Every year car manufacturers bring out a new model, and if they are lucky, we get hooked on the model number. For example, when you hear 300, you think Chrysler; 550, you think Mercedes; 318 you think BMW. Now for those who grew up around Hip Hop in the late ‘80’s, early ‘90’s, you remember the
number 5000. It wasn’t the model of a car but a term. "Audi 5000" was made a
popular street term by Flava Flav  of Public Enemy.  Audi 5000 meant leaving, outta here, finished. Fast forward to 2011 and Audi is none of those things, bringing to America, the 2012 Audi A7. The A7 has been turning heads in Europe for quite some time. Now it’s America’s turn and it definitely doesn’t disappoint. I did a  piece on the 2011 Atlanta International Auto Show sponsored by AJC and in it I covered the A7. I was fortunate enough to link back up with Mr. Stacey Settle, Senior Audi Brand Specialist, of Gwinnett Audi, who gave me an in-depth tour and test drive of the $80K A7, Audi’s version of a 4 door coupe.
Mr. Settle and I spent over 20 minutes going over the interior. This piece of fine engineering comes with a WiFi hotspot that is connectable  to up to 8 items, Google Earth overlay navigation, Google Connect system for Internet Access, 2 SD card slots, wireless phone connections, Heads Up Display (HUD), 180 mph on the dash, night vision infrared (including heat seeking ), and so much more.  We talked a little about Audi’s competition- Hyundai and its Equus. Don’t take my word for it.
Watch and listen as Mr. Settle takes on us an interior tour you won’t see in a
brochure, read online, or get from a novice brand specialist. 

We went over the sunroof, lighting console, and interior headliner made of a poly composite stain resistant material. The cavernous glove compartment and center console are not your grandfather’s compartments; they are chock full of tech goodies. We talked about how to acquire the A7, either via preorder or by walking into a dealership. Did you know Gwinnett Audi is the only Audi dealership giving you a complimentary 10 year/ 10k miles powertrain warrantee with each purchase?  This normally will cost you between $1600 -$2000. I checked and didn’t see it added to the sticker price anywhere.  The trunk opening and closing is a push button operation. To see a glimpse of  the convertible S7 he mentions click here lions, tigers, and bears OH MY!!!!!

Watch this beauty come out of the showroom.

Now it was test drive time.  We go over the different packages contained in the car. You also get to hear the sound system. You may wanna turn your speakers down a little. I learned about the 3 different ways of driving the car: automatic, manual or paddles on the steering wheel. Ready? Let’s gooooooooo!

I learned a little about the Quattro technological history present in the A7. I also get to show you the HUD in action. We also get a glimpse of the fingertip encryption pad used to control the navigation console and also the voice activated system.

I would like to thank Gwinnett Audi for their hospitality. I would especially like to thank Mr. Stacey Settle for keeping his word and granting me an up close and personal view of the A7. Decisions, decisions, decisions. I hear the 2012 A6 is due out in August and I am hoping Mr. Settle grants me the privilege to spend some time behind the wheel of it. What I like most about Gwinnett Audi and Mr. Settle is there is no pressure to buy. They answer all your questions, take time to go over every nook and cranny of the car, and treat you like a person versus a sale. Now of course, they are in the business to sell you a vehicle; Gwinnett Audi has 37 lenders connected to them to help you get financed so you can take one of these beauties home.  Shout out to my camera girl, the Golden Child, who made the cockpit filming possible while I drove. Please go test drive this beauty. You won’t be disappointed.

All of my life I've been told to stand up straight and walk tall. I'm sure some of it is because we are taught that the straighter our posture, the more confident we are perceived i.e. the modeling world. If we really want to know we can always go to a doctor to get a checkup and find out if we are. Okay, I hear some of you saying my doctor doesn't do that kind of checkup. Well, they do if they are a chiropractor.
Like most people I have back issues from time to time.  I always blame it on lifting weights, some kind of sports injury or sleeping wrong. Normally, I figure as long as I could crack my own back or neck or have someone else do it, I am my own chiropractor. Oh contraire, I may have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express before but I am no chiropractor. I was having some back pain so I went to see my regular doctor and he adjusted my lower back. We talked about my back pain and joked I may need to see a  chiropractor. Around this time I received an email from Max360Health offering a free initial visit consisting of a consultation, exam, and x-rays at no cost. I figured who doesn’t like to save $380 so off to the chiropractor I went.  Can you say an eye opener or spine/nervous system revelation was in the works? 
Initially I met with Dr. Carlisle who ran a heat sensing apparatus up and down my spine which showed bad areas at the base of my skull and my lower back. I
knew about my slight scoliosis and lower back trauma so, when Dr. Carlisle pointed it out, I was unimpressed. It was on my return visit when I sat down with Dr.Savedoff and he showed me what my X-rays displayed, was when the proverbial shock and awe took place.

My X-rays weren't good .
My brain to body neurological communication is operating at 50% capacity.  My neck is at a 17 degree angle vs. the preferred 31 degrees which has caused the C1
vertebrae in my neck, a moveable bone, to creep up into space reserved for my brain stem. How critical is the brain stem? The brain stem provides the main motor and
sensory innervations to the face and neck via the cranial nerves. Though small, this is an extremely important part of the brain as the nerve connections of the motor and sensory systems from the main part of the brain to the rest of the body pass through the brain stem. I was also informed that my lower back is at a 20 degree angle vs. the normal 43 degrees and my hips are misaligned; the proper term for misalignment is subluxation. All of these factors have led to slight scoliosis and disc erosion. Below is a picture displaying what a normal cervical curve looks like.

During my visit, I realized that a chiropractor is more than just a doctor who cracks your back or you go to see after a car accident. Chiropractors also deal with nutritional counseling as well as muscle and spinal exercises. Dr. Savedoff shared statistics with me I was very familiar with; 5 out of 6 Americans die from cancer or heart
disease yearly, we
are only 5% of the Earth’s population but consume 87% of all prescription drugs and we are 37th out of the top 41 countries in health.  Do you know who the healthiest country is? France.  Though the countryman of Japan, China, and Korea smoke incessantly they surpass the U.S. in health also;  due to their diets of green vegetables containing the body cleansing molecule chlorophyll.

Common perceptions of the chiropractic field are along the same lines as the mental health field. No one talks about it or thinks of its importance when it comes to normal healthcare. Our nervous/skeletal systems and overall health are left to chance because who really needs to see a chiropractor for a small back or neck pain? We don't see a mental health specialist unless we are referred and we don't see a chiropractor until we have an accident and we are trying to get paid. Over time decreased brain to body communication leads to ailments and  sickness but when it happens suddenly paralysis.

So now what? My road to corrected spinal/neurological success includes an exercise routine before and after my adjustment sessions along with home exercises 3 times a week for 12 weeks.  Most likely I will continue to go to the chiropractor a couple times a year for the rest of my life to keep my nervous/skeletal system healthy. Eat to live and contunue doing my exercises to stay fit.
So am I really standing and walking tall? Yes and no. My outward appearance says yes but my skeletal system says no.  Please get checked out and find out how chiropractic treatment can help you maintain a healthier and pain free life. You can check out Max360Health  for more information. Thank you. Feel free to leave comments below.

SpeedTech Auto Racing Schools, Inc sponsored a Groupon deal I couldn't refuse, six laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway with an instructor in a 3400 pound Nascar Nextel Cup Series stock car. For you corporate readers SpeedTech/Gen3 Motorsports is looking for sponsor(s) for the upcoming truck season. Some people are aware that Randy Moss is sponsoring a cup team, so if you know of someone or you yourself are interested, get in touch with Colleen Walter.
Now before you assume this was on my bucket list, think again. I am just living life to the fullest. Anyone who knows me will tell you two things. 1. I have a need for speed, and 2. I have Philly road rage. Given the opportunity to channel my inner Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt, I jumped on it. Upon arriving at the Media Building for the 1230 P.M. check-in, I was greeted by the lovely faces of SpeedTech/Gen3 Motorsports: Melessia Baker, the wife of SpeedTech’s owner, and Angella Janssen, Director of Operations. Before I could become the next Nascar star, I had to sign the necessary paperwork and show my driver’s license and these ladies made it painless.  In our class were men and women of all different ages (min. 16 years old),  sizes, shapes and height.

We were welcomed and given our initial briefing by Randy Baker,
the owner of SpeedTech. Mr. Baker went over the Speedway's track dynamics he reminded us although we were in for a memorable experience, we must respect the vehicles and be safety minded. After learning how to strap ourselves into the
racing car seats, track safety, and operating procedures, it was time to divide the class up into 2 sections. My section was fitted for our protective suits and
helmets first while the other section toured the track. As I put on the suit and helmet it hit me that I was doing this for real. Once outfitted, we went outside to tour the track and see firsthand the lane markings Mr. Baker briefed us about.

We boarded a truck with our track tour guide, Mr. John Penninger. Mr. Penninger drove us a few feet, stopped the vehicle, and had a very serious chat with us. He gave us "Penninger-isms" from his 23 years of track experience. He reiterated up what Mr. Baker told us, and then added his own jewels of the track. He pointed out going fast doesn't mean you are driving well or safe. I can hear the "ehhh hmmm's" from many people I've known since I started driving. He warned us about respecting the track, vehicles, fellow racers, instructors, and ourselves while we were on the track. He reminded me of a grizzly military training instructor. He spoke, we listened... intently. Now it was finally time to get on the track. Slow down, it was just the guided tour. Mr. Penninger showed us the lines/lanes we were to use as guides for motoring around the track safely. One of the lessons we learned was to look at the track and what it is doing, not the asphalt lines. Looking at the asphalt lines could cause you to hit a wall. We learned how to safely pass and be passed and how to respect each others safety. Being passed is a foreign idea to me, so it was going to be an interesting drive.

Next came the hard part - the wait. We had a large group racing yesterday afternoon. I would advise anyone taking part to bring plenty of water and some snacks.
Then came the moment of truth, intestinal fortitude, show em whatcha got time. Mrs. Baker called my name  I secured my suit and headed to the car where waiting on me was  my one-on-one instructor, Mr. Penninger . My nervousness came back again. My first thought was, "I'm going to show him I can drive this car at 200 miles per hour." My second was, "Don't get kicked off the track for doing something stupid." I squeezed my 6'3" frame into the car, put on my helmet, and was strapped securely into my seat (I was an Alto for a second). I received last minute driving instructions and tips from John. Once I received the go ahead, I started up the engine and the car come alive with a long deep roar. Though I know how to drive a stick, it’s been quite some time and definitely wasn't of the race car caliber vehicle. I revved up the engine, put the car in gear and exited the pit. After going thru 1st, 2nd, then into 3rd gear, I was anxious to get into 4th gear. First, I had to wait until I was safely on the infield portion of the track and it was clear to actually maneuver onto the track. John gave me the shift to 4th gear and  proceed onto the track signal and IT WAS ON!!

Indescribable. The adrenaline rush. The experience. What was the actual driving experience like? Well, I must admit I have been over 100 MPH a lot of times in my life, but this was legal. I kept thinking about the commercials that say,  Please don't attempt this, this is done by trained professionals on a closed track. The entire time you are driving, you are looking down the track  so you can anticipate what lane and speed you will drive . Driving at speeds up to and over 100 MPH in a NASCAR vehicle... legendary. I don’t know what my top speed was but I was never passed.
I would like to thank the instructors for the afternoon: Lead Driving Instructor John Penninger, Kirk Spaulding, Terry Coley, Calvin Fleming, Tony Martin, and Randy Baker. Not present yesterday was Lead Driving Instructor and a top 5 high school football coach in Georgia, Cecil Flowe. Special shout outs to Mrs. Baker, Ms. Jannsen, who I shocked by giving her hug after getting out the car and Colleen Walter, Director of Operations. Mr. Baker, you have a top notch organization and personnel. Please stop by their website, and look out for the upcoming Twitter profile and Groupons.