2014 Chevrolet Corvette is Coming!

The Corvette is America's favorite two-seat sportscar. In it's nearly sixty years of production, it's only in its sixth generation, so there's always a lot of excitement whenever a new one comes out.

Now, there's talk of Generation 7 coming in 2014. I just discovered the latest information in this AutoWeek article online.

As a journalist, my seat time in Corvettes has been pretty limited, but it's always a memorable week. The cars are very low to the ground and when you sink down into that cockpit, you know you're not motoring about in a Malibu. The sound of the V8 engine is smooth and quiet now and the interiors are modern and plastic. I still hear Beach Boys songs in my head when I'm driving one, but I haven't been in one in years.

My favorite has always been the Sting Ray series of Corvette--generation 2, from 1963-67, a relatively short run. The car that followed in 1968, Generation 3, ran for well over a decade, with many small, cumulative changes, to 1982 before the all-new 1984 model debuted. There was no 1983 model--an interesting factoid to remember for your next cocktail party.

Meanwhile, the auto press will bubble over sightings and enthusiast speculation until the new car arrives. I hope I'll get to drive it soon after.

Happy Jewish New Year--Rosh Hashana Tova

Rosh Hashana is the start (literally the "head") of the Jewish year. Unlike the secular calendar, the Jewish New Year starts in the fall. The dates vary (according to the secular calendar, at least) because the Hebrew Calendar, while around 365 days long, is divided into 13 months.

In any case, the Jewish Year 5772 started last night at sundown. As usual, I didn't do anything about it.

Back when Jews were all pretty much living together in their own communities, the new year was a big deal. Also, following right behind it, was Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, when you basically said, "Ok, it's the new year, I'm sorry for the wrong things I did and the mistakes I made and I'm going to do better this year. Oh--and I won't eat today to remind myself."

As an essentially nonobservant Jew living with non-Jews, I will not fast this year. How can I? My band has a gig to play that day and I'd starve. In all seriousness, though, it doesn't feel like I have to.

Judaism is an ancient tradition, but like any practice, it takes daily--or at least regular--observance. I don't do that. But sometimes I wish I did, and it's still a good time to think about my life.

Scion xB Release Series 8.0 - Big Blue

I'm finishing up a week with the Scion xB in Voodoo Blue. It's fun to say that color out loud (lots of people commented on it and I had to tell them). It was easy to find the box-bodied car in the parking lot, too.

The xB, in its second generation, is a bigger car than the original box, which we could buy here in the U.S. from 2004 to 2007. This one has the larger 158-horsepower engine from the tC coupe, Scion's bestseller. It's not as shamelessly cute as the first one.

But it's a handy car to have around and turned out to be a nice commuter. You don't get as much wind noise as you might think from driving a brick through the air at 70 mph. The sound system made friends with my iPod, hiding in the center console bin. The rear seats are quite spacious. My nearly six-foot-tall son remarked on it without me asking. Those seats flip down in a second to accommodate cargo, including upright basses, boxes and what have you.

My car came with an automatic, and it looks like that's what Toyota dealers have in stock--I checked at my local auto emporium. This is no sports car, but it does feel zippy at least. I got 24 miles per gallon, which is OK but nothing to get excited about.

The Release Series 8.0 sounds like software, and is presumably meant to appeal to young buyers who are familiar with the nomenclature. My car was one of 2,000 made in the series--and had an illuminated badge on the transmission console to prove it (it was number 1112).

My test car retailed at $23,186, including special 17-inch wheels and tires, upgraded Alpine stereo, carbon fiber window trim, Bluetooth system and Scion Security.

Special editions help a car sell when it's been around awhile. I'll be interested to see where the xB goes in its third generation--if there is one.

Jimi Hendrix - Crosstown Traffic - Today

I was driving along on the way to work last week and the flow of cars bogged down--again. Commuting 22 miles each way to work every day is a chore, but is also the time I get to listen to music. When you can't do much else (except watch out for other drivers!) listening is the best thing.

Well, sometimes what's happening outside matches what's on the air or on my iPod. Up came Jimi Hendrix's Crosstown Traffic and suddenly my mood about the sluggish pace changed. It all seemed to fit--and everything was OK. Then the traffic cleared--a bonus--and I was into the home stretch.

I listened to Jimi Hendrix as a teenager--when he was still around. He died, way too young, almost exactly 41 years ago.

His sound was loud, but carefully rendered, and with only a bass and drums surrounding his amazing guitar leads, perfect and clean always. His singing was remarkably subtle and tender and the lyrics meant something. Recently, the surprisingly virtuosic John Mayer has covered and replicated that sound with his trio, particularly with Jimi's Bold as Love.

To me, Jimi's sound expressed perfectly the stress and opportunity of being a teenager in the late 1960's.

A Gifted Man - Intriguing CBS Pilot

Last night, I spent a couple of hours watching TV. That's a big deal, because I seldom do. But my wife told me about A Gifted Man, a new medical procedural show on CBS, and it sounded interesting.

In brief, New York's finest neurosurgeon (Patrick Wilson) has problems. Despite his wealth and fame (and good looks and charm), his prominent patients won't follow his instructions (fatally) and don't appreciate his work (angrily). Then his ex-wife (Jennifer Ehle) turns up mysteriously after ten years. That's kind of a nice break, until he (and we) discover that she's been dead for two weeks. Her ghost has important business and needs his help.

Since their separation, while he has risen to the top in the city, she has been directing a clinic for the poor on the other side of town. He didn't even know she was around. Her first task for him is to open up her computer at the clinic, which he does in seconds. But his chance meeting with a young patient in need there begins something new for him--or maybe it's just reminding him of his earlier medical life and goals.

If this were a movie, we'd see the man change, with the help of his big-hearted wife's spirit. But as a TV series, we'll have to see how he deals with an inconveniently awakened conscience a piece at a time. Will he give up his Ferrari to go help the needy? Will he become a nicer person? Will his ex-wife ever go away?

The last series I shared with my wife was Monk, another story of a man searching for answers and slowly becoming a "better" man in the process. It kept me interested for years. We'll see how A Gifted Man pans out.

CBS - Fridays, 8 p.m. (7 Central)

Two Moms in the Raw - Good for You

I was looking for a healthy snack the other day. I passed on the candy aisle, but near the check-out I found a Two Moms in the Raw Gojiberry Granola bar. Later, back at work, I nibbled at it during the afternoon and it did the trick.

What I learned on their website is that the founder, Shari, was diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis in 2004 and decided that a raw food diet would be the best path to healing. She was making great recipes and at some point, it got too expensive to just give it away. So she started her company.

Two Moms in the Raw makes and sells cereal, chia bars, granola, nut bars and sea crackers. All of it is tasty and good for you.

I guess I don't have to give up snacks--just the bad ones.

Zenergo - Online Matchup for Fun

I just had one of my automotive stories appear on Zenergo. It was used (with permission) from this daily blog. Zenergo is a great place to network with other people with similar interests. You connect online and then meet in person.

Like to bike? Play music? Squaredance? Birdwatch? What if you're a single looking for someplace other than a bar to meet someone? Zenergo is designed to be an alternative to that scene. It's free, too.

You can also organize and publicize events there. I just posted an notice for my band, Red Paint, a few minutes ago. We're playing in a couple of weeks and I'm trying to get the word out. Of course, it's localized to where I live, but some activities (game development, writing, etc.) could easily be done from a distance.

Once you sign up, you'll have a profile, email, and the kinds of things you'd expect to have on Facebook.

Check it out.