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Monday, March 29, 2010

3/30 The BlogCatalog Community Blog

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Car Commercials, Where Do They Go From Here?
March 29, 2010 at 3:57 PM

Let’s do a little test shall we? If I say “car commercial,” what do you think of? Guys in bad suits standing in front of car lots yelling about how they have the lowest prices? Shots of sexy sedans driving down curvy mountain side roads or cutting through mid-town traffic while pedestrians stare? Shots of various awards from Car and Driver or JD Power and Associates?

The reason I ask is that it seems that car commercials, and most other industry specific commercials too, are using the same script over and over again. I get why they do it. I think the quote “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” probably sums it up very nicely. Yet, I have to wonder if there isn’t an original concept out there just waiting to be tried. I mean, there has to be something. Right? We can’t continue on throughout the rest of human time without further development in car commercial arena. Can we?

At least one brand seems to think there is room for improvement. Volkswagen’s recent Punch Dub commercials show people playing Punch Dub, a spin off of the padiddle game. In padiddle, you get to hit a friend in the shoulder or arm when you spot a car that only has one working headlight. In Punch Dub you do the same whenever you spot a VW. The Punch Dub ads definitely add another element to the car commercial genre, but it is a only slight variation of the “car drives by while people stare” variety of car commercial. In this case they just punch someone while watching the car drive by. I’m assuming VW hopes might ultimately spill over into real life and create interaction based on their brand, but I wouldn’t put bets on that happening.

I think Volswagen’s latest attempt at originality is just a bit above average, but they deserve credit because historically their ads are some of the most original and outside the lines of the repetitive scripts other auto makers throw at us again and again. For example, VW put out a couple of quite minimal–and dare I say “appleish”–ads with John Mayer and Slash that seemingly target a younger audience and focus more on rock n’ roll than on their actual car:

And, I love the ad that came out before the release of a new Beetle. This one never even shows the car. It is more of a “day in the life” kind of commercial that is once again meant to connect with a younger generation. This time, however, the focus not on rock n’ roll, but rather on escaping from the mundane repetitiveness of life…which VW can apparently help you with!

I give VW a lot of props for this one. To me, it seems like a daring move to do a commercial that never even shows the car itself, but one that really works–at least for me. All-in-all, I think that Volkswagen is one example of a car company that is doing it right. I don’t see too many other companies deviating from the standard script, but I wish more would. Are there other companies that you think are moving away from the standard model when it comes to car commercials and do you think more original concepts help sell more cars?

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Results UFC 111 – GSP Wins but Hardy Gains Respect
March 29, 2010 at 2:40 PM

GSP won his battle with Dan Hardy on Saturday night. Hardy gained huge respect and many new fans for his performance in this 5 round – 25 minute war. How Dan didn’t tap – twice – I will never understand. Either he has shoulders like Gumby or he’s in terrible pain every time he goes to lift something right now. Hardy, a trash-talking warrior, was fierce, but humbled by GSP.

GSP showed his respect after the fight. I couldn’t hear it, but it looked like GSP was acknowledging – in amazement – Dan’s ability to withstand having his shoulder and arm cranked – twice! Unbelievable performance and no easy job for GSP.

And what was up with that meditative zen monk entrance from Frank Mir? Come in snarling next time, Frank.

Hayley Forster, an avid female fight fan, offers her recap of the night’s events – Cheryl Ragsdale

UFC 111 ST-PIERRE vs HARDY

Mar-27-2010 Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey

What a rollercoaster night of fights in New Jersey!

by Hayley Forster

Welterweight Championship

Georges 'Rush' St Pierre v Dan 'The Outlaw' Hardy

The main event of the evening saw GSP take a unanimous decision victory win over 'The Outlaw' (50-43, 50-44 and 50-45) regaining the Welterweight crown!

Despite the loss, I think Dan Hardy gained a lot of extra fans and respect last night. Hardy displayed a lot of heart throughout all 5 rounds even though GSP took Dan to the ground repeatedly, not allowing him to find any openings for his strikes.

Twice GSP had opportunities to end the fight, as he hyperextended his arm in a first round armbar and locked on a vicious looking kimura in the fourth. Both attempts failed, with Hardy battling through the pain and refusing to tap.

GSP’s frustration was clear to see, who apologised to the crowd after being announced as the victor "I wanted to finish the fight in beautiful fashion," he said. "I'm very sorry."

So, who is next for GSP? Possibly the winner of Kos v Daley? It is rumoured that the winner of this fight will coach alongside GSP in the next season of the Ultimate Fighter.

As for Hardy – he needs to get back in the cage and keep doing what he's doing! I'm a big Hardy fan (not just because I am British). This guy is a very clever fighter and promoter of his own fights. He knows how to build hype and he does it well – no wonder he has got to where he is now. Keep it going Hardy!

Interim Heavyweight Championship

Frank Mir v Shane Carwin

Was it just Cheryl and I? We were very aware of Mir looking overly distant coming into the cage – did he forget he was coming to fight and thought he was out for a leisurely stroll with the family?

Did his overly relaxed demeanour go against him in this fight? Maybe…

Carwin pinned Mir up against the cage quickly in the first round and landed some vicious strikes. Mir gave out and dropped, with Carwin landing some super powered punches in bunches!

Mir tried to regain himself but failed.

Carwin was announced the Interim Heavyweight Champion after the 'KO of the night' 3:48 into the first round. WOW! That's all that has to be said! Impressive victory.

Carwin is still undefeated in the Octagon and has yet to sit on a stool or enter the 2^nd round… this guy is a beast!!!

I look forward to the fight for the Heavyweight belt with Lesnar which is rumoured to be targeted for July 3^rd.

Despite the clear size difference, Carwin certainly makes up for it in power – but enough for Lesnar? We shall see….

________________________

Jon Fitch v Ben 'Killa B' Saunders

Props to Ben Saunders for stepping up and asking UFC President Dana White to allow him to switch opponents so he could fight Jon Fitch. Thiago Alves failed his MRI and CAT scans and was eliminated from the fight schedule.

Saunders, who’s known for having killer knee strikes, didn't have what it takes to battle against Fitch.

All 3 rounds were very much the same with Fitch taking Saunders to the ground and imposing his will. Fitch has challenged GSP in the past. This fight was a big step up for Saunders who will, undoubtedly, strengthen his weak areas and come back better prepared next time.

This fight was not a crowd pleaser, but Fitch won in classic Fitch style and added another win under his belt, taking a unanimous decision victory (30-27 across the board).

Kurt 'Batman' Pellegrino v Fabricio 'Morango' Camoes

The New Jersey home boy brought the bacon home in front of his home crowd – it's got to be extra sweet, doesn't it? I always love a battle between two Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guys – you always know you’ll get fireworks!

Kurt survived an early scare in round 1 to get Camoes in a rear naked choke to get the tapout victory, 4:20 into round 2 earning Submission of the Night bonus and ending Camoes' eight fight unbeaten streak.

An impressive win for Pellegrino who is looking better everytime we see him! The Florian coaching and Chaimberg conditioning is making a big difference!

Jim Miller v Mark Bocek

Jim Miller managed to get a unanimous decision victory win (29-28 across the board) over Mark Bocek in a very competitive match up. Another great win for the local boys!

Bocek had great wrestling in all 3 rounds, taking Miller down and threatening to submit him in round 2 after surviving a kimura attempt in round 1. Both guys suffered from fatigue in the final round making it quite tight until the final seconds when Miller took Bocek’s back to snatch the victory.

PRELIMS:

Matthew Riddle v Greg Roto (disqualification after illegal right upkick in round 3)
Rodney 'Shonuff the Master' Wallace v Jared Hammam (unanimous decision 29-28) Awarded Fight of the Night Bonus.
Rousimar 'Toquinho' Palhares v Tomasz 'Gorilla' Drawl (submission via heel hook, 45 seconds into round 1). Palhares has been suspended for 90 days after holding too long after the tap.
Ricardo 'Big Dog' Almeida v Matt 'The Immortal' Brown (submission via RNC in round 2)
Nate Diaz v Rory Markham (TKO in round 1)

After 2 events in one week you think we’d be tired after all the late nights… no!! We’re just getting into the swing of things, ready for the UFC Fight Night, Florian v Gomi.

To pass the time and just for fun whilst we’re waiting for Wednesday night, join us for the Kenny Florian trivia game hosted on Cheryl’s blog ThatGirlisFunny.com

photo credits GSP, Shane Carwin, Kurt Pellegrino, Kenny Florian

__________________________

Hayley Forster, a long-time female fight fan, lives in the North of England with her husband, Pete. Both have deep love for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts. Follow her progress as she prepares for the Tough Guy Challenge (an 8 mile muddy obstacle course)

My name is Cheryl Ragsdale. If you’d like to submit something to be published on this page, send it to me: cheryl@thatgirlisfunny.com You can find out more about me and my adventures on my blog called ThatGirlisFunny. For more mixed martial arts action from my point of view, visit my Fight! page – more MMA info will be added on a regular basis.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

3/29 The BlogCatalog Community Blog

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You'll be driving a Chinese made car sooner than you think
March 28, 2010 at 4:06 PM

Ford and the rest of the US auto industry is in dire straits. You know that. I know that. The world knows that.

So why would the purchase of Volvo by Chinese Geely Group make for a trending topic on the internet? It has on Twitter, BlogCatalog, Google Trends and will be front page news on all business papers tomorrow. Is it just another media ploy to get us to worry about the future or could this acquisition be a great thing for the U.S., Ford, the auto-industry and world markets

I really don’t know but I do have questions and have come up with the following points of reference (dots) that when connected may be relevant to answering this question.

Are we more connected than we know?

Corporate Connectedness

Is this a sign of more to come?

This move clearly underscores the titanic force of the Chinese auto industry. China last year became the world's top auto market last year. It has been looking to get into the Western market though to-date hasn't had the brand reputation and quality to effectively achieve this. Volvo, a strong brand and manufacturers of some of the safest cars on the road will make it much easier for them to enter the U.S. market and pass safety standards.

Is this Capitalism at it's best?

In the late 1970s Japan beat the west at it's own game. From cars, to toys everything sold in the US carried the "Made in Japan" label. Today, almost everything bought in the US say's "Made in China." And, frankly, the quality is high. In fact, some of our most revered electronic brands are produced in China, including some Apple products. Capitalism is based on an Adam Smith paradigm. When a business fails to work it is replaced by a more productive and innovative one. For Ford, this was probably the right move to make. They need to focus on their core business. Geely will create a massive success out of Volvo. With massive competition from the Chinese, U.S. automakers will be forced to produce higher quality products that meet our needs.

Could the bigger problem for the U.S. be be that the U.S., especially inside those inside the beltway, may have lost the way when it comes to capitalism?

Saturday, March 27, 2010

3/28 The BlogCatalog Community Blog

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Long Live Muscle Cars!
March 27, 2010 at 5:47 PM

1223583704Ford_Mustang_GT_Black I am well aware of the environmental consciousness inherent in our society. The trend now is to go “green.” Recycle stuff, lessen your use of things that are harmful to the environment, buy a hybrid vehicle, etc. It is quite amazing that, in my lifetime so far, I’ve seen the environmental movement increase exponentially. Way to go eco-friends! I have to say, I’m all for saving the planet, especially since we won’t be! boarding starships to conquer the galaxy in the name of mindkind anytime soon. We better take care of our planet while we’re still here. That being said, environmental champions please forgive me for my current post.

I love muscle cars. Old or new, muscle cars have always held some kind of primal fascination for me. Much like Tim Allen’s animal grunting when talking about “manly” things, there’s something inside of me that goes nuts for the roar of a V8. Specifically, I love mustangs. Recently my friend Chevon let me drive her ‘08 Mustang GT. It has a manual transmission, black with black leather interior, and completely stock. And it’s freakin’ awesome! I’ve driven a few mustangs in my day and I have to say, the new models are the most comfortable so far. And the acceleration…I need a moment.

Before I go any further I’d like to draw a distinction here between a muscle car and a sports car, which can be the same thing, but not always. For example, a Nissan GTRis a sports car(and a supercar, but lets keep things simple for now). All-wheel-drive and a twin-turbo V6 make this car a bad mofo that you don’t want to try and race with…unless you’re really confidant and your car is really fast. But I wouldn’t consider a GTR a muscle car. The most essential part, in my mind, is the engine. Muscle cars should have V8s. So a new Camaro SS would be a muscle car. Speaking of Chevy, a Corvette ZO6 would be a muscle car and a sports car. I hope this makes sense. Think of it as taking the biggest engine you can find and putting into ! a car, any old car, it doesn’t really matter which. The car is not so important, just the size of the engine. The ZO6 is both because it has a huge engine, but also performs well on curvy tracks. V10s and V12s are where it comes a little cagey. I would most certainly consider a Dodge Viper a muscle car. Sporting a massive 8.4L V10 with 600 hp, the Viper is the epitome of American know-how when it comes to making big muscle. But, somewhat surprisingly, I would also consider the Viper to be a sports car, based on its past performances in the FIA GT Championship and the 24 hours of Le Mans. Other cars with V10s and V12s, mostly Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and such, should just be labeled as a supercar and left as is.

Back to the mustang. I want one. I’ve wanted one since I first heard a Flowmaster-strapped ‘03 ’stang when I was 15. Unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity to buy one. Currently I drive an ‘04 Toyota Matrix XRS. It’s the sport model and has a valve system called “lift,” which is similar to the VTEC systems on Hondas, so it’s kinda fast. You have to get the RPMsup to around 6 grand, which takes a bit, but once you do the engine starts to scream and the horsepower kicks up from around 130 to about 180(probably closer to 200 with the bolt-ons I’ve added). But it’s just not as exciting as a mustang. The ‘08 that I drove has a 4.6L V8 that puts out around 300 ponies. And the new mustangs have been upgraded to a brand new 5.0L V8 that puts out 400! I’m drooling on! my keyboard right now.

My love is not restricted to mustangs, though. I love all muscle cars. If I had the money, I’d totally buy a ZO6 corvette. I have never been a huge fan of Corvettes, but there is something about the C6 bodystyle that just looks awseome. The size of the rear tires ( 325/30ZR19) always strikes a chord in my soul. The new BMW M3is especially sweet. It’s curves cry out to me in a way that nothing else does. Now I know what you’re saying, a BMW muscle car? Well, the new M3, designated the E93, has shed the old inline-six of yesterday and has been given a new 4.0L V8. That’s right, a V8, that puts out a little over 400 hp. I really need to get a drool cover for my keyboard.

There is one thing that I don’t like about a new trend in muscle cars, like the new GT500. It’s the super-charger. It’s a beautiful car that sets my blood on fire, but if I had the opportunity (not to mention the cash) I probably wouldn’t buy one. Maybe I’m a bit of a purist but there is nothing hotter than a normally-aspirated V8. The super-charger just takes something away from it. A good friend of mine let me drive his ‘04 Mustang Cobra years ago. It was fast. Stupid fast, in fact. Imagine the acceleration from a 300 horsepower V8. Not super fast but still sunk-back-in-seat power. Then, by pushing the gas pedal down a half inch more and suddenly you get a ninety horsepower blast out of nowhere. That may sound great to some, but not me. It should be all engine baby. Another example is the Corvette ZR1. O! nce again, its freaking beautiful. But if I had the choice, I’d rather have the ZO6. Seriously. Maybe I’m weird, but a supercharger just doesn’t do it for me. It’s kinda like cheating. And yes, the same goes for turbos. Why do I feel like I’m starting an endless debate here?

Despite the environmental-friendly push of recent years, the muscle car is still alive and well. And I couldn’t be happier. Even if I can’t own something like that right now, I still love to see them on the road. The thrill of V8s are in my blood, and that is something that I cannot deny. Instead I will wallow in it. Long live the muscle car indeed.