The Manor Reigns Supreme

10 of L.A.'s Most Iconic Residences

10. The Manor: 594 S. Mapleton Drive, Westwood

• When it comes to design, is less really more? It certainly wasn’t for Aaron Spelling. The television mogul commissioned this flashy, 56,000-square-foot mega mansion in 1988, and it quickly rose to fame as the largest residential home in Los Angeles County (a record it still holds today). Few escape the spotlight unscathed, however, and the Manor is no exception. From the beginning, it’s been the target of ridicule from socially aware critics who deride its shameless display of consumerism; as well as from aesthetes, who find its gaudiness more than enough cause for concern. The gargantuan, 123-room chateau boasts a bowling alley, an ice skating rink, three designated gift-wrapping rooms and parking space for 100 vehicles (or what we assume was an average Sunday dinner at the Spellings'). Aaron died in 2006, and in 2009, his widow, Candy, put the home on the market at an astronomical $150 million. The listing didn’t budge for two years, until it sold in 2011 at far under asking (practically a steal at $85 million!) to then–23-year-old trust-fund baby Petra Ecclestone Stunt. Candy gave up the Manor — along with her personal hair and beauty salon, and the entire wing of the house dedicated to her clothes — and “downsized” to a two-story, 18,000-square-foot penthouse in Century City. If that’s considered roughing it, sign us up.

Complete list (LAWeekly.com) 

Yes, It Is Ok To Do This

Is It OK To Judge People Based On The Car They Drive?

[I]t’s absolutely acceptable to judge people by the car they’re driving, though you have to be a little more caring with dates than with anyone else, and maybe ask a few follow-up questions before you spit in someone’s face with laughter when she told you she bought an Audi Allroad because she wanted something that can “take me anywhere.”

(Jalopnik.com)

Happy 50th, Iron Mike!

Ranking Mike Tyson's 10 greatest (and nastiest) knockouts 

In honor of Tyson's 50th birthday on Thursday, here are my 10 favorite Tyson KOs.

1. KO1 Michael Spinks (June 27, 1988, Atlantic City, New Jersey)

• This was the apex of Tyson's career, as he retained the undisputed title by blowing away the then-undefeated (and seemingly petrified) Spinks in just 91 seconds in what was, at the time, the richest fight in history. Tyson came to the ring with the hardware (three title belts), but Spinks was lineal champion, even though he had been stripped of his belt. Three days shy of his 22nd birthday, Tyson put aside his mounting personal problems and pulverized Spinks, dropping him twice -- first with a right hand to the body, and then moments later, for good, with a monstrous left-right combination to the jaw. Besides the violence of the KO, I loved Tyson's reaction. He simply spread his arms to receive applause from the crowd, as if he knew the knockout had been preordained. He was never better than on this night. 

Complete list (ESPN.com)

They Wanted To Be #1

Volkswagen Paid Much More For Its Scandal Than GM Or Toyota

The numbers do the talking. VW’s settlement of nearly $15 billion is more than 10 times what Toyota Motor Corp. paid to settle criminal charges in its sudden-acceleration case. It’s roughly 16 times General Motors Co.’s settlement for malfunctioning switches that interfered with air-bag deployments, claiming more than 120 lives.

(Jalopnik.com)

I Gotta Admit, This Car Is Aging Well

Happy 40th birthday, Honda Accord!

Today the Accord turns 40 years old. Over the past four decades Honda sold more than 12.7 million of them, making its iconic sedan the best-selling car in America during that time frame. Honda likes to point out that the Accord is still young at heart, as it's the most popular sedan with the under-35 crowd.

Like most people, the Accord has grown larger and heavier through the years. But the appeal remains strong. The current Accord is one of our favorite family sedans, and a target that the competition rarely hits. It's the car that's synonymous with Honda in America, and in fact the first car built here when the Japanese company started production in Ohio in 1982.

(AutoBlog.com)

Some Good Advice

A Lottery Lawyer Explains What You Should Do if You Hit the Jackpot

OK, so what's the first thing you should do if you have a winning lottery ticket?  

First thing, you want to sign the back of it, because [a winning ticket] is what's called a bearer instrument—technically whoever hands it in is declared the winner. If you sign the back of it, you secure that it is yours. And I tell the big jackpot winners to sign the back, but to leave some room above it, because if we decide to claim it in a trust fund or an LLC or any other kind of entity, you will be able to write the name of that entity above it, and then sign as a trustee or something like that. So sign the back, make a copy of it, and preferably put it in a safety deposit box, or hide it somewhere in your house.

Then what you want to do is start hiring your professionals. You want to call a lawyer for sure—I am talking about if you win $1 million or more, you should do this stuff. Call an attorney, a financial planner, an accountant––that's the team you're gonna need. Obviously the bigger the jackpot, the more necessary it is to get a team like that. Get your team in place, keep quiet, and don't tell anybody. You can tell your immediate family, but as soon as word gets out your life is gonna change, and you don't want your life to change unless you're ready for the change. That time between knowing you won and claiming to the whole world you won is like your last chance of keeping your old life the way it was.

Then figure out how you want to do with the money, because everybody's first instinct is never what they actually want to do when they think about it. So you need that time to figure out what you want to do. Then at least nobody is banging on your door asking for handouts.

(Vice.com)

I Can't Hang With People Like This

(BroBible.com)

The 10 Commandments of Grilling

Thou shalt use fresh meats

• Slapping a frozen slab of meat on the grill makes for an uneven cook: the outside chars while the inside slowly thaws. For best results, you want to use fresh meats that went from the grocery store to your fridge, then straight to the grill. If you absolutely must use frozen, thaw them overnight in the fridge. Don’t even think about cooking those suckers until they are fully thawed.

Thou shalt not mistake the purpose of marinades

• The primary purpose primary purpose is to break down tougher meats (like flank and hanger steaks), to make them easier and more pleasant to chew.If you like the flavor of a marinade on a ribeye, cook that liquid down to a thicker sauce while your meats are cooking without it, then brush it on a minute or so before the end.

Thou shalt always clean thy grill

• Another “what the hell is wrong with you?” situation. A dirty grill leaves pieces of charred and carbonized last night’s meal all over this night’s dinner. That’s nasty. The best time to clean your grill is after you’ve preheated it -- just before you slap down your food. The fire will cook some of the old stuff away, and warm up the Klingons you can scrape them off easily.

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

1 Reason, The Name Of The Venue

8 Reasons Why Road America Is One Of The Word’s Best Race Tracks

Top tier American single seater racing returns to Road America for the first time since 2007 this weekend, so we thought we’d explain why it's one of the greatest circuits around!

4. Fast layout

• Because of its classic characteristics, the Road America track is ferociously fast. Like, really quick, and with some brilliant, high-speed corners too – particularly towards the end of the lap. From the exit of Turn 10 to the final corner, it’s all very quick, flowing and tricky. There are also several long straights, which really push engines to the max.

5. Tricky corners

• As well as some seriously fast turns, there are also several really tricky, more technical parts of the track. The ‘Carousel’ is a ridiculously long right-hander, which is undoubtedly one of the most difficult sections to master. There’s also Turn 5, a slow left-hander that follows a long straight. These are just a few of the challenges drivers face on a lap of Road America!

Complete list (CarThrottle.com)

Yes, She Does

(BroBible.com)

A Great P.S.A.

(Bits&Pieces.us)

Yes & No

(Bits&Pieces.us)

I Do Need This In My Life

I'll Tell You What You Need: You Need This Manual V12-Swapped BMW E34 M5

From the original Rochester, NY Craigslist description:

The custom driveline was hand built by Brett Anderson from Koala Motorsport in Cleveland OH in December of 2008 when the car had 73,057 miles. Currently, the car has 79,823 miles. The S70B56 V12 motor originally came out of a 850CSi. The 6 speed manual OEM BMW Getrag 560G transmission was NEW at the time of the build!!

(Jalopnik.com)  

The First Blockbuster Trade In The NHL In Quite A While

Canadiens send Subban to Predators for Weber 

Montreal, Nashville exchange No. 1 defensemen in blockbuster trade

 "P.K. Subban is one of the best defensemen in the National Hockey League... offensively he's an equal to Shea Weber," Predators general manager David Poile said. "This was an incredibly hard deal to make. We did this to improve our team and we did that today."

(NHL.com)

The Truth Of The Matter

(CavemanCircus.com)

Real Talk

(BroBible.com)

They See Me Rollin' - Nissan Edition

Veilside’s 0-300km/h King

(SpeedHunters.com)

Yup

(BroBible.com)

This Is Funny

(BroBible.com)

I Got 5 On It

(BroBible.com)

Go Figure

Why Are The Top 5 Vehicles In The Most American-Made Cars Index All Japanese?

(AutoSpies.com)

This Would Piss A Lot Of People Off

What if the mid-engine Corvette is really a Cadillac? 

I could be on to something.

Call me crazy, but I'm not convinced the mid-engine Corvette is the next Corvette. The rumor is strong, yes. And, contrary to some of the comments on our site, Car and Driver - leader of the mid-engine Corvette speculation brigade - has a pretty good record predicting future models. But it's another comment that got me thinking: or maybe it's a Cadillac.

(AutoBlog.com)

I'd Rock These

You can buy Puma shoes inspired by BMW's fabric concept car

(AutoBlog.com)

Yup

(CavemanCircus.com)

There's Some Truth To This

(CavemanCircus.com)

Where I Get My Late Night Grub Fit At

LA's Essential Late Night Dining Restaurants, Summer 2016

2 BCD Tofu House

• A bubbling bowl of hot, spicy Korean tofu stew is going to be one of the most satisfying late night eats in town, and BCD makes up a more the adequate bowl. The spread of banchan and the stone pot bowl of steamed rice is going to mop up any hangover that might be lingering. The dumpling stew or the mixed seafood versions are the best. 
• 3575 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90010

23 Pacific Dining Car - Santa Monica

• One of two all-night restaurants (the other is a stone's throw from Downtown), Pacific Dining Car is the elegant night owl's landing, where white tablecloths and a menu lifted from the 50's makes it presence known. The varied menu is pricey but features items like the Midnight Cowboy Steak and the Rack of Lamb. Because people get hungry at 3 a.m.
• 2700 Wilshire Boulevard Santa Monica, CA 90403

27 Sanamluang Café

• This old-school Thai Town noodle joint serves late into the night, when the local bar goers and Hollywood trouble-makers need a hangover cure. The menu features spicy bowls of Thai Boat Noodles and other classics at a bargain price.
• 5176 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90027

40 The Original Pantry Cafe

• A must-experience, all-night eatery in Downtown doesn't have a better composition than The Original Pantry Cafe, a tried-and-true greasy spoon institution that grills solid steaks and makes the ideal pancakes, any time of day or night. Don't skip the fried potato either, which make a near perfect hangover cure. Cash only, open 24 hours.
• 877 S Figueroa St Los Angeles, CA 90017

47 Suehiro Cafe

• There's something terrific about dining late at night in Little Tokyo, like it's a time warp to decades ago. The food at Suehiro is decidedly Japanese comfort fare, but when it's midnight, what's better than some fried tonkatsu? Open until 1 a.m. weekdays, and until 3 a.m. from Friday to Sunday.
• 337 E 1st St Los Angeles, CA 90012

Complete list (LA.Eater.com)

Looks & Speed On The Road & Links

7 times the auto industry influenced new golf equipment

1. Bentley gets into golf clubs
2. Ferrari and Cobra
3. Mercedes AMG golf clubs
4. Callaway and Lamborghini
5. Kinsler races into putters
6. A Grand Theft Auto golf club?
7. Willie Nelson’s Rolls Royce Golf Cart

(GolfWRX.com)

And It Tastes So Good, Too

(BroBible.com)

Finally, Someone Is Saying Something About This

How LED Daytime Running Lights And LCD Instruments Are Making You Less Safe

While I haven’t done a formal study, I’ve seen enough cars driving around like this for me to believe this is a genuine issue. Many cars now include automatic lights that would solve this if – and this is a huge if – drivers always kept the switch on AUTO. They very often don’t, because I’ve seen them.

As always, instead of cursing the darkness, I’m here to turn on some headlights, so I have a solution: we need a very big and obvious indicator to let people know lights are on. Something to replace that gut-level indicator of a whole dark dash when lights were off on old cars.

I’m thinking that little stupid light needs to turn into some big, full-instrument-cluster width bar-like indicator when lights are on. Something you can’t ignore or overlook. When the brights are on, it can get that standard blue bright icon on it, too, but whatever it is, it needs to be obvious and clear about what’s going on.

(Jalopnik.com)

I'm Going To Be Late To Work

(BroBible.com)

I Agree

(BroBible.com)

Nice Rhyme

(BroBible.com)

There's A Method To The Madness

There’s A Reason Why There’s A Hole In The Middle Of Your Spaghetti Server Is Actually Pretty Smart 

But yes, apparently that’s what the hole in the middle of your spaghetti server is for. Or, if you’re a lazy twat who doesn’t own a strainer, it’s also there so that you can use the server as a janky way to pull spaghetti straight from the pot to your plate without having a gallon of water come along with it.

(BroBible.com)

Sad, But Not Suprising News

History Channel gives Top Gear USA the axe 

Tuesday night’s episode will be the last for the American Top Gear crew. 

The last episode of Top Gear USA featuring Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust, and Wood will air on June 28th (Tuesday night) and has the hosts driving classic American cars in Cuba. According to Wood, the last episode is "one of the coolest things we have ever done together." So here's to hoping the show leaves on a good note.

The American version of Top Gear first aired in 2010 and had a hard time competing with the likes of the original BBC variant with Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond. Towards the end, however, Ferrara, Foust, and Wood were part of a show that could stand on its own.

As Wood points out, the show may be picked up by another network, which could even include some type of online streaming service later on. With the British variant of Top Gear having a myriad of problems, it looks like Top Gear as a whole has spiraled downwards after the departure of the original trio.

(AutoBlog.com)

The Medical Truth

(CavemanCircus.com)

They Are Finally Realizing This Now?

IIHS Concerned Automakers Are Designing To Pass Crash Tests Not To Improve Safety

A recent study conducted by the US Insurance Institute from Highway Safety revealed that while drivers of vehicles that received good ratings in institute’s challenging small overlap test can expect to be protected well in case of a crash, the passengers sitting next to them might not be so lucky.

Therefore, the results made IIHS to consider to tighten its evaluation by adding a passenger-side rating as part of its Top Safety Pick criteria. “This is an important aspect of occupant protection that needs more attention,” said Becky Mueller, an IIHS senior research engineer and the lead author of the study. “More than 1,600 right-front passengers died in frontal crashes in 2014.” The Institute said a passenger-side small overlap ratings could start next year and make it a requirement for one of its safety awards as early as 2018.

(AutoSpies.com)

They See Me Rollin' - Mercedes Benz Edition

Meet the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R

(AutoBlog.com)

I Do!

(BroBible.com)

This Is True

(CavemanCircus.com)

I'd Do The Same Thing

(Bits&Pieces.us)

These Are Just Bad Driving Habits, Period

12 Ways You're Killing Your Gas Mileage

2. Slowing down for corners

• Fun fact: every time you use your brakes, your car's forward momentum is converted into heat, which then just radiates off into the ambient air.
• What to do instead: Pretend you're a (speed limit-abiding) race car driver. Here's a primer on how to do so to save fuel. Be safe about it, but be smart, and you'll have a ton of fun in the process. I guarantee it. 

3. Braking hard for a red light 

• Just as with approaching corners, braking heavily for a light that catches you off guard is bad for your fuel economy... not to mention your safety.
  What to do instead: If you look far enough ahead and are properly maintaining your awareness of what's going on around you, you can often anticipate that a light is about to change, especially if it's one you see often enough to know how long it lasts. That gives you the chance to coast for longer. 

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

Check Your Ticketmaster Accounts!

Ticketmaster Settles $400 Million Lawsuit By Giving You FREE Tickets And Here’s How To Get Them!

A $400 million class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster for outrageous overcharges on tickets that were purchased through the site between October 21, 1999 and February 27, 2013. Approximately 50 million people will receive free tickets and discount codes. Ticketmaster is offering $42 million worth of discount codes on an annual basis for the next four years.

To see if there is free goodies waiting for you because you got taken advantage of my the ticket giant in the past you need to log into your Ticketmaster account. Then view “Active Vouchers,” where if you are eligible will find a treasure trove of free shit.

(BroBible.com)

Toyota Experienced A Deflating Situation In Its Loss

Toyota reveals cause of heartbreaking failure at Le Mans 

A defective air line connector led the No. 5 car's stall.

Toyota was set to become only the second Japanese automaker to win the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. But on the last lap, the No. 5 TS 050 car, which was being driven by Kazuki Nakajima, suffered a technical issue that resulted in a sudden loss of power. In a team statement, Toyota Gazoo Racing has revealed that the culprit was a "defect on a connector on the air line between the turbocharger and the intercooler."

The defective air line connector, according to the statement, resulted in a loss of control over the turbocharger. The team isn't sure why the connector failed and is continuing to analyze the component to get down to the root cause, the team said in the statement.

During the race, the team was able to get the No. 5 car running again by modifying the control settings. The fix, however, came a little too late as the vehicle could not complete the lap under Le Mans' maximum final lap time of six minutes and limped its way to 45th place.

(AutoBlog.com) 

I Concur

Ditching the iPhone headphone jack is annoying for everyone except Apple

The con arguments are plentiful. For one, it probably means you have to go buy new stuff — either new headphones or a new attachment to modify your old headphones — which is never a happy thought for folks already buying a $550 phone. If Apple does this and doesn't include a set of Lightning-enabled headphones with every phone, it will look like a particularly soulless money grab.  

Secondly, it tightens Apple's control on the accessory market and possibly over digital music as well. Nilay Patel at the Verge makes the argument that these headphones would tacitly support DRM — a.k.a. digital rights management, a.k.a. the thing that keeps you from being able to freely move media files between devices. Get rid of the analog headphone jack, he argues, and you lose the motivation to support anything analog. Daring Fireball’s John Gruber isn’t so sure about that argument but does point out in his rebuttal to Patel that anyone making Lightning headphones will require certification from Apple.

Beats, one imagines, would be among the brands to support the new standard.

No matter what, that’s more control for Apple, which can be a bad thing for consumers. Moving from an open standard to a closed one often leads to confusion and higher costs for consumers.

Finally, if Apple doesn’t add a second Lightning port to the phone — an addition that seems unlikely if Apple wants to make more room inside the phone — it will also mean that you can’t charge your phone and have your headphones plugged in at the same time. Even the one-port MacBook, which has its own power port pull double duty, lets you do that.

(WashingtonPost.com) 

Did You Know - Hedge Funds Edition

What is a hedge fund?

Hedge funds are special cases of investment funds, instead of being open to the public with many smaller investors, it´s basically a private group of investors.

So hedge funds like normal funds invest in stocks and assets (like buying and selling other companies) to grow capital. Unlike normal funds their capital does not come from issuing out “shares” to many smaller private investors but from a small host of private investors.

Broadly speaking hedge funds are a special type of mutual funds.

(CavemanCircus.com)

It's About Time They Made A Version For Golfers

Nike Air Zoom 90 IT Makes Playing Golf Look Good

(NiceKicks.com)

2016 NHL Award Winners

2016 NHL Award winners, reactions and analysis

Players from the Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals were big winners

Norris Trophy

• Best defenseman
• Drew Doughty D / Los Angeles Kings

Reactions: There seemed to be a season-long push for Drew Doughty to win his first Norris Trophy, and now he has it.The "it's his time to win it" narrative is a bit bizarre when you consider the fact Doughty is only 26 years old and even better players than him had to wait even longer to win their first (like, say, Nicklas Lidstrom for example).
This isn't meant to take anything away from Doughty. He is an outstanding player and is clearly on the short list of best defensemen in the league. But is he a better, more impactful player than somebody like Erik Karlsson, who not only put up one of the best offensive seasons of any defenseman in recent memory, but is also perhaps the most game-changing player the league has seen at the position in decades?

Selke Trophy

• Best defensive forward
• Anze Kopitar C / Los Angeles Kings 

Reactions: It was going to be Kopitar or Bergeron. In a race this close, perhaps the Kings reaching the postseason was the deciding factor. Bergeron was his typically dominant self, but Kopitar was certainly right up there.

Kopitar has been a finalist for the Selke Trophy in each of the last two seasons, but the Los Angeles Kings forward finally won it this year. A dominant force at both ends of the ice, Kopitar nearly topped his career-high in points this season, while going head-to-head with the opposition's top lines.

He is the first Kings player in the franchise's nearly 50-year history to win the Selke. No forward played more minutes this season than Kopitar's 1,690:12, an average of nearly 21 minutes a game.

The Kings were one of the stingiest teams in the NHL, thanks in large part to Kopitar, Norris Trophy winning defenseman Drew Doughty and Vezina Trophy finalist Jonathan Quick.
The newly-minted captain of the Kings ranked seventh in the NHL with 950 faceoff wins, was second in the league with a plus-34 rating, while the Kings controlled even-strength shot attempts at a 56.6 percent clip with Kopitar on the ice.

While Bergeron had a good case for another Selke, Kopitar is still quite deserving. Ryan Kesler was also a finalist, but finished a distant third. -- Chris Peters

Lady Byng award

• Player that best displays gentlemanly conduct
• Anze Kopitar C / Los Angeles Kings

Reactions: A big night for Anze Kopitar as he not only takes home the Selke Trophy as the NHL's best defensive forward, but also gets the Lady Byng award. Kopitar played 81 games this season, logged more than 20 minutes of ice-time per game, was the the best defensive forward in the league, and still only took eight minute penalties (16 total penalty minutes) all season. -- Adam Gretz

Complete list (CBSSports.com)

It's Official, Vegas Finally Gets A Pro Team!

Las Vegas awarded NHL franchise 

Expansion team will begin play in 2017-18 season

LAS VEGAS -- The NHL is coming to Vegas baby, Vegas.

Commissioner Gary Bettman announced Wednesday in the ballroom of Encore at Wynn Las Vegas that the League has granted an expansion franchise to Las Vegas that will start playing as its 31st team in the 2017-18 season. The Las Vegas franchise was approved in a unanimous vote conducted during the Board of Governors meeting here Wednesday.

The NHL becomes the first of the four major North American professional sports leagues to put a team in Las Vegas. This will be the NHL's first expansion team since the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild came into the League in the 2000-01 season.

The League will receive a $500 million expansion fee from Bill Foley, the billionaire businessman who spearheaded the Las Vegas expansion bid and will be the franchise's principal owner. The $500 million will be distributed equally among the existing 30 teams.

(NHL.com)

We Learned In The 80's That Any Video Is Visual Evidence

BMW Asshat Arrested After Commenting On Video Of Him Racing Through Traffic

“Take it down before I get in trouble,” 23-year-old Darran Anderson reportedly commented on a video of him in his BMW cutting through traffic on New York’s Long Island Expressway. That didn’t really work out for him.

Anderson was recorded doing typical streetracing bullshit yesterday on the LIE with a pair of other cars, one of which recorded the whole run and posted it to Facebook, as Metro.us, CBS News, and NBC News all report. This is the same road where that dude claimed to have run his Koenigsegg past 200 mph, if you’re curious.

Anderson attempted to get the poster to take the post down, and it was indeed removed, but not before the Nassau County Police Department saw it and tracked Anderson back to his home in the Bronx.

He faces up to a year in jail for a misdemeanor count of reckless driving.

Remember kids, what you call a cool video, the cops call evidence.

(Jalopnik.com)

I Wouldn't Mind Owning Either Of These

Top 7 "Nappers"

2. Nissan Skyline GT-R

I’m just waiting for all the JDM fans to come out of the woodwork and say “Gary, are you out of your mind? This is friggin Godzilla, how can you say it’s almost a sleeper??!?!?!”

Well, remember, the base model Skyline was little more than a RWD sedan with, in its lowest form as an R32, a 90 bhp engine. Certainly, the Skyline GT-R looks like it would be faster than that. However, if you were to guess before 1988 that it would be smashing the lap record at the Nurburgring, your buddies might be cutting you off from drinking Sapporo for the night. Alas, that’s what the R32 did though, and it became a God amongst men in the JDM sportscar scene. Which isn’t half bad for a performance version of a mainstream, white-goods Nissan.

6. Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S

Golf GTIs have been becoming more and more conspicuous over the past few years—it’s no longer the Q-car that it once was. This is especially true of the Clubsport S model, which has plenty of facade to let you know that it’s not a TDI. However, the 2-seat, limited-edition hot hatch has the thighs and calves to go with the running shoes; and then some. With 305 horsepower, it’s more powerful than the Golf R, even though it’s still front-wheel drive. That’s OK though, because it’s the fastest FWD car around the Green Hell.

Complete list (CarThrottle.com)

I Agree

(BroBible.com)

Why I Don't Use A Lanyard Any Longer

(Bits&Pieces.us)

Yes, The Z Is A Vehicle With No Cause

Has Nissan's Inability To Reinvent The 370Z Made It The "Relic" Of The Segment?

The last volley of Nissan vehicles left the world satisfied for the past decade, but staying ahead requires constant hustle. Nissan has been smashing the snooze for a little too long now and it's starting to show.

(AutoSpies.com)

R.I.P. - Saab

Final Nail Goes In The Coffin For Saab Nameplate

The chance of the Saab name being used on cars is gone, after parent company NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) agreed to not use the brand name.

This final confirmation follows years of uncertainty over Saab's future. NEVS’s agreement not to use the Saab name on any new cars comes after Saab AB, which now focuses primarily on the aerospace industry, revoked the brand name from NEVS.

Saab AB was parent company to Saab Automobile until 1990, when it sold the marque to General Motors.
(AutoSpies.com)

I Need To Find These & Grill Em' This Summer

The 11 Essential Sausages for Summer Grilling

Loukaniko

• Loukaniko is a smoked Greek pork sausage teeming with any number of bright Mediterranean flavors like fennel seed, thyme, coriander, or zesty orange peel -- kind of like a robust Belgian saison in meat form. Grill this one directly over medium-hot coals until it attains an even, crisp char that brings to life all those lush, fragrant spices hidden inside the casing. Once it's good and crispy, pop it into a pita with some fresh veggies or slice it up and serve it mezze-style with spicy pickled peppers. 

Duck sausage

• Most commercially available duck sausage brands blend duck meat (smoked or unsmoked), ground pork, and a bit of duck liver together with fruit (apples, oranges) and spices (garlic, fennel, sage, juniper) while some booze it up with brandy or Curaçao. This sausage might be a bit pricier than some of its mammalian counterparts, but the supple, buttery texture and rich, slightly sweet tang it brings to the table is well worth the extra bucks. Besides, everybody loves the guy who shows up to the neighborhood BBQ armed with an eight-pack of smoked, brandy-dipped duck sausages, right? 

Merguez

• The only lamb-filled sausage to make the cut, merguez is a long-standing Middle Eastern and North African staple sausage, often served drenched in hot and/or yogurt sauce and stuffed into a soft pita, street meat-style. Inside, hearty ground lamb is heavily dosed with cumin, sumac, garlic, fennel, and harissa (a spicy African spread) before being stuffed back into a sturdy lamb intestine (there, I said it) casing. Merguez is especially fun to make at home, since it thrives on low-and-slow indirect heat -- the key to producing the most lusciously lip-smacking sausage possible -- and you can satisfy your halal hankering without having to wait in line with a bunch of miserable office drones. Also, it tastes amazing. 

Complete list (Thrillist.com)

This Occurs A Lot On Fridays

(Bits&Pieces.us)

It's About The Destination

(CavemanCircus.com)

This Is True

(CavemanCircus.com)

Today, I learned

In California, and most states, an engagement ring is a gift in contemplation of marriage and if the nuptials never happen, the ring -- by law -- goes back to him.

(TMZ.com)

This Is 1 Of My Go To Spots

13 Dangerously Delicious Tortas in Los Angeles

4 King Torta

• It’s all about the al pastor at this Valley Blvd. outpost in El Sereno, which blends seamlessly with the fiery, slightly bitter salsa and creamy avocado that goes on just about everything here.
• 4521 Valley Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90032

Complete list (LA.Eater.com)

Here's A Good Conversation Topic

Ranking every NHL team's best active drafted player

10. Anze Kopitar, Kings, C

• 1st round (#11), 2005 | Age: 28 
• A two-time Stanley Cup winner, a three-time All-Star, a three-time Selke Trophy finalist (including this season) and now the new captain of the Kings, Kopitar is firmly established as one of the most dominant two-way centers in the game. He's been named the team MVP five times in the past nine seasons, including 2015-16. He's also been honored as the Kings' top defensive player four times and led them in scoring in each of the past nine seasons.

13. Joe Pavelski, Sharks, C

• 7th round (#205), 2003 | Age: 31
• Stardom came late for Pavelski, who emerged as one of the league's most dangerous snipers at 29. Since then, he's tallied 163 goals (only Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos have scored more) and is coming off a postseason run that saw him lead all skaters with 14 tallies. Maybe just as important, he's stabilized the Sharks' leadership group since being given the C ahead of the 2014-15 season—a key factor behind San Jose's run to the Cup final this spring. He could probably be higher on this list.

17. Ryan Getzlaf, Ducks, C

• 1st round (#19), 2003 | Age: 31
• A standout in a draft class that is widely regarded as the best of the past 30 years, Getzlaf ranks first among his peers in assists (520) and second in points (741). He won the Cup with the Ducks in 2007, was a runner-up for the Hart in 2014 and has finished among the top seven vote-getters for the All-Star team six times. All that success has established Getzlaf as a modern archetype: the big, skilled No. 1 center who can impose his will through force or talent.

Complete list (SI.com)

I'd Rock These

adidas Tubular Nova Primeknit “Vintage White”

(NiceKicks.com)

Inside A Piece Of Heaven On Earth

Nissan's Original Japanese Factory Is Now A Shrine To Engines

(Jalopnik.com)

A B-52 Comes To Play All The Time

Here's How Many Weapons a B-52 Bomber Can Hold

(Jalopnik.com)

That's A Great Shirt

(BroBible.com)

They Really Should

(Bits&Pieces.us)

Definitely

(CavemanCircus.com)

Keep Up The Good Work Kids!

Rich kids bragging on social media, such as Instagram, are unwittingly providing incriminating evidence for prosecutors about their parents’ fraud schemes. Cybersecurity firms say they have been using social media evidence to nail fraud and assets in up to 75 percent of their cases. (article)

(CavemanCircus.com)

You'll Be Missed In The Crease, Freddie

Maple Leafs acquire Andersen from Ducks 

Toronto signs goalie to five-year contract, sends 30th pick in 2016 NHL Draft and second-round pick in 2017 to Anaheim

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Frederik Andersen from the Anaheim Ducks on Monday with the hope they have finally found a No. 1 goalie.

The Maple Leafs traded the 30th pick in the 2016 NHL Draft and a second-round pick in 2017 to Anaheim for Andersen and signed him to a five-year contract. Andersen would have been a restricted free agent July 1.

(NHL.com)

I'm Definitely An Optimist

(BroBible.com)

I Agree

(BroBible.com)

Thanks, Grandma

(BroBible.com)

I'm Sure They Really Liked It

(Bits&Pieces.us)

Ouch!

(Bits&Pieces.us)

There's Some Truth To This

(BroBible.com)

Staged Emergency Or Real Mechanical Emergency?

SPIED: Up Close And Personal — When A Next-Gen Mercedes-AMG E63 Breaks Down, Spies Snap Revealing Shots

What caused this particular mule's break down has not been revealed, but the development drivers were able to re-start it after following instructions on the phone, suggesting it was a minor electrical or software issue...

(AutosSpies.com) 

I Believe!

(CavemanCircus.com)

Just Some Famous Notoriously Groupies

The Most Famous Groupies in Music History

Tawny Kitaen

• Kitaen is better known as an actress and convicted domestic abuser than as a groupie, but during the 80s, she got together with rockers Tommy Lee, John Taylor, and Ratt guitarist Robbin Crosby. She got married to Whitesnake lead singer David Coverdale, then divorced him for pitcher Chuck Finley. They divorced in 2002, with Finley filing a few days after Kitaen attacked him with a stiletto heel. She's also been arrested for DUI and cocaine possession.  

Complete list (Ranker.com)

This Business Is Becoming More Rare

Everything you ever wanted to know but were afraid to ask about Fosters Freeze 

With under 100 locations left, Fosters Freeze does not seem to be a brand on the rise. But that hasn’t stopped some of the dairy dessert chain’s most popular Southern California outlets from enduring, as noted by Offbeat L.A. The blog chronicles the rise (and slow decline) of the soft serve franchise, including their original locations and remaining iconic outlets, like the 1947 edition still found on South Glenoaks Avenue in Burbank.

(LA.Eater.com)

Here's An Obscure NFL Rule That Has Thankfully Evolved

The Bronko Nagurski Rule

Rule: Passes can be thrown from anywhere behind the line of scrimmage.

Source: In 1932, all passes were required to be thrown from at least 5 yardsbehind the line of scrimmage. In a playoff game, Nagurski faked a run into the line of scrimmage, took a step back and lobbed the ball to Red Grange as part of the Chicago Bears' 9-0 victory over the Portsmouth Spartans.

Reasoning: The Spartans complained that Nagurski was less than 5 yards behind the line, but no penalty was called. In the end, league officials loved the new dimension it provided. Football historians consider it the birth of the passing game as we know it.

Complete list (ESPN.com)

A Thought To Ponder

(CavemanCircus.com)