I found this article from http://www.autoblog.com quite entertaining as motorist are playing russian roulette with cars and running red lights.
One of Russia’s most popular exports has been its version of roulette – you know, the kind where the player usually closes his eyes during the game and someone has a good chance of ending up dead. In this case it’s being played in Sofia, Bulgaria, and the jouers are drivers and motorcyclists running red lights.
The point of the game is to get through a red light at high speed without hitting another car or pedestrian. Bets are said to have climbed as high as €5,000 ($7,370 U.S.), and even folks on the street are said to have placed bets and then watched the intersection to see if anyone bought the farm.
The first fatalities came in June, when a motorcyclist hit an onlooker. The Bulgarian police have been trying to stop the action, but it’s hard to stay ahead of text messages among all those intersections in the capital. Be careful on the streets in Bulgaria, folks!
This was my first Seattle Auto Show. I really did not know what to expect, so I was going in with an open mind. I was really excited to see the Fisker Karma. I have read so many things about the car and seeing one in person was one of the main reasons why I wanted to go to the Auto Show. I dragged Sophia along and sort of made it my date day. I told her if she went with me I would take a full day of Christmas shopping with her. Sophia was great at the car show as she would jump in cars and tell me what she liked. Of course I would tell her at times Sophia you will never get that car. I think it was really hard for her when I told her that marrying a Gamblin that her chances of getting a Volvo or Audi or slim to none.
What I was so excited and shocked to see at the show was a Cadillac Converj. I could not believe it. I just wrote a lengthy blog on the Cadillac Converj as General Motors just announced that they will be putting the concept into production. It was great to see the car in person. I was a little disappointed not to see a CTS coupe, I thought for sure they would have one. Seeing the CTS Sport Wagon in person was great as well as I have blogged about that car as well.
I got to see my first Buick Lacrosse in person and actually sit in the seats. I am very excited with the direction Buick is heading. Of course I was praying a miracle would happen and a Buick Regal would be there. I thought I would never say that Buick has a great upcoming line up of young and aggressive vehicles.
The Chevrolet Exhibit was huge and you could tell that they were searching how to fill it. I understand that importance of having your vehicles there but an auto show is an auto show. I was really surprised to see a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Concept there. I had to explain to Sophia that was the car in Transformers 2 where they could have made an amazing car chase vs the Audi R8 but it lasted 10 seconds during the movie. I also liked how they lined up the Corvette’s all in a row. It started with the Stingray concept to the Corvette ZR1, Corvette Z06 and then the Corvette Grand Sport.
We had an Imperial Blue but we sold it so fast we did not get a chance to take pictures of it. I have not seen the Cyber Gray Mettalic yet in person but I have seen the remaing 7. I think the Camaro looks best in Orange but when we got the white Camaro it was a tough decision. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro in white is pretty impressive. But I am sticking with my orange Camaro as I think that is the best color the car comes in.
There was a lot of stuff at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas this past October. I watched a lot of videos and read to many articles of manufactures saying they are coming out with the latest and greatest. The one thing that caught my eye and I followed throughout the show was the Jay Leno Camaro concept. (I wish I could have been there to see it in person, but Las Vegas and myself have a love hate relationship).
The Jay Leno Camaro was one of the most radical looking Chevrolet Camaro concepts at SEMA this year – when it first was spied the car bloggers where going crazy about this being the style and new look for the Z28. As Jay Leno stepped out of the car everyone was eager to hear what the news was.
Jay announced that his Camaro is a twin-turbocharged version of the 3.6L V6 found in the Camaro LS and LT models. The Turbonetics T-3 turbochargers take horsepower up to 425. When the turbochargers aren’t being used, there is virtually no loss in the fuel-economy of the base 3.6L V6 engine. So no this is not the Z28. Many say this is the Camaro version to compete head to head with the Ford Mustang EcoBoost.
Additional touches to Jay Leno’s Camaro include Brembo six-piston brake package, pedders coil-over lowering kit, new front fascia with custom fog lamps and integral brake cooling vents and air extractor-style hood. I think this is a good-looking Camaro and something I would consider due to the V8 being a little too much for me but you still get the same gas mileage as a standard V6. We will see if we will be seeing of these coming into production. Fingers crossed.
After all the wait, General Motors has finally released the new 2011 Buick Regal sedan, which will make its public debut in Los Angeles tomorrow.
“The 2011 Buick Regal is like nothing you’ve ever experienced from this brand,” said Susan Docherty, general manager of BuickGMC. “The Regal is the next chapter in Buick’s transformation and will expand the portfolio to include a sport sedan.”
The 2010 Buick Regal, which will compete with the Acura TSX and Volvo S60, has a chassis and structural systems that were developed in Germany, giving it the handling and dynamics of a premium European sport sedan. The 2011 Regal will be offered with two engine choices including a 2.4L inline 4-cylinder engine making 182-hp and a maximum torque of 172 lb-ft. The base 2.4L model engine will be mated to a Hydra-Matic 6T45 6-speed automatic helping it deliver an estimated fuel-economy of 20/30 mpg (city/highway). The range-topping model will be powered by a 2.4L 4-cylinder turbocharged unit rated at 220-hp with a peak torque of 258 lb-ft. Mated to an Aisin AF40 6-speed automatic, it will return an estimated fuel-economy of 18/29 mpg.
Standard features on the 2011 Regal will include the StabiliTrak stability control system, 18-inch wheels and 12-way power, leather and heated driver seat; leather and heated passenger front seat; Bluetooth capability; XM Satellite Radio and OnStar. Buyers can opt for a navigation system, Harmon Kardon sound system, 1GB internal flash drive, hard drive with 10GB for music and USB port.
The 2011 Buick Regal will be built in Russelsheim, Germany, meaning it will bring the Opel Insignia’s award-winning design, technology and European performance capabilities to the American market. Sales will begin in the second quarter of 2010.
Cadillac included the Converj, a concept car that wowed industry critics and the public at the 2009 North American International Auto Show, in a presentation made to the automaker’s board of directors Nov. 2, according to sources familiar with the production plan.
A production date has not been set, and it likely will be a few years before consumers can buy a Converj.
“Cadillac needs as much excitement in its portfolio as possible, so I think it’s a good strategy for them,” said Rebecca Lindland, director of auto industry research at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass.
Before GM emerged from bankruptcy July 10 with about $50 billion in federal aid, company executives said there were no plans to build the angular Converj.
At the auto show, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said if the Converj was approved, the production model would resemble the concept, likening it to the Chevrolet Camaro’s evolution from concept to production.
Lutz said it would have been easier financially to produce a Cadillac electric vehicle first because a premium brand would command a higher sticker price, which in turn would help defray the cost of lithium-ion batteries.
The Converj will expand the number of electric vehicles offered by GM and spread the technology’s cost. GM is spending more than $1 billion on the Volt program alone and opening a battery pack assembly factory in Brownstown Township. GM’s German carmaker Adam Opel GmbH will produce an Ampera model in 2011 that uses the same underpinnings.
The electrification of vehicles is seen as a growth area in the auto industry, and rival automakers have launched electric vehicle plans to cut the dependence on foreign oil.
The Volt, scheduled for production in November/December 2010, will let commuters travel up to 40 miles on electric power. The engine kicks in after its battery is drained by about 70 percent to sustain the battery’s remaining charge to keep the car running for several hundred miles.
The decision to build the Converj excited dealers.
Cadillac sells a hybrid version of its Cadillac Escalade, but Scott Allen, a dealer in California, hears from customers who don’t normally think of the large SUV as a traditional hybrid.
“A snazzy-looking little car like that would be cool” said Allen.
One of my favorite shows is The Soup with Joel McHale. If you do not know what The Soup is it is a television show on the Entertainment Channel where it goes over all the wacky and hilarious clips on TV. I must say that this show is one of my favorite shows. At the end of the show they have the clip of the week. A few weeks ago the clip of the week was from the Maury. Maury had an upset guest as she said that her best friend was stealing her boyfriend by making Chicken Tetrazzini. She didn’t know what was going on but all her boyfriend could talk about was this Chicken Tetrazzini. You just have to watch.
Skiing and Snowboard season is here! Crystal Mountain opened on Wednesday and on my way to work 410 was packed with anxious skiers and snowboarders going up to the mountain. Due to the mountain being open I want show you what will be on my wish this coming winter season. I would love to see this blast up the mountain!
The Subaru WRX STI, when equipped with proper tires, is capable of impressive all-weather performance. But when even snow tires are not enough, Subaru offers a solution – a 400-hp WRX STI equipped with a snow tracks system, as showcased at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Starting with a rally-prepared 2009 WRX STI, Subaru Rally Team USA’s technical partner, Vermont SportsCar, built the one-off 400-hp TRAX STI envisioned by, and built for, DC Shoes co-founder and SRT USA driver Ken Block. The WRX STI TRAX is ready for the half-pipe, with a Yakima FatCat 4 Snowboard Rack up top, a Yakima Landing Pad rack base and DC Shoes XFB-C Snowboards. Naturally, there is a custom matching sleigh to go with it.
With the exception of the Mattracks rubber track system, the car is rally-prepared and similar in specification Block’s #43 SRT USA competition STI. Starting with a stock 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Vermont SportsCar stripped the car’s interior bare, lightened the shell and then fully seam-welded it for added strength, also installing a multipoint roll cage manufactured from T45 steel. Major differences from the stock STI include the addition of lightweight carbon/Kevlar RECARO SPA ProRacer competition seats with the Head and Neck Restraint System (HANS), carbon fiber door panels and an onboard fire suppression system.
Under the hood, the ultimate Subaru snow machine sports a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled STI engine tuned with a MOTEC M800 ECU. The engine, which kicks out approximately 400 hp and 400 lb.-ft. of torque, is teamed with a KAPS 5-speed close-ratio dog-engagement gearbox and the Subaru programmable DCCD (Driver Controlled Center Differential) all-wheel drive system. Employing custom machined hubs, the drivetrain – which has been dropped three inches – is mated to Mattracks 105M1-A1 rubber track conversion. The car also features Group N competition rally dampers made by EXE-TC.
And Now for Something Completely Different
The WRX STI TRAX can bring four more friends along for the fun with its one-of-a-kind custom sleigh. Constructed with hand-laid fiberglass using sandwich-core construction, the sleigh runs on custom built steel skis with torsion bar suspension. Yakima FatCat 4 snowboard racks carry Qty 2 DC XFB Snowboards.
Protected beneath the padded roll bars are four heated and embroidered leather RECARO Speed seats with Sabelt 4-point harnesses. For music on the slopes, a marine grade water resistant Alpine digital media receiver is coupled with marine grade Kicker speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer. The rear of the sleigh features a large cooler and a grab-bar for towing snowboarders. Cup holders and LED lighting finish off the interior.
The sleigh also features a carbon fiber dashboard, center tunnel cover and rear-cooler cover. Tucked into a glovebox within the carbon fiber covered dashboard are two Viosport POV.1 camera systems. One camera lens is flush-mounted within the dashboard to film passengers, and the other is mounted high on the roll bar to record action around the sleigh.
For the past 14 years there has always been one constant thing when visiting the Gamblin Home… Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell was our fun loving yellow lab who as we used to say would kill a robber by licking them to death. Our yellow lab was unique, special and part of the Gamblin Family. She was not only our dog but a dog that seemed to be loved by all. Our neighborhood all knew who Tinkerbell was. Tinkerbell spent most of her days not only at our home but on the porches and front door steps of neighbors. Neighbors who we had never met, but they knew Tinkerbell.
Age got the better end of our Tinkerbell. It is hard to talk about Tinkerbell as she spent her last days with us as she was not hearing or seeing well and it would be hard for her to get up to see you when you got home. But on a warm fall day Tinkerbell would chase a tennis ball and act like she was a puppy again which was always fun to see.
Many people have always asked me how did we decide on the name for Tinkerbell? When Tinkerbell was a puppy she used to get really excited and pee all over the place. (When Tink gets excited you better watch out her tail because it was deadly!) Someone said that she tinkled tinkled in the garage. It also helped that we are huge Disney fans and Tinkerbell was a perfect fit.
So in this blog post I am going to share my top 10 favorite memories of our dog Tinkerbell
10. The first night we got Tinkerbell Hillary our animal lover of the family slept in the laundry room with Tinkerbell so Tink would not cry throughout the night.
9. Manure and cows. This would definitely be my mom’s lease favorite memory of Tinkerbell who would roll in the local cow pasture and cover herself in manure. Tink would wander back on home covered in green and brown manure cacked on her hair. My mom would tie Tink up and get the hose out to clean her off and yell at her. I honestly think Tink did this at times to get back at my mom and I am being dead serious.
8. Tinkerbell dominated by the cat. FU (Pronounced Foo and spellled F…. U…. still a great inside family joke) was a mean cat. Tinkerbell and FU did not get along very well. Tinkerbell was not your typical dog as she got along with all our cats. They would sleep together and never had an altercatio but that excludes FU. Tink had her kennel in the garage with her blanket. FU would parade her way into her kennel and take over the blanket leaving no room for Tinkerbell. Tink instead of getting into with it with FU would just take it from the cat and sleep on the cement.
7. Dynamic Duo Tinkerbell and Andrew. I just want you to imagine a little boy Andrew (not the 18 year old version now) with just barn boots, swimsuit, no shirt, a shovel and a yellow lab. Now imagine Andrew screaming at Tinkerbell to stop getting in his way as he would dig. Tink then would always try to catch the rocks and dirt Andrew threw to the side.
6. Dog at sea. While at our cabin on Lake Cle Elum we all jumped in the boat to go waterskiing and about 5 minutes later we noticed that Tinkerbell was half away across the lake in the water following us. She was so far away from shore that we had to pick her up in the boat and take her back to shore.
5. Christmas Lights. Putting up Christmas lights at our house is an event often times turning into a 2 day event. As light bulbs would break or fall onto the ground it was always a mad dash to grab Tinkerbell before she started to eat the broken glass. Tinkerbell would eat just about everything including rocks which she had an odd fascination with.
4. Hose and Water. Tinkerbell like many yellow labs loved water but I have never seen a dog to the extreme as Tink. While watering plants she would attack the water coming out of the hose. This would turn into a game as we would squirt the water in the air and watch Tinkerbell try to catch the water. It even got to the point where Tinkerbell would grab the hose and drag it out so we would turn on the water for her to try to attack.
3. Neighborhood Dog. Tink not only was our dog but she was the neighborhood dog. There was a span where Tink definitely added some pounds as all the neighbors felt they needed to give Tink bones and treats. She loved being up at our neighbors and especially the Lyman’s who offered many times to adopt Tinkerbell from us.
2. Tinkerbell and the cabin. There was nothing more fun then taking Tink up to our family cabin on Lake Cle Elum. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Tinkerbell would jump into the lake and take a swim. Tink loved the cabin. All you would have to do is say Cabin and she would be ready to jump in the back of the truck. I think Tinkerbell liked the cabin the most as she would sleep in the laundry room.
1. As mentioned before that Tinkerbell would drink water from a hose. This involves the Dynamic Duo of and Andrew and Tink. One day while Andrew was digging in the dirt he decided that going into the house to go the bathroom was to much. Andrew decided that going outside was a lot more convenient. Long story short I walk around the corner to Andrew giggling while going the bathroom and poor Tinkerbell trying to drink or should I say bite his pee.
We will miss our beloved Tinkerbell. Coming home will never be the same. We will miss that smile from our yellow lab. Maybe now she will learn how to drop a tennis ball!
Tyson Alan Gamblin Blog 
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