Unless you’re an automobile historian, you’ve probably never heard about Charles Kettering. You do know some of his inventions, though. He was the guy behind such things as the automotive ignition systems, starter motors and even Freon gas. He was also the founder of DELCO Corporation, a well-known automotive parts manufacturer now owned by General Motors.
Heard about the Volkswagen diesel scandal? If not, here’s the short course: Volkswagen recently got involved in a high-profile scandal when it was discovered that they had modified the software in their diesel-powered cars to meet emission requirements. This was an embarrassing event for Volkswagen, but as it turns out, it’s just the latest in the odd history of the diesel engine. Here’s the story.
As you know, rubber is a key component of tires. What you may not know, however, is that there are two kinds of rubber used by tire manufacturers. The first is natural rubber, which is made from the latex harvested from tropical rubber trees. This natural rubber makes up about 30% of today’s tires. The second is synthetic rubber, a type of rubber that is made from petroleum. Synthetic rubber makes up about 70% of the rubber in your average tire. Pretty simple, except one type of rubber can be problematic to source.
For many wine lovers, $20 remains a glass ceiling. For some, it’s the most they’ll ever spend on a bottle, and for others, it’s a threshold they only consider crossing for special occasions and holidays. However, there’s a ton of wine available on store shelves all over the country for under $20; the trouble is that so much of it isn’t very good. I’m constantly on the lookout for wines that are well priced, with a sense of their origins and most importantly delicious.
The Q Collection is a label that is putting out a series of regional wines. These offerings are under $20 and each provides drinking pleasure that exceeds the price point. Each one also shows clear typicity, both to the grape in question and the specific area it was grown in. They also clock in at under 14% alcohol. Here’s a look at the individual wines.
Q Collection 2015 Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($18)
The Russian River Valley is one of California’s best for Chardonnay, but depending on a ton of factors, there are all sorts of results one might get from Chardonnay grown there. Specifically, when we’re talking about under $20 Chardonnay, the use of oak (often oak chips) can be obtrusive and create elements that seem anything but natural. That’s not a problem here. This Chardonnay is loaded with orchard fruit aromas and flavors. Golden delicious apple, Anjou pear and more dominate the show here. Pie crust and baker’s spices lead the finish, which also shows off a hint of crème fraiche and a subtle mineral component. Firm acid keeps things in check.
Every Tuesday, I review the newest Blu-ray releases and let you know whether they’re worth buying, renting or skipping, along with a breakdown of the included extras. If you see something you like, click on the cover art to purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon, and be sure to share each week’s column on social media with your friends.
“La La Land”
Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash” was my favorite film of 2014, so the bar was set pretty high for his next project, a loving homage to the big, bold and colorful musicals of Hollywood’s Golden Age featuring two of today’s brightest stars. Thankfully, “La La Land” is every bit as enchanting as you’ve heard. Though it doesn’t have the most original story, the movie gets by on the strength of its delightful musical numbers and the irresistible charm of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, who radiate the kind of old-school glamour that feeds into the film’s nostalgic spirit. For a movie about chasing your dreams in a town known for crushing them, “La La Land” is surprisingly optimistic until its bittersweet end, providing the kind of Technicolor escapism that the world needs more of these days.
Extras include an audio commentary by writer/director Damien Chazelle and composer Justin Hurwitz, over an hour of behind-the-scenes featurettes (including a look at filming some of the musical sequences) and much more. FINAL VERDICT: BUY
