The Super Bowl is Almost Here!

 
Alright fans, the Super Bowl is only two days away, and this year's game promises to be a great match-up between two even opponents that won't disappoint! So today we want to know: who do you think will win the Super Bowl this year?

Who Do You Hope Wins Super Bowl XLVIII?

Denver Broncos

Seattle Seahawks

I'm just rooting for a good game

I could care less, really

It's all about the commercials!

Football is the devil

What's football

make a poll

'Dogs in Cars' Photo Series Captures Pups at Their Happiest

Catching photos of animals is a tricky art to master. While some photographers spend their energy balancing squirmy puppies enough to snap a clear shot, Lara Jo Regan takes a different approach. She loads her canine subjects up in the car, rolls down the windows and documents dogs at their absolute happiest.

Regan's delightful series, titled "Dogs in Cars," captures pups with their snouts out the window and their ears flapping in the wind.

"Most dogs become downright delirious over a car ride," she told Mashable, adding that she wanted to catch her subjects' "amazing primal energy" in photographs.

Pet photography isn't Regan's only project; she's also an accomplished artist and photojournalist whose work has appeared in Newsweek, Time and Entertainment Weekly. She's also the owner of one of the Internet's first animal stars, Mr. Wrinkle.

On This Date in History: The Corvette is Unleashed Onto the World

The legend goes that Harley Earl, General Motors' chief designer, had the idea for a true American sports car after going to the races at Watkins Glen, N.Y., and seeing a field full of European iron. An advertising assistant, Myron Scott, had the masterstroke of giving the convertible concept a name that "reflected the excitement of a fast World War II war ship named Corvette." When it was introduced on this date in 1953 at the GM Motorama show in New York, the Corvette concept was a hit; yet by the end of 1954, GM would be on the verge of killing the car, after a botched launch with underpowered models left sales far below targets. It was up to a young GM engineer, one Zora Arkus-Duntov, to show GM what the Corvette needed to stand for. His letter saved the Vette, and remains the best understanding of why it survives today:


TO: Mesars. E. N. Cole and M. Olley
FROM: Mr. Z. Arkus-Duntov
SUBJECT: Corvette

In this note, I am speaking out of turn. I am giving options and suggestions without knowing all the factors. I realize this but still am offering my thoughts for what they are. In order to make the content clear and short, I will not use the polite apologetic phrasing and say, "it is" instead of "it possibly might be" - and I apologize for this now.

By the looks of it, the Corvette is on its way out.

I would like to say the following: Dropping the car now will have adverse effect internally and externally.

It is admission of failure. Failure of aggressive thinking in the eyes of the organization, failure to develop a saleable product in the eyes of the outside world.

Above-said can be dismissed as sentimentality. Let's see if it can hurt the cash register. I think it can.

Ford enters the field with the Thunderbird, a car of the same class as the Corvette.

If Ford makes success where we failed, it may hurt.

With aggressiveness of Ford publicity, they may turn the fact to their advantage. I don't mean in terms of Thunderbird sales, but in terms of promotion of theirs and depreciation of our general lines.

We will leave an opening in which they can hit at will. "Ford out-engineered, outsold, or ran Chevrolet's pride and joy off the market". Maybe the idea is far-fetched. I can only gauge in terms of my own reactions or actions. In the bare-fisted fight we are in now, I would hit at any opening I could find and the situation where Ford enters and where Chevrolet retreats, it is not an opening, it is a hole!

Now if they can hurt us, then we can hurt them! We are one year ahead and we possibly learned some lessons which Ford has yet to learn.

Is the effort worthwhile? This, I am in no position to say. Obviously, in terms of direct sales a car for the discriminating low volume market is hardly an efficient investment of efforts. The value must be gauged by effects it may have on an overall picture.

The Corvette failed because it did not meet G.M. standards of a product. It did not have the value for the money.

If the value of a car consists of practical values and emotional appeal, the sports car has very little of the first and consequently has to have an exaggerated amount of the second. If a passenger car must have an appeal, nothing short of a mating call will extract $4,000 for a small two-seater. The Corvette as it was offered had curtailed practical value being a poor performer. With a 6-cylinder engine, it was no better than the medium priced family car.

Timing was also unfortunate. When the novelty appeal was the highest, we hadn't had the cars to sell. When the cars became available, hypnotized by the initial overwhelming response, no promotional effort was made.

The little promotion which was made was designed to depreciate the car rather than enhance it. Hundreds or possibly thousands of dollars contained in the price of a sports or luxury car are paid for exclusivity. What did our promotion say on the radio and advertised in magazines? "Now everybody can have it! Come and get it". What virtues did advertising extoll? Only X inches high, only X inches long, etc. In the country, in which bigger is synonymous with better, and we really know it, we were trying to sell a car, because it is small! Crosley is smaller........

Were there no virtues to talk about? Quite some, but a condensation of best reports which appeared in motoring press previously had more glow and enthusiasm than our advertising.

Summarizing, the promotion was uninspired and half hearted attempt with no evidence of thought or enthusiasm.

Where do we stand now?

The Corvette still has the best and raciest look of all the sports cars, the Thunderbird included. Performance is far superior to all the passenger cars and to 99% of the sports cars used on the road. It has flow in respect to passenger protection. Water leaks and cumbersome top and side window. With these minor flaws removed, we have a sports car with as much practical value as the sports care can have.

The borderline between the value and lack of same is not the absolute performance but comparative one. "My car can go X miles per hour" does not mean as much as "My car can trim anything on wheels". The '55 Corvette will have this pride attached to its ownership. To be a success, it will need more emotional appeal which can be provided by promotion which will fit the product and inflame the type of customers which can buy the car.

As I see it and put it down, the Corvette is a product different from a passenger automobile having in every phase of operation problems of its own. With sales potential between 3 and at the most 10,000 cars a year, it is bound to be a hindering step-child in an organization which acts and thinks in terms of 1,500,000 units. A subdivision, section, department or what not, but an organization no matter how small but which is directly responsible for the successes of operation is necessary.

An organization which will eat and sleep Corvette as our divisions are eating and sleeping their particular cars.

I am convinced that a group with concentrated objective will not only stand a chance to achieve the desired result, but devise ways and means to make the operation profitable in a direct business sense.

(courtesy of Yahoo!)

Life Hacks for Automobiles: Three Out of the Box Ways to Simplify Your Drive

If there's one thing us Americans know more than anything else, it's ingenuity. If life throws us a hurdle or obstacle our way, we often find a way to think outside the box and come up with a solution to our problem. So with that thought in mind, here are three "life hacks" that we've stumbled upon. Let us know if you've used any of these, and let us know if there's one that we missed!

Stocking Stuffers That Ease Any Drive

Christmas will be here before you know it. If you're like me, finding stocking stuffers is a last-minute scramble, and as my daughters recently pointed out, I buy way too many hair accessories (who couldn't use more ponytail holders?). To save you from shopping in the "As Seen on TV" aisle at Walgreens this year, here are a few car-themed stocking stuffer ideas for all the drivers and passengers in your life.

Spill-Proof Travel Coffee Mug: There are very few travel coffee mugs that are actually completely and utterly leak- and spill-proof. The Contigo Autoseal Travel Mug has weathered many early morning school commutes in my test cars without so much as a drip of latte on the leather seats. Bonus: They come in all sorts of cool metallic colors to enhance the morning mood. If you want to dress up the mug even further, check out these adorable handmade coffee cozies on Etsy.

Key Clip: I've tried many ways to keep my keys hooked onto my purse, all of them unsightly (a key ring threaded over my purse's strap, and a carabineer hooked to my key ring and my purse). The bobino Key Clip is a more aesthetically unobtrusive way to keep car keys from falling in to the dark and crumby recesses of a purse or computer bag.

Smartphone Dash Mount: For those who have given up on outdated and temperamental in-car navigation systems in favor of much-easier-to-use smartphones, this clean, simple and modern-looking dash-mounted smartphone holder will help the perpetually lost finally stay found. It also works with any other type of cellphone or tablet, even if protected by a case.

Never Lose Your Car: My mom, whom I dearly love, has trouble keeping track of her car in parking lots. Instead of purchasing your parent a new car in an obnoxiously bright color, you could procure this small key-chain GPS Homing Device. Mom can just push a button when she leaves the car, and the device will later direct her back to it.

Combat Dry Winter Air in the Car: If you live in a dry climate like my family and I, you may also constantly be suffering from dry winter air sniffles. This mini humidifier plugs into a car's outlet and fits in the cupholder, providing an on-the-go dose of therapeutic humidity.

Individual Windshield Wipes: If your significant other does a lot of nighttime driving, they might be familiar with how a small smudge on the inside of the windshield can illuminate and turn into a huge visual obstruction. These individually wrapped wipes stash in a glove box and can quickly eliminate grimy fingerprints, sneeze marks and more.

Moso Bag: My husband has a problem; his car stinks. It may be from leftover milk the kids forgot after a morning school run. Or, it could be from the really smelly ballet shoes in the backseat. The best way to get rid of smells in the car naturally is with a few bamboo-charcoal-filled Moso Bags.

Aromatherapy for the Car: This is perfect for the fragrance lover in your life who wishes to go beyond just a clean-smelling car. This gift creates a mobile ambiance for the season. Bath and Body Works' Scentportables attach to a car's visor or seat pocket and infuse the air with nature-inspired scents like leaves, autumn, mahogany teakwood, balsam, cinnamon stick, flannel or winter.

Portable Tire Compressor: Say goodbye to hunting for a working air compressor at the gas station or shelling out big bucks for a bulky unit that sits in your garage. This portable tire compressor is tiny enough to keep in the center console (and fit in a Christmas stocking), and is powered by a car's 12-volt outlet.

App-Controlled Racecars: While the driver in your life may not be able to let out his or her inner racecar driver on the streets, he or she can channel all that energy safely at home with these fun app-controlled racecars.

(courtesy of Kicking Tires)

When Should You Put Your Winter Tires On?

Chaos ensues at local tire shops when the snow belt states get their first flurries of the season. Like an animal instinct, the first sign of fluffy white flakes has people running to the garage, stuffing the family hauler with dusty winter rubber and racing off to the installation shop. Problem is, by then it’s already too late.

Winter tires should be installed well in advance of the first snowfall. Regardless of whether they are snow tires, ice tires or winter performance tires, all cold weather rubber is designed for more than just messy weather. These tires feature rubber compound and tread designs that are created to help maintain traction in colder weather even if the roads are clear and dry.

So When is it Time for a Change?

Well there isn’t a simple answer; it depends on the type of tire installed on your car and the brand that made them. But as a general rule, all-season tires should be switched over when temperatures begin falling below the 45 degree mark. At this point, all-season tires begin the ‘harden’ up as the rubber compound they are made out of starts to lose its elasticity. The colder the temperature gets, the less pliable a tire gets and eventually becomes so hard it is more like a giant plastic circle than a rubber tire.

Consider the time of day you’re driving as well. While daily highs could be well above 50 degrees, the temperature could be below 45 in early morning and in the evening when you do your daily commute.

Tires Freeze

To understand how much grip is lost when a tire freezes, imagine walking around on a skating rink with rubber soled winter boots and then trying it again in a pair of tap shoes. Frozen tires also limit the amount of sidewall flex that can lead to unpredictable tire behavior on rough or snow-rutted roads. As well, when a tire freezes up, it’s more prone to faster tread wear.

Those using summer tires need to switch things over even earlier. The rubber compound in these performance orientated tires is designed to handle extremely hot temperatures, the flip side being a higher freezing point. Aim to change these tires over when temperatures begin to dip below 50 degrees consistently.

Mark it on Your Calendar

We understand that not everyone will be glued to a thermometer day in and day out waiting for the day when temperatures dip low enough to require a tire change. Many people pick a calendar date to perform a tire swap when temperatures usually hit the changeover zone for their region. But, installing winter tires too early when temperatures are too high can cause the tire to overheat and be just as detrimental to both tire life and vehicle drivability as driving on an all-season tire in the winter.

It is best to consult your local tire shop as to when they recommend swapping over your tires. But using the general guideline of 45 degrees for all-season tires and 50 degrees for summer tires should help keep you safe on the road and get the longest use out of your tires.

(courtesy of AutoGuide.com)

Poll Question: What's Your Favorite Christmas Movie of All-Time?

Christmas is less than three weeks away, and that means we've officially entered holiday movie season! So just for a little Friday fun, we want to know: what is your favorite Christmas movie of all time?

What is Your Favorite Christmas Movie of All-Time?

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Elf

Miracle on 34th Street

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

A Christmas Story

It's a Wonderful Life

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Home Alone

A Muppet Christmas Carol

The Polar Express

Other

free poll

Feel free to let us know if there's a movie we forgot!