Autoblog

Mass. turnpike authority removes violent video games from rest stops [w/poll]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Toys/Games

The Boston Globe reports the Massachusetts Department of Transportation has removed violent video games from state-owned travel centers following last month's mass shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.

As the story goes, Andrew and Tracey Hyams were traveling with their 12-year-old son on Christmas Eve from Boston to New York when they took a break from their road trip at a rest area. When they did, they were jarred by the sounds of virtual gunfire as someone played a video game inside. The Hyams, relatives of one of the victims of the Newtown shooting, complained to the Department of Transportation. The agency's decision makers agreed the games were inappropriate, and promptly pulled them from the rest areas in Charlton, Ludlow, Lee and Beverly. Nine such arcade games were removed in all.

Transportation Secretary Richard Davey was quoted as saying a video game in a public space could be used by children of any age, noting that everyone can agree that there's too much violence in our society. While Davey says he didn't make the decision to pull the games, he supported the move.

Do you believe this was the right decision? Take part in our survey below and feel free to leave your thoughts in Comments.

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Mass. turnpike authority removes violent video games from rest stops [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hapless Porsche 911 gets lit up with 10,000 rounds of ammunition

Zach Bowman — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Etc., Porsche

Porsche 911 Target Practice - Click above to watch video after the jump

The video after the jump isn't for the squeamish or the faint of heart.

The owner of one unfortunate Porsche 911 decided to donate his car to charity after the machine vomited up its engine and entire cooling system. After the mechanic handed over an estimate of close to U.S. $20,000 to have the Stuttgart-bred heathen repaired, the owner tossed the keys to Commonwealth Second Amendment. The U.S. charity group is dedicated to reforming Massachusetts gun laws and decided to use the silver Porsche as a fundraiser. Over 140 individuals showed with weapons and ammunition, forming a formidable firing squad.

You can probably guess what happened from there.

Now, we're a little torn on this one. Guns are cool. Shooting guns is cool. Shooting guns at cars can be cool, but this is what looks to be a largely unmarred Porsche 911. According to The J, the car was in no state to be used for parts or racing, but it seems like there was a heaping helping of good sheetmetal on the vehicle before Comm2A got ahold of it. C'est la vie.

Hit the jump to see two videos of the carnage (and some very bad aim) for yourself. You can also check out a few gaggles of photos from some of the shooters themselves here and here.

[Source: YouTube via Jalopnik]

Continue reading Hapless Porsche 911 gets lit up with 10,000 rounds of ammunition

Hapless Porsche 911 gets lit up with 10,000 rounds of ammunition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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St. Louis-area dealer thinks Hummers and firearms go together like Smith & Wesson

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, SUV, Etc., Hummer

Lynch Hummer dealership in Chesterfield, Missouri - Click above for image gallery

Peanut butter and jelly. Burgers and fries. Hummers and, um, handguns? That's right, where else but in the good ol' U. S. of A. could such necessary staples of everyday life be bundled together under one roof?

Like many other Hummer dealers, Jim Lynch, the man behind Lynch Hummer of Chesterfield, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis), found himself with lots of vacant floorspace after fuel prices, the economic downturn and the court of public opinion conspired to restrict vehicle sales at his fine establishment. What to do? Seems rather obvious to us - add firearm and ammunition sales, what else? According to Lynch, "It is a natural fit. Our customers enjoy outdoor sports and the firearms have been a big hit with our Hummer owners."

It's all about customer service, says Lynch, "We take our mission of providing a pleasant shopping environment for our customers very seriously... We sold our first Hummer online in 1995 and have been a leader in online sales of off-road parts and accessories through our Adventure Accessories web site for many years. We plan to do the same with firearms and accessories on our website."

Interested in adding both a Hummer and a new Glock (or Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Kimber, Colt, Benelli, Beretta, Browning, FNH, H&K, Springfield Armory, Ruger, Walther, Stoeger, Franchi, Uberti, CMMG, DPMS, Bushmaster or Barrett) to your arsenal? Click here to visit GunsAndHummers.com and hit the jump for the official press release. In the meantime, we'll be waiting for the first Mini dealer paired with a Starbucks franchise.

Gallery: Lynch Hummer dealership in Chesterfield, Missouri

[Source: GunsAndHummers.com]

Continue reading St. Louis-area dealer thinks Hummers and firearms go together like Smith & Wesson

St. Louis-area dealer thinks Hummers and firearms go together like Smith & Wesson originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gun owners want their other car to be a Chevy Volt

John Neff — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Etc., Chevrolet

click image above for high-res gallery of the Chevy Volt

Unlike most hybrids, the Chevy Volt may have the uncanny ability to attract buyers outside the culture of environmentally conscious citizens. Case in point is AR15.com, a gun owners website and forum that's having an enlightening discussion about why the Volt hits their sweet spot. Forget about "tree-huggin stump-humping global warming alarmist" types (their words, not ours), these gun owners like the Volt because it promises a range equal to cars with gas engines and the ability to use no fuel for short trips. Who wouldn't like that? The forum member who started the thread with a link to an article on the Volt comments repeatedly that the first production series hybrid from GM will be a "game changer".

It seems that many people, like the AR15.com posters, willfully alienate themselves from the current crop of green cars on the market specifically because they're touted by the liberal elite as the morally responsible choice of transportation we should all be driving. In fact, there are many conservatives in this country who also care about the environment and are interested in reducing dependence on foreign oil, but would rather not sacrifice the reliability, range, and general usefulness of their gas vehicles for hybrids that a.) don't live up to their hype, and/or b.) simply don't suit their needs. If the Volt delivers on all of its promises, then it should also attract these people who wouldn't touch a Prius with a ten-foot pole.

Don't forget that the Volt is also produced by a domestic U.S. automaker and will be the first of its kind on the market. That makes it a technological tour de force that patriots can be proud to own. You can't say that about a Prius, and though U.S. automakers do produce hybrids, they arrived pretty late to the game and haven't made a significant impact in the market with their offerings. The Volt will certainly be a game changer, as we suspect it will be the first "green" car on the market to rack up sales that rival its gas-powered counterparts specifically because its appeal plays on both sides of the aisle.

Gallery: Chevy Volt Concept

Gun owners want their other car to be a Chevy Volt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Aug 2007 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Lambo LP640 rocks!

Noah Joseph — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:07:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Supercars, Lamborghini

We all knew that Lamborghini's Murcielago LP640 goes up to eleven, but without experiencing this raging bull first-hand, it's hard to comprehend just how hard she rocks. (And yes, we all know a sportscar of such passion and beauty is thoroughly feminine.)

This video, reportedly a cinematographical review for German car-mag Auto Motor und Sport, goes a long way towards conveying the absolute freakin' rockingness of the LP640, the epitome of 43 years of Lamborghini history. Watch and see for yourself.

[Source: German Car Blog]

VIDEO: Lambo LP640 rocks! originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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