Allegory

Finding hidden messages that the author has inserted in their text is a really tricky thing and usually a flash point for arguments, especially if the message doesn't sit well with people who really admire said author. An example of this is when I pointed out to several people that I thought Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game was nothing but a well-hidden diatribe against gay people (and therefore unworthy of the awards it has received--yup I said it). As I read it, I kept shaking my head at the homophobic references which pepper the text. Then one day I looked up the word "bugger" and discovered it was British slang for "sodomite", a.k.a. "homosexual" and suddenly everything clicked. Taken aback by my findings, I thought to absolve Mr. Card of said bigotry by using Google but nope... he's a confirmed bigot. So yeah, I was right (and got blasted on forums for voicing my opinion).

I'm a critical reader and I look for hidden messages. I can't turn it off...I'm sorry...it's just who I am. If my friend Roguemutt wrote three novels and all of them featured 12-year-old girls getting married to 40-year-old men and these men were very excited to take these girls to bed with them over and over across thousands of pages...I would call mutt a pedophile. This is an extreme example but it shows you how I read books as I look for author intent.

The definition of allegory is a form of extended metaphor, in which objects, persons, and actions in a narrative, are equated with the meanings that lie outside the narrative itself. The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and characters are often personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy.

Thus an allegory is a story with two meanings, a literal meaning and a symbolic meaning.

Everyone who has been reading my blog knows I've been working my way through Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. Right now, I'm on the third book, a 2000-page work on my iPad (I increased the font size to make it easier to read) called A Storm of Swords. I'm not going to cover how I think it's a soap opera seeing as I did that in an earlier post. No...what I'm going to cover here is the underlying message that Mr. Martin has been pounding into my head and suddenly "I got it" in a chapter where Daenerys gathered an army of "unsullied" by purchasing them as slaves and then commanded them to destroy an entire city.

The message is simple: WOMEN ARE THE DEATH OF MEN.

It's pounded over and over in these books. Mr. Martin, I believe, is a modern day misogynist.

As you may already know, medieval misogyny gave rise to chivalry. The belief that Eve was responsible for consorting with snakes and thereby God threw all of humanity out of the Garden of Eden. Chivalry arose from misogyny as men sought a means to disarm women of their sorceries, witchcrafts, and curses that they were prone to cast over men to do them ill.

In Martin's books, every single horrible thing that has befallen a man has come from consorting with a woman. Khal Drogo died because a witch that said she could cure him of a minor wound poisoned him. Ser Jorah Mormont lost all his land for love of a woman. Cersei killed the king and tried to have Tirrion killed. The men of Astapor underestimated a woman and paid for it with their lives! In other words, all the men who exist in their version of an "Eden" are undone by women and a terrible fate befalls them.

I'm almost a third of the way through with A Storm of Swords but I will make a predictions on the novels based off of this theme.

Every man in these books that dies that is considered a prominent character will have a death directly related back to a woman (this includes as yet unreleased material).

What do you guys think? You fans of the books that are out there...can you furnish an example of a prominent male character that dies that was not offed as a direct correlation to a woman?

Palme d'Or 2011 at Cannes

Tree of Life has received some extremely polarizing reviews. Some have hailed it as a masterpiece while others booed it. As of this writing, it is floating somewhere in the 90% range on Rotten Tomatoes.  The site's consensus seems to be that "Terrence Malick's singularly deliberate style may prove unrewarding for some, but for patient viewers, Tree of Life is an emotional as well as visual treat."

This is the theatrical release poster for Tree of Life

It did receive the prestigious Palme d'Or this year which (as you may already know) is the highest honor given to a single film that makes its premiere at Cannes.

Here is what some of the critics have to say about it:

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave it a perfect five stars and states it is an "unashamedly epic reflection on love and loss" and a "mad and magnificent film.^"

Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter states "Brandishing an ambition it’s likely no film, including this one, could entirely fulfill, The Tree of Life is nonetheless a singular work, an impressionistic metaphysical inquiry into mankind’s place in the grand scheme of things that releases waves of insights amidst its narrative imprecisions."

Justin Chang of Variety states the film "represents something extraordinary" and "is in many ways his simplest yet most challenging work, a transfixing odyssey through time and memory that melds a young boy's 1950s upbringing with a magisterial rumination on the Earth's origins."

Peter Travers of Rolling Stone states "Shot with a poet's eye, Malick's film is a groundbreaker, a personal vision that dares to reach for the stars."

 Some facts about the film:

1. Filming began in the great state of Texas. Locations include Smithville, Houston, Matagorda, Austin, and Malick's hometown of Waco.
2. The namesake of the film is a large live oak that was excavated a few miles outside Smithville. The tree weighed 65,000 pounds with root ball and was replanted.
3. In a March 2011 interview, the visual effects supervisor, Dan Glass, stated that the film would feature microbial and astronomical imagery, along with dinosaurs. He summarized the film as "a very powerful movie about memories, emotions, and our place in the world."

I really want to see this film. It premieres here in Salt Lake City on June 17th, 2011 (I've marked my calendar). I predict that the film will resonate strongly with me as my personal outlook on the universe has also left me wondering if the lives that we live have any meaning at all.

2011 Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept By Kyrgyzstanian

2011 Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept By Kyrgyzstanian

Steel Drake Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept is a simple but elegant design. Here are the latest production cars, the 2011 Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept By Kyrgyzstanian, Volkswagen Drake is the type of steel. Kyrgyzstanian graphic designer “Steel Drake” has created something very much fitting with this scenario in the form of his Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept.

2011 Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept By Kyrgyzstanian

It resembles a reduced front Motors Audi R8. Then, at halfway of the project, Audi he cans and presents his sketches and model prototyping of Volkswagen decided to put the two doors cut in production. Steel Drake’s Concept Sports Cars is a simple-yet-sleek design let down only by some questionable design choices.

2011 Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept By Kyrgyzstanian

Get for instance the drooping taillights that seem additional befitting a Chinese automobile than 1 built in Germany, or the peculiar concave curves around the doorways that seems caught on as opposed to an integral part of the style. Otherwise it is rather fantastic seeking, although maybe far more something Infiniti would produce than Volkswagen.

2011 Volkswagen Sport Cars Concept By Kyrgyzstanian

Writing A Soap Opera Novel

I think that one or two people got a little testy when I declared that I thought their favorite author, George R.R. Martin, was writing a fantasy soap opera. This led me to make this blog entry. First, I want to define what a soap opera is. From the Wikipedia article, the definition of a "soap" is as follows: stories run concurrently, intersect and lead into further developments. An individual episode of a soap opera will generally switch between several different concurrent story threads that may at times interconnect and affect one another or may run entirely independent of each other. Each episode may feature some of the show's current storylines but not always all of them. Another thing that "soaps" are famous for is that they can go on without end. Could Mr. Martin's books do that? Yep...without end.

Does this not exactly fit A Game of Thrones and all other books in the series? The answer: Yes...yes it does.

Should you be offended that you love reading a soap? I don't think so. But stop fooling yourself that this is "high-brow" literature because it isn't. What it happens to be is one hell of an addictive story. My own confession: I go home and sometimes watch "Desperate Housewives of Beverly Hills". I can't turn it off. The same goes for Mr. Martin's books. I have to know more.

I've noticed a certain "arrogance" from the young men in the world that read Mr. Martin. For example, if I were to take my copy of Percy Jackson and the Olympians or even perhaps Harry Potter to a comic book or game convention where Magic: the Gathering tournaments are held, I might be scoffed at. These young beta males would say things like, "Oh...I read real fantasy. Have you tried George R.R. Martin?" My reply at present would be, "You dare to look down your nose at me for reading this Young Adult fantasy when you're reading a soap opera? Please...just...stop."

This brings me to another point on writing. Since many authors are often the source of inspiration, if you are writing to the standards of Mr. Martin, are you unwittingly trying to recreate a soap?

Do you think that "soap opera" style novels are the best way to squeeze money out of a book market?

My personal opinion is that if you can do it...it's the way to go. I think there's huge money to be made in writing a successful soap as opposed to a finite storyline told in three books. You can keep milking this thing over and over. It's like the goose that lay the golden egg or a cow with infinite milk.

I kind of despair a little in knowing that I'm hooked by something that really won't ever have an end until Mr. Martin "declares" it over. I mean the story really could run its course anytime. But it can also keep going at any time. I wonder if capitalism encourages this unnecessarily? Everyone wants to have a constant income but if money weren't an issue, do you really think that these kinds of tales would keep flowing from the publishers? I have to think that they wouldn't. People would wrap shit up and you'd get an ending.

This is totally Game of Thrones.

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

The Ferrari sports car was build for Peter Kalikow, a Ferrari collector from New York, the rich people, who is a real estate entrepreneur, to celebrate that he’s a Ferrari client and driver for 45 years. The Ferrari Superamerica 45 is styled internally by Ferrari Design and engineered and built in-house. The sports car features an unique roof system which opens the roof-top by fliping it backwards.

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

The Special Projects Ferrari Superamerica 45 is a unique one-off model. The 2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45 model was built in-house and styled internally by Ferrari Design, making its public debut on the 20th of May at the Villa d'Este Concorso d'Eleganza. When open, the roof is housed by an entirely new boot, while the design appears to be bespoke, featuring a carbon-fiber rotating hard-top which integrates a rear screen.

The 2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45 is built around an aluminium spaceframe chassis similar to the limited production 599 Aperta roadster. Power comes from the very potent V12 also used in the 599 GTO. Based on the engine originally used for the Enzo, it produces well over 650 bhp. This is transferred to the rear wheels by a semi-automatic gearbox, which is operated by paddles behind the steering wheel. Carbon ceramic discs ensure that the 2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45 can slow down as fast as it can accelerate.

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

Like 400 Superamerica Cabriolet, the new 2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45 is finished in a lovely metallic blue paint, which is further accentuated by blue carbon-fibre sections and polished aluminium A-pillars and wing mirrors. Additional vents in the front wings and a spoiler on the tail set the car further apart from the 'standard' 599. The latter was a necessary addition to create sufficient downforce and stability at high speeds. The interior is refined by a carefully selected combination of Cuoio leather trim and Blu Scuro carbon fiber details. The driver will also enjoy a latest-generation touch-screen infotainment system.

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

While the 2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45 did make its public debut at Villa d'Este, it was not yet officially delivered. Ever the perfectionist, Kalikow pointed out several details that still need changing before the car is really 'ready'. Among them were the lining on the roof, which will most likely be changed to the same tan leather as the rest of the interior and the door handles, which still need to receive the Kalikow's initials as previously seen on the 612 Kappa.

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

When Kalikow does take official delivery of the car, he intends to use it extensively on the road, like he does with a vast majority of the fabulous Ferraris in his collection. We, particularly, can't wait to see the Superamerica 45 next to the 400 Superamerica Cabriolet that inspired this project.

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

Specifications :

Key: AT - automatic transmission, MT - manual transmission, F/R/AWD - front/rear/all wheel drive

Powertrain : Type     V12

Displacement  :   366 cu in (5999 cc)

Power  :     620 hp @ 7600 rpm

Torque :     448 lb-ft @ 5600 rpm

Driveline :    Rear Wheel Drive

Brakes & Tires :  Brakes Front - Rear     Ventilated Discs - Ventilated Discs

Tire Size Front - Rear     245/40 R19 - 305/35 R20

2011 Ferrari Sport Cars Superamerica 45

A Clash of Kings

I'm 700 pages into A Clash of Kings and nothing has happened. Yet, I can't put it down. Is my life so utterly boring that I'm consumed with reading about the lives of others?

Martin's books do not have a plot. They don't have a protagonist. They don't have an antagonist. They are a collection of chapters with each one a differing point-of-view. We go from Sansa to Arya to Theon to Bran to Daenerys to Jon to Tirrion and then rinse/repeat. My epiphany came in a chapter called Arya where the most exciting thing that happened in forty pages was her going off into the woods to urinate (yes he describes the urination) and a wolf appears and then just as quickly disappears with no follow-up. Huh? These characters are eating, drinking, having sex, plotting, strutting, killing, looking at their damaged hands, burying the dead, mourning, slapping people for insulting them, and you name it. Yes...these books are simply about the lives of other people in a fantasy setting. They are about all the things that you and I would do only in a make-believe world.

It's kinda like The Sims only with text. And in many places...just as boring. I spent forty pages reading about some lame tournament held by King Joffrey while his little 8-year-old brother jousted with a man made of straw. Yes...really...a frickin' man made of straw.

I feel as captivated by these tales as I do watching an episode of "Extreme Couponing" or "The Desperate Housewives of Beverly Hills" or "The Jersey Shore".  Yes...I seriously did just compare George R.R. Martin to "The Jersey Shore".

Why am I so captivated by these books? It really has me wondering if my life is that banal...that boring...that the lives of these fictional characters are so much more interesting than my own. It'd be different if there was a plot...then I'd have an excuse.  I could tell you..."oh this 1500 page book of George R.R. Martins is about this..." and then launch into some huge profound plot akin to destroying the one ring.  But oh no...I could tell you what Tirrion ate for his breakfast and his lunch, what he wore, when he went to the bathroom...oh I could tell you how agonizing it was for Sansa to find the right dress to please Joffrey and how much Joffrey likes beating her. 

What a strange way to write. It's just wierd and somehow so "soap operish" that it taps into this strange node in my brain that I have to watch it unfold on the pages. I talk to my friend James about the books and we're like gossiping hens "oh I can't believe this happened and blah blah"... Like really...are there millions of men out there that are just like me that are captivated by the gossip generated by the lives within these books?  I guess so. Afterall, Mr. Martin has sold millions.

It makes me lament though at the state of the modern novel. No plot, five novels in one (yes you could rip the chapters out regarding each character and have your own book with only one-point-of-view and one storyline) and simply a tale about lives...people going to the bathroom, changing boots, laying with women, men, sisters, and brothers...eating plums, getting sick, lusting, loving and dying. Ay carajo.

When I write a review for Goodreads I fully intend to give this five stars. I couldn't put it down. And because of that I wonder what the hell is wrong with me?

Newsflash! Eric Cantor (R) Is A Giant D-Bag

From the Huffington Post article found here:

In the aftermath of Sunday’s devastating tornado in Joplin, Mo., a key House panel has approved a $1 billion aid package to make sure federal disaster relief accounts don’t run out before the end of the budget year in September.

The Appropriations panel approved the measure by voice vote as an amendment to a measure funding the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other Department of Homeland Security programs for the 2012 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The disaster aid package would be financed by a $1.5 billion cut from a loan program to encourage the production of fuel-efficient vehicles. That means the new spending wouldn’t add to out-of-control budget deficits.

On Monday, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said that Congress would not approve funds for disaster relief without budget cuts elsewhere. “If there is support for a supplemental, it would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors to that supplemental,” he said.

So yet another win for Big Oil. With gas prices closing in on $5 a gallon and much discussion going on about America's dependence on foreign oil, with the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico fading from the memory of the rich, and with Big Oil declaring enormous $10 billion dollar profits for only 3 months of work...let's slash the incentive for fuel-efficient vehicles!  Way to go you Republicans...way to go! I have no idea why impoverished people vote these assholes into office. It would seem that commitment to GOP ideology is more important than commitment to actual people who are suffering and need help. Or maybe that's the whole point of GOP ideology. I was so angry, I unfollowed George Bush on Twitter.

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

This year the dream sports car is celebrating its 75th birthday. The new BMW sport car makes extensive use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, a material already used by BMW in the M6 and M3. The BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept gets an extremely wide and flat front end with generous surfaces and a powerful appearance. The rear has a particularly angular tail, with lights that echo the look of the Vision ED eco-supercar that’s earmarked for production. A carbon fiber bonnet and low-reaching sidewalls will ensure an excellent stability for the 328 on the road.

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

Celebration will begin near Como’s Lake at Mille Miglia. Over there, in focus main will on car affinity races BMW 328. To today, BMW’S award-winning vehicle 328 Touring Coupé stills to hold champions for supreme average speed at Mille Miglia’s circuit and, on year 2010, once more can win historic evocation of race. One week then at Villa Concorso d.’ Eleganza d.’ Este, functional aesthetic two seater wills be attention focuses.

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

Based on Connected Vision Drive concept unveiled in Geneva, the 2011 BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept is a tribute to the celebration of the modern interpretation of classic sports cars from 1930. The appearance of the vehicle combines the characteristic diagonal carbon fiber, focus homage to 328 lightweight with carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

At this region conflicting tradition as tween and modernity, BMW is Group gives respect to 2011 BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept on birthday chance with model special BMW 328 Hommage. “With Hommage 328 BMW, we want to give respect to are ardour and compose from father of 328 BMW, “be clear Karl Bäumer, CEO BMW is Classic’s Group. “They create one ikon, that Ered’s judgment crossbar in car history.” BMW 328 Hommage translate principle and time vehicle characters into present term and offers interpretation who may about how designers that time, Fritz Fiedler and Rudolf Schleicher, maybe have built BMW 328 on today at ease technology.

The BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept will be powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six engine, but BMW hasn’t revealed any official statistics or performance figures. The expressive exterior design of the BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept depicts the modern interpretation of a highly emotional and dynamic two-seater Roadster – just like the BMW 328 75 years ago.  Even 75 years ago, the BMW 328 stood for sportiness and agility through light-weight construction.

The BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept Car pays tribute to this past and shows how BMW lightweight construction will develop. Carbon is the material of the future.” (Adrian van Hooydonk) In keeping with its role model, the BMW 328 Hommage has a streamlined design and is clearly recognisable as a sports car. Precise lines run across all of the car body’s taut surfaces.

The lightweight BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept original weighed just 780kgs and BMW has concentrated on keeping weight down in the Hommage. The body is made from carbon-reinforced plastic, the same material used in the i3 electric car and the stripped out cabin is simple and driver-focused.

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

The BMW 328 is the most successful and best-looking sports car of 1930. The BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept success was the result of design through the use of systematic lightweight construction, aerodynamic lines, optimum engine types and excellent chassis technology. These historical facts have laid the foundations for a new vehicle concept to its 75th Birthday set. With one of these characteristics, the BMW 328 being then your embodiment of what are the BMW brand still means today – dynamics, aesthetics along with a higher level of innovation.

BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept

Not only do the exterior and interior BMW 328 CFRP elements create an extraordinary statement. skin smooth, matt and high-gloss black and polished aluminum pestle and visualize the interior of CFRP in Hommage BMW 328 roadster pure and functional character of a sports car that day.

The inside BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept visualises functional radiate passion had returned it. Viewed from above, slightly asymmetrical design of the hood and windshield driver-oriented construction highlights from Hommage BMW 328. This provides the BMW 328 with a special authenticity. Instruments featured in the BMW 328 Hommage both sporty and functional to the same level. Regardless of the instrument and tripmaster, BMW Sport Cars 328 Hommage Concept is also equipped with more advanced features drawn from motor racing.

A Game Of Nipples

I love plot tropes. In Lord of the Rings, the element of water was a huge plot trope. If you found water in any shape or form and lived in Tolkien's universe, you were f*cked. Example: The Ringwraiths got swept away by water at the ford, the fellowship tried to cross through the mountain passes and the way was blocked by snow and ice, the fellowship went to Moria and a watcher in the water sealed them inside the mine, Isengard was destroyed by a flood when the ents diverted the river, the dead marshes had people in watery graves, Osgiliath was the "key" to Minas Tirith and it was a city on the water (automatically f*cked), etc. etc.

I finished Game of Thrones last night and am buying book two a.s.a.p. It's a good series, can't put it down, etc... this isn't a book review. I would not attempt to add to the discourse already said about these books with tired old tripes about how sexist it is yet I can't seem to put it down. Rather, for those characters dwelling in Westeros, I wanted to point out that the nipple is literally life and death. Allow me to explain.

The "nipple" if you will...is all powerful. Example: Khal Drogo dies at the end of the book due to a wounded nipple. Daenerys' dragons suckle from her nipples in the funeral pyre, Lysa Arryn emotionally and developmentally castrates her son by having him breast feed too long from her nipple, Ned Stark is first attacked by Jaime Lannister outside a nipple house (brothel), Bran was made a cripple after having seen a nipple (both of those words rhyme by the way) in the tower as Jaime Lannister and his sister the queen were having incestuous sex. There are more examples: the dire wolves were found still nursing from the dead dire wolf's nipples...can't argue that the dire wolfs aren't important in the book (less so in the television show.  And speaking of the HBO show (obviously aware of the importance of nipple symbolism) Lord Renly is shaved by his lover, the knight of the flowers, because the hair obscuring his nipples is a metaphor for his lack of ambition at becoming king. After he's shaved, he sees the "light", makes love to his partner, and has courage to be king and to oust that whiney toad King Joffrey. But it takes the more prominent display of those "nipples" for him to come to terms with what he wants and what's good for the country. Oh and the top of a wineskin is referred to as a "nipple" and is what essentially kills Robert Baratheon. He drinks wine infused with a drug that dulls his senses so a boar can kill him. So yeah...done in by a nipple.

If any of you are men out there and reading my blog and your women are disgusted by the show, you should remind them that when a nipple flashes on the screen, it means something major is about to happen and that it is not, in fact, a gratuitous display of flesh. A nipple when employed by George R.R. Martin is a mighty plot device worthy of much speculation. All the more reason to concentrate harder on those sexy scenes.

Supernatural And A Blog Award Or Two

The season six finale of Supernatural aired this Friday and it had a cliffhanger (sort of) by making Castiel proclaim himself as a new God.  You see, in the show's universe Castiel has been fighting this war in heaven against the angel Raphael (who he just exploded with a single gesture in Friday's episode). Castiel got so pumped up on "juice" from souls that he stole from Purgatory that he's like a walking nuclear bomb (their words). Essentially, as long as he can hold himself together, he's got so much power that angel swords can't even kill him anymore.

If you follow the show Supernatural, I've a question for you... is this really a cliffhanger? Because personally, Castiel has been overall, fairly decent and a huge ally of Sam and Dean through several seasons. He's not the conniving douchebag that Crowley is (the present King of Hell since Lucifer and Michael the archangel are trapped in some place referred to as "the cage").  In other words, I kind of think that Cas as the new "god" is an improvement over the show's old version of "god" which essentially never did anything...ever.

AWARDS:

Brooke R. Busse over at her blog Paper Mountain awarded me with the "I'm on Fire Award". Thank you so much Brooke. I'm passing this award onto Rogue Mutt and to Rachael Harrie over at Rach Writes...
Munir at the absolutely wonderful blog called Focus gave me the Straight From the Heart Blogger Award. Thank you so much Munir. I'm passing this award onto Misha at My First Book to Lucinda Bilya at Missing Link In Writing. Lucinda writes some of the most poignant and professional comments I've ever had the pleasure to read and is a consummate professional in all that she does.

New Honda Jazz rolled June 16, 2011

Finally, after being delayed because of the tsunami, the Honda Fit will be launching the Shuttle, aka New Jazz on June 16, 2011.

As reported by Reuters, Honda will set up two machines Shuttle Fit namely ordinary and hybrid engines.

Citing the Nikkei, the production car will be done at Honda's Suzuka factory in Mie Prefecture in May this. Honda will begin sending these cars after July.

Earlier Shuttle Fit will be released on March 18, 2011. But because Japan hit by earthquake and tsunami disaster on 11 March, the launch of Shuttle Fit was delayed because of difficulties getting spare parts supply.

Shuttle Honda Fit will come with IMA technology and seconded engine 1.3-liter i-VTEC engine and electric motor 10 KW.

While other versions will be seconded one machine with a slightly larger 1.5-liter that i-VTEC with CVT transmission, 4WD and automatic transmission. That machine is the same as those used hatchback version of the Fit or Jazz in the RI.

Cabin is quite roomy. In the second row looks very indulgent arm rest rear passengers. With this concept, Honda seems to want to make passengers feel comfortable.

Rumored New Jazz Honda will sell in Japan from 1.61 million yen to 1.81 million yen. Via: oto.detik

Anderson Cooper, Jon Stewart, and I hate FOX News

My Friday post is about two of my real life heroes and that isn't said with a sarcastic tongue. The first one is Anderson Cooper. He's the host of the CNN show Anderson Cooper 360 which is a brilliant show. He's suave, debonaire (if you will), loved to play Dungeons & Dragons as a kid (same as me), and has a fantastic job where he gets to talk about important issues of the day and does so with intelligence.  There's speculation that he's gay but I'm not going to go into that because in his own words, "I want to talk about the news and not be the news." I think that's good enough for me just as long as he keeps up the good reporting.

Please Please Please click on this link.  It goes to an incredibly funny "Ridiculist" episode in which he totally tears apart the Dallas County G.O.P. campaign message for a Debbie Georgatos. When I first saw it air on CNN on Wednesday night while working out at the gym, I laughed my ass off and people started peeking around me to see what I was laughing at.  You'll especially love it if you live in Detroit (Mutt!).

Now...onto my other hero...Jon Stewart. On Bill O'Reilly's show, he completely owned that flapping lip for the Right. Furthermore, he explains perfectly why I hate FOX News. People that say CNN is just as left as FOX News is to the right, are completely wrong. FOX News is so incredibly polarized, so incredibly right, that everything in comparison looks like it is on the left. FOX News is a "selective outrage machine that petty fogs the narrative only when it suits them." The part I linked is only part one. Bill O'Reilly actually gets upset and raises his voice because he can't think of anything else to say. Anyway, awesome job Jon Stewart.

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu

General Motors (GM) finally decided to release two new variant of Chevrolet Sedan Sport Cars Malibu 2013 at two prestigious exhibition of the Shanghai Auto Show 2011 and the New York Auto Show 2011. One of the firm‚ most important models in years. The new Malibu sports sedan a new exterior styling with lines and curves inspired from Chevy‚ most recent models such as the Cruze up front and even the Camaro at the back with the LED dual-element taillamps. The exterior design of the all-new Malibu carries DNA from its sister vehicles, the Camaro and Corvette, to bring a sporty sensibility to the family sedan sports car segment.

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu comes with featuring a more fluid design with a prominent instrument panel incorporating a pair of Camaro-esque circular gauges set in squared-off housings, and a new top-hinged, flat panel display on the center console that articulates up and down revealing a six-inch-deep hidden, illuminated storage compartment. In the US, the 2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu will be offered with Chevrolet‚ new MyLink infotainment package that integrates wireless connectivity through Bluetooth.

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu

As in the eAssisted LaCrosse and Regal, the Malibu Eco pairs a 2.4-liter four-cyliner engine with a six-speed automatic transmission, fitting a motor-generator where the alternator would live. The system can provide up to a 15-hp boost using energy stored in the lithium-ion battery, which gets its charge from regenerative braking. The system is enhanced by other miserly tech pieces like a stop/start system, low-rolling-resistance tires, underbody trays, and active aero flaps in the grille that open or close at speed to meter the flow of cooling air and further aid economy. We’ve recently driven the LaCrosse eAssist and came away impressed by its relative seemlessnes. The verdict is still out on real-world economy, but we expect the same level of refinement from the system as installed in Chevrolet’s ever-important Malibu.

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu

The 2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu engine has more than 190-hp with maximum torque of 180 lb-ft estimated. The engine is backed by a Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic, which helps to achieve improved fuel economy and performance. GM has yet to be resolved and the fuel consumption and performance figures.

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu

Medium sports sedan car body has also been cut by 4.5 inches, but the overall length remains the same. While the width is increased to nearly 3 inches. Along with a smaller size, Malibu 2013 will also save money in the engine lineup. 2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu offers a new engine 190-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder. DOHC Ecotec engine is also expected to create 180-feet of torque. Six-speed automatic transmission will be the only gearbox is only available to U.S. buyers.

2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu

The new 2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu also gets 62-inch (1,574 mm) front and rear tracks that are more than 2 inches (51 mm) wider than before. As a result, GM claims that the 2013 Malibu offers nearly 4 cubic feet (113 L) of additional interior volume, along with increased front and rear shoulder and hip room, plus more than 1 cubic ft. of extra trunk space at 16.3 cu.ft (462 lt).

The Eco will be the first of the 2013 Chevrolet Cars Sedan Sport Malibu available, beginning in early 2012, followed by the LS, LT, and LTZ models later that summer.

Your Christianity Is Terrifying

If you haven't heard, there are some people that believe strongly that May 21, 2011 is officially, Judgment Day--the Rapture--as it is known by Christians. Some have gone so far as to spend their entire fortunes (like this guy) on ad campaigns aimed at letting the world know of the impending doom so that they can be "saved". He's part of the somewhat cultish "familyradio.com" group (followers of Harold Camping who falsely predicted an apocalypse in 1994) doing an "ad campaign" nationwide to get sinners to realize that the end is near. Roguemutt has blogged about all the billboards going up in Detroit. Well they are also here in Salt Lake City. However, what I wanted to say here is that I find the people taking this stuff so seriously to be of incredible interest.

I'm atheist which essentially means, I've no faith in any religion at all. I don't believe in the existence of a being in a place called heaven, with a traditional white beard, keeping score on good deeds and bad.  Nor do I believe that he had a son and threw another dude out of heaven who became the devil, etc.

However, what I do find fascinating in particular is how terrifying a world you Christians live in. It's absolutely amazing. It's very liberating to my peace of mind to dismiss it all as fiction because if I truly believed in this stuff, I would want to run and hide at reports of the Queensland floods (biblical perhaps?), fish being washed up on shore, or mass bird die-offs. I would spend a lot of time at church and give away my hard-earned income for the chance at a golden ticket to salvation.

If you were to look at it from a fiction writer's perspective (which I am) and separate yourself for just a moment, I think you might be able to agree with me in some small part (assuming that my words haven't inflamed you to the point that you just stopped reading this post). To elaborate, let's look at some of this stuff. 

Old Testament aside (with its talking snakes, floods, people that can split the Red Sea, etc.) the New Testament is just as scary.  We have resurrections, the son of God and his second coming, Judgment Day, the horsemen of the Apocalypse...and holy crap...the Book of Revelation. All I have to say is...wow. The New Testament and religions spawned from it (L.D.S. for example believe that Jesus appeared in America)...are interesting. It's kind of like the authors that take old fairy tales like Cinderella and do stories that take place a day later, or who like Gregory Maguire, spin tales like "Wicked" that as you know, tells the story of the wicked witch of the west from The Wizard of Oz.

Basically, all I'm saying in this post is that growing up in a culture like this and believing this stuff must really fire your imagination. It prepares the mind (if you will) in a certain way to be more creative in coming up with stuff that is entertaining, incredible, and brilliant. Thanks to Christianity, we have prophecies, we have angels and demons, we have a son of God, and relics like the magical Holy Grail (used to great effect by Dan Brown ala the Davinci Code). We have the Knights Templar and all sorts of conspiracies involving Masons and secret societies, etc. Just look at Percy Jackson and the Olympians...at one time, people believed in those gods too. Now when I watch the movie, I think, how awesome it was for Rick Riordan to visualize the old Greek gods using the Empire State Building as Mount Olympus. Maybe an overactive imagination is perhaps the greatest boon to a person that aspires to write fiction.

If the Rapture does happen on May 21st, then any of you that are prepared for it have a great time. I'll be watching Saturday Night Live with Lady Gaga as the musical guest. I had my chance to believe from this lady in this video (and she failed to convert me):

Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi

Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi

The name “Pavesi” is also shared with an Italian go-kart engine manufacturer. Dubbed 612 GTS Pavesi, the latest product from Ferari's own customization program is named after an Italian manufacturer of go-kart engines, Luxist reports. Until Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari launches the replacement for the 612 Scaglietti at next year’s Geneva Auto Show, we’ll just have to settle with a one-off version of the model. Ferrari builts exclusive modification supercar 612 Scaglietti for one of its customers, which was called GTS Pavesi and there is only single copy.

Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi

This particular 612 was allegedly done by Ferrari’s in-house customization program, and also sports cars a Tubi exhaust and an apparent output of 550 horsepower, a custom exhaust system and some extra 20 horsepower for a total of 550 hp. A special version of a supercar has a new roof with two removable sections that turn the car into the likeness of Targ, two-tone paint finishes, another front bumper, a different exhaust system, as well as boosted from 540 to 560 horsepower 5.7-liter gasoline engine dvenadtsatitsilindrovy. Standard Ferrari 612 Scaglietti is capable to accelerate from zero to one hundred kilometers per hour in four seconds and reach a top speed of 315 kilometers per hour. Dynamic characteristics modification Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi not yet known.

Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi

The power of the Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi comes from a 5.7-liter V12 engine that develops 550 hp (410 kW) and 443 lb ft (600 Nm) of torque, which is more than standard. We bet the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) acceleration time and the top speed have also been improved on the Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi in comparison to the standard car. This unique Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi supercar also comes with a pair of removable carbon-fiber roof panels up top, a revised front end and a unique two-tone silver and black paint scheme.

Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi

The 612 Scaglietii has entered in the Ferrari stable in 2004, designed to replace the 456 M. The name of the 612 one-off is taken after the home town of one of Ferrari's coach builders, Carozzeria Scaglietti. The 612 stood out from other Ferraris thanks to the large side scallops and the headlights that are reminiscent of the 375 MM. The engine used on the 612 is an 5.7 V12 that was also used on the 575 Maranello, the Tipo F133E that produces 533 hp and is able to propel the car to a top speed 315 km/h (199 mph).

Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi

The name “Pavesi” is also shared with an Italian go-kart engine manufacturer, giving a clue to who the owner may be. The carbon fiber roof must have cost a lot to engineer and install, and only an industrial magnate would have the budget for such an expenditure. No official details of the Ferrari Sport Cars Ferrari 612 GTS Pavesi have been released and probably never will.