Ground Hog Day Explained

Tomorrow is Ground Hog Day, and if you're like me and have no idea how Ground Hog Day really works - check out this video. This is by the same guy who debunked the 10 common misconceptions. He's actually making me much wiser.

Subaru Saves Another Life

I just found this post from Brown Manassas Subaru; the author of their blog's good friend got into an accident and says it's because of his Subaru that he and his two dogs got away with only minor injuries. Subaru is still the only vehicle with a five star safety rating on each of its models.

To see the rest of the pictures and check out the original blog post, click here.

Want to feel safer in your vehicle? Click here to view our new and used online inventory.

Improve your focus and creativity

Lifehacker just posted an article on how to improve your focus and creativity just by thinking positively. This is because negative emotions cause our brain to be disorganized, making it harder to solve problems and avoid distractions. Positive emotions improve the brain's executive function.

The article says you can help balance your emotions by meditating, getting more sleep and exercising. But you can also simply pay more attention to what seems to bother you throughout the day and try to focus on getting past it.

Check out the full article from Harvard Business Review, or click here for the one from Lifehacker.

10 Common Misconceptions Debunked

Here is a video I found on Gizmodo this morning that shows you 10 common misconceptions that we have as people, and why they're false. Check out the list below to see what the misconceptions are and watch the video to see the reasons why our misconceptions are untrue.

Teaser and Warning: If you're afraid of spiders, do not watch No. 10. I've been plagued with thoughts of spiders since 8 o'clock this morning.

10. The Great Wall of China is the only man-made object visible from space.
9. Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
8. People only use 10 percent of their brain.
7. Eskimos have hundreds of words for snow.
6. You need eight glasses of water a day.
5. Tap water is bad, but bottled water is good.
4. Gum takes seven years to pass through your digestive system.
3. Blood in your veins is blue.
2. Fan death.
1. People swallow eight spiders a year while sleeping.

The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) announced drivers for the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge

Subaru has announced that factory drivers Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude will represent Subaru in the  Grand Sport class of the 2012 GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge according to The Mercury.

The first round will be held Jan. 27 at Daytona, with both Aquilante and Spaude racing a Subaru WRX STi. Motorsport Marketing Manager for Subaru of America, Inc. James Han says “the Subaru WRX STI lends itself as a credible performance platform from its symmetrical all-wheel drive system to its Subaru BOXER engine. The team is looking to build upon our experience from last year’s campaign and convert our solid qualifying efforts to podium results.”

Check out the full article at The Mercury, or check out the Subaru Global Motorsport site.

Create a meal based on the science of flavoring, and not just another recipe

Lifehacker just posted an article about a site called Foodpairing, an interactive webapp that shows you what foods to pair with other specific foods, based on the science of flavors. According to their website, "Foodpairing is not based on intuition or existing recipes, but on science, providing an objective overview of possible pairings."

It's not the easiest to explain, or figure out - but basically, you enter in an ingredient and Foodpairing gives you a web (they call it a tree) of various other ingredients you could pair with it based on a scientific flavor analysis. The different pairings are categorized into sub divisions such as dairy, meat, etc. You pick one, and the Foodpairing masterminds supply you with recipes they've created, which even include brands if you have specific favorites.

The people behind Foodpairing say they have been doing research since 2005, and the reason to choose Foodpairing is because they will inspire you with recipes and combinations that you've never seen before - that are derived by the science of flavors, and not preexisting recipes.

This idea sounds extremely weird - but also awesome. I'd love to see what pairs they put together. It seems as though this would be an amazing app for a restaurant or bar (which they do say on the site) that's looking to expand their horizons and branch in new directions. Or even someone at home who's looking to do the same.

And of course what you've been waiting for - the price. It's not really too steep or too cheap. It's 15 Euro per month or 129 Euro for a year (equaling to 19 dollars per month and 166 per year for us), or you can get the free version, which offers 100 combinations instead of the paid-for 1,000+.

Either way, it's such a cool idea and it's worth checking out - click below to see more!

Click here for the science behind Foodpairing

Click here for the article from Lifehacker



All information courtesy of both Lifehacker and Foodpairing, and photos courtesy of Foodpairing.

Year-round farmers market in Montpelier

Jan. 21 (tomorrow) is the next date date to check out the year-round Capital City farmers market on College Street in Montpelier. And it's meat day! But it's also the last date to check it out before Feb. 11, so if you love farmers markets - get down to Montpelier tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vermont College of Fine Arts gym.

They'll have tons of vendors selling the freshest meat, produce, cheese and dairy. Among other vendors selling baked goods and crafts. For more information, visit their website!


All information, including the photo, courtesy of the Montpelier Farmers Market.

How to: Conserve your phone's battery life, and save money by effortlessly using less heat and electricity

It's starting to get much colder outside, so among other things that usually cost us money, heat prices are beginning to do their annual skyrocket. Check out this episode posted by Lifehacker on effective ways to conserve heat while protecting your wallet. This video also shows ways to save money on electricity by using inexpensive tools and gadgets, and also features ways to keep your smart phone's battery running for longer.

This video is a little on the long side, but just watch until minute six to get the important stuff (the rest is about stopping Carrier IQ, so if you're not having a problem with that just watch the first six minutes!). Lifehacker shows some really good ways to save money; a few of the gadgets they show of course cost you something initially, but it looks like they'd be real lifesavers in the long run (most of the products are still only between 10 and 50 dollars).

Ronald Reagan: A Subaru Test Driver?

It's true! He was in a way. This article from Jalopnik shows an interesting perspective on the early Subaru BRAT. It turns out when Reagan was the Governor of California he had one of these funky old Subarus at his ranch. According to Richard V. Allen (Reagan's short-term national security adviser), Reagan loved the car, but as it was unwise to be seen driving a Japanese-manufactured vehicle at the time - you'll never find a picture of him in it.

According to the article, Reagan was granted a BRAT on the terms that he would send reports back to Subaru every six months on the BRAT's performance. So technically, he was a test driver of sorts.



It seems amazing that just over 30 years ago Americans (especially Vermonters!) were boycotting Subarus. Allen says in the article that "members of Congress were putting Japanese cars on the steps of the Capitol and smashing them with sledgehammers."

At least we know today that we can keep our beloved Subarus safe, and we know they'll return the favor.

Check out the full article, How Ronald Reagan Became a Secret Subaru Test Driver.


All information for this post including photo, courtesy of jalopnik.com

Facebook is everywhere, including your car.

Mercedes has just announced that their 2013 models will have the unthinkable - Facebook. This feature will be standard on all of their 2013 models and will be incorporated into the already-included navigation screen.

Sorry Subaru fans, Subaru won't be including this "app" on their 2013 models - but if you drive a Subaru, you don't really need Facebook in your car, do you?

Check out the full article on gizmodo.com