Video: 17-year-old swaps old phone for Porsche Boxster on Craigslist
Jul 21, 2010 Object, news, video
Filed under: Convertible, Videos, Porsche
Click above to watch the video after the jump
If you don’t currently own a Porsche Boxster, you probably wouldn’t mind having one in the garage. Seventeen-year-old Steven Ortiz turned wishes and hopes into hard work and determination to finally land a shiny silver 2000 Boxster, but he didn’t tap into a trust fund or bust open a few piggy banks to meet his goal. All he used was an old cell phone, Craigslist and a lot of time.
Ortiz bartered that phone for an iPod, then traded the iPod for a dirt bike and from the dirt bike came a series of cars, an SUV and finally one mighty attractive drop-top with an engine in the boot. The man just got his license and he’s already rocking a Porsche… what a country.
The local ABC affiliate in Glendora, California interviewed Ortiz, and from the limited shots of the car, the man’s Boxster looks far better than even the smartest of smart phones. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself, and if you’re thinking of asking Ortiz to swap some old junk for an Italian exotic, his friends already beat you to it. It’s apparently harder to do than it sounds.
[Source: ABC News]
Continue reading Video: 17-year-old swaps old phone for Porsche Boxster on Craigslist
Video: 17-year-old swaps old phone for Porsche Boxster on Craigslist originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-few-piggy, a-trust-fund, craigslist, craigslist boxster, craigslistboxster, friends, news, porsche boxster, porscheboxster, stevenortiz, video, videos
News & Rants: Minivans on the Brink of a Comeback
Jul 9, 2010 Object
Minivan owners know there’s plenty to love about them. From seating up to eight people to having tons of cargo space, they’re the ultimate family haulers. Of course, minivans have been branded uncool by many car shoppers and avoided in favor of SUVs and crossovers, which explains why some automakers – General Motors and Ford – abandoned them. However, our friends at KickingTires say the minivan segment is showing some signs of life. Is it enough to call it a comeback? Read the KickingTires story to find out.
Minivan Segment Swaggers Back to Life
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News & Rants: Minivans on the Brink of a Comeback
Tags: cargo-space, eight-people, family-haulers-, family-life, friends, having-tons, kickingtires, minivan-segment, shoppers-and, swaggers-back, ultimate
Report: Jeep eyeing entry-level pickup market?
2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
All hail the Jeep Comanche? Well, not exactly. But the old XJ-based single cab pickup certainly has something of a loyal fan base. The same can be said of every other pickup truck the Toledo-based off-road specialists have ever created, including the classic CJ-8 Scrambler. And the darn-near-perfect-in-every-way Jeep Gladiator concept from 2005 got nothing but rave reviews from everyone who saw it at the Detroit Auto Show.
So, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that our friends at PickupTrucks.com are reporting that Jeep is once again considering entering the pickup truck market. Apparently, newly minted Jeep CEO Mike Manley has his eyes on the segment globally and believes that the concept of a Jeep pick ‘em-up-truck has some profitable legs.
Considering that the Ford Ranger continues to sell in reasonably decent numbers despite not seeing any real updates since the Jurassic period and that the Mahindra pickup has generated a good bit of interest before even hitting the American scene, we have to wonder if there may be some pent-up demand for a small, capable pickup in America. In any case, don’t expect any sort of official comment from Jeep… but feel free to keep your fingers crossed.
Gallery: 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]
Report: Jeep eyeing entry-level pickup market? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-2012-model-, a-friend-via, bmw, capable-pickup, compact truck, compact-pickup, compactpickuptruck, friends, interest-before, jeep comanche, jeep pickup, jeep scrambler, jeepcomanche, jeepnukizer715, mikemanley
News & Rants: Momosphere: Father’s Day Edition
Jun 18, 2010 Object
With Father’s Day quickly approaching, here are my favorite blog posts related to the day.
Moments When Children Grow Up, Motherlode
Inspired by “What I Would Tell Her,” a collection of essays written by fathers about raising their daughters, New York Times’ parenting blogger Lisa Belkin reflects on a life of lasts. The last time your daughter needed her blankie or your son let you give him a kiss in front of his friends. It’s often hard to pinpoint those moments, but writer Robert Dugoni writes of it in his essay about when his daughter became a young lady.
2010 Father’s Day Gift Guide, Cool Mom Picks
If your Father’s Day gift-giving skills are lacking, check out these great ideas for Dad. There’s something for every budget, including those of us with no budget. From bacon caramel popcorn for $7.50 to a $4,600 foosball table, there are plenty of ideas to choose from.
Father’s Day Picks: My Top 10 Rides, KickingTires
Cars.com’s David Thomas is a co-worker, friend and father of two who knows his cars. If you’re looking to give your husband the ultimate Father’s Day gift, David runs through his favorite cars for hauling the family.
More:
News & Rants: Momosphere: Father’s Day Edition
Tags: a-young-lady-, cars, children, daughters, david-thomas, essays-written, family, family-life, friends, guide, robert-dugoni, tires-cars-com, ultimate
SEMA lists pro-auto hobby lawmakers in your state
May 23, 2010 Object
Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Government/Legal
Look at any legislation related to cars, and it seems pretty obvious that lawmakers hate automobiles. While it seems odd that people who get driven around Washington D.C. gridlock in full-size SUVs are railing against the same kind of vehicles, there’s also a contingent of legislators on the state level who understand that “suck, squeeze, bang, blow” has nothing to do with Clinton-era interns.
For the last five years, SEMA has partnered with state lawmakers interested in preserving and protecting the automotive hobby in the form of the State Automotive Enthusiast Leadership Caucus. If you’re a gearhead interested in knowing who your friends are at your state’s Capitol when it comes to the love of cars, SEMA’s list of state Senators, Reps and Assemblymen who are members of the Caucus is where to go.
There are even photos of some members posing with their personal rides. It’s a .pdf-based e-document, but you can easily figure out where to send your greasy-fingerprinted, crayon-composed love letters.
[Source: SEMA.org]
SEMA lists pro-auto hobby lawmakers in your state originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 23 May 2010 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: a-friend-via, autolegislation, chicago-auto, ford mustang, friends, house, lists-pro-auto, semagovernment, semarepresentative, semasenator, videos, while-it-seems
News & Rants: 2011 Infiniti QX Preview
Families are rough on cars, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have nice vehicles. Instead of driving an older SUV that’s filled with years of accumulated litter from family life, you could be driving around the 2011 Infiniti QX56, a luxury SUV with an interior inspired by a custom executive jet. Sweet!
Sure, you’ll have to pay more for it, but Infiniti says the median household income of a 2011 Infiniti QX buyer is $203,000. With that income, you can probably spring $56,700 for the rear-wheel-drive base model or $59,800 for a four-wheel-drive version. That’s the same pricing as the outgoing 2010 QX models, only with a new design and tons of performance and technology features. That almost makes it sound like a bargain, doesn’t it?
In the design department, Infiniti got real and designed this SUV for families to actually use. As a matter of fact, Sean McNamara, senior manager for Infiniti product planning, happens to have two children the same ages as mine – 7 and 9. As a busy dad he knows firsthand the type of use and abuse families heap on their cars. Sean used his family experience to make sure the QX was a good fit for its targeted consumers.
The second-row center console in the new QX is specifically designed to fit a Nintendo Wii console with space left over for DVDs, wireless headphones, remote controls and more. Dual 7-inch entertainment monitors in the back of the head restraints work independently, so one child can play his favorite shoot-’em-up video game (if you allow it) while the other can watch a movie. Meanwhile, kids in the third row can recline the power-adjustable bench seat for a nap. When testing this feature out in the privacy of their own home, Sean’s 9-year-old son proclaimed to “feel just like a king” while lounging in the partially reclined third row, graciously bestowing blessings upon his royal subjects and chariot driver up front.
In the performance category, the 2011 QX has increased power, torque and fuel economy over previous years. A 5.6-liter V-8 engine produces 400 horsepower and 413 pounds-feet of torque. It gets an EPA-estimated 14/20 mpg city/highway, which is an improvement over the 2010’s fuel economy. It also features a seven-speed automatic transmission, up from the 2010’s five-speed automatic.
In the area of technology, Infiniti claims to dominate the competition, as well. Their standard Around View Monitor provides a 360-degree bird’s-eye view around car. Other interesting technology in the QX is its available lane departure warning and lane departure prevention systems, which warns the driver if the QX is straying from its lane and guides it back to place, intelligent brake assist with forward collision warning and intelligent cruise control with added full-speed range that will slow the car to a stop and get it back up to predetermined speed after a stop, lessening the amount of work you need to do in stop-and-go highway traffic.
An interesting new feature in the 2011 QX is a tire inflation indicator that flashes the hazards and beeps the horn when you’ve filled the tires to the correct pressure. Behold the end of the tire pressure gauge.
I haven’t had the chance to drive the QX for a full MotherProof.com test with kids in tow, but I’m looking forward to seeing if it lives up to its full potential. Many of my friends know I fantasize about running away to join the circus as an aerial-silks performer, and with Infiniti as a new corporate sponsor for Cirque du Soleil, I might just “borrow” the next QX delivered to me and drive it off to Vegas. You can find me after the show at the Bellagio.
Read more from the original source:
News & Rants: 2011 Infiniti QX Preview
Tags: around-the-2011, cars, competition, family, friends, interesting, lane-departure, makes-it-sound, nintendo, performance, power, video, while-the-other
ShoreBank Wins Friends on Wall Street, Critics in Washington
May 20, 2010 Object
Some Congressional Republicans are questioning whether politics played a role in the decision of such large firms as Goldman Sachs, GE Capital and Citigroup to invest $150 million in ShoreBank, a small bank from the South Side of Chicago whose motto is “Let’s change the world.”
Continue reading ShoreBank Wins Friends on Wall Street, Critics in Washington
ShoreBank Wins Friends on Wall Street, Critics in Washington originally appeared on DailyFinance on Thu, 20 May 2010 18:00:00.
Filed Under: Economy, Goldman Sachs , Citigroup
Read the original post:
ShoreBank Wins Friends on Wall Street, Critics in Washington
Tags: a-small-bank, chicago-based, dish, entry, friends, from-the-south, goldman-sachs, intc, internet, politics, save-the-world, wall street, world
Facebook’s Privacy Battle: How to Put Your Profile on Lockdown
As many critics have complained, Facebook now offers over 50 choices on its security settings, complicating what should be a simple process. But if all you want is access to your friends, the process is actually pretty easy (video).
Continue reading Facebook’s Privacy Battle: How to Put Your Profile on Lockdown
Facebook’s Privacy Battle: How to Put Your Profile on Lockdown originally appeared on DailyFinance on Thu, 20 May 2010 15:00:00.
Filed Under: Technology, Media, Facebook, Video
Originally posted here:
Facebook’s Privacy Battle: How to Put Your Profile on Lockdown
Tags: actually-pretty, friends, growth-may, mark zuckerberg, profile, technology, the-recovery-, unexpected-and, zuckerberg
News & Rants: Mother’s Day Turns Tragic When Mom Runs Over Daughter With SUV
May 11, 2010 Object
Last weekend I had one of the nicest Mother’s Day in my history of being a mother (or even a daughter for that matter) that included a lazy morning spent with my daughters and followed by a beautiful brunch outdoors surrounded by chirping birds and blooming lilacs. But for one mom in Ogden, Utah, Mother’s Day will have a deeply sorrowful meaning from here on out after she accidentally ran over her young daughter on Mother’s Day while driving a large SUV.
Anawia Boney, 1, was playing in the grass outside her grandparents’ apartment complex with her cousins on Mother’s Day. Her 7- and 9-year-old cousins had stepped indoors to get a blanket for Anawia to sit on when Anawia’s mom, who didn’t know her daughter was sitting in the grass, pulled her SUV on to the grass to be closer to the apartment building and ran over the little girl, killing her.
This is a tragic accident, but not uncommon. As we know from our friends at KidsandCars.org, more than 50 children are backed over by a car every week in the U.S. Here are a few tips for keeping kids safe around cars:
-Take an extra moment before moving your car to walk around the outside of it. Not only will this help prevent the bike or whatever else is in the driveway from getting run over, but it may also save a child’s life.
-Teach your children about the dangers of playing in or around cars.
Tags: a-car-every, a-daughter-for, a-lazy-morning, anawia, children, daughter, friends, grandparents, grass, kids, mother, stepped-indoors
News & Rants: Momosphere: 5.7.10
May 7, 2010 Object
Every year I seem to forget that Mother’s Day doesn’t end with me (yes, I can be a little self-centered). I frantically buy cards for my grandmothers, my mom and my mother-in-law. I’m lucky to have these wonderful women in my life, and I’m especially thankful they’re willing to overlook that these cards often come a few days late. Happy Mother’s Day!
Here are my favorite posts for the week:
Memorable Mother’s Day Cards, Including the BlackBerry Ones, The Juggle
I love homemade cards from my kids. There’s an honesty to them that’s irreplaceable. Over at the Wall Street Journal’s The Juggle blog, Stephanie Simon writes about homemade cards that often point out a parent’s highs and lows. “In my case, the from-the-mouth-of-babes zinger came when my son wrote me a loving poem that listed my favorite things — only, he put my BlackBerry right up there, second only to my family. That stung,” she writes.
16 Things Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day, Babble
Lynn Harris doesn’t want to go to brunch with her family for Mother’s Day. What she really wants is a nap, a margarita (made by someone else) and a few other things. One of my favorites is this one: “For this day, and moving forward, can we please get rid of the weird temporal lag between the time I say something like ‘Come to the table,’ ‘It’s time to get ready for bed’ or ‘Help me, the ladder has fallen and I’m dangling by my fingertips from the light fixture!’ and the point where someone finally looks up and mumbles, ‘What?’ This is what I really want.”
The Mother’s Day Note You Deserve From Kelly Corrigan & Friends, MommyTracked.com
Kelly Corrigan, author of “Lift” and “The Middle Place,” has a strong voice that speaks the truth about motherhood. As any parent knows, parenthood isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s messy, noisy and wonderful.
Tags: a-loving-poem, black, blackberry, cards, family, friends, grandmothers, light, mommy, mother, time
