I’m proud of when American carmakers get it right. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen nearly as much as I’d like. I’m not going to go into some long-winded diatribe on the state of health care and benefits in the US auto industry — that certainly isn’t helping matters — but GM, in particular, has to start making world-class cars that stand on their own four tires against the world’s best.

I believe the Corvette C6 does that. The performance variant, the Z06, is 505 horsepower of aluminum, magnesium, leather and ass-whuppin’. You want proof that GM is gunning for the best? Here are photos showing that GM is putting its super-duper duper car, the not-as-yet-officially-named Z07 against the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.

Specs on the Z07? Nothing official yet, but we’re talking upwards of 600 horses. ‘Merican muscle may soon be back in a big, big way.

Source: Insideline via Autoblog

If there’s one thing I’m constantly saying, it’s that there isn’t enough bartering going on these days. Well, maybe this is the first time I’ve ever said it, but dammit, I mean it. We all did it as kids, right? Baseball cards, video games, I’ll show you, you show me. That kind of stuff. Well, Crumpler Bags is getting in on some of that action in a really cool way.

From June 9th - June 17th at it’s two Manhattan locations: 45 Spring St. and 49 8th Ave, Crumpler will be holding its second annual US Beer for Bags exchange-fest.

From a press release, details emerge:

A selection of the company’s messenger, laptop and photo bags will be offered in exchange for specific varieties and quantities of ale representing a saving of over 30%. One case of Coopers and four Fosters Oil Cans can be traded for a Barney Rustle Messenger bag (retail $95). A Moderate Embarrassment laptop satchel (retail $80) can be procured for two cases of Asahi and a packet of ramen noodles.

But that ain’t all. Follow THIS LINK for a spinning wheel exchange chart. Give it a read to know ahead of time what you’ll need to bring. And what will Crumpler do with the ale from the sale? Participants will be invited to a party afterwards to sample and appreciate the amber brew. The remainder will be donated to art, charity and sporting events. “It’s in our own interests to support others by spreading the beer love, otherwise Crumpler staff will end up with enormous beer bellies” quipped Crumpler spokesman John Thursday.

In addition to beer’s many, many uses, it’s now currency. Take advantage, one and all.

Carlos Toraño cigars are well known for their very fine, hand-crafted cigars. I’m a fan of smooth cigars with a mild to medium strength, and Toraño fits that bill perfectly. The brand dates all the way back to, well, 90 years ago. Accordingly, to celebrate this milestone, its limited edition Noventa has been released.

Each special edition Noventa is made from five-year-old Nicaraguan tobacco, and are aged in reserve until they reach their peak and have a wrapper and binder of Habano Nicaragua with a filler of Pueblo Nuevo, Esteli, Jalapa and Condega (Nicaraguan Regions). Cigar Aficionado describes it as very smooth, with a medium strength.

Check them out.

Many times, if it’s “good for you,” whatever “it” is will taste like cardboard and Elmer’s glue. Have you ever had soy milk? Wholly crap, people. I’d rather eat my Adidas. Similarly, I tend to scoff at products splattered with the words “organic” or “all natural,” as these descriptions strike me many times as gimmiky.

4 Copas Tequila may be the exception. Currently available in three varieties, Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo, 4 Copas has just been certified as the world’s first organic tequila. Practically, what this means is that the company closely manages its own distillery and fields and maintains a tight grip on all phases of the production:

“We cultivate and supervise our own plantations, as well as the fields resulting from our partnerships with other agave producers, to assure the handling of organic raw materials, that is, free of pesticides and chemical manures.”

Sound like a gimmick? Maybe, but 4 Copas has been chosen by Wine & Spirits Magazine as the 2006 Tequila of the Year. Marketing implications aside, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with pure ingredients. One drawback — this stuff is difficult to get a hold of at this point. Until national distribution can be set up, the best place to purchase 4 Copas is online at Internet Wine and Spirits.

Via Liquor Snob

There’s nothing quite like the great outdoors to clear your head. If you do it right, there will be no cell phones, no email, no computers or traffic — all the things that tend to drive us crazy.

One of the greatest escapes to the outdoors that I have experienced is located right here in the good ol’ U S of A. The Centennial Trail is 111 miles of rolling hills, jagged rock outcroppings, amazing views and national treasures. In fact, the Centennial passes right by Mount Rushmore, which has to be seen to be believed. You can walk or bike the trail, and you don’t have to travel the entire distance. There are trail heads sprinkled throughout the Black Hills of South Dakota (located between 3 to 10 miles apart), so travel as much, or as little, as you’d like.

My advice, take 10 days and travel the entire distance.

All the info you need is located right HERE.

When my wife and I were building our house, we were given an option/spec sheet, much like buying a car. One of the options was a deck upgrade, from 10X12 to 10×16. I know, it doesn’t seem like much, but that extra space would have been very helpful for a grill, or a larger table. We went with the smaller deck so that we could put hardwood down throughout the bottom level. Good decision at the time, but we were stuck with the smaller deck, which sometimes makes outdoor living space a bit tight.

Our solution? Two fold. One, the gazebo you see above. At 10X10, it fit snugly, but perfectly on our deck. This has made it a good living area, for outdoor couches and stuff. Two, we had a stamped concrete patio put down, which makes the deck area flow a lot better. We’ve been extremely impressed with the gazebo, though. A very simple, and inexpensive idea, it really adds a lot more than the price tag would suggest that it could.

Make sure that you watch it in high winds, perhaps take off the canopy, and it looks to be a good all-weather space that you can enjoy year ’round. Even if you were too cheap to buy the bigger deck.

Check out the product page at Home Depot.

If there are two things that I know for sure, it’s 1) I’m no longer in college; and 2) sometimes I wish I was still in college. Ah, the days of zero responsibility. Thing is, I was a guitar player in a band with fairly steady gigs, so cash was plentiful, expenses were next to zero (thanks, Dad), and I had nothing but time. My, how times have changed.

So how do I recapture that feeling? Beer Sudz has a suggestion: the Jellyfish Beer Bong. How else to recreate the happiest moments of youth than to cram beer down your gullet as quickly as humanly possible?

I had the opportunity to test the Jellyfish at a neighborhood Cinco de Mayo party this past weekend. It was a hit, for sure, probably most of all for its novelty. Bottom line, the Jellyfish is a lot of fun. It’s light, portable, a good gag. But it’s by no means perfect. The biggest problem is that the tube tends to get twisted, making drinking difficult. The tried and true clear hose from our college days was far more effective.

So I’m not going to wax poetic on this product much longer, but I will say this: grab one for a laugh. It will liven up any party, even if it won’t teleport you back in time to the frat house.

When I was a kid, my older cousin had this kick-ass remote control car. Not one of those Radio Shack jobbies, but one from a local hobby shop that specialized in such items. That sonufabitch had upgraded wheels and what seemed like a 300 horsepower engine. From that moment, I thought that remote controlled cars were the coolest thing ever, but I never had one.

Maybe now I, and others like me, can get our collective fix on. How about a remote controlled lawnmower? That’s right: the LawnBott is in full effect. From Gizmodo:

Charge it up on its docking station and it will go for 4 hours - or 33,000 square feet - on one single charge. It’s apparently so quiet that you can let it run all night without bugging the neighbors, it doesn’t mind a bit of light rain, and a heavier shower will send it toddling back to its base station like the obedient little robot it is.

Two words: Awe Some. Coolness don’t come cheap, though. This puppy will set you back about $1800, which is about the price of a riding lawnmower. It may be worth it just to see the look on your know-it-all neighbor’s face.

Check the full Press Release (via Gizmodo)

In news that will surprise absolutely no one, Spiderman 3 opens up tonight at midnight. Some of you may actually be waiting in line to see it as I write this. Well, that’s lame, but seeing the movie isn’t.

I can’t say that I’m a huge comic-themed movie fan, but I’m definitely interested in this one. I mean, I haven’t actually been to a movie since my daughter was born, more than 2 and 1/2 years ago. Maybe it’s time again.

Someone let me know whether it’s worth it.

Some of you may like your weekend roadsters with a little bit of sport, and a whole helluva lot of “Back Up Off Me, Bitches.” Well, dudes, this Solstice is for you. Mallet takes what is already a pretty engaging little car and enfused it with the LS2 V8 from the ‘Vette, pumping out 400 hp. I think that officially makes the car insane, but in a good way, like “isn’t it insane that I just won eleventy billion dollars, ISN’T THAT INSANE!?!?!?”

Deets include the aforesaid balls-out engine upgrade, and what Mallet is calling the “Pitbull Edition bodykit.” Set to debut at this year’s SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the new six-piece fiberglass kit widens the standard car by four inches up front and by five in the back. Wowza.

This will set you back an additional $16,000 to $18,000 on top of the base car. Mid ’40s for this? You betcha.

Check out more at Motorauthority.com via Jalopnik