Just now arriving in showrooms, the 2010 Outback turns out to be an excellent redesign of Subaru’s popular crossover SUV, as well as the latest chapter in an extraordinary automotive story. Back in the early ’90s, when SUVs were in full bloom, the Japanese automaker wanted desperately to get into this large and lucrative game. Unfortunately, the Subaru cash drawer, like the company itself, was rather Lilliputian. There just wasn’t enough money to develop an off-road burly boy from scratch.

So, Subaru’s Cherry Hill-based North American arm persuaded the company to get into the SUV business by making do with what it had by converting its all-wheel-drive Legacy station wagon into a new kind of SUV. They jacked up the AWD Legacy wagon with bigger tires and suspension spacers, added some macho SUV styling cues, and presto, America’s first crossover SUV was born. Subaru initially called this new genre a “sport utility wagon,” and early on dubbed it the Legacy Alpine. It became the Outback in 1995.

The Outback resonated with customers essentially because it was car-based rather than truck-based like the traditional SUVs. This meant a better ride, better handling, and, because of its lighter weight, better mileage. The fact that it was thousands of dollars cheaper than its traditional midsize competitors didn’t hurt, either.

True, it lacked the low-range gearing needed for serious rock hopping, but it got the job done on icy, snowy roads, and that’s all most buyers care about. The bottom line is that crossovers have now spread throughout the industry, and are much hotter sellers than truck-based SUVs. Tiny Subaru has sold 803,00 of them, according to Tim Mahoney, the company’s high priest of marketing.

“It [the Outback] saved this company,” said Mahoney, one of the principal players in the vehicle’s genesis. “Well, maybe that’s too strong, but it certainly helped us redefine ourselves and have an effect on other companies.”

Among the early chores, Mahoney said, was to give it a name and an image. Outback served the rugged, outdoorsy identity he was looking for, and so did the use of Australian actor Paul Hogan (Crocodile Dundee) as spokesman.

From the beginning, the Outback’s advertising has reflected Mahoney’s light touch. (One of the print ads for the new Outback shows a doleful dog in the front seat with the caption, “Be kind to animals: Don’t sing along with the radio.”)

If canine consideration prevents you from singing along with the radio, you still have lots to enjoy in the new Outback. The upmarket 3.6R Limited that I drove proved a pleasant, refined piece of machinery. It rode as well as it handled, which was darned good. It was also well-powered, exceptionally quiet, and seemed absolutely immune to thunks, clunks, and rattles, even on the roughest roads.

The Outback is built off the same platform as the recently introduced Legacy Sedan. In addition to the architecture, it shares engines and some sheetmetal with the Sedan.

Despite those commonalities, the Outback is a markedly different ride. It has higher ground clearance (a substantial 8.7 inches) than the Legacy, and, of course, a very different silhouette. I think the Outback got the longer end of the styling stick. This is a good-looking crossover. Its stance and sculpting result in a stylish SUV with just the right mixture of aggression and civility.

The new Outback is a wider, longer wheelbase vehicle. The result is an 8 percent bump in interior volume and more rear seat legroom, even though the new car is almost an inch shorter than the old one. There are more than 34 cubi
c feet of storage behind the rear seat, and 71 with it folded down.

The Outback is offered as two models: the 2.5i and 3.6R. The former is powered by a 2.5-liter four rated at 170 horsepower, while the latter gets its gumption from a 3.6-liter, 256-horse six. Both engines boast improved mileage for 2010. The 3.6R I drove had EPA ratings of 18 city and 25 highway.

The 2.5i models are available with either a six-speed manual or a new continuously variable automatic. The 3.6R comes only with a conventional five-speed automatic. Both models are offered in three grades: Base, Premium, and Limited. Base prices start in the low $20s and go up to $30,995 for the heavily equipped 3.6R Limited that I tested.

Will Weissert – Raul Castro announced Saturday that Cuba will cut spending on education and health care, potentially weakening the building blocks of its communist system in a bid to revive a foundering economy.

The former defense minister who took over the presidency last year called state spending “simply unsustainable” and said the cash-strapped government would reorganize rural schools and scrutinize its free health care system in search of ways to save money.

But he vowed that the island will not see fundamental change even after he and his older brother and predecessor, Fidel Castro, are gone.

“I wasn’t elected president to return capitalism to Cuba,” Raul Castro said, “or to surrender the revolution” — the armed uprising that toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista a half century ago.

“I was elected to defend, build and perfect socialism, not destroy it,” he said to a standing ovation from lawmakers in Parliament.

He framed those remarks as a response to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has said Washington wants to see economic and social reforms in Cuba before doing more to improve relations.

Castro reiterated his willingness to negotiate better relations with the United States and acknowledged a “decline in the aggressiveness and anti-Cuban rhetoric” during the Obama administration.

He said he was ready to talk about “everything here in Cuba, but also everything there in the United States,” referring to Washington’s 47-year-old trade embargo.

Castro said Cuba “won’t negotiate our political or social system and we won’t ask the United States to do so. We should mutually respect our differences.”

Raul was Fidel Castro’s hand-picked successor for decades and took power from his brother without an election in February 2008.

Cuba argues its system is democratic because voters ratify a slate of official parliament candidates, and lawmakers in turn choose the Council of State, the supreme governing body. The parliament list is drawn in part from municipal leaders who are picked during neighborhood gatherings where participants vote by show of hands.

Raul Castro made an unusual mention of the mortality of his ailing, 82-year-old brother — something top officials almost never do in public — scoffing at those who think Cuba’s political system will crumble after “the death of Fidel and all of us.”

“If that’s how they think, they are doomed to failure,” Castro said.

Defiant guarantees for the future came only after a heavy dose of grim economic news. Without mentioning specifics and while insisting education will not suffer, he said some students and teachers in rural areas will be reassigned to nearby cities, saving time and money needed to transport 5,000 educators long distances between home and work.

He also said cuts were in store for the universal health care system, which, along with free education through college, subsidized housing and food provided on a monthly ration system, forms the basis of the communist way of life that the Castro brothers have spent 50 years building.

Before Castro spoke, lawmakers established a new office of government finances to crack down on corruption and keep better watch on the state’s often mysterious spending patterns.

The new comptroller’s office is a break from the past, when Fidel Castro lorded over the national treasury. Cuba’s former “Maximum Leader” often raided it for pet projects after taking power in 1959 and continued to micromanage minuscule spending details in subsequent decades.

Taking scrutiny of Cuba’s economic books away from the presidency reflects the businesslike, mil
itary mentality of the younger Castro, an army general who has demanded better accountability from all leaders.

Cuba’s government dominates well over 90 percent of the economy and pays an average salary of about $20 a month, meaning some employees steal food, electronics and anything else they can at work and sell them on the black market to make ends meet.

While it may help limit graft, the new office likely will do little to fill sparse state coffers. Three hurricanes last summer caused more than $10 billion in damage and wiped out grain that the government had stockpiled to protect against rising commodity prices. The global recession has since cut into export earnings and caused budget deficits to soar, leaving Cuba short of cash.

Things are so dire that on Friday, authorities postponed a Communist Party congress that would have been the first of its kind in 12 years.

At the same time, the government decreased the projection for 2009 growth to 1.7 percent. As recently as December, central planners boasted Cuba would grow 6 percent this year, but they count as output government spending on social programs.

Tourism has remained strong, with the number of foreign visitors on pace to slightly exceed last year’s record 2.35 million, which generated $2.7 billion. Still, Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero said revenue from those visitors is down about 10 percent in 2009.

“Tourism is growing, tourists keep coming, but they have changed the way they travel,” Marrero said outside the parliament meeting. “They are coming for less time, trying to come with a lot of discounts, and that has caused a decline in profits.”

Adrienne Stauffer – Do you regulary take group fitness classes and think to yourself, “I could teach this class”? If you are thinking that, then chances are it’s true.

Group fitness instruction is a great way to make some extra cash, and the best part is, you get paid to work out. Gyms often free membership to their instructors, so you may also save your monthly fees.

The Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) is a widely recognized certification organization that offers courses all over the country, including right here in Portland.

Certification costs around $300, which may seem costly, but if your current gym membership costs more than $25 a month, you are already paying $300 or more per year just to go to the gym.

There are several upcoming certification workshops in Portland, South Paris, Lewiston, and Windsor. The workshops do require you to study the materials in advance, so don’t leave it to the last minute. There are also certification courses for Personal Training, KickBoxing, Pilates, and Choreography.

AFAA is not the only certifying body, but they are very easy to work with and have established credibility. Other recognized groups are linked below. If you know which gym you want to work for, ask them which certifications they accept before you make the investment.

Malia Frey – Stereotypes notwithstanding, there is actually quite a bit of training involved in becoming a group fitness instructor. And like becoming a personal trainer, the education is just the beginning of the process. Most fitness instructors teach a variety of classes: step, high or low impact, spinning, cardio-funk, cardio-boxing, strength training, and many others. In addition to understanding the specific format being taught, instructors must learn to cue, choreograph, perform, give feedback, and motivate students all while keeping pace with the music.

Local instructor MaryBeth Hammerlund has been teaching fitness classes for over 20 years. Currently she teaches 4 classes a week at Lifetime Fitness clubs around cities. She sat down to answer a few questions about what it takes to become an instructor.

What training is required to teach in a health club environment?

Instructors are generally required to carry a national certification. The American Council on Exercise is the most common certification, although there are several other agencies which certify instructors.

How much money do aerobics instructors make?

It really depends on where you teach and how long you’ve taught there. There are instructors in the Twin Cities who get paid per head – that is, they receive a fee for every person who attends class. They might make $50-100 per class, but many health clubs pay as low as $15/class. Most instructors average about $20-30/class.

Are there costs involved with teaching?

Instructors have to buy their own music which can get expensive. But music is what motivates a class so it’s not something you can skimp on. I buy new music every few weeks and I generally have 4 or 5 mixes in rotation. Each mix runs about $30 or so. There are also cost involved with maintaining certification. ACE requires that you take several continuing education classes each year in order to stay certified. Classes can run hundreds of dollars. The bottom line is that most instructors teach because they love to teach. No one gets rich teaching aerobics.