TripAdvisor Reveals Top 10 U.S. Brewery Tours

TripAdvisor^®,the world’s largest travel site*, has revealed the top 10 brewery tours in the U.S., according to the TripAdvisor Popularity Index™. These tours show lager lovers how the beverages are crafted and provide tasty samples from some of the country’s top breweries.

1. New Belgium Brewing – Fort Collins, Colorado
   Located 65 miles north of Denver, this sustainable wind powered brewery was the first of its kind in the United States. Beer lovers can enjoy one of their frothy beverages at the Liquid Center tasting room or take the 90-minute Tour de New Belgium where travelers will have the chance to learn about the brewing process and sip on some suds. Complimentary tours operate Tuesday through Saturday.
2. Allagash Brewery – Portland, Maine
   Since 1995, this New England brewery has crafted Belgian inspired ales often using the finest wheat rather than barley, combined with a unique blend of spices. Thirsty travelers can take a free, hour long tour of this coastal brew house while enjoying a refreshing taste of their seasonal specialties or year-round brews. Free tours operate Monday through Saturday.
3. Anheuser Busch Brewery Tour – Saint Louis, Missouri
   During this hour-long tour, travelers will see and learn about the iconic Clydesdale horses and explore the architecture and history of the oldest Anheuser-Busch brewery. Hop fanatics interested in learning more about the brewing process can check out the acclaimed Beermaster Tour. Complimentary tours operate seven days a week.
4. Samuel Adams Brewery – Boston, Massachusetts
   Located in the Hub, hop-enthusiasts will learn about the brewing process from start to finish during this 60-minute tour. Guests will also taste the special malts used to brew the beer and smell the aroma of the Hallertau hops. Free tours operate Monday through Saturday; a $2 donation is suggested to benefit local charities.
5. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company – Chico, California
   Known for its flagship pale ale, this northern California brewery offers a 90-minute tour offering travelers the inside scoop on how the ales and lagers are crafted using select malted barley, whole hop flowers, brewer’s yeast and pure water. Complimentary tours operate seven days a week.
6. Heinzelmannchen Brewery – Sylva, North Carolina
   Travelers visiting the Great Smoky Mountains can enjoy tasty beverages at this microbrewery run by a German-born “brewmeister”. Guests are encouraged to stop in for a tour where they will sample a variety of Deutschland-style beers and non-alcoholic sodas including sweet and tasty root beer and red autumn birch beer. Free tours operate Monday through Saturday.
7. New South Brewing – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
   This Myrtle Beach microbrewery offers travelers a tour through the entire brewing process and the chance to taste four frothy samples. Once a draught-only brew house, this beachside brewery now allows guests to purchase a six-pack of their favorite batch. Complimentary tours operate Tuesdays and Thursdays.
8. Boulevard Brewing Company – Kansas City, Missouri
   With its 150-barrel brew house, this Kansas City company is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. During the 45-minute tour, beer lovers will learn about the brewery’s unique history and crafting processes and will finish the tour in the Tasting Room where they’ll sip some hoppy creations. Free tours operate seven days a week; the “Unfiltered Tour” is $20 and offered on Saturdays.
9. D.G. Yuengling and Son Brewery – Pottsville, Pennsylvania
   Known as America’s oldest brewery, this Schuylkill County establishment has been brewing since 1829. Travelers can step back in time as they explore the hand-dug fermentation caves used to store beer before modern refrigeration. Thirsty travelers can also savor some samples in the basement tavern built under the former Pottsville city hall. Complimentary tours operate Monday through Saturday.
10. Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. – Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
    This Wisconsin brewery blends tradition with innovation to create a fascinating tour where travelers learn about five generations of the Leinenkugel family history while they’re guided through the bottling factory. To cap things off, travelers can quench their thirst with complimentary samples of award-winning beers at the recently opened Leinie Lodge. Free tours operate seven days a week.

“TripAdvisor travelers have toured, tasted and spoken – these outstanding brewery tours also happen to be free and are sure to serve up hopping good experiences,” said Brooke Ferencsik, director of communications at TripAdvisor.

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor^® is the world’s largest travel site,* enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 60 million unique monthly visitors*, and over 75 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 19 other travel media brands, and together the sites attract more than 74 million unique monthly visitors.** TripAdvisor, Inc.’s travel media brands include www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, Worldwide, July 2012

**Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Worldwide, July 2012

©2012 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE TripAdvisor

30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates Hit Record Low of 3.52%

Mortgage rates fell yet again this week. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dipped to a record-low 3.52 percent, according to Bankrate.com’s (NYSE: RATE) weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.44 discount and origination points.

To see mortgage rates in your area, go to http://www.bankrate.com/funnel/mortgages/

The average 15-year fixed mortgage rate dropped to a record-low 2.84 percent while the jumbo 30-year fixed mortgage sank to another record of 4.16 percent. Adjustable mortgage rates fell to record lows, too, with the 5-year ARM slipping to 2.67 percent and the 7-year ARM to 2.82 percent on average.

The historically low rates led to a surge in refinances last week. As the Federal Reserve continues its plans to purchase $40 billion worth of mortgage bonds per month, it is unlikely that mortgage rates will spike anytime soon. The September employment report, which will be released Friday by the Labor Department, will help keep rates low if it signals the economy is still struggling and disappoints the market.

The last time mortgage rates were above 6 percent was Nov. 2008. At the time, the average 30-year fixed rate was 6.33 percent, meaning a $200,000 loan would have carried a monthly payment of $1,241.86. With the average rate now 3.52 percent, the monthly payment for the same size loan would be $900.32, a difference of $341.54 per month for anyone refinancing now.

SURVEY RESULTS
30-year fixed: 3.52% — down from 3.55% last week (avg. points: 0.44)
15-year fixed: 2.84% — down from 2.88% last week (avg. points: 0.29)
5/1 ARM: 2.67% — down from 2.68% last week (avg. points: 0.40)

Bankrate’s national weekly mortgage survey is conducted each Wednesday from data provided by the top 10 banks and thrifts in the top 10 markets.

For a full analysis of this week’s move in mortgage rates, go to http://www.bankrate.com/mortgagerates

The survey is complemented by Bankrate’s weekly Rate Trend Index, in which a panel of mortgage experts predicts which way the rates are headed over the next seven days. The majority of the panelists, 58 percent, see little change in mortgage rates over the next seven days. Twenty-five percent expect a decrease in the coming week and 17 percent predict an increase.

For the full mortgage Rate Trend Index, go to http://www.bankrate.com/RTI

About Bankrate, Inc.
Bankrate is a leading publisher, aggregator, and distributor of personal finance content on the Internet. Bankrate provides consumers with proprietary, fully researched, comprehensive, independent and objective personal finance editorial content across multiple vertical categories including mortgages, deposits, insurance, credit cards, and other categories, such as retirement, automobile loans, and taxes. The Bankrate network includes Bankrate.com, our flagship website, and other owned and operated personal finance websites, including CreditCards.com, Interest.com, Bankaholic.com, Mortgage-calc.com, CreditCardGuide.com, Nationwide Card Services, InsuranceQuotes.com, CarInsuranceQuotes.com, InsureMe, Bankrate.com.cn, CreditCards.ca, NetQuote.com, and CD.com. Bankrate aggregates rate information from over 4,800 institutions on more than 300 financial products. With coverage of nearly 600 local markets in all 50 U.S. states, Bankrate generates over 172,000 distinct rate tables capturing on average over three million pieces of information daily. Bankrate develops and provides web services to over 80 co-branded websites with online partners, including some of the most trusted and frequently visited personal finance sites on the Internet such as Yahoo!, AOL, CNBC, and Bloomberg. In addition, Bankrate licenses editorial content to over 500 newspapers on a daily basis including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Boston Globe.

SOURCE Bankrate, Inc.

Interest Rates on New Credit Card Offers Remained at 15%

Interest rates on new credit card offers remained at 15 percent on Wednesday, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report.

The average is comprised of 100 of the most popular credit cards in the country, including cards from dozens of leading U.S. issuers and representing every card category. Introductory (teaser) rates are not included in the calculation.

Rates for card categories tracked by CreditCards.com are listed below:

This week marks the third straight week that the national average annual percentage rate (APR) on new card offers has hit 15 percent.

None of the cards featured significant rate changes this week. However, one issuer, the Pentagon Federal Credit Union, introduced a unique offer to each of its cards. Qualified applicants that apply for any PenFed credit card, such as the PenFed Visa Platinum Cash Rewards card, will now be able to make interest-free purchases on electronics for six months.

The issuer added the offer as a supplement to its existing promotional offers, rather than as a replacement. For example, applicants that apply for the PenFed Promise card will also still qualify for an introductory APR of 7.49 percent for 36 months.

The CreditCards.com credit card rate survey (permalink: http://www.creditcards.com/rate-report) is conducted weekly, using offer data from the leading U.S. card issuers’ websites. Introductory offer periods and regular interest rates will vary with applicants’ credit quality and issuer risk-based pricing policies.

About CreditCards.com
CreditCards.com is the leading online credit card marketplace connecting consumers with multiple credit card issuers, including a majority of the 10 largest in the United States, based on credit card transaction volume. CreditCards.com, http://www.creditcards.com, enables consumers to search for, compare and apply for credit cards and offers credit card issuers an online channel to acquire qualified applicants.

Virgin America Announces Low-Cost Flights to Palm Springs

SAN FRANCISCO — Virgin America, the California-based airline that is reinventing travel, announces that it is bringing more of its upscale, low-fare flights to Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) from both San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).  Just in time for winter getaways, the airline is expanding its footprint at PSP, with a new 2012-2013 seasonal flight schedule that will include a new weekly Saturday nonstop flight from JFK to PSP – the only nonstop flight offered from the New York City area to Palm Springs.  The new nonstop flight will add to Virgin America’s seasonal daily connecting flight schedule from JFK to PSP and its seasonal daily nonstop schedule from SFO to PSP.  Tickets are on sale as of today at www.virginamerica.com and 1-877-FLY-VIRGIN.* Fares start from $79** SFO-PSP and introductory fares from $149** JFK-PSP.

“Since entering these Palm Springs markets, we’ve seen strong demand for our unique flight service.  We’re pleased to be expanding in the market and offering a new nonstop option for travelers coming from New York to the desert this winter,” said John MacLeod, Senior Vice President of Planning and Sales at Virgin America.  ”With service that continues to sweep the travel awards, touch-screen entertainment at every seat and new aircraft that look like nothing else in the domestic skies, we think our flights are a great fit for the region.  We’re thankful for the partnership and support of the airport, Mayor and tourism community in welcoming our new service and helping us grow.”

“Virgin America’s upscale flight service is a perfect match for travelers visiting our region, and we’re pleased to see the airline spread its wings and expand here.  The new JFK service will be the only nonstop flight to the Northeast from PSP.  Virgin America’s decision to grow its presence here is a testament to the appeal of our region as a global destination and the strength of our local tourism economy,” said Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet.

Known for outstanding service, beautifully designed cabins and unrivalled in-flight entertainment, Virgin America has swept the travel awards since its 2007 launch, including being named “Best Domestic Airline” in both Conde Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the past four years and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards for the past five years.  The airline first launched seasonal flight service into the Palm Springs market in December 2011 with a daily nonstop flight from SFO and a daily “same plane” through flight from JFK to PSP. Just weeks after launching its service into Palm Springs, Virgin America partnered with the Palm Springs International Film Festival as a premier sponsor.  In April 2012 the airline ramped up service during the Coachella Music Festival and hosted unique events for festivalgoers, including a flight with a live DJ spinning from the back of the plane.

“We’re thrilled to see Virgin America expand its award-winning service in our region.  Virgin America’s fresh approach to travel is obviously striking a chord with travelers headed to and from the Coachella Valley,” said Scott White, President and CEO of Greater Palm Springs CVB.  “Virgin America’s added commitment to our region will help lower fares and improve service in our market, allowing more travelers to enjoy all that our dynamic region has to offer.”

Palm Springs, and the other cities that make up the region, is the ultimate destination for outdoor adventure, arts and culture, gaming and entertainment. Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio and Coachella offer streets lined with palm trees, the best in shopping, art galleries and museums and outdoor dining – all amidst breathtaking scenery.  In addition to luxury resorts and world-class golfing, the region has welcomed an influx of hip boutique hotels and landmark events like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.  Palm Springs has a history as the holiday home of many Hollywood stars from the 1940s on – and is known as the center of “Desert Modernism” mid-century modern architecture.  For more, visit: www.palmspringsoasis.com

Virgin America’s new fleet offers custom-designed mood-lit cabins and amenities like fleetwide WiFi, power outlets and personal entertainment at every seat.  The Red™ platform offers guests their own seatback touch-screen TV, with 25 films, live TV, Google Maps, videogames, seat-to-seat chat, music videos, a 4000 song library and an on-demand menu – so flyers can order a cocktail or snack from their seatback any time during a flight.  In addition to a Main Cabin that offers custom-designed leather seating with a deeper, more comfortable pitch, the airline’s First Class offers plush white leather seating with 55 inches of pitch, 165 degrees of recline and lumbar massagers.  The carrier’s Main Cabin Select option offers 38-inches of pitch, free food and cocktails, an all-access pass to media content, dedicated overhead bins and priority check-in/boarding.  This summer, Virgin America launched a suite of enhancements to its Elevate® frequent flyer program – including Elevate Gold and Elevate Silver status levels that offer perks such as:  priority check-in, security clearance and boarding; points earning bonuses; free checked bag allowances; enhanced digital/social rewards; private discounts; an expanded advance purchase upgrade window for the airline’s exclusive eight-seat First Class; complimentary space-available upgrades to the carrier’s premium Main Cabin Select service; and complimentary access to the best seat assignments within Main Cabin.

Virgin America’s 2012-2013 nonstop PSP flight schedule is as follows:

Connecting flights are also available from PSP to Virgin America’s New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Philadelphia (PHL), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Washington D.C. (IAD) cities.

Photos of Virgin America’s unique aircraft: http://www.virginamerica.com/about/airline-photos/virgin-america-pictures.html
For photos of Virgin America’s 2011 Palm Springs inaugural flight with Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson: http://www.virginamerica.com/vx/palm-springs-launch
Broadcast quality video b-roll can also be downloaded at: http://www.virginamerica.com/about/airline-company.html

Virgin America is the only airline headquartered in California. In just over five years flying, the airline has expanded to 19 airport destinations (including PSP) and has created 2,600 new jobs. Virgin America flies to San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C. (IAD), Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Cabos, Cancun, Chicago, Puerto Vallarta, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Portland and Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National (DCA).

About Virgin America:  Headquartered in California, Virgin America offers guests attractive fares and a host of innovative features aimed at reinventing air travel. Virgin America was named “Best Domestic Airline” in the Conde Nast Traveler 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 ‘Readers’ Choice’ Awards  and “Best Domestic Airline” in Travel + Leisure’s 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 ‘World’s Best’ Awards.  The airline’s base of operations is SFO’s sleek new Terminal 2.  The airline’s new aircraft offer interactive in-flight entertainment systems and power outlets near every seat.  Virgin America was the first airline to offer Gogo™ InFlight Internet on every flight.  For more, visit: www.virginamerica.com

*Any guest calling within the United States has access to a complimentary telecommunication relay service by dialing 711. For more information, go to: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/telecomm.asp

**Fare Terms and Conditions: All Main Cabin fares are one-way and require a 21-day advance purchase. For nonstop JFKPSP service, travel must occur between December 22, 2012 and March 2, 2013.  For connecting JFKPSP or nonstop SFOPSP service, travel must occur between October 18, 2012 and March 2, 2013. Tickets must be purchased by 11:59pm CDT September 26, 2012. Lowest sale fares are available only on certain itineraries and are not valid for travel on Fridays and Sundays.  2012 blackout dates are: 11/12, 11/15 through 11/26, 12/14, 12/15, 12/21 through 12/23, 12/26 and 12/30. 2013 blackout dates are: 1/2, 1/5, 1/6, 1/18, 1/21, 2/15, and 2/18.  Seats are limited, subject to availability, and may not be available on all flights. Flights may not operate daily. Changes or cancellations can be made for a $100 fee per guest through all channels, plus any increase in fare, if applicable. Changes or cancellations of a booking made with Elevate Points will be subject to a $100 redeposit fee per guest. Guests who no-show without a change or cancellation prior to the scheduled departure time will forfeit the amount of this fare. In addition, any future flights booked in the same reservation will also be canceled and the fare will be forfeited. Tickets purchased from Virgin America through our reservation call center will cost an additional $20 per guest per itinerary. Any added cost associated with purchasing tickets from Virgin America through our reservation call center will be non-refundable. Fares will not be honored retroactively or in exchange for any wholly or partially used ticket. Fares, routes, fees and schedules are subject to change without notice. Virgin America will accept up to ten pieces of checked baggage, up to 50 pounds each, per ticketed guest traveling within the U.S. The fee for each piece of checked baggage up to 50 pounds is $25. Additional fees apply to baggage exceeding these weight limitations, and other baggage restrictions may apply.

SOURCE Virgin America

NASA’s Rover Mission Finds Old Streambed on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity rover mission has found evidence a stream once ran vigorously across the area on Mars where the rover is driving. There is earlier evidence for the presence of water on Mars, but this evidence – images of rocks containing ancient streambed gravels – is the first of its kind.

Scientists are studying the images of stones cemented into a layer of conglomerate rock. The sizes and shapes of stones offer clues to the speed and distance of a long-ago stream’s flow.

“From the size of gravels it carried, we can interpret the water was moving about 3 feet per second, with a depth somewhere between ankle and hip deep,” said Curiosity science co-investigator William Dietrich of the University of California, Berkeley. “Plenty of papers have been written about channels on Mars with many different hypotheses about the flows in them. This is the first time we’re actually seeing water-transported gravel on Mars. This is a transition from speculation about the size of streambed material to direct observation of it.”

The finding site lies between the north rim of Gale Crater and the base of Mount Sharp, a mountain inside the crater. Earlier imaging of the region from Mars orbit allows for additional interpretation of the gravel-bearing conglomerate. The imagery shows an alluvial fan of material washed down from the rim, streaked by many apparent channels, sitting uphill of the new finds.

The rounded shape of some stones in the conglomerate indicates long-distance transport from above the rim, where a channel named Peace Vallis feeds into the alluvial fan.

The abundance of channels in the fan between the rim and conglomerate suggests flows continued or repeated over a long time, not just once or for a few years.

The discovery comes from examining two outcrops, called “Hottah” and “Link” with the telephoto capability of Curiosity’s mast camera during the first 40 days after landing. Those observations followed up on earlier hints from another outcrop, which was exposed by thruster exhaust as Curiosity, the Mars Science Laboratory Project’s rover, touched down.

“Hottah looks like someone jack-hammered up a slab of city sidewalk, but it’s really a tilted block of an ancient streambed,” said Mars Science Laboratory Project Scientist John Grotzinger of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

The gravels in conglomerates at both outcrops range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. Some are angular, but many are rounded.

“The shapes tell you they were transported and the sizes tell you they couldn’t be transported by wind. They were transported by water flow,” said Curiosity science co-investigator Rebecca Williams of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Ariz.

The science team may use Curiosity to learn the elemental composition of the material, which holds the conglomerate together, revealing more characteristics of the wet environment that formed these deposits. The stones in the conglomerate provide a sampling from above the crater rim, so the team may also examine several of them to learn about broader regional geology.

The slope of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater remains the rover’s main destination. Clay and sulfate minerals detected there from orbit can be good preservers of carbon-based organic chemicals that are potential ingredients for life.

“A long-flowing stream can be a habitable environment,” said Grotzinger. “It is not our top choice as an environment for preservation of organics, though. We’re still going to Mount Sharp, but this is insurance that we have already found our first potentially habitable environment.”

During the two-year prime mission of the Mars Science Laboratory, researchers will use Curiosity’s 10 instruments to investigate whether areas in Gale Crater have ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.

For more about Curiosity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

You can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity.

SOURCE NASA

DIY Touch-Up Paint Options For Car Owners Increase Value

Before they take their cars to body shops for a fix that can cost hundreds of dollars, car owners should consider some cheaper but effective alternatives to fix paint scratches and blemishes, advises Edmunds.com, the premier resource for automotive information. Not only can these DIY projects help owners save money, but they can also improve the value of their vehicles when they’re ready to go on the market. In fact, Edmunds.com experts say that a simple touch up kit that costs less than $100 can almost instantly improve a used car’s value by hundreds of dollars more.

“Even little scratches in your car’s paint can hurt its value, but it’s remarkable how a quick repair can greatly improve the look of your car,” says Edmunds.com Sr. Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed. “With a little elbow grease and a few inexpensive tools, you can fix it yourself with a spray can or, depending on the type of damage, a bottle of touch-up paint.”

In his latest consumer advice piece “Touch-Up Paint Options for Your Car,” Mr. Reed describes his experience repairing scratches on his own family’s vehicle. He was able to complete the job himself in just a couple of hours with a $79 (plus shipping and handling) touch-up kit that he ordered online. The same job at a professional body shop, says Reed, could have cost him hundreds of dollars more.

Edmunds.com offers car owners who opt for the do-it-yourself route additional advice to make sure they perform the most professional-looking job possible:

• Find “how-to” videos on the Internet. Edmunds.com recommends searching YouTube or visiting Automotivetouchup.com.
• Identify the specific paint code for your vehicle, as opposed to eyeballing the color. This can be found by checking directly with your car’s manufacturer. And always test the color match before applying paint to the vehicle.
• Remember to order and apply clearcoat, which is the transparent protective coating on just about every paint job.
• Be patient. It’s important to wait for each coat of paint to dry before applying the next coat.

For those who don’t want to take the do-it-yourself route, there is still one more option before heading to the body shop: hire a mobile touch-up technician. These specialists will come to your home and perform the fix themselves using their own DIY kits. Mobile technicians often charge less than half of the price of an actual body shop.

For more on how you can save money on car paint touch-ups, please visit http://www.edmunds.com/how-to/touch-up-paint-options-for-your-car.html.

A paint touch-up is just one of many “Do-It-Yourself” projects that can help you save money on your car maintenance tab and improve the value of your car. Edmunds.com identifies five more common tasks that all car owners can perform on their own at http://www.edmunds.com/how-to/5-automotive-fixes-you-can-do-yourself.html.

A good shine can also help your car’s curb appeal when it’s time to sell. Edmunds.com offers detailed tips on how to wash and wax your car at http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/it-takes-more-than-the-occasional-wash-and-wax-to-keep-your-car-looking-its-best.html.

About Edmunds.com, Inc.
At Edmunds.com, we’re committed to helping people find the car that meets their every need. Almost 18 million visitors use our research, shopping and buying tools every month to make an easy and informed decision on their next new or used car. Whether you’re at the dealership or on the go, we’re always by your side with our five-star Edmunds.com iPhone and iPad apps and our Edmunds.com Android App. Our comprehensive car reviews, shopping tips, photos, videos and feature stories offer a friendly and authentic approach to the automotive world. We’re based in Santa Monica, Calif., but you can connect with us from anywhere by following @Edmunds on Twitter or by becoming a fan of Edmunds.com on Facebook.

Wi-Fi Signal logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Comcast announced that its Xfinity® WiFi service is now available in California.  For no additional charge to Xfinity Internet residential customers or Comcast Business Class Internet customers, Xfinity WiFi now provides fast wireless Internet access in select cities in Northern and Central California plus Santa Barbara County, including:  the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno, Monterey, Santa Maria and Chico (see complete list below).  To access Xfinity WiFi, customers and non-customers should look for “xfinitywifi” on the list of available networks on their wireless device and follow prompts to begin their WiFi session.

“Our customers are increasingly leveraging wireless devices, platforms and apps, and looking for ways to enjoy their entertainment and communications outside of their homes,” said Elaine Barden, Regional Vice President of Marketing for Comcast California.  “With Xfinity WiFi, we’re providing them a fast wireless Internet experience while they’re out shopping, eating or otherwise enjoying their time in Northern and Central California.”

Xfinity WiFi will provide fast wireless Internet access via hotspots in cities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as Aptos, Atwater, Buellton, Cameron Park, Carmel, Chico, Chowchilla, Colusa, Corcoran, Davis, Diamond Springs, Dinuba, El Dorado Hills, Elk Grove, Fairfield, Folsom, Fresno, Galt, Grass Valley, Hanford, Kerman, Lathrop, Lemoore, Lodi, Lompoc, Los Banos, Madera, Manteca, Marysville, Mendota, Merced, Modesto, Monterey, Murphys, Nevada City, Newman, Oakdale, Oroville, Parlier, Patterson, Placerville, Rancho Cordova, Reedley, Roseville, Sacramento, Salinas, San Andreas, Sanger, Santa Maria, Selma, Solvang, Sonora, Soquel, Stockton, Tracy, Tulare, Twain Harte, Vacaville, Vallejo, Visalia, Willows and Yuba City. A coverage map is available at: www.xfinity.com/wifi.

Comcast has installed and activated a few thousand Xfinity WiFi hotspots throughout California and will continue to install additional hotspots in California throughout the year.

Xfinity WiFi also provides Xfinity Internet customers the ability to access thousands of WiFi hotspots throughout the greater Philadelphia area, Boston and Washington, DC, in addition to areas of New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware.  Xfinity WiFi hotspots are located in places where customers spend time working, commuting, shopping and dining. In addition, Comcast previously announced roaming agreements with Cablevision and Time Warner Cable, under which Xfinity Internet customers can enjoy thousands of Xfinity WiFi hotspots in the Greater New York Tri-State area also for no additional fee.

Comcast has changed the Internet experience for millions of customers by providing superfast speeds, reliable service, trusted security and online content.  The company has increased Internet speeds for its customers six times since 2002.

Xfinity Internet also offers other value-added services at no additional cost, such as the Constant Guard security suite, the most comprehensive suite of online protection (a $360 value) that includes top-rated Norton™ Security Suite, Secure Backup & Share and IDENTITY GUARD®. In addition, Comcast offers access to the Constant Guard Website, in both English http://xfinity.comcast.net/constantguard and in Spanish http://xfinity.comcast.net/constantguard/Seguridad, which provides tips, tools and resources on Internet safety and security threats.

About Comcast Cable

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers. Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.

SOURCE Comcast Corporation

List of 20 Worst Foods In America Announced

Authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding revealed their annual list of the “20 Worst Foods in America” in the new EAT THIS, NOT THAT! NEW! UPDATED 2013 EDITION (Rodale Books; ISBN: 978-160-961-824-7; Paperback, $19.99; 368 pages). The list includes the nation’s worst pizza, fish, appetizer, chicken and more at major restaurant and fast-food chains across the country.

The popular EAT THIS, NOT THAT! book series, which currently has more than 8 million copies in print and 15 installments, identifies unhealthy foods – in fast-food chains, restaurant chains and grocery stores – and offers healthier alternatives.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120927/NY81636 )

“We can’t take all the credit, but since the EAT THIS, NOT THAT! series launched five years ago, many chain restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory, IHOP, and Applebee’s have rolled out low-calorie menus for health-conscious consumers,” said David Zinczenko, editor-in-chief of Men’s Health and author of the bestselling book series. “But despite the progress, America’s restaurants still have a long way to go and our annual list highlights the worst offenders.”

The list was compiled by evaluating the calorie counts, fat, sugar and sodium content, as well as portion sizes and other factors for menu items around the nation.

The Cheesecake Factory tops the list as the worst offender for the third consecutive year, this time with the French Toast Napoleon, a caloric bomb filled with indulgent ingredients like cream-drenched bread, piles of pecans, and a snowstorm of powdered sugar. The result: a breakfast with as many calories as three dozen eggs.

Top 5 Worst Foods in America 2013:

1. Worst Food in America: The Cheesecake Factory French Toast Napoleon (2,530 calories)
2. Worst Grilled Entree: Chili’s Shiner Bock BBQ Ribs (full rack) with Cinnamon Apples and Homestyle Fries (2,310 calories)
3. Worst Pasta Dish: The Cheesecake Factory Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken (2,300 calories)
4. Worst Pizza: Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Individual Pizza (2,300 calories)
5. Worst Appetizer: Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion (1,949 calories)

To see the full list of 20 worst foods by category with nutrition information for each item, in addition to healthier options, pick up a copy of EAT THIS, NOT THAT! 2013 or visit: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/worst-foods-america-2013.

Readers of EAT THIS, NOT THAT! 2013 will also discover:

• The 20 Worst Kids’ Foods in America: A list of the worst kids meals at chain restaurants and at the supermarket, including the “worst breakfast cereal,” “worst PB&J”, “worst macaroni and cheese,” and more.
• The Year in Food 2012: The high points and the low points of the past year in the food industry, including pink slime, “all natural” food frauds, Congress approving pizza as a vegetable, and Burger King’s massive brand reinvention, including new “premium” food offerings.
• The Truth About Your Food: Unravel the mysterious ingredients list of popular fast-food choices like McDonald’s Big Mac, Dunkin’ Donuts’ Boston Kreme Donut and KFC’s Chunky Chicken Pot Pie.
• America‘s Best Packaged Foods at the Supermarket: Strategies for ignoring the food manufacturers’ advertising tricks and buying more nutrition for less money at the supermarket.
• Cook This, Not That!: Save hundreds of dollars and thousands of calories by simply preparing these quick and delicious meals at home.

For more information on this essential guidebook for navigating American fast food and restaurant chains, visit: http://eatthis.com.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT!

The popular “Eat This, Not That!” brand, which was created by Men’s Health Editor-in-Chief David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding, identifies unhealthy foods in fast-food chains, restaurant chains and grocery stores and offers healthier alternatives. It currently has more than 8 million books in print nationwide with 15 installments, a stand-alone website (www.eatthis.com) and multiple iPhone applications. Eat This, Not That! is a regularly-branded series on The Today Show, has been featured as an hour-long segment on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and has become one of the most popular blogs in Yahoo! history.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT! 2013
David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
Pub date: September 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-160-961-824-7
Paperback/$19.99
368 pages

SOURCE Rodale Books

New Car Sales Expected to be Up 11% in Sept 2012

TrueCar.com, the authority on new car pricing, trends and forecasting information, today released its September 2012 sales and incentives forecast.  The forecast shows the following:

• For September 2012, new light vehicle sales in the U.S. (including fleet) is expected to be 1,163,000 units, up 10.5 percent from September 2011 and down 9.5 percent from August 2012 (on an unadjusted basis)
• The September 2012 forecast translates into a Seasonally Adjusted Annualized Rate (“SAAR”) of 14.6 million new car sales, up from 13.1 million in September 2011 and up from 14.5 million in August 2012
• Retail sales are up 7.9 percent compared to September 2011 and down 9.7 percent from August 2012
• Fleet and rental sales are expected to make up 19.1 percent of total industry sales in September 2012
• The industry average incentive spending per unit will be approximately $2,468 in September 2012, which represents an decrease of 6.7 percent from September 2011 and decrease of 1.2 percent from August 2012
• Used car sales* are estimated to be 3,415,790, up 5.8 percent from September 2011 and down 11.7 percent from August 2012.  The ratio of new to used is estimated to be 1:3 for September 2012

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110118/LA31413LOGO)

“The SAAR range so far this year has been one of the tightest in the recent history, ranging in-between 13.8 and 15.1 million,” said Jesse Toprak, Vice President of Market Intelligence at TrueCar.com. “Even though the lack of big movements in car sales makes for less attractive headlines, the stable growth in sales is a positive for the industry. The stability allows for the right production adjustments and price optimization, resulting in improved profitability.”

Forecasts for the top eight manufacturers for September 2012:

“Gas prices have continued their steady climb in September fueling unseasonably high sales of smaller cars while on the other end of the spectrum large trucks also performed well as small businesses have slowly started to come back to the marketplace,” said Kristen Andersson, Senior Analyst at TrueCar.com.

TrueCar.com also projects sales down to the brand level, which can be viewed in its entirety at the Truth Blog on TrueCar.com.  Brand level incentive spending forecasts are available upon request.

TrueCar.com bases its forecast on actual transaction data.  The transaction data based forecast is refined by other current and historical factors that impact vehicle sales, including:  sales, inventory, incentives, fuel prices, and macro economic data (major stock market indexes, consumer confidence, new home starts, and CPI).  TrueCar.com does not adjust for selling days in year-over-year percentage change calculations.

*Used car sales figures include sales from franchise dealerships, independent dealerships and private party sales

About TrueCar, Inc.
TrueCar, Inc., headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., with offices in Santa Barbara, Calif., San Francisco, Calif., and Austin, Texas, is an automotive pricing information and analysis company that creates a better buying experience for dealers and consumers.  As an online publisher of unbiased new and used car transaction data, TrueCar.com provides price reports that empower dealers and consumers to agree on the parameters of a fair deal by supplying a transparent, simple understanding of what others recently paid for identically-equipped new cars in their geographic area.  ALG, a subsidiary of TrueCar, is the benchmark for vehicle value information to the automotive industry and has been forecasting residual values for nearly 50 years in both the U.S. and Canadian markets.

TrueCar is a data-driven company that sources and compiles car-buying information unlike anybody in the industry.  This is why, since its founding in 2005, TrueCar dealer partners have sold over 600,000 vehicles across the country.  Its national network of more than 4,700 Certified Dealers is committed to provide no-hassle pricing for some of the country’s largest membership and service organizations, including American Express, AAA, USAA and Consumer Reports that collectively represent more than one million monthly in-market customers.

You can follow TrueCar on Twitter and become a fan of TrueCar on Facebook.

Disclaimer
This press release and the information contained herein is for noncommercial use on “as-is, as available” basis and may be used for informational purposes only.  TrueCar makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the information contained in this press release and the results of the use of such information, including without limitation, the implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.  The information contained in this press release may include technical inaccuracies or typographical errors.  Neither TrueCar nor any of its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates or respective partners, officers, directors, employees or agents shall be held liable for any damages, whether direct, incidental, indirect, special or consequential, including without limitation, lost revenues or lost profits arising from or in connection with your use or reliance on the information presented in this press release.

SOURCE TrueCar.com

U.S. Home Prices Increased in July

Data through July 2012, released today by S&P Dow Jones Indices for its S&P/Case-Shiller¹ Home Price Indices, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, showed average home prices increased by 1.5% for the 10-City Composite and by 1.6% for the 20-City Composite in July versus June 2012. For the third consecutive month, all 20 cities and both Composites recorded positive monthly changes. It would have been a fourth had prices not fallen by 0.6% in Detroit back in April.

The 10- and 20-City Composites posted annual returns of +0.6% and +1.2% in July 2012, up from their unchanged and +0.6% annual rates posted for June 2012. Fifteen of the 20 MSAs and both Composites posted better annual returns in July as compared to June 2012. Dallas and Washington D.C. saw no change in their annual rates; and Cleveland, Detroit and New York saw their rates worsen in July, with respective returns of +0.4%, +6.2% and -2.6%. After nine consecutive months of double digit annual declines, Atlanta finally improved to a -9.9% annual rate in July 2012, but still the worst among the 20 cities followed by S&P Dow Jones Indices.

In July 2012, the 10- and 20-City Composites posted annual increases of 0.6% and 1.2%, and were up 1.5% and 1.6% for the month, respectively.

“Home prices increased again in July,” says David M. Blitzer, Chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “All 20 cities and both Composites were up on the month for the third time in a row. Even better, 16 of the 20 cities and both Composites rose over the last year. Atlanta remains the weakest city but managed to cut the annual loss to just under 10%.

“Digging into the numbers, 15 cities and both Composites had stronger annual returns in July’s report. New York was the only city with a worse 12-month decline in July than June. Dallas and Washington D.C. saw no change in their annual rates. Cleveland and Detroit saw annual rates decelerate in July versus June, although they remain positive for both cities.

“The news on home prices in this report confirm recent good news about housing. Single family housing starts are well ahead of last year’s pace, existing home sales are up, the inventory of homes for sale is down and foreclosure activity is slowing.  All in all, we are more optimistic about housing. Upbeat trends continue. For the third time in a row, all 20 cities and both Composites had monthly gains. Stronger housing numbers are a positive factor for other measures including consumer confidence.

“Among the cities, Miami and Phoenix are both well off their bottoms with positive monthly gains since the end of 2011.  Many of the markets we follow have seen some decent recovery from their respective lows – San Francisco up 20.4%, Detroit up 19.7%, Phoenix up 17.0% and Minneapolis up 16.5%, to name the top few.  These were some of the markets that were hit the hardest when the housing bubble burst in 2006. The 10-City has increased 7.4% and the 20-City 7.8% since their recent lows. The positive news in both the monthly and annual rates of change in home prices over the past few months signals a possible recovery in the housing market.”

As of July 2012, average home prices across the United States are back to their summer 2003 levels for the 20-City Composite and to autumn 2003 levels for the 10-City Composite. Measured from their June/July 2006 peaks, the decline for both Composites is approximately 30% through July 2012. For both Composites, their July 2012 levels are approximately 7.5-8.0% above their recent early 2012 lows.

In July 2012, all 20 MSAs and both Composites posted positive monthly gains. Fifteen of the MSAs and both Composites were up 1.0% or more. Miami, with a +2.1% monthly change, was the only city to record a higher monthly gain in July versus June. San Diego had a 1.1% monthly increase in July which is the same as its June gain. The remaining 18 cities and two Composites had lower monthly returns in July versus June, albeit all positive.

Atlanta, Detroit and Las Vegas continued to post average home prices below their January 2000 levels.  Cleveland had finally moved past its January 2000 base level with last month’s June report and continued posting increasing levels with a +102.02 print in July.

The table below summarizes the results for July 2012. The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are revised for the 24 prior months, based on the receipt of additional source data. More than 25 years of history for these data series is available, and can be accessed in full by going to www.homeprice.standardandpoors.com.

Since its launch in early 2006, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices have published, and the markets have followed and reported on, the non-seasonally adjusted data set used in the headline indices. For analytical purposes, S&P Dow Jones Indices publishes a seasonally adjusted data set covered in the headline indices, as well as for the 17 of 20 markets with tiered price indices and the five condo markets that are tracked.

A summary of the monthly changes using the seasonally adjusted (SA) and non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) data can be found in the table below.

About S&P Dow Jones Indices

S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies is the world’s largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data and research. Home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500^® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average(SM), S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC has over 115 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions that fulfill the needs of institutional and retail investors. More assets are invested in products based upon our indices than any other provider in the world. With over 830,000 indices covering a wide range of assets classes across the globe, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC defines the way investors measure and trade the markets. To learn more about our company, please visit www.spdji.com.

It is not possible to invest directly in an index. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, and their respective affiliates, parents, subsidiaries, directors, officers, shareholders, employees and agents (collectively “S&P Dow Jones Indices”) does not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote any investment fund or other vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the returns of any S&P Dow Jones Indices index. This document does not constitute an offer of services in jurisdictions where S&P Dow Jones Indices or its affiliates do not have the necessary licenses. S&P Dow Jones Indices receives compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties.

STANDARD & POOR’S and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC.  “Dow Jones” is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”).

S&P Dow Jones Indices has introduced a new blog called HousingViews.com. This interactive blog delivers real-time commentary and analysis from across the Standard & Poor’s organization on a wide-range of topics impacting residential home prices, homebuilding and mortgage financing in the United States. Readers and viewers can visit the blog at www.housingviews.com, where feedback and commentary is certainly welcomed and encouraged.

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are published on the last Tuesday of each month at 9:00 am ET. They are constructed to accurately track the price path of typical single-family homes located in each metropolitan area provided. Each index combines matched price pairs for thousands of individual houses from the available universe of arms-length sales data. The S&P/Case-Shiller National U.S. Home Price Index tracks the value of single-family housing within the United States. The index is a composite of single-family home price indices for the nine U.S. Census divisions and is calculated quarterly. The S&P/Case-Shiller Composite of 10 Home Price Index is a value-weighted average of the 10 original metro area indices. The S&P/Case-Shiller Composite of 20 Home Price Index is a value-weighted average of the 20 metro area indices. The indices have a base value of 100 in January 2000; thus, for example, a current index value of 150 translates to a 50% appreciation rate since January 2000 for a typical home located within the subject market.

These indices are generated and published under agreements between S&P Dow Jones Indices and Fiserv, Inc.

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices are produced by Fiserv, Inc. In addition to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, Fiserv also offers home price index sets covering thousands of zip codes, counties, metro areas, and state markets. The indices, published by S&P Dow Jones Indices, represent just a small subset of the broader data available through Fiserv.

For more information about S&P Dow Jones Indices, please visit www.spindices.com.

¹ Case-Shiller^® and Case-Shiller Indexes^® are registered trademarks of Fiserv, Inc.

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices