Cover Girls, Motivational Speakers, and Betty White

I am getting old. 

How do I know this?  Technology drives me insane.  I fought for hours trying to figure out how to change the font in the e-mail updates from this blog.  They were in this hard to read brownish color and had shrunken to about 3 point type.  I could find no way to alter how the e-mail updates looked.  I finally gave up and changed the whole layout of the blog in an attempt to fix it.  I won't know what they look like until this post comes to my own inbox.  If it is in a hard to read brownish 3 point type, I will age another three years.  My hair is turning grayer just thinking about it.

How else do I know I am getting old?  Social media makes me want to jab a knitting needle into my eye.  (Okay I don't knit, but you know what I mean.)  See? I'm like an old crotchety Grandma yelling at the kids about rock and roll.  I am now on Empire Avenue (totally clueless about that one), Facebook - business and personal, LinkedIn - my profile and FireStar Speaking's profile, Twitter, this blog and another one called The Spark, have a YouTube Channel, and still have a MySpace page somewhere.  Oh and Google Plus - personal and business.  Not to mention SpeakerMatch, eSpeakers, and other speaking directories.  Pinterest, FourSquare, Flickr - I feel my wrinkles deepening.  How about speaking, my actual job?  When should I do that? 

And the final way I know I'm getting old?

I'm going to be on the cover of Arthritis Today magazine.  Not Elle, not Glamour, not Health, not Fortune......Arthritis Today.  I am, for the month of May anyway, going to be the poster child (woman) for arthritis.

But you know what?  I'm good with it.  Getting to be on the cover of a national magazine is a WAY cool honor.  And getting old is not a bad thing - check out Betty White.  You can fight it (ala Demi) or ride it for all it's worth (like Betty).  I say, "yehaw!"

I just hope the font is better on the e-mail update.

2012 Honda Insight On Sale In Canada!

Despite rumors of the axing of the Insight in Canada, Honda Canada has introduced the 2012 refreshed Insight with a single trim level, LX priced at $21 990 with the CVT transmission. It seems Honda's Canadian hybrid strategy is a tri-fold with the Insight LX at the lower end, the CR-Z EX in the middle end at $23 990 and the Civic Hybrid at the top end at $26 350. VSA is now included with the Insight and 4 colors are available. The Insight is available as a special order. 

For more information, visit the Insight's site @ http://honda.ca/insight

To The Track ...

The Honda Racing Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship team are putting the new Civic Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) through its paces at its first public test outing at Brands Hatch today (21 February 2012).

Both Gordon 'Flash' Shedden and triple-BTCC champion Matt Neal will be pushing the car to the limit to make it is as competitive as possible ahead of the season debut on 1 April 2012.

The testing at Brands Hatch follows a successful preliminary test at the MIRA test track last week where the car underwent extensive system checks to ensure it is fully functional. Matt Neal and the Honda Racing team spent Friday acclimatising to the car and making sure it's safe and ready for track testing.

Matt Neal commented; "This is the first opportunity we have had to get behind the wheel to really see what the car has got. The team are really pleased with the results from the test at MIRA last week and I can't wait to finally start putting the car through its paces.

"It will be interesting to see how the car performs, but I'm optimistic that we'll walk away from today confident we have a championship winning car."

Gordon 'Flash' Shedden added; "The feedback on the new Civic NGTC car so far is incredibly promising and I've been itching to get into the car since the end of the 2011 season. Like Matt mentioned, this is the first time we have had to really push the car and I'm looking forward to putting it into action."

Team Manager, Peter Crolla, concluded; "The team have all been working incredibly hard since the start of the NGTC programme back in August so everybody's very excited to see the new car on track for the first time. It'll be interesting from the point of view of both drivers and engineers to see how the car behaves on a track where we were very competitive with the S2000 Civic and we can really start to understand and develop the new car.

"The main aim for the day will be to establish a baseline set-up for the car which we can then tune for the various circuits we visit during the season. Initial feedback from the MIRA shakedown was positive so we're hoping to continue that today and cover some valuable mileage with both Matt and Gordon behind the wheel".

The next testing session takes place at Donington Park circuit on Thursday 23 February.

Management Changes Shock

Honda has recalled the CEO and a top exec in its Indian subsidiary. This move has shocked the company workers in India because of its unusual and unprecedented move. Many are taking this as a sign of Honda's desire to start fresh and regain its lost footing in the critical Indian minicar market. Takashi Nagai (pictured), the president and CEO of Honda Siel Cars of India along with the marketing head, Seki Inaba have only spent less than 2 years in their roles and they have already been shown the door. Honda spokespeople have said that this is part of a routine top management change announced every so often. Inaba will be moving to an unknown assignment while Nagai will become the president and representative director of Honda Logistics Inc and his spot will be taken by H Kanayama, current head of Honda's Taiwanese operations on April Fool's Day. 

Chicago Tribune's 2012 Honda Pilot Review

"So many times I hear a fellow mom say, "Well, I really need a third row," and I think to myself, why? Oftentimes, the third row in an SUV or crossover seems like an afterthought. It's either too small to transport people or too difficult to get the kids into it. There's also the problem of the third row hogging all the cargo space; what's the point of a road trip with seven when only one person's luggage could actually fit back there? The Honda Pilot, which was restyled for 2012, dispels those concerns."

For more information, visit Chicago Tribune's website @ http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/automotive/sns-autos-car-review-2012-honda-pilot-20120222,0,7478776.story

Exec Changes

Honda plans to post its second-highest ranking global executive in the U.S. for the first time as the automaker that was Japan�s first to build cars in the market extends a three-decade localization push.

Tetsuo Iwamura, 60, Honda�s chief operating officer for North America, on April 1 adds the titles of executive vice president and executive officer, the Tokyo-based company said today in a statement. Iwamura is to also join Honda�s board in late June, pending shareholder approval, the company said.

Iwamura will continue to run operations in North America while assisting President Takanobu Ito in managing global sales, said Jun Odajima, a company spokesman. �This is the first time the top North American executive has also been the No. 2 company official,� he said.

The promotion of Iwamura and naming of Erik Berkman to lead Honda�s U.S. research and development unit, the first time that job has gone to a non-Japanese engineer, come as the company lifts production across North America, its biggest source of revenue, to counter a rising yen. Honda is increasing vehicle output at plants in the U.S. and Canada, adding a factory in Mexico to build subcompacts and preparing to make the Acura NSX supercar in Ohio by 2014.

Berkman, currently vice president of corporate planning and logistics for U.S. auto operations, is to become president of Honda R&D Americas on April 1, the company said.

Honda�s U.S. headquarters are in Torrance, California. The company�s American depositary receipts rose 1.3 percent to $37.28 at the close in New York.

India Production Back In Business

Honda production is back in Thailand with the company producing more than 450 cars a day through two shifts to clear a massive production backlog created in the past few months. Honda's Thailand plants, which source most of the Honda cars for sale in India, was hit by a massive flood earlier last year that completely shut down the Honda plant. Honda's Brio received 9000 bookings when it was released in October 2011 but only around 2000 bookings have been filled; Honda expects the bulk of the bookings to be filled by the end of March 2012. Along with that, Honda has also lost production of about 15000 cars. 

To make up for its recent shortcomings, Honda is set for a massive all-out advertising campaign for the new Brio along with adding dealership networks across India to reach out to consumers. 

Too little too late? What do you think? Comment below!

Honda Europe In Reverse

Honda's shares in Europe have not been doing well lately. In 2011, Honda Europe fell to a market share of just over 1%. But Honda won't let that stop it from competing with other manufacturers. However, it will take Honda until at least 2013/2014 to return to profitability in Europe. In that time frame, Honda will be moving to having almost 80% of all Euro cars (nearly 180 000 vehicles will be doubled by the end of this year to begin with) sold be produced in the UK. Honda Europe's head continues to look for ways to cut Honda Europe's exposure to the yen. 40% of Honda's sales in the region are Hondas produced elsewhere in the world including every Honda Accord sold. In the next-generation Accord, Honda Europe is looking to import the model from the US, cutting down shipping times from four weeks to seven days. 

Honda will also be hiring more engineers in the UK region and putting an increased emphasis on local content in its vehicles made in Europe. Honda Europe hopes to achieve 300 000 sales in Europe by 2014/2015.

Honda also brushed off rumors that Honda would enter into an alliance with another company to fund fuel-saving technology in its cars. Honda has no interest with allying and does not have any future plans. Honda will be adding a new, 1.6L diesel engine into its European engine portfolio some time in the near future. 

2013 Acura RDX Pricing

The all-new 2013 RDX crossover SUV will go on-sale at Acura dealerships in early Spring with a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $34,320 Acura announced today.

"The right-sized 2013 RDX adds increased comfort, utility and power, along with class-leading fuel economy," said Jeff Conrad, vice president of Acura sales."Based on changing consumer preference, small is becoming big in the eyes of today's consumers."

The 2013 RDX significantly ups the game with its all new looks, increased comfort and new technology. In addition the RDX features a new 3.5L V-6 engine with 33 more horsepower than the outgoing model, a new 6-speed automatic transmission and a new all-wheel-drive system (available as a $1,400 option). The RDX exterior incorporates a sleek (more aerodynamically efficient) body and chassis updates abound in the form of a longer wheelbase with increased track, all-new Amplitude Reactive Dampers and a new motion adaptive electronic power steering system.

Inside the 2013 RDX, occupants will appreciate a new interior design with increased utility, rich interior materials and generous use of noise insulation. Standard features on RDX include leather seating surfaces, heated power front seats, a power moonroof and a 360watt audio system. New technologies such as Pandora� internet radio interface, an SMS text messaging function, a Keyless Access System with pushbutton start, an Active Noise Control system and a rear view camera system with three unique viewing angles are also standard on all RDX models.

Available for $3,700, a Technology Package brings the RDX owner even more high tech appointments including items such as the AcuraLink� Satellite Communication System, Acura Navigation System with Voice Recognition�, a hard disk drive (HDD) with 60 gigabytes of storage capacity, AcuraLink Real-Time Traffic with Traffic Rerouting�, AcuraLink Real-Time Weather�,a GPS-linked solar-sensing, dual-zone automatic climate control system, Acura/ELS Surround� Premium Sound System, a power actuated rear tailgate, projector beam headlights with Bi-Xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) bulbs and front fog lights.

2012 Euro Civic Gets 5-Stars

The new Honda Civic 5 door has been rated one of Europe�s safest cars, according to new independent crash testing results from Euro NCAP. In addtion, Euro NCAP have announced that they are extending Honda's Advanced NCAP reward for its Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) technology to include the new Civic.

The new Honda Civic has been awarded Euro NCAP's maximum 5-star rating. The rating scheme focuses on the vehicle's overall safety performance which gives consumers an easy to understand single score. The system considers occupant protection, child protection, pedestrian protection and the availability of driver aids. Since the introduction of Euro NCAP�s new rating scheme (February 2009) all Honda models tested have achieved 5 stars.

Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General, commented "The 9th generation Civic impressed and achieved high scores in all areas of assessment, putting it on a par with its rivals in this competitive market segment. The car scored well in Safety Assist and is also fitted as an option with Honda's Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS)."

Euro NCAP also announced today that they are extending Honda's Advanced NCAP reward for its CMBS technology to include the new Civic. The reward recognises Honda�s CMBS technology as amongst the best available safety innovations, offering research proven benefits. Euro NCAP Advanced is an initiative developed in response to the rapid development of new safety technologies, for which there is no independent assessment.

Honda has been recognized for its Collision Mitigation Brake System (CMBS), a radar-based autonomous emergency braking system. CMBS is designed to help prevent collisions with vehicles which are stationary or travelling in the same direction. The system is aimed at alerting the driver to an imminent collision both at low speeds, typical of urban driving, and at higher speeds typical of rural roads and motorways. By studying accident statistics in Germany and extending the figures to the broader European community, Honda estimates that, if all cars were fitted with CMBS, between 200,000 and 250,000 accidents could be either prevented or mitigated every year.

The new Civic's top safety rating and Advanced NCAP reward reflect Honda's commitment to overall vehicle safety. Honda's car-to-car crash test facility at the Tochigi R&D center analyzes impacts between models of different sizes and weights and develops solutions to mitigate injuries for both passengers and pedestrians. The omni-directional vehicle-to-vehicle crash test facility opened in 2001 and is the world's first indoor facility of its type.

Recall Alert: 2008 and 2009 Honda Odyssey

Along with the theme of recalls, Honda is recalling 45 747 2008 and 2009 Honda Odysseys with a power liftgate in the US because they may have faulty gas-filled struts. These struts are prone to early life failures because of a "manufacturing flaw" and as a result, may leak pressurized gas leading to an unexpected liftgate injury. Honda will notify owners in the coming weeks. 2790 Honda Odysseys in Canada are affected. 

Recall Alert: 2012 Honda Pilot and 2012 Acura MDX

Honda is recalling 8709 2012 Honda Pilots and 2012 Acura MDXs beginning mid-March. The recall is focused on the possibility of a fuel leak when the vent shut float valve cases in the fuel tank assemblies do not meet the proper design specifications. As a result, fuel may leak from the tank. Owners with affected vehicles will be notified in the coming weeks.

Adele Breaks Several Billboard Records Thanks to Grammys

A Grammy Awards afterglow likewise shines on Adele, whose three former Hot 100 No. 1s bullet in the top 10: "Set Fire to the Rain" holds at No. 2 (and No. 1 on Radio Songs for a second week; 143 million, up 4%); "Rolling in the Deep," the record and song of the year which Adele performed at the Grammys, charges back 17-5 (in its 59th chart week; 271,000, up 115%); and, "Someone Like You" jumps 11-7.

With the gains, Adele makes history as the first female ever to place three titles in the Hot 100's top 10 concurrently as a lead artist. Only one other woman had ever claimed a 30% share of the top 10: Ashanti, who charted a trio of tracks in the top tier the weeks of March 30 and April 6 in 2002. She sported featured artist billing, however, on two of those entries.

Also, Adele's "21" spends a 21st nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 730,000 (up 207%) in the week after the Feb. 12 Grammy Awards.

The diva also moves up five slots to No. 4 on the tally with her first album, "19," which sold 87,000 last week (up 144%).

Katy Perry Debuts at #1 on Billboard with "Part of Me"

Katy Perry's "Part of Me" rockets in at the Billboard Hot 100 summit, while Adele, the late Whitney Houston, Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown all make notable news in the chart's top 10.

Following her appearance at the 54th Grammy Awards on Feb. 12, Perry, who performed "Part" in a medley with her former No. 1 "E.T.," engineers just the 20th No. 1 entrance in the Hot 100's 53-year history. Lady Gaga had last stormed in at the chart's top spot almost a year ago (Feb. 26, 2011) with "Born This Way," which also benefitted from Grammys exposure last year; "Born" reached retail and radio the Friday before last year's event, at which Gaga sang it.

"Part" marks the first start at the pinnacle for a single on the storied Capitol Records label. The song is Perry's seventh career Hot 100 No. 1.

After Capitol released it to radio and retail on Feb. 13, "Part," the lead single from Perry's "Teenage Dream" deluxe edition, "The Complete Confection" (due March 27), blasts in atop the Hot 100 and Digital Songs with 411,000 downloads sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan, marking Perry's best career sales week. On Radio Songs, "Part" launches at No. 36 with 35 million audience impressions, according to Nielsen BDS.

"Confection" picks up where the original version of "Dream" left off: producing a Hot 100 No. 1. Dream matched Michael Jackson's Bad (1987-88) by tallying five Hot 100 leaders, the most toppers from a single album over one release in the chart's archives.

Madonna- "Girls Gone Wild" [Song Preview]

Taylor Swift and Zac Efron at Ellen

Carrie Underwood Previews "Good Girl"

The 13th Floor / The Deadly Plague!

Around here, we call two Dick Ayers tales in one post a "Double Beheader!" And while there's no actual beheadings in either reprint today, both tales are still full of freaky fun and creeps and ickies! Let's kick it off with "The 13th Floor", originally featured in the October 1952 issue of Adventures into Terror #12, and followed by "The Deadly Plague!", (originally titled "The Polka-Dot Man") from the January 1955 issue of Mystery Tales #25.

Pitbull and Chris Brown Live at Lo Nuestro Awards

Katy Perry on the "Part of Me" Music Video Shoot

Check out the image above of Katy Perry on the set of the music video shoot for her new single "Part of Me" - which is on track to becoming her seventh number-one Hot 100 single this week.

Billboard Hot 100 - Top 50 Singles [2/25/2012]

Taylor Swift Feat. The Civil Wars- "Safe and Sound" [Music Video]

Check out the music video for "Safe & Sound" - the new single by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars for the soundtrack of the upcoming movie, The Hunger Games. What a great song! Love it.

Jason Mraz Live at Letterman

2012 Honda CR-V Exclusive Edition

To commemorate the passing of the second-generation Honda CR-V, Honda is rolling out a CR-V Exclusive Edition that will be sold in Italy and launching this weekend at 22000 euros. The Exclusive Edition will add from the Elegance trim level with a choice of two engines, one turbodiesel common rail engine and one i-VTEC gasoline engine. Inside, power windows, automatic climate control, Alcantara steering wheel and leather gear shift knob, driver's assistance, tinted glass, heated mirrors and 17" inch alloy wheels adorn the exclusive model. Interestingly, a manual transmission is also offered. Petrol models start at 22900 euros while the diesel model starts at 28950 euros. 

Phillipines Production

 Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) has decided to stop the assembly of its Civic model in the country and instead relocate it to Thailand on cost competitiveness issue leaving the company with only one CKD model produced here.

Tatsuya Natsume, president and general manager of HCPI, told reporters at yesterday�s launch of the all-new Honda Civic, that there is no plan to revive CKD operation for Civic at its Sta. Rosa plant.

Natsume said they have stopped local production of Honda Civic at its Sta. Rosa plant in July last year and was supposed to source it from Thailand since then. The flooding in Thailand, however, has forced them to temporarily source Civic from Japan. Once the Thailand operation has stabilized, he said, they would start getting its supply of Civic from this ASEAN country.

�It is a matter of scale of economy,� Natsume said pointing out that its Thailand plant has a production capacity of 240,000 units a year and that makes it more efficient than maintaining its local assembly of Civic in the Philippines.

Besides, he said, importing from Thailand is already at zero tariff. CBU imports from Japan is slapped with a 20 percent tariff.

There is no plan to bring back the CKD operation for Civic at its Sta. Rosa plant, which has a capacity of 9,000 to 10,000 units. The decision to stop CKD operation for Civic has not also affected its workers. They maintain a total of 530 workers.

Natsume, however, said that the capacity void left by Civic would be replaced by the growing demand for its City model.

�City�s sales is a lot higher so iT is better to continue City and that has replaced Civic volume,� he said noting that City�s sales are placed at 9,000 units last year.

For the all-new Civic, HCPI is targeting total sales 350-unit monthly sales. Civic�s record sales before was 9,000 units a month. The Laguna plant is already back into its full operation and they have started delivering City units to its dealers last year.

Natsume did not give a comparative figure last year because 2011 was not a good year because the flooding in Thailand has left the company practically with no inventory in the latter part of the year.

2012 Honda CR-V Review

"One of Honda�s bestsellers, the CRV, arrives totally redesigned for 2012. Honda�s popular compact crossover SUV�s newest reincarnation is evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, but there�s still plenty of good news for consumers. The 2012 CRV Touring boasts a lower base price ($25,990 for 2012 vs. $26,290 for 2011), more power (185 horsepower), a better fuel-economy rating (9.2/6.6 l/100 km city/hwy for 2012 vs. 10.1/7.5 for 2011), and increased shoulder room and cargo-carrying capacity despite a slightly lower roof and shorter body. But wait ... there�s more! Kudos to Honda for making heated front seats and rear-view camera standard on ALL CRVs."

For more on the Edmonton Journal's review of the 2012 CR-V, visit http://www.edmontonjournal.com/cars/Honda+absolute+winner/6150719/story.html

Indian Production

Honda Siel Cars of India is set to resume delivery requests of the Brio and Jazz cars this week following the Thailand floods that disrupted production and cancelled many delivery orders. Owner prospects will receive their vehicles before the end of this month. The plant in India has been operating at a minimal output due to the shortage of components from China. Currently, there are 13000 orders for the Brio, Jazz and City. Honda looks to increase daily vehicle production to 440 units a day by next week. 

Honda Doubling Europe Production

Honda is attempting to double its vehicle production in Europe to reduce the reliance on foreign production plant imports after an awful year that devastated production levels across the world. Honda is aiming to increase production at its main Swindon plant in England from 97 000 units last year to 180 000 units this year. Honda believes this approach will allow them to respond better to the increasing yen and allow the company to escape unscathed from natural disasters around the world that crippled Honda's Japanese plants and Thailand plants last year. Honda's European sales have taken a nosedive since the 2008 economic crisis and continues to nosedive from a lack of new product and strategic focus. Honda is changing this with the new Civic that is coming to the UK, the new CR-V coming this fall and the refreshed Jazz coming later this year too. Along with increased production facilities, Honda's Swindon plant will produce a smaller 1.6L diesel engine which will add 500 workers and a second shift to the plant. Honda is also looking to expand its R&D in Europe but there are no concrete plans as of yet. 

Indoor Air Quality

If there's one thing Honda should be proud about, that should be the air quality in its new cars. The Ecology Centre has released its 4th consumer guide to vehicle toxic chemicals after testing 200 most popular 2011-2012 vehicles for these chemicals including lead, PVC, chlorine and bromine. Car interiors are usually filled with a variety of these chemicals through the material on the seats and the dash and may cause long-term health damage for those with a weak immune system/severe allergies and may cause cancer and even birth defects. The Honda Civic is the winner as the car with an interior that has the highest air quality. The Civic is free of bromine-based flame retardants, has PVC-free interior fabrics and trim and has very low heavy metal and metal allergen count in its interior. Honda says that it is one of its goals to reduce and eliminate chemicals inside their cars. The CR-Z was also among the top few cars with the highest air quality. 

Bride's Dowry of Doom

Celebrating a few things this week: first, the launch of Space Lord's awesome new, painstakingly extensive, gorgeously designed, and superbly informative  Ace Horror website (click HERE!), it's an unbelievable treasure trove of all things horrifically Ace! And secondly this week, THOIA obtained it's 900+ follower-- WOW! Thanks to all that continue to use this blog and share the weird wealth with their friends in fear! Today's great Ace tale and bonus quickie (as requested from the Space Lord himself) comes from the July 1952 issue of Web of Mystery #11!

BONUS QUICKIE!

Toronto Auto Show: 2013 Honda Accord Coupe Concept

At today's Canadian International Auto Show (CIAS), Honda Canada unveiled the 2013 Accord Coupe Concept. Providing a first glimpse of the Accord's new, athletic styling direction, the 2013 Accord Coupe Concept also features a host of new technologies that will make their first appearance on a Honda vehicle when the 2013 Accord Coupe will go on-sale this fall.

"This ninth-generation Accord will once again raise the bar with new Honda powertrain and safety technologies that will ensure Honda and the Accord continue to lead in fuel economy, safety and fun-to-drive performance," said Dave Jamieson, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales at Honda Canada Inc. "Equally impressive though is the new styling direction that really demonstrates Honda's commitment to athletic and sporty designs."

The 2013 Accord will feature three all-new powertrains, including the first North American application of Honda's new 2.4-litre direct-injected engine and of the two-motor plug-in hybrid system from Honda's suite of next-generation Earth Dreams^� powertrain technologies. In addition, the V-6 Accord will be the first Honda sedan to feature a new 6-speed automatic transmission. Both the Accord Sedan and the Accord Coupe models are expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy ratings and will be available with a number of innovative new safety and technological features.

The Accord Coupe Concept's styling features 20-inch, machine-finished, 5-spoke wheels that contribute to its solid stance. The rear taillights aggressively sweep into the body, while a trunk -lid spoiler and large exhaust finishers integrated into the bumper underscore the Accord Coupe Concept's muscular exterior. The front bumper's dynamic lines are highlighted by a revised four-sided honeycomb grille and deeply set multi-reflector headlights and the lower fog-light spoilers are accented by crystallized chrome inlays.

All 2013 Accord models will incorporate the Honda ECO Assist^� system, an innovative technology that can enhance efficient vehicle operation at the touch of a button, while also providing visual feedback to the driver to promote and confirm a more efficient driving style.

The 2013 Accord will also introduce numerous new features for enhanced driver safety, visibility and security. The new Accord will be available with Honda's first application of Lane Departure Warning (LDW) and Forward Collision Warning (FCW) technology. Both systems use a camera mounted behind the windshield to alert drivers if the car is moving out of its lane or to warn drivers of a potential collision in front of them.

Also on display at the CIAS is the sporty, performance-oriented heart of Honda's 2012 Canadian lineup and the newest vehicle to wear the Honda Factory Performance (HFP) badge - the Civic Si Coupe HFP. This vehicle is joined by the Remix Accord 2.0 and Remix Civic 2.0, two new after-market, tuned project vehicles that exemplify Honda's race-inspired DNA.

The All-New Civic Si Coupe HFP
For 2012, Honda is extending Honda Factory Performance program to include the 2012 Civic Si Coupe HFP. Joining the Accord HFP, which made its debut in 2011, the all-new Civic HFP will feature improved handling performance and more aggressive styling characteristics. The 2012 Civic Si Coupe HFP will go on sale this spring.

"After receiving positive feedback on our Accord HFP from this past year, we wanted to deliver a similar performance and styling direction to Canada's top-selling car," said Jamieson. "Civic Si Coupe HFP is perfect for the car enthusiast who wants to take both performance and style to the next level!"

2012 Civic Si Coupe HFP Highlights:

• 2.4 litre, DOHC i-VTEC� engine, 4-cylinder 16-valve with 201 horsepower and 170 lb.-ft. of torque
• Close-ratio 6 speed manual transmission
• 18" HFP aluminum-alloy wheels with Michelin Super Sport Performance Tires
• HFP Suspension Package
• HFP side underbody, front bumper underbody and rear bumper underbody spoilers
• HFP exterior badging and interior floor mats
• Helical limited-slip differential
• Honda Satellite-Linked Navigation System� with bilingual Voice Recognition
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Sport seats with high-contrast stitching and embroidery
• 360-watt AM/FM/CD premium audio system with MP3/Windows Media� Audio playback capability and 7 speakers including subwoofer, USB, and XM Satellite Radio
• HandsFreeLink�-bilingual Bluetooth� wireless mobile phone interface

All-New Honda Remix 2.0 Civic and Remix 2.0 Accord
Honda has once again teamed up with Performance Auto & Sound Magazine (PASMAG) to push the limits of both performance and expressive design with Honda vehicles. This partnership was designed to connect Honda with its vast network of enthusiasts across the country, and demonstrate the tuning potential of Honda platforms   Beyond the unique exterior design scheme of the Remix 2.0 Accord and Civic, significant upgrades under the hood were added to back up their aggressive demeanour.

"These Remix cars are all about providing experts with an open canvas to do what Honda enthusiasts have always loved doing - taking a great Honda and personalizing it," said Jamieson.

Remix Civic Si Coupe Overview
The philosophy behind the Civic Si Remix was to take an already sporty vehicle and showcase its aftermarket performance potential, including increasing the engine's output. To accomplish this, a full Race Turbo Kit (designed specifically for the Civic Si's 2.4L engine) and Borg Warner EFR 7163 Turbo have been installed, providing the Remix Civic Si Coupe an output boost to more than 400 horsepower.

To accentuate the car's new, more aggressive nature, the body has been treated with black trim to provide contrast with the stylish Frozen Grey paint and a carbon fibre hood has been added to reduce weight. The wheels were also upgraded to 19x8.5 Konig Avanti alloys.

Other modification highlights include:

• Full Honda Factory Performance (HFP) body kit
• HSD Coilovers
• Wilwood Engineering Superlite 6R Front Brakes
• Vibrant � Sports Exhaust
• Factory seats were replaced with red Sparco Chrono front seats, a Momo Race Evo shift knob and Momo Gotham Racing pedals for precise inputs
• Philips LED lighting installed throughout the cabin
• Addition of Kenwood's DNX6180 double-din Multimedia DVD Receiver with Navigation and Bluetooth.
• Impressive 6.1-inch touchscreen offers vivid image quality and an intuitive GUI.

Remix Accord V6 Coupe Overview
In 2011, Performance Auto & Sound Magazine (PASMAG) brought some of the Accord V6's performance potential to light through the Remix Accord -- a vehicle that featured style and performance enhancements both inside and out. That vehicle created a lot of buzz and served as a reminder of Honda's performance core.

For 2012, Honda and PASMAG, along with its partners at International Automotive and Custom, are taking performance enhancement to an exciting new level with the Remix Accord 2.0.

With the 2012 Accord V6 already producing a very respectable 271 horsepower with its 3.5L V6, the challenge for PASMAG was to crank up the performance, and enhance the car's winning style at the same time. To do so, a CT Engineering Supercharger now pushes peak horsepower well north of 300.  A Magnaflow stainless steel muffler and a custom stainless exhaust were also installed to allow the fumes to escape quickly and produce a throatier sound.

The focus then turned towards enhancing the Accord Coupe's muscular looks. The application of Matte Frozen Grey paint is accentuated with Black trim, creating a truly muscular and menacing appearance.  Twenty-inch Vossen VVS-CV3 alloy wheels with a matte black machined finish were have been installed and then wrapped in Kumho rubber, with P245/30/20s up front and P275/30/20 in the rear.

Other modification highlights include:

• Full Honda Factory Performance (HFP) body kit
• Eurolite HID low-beams and Philips Crystal Vision Ultra-Bright high beams
• Rotora Front Brakes
• BC Racing Coilovers
• Leather seat covers in both the front and rear
• Race shift knobs and pedals
• Philips LED lighting installed throughout the cabin.
• JBL GTO1004 4-channel amp featuring variable electronic crossover and bass boost
• Bazooka BTA10100FHC 10-inch Amplified Basstube
• JBL P660C 6.5-inch 2-way component speaker systems and a set of JBL GTO628 6.5-inch speakers surround the occupants with sound.

Lessons in Love from Demi, Whitney and Denise

I'm not much of a celebrity watcher, but the recent passing of Whitney Houston and Demi Moore's drama have captured my attention.  Mostly because here are two women who are gorgeous, immensely talented, and arguably have everything (money, power, fame) any woman could ever want.  But both cast all their personal magnificence aside for love of an idiot.

Sigh.

So what to learn?

If a relationship is good, it:

Helps you grow and makes you stronger
Doesn't drive you to drugs or other self-destructive behavior (seems like a no-brainer.  I mean at what point do you decide smoking crack is a good idea?)
Doesn't cause you to lose yourself to be with someone else
Encourages you to revel in your awesomeness (tweeting desperate bikini shots is NOT what I mean)

The most important relationship you have is with yourself.  If you decide that your relationship with say, Bobby Brown, is more important than your own life, you have made a serious, serious mistake.  And if someone with all the gifts Whitney had did it, what about your 15 year old daughter?  What about your struggling middle aged neighbor?  What about all of us who aren't Whitney or Demi?

Here's what I know:

Hanging on to someone who doesn't love you is a waste of time.  Let that loser go and love yourself.

See all the love you already have - both of these women are loved by MILLIONS!  MILLIONS of people and they didn't even see it.  Every person reading this is loved by many, many people as well.  Don't let one blockhead blind you to that.

You are so much more than your love relationship.  Demi and Whitney apparently forgot that. 

Women need to stop giving so much more than they are getting!  I obviously don't know any of these people, but it just seems to me that Whitney gave a hell of a lot more to Bobby than he ever gave to her.  There's no prize for giving yourself away like this - just a lot of pain.  Save your kindness, your love, your energy, your time, your precious life for someone who can give the same back to you.

Jason Mraz- "I Won't Give Up" [Music Video]

Get More: Jason Mraz, I Won't Give Up, I Won't Give Up, Free Music Videos

Carrie Underwood- "Good Girl" [Preview]

Seems like Amazon may have accidentally leaked a 30-second preview of Carrie Underwood's new single "Good Girl" which is still set to premiere in full on February 23rd. You can't get much from the preview, but it sounds good from what we can hear. Click here to take a listen! Can't wait for the full audio.

Shakira- "Addicted to You" [Single Cover]

"Addicted to You" will serve as Shakira's fifth single from her album Sale El Sol.

Train- "Drive By" [Music Video]

One of my favorite new songs right here! Check out the music video for Train's new single "Drive By." Love this!

Ariana Grande- "Put Your Hearts Up" [Music Video]

Check out the music video for Ariana Grande's debut single "Put Your Hearts Up". The song features a sample from the 4 Non Blondes classic "What's Up?" Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day! A Little Sugar for You All!

Happy Valentine's Day, my friends!  Who better to share it with than you all and Peeps! 

Check out these little cuties - strawberry Peeps with a milk chocolate base:?

It just doesn't get any cuter than this!?

?

But here's the problem - they just don't taste very good.  WAY too sickly strawberry sweet - maybe they need dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate.  I love the chocolate/Peep combination - but the dark chocolate is the way to go.  The sugary Peep needs the offsetting bitterness of the dark chocolate.  Have any of you tried these?  What do you think??

Did you see these at Christmas?  I heard about them, but didn't see them in any store, so I had to order them from the online Peeps store.  I had to order a CASE just to try them!  I may not have been posting, but clearly my madness continues.  They are caramel flavor (yay!) and dark chocolate:

Still adorable!?

And WAY better in flavor.  These are a winner!

You know, I tried to give a pack of these to one of my motivational seminar attendees and he said, "Ugh!  I hate those things!"  Now I KNOW he had never tried a caramel flavored chocolate based Peep.  Total stereotyping.  No open mind, no willingness to accept a gift.  You know what I say? 

Give Peeps a chance.  ?