I should be clear here that Im not an official expert in words Im no entomologist. You can tell thats true because I just typed the word for someone who. The time has come to mourn the death of yet another sporty car nameplate. This one doesnt affect the North American market, and while inevitable, its kind of a. Includes downloads, cheats, reviews, and articles. IA1qjoles_smart1.jpg' alt='Mario Kart World Record Time Trials Daytona' title='Mario Kart World Record Time Trials Daytona' />Cheatbook your source for Cheats, Video game Cheat Codes and Game Hints, Walkthroughs, FAQ, Games Trainer, Games Guides, Secrets, cheatsbook. If Youre Between 3. I Bet You Learned The Word Ajar From A Car. I should be clear here that Im not an official expert in words Im no entomologist. You can tell thats true because I just typed the word for someone who studies insects, not etymologist, someone who studies words. But this hasnt stopped me from formulating a theory that theres a large number of people who learned the word ajar from a talking car. Heres my theory the word ajar is a fairly uncommon word. Most people tend to call a door thats not closed, whether its slightly not closed or flung wide, just open. For some reason that I havent been able to determine, Chrysler chose the word ajar to be used to describe the status of non closed doors when picking the phrases for their Electronic Voice Alert EVA system, launched on 1. NASA astronaut and biochemist Peggy Whitson will return to Earth as the planets new record holder for longest time cumulatively spent on space by an American or a. Cheating Dome The Genie provides you with daily codes cheats Video Game Music Game List A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z. G. U. 5 songs. hackGAME 2 songs. Infection. The EVA system was based on a Texas Instruments TMC0. Speak n Spell toys. Chrysler stuck these speech synthesis modules in a whole crapload of their higher end K Car based cars like New Yorkers and Le. Barons and Daytonas and Lasers. These cars were fairly common when I was a kid, and I think, thanks to carpooling, rides in friends parents cars, and things like Boy Scouts and the occasional abduction, almost every kid I knew ended up in somebodys speech enabled Chrysler at some point, and once in those cars, they heard the car say a door is ajar. I learned the word ajar from a talking Chrysler. I know many of my friends did as well. I believe that a significant number of people heard the word ajar for the first time around 1. I suspect the word had a notable increase in popularity from that point, all thanks to these talking cars. I reached out to several University English departments to try and get some confirmation. Shockingly, none has gotten back to me. I was able to find at least one graph charting the word ajar and its use and popularity via Google This chart shows the popularity of ajar in books from 1. As you can see, the word was in a pretty consistent decline, bottoming out around 1. It started to creep up after that, and after 1. I firmly believe that the sustained increase post 1. I havent been able to find any record of the spoken use of ajar, because Im pretty sure no such record exists. I bet, though, there would be a huge spike in the early 8. When is a door not a doorWhen its ajar caused dorky kids in the back seat of Le. Barons to eject laughter milk out of their nostrils. With the absence of hard data, Id at least like to reach out to you, the worlds finest, most sensual audience of automotive enthusiasts, to see if theres a significant number of you who learned the word ajar from a motor vehicle. As an aside, in case youre wondering why more modern cars dont speak to us anymore, reminding us to de ajar our doors and that they crave oil so badly, I think the answer can be found here, in this anecdote from Burton Bouwkamp, Director of Chryslers Body Engineering department back in the early 8. Group Policy Windows Update Schedule 2016 on this page. I told Dick Rossio Executive Engineer of Body Electrical that the voice alert was getting on my wifes and my nerves and I asked him how to turn it off. Dick said there was no way to cut a wire without making the car illegal for some of the Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. I told Dick to find a way. Consequently, after the first 1. EVA feature, wiring changes were made and a switch was added behind forward of the glove box so an agile owner or a dealer mechanic could turn it off. So, theres the answer even the people who ran the company soon found the talking annoying. Ill leave the comments ajar here so you can tell me where you learned the word. Uber Investors Slam Travis Kalanick in Open Letter to Employees UpdatedBenchmark Capital, one of Ubers largest investors, is trying to explain its legal feud with former CEO Travis Kalanick to the ride sharing companys employees. Benchmark sued Kalanick for fraud last week, adding another controversy to the companys already disastrous summer. In an open letter to Uber employees, Benchmark slammed Kalanicks leadership of the company and said that he was purposely hindering the boards search for a replacement CEO. The firm also criticized Ubers slow response to the a report compiled by Eric Holder and Tammy Albarrn on harassment within Uber, and the stagnant search for a chief financial officer that has dragged on for more than two years. It has appeared at times as if the search was being manipulated to deter candidates and create a power vacuum in which Travis could return, the unsigned letter reads. Other Uber shareholders led by Shervin Pishevar of Sherpa Capital have vehemently opposed Benchmarks lawsuit. Pishevar and his supporters have argued that Benchmarks actions are destroying the value of their investments in Uber. Benchmarks lawsuit aims to force Kalanick off the board of the company he founded. Its easy to reduce this situation to a battle of personalities. But this isnt about Benchmark versus Travis. Its about ensuring that Uber can reach its full potential as a company. And that will only happen if we get rid of the roadblocks and distractions that have plagued Uber, and its board, for far too long, Benchmark wrote in its letter. Failing to act would have meant endorsing behavior that was utterly unacceptable in any company, let alone a company of Ubers size and importance. Benchmarks letter also makes reference to the allegations contained in the Holder report, which have yet to become public. Benchmark says that Uber has yet to start working on some of the recommendations laid out in the report, including coming up with new cultural values for the company. To describe it as hard hitting would be an understatement, Benchmark wrote. Gizmodo reached out to Uber and Pishevar for comment and will update with their responses. Update 81. 4 at 3 4. Kalanick has responded to Benchmark through a spokesperson. Heres his statement given to the New York Times Like many shareholders, I am disappointed and baffled by Benchmarks hostile actions, which clearly are not in the best interests of Uber and its employees on whose behalf they claim to be acting. Since 2. 00. 9, building Uber into a great company has been my passion and obsession. I continue to work tirelessly with the board to identify and hire the best CEO to guide Uber into its next phase of growth and ensure its continued success. Update 81. 4 at 5 3. An Uber spokesperson told Gizmodo that the company is on track to fulfill the recommendations of the HolderAlbarrn report on time, and isnt lagging behind as the Benchmark letter suggested. Uber has rolled out a feedback tool for employees to submit suggestions for new cultural values and, once it gets a new CEO, that person will be in position to implement them. Changes to Ubers performance review process are also underway.