Transmission

BitTorrent has become the peer-to-peer protocol of choice for transferring large files quickly. There are plenty of clients for OS X, but Transmission Project's Transmission1.22 has a lot of things going for it: it's fast, it's extremely lightweight, and-even though it's available for a variety of platforms-it behaves just as you'd expect a Mac program to. Don't be fooled by its simple, intuitive interface: it has plenty of power. You can set up Transmission to watch a particular folder for torrent files and begin downloads automatically, set upload and...

If you're weary of Mini Coopers described as "cute," the new-for-2013 Mini Cooper Paceman is for you. The quirky Paceman is basically a three-door, lighter-weight version of the tallish and longish Mini Cooper Countryman, but with larger rear fenders, blacked-out roof pillars and four, not five, seats. With a few minor exterior styling changes from the Countryman such as light-emitting diode taillamps that are horizontally positioned and a slightly more rear sloped roof, the Paceman looks like a Mini Cooper Coupe on steroids.

The engineers won. That much is certain. Mazda Motor Corp. embarked on a noble mission — to rethink the entire automobile and to treat form and function as one in the process. The aesthetic goal was to elevate engineering to art. But Mazda partly missed that mark in its 2014 redevelopment of the Mazda 6 Grand Touring sedan, the subject of this week's review. There is little about the new Mazda 6 that is visually impressive. It is not ugly. But it isn't memorable or seductive either.

Bottom line:  The 2014 Mazda 6, of which the Grand Touring version is the top model, is an ordinary-looking sedan gifted with extraordinary technology. It belongs at the top of the list for anyone shopping for a high-quality, reliable, safe and enjoyable family sedan. Ride, acceleration and handling: Ride and handling are excellent. Acceleration is good, meaning that you can competently change lanes on high-speed expressways. Head-turning quotient: Blah. It gets trounced by models such as the Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima...

Bottom line:  We'll leave it to you all. Will it be the 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman S All4 or the 2014 Subaru Forester Limited? Votes and comments will be collected by Victoria Manglapus at manglapusv@washpost.com and Michelle Dawson at michelle.dawson@yahoo.com . Tallies will be presented online at washingtonpost.com/cars . Ride, acceleration and handling:  The Subaru is excellent in all three categories in all kinds of...

When the all-new Dodge Dart debuted at last year's Detroit Auto Show , the media was excited. It marked the revival of a once-loved nameplate and the first major collaboration between Chrysler and its new Italian owners (since the Dart is based on a Fiat platform). And for a reasonably priced compact sedan, the 2013 Dart offered a range of options to please driving enthusiasts. The reception from the general public, however, has been more muted -- so much so that, according to AutoNews , Chrysler executives have taken pains to...

They began to bend in the roaring wind, then their steel girders snapped like twigs, the towers toppled and the lights went out. Minutes before the windstorm arrived to pummel the Washington area on June 29, it swept east through West Virginia, crushing three electrical transmission towers that are a tiny part of an intricate power grid that's supposed to keep the lights on in America. The term "grid" suggests a certain uniformity to the power system's structure, but the...

If you're weary of Mini Coopers described as "cute," the new-for-2013 Mini Cooper Paceman is for you. The quirky Paceman is basically a three-door, lighter-weight version of the tallish and longish Mini Cooper Countryman, but with larger rear fenders, blacked-out roof pillars and four, not five, seats. With a few minor exterior styling changes from the Countryman such as light-emitting diode taillamps that are horizontally positioned and a slightly more rear sloped roof, the Paceman looks like a Mini Cooper...

Bottom line:  The 2014 Mazda 6, of which the Grand Touring version is the top model, is an ordinary-looking sedan gifted with extraordinary technology. It belongs at the top of the list for anyone shopping for a high-quality, reliable, safe and enjoyable family sedan. Ride, acceleration and handling: Ride and handling are excellent. Acceleration is good, meaning that you can competently change lanes on high-speed expressways. Head-turning quotient: Blah. It gets trounced by models such as the Hyundai Sonata, Kia...

Bottom line: The 2013 Honda Accord Sport is a buy, especially for frugal young families in search of a high-quality midsize sedan. Ride, acceleration, and handling: It gets very good marks in all three. "Very good" means the car's road performance will please motorists more interested in fuel economy than they are in living out racetrack fantasies. Head-turning quotient: Handsome, somewhat sinewy. It is attractive inside and out. Goodbye to blah Accords. Body style/layout: The 2013 Accord is a front-engine,...

The engineers won. That much is certain. Mazda Motor Corp. embarked on a noble mission — to rethink the entire automobile and to treat form and function as one in the process. The aesthetic goal was to elevate engineering to art. But Mazda partly missed that mark in its 2014 redevelopment of the Mazda 6 Grand Touring sedan, the subject of this week's review. There is little about the new Mazda 6 that is visually impressive. It is not ugly. But it isn't memorable or seductive either.

Bottom line:  Anyone looking for a "me" small car with lots of personality, good performance, virtuous fuel economy, and excellent overall construction, safety and reliability, at a reasonable price, should consider the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI. Ride, acceleration and handling: Excellent marks in all three. "Excellent," here, means it will please most drivers who want to have fun within the law on their way to wherever they are going. Head-turning quotient: Sparkling attractiveness inside and out. ...

Bottom line:  We'll leave it to you all. Will it be the 2013 Mini Cooper Countryman S All4 or the 2014 Subaru Forester Limited? Votes and comments will be collected by Victoria Manglapus at manglapusv@washpost.com and Michelle Dawson at michelle.dawson@yahoo.com . Tallies will be presented online at washingtonpost.com/cars . Ride, acceleration and handling:  The Subaru is excellent in all three categories in all kinds of...

About 50,000 Pepco customers lost power Friday morning after a tree fell on a transmission line in Prince George's County. Pepco officials said more than 44,000 Prince George's customers and 5,000 District customers were affected by the outage. Briant Coleman, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Public School System, said about 28 schools in the central and southern portion of the county lost power for a considerable amount of time on Friday. School officials chose to keep the...

When the all-new Dodge Dart debuted at last year's Detroit Auto Show , the media was excited. It marked the revival of a once-loved nameplate and the first major collaboration between Chrysler and its new Italian owners (since the Dart is based on a Fiat platform). And for a reasonably priced compact sedan, the 2013 Dart offered a range of options to please driving enthusiasts. The reception from the general public, however, has been more muted -- so much so that, according to AutoNews , Chrysler executives have...

Bottom line: The 2013 Honda Accord Sport is a buy, especially for frugal young families in search of a high-quality midsize sedan. Ride, acceleration, and handling: It gets very good marks in all three. "Very good" means the car's road performance will please motorists more interested in fuel economy than they are in living out racetrack fantasies. Head-turning quotient: Handsome, somewhat sinewy. It is attractive inside and out. Goodbye to blah Accords. Body style/layout: The...

Bottom line:  Anyone looking for a "me" small car with lots of personality, good performance, virtuous fuel economy, and excellent overall construction, safety and reliability, at a reasonable price, should consider the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle TDI. Ride, acceleration and handling: Excellent marks in all three. "Excellent," here, means it will please most drivers who want to have fun within the law on their way to wherever they are going. Head-turning quotient: Sparkling attractiveness inside and out. Body...

This week Salon's David Sirota wrote an apologetic, mealy-mouthed bit of automotive-themed self-loathing asking if it's ethical to drive a manual-transmission car even if it gets poorer gas mileage than an automatic or dual-clutch transmission. While the answers among the automotive press have largely come down on the side of the stick-shift driver, it's the question that's the problem. Why? Because it's a stupid question. Asking whether it's ethical to drive a manual transmission because its gas...

The Obama administration gave a green light to the first section of a proposed 146-mile transmission line Tuesday, calling it a critical upgrade to the faltering Northeast power grid and saying it will eventually create 2,000 jobs. Work on a 4.5-mile section of the Susquehanna-Roseland transmission line is expected to begin soon. Starting in Berwick, Pa., and ending in Roseland, N.J., the high-voltage line, capable of carrying up to 500 kilovolts, will replace an existing one that carries 230 kilovolts.

Dear Heloise: Working in a pediatric practice, one of the most common questions is: "How did I catch my child's cold, pink eye, sore throat, diarrhea, etc.?" Most people do not realize how easy it is to CATCH AN ILLNESS or how easy it is to not catch the same illness. Liberally using bleach or disinfectant wipes or spray can reduce germ transmission tremendously. Wiping down doorknobs, refrigerator and microwave door handles, the toilet handle — anything children touch after they cough, sneeze, vomit or wipe...