Save Nurburgring

If your a gear head then you already know what it meant when you hear the word Nurburgring. If not, well here's a little info for you.

Nürburgring is a motorsports complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about 70 km (43 mi) south of Cologne, and 120 km (75 mi) northwest of Frankfurt. The old track was nicknamed "The Green Hell" by Jackie Stewart and is widely considered one of the most demanding purpose-built racing circuits in the world.

Originally, the track featured four configurations: the 28.265 km (17.563 mi)-long Gesamtstrecke ("Whole Course"), which in turn consisted of the 22.810 km (14.173 mi) Nordschleife ("Northern Loop"), and the 7.747 km (4.814 mi) Südschleife ("Southern Loop"). There also was a 2.281 km (1.417 mi) warm-up loop called Zielschleife ("Finish Loop") or better known as Betonschleife, around the pit area. Between 1982 and 1983 the start-finish area was demolished to create a new GP-Strecke, and this is used for all major and international racing events. However, the shortened Nordschleife is still in use, for racing, testing and public access.

Now, here's how you can help save it. http://savethering.org/

Here's the petition http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41698.html

How to Protect your Paint from Harsh Winters (brought to you by AutoAnything)

Nice tip for us gear head fans. Winter is coming on our way.

Harsh winters have no sympathy for your vehicle’s paint. There are a few things in your control that protect your vehicle’s exterior. Start with one of our bug/stone deflectors that shields your ride from those pesky dive-bombing bugs. They also reduce windshield damage from stones kicked up by other vehicles on the road. Available with easy-to-install designs and a variety of finishes, they are guaranteed to complement your vehicle while adding protection. What better way to protect your vehicle’s front end than with a custom-fit car bra. These handy accessories protect your ride’s paint from that merciless winter weather and give you added styling at the same time. Constructed from durable materials to last and perfect for your winter road trips.

Now that you have the front end covered, make sure your wheels and tires have a sturdy set of winter mud flaps that increase protection from rocks, mud and road debris. Mud flaps are very easy to install and also provide a custom fit for your exact vehicle. To top it all off, make sure you have one of our waterproof car covers to protect your vehicle’s whole exterior. Just because you can’t park in a garage 24/7 doesn’t mean you can’t protect your ride from Jack Frost. A waterproof car cover provides a perfect fit on your vehicle and gives it a fighting chance against the elements: rain, snow, ice and even extreme sun. Available with a variety of finishes and warranties, you have worry-free protection for the life of your vehicle. Driving in harsh winter may be inevitable, but extend the life of your investment with these simple steps that protect your ride.

grabbed from Subcompact Culture

Prepping your car for winter

Old Man Winter has no sympathy for you or your ride. Give him an evenly-matched fight this season with the perfect winter driving accessories to protect your vehicle. A set of performance wiper blades ensures your vision is crystal clear for safe driving in those harsh conditions. Kick it up a notch with a set of heated wiper blades that keep your view crystal clear, even in snowy weather. Or, protect your entire windshield with a durable windshield cover. Crafted from long-lasting materials, a windshield cover guards the whole surface of your windshield from extreme cold weather conditions, including ice. No more frostbitten fingers and scraping your windshield before your daily commute. What better way to take on tough winter weather than by hittin' the slopes or trails for some serious outdoor adventures.

You can't go out into the elements without gearing up your vehicle with all the essentials that ensure your drive is as smooth as possible. Start by clasping a sturdy set of snow chains to your tires to get you and your family to your destination safely. Available in a variety of sizes and styles, snow chains provide impressive traction in the heaviest of snow. Now that you have your wheels taken care of, make sure you have plenty of room for all your passengers by installing a high-capacity ski rack or roof rack on top of your ride. Tailored to perfectly fit your vehicle, a roof rack increases your cabin space and allows you to store more equipment on top of your ride. No more messy interior from frozen skis and snowy gear. And, to get all your snow toys out there on the trails, load up your vehicle with a trailer hitch. Custom-designs combined with easy installations mean that you spend less time in the garage and more time playing in the snow. So, get a jumpstart this season, bundle up and go enjoy that winter wonderland. grabbed from Subcompact Culture

Sinulog: The grandest festival in the Philippines

The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest and most colorful festivals in the Philippines with a very rich history. The main festival is held each year on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City to honor the Santo Niño, or the child Jesus, who used to be the patron saint of the whole province of Cebu (since in the Catholic faith Jesus is not a saint, but God). It is essentially a dance ritual which remembers the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity. 

Tell me other festivals in the Philippines that can attract a crowd in millions.  I think only Sinulog can do it.

The Black Nazarene procession in Manila can draw in millions of crowd. But that is a religious event and yes, it is strictly religious– not that I know many of it since I haven’t even experienced joining that kind of event in Manila. But the Sinulog is far different for it mixes religion, devotion, fun and street party.

I’d say you have missed one half of your life if you haven’t joined the crowd in Sinulog. You don’t really have to join the choreographed street dancing. Let those dancers do it. However, if you really want to dance for Sinulog, then attend the last novena mass after the procession on the eve of the Sinulog day. You can surely dance with other churchgoers and be in the drumbeat with the priests and other devotees.

Why I say Sinulog is the grandest festival in the Philippines?

It’s a yearly tradition in Cebu to hold the festival event in honor of Sto. Nino.  And almost every year, the festival is getting grander. Not only Cebuanos can enjoy Sinulog. Local tourists from all over the Philippines and even foreign ones have to join Sinulog because it really is Super Fun in Sinulog.

Even from other locales in the Philippines, they join the Sinulog parade to feature their dancing routines. There are contingents from Lanao del Norte, Dumaguete and other parts in the Philippines. Hence, the Sinulog dancing is not strictly for Cebu-based contingents. That’s one of the foremost reasons why Sinulog is the grandest parade because even non-Cebu contingents enter the dancing scene to show their veneration to the Child Jesus. text:Cebu Bloggers Society and Sinulog.ph

Pix: Tito C. Villar

2012 Yaris SE review

Yaris is now available in three trim levels, with the SE model being the sporty version. The SE gets unique features like a rear spoiler, a distinctive front fascia with fog lamps, and attractive 16” alloy wheels. I like what they’ve done with the looks. It’s sporty and edgy without looking like it’s adorned with a bunch of bolt-on additions. I like the car from most angles, although I’m not a huge fan of the rear end, but it isn’t a deal breaker. You can still see hints of the last-gen Yaris in the ’12, but the overall look is more mature, less bubble-like. Also, the SE is only available as a five-door model. The three-door is reserved for the more basic trim levels.

The new Yaris’ interior gets a big upgrade. Gone are the hard plastic accoutrements, instead replaced by attractive styling, a soft-touch dash, and a fat, racy steering wheel. Also gone: the old Yaris' useful upper passenger glovebox, and the often loathed center-mounted gauges. The new three-dial cluster with red illumination is much better. The front sport seats are fantastic with good bolstering, but they’re still comfortable for long hauls. The climate control is the basic three-dial control system. The rear seats are surprisingly roomy. The cargo area remains fairly small, as it was in the previous Yaris, but the rear seats fold flat for extra cargo carrying ability. One thing I don’t like is the radio. I don’t find it attractive or user-friendly. Ditto that for the Bluetooth connectivity. Sound quality is respectable, though. The steering wheel has cruise- and audio controls, too.

Speaking of steering, it is one of the Yaris’ best attributes. Where the old Yaris featured an over-boosted system with little feel, the SE has great feel, and is extremely quick and agile. In fact, the steering ratio on the SE is quicker than the non-SE Yaris models. Add the SE’s sport suspension, and you’ve got a very tossible canyon carver that loves the corners. Amazingly, the ride doesn’t suffer, either. We put more than 450 miles on the car and never felt uncomfortable, even on the long trips. A nice blend of handling and ride. 

Although the steering, suspension tuning, and interior are all new, the engine is from the Toyota parts bin. Yaris is still powered by the same 1.5-liter 1NZ-FE engine found in the older Yaris as well as the Scion xB and xA, and the 2000+ Echo. Yes, this is essentially a 12-year old engine reentering service, likely for another four-plus years. The five-speed manual is also a carryover. But hey, if it ain’t broke ...

Even though this is the sporty version, it only makes 106 horsepower and 103 ft./lbs. of torque—the same as all Yaris models. But the Yaris is also the featherweight of the class weighing just 2,375 lbs. (For comparison’s sake, the Chevrolet Sonic turbo weighs more than 2,800 lbs. but makes 138 hp.) The driving experience is quite fun. The quick steering, light curb weight , well-defined shifter, and four-wheel disc brakes make the car more entertaining to drive that you might expect. We did notice a fair amount of road noise and engine racket during acceleration, though.

Our five-speed Yaris SE tester retails for $17,340 including $760 in destination and $150 for carpeted floor mats—a very reasonable price. The Yaris has certainly grown up, become more sophisticated, and improved over the previous generation. It’s true that the powertrain isn’t the newest, and its chassis is very similar to the last model. But it’s very much improved in all respects, and it deserves a look for those shopping for a great combination of fuel efficiency, sporty handling, and what is likely to be legendary Toyota reliability.

text credits goes to Andy Lilienthal of Sub Compact Culture

photo credits goes to Curtis Reesor

2012 Kia Soul Exclaim

Seen the latest ad on this small compact car, where they use hamsters dancing to an upbeat music. If not you can view it here.

Here's a brief review by Andy Lilienthal of Subcompact Culture

When I reviewed the '10 Soul in August of '09, I praised the vehicle for its fair price, admirable performance, and extroverted personality. The 2012 Soul Exclaim, the top trim level, retains all that stuff, but improves on it. This includes more power, more fuel economy, and more technology. It also means two more gears for the automatic transmission. There are a host of other changes to the '12s, which Mercedes talked about when she attended the Soul's launch this summer.

For me, the first thing that struck me was the power, up to 167 horses (25 more than the previous 2.0-liter mill). This thing—automatic transmission and all—moves out pretty well. The highway ride seems more composed than the '10, too.

Stig family stickers are a nifty stocking stuffer

By  Chris Shunk

Those cutesy stick-figure window stickers that tell the world you have three kids and a cat? So lame.

If you must advertise the entire family tree on your minivan's back window, and you're a fan of Top Gear, there's a better solution. Gearhead's Stig family sticker set includes the Stig, a Mrs. Stig, a pair of helmeted pre-teens, a toddler, and a few masked dogs and cats.

Some say Stig family stickers would make a terrific gift for the holidays, and we're inclined to agree. And at $7, they won't break the bank.

My belated Christmas and New Year's gift to you all.