February 2012

Gas prices are on the rise leading us to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. That said, we still need our space to transport, as the late, great George Carlin described as, “our stuff.” The auto manufacturers from Asia have introduced us to a few of their small boxy cars; however, in my opinion, the winner with the greatest attitude is the 2012 Kia Soul.

Kia launched the Soul in 2009 as a 2010 model. It was the first product from their new design leader, Peter Schreyer. His task was to morph the Kia lineup from dull to a dazzling style. With the Kia Soul he managed to make boxy look so cool and stylish. Kia’s new design theme is now reflected in their entire lineup.

The 2012 Kia Soul has arrived with a mid-cycle refresh with an updated look along with a more powerful and fuel-efficient powertrain. New for 2012: a new six-speed transmission, gasoline direct injection, a new Infinity premium audio system, new projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights that are slightly bulged, a redesigned hood and new front and rear bumpers. Add to that lineup, new and modern LED rear light clusters, and two new exotic exterior paint colors – Canyon and Moss.

New on the 2012 Soul and Soul Sport models is UVO powered by Microsoft®3 in-car hands-free communication and infotainment system. The available premium package includes heated front seats, leather seat trim, automatic climate control, navigation system (in lieu of UVO system), and push-button start for added upscale comforts..

The 2012 Kia Soul is available in three trim levels, base ($13,900), “+” ($16,300) and “!” ($19,600). The Base model comes standard with a 1.6L GDI 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission. The “+” and “!” are equipped with a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine. An optional six-speed automatic transmission is available on the Base and “+” and standard on the “!”.

The new exterior styling may not be dramatically different from the original; however, has been enhanced to project a stronger stance, with a bit more bling. The roof line angles down, while the belt line angles upward delivering an in-motion feel even when the car sits still. The large rear hatch makes it easy to load and unload into the small cargo area. The major form of the Soul may be square, but this little model has lots of angles and curves. Flat, raised, and rounded wheel wells project out creating a side profile theme that is hip and fun.

The interior is populated with curved angles of décor trim bringing those hip elements inside the Soul. It is simple and functional with an ergonomic layout. The seats were comfortable and had SOUL stitched across each of the backrests. The interior improvements showed of increased attention to detail; fit and finish. One of the trick options that young drivers love is the rotating color front door speaker rims that bounce to the beat of the music or can be adjusted to stay one color. The lights can also be turned completely out when you want to remain anonymous. The rear seats can fold flat with a 60/40 split to increase your overall cargo room.

The most improved feature comes from the engine compartment. There are two choices – 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter four cylinder engines. The 1.6L now has 138 horsepower (a 13% increase over last year), and the 2.0L jumps to 164hp (a 16% increase). Even with the increased horsepower, both engines deliver better fuel economy. Transmissions come in the form of a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic. For 2012, Soul and Soul+ models offer an Eco package on the 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter engines with automatic transmissions, which includes ISG technology for improved fuel economy and low-rolling-resistance tires. (ISG is an idle stop-and-go in which the car automatically turns the engine off at stops, and restarts when lifting your foot off the brake preparing to move again).

Room for improvement:

• Plenty of road noise in the cabin

Cool Features:

• Music thumping, lighted speaker rings
• Hip styling

The standard safety equipment for every 2012 Kia Soul models includes: six airbags, active front headrests, LATCH seating system, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, and a tire pressure monitor.

In Summary – When it comes to the boxy little vehicles of transportation, the 2012 Kia Soul has a hand up in the styling cool factor. It sits at a price point attracting buyers from an array of age groups. The Soul is an entertaining vehicle to get around in. With its improved power and fuel economy I am sure it will continue to be a hit for Kia. The Kia Soul is a funky urban commuter with personality and spunk.

Specifications
2012 Kia Soul+

Base price: $17,300 as driven: $19,845 (including destination)
Engine: 2.0 Liter 4 cylinder
Horsepower: 164 @ 6500
Torque: 148 foot pounds @ 4800
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Drive: Front Wheel-Drive
Seating: 5-passenger
Turning circle: 34.4 feet
Cargo space: 19.3 cubic feet
Curb weight: 2778 pounds
Fuel capacity: 12.7 gallons
EPA mileage: City 26 / Highway 34
Wheel Base: 100.4 inches
Warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles bumper to bumper
Also consider: Dodge Caliber, Honda Element, Nissan Cube, Scion xB, and Suzuki SX4

We all crave change, we love the thought of starting something new, but it is so hard to take those first few steps. I realize that when it comes to makeovers and suggestions on how to improve one or another of our troublesome tendencies or habits, reading reams of wonderful, uplifting advice can seem like just one more rock to push up the hill—which is why we try to keep the make “over” or update part to a minimum while pushing the make “better” with the hope that you’ll take it in the spirit that it’s intended. So this being the beginning of spring and time to reinvent ourselves, think about how the change is good, it is positive and it’s time to refresh our psyche. That said, get ready for our “Change Agents,” to transform you into a modern, updated and more beautiful you.

Spring Looks 2012

Spring Eyes

Think color because that’s what you will be seeing this season and a lot of it. Put aside the natural you and indulge in some eye-popping greens. Or try a burgundy crease color rather than brown. Possess authority and liberation by using a peachy eye shadow on the eyelid rather than a cream colored one. Invite a new color in your wardrobe till you get used to the idea you’ve changed. That rarefied hip-ness just might tickle your shift in attitude.

Spring Cheek Colors
Now we’re talking super bright colors for cheeks and in a big way. Beeline to your nearest cosmetic boutique to try on this newest trend and then broadcast your urban coolness with a bright pink shimmer blusher. Without uttering a word and spiking up your fashionista, per se, you will add some spice to your trend-watching swagger. It’s nice to be in the know, and to wear it well you need to add just a hint of this enduring color to the cheeks to pull off this elite fashion re-shift with confidence.

Spring Lips
With all these bright colors swirling around this season, lips take on a whole new natural wave with baby palette essentials. Think cuddly light pink nudes, soft peach nectars and flawless angelic plums. Dabble in a world of beautifully crafted change without sacrificing all the home-grown principles you still identify with. Instead of using just a clear gloss, use a lip shine with a hint of peach. Or liberate yourself by using a nude pink lipstick rather than a gloss. The possibilities are endless and so much fun.

Spring Forward this season and let yourself in on something fun, you never know you may be delighted you tried something new!!

My son and son-in-law are both incredible dads. I am blessed. My grandchildren are blessed. Dad-ship variables are many. How many hours they work? Do their wives work? Are they single dads? What are their socio-economic factors? Heritage? Role models? The influences are many and varied.

Courageous is about four men with one calling: to protect and to serve. As law enforcement officers Adam Mitchell (Alex Kendrick), Nathan Hayes (Ken Bevel), Shane Fuller (Kevin Downes) and David Thomson (Ben Davies) are confident and focused yet when they go home at the end of their shifts they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle – fatherhood.

Life keeps happening, day after day until one day … tragedy happens. Veteran police officer, Adam Mitchell’s family begins to unravel and he understands he has to do something. He goes to his source of strength, God and begins the journey. He puts his plan into action. His police force brothers gather around him and together they take up the challenge of being the best they can be in a totally different arena.

The latest installment of life according to Sherwood Baptist church in Albany, Georgia, shouldn’t be dismissed lightly. The picture-making church keeps stepping up to the plate and hitting it out of the park. I have to admit that I’ve seen all four films. They went from a sweet little film called Flywheel to their next film, Facing the Giants. Then with the help of Kirk Cameron, the only actor with any name recognition to be in any of their films, they made Fireproof. They had finally pulled out of the totally low-budget movie ranks and made a film of substance. With Courageous, Sherwood has once again stepped up their game.

As their fourth film, this action packed police drama will make you laugh, cry and cheer as you are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kind of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.

Hokey? Probably, but none the less, I loved it. I loved that there are still real men in this world that put their families first;  men who are passionate, yes, passionate about being good old-fashioned family men. Not the best CEO, not the best truck driver, not even the best doctor … the best dad. Men who take pride in being the best they can be and understanding in the depths of their souls that HONOR BEGINS AT HOME.

I’m sure most would agree that Courageous doesn’t have the best acting, the best directing or the best anything when it comes to film making. This film will never win an Oscar, but somehow I don’t think that is what it was meant to do. I suspect it was meant to do just what it’s doing, making us think about how we live our lives on a day to day basis. Courageous does a wonderful job of making you listen a little more, throw the ball a little more and savor every moment.

So, if you’re interested in a life of significance the message of Courageous is Fathers, Man-Up. Once again, I’m open to your insight at chastings@rockcliff.com.

For baseball fans invested in the won-loss record of the Oakland A’s, the 2011-2012 offseason was depressing.

The team traded three former All Stars (pitchers Trevor Cahill, Gio Gonzalez and Andrew Bailey), acquired mostly prospects unfamiliar to the casual baseball fan, and basically said that winning was secondary to the franchise’s quest for a new ballpark in San Jose. Their home field in Oakland is considered to be a relic from a bygone era of multipurpose stadiums with poor sightlines and a far-too-large foul territory that keeps fans further away from the action than any other big league ballpark.

On top of the A’s purposeful decline into a team less likely to play winning baseball, they face division rivals in Anaheim and Texas completely dedicated to winning games. The Angels signed certain Hall of Famer Albert Pujols and ace pitcher C.J. Wilson in early December, while the Rangers are fresh off consecutive trips to the World Series and will take the field in 2012 with their roster largely intact.

Moneyball GM Billy Beane essentially threw in the towel on Christmas Eve when he said, “There wasn’t going to be a move we could make to compete with Texas and Anaheim. Just to come up to Seattle, we’d have to spend an extra $40-50 million.”

Instead, the A’s are trying to follow the roadmap of small market teams like the Cleveland Indians and Houston Astros who successfully timed the building of winning teams to the openings of Jacobs Field and Enron Field, respectively. This led to fantastic attendance spikes and World Series appearances for both franchises. The Indians even sold out more than 400 consecutive games starting with their first season in Jacobs Field.

The difference is that the Indians and the Astros knew their new ballparks would be built. By contrast, the A’s are held up by a territorial rights dispute with the Giants. Former A’s owner Walter Haas ceded any right to Santa Clara County in the early 1990s in order to help the Giants build a new stadium in the South Bay. The Giants lost that election in San Jose but retained the area’s territorial rights and claim to have used them to secure investors when they gained approval and financing for Pacific Bell Park in the late 1990s. The Giants are adamant that they will not harm their ownership group by surrendering the team’s rights to Santa Clara County.

And, of course, the Giants benefit greatly in terms of sponsorship dollars, TV/radio ratings and local interest if the A’s are weak.

While the baseball Commissioner’s Office sorts out that dispute, the A’s languish. Attempts since the team’s last playoff appearance in 2006 to capture lightening in a bottle by signing older free agents have not paid dividends on the field and have increased costs. The A’s reported a loss of between $1-2 million in 2011, even after receiving $30 million in revenue sharing checks from some of the wealthier big league teams. The current strategy is to trade away their most marketable players for other teams’ prospects and sacrifice any chance of a respectable record now for the hope of having those prospects mature into a competitive team for the potential 2015 opening of a so-far mythical new ballpark in San Jose.

So what is in it for the A’s current fans as they watch their team head towards 100 losses? Second baseman Jemile Weeks had an outstanding rookie year and as long as he has fewer than three years service will have to play for close to the major league minimum salary. He embodies the A’s ideal player. Starting pitcher Dallas Braden, who has a perfect game on his resume, is recovering from an arm injury, which makes him nearly impossible to trade. Catcher Kurt Suzuki has come close to making the American League All Star team a couple of times and as of the end of 2011 remains in the green and gold. Otherwise, fans can get behind the development of imported prospects and hope the San Jose stadium is approved before those players’ salaries rise to the point where they too become trade bait.

What the A’s do have going for them is a very attractive schedule with several glamour franchises visiting the Coliseum in 2012. The aging stadium will play host to the Yankees for two series, including Memorial Day weekend and has the Red Sox coming in for the Fourth of July. The Angels and Rangers will play three series in Oakland as division rivals, and interleague play will bring the Dodgers and Giants to the East Bay in June. For all its other flaws, the Coliseum is very convenient to BART, and it’s doubtful fans will have to fight large crowds for most contests as Oakland figures to finish near the bottom again in American League attendance.

So A’s fans can enjoy top quality opponents before intimate crowds with no pressure to buy tickets in advance except for maybe the Yankees, Red Sox and Giants games. If that formula is appealing, you are just the kind of fan that the A’s will draw in 2012.

Q. I have a bluish green fungus like growth on the branches of my apricot and plum trees. I’ve made two applications of Copper Sulfate a week apart but I haven’t seen any improvement. Can you recommend a treatment that will cure the trees of this problem?

A. The bluish/gray green growth is a plant called Lichen. It is quite common to find Lichen growing on trees in the Bay Area, near the coast and inland where there is a strong marine influence. The one to three-inch blue/gray, green patches are not a moss but a unique combination of individual alga and fungus species. The alga is a microscopic green plant that makes food for the duo. The fungus is a bluish/gray structure that gives the pair support along with soaking up moisture from the air. Hence, tree lichens are unable to sustain themselves during dry, warm, conditions. Lichens are able to make their own food with moisture and sunlight. They have no need to parasitize a host plant such as Mistletoe, which will slowly kill a tree over a lengthy period. Lichens grow on the tree surface and do not penetrate any plant tissue. Instead, they make use of the trunk or limbs and branches for support. It is often erroneously thought that the present of the lichens indicates a declining tree. Tree Lichen will not cause any plant diseases nor will it kill a tree. The one exception is in wet tropical regions where it can be a problem. It’s more likely the lichen was there long before the tree became ill. Tree Lichens due make a tree more picturesque. They add color, contrast, texture, and natural beauty. It’s sort of like Spanish Moss that hangs off many of the southern trees. On those overcast, days, the blue/gray green coloration is very attractive against the wet tree branches, and stems. A Copper Sulfate fungicide applied during the cool, wet winter months is ineffective. Instead, it’s recommended to be applied after the rainy season has concluded but it will only control the fungus and not eradicate it. Tree Lichen reappears when the right conditions occur.

Q. We have several Cymbidium Orchids on our deck. I would like to divide and repot them, as they’re difficult to water. Why have I been advised not to divide them?

A. Dividing and repotting Cymbidium Orchids affects the blooming cycle. They love to be crowded. The production of flower spikes is maximized when there is little room to grow; hence, there is little incentive to divide the plants. Orchids can be repotted every two to three years, as the orchid soil mix will decompose. They can be repotted in the same container with new soil or in a larger pot; however, a larger container will delay the flowering cycle. You should shake off what is left of the old soil, once the container has been removed and then repots with one of the commercial orchid soil mix widely available. The recommended time to repot or divide Cymbidium Orchids is after flowering.

Buzz Bertolero is Executive Vice President of Navlet’s Garden Centers and a California Certified Nursery Professional. His web address is www.dirtgardener.com and you can send quedirtgarden@aol.com or to 360 Civic Drive Ste. ‘D’, Pleasant Hill, Calif. 94523

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is an irritation and swelling of the thick tissue (plantar fascia) on the bottom of the foot. The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band of connective tissue originating on the bottom surface of the calcaneus (heel bone) and extending along the sole of the foot toward the five toes. The plantar fascia helps hold up the bones on the bottom of the foot, creating the arch. When this fascia becomes inflamed it makes walking painful and difficult. The pain is usually felt on the underside of the heel and is often most intense with the first steps of the day. Plantar fasciitis is commonly thought of as being caused by a heel spur, but research has found that this is not the case. On x-ray, heel spurs are seen in people with and without plantar fasciitis.

Risk factors for plantar fasciitis include:

• Foot arch problems (both flat foot and high arches)
• History of low back pain or sciatica
• Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
• Obesity
• Running
• Sudden weight gain

What treatments are available for Plantar Fasciitis?

Western medicine typically treats Plantar Fasciitis with oral and/or injectable anti-inflammatories. These may temporarily reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis but they do not treat the cause of the problem, and by no means heal it.

Long term correction of Plantar Fasciitis is a two step process:

First: Heal the Damaged Fascia
Ending the pain caused by Plantar Fasciitis requires stopping the cycle of inflammation. Class IV laser therapy is an excellent method for this, because it is presently the only modality that can both reduce inflammation and heal tissue simultaneously. Laser treatments at Align Healing Center are done with the K-laser 1200 a Class IV Laser. This laser does not cut or burn but is gently absorbed by the tissue. During Laser Therapy the infrared laser light interacts with tissues at the cellular level, increasing metabolic activity and improving the transport of nutrients across the cell membrane. This initiates the production of cellular energy (ATP) that leads to a cascade of beneficial effects, increasing cellular function and health. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms, stiffness and pain. As the injured area returns to normal, function is restored and pain is relieved.

Second: Correct the Foot and Gait Mechanics
This involves rehabilitation of spine as well as the arch of the foot. Arch rehabilitation is achieved by utilizing specific insoles and/or specific taping of the foot in order to re-establish proper motion of the arch while walking, then specific strengthening and stretching exercises are used to rehabilitate of the musculature of the foot and lower leg to ensure lasting results.

At Align Healing Center we are having great success treating plantar fasciitis, sciatica, shoulder and neck pain, migraines, arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel, post surgical pain, sports injuries and more; even if it’s long-term residual pain. Even ar¬thritis and degenerative disc disease sufferers can see long term benefits from this treatment without any of the negative side effects experienced with the long term use of medications.

Dr. Niele Maimone, DC is the founder of Align Healing Center in Danville, CA. She has been active in our natural health & wellness community since 1999. To set up a complimentary consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com for more infor

As an elementary teacher I have dealt with the ramifications of poor nutrition every day during my teaching. This does not mean that parents neglect their children; on the contrary they have the absolute best intentions of feeding them healthily. Unfortunately, with the rush of the mornings, dealing with children who are picky eaters, and little time to pack lunches and snacks, students often ingest empty calories and a lot of sugar. The result is lack of concentration, sugar highs, crashes, irritability and mood swings. These are very real issues to handle for teachers who are trying to maintain productive classroom environments. With this in mind, here are a few fun ideas I have collected from friends who are moms and food websites that are sure to help even the pickiest eater dig into his lunchbox and have a rewarding day.

A reader asked me to write a story regarding turning professional and what led me down the path to becoming a pro. I want to first explain the difference between someone who is a Golf Professional and someone who is a professional golfer.

I found myself recuperating from a strenuous hike while watching Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3, 2008. More than the commercials and half-time show, I really wanted to see Eli Manning play, but from a horizontal position, because I was in so much pain from the six-mile hike.