Sterling Auto Repair

First, we will have a little history lesson. The historical story of the VW Beetle dates back to 1930’s Germany. Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany in 1933 and announced he wanted to build new roads and affordable cars for the German people. At the time, Austrian-born engineer Ferdinand Porsche was already working on creating a small car. Hitler met with Porsche later, and the engineer was charged with designing the inexpensive, mass-produced Volkswagen, or “people’s car.” In 1938, work began on the Volkswagen factory, located in present-day Wolfsburg, Germany. Full-scale production of the beetle didn’t begin until after World War II. The Beetle Arrives in the United States The 1950’s… the Volkswagen arrived in the U.S. Initial reception wasn’t so good, due in part to the car’s historic Nazi connection as well as its small size and unusual rounded shape (which, in fact, is how it later led to being dubbed the “Beetle&r ... read more

It all began some 4,000 years ago. Ancient Babylonians are said to be the first people to make New Year’s resolutions as well as the first to hold celebrations in honor of the New Year. Way back then, though, the New Year began in mid-March, when the crops were planted. It was originally a 12-day religious festival known as Akitu, where the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. Promises were also made to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. It is believed that these promises could be considered the forerunners of our New Year’s resolutions. A similar practice occurred in ancient Rome after the emperor Julius Caesar tinkered with the calendar (circa 46 B.C.) and established January 1 as the beginning of the New Year. As for early Christians, the New Year became a tradition for thinking about one’s past mistakes and resolving to do and be better in the future. Early Methodists held watch nigh ... read more