Christmas
Is it related to writing?

Of course it is!  Many writers drew some of their best and-or earliest inspiration from a variety of holidays, most notably Thanksgiving and Christmas.  From Dickens' "Christmas Carol" to Earl Hamner, Jr.'s "The Homecoming" which became the basis of "The Waltons" television series, writers galore have drawn their inspiration for certain stories from Christmas.  Myself included, in some early amateur press material.

I haven't yet made a story of it:  not enough 'percolating' time yet; but I did want to share my lovely Christmas Eve experience in the blog.

I had decided a week or two ago, having recently qualified conditionally for the local transportation service for elderly or disabled people under certain circumstances, to go to the parish I had belonged to during a prior tenancy to the place I'm living now.  One of those qualifications was distance; so the trip automatically qualified as long as I could pay the minimal fare.

The pastor had gotten the inspiration some weeks back not to hold the 4:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Mass at the church:  overflow had been a problem even with two Mass venues in the past.  He had arranged with the local high school to use their Field House for the Mass at 4:00 on Christmas Eve.

A lovely Mass it was, too.  Of those visible, and one suspects there were those who weren't visible, I figured there were at least 112 people actively involved in presenting this Mass.  Between greeters and ushers there were probably thirty.  Two priests, a deacon, two lectors, at least one altar server.  An adult choir with at least 12 members; children's choir about the same number, and about twenty kids ranging from about six to about sixteen years of age in a silent skit.

The organizers of the liturgy had arranged for the Gospel to be read (by the Deacon) in four segments.   In between the segments, the combined adult and children's choirs sang an appropriate verse of a well-known Christmas song.  As they did, other young people in costumes processed down the center aisle and took places in front of the altar: Mary and Joseph with a baby doll placed in a lined cardboard box, shepherds, a sacristan with a star on a pole, a troop of angels, and finally the Wise Men.

The venue made for a relaxed atmosphere wherein the youngest children could walk around or gather for ring dances while being far enough away not to distract the clergy on the altar.
It was a beautiful and very spiritual service.  Everyone was in an appropriately spiritual mood.

Even the pastor was a bit "blown away."  [His words.]  Though he had anticipated a crowd sufficient to book this venue, he had not anticipated a crowd of the size that actually did turn out.  Some of which may have been overflow from the neighboring parish, which turns people away when it becomes a fire safety issue of overcrowding.

The estimate of attendees was about 1500; and having not estimated that much there was standing room only for about 400 people, since it was too late to lower the bleachers on the side of the stadium that they had not done in advance.  Even with bleachers on one side and seating on the floor for about 400 people unable to use bleachers, they still had about 400 people in SRO status:  although any of those could have chosen to sit Indian-style on the floor for which there was plenty of room.

What a superbly spiritual way to start out a Christmas Day!

Time (Past Time) for an Update

Obviously, I’ve not done well keeping up with this blog once again.  I’ve had a number of situations going on in my life dating back about a year, and it’s kept me from getting to everything I should get to.

Some of the things I’ve been involved in, writing-wise, have led me to decide that it’s going to be to my advantage to update this blog before another weekend begins.

In that sense, I’m effectively getting a jump on my ‘New Year’s resolutions’ process.  I decided that the thing to do is get at least an update entry on the blog, and then spend part of the weekend going through my at-home resources looking for other possible topics for this blog to write up for posting over the course of the next few weeks.

I don’t actually do, per se, New Year’s resolutions.  What I do is what I call a “look back/look ahead” where I try to evaluate where I’ve been and where I’m headed at the new year (approximately) compared with the previous start of the year.  It’s often a journaling based exercise, and if often takes a month or so to do thoroughly.  One of the easiest blog entries to do, of course, is some sort of book or website review on a topic related to writing or the teaching of writing skills.  At this particular time, I am exploring some opportunities to do such reviews for websites that pay for guest posts of a review nature.  Not every book I’ve encountered lately is likely to be suited for submission to such markets, of course, but I need to spend some time looking through what I have and sorting out what to review for which website – including this blog.

I hope to do that this weekend, as well as some other activities that I hope will lead to additional blog posts for this blog and other ideas for various other websites I hope to participate with in the upcoming weeks.  For me, in a sense, this harkens back to my earliest days as a ‘working’ writer:  which in this case means writing in ‘professional approach’ manner to get my first few credentials as a writer.  I’ve always been one to look at what I have to work with and set some goals based on that, then follow through on the production and submission aspects of that.

It’s a good time of the year to reinstate that habit.  Hopefully, the result – or at least a part of it – is that I’ll have some blog entries for readers soon.

 

 

 

Well, it's past time for another post to the blog.

Let's see how well I do on making them somewhat regularly over the next interval.
I went back through the blog to see what kinds of things I had covered with intent to do additional coverage to initial entries.

I found a couple of items that I might want to write some further detail on.  Most notably, of course, is the series of pieces I wanted to do targetted to language learning for non-native speakers.  However, I don't believe I have the available research time today to pull the next one of those together.  Maybe next week.

And, I may have an incentive to do more on that, in that I met someone who teaches adult ESL learners who are at a very fundamental level and who has also shown an interest in reading my written work at many different levels.  I'm sure she'd be interested to look at my prior entries on that subject, and some upcoming ones as well.

What I do have time today to address is something that I found interesting in a juxtaposition of some recent reading of mine (although I believe the book is at least five or six years old), and an entry I did some time back in this blog that dealt with factors in English language learning generally.  The entry addressed the fact that as a general rule, children acquire greater English language proficiency sooner the higher the level of proficiency of adults (and older, such as teenage, children also in the home, as well) in their home environment.  However, the salient point of that entry was that of a potential counter-current circumstance to that general rule.  That factor was that children in a home environment in which the adults had a lesser English language proficiency than in another home environment, but the lesser proficiency language skills home atmosphere was one of valuing and encouraging communications would tend to produce higher English language skills in the children in that home than would result in the children raised in a home where the parents had higher language skills themselves but discouraged or even failed to actively encourage communications in their children.

I came across something in a book I've read in just the past few days, and which raises some interesting reflections for today's language proficiency development circumstances. 

Another factor besides exposure and attitude that figures in the proficiency development of English language learners in terms of those learning the language as children.

It was, as much of my recent reading has been, a romance.  I read both contemporary and historical romance; and this one was a historical.

The female protagonist, at the outset, earns her living as a traveling seamstress on the frontier.  She basically sets up a route of families that she visits to help out with
the family sewing twice each year.  She ventures out onto her route, and she spends about a week with each family, bringing not only her sewing skills at a more refined level than the frontier women can bring to their day-to-day sewing, but feminine companionship to isolated 'women of the home' for a brief interval, and news -- usually several weeks to months old -- from the various other outposts the seamstress has passed through on her route.

An interesting observation that the female protagonist of the book makes, and of which the underlying principle has pertinence to our day, is that what the seamstress has
discovered is that the literacy level of the children is at a higher level in frontier children living in near-isolation on remote farms and ranches than it is among comparably aged children in the larger cities.

This at first blush seems rather counter-intuitive.

After all, we would anticipate that the cities would have better schools, better teachers, and so on.  Wouldn't we?

That is not, however, the essential factor.

What the seamstress has observed is far more fundamental.

In the cities, there are more opportunities for all kinds of activities.  There are other children about to play with; and for the adults there are activities like sports,
concerts, and plays to attend.

To be sure, there are going to be exceptions based upon the values of an individual family, as a book like "Little Women" illustrates by portraying a family of young girls with very high language skills despite the fact that they live in Concord, Massachusetts which was then and is now a cultural mecca with a wealth of potential social and cultural activities.  The parents in that family valued learning highly; and saw to it that it was given its proper due in the efforts of the four young girls in the family.

Yet, in terms of general populations, what the seamstress had discovered was that the reason that the literacy level among children living on remote farms and ranches was higher than it was among children in households inside the cities was quite fundamental.

They had more time, because they had fewer options about where to spend that time, and they therefore funneled more of that available time into their learning.  And, associated with that, they had fewer outside contacts, so the parent-child communications interactions generally tended to be higher, also encouraging the children by ensuring that much communication back-and-forth passed between parents and children and as the family grew also between older children and younger children.
This ties into what writers with whom I have exchanged communications at various times and myself have observed.

Writers, after all, have a stake in having readers at least potentially available to read their material.  So, literacy levels, cause and effect relating to literacy levels, and
similar issues have great interest to writers.

And I've been invovled in more than one discussion relating to the fact that in today's world there are so many activities, or potential activities, that distract from the time
given to learning effective English communications skills. 

It's not always a lack of communication, but the style of communication.  Texting shorthand is a primary example. 

Texting is communication.  But it discourages learning real proficiency.  I've read more than one posting from employers trying to recruit referring to the employer being
utterly appalled at the level of "text speak" many candidates use today in their cover letters.

Employers regard such usage as highly improper in business communications, yet many younger people today who effectively learned their most dominant English language skills in terms of "text speak" appear, at least, unable to make any distinction whatsoever between "text speak" and proper English.  Even proper informal English.
Truly appalling, sometimes one even runs across people of this sort who profess an intent to go into some form of professional writing, including professional business writing.

They simply have spent too much time using "short cut" and "short hand" versions of communications in comparison to learning "the genuine article," so to speak.

Presumably, since you will find exceptions in children whose home environment still demands they dedicate appropriate time to learning correct English language skills, this is in part a default on the part of the parents who neither make themselves adequately available nor monitor their children's forms of language experience nor the outcome of them.

Apart from that difficulty, there are also so many other activities that form what writers describe as a "time suck" against the potential learning time the children might apply
to learning the correct forms of English -- both written and spoken.

Many of today's youth spend time participating in everything from sports, to music lessons, to video games, to extensive televison viewing.

Something has to give, and too often it's learning in general and English language skills learning experiences in particular.

There is, therefore, a lesson in the past from that fictional seamstress's experience that we can apply to today's language skills learning environment.

If we would have children achieve superior levels of English language proficiency, then those who influence those children's activities must ensure that the time required to accomplish that gets invested into the appropriate activities to make that happen.

Although other reasons are normally given among families who homeschool, I suspect that for some of them this is a significant factor in making that decision.  By removing the children from the often frenetic social environment of a brick-and-mortar school, especially a public school, they remove some of the distractions and time drains that reduce the time and parental communications interest that otherwise can be more efficiently invested in learning activities geared towards enhancing the children's proficiency in  English language skills.

Skills, that is, in "proper" English.



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What, Precisely, is the Point?

This post relates to the prior entry in an obscure way; and also the general idea of Public [i.e., Customer] relations and good marketing strategy.

In the sense of:  "value."

I've been doing a great deal of looking for "value" lately, given my rather traumatic relocation circumstances.

This can be about buying a used car, or finding 'good stuff cheap.'

I've done well on what we might call 'higher end' or 'big ticket' items at one of the local chains of dollar stores.

However, in patronizing this chain [there are two locations in the city I'm now in alone, and several others in surrounding towns], something struck me when I went there for smaller and arguably 'more essential' elements such as food stuffs.

To me, when you go to a "dollar store" you expect a discounted price [and I mean by more than a few pennies] in comparison to what you would find in more traditional vendors of the product nearby the location of the dollar store you are shopping.

It struck me as I 'cased' the food aisle of the local dollar store:  it seems to me in the long-ago-and-far-away days when I was shopping grocery stores for food for myself [all of twelve weeks back and two towns away] that the prices at the grocery store were little if any higher than those at this particular dollar store for the same or at least very similar items; but in some cases [such as those non-frozen 'tv dinners] the prices at the dollar store were actually a few pennies HIGHER than what I remember paying last at the local grocery store.

And, in fact, having picked up a few for on-site lunches at my current on-site job, though I'm relying on memory I'm pretty sure that for that item my memory is fairly accurate.

Now, various things affect pricing and that includes that, counter-intuitively, stores in low-income neighborhoods tend to have higher prices than a location of the same chain
in a more affluent neighboring town might have [because of "shrinkage" due to high shoplifting rates], and I may have picked up my "prepared dinners" at the location halfway between here and the job site.

But I'm pretty sure I picked up at least one right here in town.

So, I'm wondering:  if the pricing is the same as, higher, or so minimal in cost from the actual grocery store down the street for these kinds of products, what is the point of categorizing oneself as a "dollar store"?

Another of life's little mysteries, I suppose.

How NOT to use E-mail Marketing . . . . !

How NOT to use E-mail Marketing . . . . !

Naturally, as a writer who has an inclination to get into the marketing/sales/promotional writing area of the industry, I am going to notice what others do in this regard.  Especially well-known outfits.
And, this post has something of a 'here we go again' element to it.  This blog is called 'Writings, Etc.'  Yet, in the relatively recent past, many of my blog posts have had to do with cars -- automobiles -- in one way or another.

Well, there are a variety of reasons for that.

From the point of view of a writer in general, things strike me when they are intriguing, sentimental, and other things of that nature [such as my posts on running across antique cars along the roadway in a few posts just about a year ago.  And, for the record, I've yet to encounter that this year.]

From a personal point of view, I had of necessity not only to find a new vehicle when the prior one failed inspection for enough reasons for experts to recommend against putting the money into a car of that age, but -- for budget reasons -- to get something I could acquire without financing and on the cheap.

For what I paid for it, that car has served me well for a little over a year; but with another inspection due, the same sort of thing is coming up now:  time to to upgrade at least by a few years, and hopefully a more reliable model as well.

Then, from the writing 'business' point of view:  outside my writing as a Technical Writer and my work for the Demand Studios folks [which ranged over a dizzying number of different topics], probably a larger percentage of my freelance work has been in some kind of review writing than it has in any other kind of assignment.

In my observation, there are four primary markets for freelance writing of a 'review' category:  1) food-related, 2) entertainment-related [including books], 3) reviews of a specific industry or industry sub-niche as a whole, and 4) automotive related.

I periodically do book reviews on this blog [and also on Street Articles], just as a matter of personal and professional interest.  I don't often have a chance to do food-related reviews, although I have sort of done that but more in a retail client than writing client circumstance.  Some of my early freelance work either definitely qualified as "industry niche review" and additional specific articles bordered on doing so.

So, with the personal interest involved with dealing with buying a used car in as restricted circumstances as possible, and then managing the inevitable mechanical issues that followed doing so, an interest in the ins-and-outs of things automotive seemed natural during this past year.

How, readers are wondering at this point, has this anything to do with the title of:  "How NOT to use E-mail Marketing . . . . !"

Well, near the start I mentioned that I'm again looking for a car in circumstance where the chances are good it will need to be a cash sale -- though things have improved in various other ways in a little over the year since I bought the current model.

I started putting out Internet feelers as soon as I decided that the need for a replacement was on the horizon.  [This being the fourth area mentioned in my immediately preceding post as to where my Interent time has gone in these last about 12 weeks.]

Mostly, I get only very 'canned' responses, with things like lists of various bargains around the area.  And that's not the part I'm dissing, here. 

I have opened a couple of those e-mails, and if I were ready to make a move right now [as opposed to a month or two from now], I'd be contacing those folks about some of those potential deals.
The series of contacts that set me off on this topic is a series of contacts from a local dealer.

A dealer who evidently can't keep any track at all of contact history with a prospect.

I actually went so far as to talk on the phone with them about what I wanted [a used ideally Toyota approximately 8 years old or less at a really good price; and probably cash but if they COULD get financing for me I'd do it].

That sales rep assured me that financing even unusual situations like mine was likely [I've heard THAT before!], and that he'd have a result of that inquiry by the end of that same day.
It was late enough in the day I thought next day was reasonable.

After that, I didn't hear anything at all from the dealership for about 6 weeks; and because I was wrapping up stuff with one client and ramping up with another client at the time, I didn't follow up.
A few weeks ago, I began getting e-mail marketing again from this same dealership.

I had gone from being interested in a used to a new Toyota; no one said anything about a financing decision, and the e-mails came from two different people with the second of them referring in the subject line to the guy who was going to look into the financing --

In other words, this dealership:  1) got EVERYTHING wrong, 2) didn't do the basic follow-up to a contact you expect as a minimal indication of competence from ANY vendor in ANY industry, and 3) looked as though they had never really communicated with me personally at all, when they had.
I've been in retail in a variety of capacities, including training in sales-oriented writing and some work as a telemarketer.

The purpose of e-mail marketing is to engage a prospect [at least one writer calls a pre-qualification prospect more of a 'suspect', actually.]

It's also a long-standing adage of salesworthy marketing efforts that goes back to door-to-door, Fuller Brush sales, days that the best and fastest way to lose such 'engagement' is to fail to put the prospect [and hopefully eventually customer] in a customer-centric, or priority, position.

Making the customer feel as though you haven't the most basic skills of tracking the history or your interaction with that customer during the marketing and sales process is a losing game.
As such, this particular local vendor precisely exemplifies the title of this blog post:  "How NOT to use E-mail Marketing . . . . !"

Catching Up

Well, due to circumstances, I'm going to do two -- maybe even three -- posts one right
after the other, after a prolonged absence from this blog.

The third will depend on if I have time on public computers before everyone closes for the Easter holiday.

The first is the 'catch up' that gives some information on my absence since my last post.  This has been more necessity than desire (such absence.)

And, this post will not go into detail, because that gets more personal than I feel comfortable with at this time.

The bottom line is that I have just moved to a new location.  Indeed, I have only nominally 'moved,' since circumstances necessitated getting into a location without the benefit of things like furnishings or even a budget for such appointments to the new place.  I have some minimal things, but minimal they are.

I have actually been displaced from my prior location, living in a series of different temporary quarters, for approximately 12 weeks, during which time I had immediate access to Internet from a, so-to-speak, 'home base' only for the first two or three weeks.

So, I have been relying on public computers.  Fortunately, the general community location where I am offers a variety of such public locations where I can do so.

Combined with that, much of what time I did have available on computers went into work search, housing search, and dealing with communications with paying clients or potential paying clients, and a fourth area we'll leave for one of the two posts I have planned as immediately following this one as possible.

On the up side, I'm happy to report that I currently have full-time or near-full time project work, and three freelance clients [two in writing and one in merchandising] with varying levels of activity needed by each of them.

Overall, the relocation circumstances have been rather traumatic, and I haven't had time or energy to work through that aspect as yet.  I don't want to go into detail, but suffice it to say there are some legalities involved in the overall situation.

It is nice to finally be in a place where I can relax, unwind, do some cooking, and that sort of thing.

This year, that was a nice Easter bonus.

I will be online directly at home soon, and in the interim and able to access several different facilities with public computers sufficient to my immediate needs for my existing clients.

However, it will be a couple more weeks or so before all that gets fully squared away.

GMC/Buick

GMC provides an example of a U.S. Based automobile manufacturer that during the 2012 and into the 2013 calendar and model years that has taken a streamlining, and more focused approach within the line overall.

The company made news during 2012 with one of major steps in this process. GMC eliminated three of its sub-lines of vehicles. In what initially came as a surprise move to industry observers, GMC dropped the Pontiac, the Oldsmobile, and the Saturn vehicle brands.

While the remaining GMC sub-brands all generally seemed to benefit somewhat degree from this streamlining of focus within the GMC line, the bulk of advantage seemed to go to the Buick brand vehicles in general and to a couple specific models in particular.

Buick, in comparison with other automobile brands – both foreign and domestic – made limited technical changes to its existing models between 2012 and 2013 model years. So far as Buick did make modifications to the vehicles, the streamlined focus as evaluated by automobile industry professional observers went into improvements in two primary areas and most of those improvements focused on the interior of the vehicles. The emphasis in terms of modification to existing Buick models went primarily towards improvements in passenger comfort and improvements in passenger safety elements of the vehicles.

Industry observers, in trying to retroactively figure out GMC's objectives in eliminating three brand families and re-directing the company's more narrowly defined focus in the the Buick family vehicles, generally concluded that GMC had a coherent vision of its overall objectives in linking its improvements to a definable market strategy.

The two Buick brand models that benefited the most out of the streamlining within the GMC family of vehicle brands involved the Enclave and the Verano.

Automotive industry observers classify the Enclave into the category of a luxury, mid-sized, SUV. Industry observers classify the Verano into the compact category of vehicles. While it would seem that this category determination would put the Enclave closer to the earlier roots of the Buick line that traditionally incorporated luxury level models, that's not altogether the case. Observers make note that that Buick has designed the compact Verano model more as a somewhat scaled down Regal luxury model vehicle than a somewhat scaled up Cruze compact model.

Overall, the GMC streamlining and Buick brand vehicle model modification strategies revealed the general marketing and sales objectives for the Buick brand line. GMC and the Buick sub-brand sought to obtain market share in two particular consumer categories: attracting purchasers in a younger age demographic and attracting purchasers away from competitors, or what professional industry observers refer to as “conquest purchasers.”

Towards the end of 2012 and into the start of the 2013 model and calendar years, the sales figures suggested that the GMC brand streamlining strategy combined with the Buick brand modification and marketing strategies had begun to show precisely those types of sales results.

For more information on Buick's or GMC's currently available models, or to take a test drive of any Buick vehicle, contact our local dealership such as South Florida's Williamson Buick Dealership.

Reference:

Buick Enhances Enclave, Verano for 2013, Car Review Soup, http://www.carreviewsoup.com/buick-enhances-enclave-verano-for-2013

[Other references gathered in too many bits and pieces to include.]

Mazda CX-5

The Mazda vehicle line got at least its fair share of media and consumer attention during 2012 and into the beginning of 2013.

Various different models of the Mazda line attracted attention for a variety of reasons.

However, the most general 'buzz' from observers – both from professional reviewers and from consumers or potential consumers – within the Mazda line involved the CX-5.

To begin with, one can classify the CX-5 into different vehicle categories and different writers indeed list the model under various classification. Some writers, such as Andrei Nedelea at the Auto Evolution website even list more than one category for this vehicle in the same article.

Primarily, reviews refer to the Mazda CX-5 as a Compact SUV. Other reviews may refer to this model as a Crossover vehicle, which incorporates elements of both a hatchback and an SUV. Some writers add the term “affordable” to either or both the hatchback and the crossover SUV designations.

Whatever category or categories reviewers assign the CX-5 to, they give generally good reviews to the vehicle.

The CX-5 uses Mazda's Skyactiv technology, a design approach that has garnered its own good press during 2012. This is an all-around design approach that seeks to combine performance and fuel efficiency, and the CS-5 is one of several Mazda models that incorporate the Skyactive design.

Reviewers, overall, gave good ratings to the CX-5 on three primary elements of the model: performance in terms of the handling and particularly cornering, interior space for vehicles in these classification categories, and cargo space. The CX-5 in the automatic transmission edition gets good to moderate mileage as compared to comparable cars though manual transmission editions and particularly a six-speed manual incline towards out-performing comparable vehicles by other manufacturers in terms of fuel efficiency..

Finally, some reviewers made note that the CX-5 has a low price point for cars in the various categories into which writers classify it.

Some reviewer did note some concerns with a lack of vents in the rear seat of the passenger compartment, which made air-conditioning equipped models somewhat inefficient as to rear seat cooling effect. Others also made note of concerns about the level of power available particularly with reference to uphill driving.

Overall, however, reviewers found much to praise and little to fault in the CX-5. One of the reasons some reviewers gave for their high ratings of this model involved that the CX-5 is an all-new vehicle within the Skyactiv technology vehicle models, whereas many are redesigns of existing Mazda models.

For more detailed information on the CX-5, or to take a test drive of this Mazda model, visit a nearby Mazda dealership such as Raleigh's Sport Durst Mazda Dealer in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina.

Review: 2013 Mazda CX-5, The Truth About Cars, http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/10/review-2013-mazda-cx-5/

Mazda C X-5 Review, U. S. News, http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Mazda_CX-5/

The Brilliant Simplicity of Mazda Skyactiv, Andrei Nedelea, Autoevolution, http://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-brilliant-simplicity-of-mazda-skyactiv-52462.html

Hyundai

This is an intriguing one for me to cover, because I get to in a sense act as more of a journalist than the actual journalists who covered some of the 2012 newsworthy events.

Newsworthy 2012 events for this vehicle line broke down, essentially, into two primary stories. Notable to me, commentators missed a key element, as events progressed, in the second instance.

The first story involved some buzz and excitement about anticipated release of a redesigned 2013 edition Santa Fe.

While even towards year-end most reviewers hadn't actually test driven the updated Santa Fe, yet they anticipated that documented changes would improve both performance and comfort. One anticipated re-design aspect involves that the model, previously sold as a 5-seater, would now also offer a 7-seater edition.

Mileage delivery estimates for the updated Santa Fe call for approximately 21 miles per gallon city and 29 miles per gallon highway for the Sport, or 5-seater: quite reasonable fuel economy for an SUV category vehicle.

The other Hyundai line news during 2012 involved identification of testing flaws that resulted in fuel economy overstatement on most or all models of the Hyundai line, which includes Kia vehicles.

As commentators eventually pointed out, consumers seemed to clearly understand the discrepancy level. Some Hyundai models called for up to forty miles per gallon highway performance. Initially, commentators anticipated that because breaking the forty miles per gallon milestone is an important fuel economy breakthrough, a significant adverse affect on sales numbers and market share had probability.

However, the differential ranged from as little as one mile to as much as three miles per gallon for most models, depending how close to the forty mile per gallon estimate a particular model had ranked. The Kia Soul showed greatest discrepancy, at a 6 mile per gallon differential.

Even at thirty seven miles per gallon, a variation of only three miles per gallon seems somewhat insignificant and apparently most consumers agree. The testing flaws came to light during the summer, and by November Hyundai's sales figures had returned to projected or slightly higher than projected sales numbers.

The aspect of this story that commentators appear to me to have missed involves Hyundai's handling of the situation in terms of solid Public Relations practice.

Much like handling by Tylenol's manufacturer of tainted bottles of Tylenol some decades a go, Hyundai got pro-active. The company promptly admitted to testing flaws although as an honest error on its part. Hyundai also took corrective actions without waiting for Government to compel such actions. Instead, Hyundai management immediately began notifying the public it would take such measures as issuing gas cards to compensate Hyundai and Kia owners for costs associated with discrepancies between stated and actual mileage.

Such an approach demonstrates responsible corporate handling of a potentially more damaging situation, and good public relations policy. Yet, I ran across no reports even after the restored sales figures for December in which commentators made note of that point.

To discover more about what Hyunda vehicles offer, contact a nearby dealer such as Raleigh's Sport Durst Hyundai for the Raleigh-Durham area.

EPA finds Hyundai exaggerated fuel economy claims, refunds coming to customers, Consumer Reports, http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2012/11/epa-finds-hyundai-exaggerated-fuel-economy-claims-refunds-coming-to-customers.html

Hyundai, Kia to pay owners for overstated MPG, CNN Money, Peter Valdes-Dapena,

http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/02/autos/hyundai-kia-mpg-overstated/index.html

Christmas Tree Reflections

Years ago, when I was first writing creatively, I did a few short Christmas pieces.  They were published in small press outlets.

A couple of them dealt with the Christmas tree itself.  In one, an Aesop type fable comes about through anthropomorphization of the ornaments on the tree.  In another, a letter to a friend, it explores the Christmas tree in terms of the “how’ the ornaments represent.  A friend who gave me an ornaments that aligned with a theme important to me at that time.  An aunt and uncle. . . the only ones in our family willing to ‘waste’ money on special package garnishments for gifts . . . wisely.  They chose sturdy ones which the family [mostly me] converted to tree trim ornaments that in some cased graced the tree for years . . . even decades . . . afterwards.

Where I now live, I’ve never had sufficient storage to dismantle the artificial Christmas tree I put up probably the second year in residence.  So, I’ve simply left the tree in place and stopped lighting it after a certain date each year.  In good years, since I have more trims than I can use at once on this size tree, I’d sometimes dismantle it around Thanksgiving so I could re-trim it in a different way, but I haven’t done that for a few years now.  Traditionally, our family’s tree trimming schedule was the third weekend in Advent:  the weekend of anticipatory joy where in the Catholic church the priestly vestments are rose or pink rather than the penitentiary purple or violet of the other three weekends of Advent.

The date I stop lighting the tree varies depending on circumstance.  Perhaps around January 6^th.  Perhaps Candlemas [February 2^nd].  I know one year, though I’m not sure that it was in this location or in a prior residence, when Lent came quite early that year, I actually continued to light an artificial tree until the day before Ash Wednesday.

Last year was an especially tough year at Christmas.  To my best recollection, I never lit the tree or played Christmas music except, perhaps, a part of the Christmas Day program on my favored radio station.

I was between cars at that time, so I didn’t even hear the Christmas music I normally would be forced to hear while driving around on errands.

Which set of circumstances overall means that this year, as I light the tree even though it has been up in the same form for at least a couple years, I see it with fresh eyes.

And I see both continuation and progress.  So much heritage.

In our family, a focus on the authentic meaning of Christmas in tree trimming always had priority.

Our tree was, as it were, double-themed.

The first theme involved the Nativity.

I inherited many family ornaments, but not our Nativity ornament.  It was a glass globe with the Holy Child in a manger.  But, one year, not long after leaving home, I was fortunate to find a similar piece in a Christmas shop.  This one has Mary and Joseph, also, inside the glass globe. 

Eventually, we built the entire tee around this ornament;  adding the various other symbols of the Nativity as we had the ornaments to do so:  stars, angels, stable animals, birds.

Hand crafted pieces figured prominently in the overall scene:  from waxed paper stars to embroidered angels on a felt backing.

This general Nativity theme centered the tree, with the glass globe ornament at eye level and radiated outward over both the vertical and horizontal center of the front of the tree.

The second sub-theme was all the secular motifs associated with Christmas.  Crafts, here, were also of importance.

The secular theme radiated outwards from the sacred, more towards the top, bottom, sides, and rear of the Christmas tree.  Bridging the two themes, as it were, were such ornaments as music scrolls with Christmas sheet music displayed.

When I gazed on the tree after the first time I lit it, I was again struck by the “who” the ornamentation on this tree represented.  These include people long passed away, as well as people I lost touch with over time such as church youth group members I had volunteered with and who had sold crafted ornaments at church bazaars during various years.

I was once again struck by the theme I had focused one of those early short stories around:  that for me, in many ways the tree trims on this tree more make for “who” is on the tree than for “what” is on it in terms of its ornamentation.

Rather a nice sentiment for the Christmas season.

Fiat 500 Vehicle line -- 2012

One of the most notable aspects of the Fiat 500 line involves that it is a part of Fiat’s program for re-entering the United States automobile market after several years of absence.  As such, the Fiat 500 as sold within the United States has features and design elements that differ from the form in which this vehicle line is sold in Italy, where the line originates. 

Another notable aspect involves appearance although consumer reviews have potential purchasers falling into the ‘you love it or you hate it’ type classification on that score.  I would categorize the look as “trendy,” however, at least a few consumer reviews commented they find the appearance ‘in person’ less outstanding than the photographs they had viewed.

This vehicle is definitely a targeted market car, although there’s some contention among beholders as to the target market’s precise demographic.  The line has basic commuting vehicle as its overall purpose.

The Fiat 500 comes in three model types.  The basic level is the Fiat 500 Pop.  The mid-range is the Fiat 500 Sport.  The top range is the Fiat 500 Lounge.  The Lounge incorporates an automatic transmission.  Automatic transmission is also available on both the Pop and the Sport as an option, but adds a thousand dollars onto the price tag.  Automatic transmission availability, indeed, is one of the distinctions between Fiat 500s as sold in the United States and in Europe.

In terms of technical aspects, the professional reviewer at Car and Driver found the Fiat 500’s suspension well-matched to the car with the result of maneuverability and good road handling. 

This same reviewer also found the front seat surprisingly roomy for a car in its size and price range categories.  Rear seat spaciousness did not get as positive reports almost anywhere, although some commentators did find the rear seat space adequate when the passengers for that seat are children.  Even with regard to the space levels of the front seat, the reviewer cautioned that if that is on an individual’s desirability list, then one needs to stick with the hardtop model and forego the available glass roof.  Apparently, that feature removes inches worth of head room.

One concern reviewers mentioned involves that as a commuting vehicle with a four-cylinder engine, the Fiat 500 has a limited power delivery.  Depending on exactly where one is commuting, this may or may not pose a problem.  In particular, reviewers mentioned that those who live in an area where they have a lot of uphill/downhill driving to incorporate in their commute, the Fiat 500 may not be the best choice.

However, overall in consumer reviews by owners or those who had driven a Fiat 500 at some point as a rented vehicle, consumers on the whole were more positive than negative about Fiat 500 vehicles.

For Fiat 500s in Philadelphia, Reedman Toll Fiat, including year-end specials on 2012 models.   Part of Fiat’s strategy in re-entering the United States market involves limiting the quantity of Fiat outlets. 

References:

2012 Fiat 500 U.S.-Spec, Car and Driver, http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2012-fiat-500-drive-fiat-500-review

Review: 2012 Fiat 500 Lounge (BCAS Edition), The Truth About Cars, Michael Karesh, http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/10/review-2012-fiat-500-lounge/

2011 Toyota Camry

The Toyota Camry falls into the category of an affordable mid-sized car.  Clearly, the Camry is a popular model within the United States market for those looking for a practical, family-type car and an affordable model.  With fairly recent models, such as the 2011, now coming into the market as pre-owned vehicles, it is worth looking at some of the reasons for the popularity of this particular vehicle model.

It’s almost surprising to start to see pre-owned models of Toyota sedans as recent as the 2011 on the market already.  Owners of Toyotas have a tendency to hang onto the cars for many years:  as anyone who has tried to obtain certain types of replacement parts for can attest.  While I’ve not had to do that with a Camry, I had to awhile back with a Corolla and it can take a week or more for a service shop to locate and get delivery on such a part.

What makes the Camry so popular in its class for United States purchasers?

Apart from the price in comparison with vehicles in luxury or luxury sports car categories of car, there are some particularly attractive aspects of the Camry.

Overall, the reviewers at U. S. News rate the Camry third out of nineteen vehicle models in its overall class.

However, the Camry outperforms other models in the class in certain elements important to purchasers in this vehicle category.

One consideration is the Camry’s fuel economy ratings.  In this category, for fully gasoline-powered engine vehicles, the Camry has the most economical fuel performance.  Only hybrids and diesel-powered vehicles outperform in this vehicle class in terms of fuel economy.

Secondly, this vehicle model has a very high safety ranking from both the national safety testing organizations.  Both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the federal government’s safety testing programs rate the Camry at a 5-star level for safety.  Since this vehicle model often serves as a family car, this can make for an essential consideration for some potential purchasers.

The Camry also offers what many consider advantages of front-wheel drive and many individual models available with an automatic transmission. The base model does incorporate a standard transmission; however, several other models of the 2011 Camry come equipped with automatic transmission.  It is also a four-door sedan, which in a family vehicle many consider also an advantage in comparison to a two-door or a hatchback.

Reviewers use words like “dependable” and “comfortable ride” to describe the Camry.  The Camry has models that incorporate both inline four cylinder and V-6 engine types.  Some reviewers, however, have expressed concerns about safety issues that did arise in model years just prior to the 2011 Camry model, although these issues do not get much, if any coverage, with specific reference to the 2011 Camry model year.

Currently, those in the Pennsylvania area can find a special on the 2011 Camry when they check to Find new and used cars in Langhorne

References:   

2011 Toyota Camry, Edmunds, http://www.edmunds.com/toyota/camry/2011/

2011 Toyota Camry, U. S. News, http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Toyota_Camry/

Spiritual Seasons

In younger days, I never liked them.  Well, at least not the ones dictated by someone else’s calendar.

We all – those of us of faith – of course, have them.

We have times when our exploration of spiritual truths are deeper, more heartfelt, richer.

This year, I have been exceedingly grateful for Advent.  For Catholic believers, Advent is --- or at least should be – penitential but yet also joyfully anticipatory.  A season of active waiting.

I don’t know what our parish would have done without that kind of spiritual posture after the horrific events in Newtown, Connecticut which seemed to have affected many profoundly.  And now, with the more recent news that scammers have sought to take advantage of this tragedy.  It just boggles the mind.

It so happened that I had decided I wanted to do some serious spiritual exploration during Advent even before the Season began.  I am working several spiritual studies, keeping in balance with my regular professional and personal activities.

This has also enriched my writing life in some ways:  giving new purpose and direction to some of my activities in that area.

Advent, this year at least, is to me a reflection of the flow of life:  as Ecclesiastes has it:  “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.”

It is a perspective very much needed in these deeply troubled times.

An American Classic, 2012 edition – Chevrolet Corvette

Though I’ve never had one, this vehicle is still a bit nostalgic for me.  Probably except other writers who had an interest back in that era, few remember a short-lived television series from the early 70s called The Magician.  I was an ardent fan of that show, and in fact in a sense cut my writing teeth on ‘fanzine’ type material based on it. 

The title character, Tony, drove a white corvette in that series.  A sleek, elegant vehicle that gave a sense both of classic line even back then and serious road-handling power.

According to multiple reviewers, those essentials haven’t changed at all in the more than thirty years since that show ran for about two seasons in the early 1970s.

The Corvette falls into the “luxury sports car” category.  U. S. News rates it as the second best vehicle (out of six) in that class:  beat out only by the Porsche Cayman.  That’s no mean accomplishment for an American-made sports car.  Particularly as the vehicles U. S. News rate the Corvette as ranking better than include not only a Mercedes, a BMW, and an Audi, but another Porsche:  the Boxster.

Technically speaking, the Corvette is the only vehicle in the luxury sports car category that comes equipped with a V-8 engine.  The 2012 is available in either a hatchback coupe model or in a convertible style.

The standard Corvette incorporates a six-speed standard transmission, however, a six-speed automatic can be had on all but high-performance models. 

The base Corvette model engine delivers 430 horsepower, however, a higher performance model – the ZR1 – incorporates a 638 horsepower engine.

In driving tests, at least one professional reviewer rated the Corvette’s braking capabilities as exceptional for a sports category vehicle.

The 2012 Corvette models come equipped with numerous safety features, including:

• Traction Control

• Xenon high intensity headlights

• Stability control

• Anti-theft alarm system

And

• Day time running lights

among others.

Where reviewers, generally speaking, seem to find the Corvette lacking has nothing to do with performance or technological capability.  Such faults as professional reviewers find with this vehicle seem to fall in the category of looks and of design elements, such as interior contours and headroom, that can affect the comfort of the vehicle occupants.  They categorize its style or general looks as less elegant and-or impressive than European models in the same category.

Those concerns are probably far lesser to someone who is in the market for the performance aspects of a luxury sports car, however.  Especially since to my mind while the Corvette does fall in that ‘combined’ category of automobile, by intent and design from the very outset the Corvette is more “sports car” than it is luxury vehicle.

Overall, professional reviewers seem in general agreement that for this category of vehicle, the Corvette is a superb value.

You can take a closer look at the value the 2012 Corvette offers the purchaser of a sports luxury vehicle when you View our Lancaster Chevy Buick website.

References:

2012 Corvette – Features and Specs, Edmunds,

http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/corvette/2012/features-specs.html

2012 Corvette, U. S. News, http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Corvette/

Luxury Car – 2012 Jaguar XF

According to multiple reviews, the 2012 Jaguar XF is a strong performer in the luxury sedan category of automobile.

U. S. News ranks this vehicle as 5^th among a field of 15 cars in this class, and some reviewers seem even more taken with the vehicle than that.   It would appear in the U. S. News review that elements taken into account to keep this model from getting above 5^th place include the availability of other models in this class in all-wheel drive and a lack of safety testing of this model.  Another reviewer also notes that Jaguars in general have had reliability issues in the past.

While the Jaguar XF has not been crash tested by either of the two automobile safety testing organizations in the United States, it does come loaded with safety features comparable to other vehicles in this class.

Decidedly, it is not a vehicle for those who are not in the market for a luxury car, with a starting price of about $53,000 new.

However, the 2012 Jaguar XF is, at that price, rated a value by reviewers because of what the vehicle has to offer. 

The Jaguar XF’s features attractive to the potential buyer of this vehicle include:

• Xenon and LED headlights, for superior illumination while driving in dark or inclement conditions

• Keyless entry system

• Keyless ignition system

• Heated leather seats

• A 385 horsepower, 5.0 liter V-8 engine which offers more power than some other vehicles in this class; and at a similar cost to some vehicles [such as BMW 535i] with lesser engine power.

• Standard equipment includes interior technological tools, such as navigation and Bluetooth features.

• Fuel economy of up to 23 miles per gallon [highway]

Multiple reviewers have reported being impressed with the changes made by Jaguar to the XF model between the 2011 and 2012 editions of this vehicle model.  The changes made by Jaguar to the vehicle model are subtle, but overall according to multiple reviewers these small changes add considerably either to the technical capabilities of the car such as acceleration and cornering capabilities, or to the “style” or “look” of the car that buyers in the luxury car market so covet. 

Further, for those in the market for even more power, in addition to the base XF model, a “supercharged” model that delivers 470 horsepower is also available on the market.

Generally, the Jaguar XF is rated an overall excellent value in its vehicle category by multiple reviewers. 

To learn more about this vehicle model, See specials at Reedman Toll

Jaguar in Langhorne

References:

2012 Jaguar SF Review, David Thomas, http://www.cars.com/jaguar/xf/2012/expert-reviews/

Jaguar XF Review, U. S. News and World Report, http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Jaguar_XF/

2012 Jaguar XF review, Motor Authority, http://www.motorauthority.com/overview/jaguar_xf_2012

Minis

This review will look at the Mini Cooper, in part made more widely known by its use in a Dick Francis mystery novel as a shared or “community property” vehicle jointly owned by two jockeys.

This vehicle is a perfect illustration of the principle that it truly depends either on what you want, or on what you might want but are limited by what you can afford.  Technically, the car has much to recommend it and even for its size, it has good value at its price.   The price, new, ranges from $16,850 to $19,850 depending on exact model.  Presumably, with a used model you can get a mini-Cooper for a lower price still.

One thing that seems to apply in this case is that the standard, or base, model, is a better value than upgraded models.  The upgrades available appear to do little or nothing to enhance either the performance or the comfort level of the ride.

So, if you are buying new or have the option of multiple used models to choose from, you will want to stick as close as possible to the no-frills model of mini-Cooper.

The mini-Cooper’s two best features are its excellent cornering abilities and the extent of some serious headroom for a “mini.”  Although per some reviews, the “headroom” appears to apply to the front seats only and is more limited for rear seat passengers.

The mini-Cooper comes in two models:  a Coupe and a Convertible.  The standard Coupe delivers 115 horsepower, and the Convertible 163 horsepower.

In a sense, the mini-Cooper is also a status car.

Safety ratings aren’t the best for this model, that is one drawback.  They range, depending on the precise national safety test, from “good” to “acceptable.”  One of the “acceptable” tests is roof impact, which is unlikely to be a concern in most cases.  However the other is “side impact,” which would presumably be a concern if your son or daughter is riding in the suicide [front passenger] seat. 

On front and rear crash test results, however, the mini-Cooper came up as having “good” results, which is a plus.

Why is the mini-Cooper a status car?   In part because of a number of innovations and also that more than one manufacturer has at times been involved in its manufacture over time. 

The mini-Cooper has only recently resurfaced in the U.S. market, which again makes it somewhat of a status car.  The mini-Cooper was taken out of the U.S. market during 1968, for failure to meet either safety or emissions standards set into place in that year.

Most recently, however, improvements to this vehicle have given the manufacturers the capacity to re-introduce this model into the U.S. market once again. 

If you would like to explore the status of owning such an unusual vehicle in the United States automotive market, check out availability at a dealership such as DC's top dealership: MINI of Baltimore.

References:  U. S. News, http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/MINI_Cooper/Safety/

Tradition

Tradition.

I had to think of it this weekend.

Tradition is a marvelous thing.

Yet, we must realize that one thing about tradition is that it isn’t permanent; it does indeed change.

It doesn’t as a rule change in a “revolutionary” way, of overthrowing all that has gone before, but an “evolutionary” way, of adding or taking away from past traditions.  Changing as the household changes, in fact.

As children grow up and meet those of other traditions; and bring those into the home; or marry and the couple mixes traditions, then things alter in a natural confluence of life forces.

Why am I off on this?

Well, this past weekend is what used to be called Gaudette Sunday.  The third weekend in Advent; when we pause in penitential observance for anticipatory joy.

I won’t get into my present circumstances that have kept me from packing up an artificial Christmas tree for quite some time; but per family tradition I lit up the tree for the first time this weekend [in a “normal” year, were there such a thing, I’d  have trimmed it from the start this weekend.]

I wrote a short story, once, that talked about “who” is on the tree.  Which referred to people associated with certain trims or ornaments on the tree who have gone before and are no longer of this world.

And . . . I didn’t light the tree last year for very personal reasons, so though it is well trimmed, it is two years since I saw it lit.

And . . . as I gazed at it on Sunday, the first day I lit the tree; that is again what I saw.

A cherished ornament from a long-deceased friend; crafts from others long gone; inherited family ornaments; crafts from various church bazaars I’ve patronized; some of my own crafts from days when I had both more energy and more leisure.

Ways of setting up the tree, so that Jesus’s Incarnation and Nativity are “front and center.”

These things struck me on Gaudette Sunday as I gazed at the lit up Christmas tree.

This was our tradition in my family as I grew up.  It was on this weekend:  Gaudette, that we began the celebration.  We would procure the tree [sometimes artificial; but more often a real tree], set it up, and begin the trimming --- and the listening to Christmas music by choice on our own tapes or records versus the radio’s dictates --- on this weekend.

In a way, I have carried forth that same tradition.  And that is to cherish.

Happy Gaudette to all who read this.