Posts Tagged ‘AutoMatters & More’
Survival of the Slowest—now at The Fleet Science Center
Being slow can be a good thing. In fact, some creatures’ very survival in the wild depends on it. “Survival of the Slowest” is the newest exhibit at the Fleet Science Center. It features live animals housed inside 19 temperature- and humidity-regulated, natural habitats. The animals include Maple the sloth, Casper the albino iguana and…
Read MoreReview of Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning
Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning, the second of a two-part story in the Mission: Impossible franchise, is a non-stop action scene-filled, epic, geographically global adventure — filmed everywhere from urban to the most extreme of environments, and on land, in water and in the air. It is arguably the best, and certainly the most…
Read MoreKnott’s Berry Farm—authentic, interactive & affordable SoCal fun
The more I visit, the more I absolutely love Knott’s Berry Farm, and I believe that you will too! From its humble beginnings as a family farm, for over 100 years Knott’s Berry Farm — and its signature Mrs. Knott’s fried chicken dinners… … boysenberries… … and its 1880’s-themed Old West Ghost Town named Calico……
Read MoreTonies — fun, facts, songs, stories & an audio player for kids
Tonie figurines, when combined with the Toniebox speaker, are a fun, easy-to-use, educational, screen-free, high quality audio entertainment system of stories and songs for young children — at home and on-the-go. Shortly before CES 2025 (the Consumer Electronics Show), I received a press release telling me that they were about to sell their 100 millionth…
Read MoreNASCAR — please come back to Southern California
NASCAR, over the years you’ve cultivated a large and loyal audience for Cup and Xfinity Series stock car racing in Southern California. Sadly, that ended in 2023 with the last race at Auto Club Speedway. However, you kept our hopes alive with serious talk about building a short track on the site of that superspeedway.…
Read MoreCONSUMER ALERT: What you should know about cracked windshield replacements & auto insurance
Recently, I noticed about a two-foot-long crack in my 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime XSE’s windshield. That is when I discovered what a hassle it can be to get that windshield replaced in such a way that it would be as good as what was originally on my vehicle. My auto insurance policy includes zero deductible…
Read MoreCelebrating 50 years — auto racing returns this week to the streets of Long Beach (with photos from the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach)
This week, “50 Years at Full Speed” is celebrated at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. To commemorate the event, a new logo was developed by Acura and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. It evokes a 1970s feel with a stylized “50” that resembles both a racetrack and a “retro” racing logo…
Read MoreInaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix — two thumbs up!
After contesting a successful exhibition race there in 2024, this year IndyCar returned to The Thermal Club on March 21-23 for the inaugural Thermal Club IndyCar Grand Prix — the points-paying round two of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship. Despite no caution laps, it was exciting! Nestled in California’s Coachella Valley within the Greater Palm…
Read MoreFormula 1 rookies were destined to fail at chaotic 2025 season opener in Australia, and an F1 flashback
Did you catch the 2025 Formula 1 season opener? While I could not be at the Albert Park circuit in Australia, I did watch the mayhem unfold on TV. The weather for practice and qualifying was decent on the days leading up to the race, but rain was predicted for race day. Support races had…
Read MoreCool UAG accessories for your phone & watch
Recently Apple introduced a new iPhone. That got me thinking about my iPhone and my Apple Ultra 2 watch, which charge together on my kitchen counter. That, in turn, led to me deciding to write this week’s column about accessories for phones and watches. Urban Armor Gear (UAG) was founded in Orange County — a…
Read More