Dear friends,

Welcome to the 2012 Sonata 2.0 T. I like the Sonata 2.0T so much I am going to share it with you in this post. Although not a perfect car in every regard, for the money, it is the best value on the market. Style, trim, performance and technology all in a new class of “seriously this is how much”? So I bought a black on black 2.0T back in January. And I have never been more pleased with a car.

Adams black Sonata 2.0t

I liked it the first time I saw it. It is a good looking car. The designer of the 2012 Hyundai Sonata was the same guy who designed the Mercedes C Series. And yes, if you look at a Mercedes C Series it is pretty obvious the similarities.

The Powertrain

The Sonata 2.0T engine is very good. It has torque, enough to smoke tires. Yes, there is a traction control off button. Just for those rainy days, right? When the turbo has a chance to (really) spool up around 3,800 RPM, it’s very quick. I mean like to 60 in mid-six seconds. The power delivery from 40 to 120 is shocking. Because the car is very smooth and quiet, you don’t relize how fast you just accelerated until you hear the wind and look down at the gauges.

Everyday driving is a dream as the engine revs so low for the power. Passing on the highway is as easy as tapping the gas, at 60, 70 or even 80. The dual clutch auto-manual trans is a great combination with this engine. It is smooth, responsive and again quiet in Automatic. And did I mention it gets decent gas mileage. I average 38 miles on the highway when I’m cruising at 65-70. Around town I am near the average of 25. And it runs well on regular gas, but even better on Premium. Try an octane booster as well, turbo will generate the 17.4 pounds of boost to its best efficiency.

Now, understand- I am talking about a 2 litter engine here. Bolt a turbo, give it 17.4 pounds of boost and add direct fuel injection, you get 274 horses with similar torque levels. Honestly, it may be the best in breed of 4 cylinder engines ever made. Except maybe the 2.0 in the Evo, what is better? And it is quiet. In fact, it is to quiet. Please Hyundai make a factory (or endorse) an after market boost blow off valve that does not void the killer warranty.

When in manual I find the engine and trans to be a little sluggish with the turbo engagement. Once you give it a second in manual mode its a rocket like the automatic, but it is noticeably different power delivery. Also, in manual you will hear the turbo lag more, especially when low reeving around town. In auto though, the engine and turbo are bassically seamless.

One downside is that the steering wheel and “feel” of the car is of luxury. Which hey, I love for daily driving. But it would have been great to have a driving mode that returned better feel from the steering wheel. You can literally go left or right on the steering wheel an inch before the car reacts. That is a good thing in traffic and what not, but could be better when going around the corners. If I had to choose, being an enthusiast type of driver, I would prefer they stiffen that part especially for the 2.0T package.

The Looks:

For the money, there is not a better looking car inside and out. The interior is very cool. It has a blue cockpit and a very open design. The gauges are unbelievable, very 3D looking. It has just enough buttons, hidden compartments and just a great layout.

They thought of everything to, like in the center on the roof is a small blue led light that illuminates the cabin in sky blue light. It has hands free Bluetooth with a mic above the driver, voice activated navigation and voice activated radio controls. Honestly, the interior is basically perfect except for the front seats. Cruise control works great. It has an iPod dock and USB located in front for easy access. It even has two 12 volt chargers for a phone and my radar detector.

The steering wheel controls are very good. The steering wheel is okay, I would have preferred they made the entire thing leather but it ain’t bad at all. The buttons have a great feel and location though.

The Sonata 2.0T front seats are my biggest issue. They are just not sporty (supportive) enough. The engine, 18 inch tires and sport suspension screams play hard. The problem is the passenger literally slides around and so do you. The seats needs to be more like 2011 Acura TSX. However, on the plus side, I really like that the driver side seat is fully auto, with a back support and lift support. It goes front to back and up and down. Another plus is the combination of leather on the sides and swede in the middle. It is really the best of both.

The back seats are perfect to. Guest say they are comfortable and have plenty of room. A good friend who is 6’2 fit back there without an issue. The trunk is friggin’ huge, and the back seats fold down easy to boot. There is more than enough space.

The outside is very good. The 18′s are a prefect design for this car. The dual exhausts looks great and runs silent. The fog lights and front lights are perfect. It ain’t that annoying white color either that most other luxury cars feature. The paint is superb. Honestly, the 2012 Hyundai Sonata has a wonderful paint factory. Hyundai has bragged about this in their commercials too.

To sum it up:

Its a great car. I like it more every time I see it. The key-less entry and push start are amazing features. I almost never touch my key anymore. I like it more every time I drive it. And I am not shocked every time I get the bill either. So there you have it, go and drive one. But good luck finding the 2.0T Model. I have been driving mine for a month and have not seen another one yet. I have seen plenty of regular 2.4 liter Sonata’s though.

There you have it.

Written by Adam Faragalli on 2/25/2012.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T Price:
MSRP: $19,695 – $28,095

Value Is the New Luxury

Think about this, when was the last time you as a consumer felt blissful luxury? Was it spending full price at a restaurant because you could afford it? Doubt it. Was it spending full price on a retail item at a local store instead of ordering it online? Doubt it. Or was it using some technology to save money on the same things you enjoy everyday? Bingo.

I just saved huge on this meal because I used Groupon, LivingSocial, ScoutMob, SweetJacks, Valpax, Coupon Factory, and I can go on and on and on. All these value derived membership services that all suck in their own unique ways. So I present a solution to you, with no subscription or cost to you the consumer.

Imagine you could connect your local business with your consumer in a better way online with a new syndication technology. Your business loved our technology because it is cost effective, involving no revenue sharing, no half off only offers and gave you additional services like SEO and a Landing Page, at no extra charge. In addition, the Landing page features HD Video and hi-res pictures with your story, all included for free.

The consumer loves our technology because it functions like Craigslist, hauls like Google, guarantees them it is the best deal for that business online and works perfect with everything they already do/use online, including social media, smart phones and tablets. We do have an iPhone/iPad app, but not releasing it till we have more markets.

Then take that technology one step further and syndicate it on hundreds of web sites and multiple platforms. Google, Bing and Yahoo does not declare the technology as spam because the technology follows their stringent SEO rules.

The software benefits the sites that integrate our platform. For example, news affiliates love the important Search Engine Marketing improving dynamic content. In addition, most any  web site can incorporate our syndication technology right into it. Every time your business is discovered on a different site, it is indexed separately for the search engines when clicked organically by consumers.

One of the best features of this syndication technology is the ability to “filter” the service. For example, new Professional Services and Drink Specials sites are now live online. This allows the local consumer to research using the Professional filter the best local plumbers, dentists, hair stylists, real estate agents, etc all while seeing their value adding propositions. Imagine this in every market across the planet. It is incredible what this syndicated technology will do.

So if you had developed this technology what would you do next? Like any product, you have to bring it to market. So that is where Synd It Global comes in. Synd stands for syndication, and we will make it a household term. The team is working tirlessley to develop this revolutionary service in six markets. We are almost two down with a third on the horizon. We are connecting local businesses to new sites developing every month. It is not a quick or easy process, but it will pay off.

Synd it Global software is on 28 sites in Nashville. In total, Synd it Global now works with 842 businesses covering 64 web sites in 3 regions. I prefer not to go into great detail on the current sites as they constantly change, evolve and grow. But if you are reading this, you maybe want to save a few dollars. If you are in the Virgin Islands or Nashville, here are some great sites we have live that work great.

http://www.nash.clipone.com/ orwww.Deals.vi. Check them out below by clicking on the image. See the service and how effective it is at providing all the information you need to connect to local businesses in those markets. Of course we hope you use them to add value to your life.

July 2^nd. 8:00 p.m.

Thoughts on our recent arrival in Chisinau, Moldova.

First Look, Airport at Chisinau

Moldova Countryside

Chisinau Apartments

This is a story about cultural differences between people of The Republic of Moldova and the Americans. Two different cultures, one collective in nature, one individualistic. Two ways of life, one is about survival, another about prosperity.

Yet, the power of the human condition has proven to conquer all. Friendships have evolved, bonds created and memories made; a lasting mark on myself, the American team and the Moldovan people of Belsty that will last a lifetime.

It will never cease to amaze this Nashville native how much Western life penetrates and influences people at all corners of the globe. Even in a place like the Republic of Moldova, apart of communist Russia for decades, now in many ways resembles American life in terms of some* of the population’s access to modern dress, food, alcohol, automobiles and even many of our technology advances.

The wealthy enjoy access to new Samsung cell phones, drive BMW’s, shop at posh boutiques and drink diet Coke too. But yet, there remains a large disconnect between the middle class and poor, especially with the Jewish communities we have visited here.

Our friend Irina said, “We survive, life is not easy. Jobs are hard to find, corruption is high and not much comes easy.”

This trip was organized by The Greensboro Jewish Federation, with the additional support of the Nashville Jewish Federation. Their overall aim is to help foster the Jewish identity and culture of the people of Beltsy, Moldova. A people struggling both financially and spiritually.

I quickly discovered this is no easy feat. Think about this, what it means to be Jewish in America is completely unique to your micro Jewish culture and traditions. Be it of your community or family, or even denomination. So creating a Jewish experience with a people dealing with anti-Semitism and a struggling Jewish identity was a challenge.

Another challenge is the lack of comparable life styles. One family we did a house visit in Belsty had no TV, non air conditioning or running water. Their front yard consisted of eatable herbs andvegetables. Yet, they were happy, just a close family, a bit stuck in the past. When I asked Tanya, the youngest daughter what she did for fun, she smiled at her family and said she liked to dance to music, which I later found out was basically from the 70′s, you remember The Bee Gees right?

Well here is a reminder, love this.

But I was expecting for Moldova something between “House on the Prairie” and a cold war deprived environment. What actually exists is a people just trying to better their country and community. Fighting to join the European Union and take advantage of all our western advances. In addition, a small Jewish community fighting a government who is passive aggressive and unsupportive to their needs.

I am happy to introduce a guest writer Angela Brown from London, an alumni of Oxford. Need more proof that this site attracts visits from all over the world?

Angela contacted me to write an article about financial matters. I though a bit about what may interest my readers. I suggested an article focused around the new Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf and ultimately how these innovations will change the automobile industry, the financial markets and any other thoughts. Here is what she came back with with some  thoughts of mine interjected. May you too find it interesting. In any case, I’m very excited about these electric/hybrid cars and the changes  they may bring. (changes desperately needed)

How Electric Cars May Change the Landscape of the Automobile Industry.

The introduction of the new electric and plug-in cars is definitely going to have a great impact on the whole of the automobile industry, the associated economy and the stock market. For example, Chevrolet’s Volt and Nissan’s Leaf electric car are the most discussed about cars. The city governments too are bringing in the battery chargers and Obama too has promoted the technology.

Nissan Leaf Plug In Charger Picture

Nissan Leaf Interior Picture

Chevy Volt with Chevy Logo

Chevy Volt Interior Picture

Impact of the electric cars

Electric cars can save you money on gasoline. But can they save you money in the big picture? Today’s electric cars are more subsidized and so buyers may be able to get enough tax breaks. For example, the Nissan Leaf – a four-door hatchback car has the base price of around $32,780. However, it is eligible for $7,500 federal tax credit. The Chevy Volt, coming in just over $40,000 also qualifies for this discount. This makes the car cheaper than other vehicles. It is also cheaper than any other electric vehicles in the market. But lets be realistic, $40,000 buys you a nice luxury car from Lexus, Infinity or BMW too. In any case, it is nice to know you may be able to save thousands of dollars from the federal government if you buy an electric car.

According to Mark Duvall, the director of electric transportation for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the price of gas is $4 a gallon but a plug-in hybrid car can save a person about $15,000 to $18,000 over his life, on the assumption that people drive 1,000 to 1,200 miles per month.

This is a post that has been some time in the making. On the one account, I could say I have suffered from a case of writers block. I have been writing for over three years on just this site alone. On the other hand, offline life has been really demanding. Call it lack of time, lack of energy, lack of inspiration, it really does not matter what you call it, but lets just say I am trying to write again.

With such a demanding life, realized I needed to make a change in my diet. I also wanted to impact my appearance, but my main goal was to have more energy and been all around healthier. So I went on an all encompassing diet plan and workout program. Please understand, this is not a post where I introduce a brand new workout or diet program. No, this is about what has worked for me from what is already been created by nutrition, supplement, and exercise professionals.

For about the past five years, I have remained a very workout centered individual. I actively attended a gym, lifted weights, did cardio, avoided fast food, and related things. In fact, I actually got into lifting weights, put on about 20 pounds of muscle when the time I graduated college. Still, I’m an endomorph, so for me, it is easier to put on muscle, much harder to burn fat and look lean. An endomorph is someone who is genetically prone to store fat easily due to a slow metabolism. Endomorph body types are usually, but not always, large-framed with medium to large joints.

Naturally, especially for those that know me, I love a challenge. When it suddenly struck me that I desired to take my body to the “next level” of fitness, I knew I needed to make some serious changes. That is exactly what this post is all about.

Great video about what the national media  did not report. I live less than two mintues from neighborhoods that are still cleaning up. I hope this in any way can get us more assistance.

-Adam Faragalli (.com)