Learn to Love Them: Packing Peanuts

What item seems to annoy you the most around your home?  Packing peanuts have to be near the top of your list as they get everywhere, especially when they break.  Put your frustration to rest as we have found a number of ways to use these small Styrofoam pieces for good.  For example, using packing peanuts for the base layer in potted plants can help increase drainage, as well as reduce the overall weight of the plant.  Packing peanuts can also be used for:

• Pet Bedding- stuff an old pillow case with packing peanuts to make a comfortable pillow for your household buddy.
• Suitcase Protectors- all you need is a few Styrofoam peanuts and an old plastic bag and you have a cheap way to protect any valuables from breaking in your suitcase. 
• Floating Key Chain- Stringing a few peanuts to your keys before you go boating can help you ensure that your way home will not be lost into the wet abyss.
• Room Freshener- When sprayed with your favorite perfume or cologne, packing peanuts will help spread the wonderful scent.  Simply place the peanuts in a fun jar before spraying them down.

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

This information was gathered from two separate sites.  Site 1.  Site 2.

Wide-angle side mirrors. The verdict is out...

Each year, more and more gadgets are added to the equipment lists of new cars. But it's not just gadgets. Simple features, such as extendable sun visors and wide-angle side mirrors, are also popping up. I’m all about the former, but the verdict is still out on the latter.

These mirrors were designed to help eliminate blind spots; but if you are having a hard time adjusting to this mirror-in-mirror accessory, here are some tips to help set your mirrors correctly and eliminate blind spots:

• Most people adjust the side mirrors so they can see the side of the car, not realizing this creates big blind spots.
• Instead, adjust the mirrors so that the side of the car is just out of view, decreasing the size of your blind spots.
• For the driver's side, lean toward the window, and the side of the car should come into view. Lean a little toward the center of the car to adjust the passenger-side mirror accordingly.
• If the side mirrors are set correctly, a car that passes you should move from the rearview mirror to the side mirrors, without disappearing in a blind spot.

Are Used Dryer Sheets Actually Used Up?

Dryer sheets are fantastic.  They soften clothes, make your home smell wonderful and are very easy to use.  A great thing about dryer sheets is that they possess a multitude of use that go past their original purpose as they are very useful after they have been run through your drying device.  Hard to believe?  Check out these interesting uses:

• Fight odor by placing the used sheet in shoes, boots and even luggage!
• Remove pet hair from your clothing and furniture by wiping it down with a used sheet.
• Plug mouse holes with a used dryer sheet.  Mice will not chew through it.
• Chrome on vehicles and throughout your home can be polished with a used dryer sheet.
• Soap scum on your shower door can be removed with a firm swipe.
• If you, or your hair, are full of static then wipe yourself down with a used dryer sheet to rid yourself of that extra electricity.
• Sharpen your scissors by wiping down the blades.
• Place a dryer sheet in your AC unit to keep dust from flying through the vent.
• Before sewing or stitching, run the thread through the sheet to reduce the possibility of tangling.

There are even more uses on this link!              
At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

The Land of Beauty...and Ice: Iceland

The country of the week here at Ryan Motors is Iceland!  We discovered that very little is known about Iceland, so we dug deep to find some interesting information about the country that lies between Greenland and Great Britain.

• Population- 323,000
• Capital- Reykjavik
• Size- 39,756 square miles
• Currency- Icelandic Krona
• Language-Icelandic and English
• Area Code- 354
• Current President-  Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
• Prime Minister- Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

The government functions very similarly to many other European countries as the president of the country does not have nearly as much power as the prime minister and the legislative body.  Iceland is a very beautiful country with an abundance of mountains, volcanoes, lakes and glaciers.  The climate in Iceland is quite cool as it is near the Arctic Circle.  Iceland is the outdoorsman’s dream, as hiking, mountain biking, camping and other unique recreational activities are available all around the country.  Iceland did compete in the 2012 summer Olympics but they did not receive any medals.       
Icelandic Phrases
Hello- Halló
What is your name?- Hvað heitir þú?
Thank You- Takk
Goodnight- Góða nótt
Happy Friday!
At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.a

Are You Ready For Some Football!?!?!?!

Oh, it’s that time of the year again: fantasy football time!  Every year, football fans try and draft the best possible team for the upcoming fantasy season, but there is always second guessing, regret and hours of thought that accompany many picks.  At Ryan Motors, we decided to help all of you fantasy footballers by finding the top 10 picks for your upcoming season and a couple sleepers you may want to consider.

1.)  Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans-Ranked #1 by both the NFL.com and ESPN, he has a potent combination of power with pure speed.  He makes every defense coordinator nervous when he has the ball. 

2.)  Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers- There is no doubt that Mr. Rodgers may be the best quarterback in the league.  Great vision, good speed and a poised presence in the pocket make him one of the most valuable field generals of all time. 

3.)  Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens- Ray received the #2 vote by NFL.com and the #3 from ESPN.  Consistency is a word that is often used when describing Rice.  You can always rely on him to give you high yardage and a TD.

4.)  Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions-Calvin may be the best receiver in the league as he is the only wide-out listed in many of the top 10 rankings.  He is often double-covered but still manages to have great YAC every year.

5.)  Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints- Yes, we ranked him above Tom Brady, but not by much.  Brees set the NFL passing record last year with 5,476 yards.  Not to mention his 46 TD passes as well.

6.)  Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots- A true veteran.  You can rely on Brady to throw for at least 30 TD passes a year, if not more.

7.)  Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals- Maybe it is his work ethic or his long hair, but Larry seems to evade almost every defender that lines up across from him.  A constant deep threat with great hands, Larry is a receiver you want in your lineup.

8.)  LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles­- A good choice for any fantasy line-up.  Durable, fast and effective.  Highly ranked by ESPN and NFL.com.

9.)  Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers- Cam is coming off a good year.  He excels in scrambling and is always a threat to take the ball himself.  He is looking to cut down his interceptions this year and take the Panthers into the playoffs.

10.)                     Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans- Johnson is no stranger to fantasy talks.  He did not perform up to his hype last year and is looking to prove once again that he is the best in the league.

What about defense?

This is a toss-up.  NFL.com and ESPN both agree that the San Francisco 49ers hold the best defense, but after that it is up to personal analysis.  The Bears, Texans and Ravens are always safe picks.  Who is last?  One would have to think the Colts, Bucs or Panthers would come in last.  Be careful with those defenses!

Sleepers:

1.)  Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings- Ok, so he is injury prone and has had some trouble with the law, but All-Day AP is back and ready to go.  Try not to forget what many thought when he was drafted: he will never reach all-star levels.

2.)  Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons- The former Boston College standout has been leading the Falcons for the last 4 years and has put up good passing numbers.  He has Julio Jones and Roddy White around him, so hopefully that will help.

Good Luck!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

The Land of the Rising Sun

On this wonderful Friday, Ryan Motors thought it would find some interesting facts on the country of Japan.
Some quick facts on the Land of the Rising Sun:

• Capital: Tokyo
• Population: 127,463,611
• Currency: Yen
• Government: Constitutional Monarchy
• Almost 4/5 of Japan is considered mountainous
• Japan has over 200 volcanoes, 60 of which are active
• 1,000 earthquakes hit Japan every year
• The first emperor of Japan was named Jimmu Tenno
• Seafood is very popular in Japan, especially shark and puffer fish

Have a great Friday!

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.

Who are the Devil Dogs?

 

Most people have heard the name “Devil Dogs” when reading a history book or watching the history channel, but this famous nickname is often met with confusion.  Who were the Devil Dogs?  What did they do?  We are here to clear up this hazy part of American history.  In the summer of 1918, World War I waged over seas and the United States Marine Corps was sent into Belleau Wood, a small area near the Marne River in France to hold off a German offensive that had broken through the French lines.  Outgunned, outmanned and lacking adequate cover, the Marine Corps not only halted the advancing German forces, but pushed them back out of the woods.  The series of encounters that followed over the coming month were then known as the Battle of Belleau Wood.  A majority of the fighting during Belleau Wood consisted of hand to hand combat in which the marines were highly trained.  To even enter the Marine Corps in the early 20^th century, individuals had to meet certain height, weight and strength requirements.  After the battle of Belleau Wood, rumors circled that several German soldiers were calling the American Marines “hell hounds.”  The Marine Corps embodied this brand and have since lived in infamy as the “Devil Dogs” that saved the Allies from the brink of annihilation.
Below is a famous quote written by a German soldier following the battle: “Brave conduct…some of the wounded men carried on despite their injuries.  Our men have thrown hand grenades into the clumps of men; enemy didn’t pay an attention to them.  Shoot while they walk, with their rifles under their arms.  Carry no hand grenades, but use knives, pistols, rifle butts and bayonets…big husky fellows, every one of them—rowdies—absolutely no military bearing.”

At Ryan Motors, vehicles may be our profession, but people are our passion.