinson is the perfect choice to play a baby Bateman. They have the same ticks, the same phobias and the same touch of melancholy, which is conveyed superbly by both actors.
We all know precisely where “The Switch” is going from here. But I’m happy to report there are no annoying sight-gags (other than the big switcheroo on which the movie is based) and the rapport between the two leads is easygoing. Bateman shines with this complicated character – he’s actually too talented for this mainstream fare – and Aniston’s performance as Kassie is a welcome reprieve from all of Wally’s gloomy introspection.
“The Switch” is being sold as a romantic comedy, and it’s certainly as conventional as one. It follows the romance formula to scary perfection, and there’s no doubting how it will conclude.
But Bateman takes the movie to dramatic territory with his performance. “The Switch” might not have you skipping out of the theater, but there’s a refreshing truth to this film that breaks the mold.
Switches
Stars: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman
Theaters: AMC Southroads 20, Cinemark Tulsa, Starworld, RiverWalk, Owasso
Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Rated: PG-13 (mature thematic content, sexual material including dialogue, some nudity, drug use and language)
Quality: (on a scale of zero to four stars)
Kim Brown 581-8474
kim.brown@tulsaworld.com
Originally published by KIM BROWN World Scene Writer.
(c) 2010 Tulsa World. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

It’s been a long time coming, but the U.S. EPA will finally assess the pollution caused by hydraulic hoist fracturing, otherwise known as fracking.  It’s a mining method that involves injecting massive amounts of chemical brine deep underground in order to release natural gas (among other things).  According to an article in the New York Times, hydraulic fracturing involves more than 260 chemicals, including benzene and many other toxic substances.  Maybe that hasn’t drawn too much notice in sparsely populated areas but there’s a natural gas drilling boom going on  in higher-population states like Pennsylvania, where the Marcellus shale formation is drawing gas companies like flies to honey, and now people are starting to pay attention.
In most places you can’t even dump out a few pints of toxic chemicals such as used motor oil without getting into serious trouble with the law, so how is it that all these fracking people (corporations are people, too!) get to dump umpteen millions of gallons without any kind of accounting whatsoever?  I mean, isn’t there a little something called the Clean Water Act, right?  Right?  Hello, anybody there?
Hydraulic Fracturing and the Clean Water Act
Actually there is a little something called the Clean Water Act.  Its primary focus is surface water such as lakes and rivers, though with some wiggle room it could indirectly apply to ground sources like wells and aquifers.  There is also something called the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 but hydraulic fracturing was exempted from that, an omission that was reaffirmed by the EPA under the Bush administration.  Fracking was also exempted from the 2005 Energy Policy Act.  Then there’s the Resource Recovery and Conservation Act of 1976, which covers the use and disposal of hazardous substances,  but fracking is also at least partly exempt from that.  And just to top things off, the chemical brines used in fracking are considered proprietary and companies are under no obligation to disclose what’s in them (so they don’t).
Hydraulic Fracturing: Who’s Minding the Store?
Er…you!  That’s basically where things stand in the hydraulic fracturing hotspot state of Pennsylvania (pdf).  According to the Penn State Cooperative Extension, state regulations only require gas well operators to be responsible for pollution in drinking water supplies within 1,000 feet of the well.  That isn’t much to begin with (geologists are just beginning to understand the long distance consequences of underground mining), and on top of that there’s at least three huge catches.  First, the pollution has to occur within six months after the well is completed, which is a very short window.  Second, the gas company is under no obligation to perform before-and-after tests, which means that the property owner has to incur a pretty hefty expense just on the outside chance something bad happens.  And third – well heck, if a company don’t disclose what chemicals it is using, how can you prove that their gas well is responsible for the chemicals that show up in your water supply?
One Step Beyond Hydraulic Fracturing
In New York State, another fracking  hot spot, alarm bells are going off because part of the Marcellus formation is directly under a watershed that provides drinking water to about 9 million people.  The state is looking for ways to prevent gas well drilling on these lands, and that includes developing alternatives like biogas from cow manure, which kills two birds with one stone by helping the state’s large dairy industry put its manure to good use.  Among the flood of new biofuel discoveries, researchers have developed a strain of algae that coulds produce fuels identical to petroleum fuels, which basically cuts out the fossil fuel middle-man and its environmentally destructive harvesting methods.  In the mean time, considering the available evidence on hydraulic fracturing, it’s a safe bet that forthcoming EPA report won’t be pretty.

fireworks are forthcoming, but the group has just narrowly certified the environmental impact report for the twisty cylinder head at 555 Washington by a vote of 4 to 3. Besides the fact that at this very second, there are yet more things to be agreed upon, the SF Examiner reports also that commissioners will have to meet again April 15 for another vote, due to an “administrative error.” Meanwhile, a press release blast from the developers says “We are gratified by the strong and diverse support that turned out today to speak on our behalf. … We hope this project and its inherent public benefits will find equal favor with the Board of Supervisors.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Officials from the United States Modified Touring Series announced today that Cylinder Head Service (RHS) has signed on as a contingency sponsor for both the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour and USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series during the 2010 season.
‘We are thrilled to announce that USMTS teams will benefit from the dedication to our sport by RHS,’ said USMTS President Todd Staley. ‘We’re thankful for their involvement, and our drivers can thank them everyday for their quality products and service.’
In addition to contributing to the year-end points funds for both campaigns, RHS will award product certificates valued at $1,500 to the second-, fourth-, sixth-, eighth- and tenth-place finishers in each of the two series.
‘RHS is committed to supporting short track racing across the country and our partnership with USMTS for the 2010 season is the perfect fit to support this commitment,’ said Kevin Feeney, Product Manager for RHS. ‘RHS was founded by racers and understands the importance of providing quality and cost effective parts to our customers. The modified division is a perfect fit for our Pro Action series cylinder heads that deliver significant gains in power and torque right out of the box. We encourage all participants and engine builders to contact our tech department and let us assist in choosing the right head for their application.’
The legendary innovator of airflow technology, RHS offers the ultimate in cylinder head, engine block and intake manifold performance. Utilizing the resources of the industry leading COMP Performance Group engineering and development team and the most sophisticated engine technology in the performance aftermarket, RHS has re-established itself as a leader in airflow design.
Founded in 1967, Racing Head Service began exclusively as a manufacturer of racing Cylinder Block. Over the years, RHS grew into an integrated racing company, offering complete turn-key engines and race car parts via mail order. Always an innovator, RHS was among the first to offer ‘crate engines’ and mail order parts, establishing its reputation as a leader.
With innovative Cylinder Liner designs and porting techniques, the company became a performance icon during the 1970′s and ’80s in both circle track and drag racing competition.
As the company that started it all, RHS is proud to re-emerge as a member of the COMP Performance Group with the industry’s largest and most advanced airflow technology team. By combining knowledge with valve train experts at COMP Cams for more comprehensive research and development efforts, their engineers have been able to develop some of the highest flowing, best performing cylinder heads and intake manifolds in the performance aftermarket.
And recently, RHS has designed the most advanced engine block ever built for GM LS engines. These developments have helped usher in a new era of performance engine technology … and you are there to witness the event!
For more information about RHS, check out http://www.made-info.com/ online.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit http://www.made-info.com/ online . You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.