trinacriabob

We are. One person gets offended and that gets the ball rolling. Then, statues have to come down and streets need to be renamed. It sucks. And the thin skinned a-holes suck, too. Life was better before the New Millennium ... in my mind.

Not sure if the 2007-ish DTS was available with buckets (or 40-40 seats) but I'm almost sure it was. At that point, the flagship Cadillac became a boulevardier that anyone would have been proud to drive. All the weird and exaggerated angles had been worked out of it and it had become an attractive full size vehicle. I was pawing one at a closed Cadillac dealership in the Florida panhandle one evening when on vacation there back around that time. I hate this: you are driving along stretches of roadway where no one tends to walk ... or bike ... and someone is walking or cycling right in front of where you plan to turn. When it rains, it pours. Last month, this happened so many times that it was almost surreal. Once, it occurred in a very spread out and blistering desert city. SMH.

There are many Midwests, it seems. The area (great photos, btw) is too close to the Pennsylvania line to feel that Midwestern. It ain't Kansas or Nebraska, that's for sure. South Dakota, though, would be a Midwestern state and the scenery in the Badlands is stunning and much more aligned with that of Colorado and Wyoming. It's weird to drive over the Continental Divide in Wyoming in the summer and find that it's snowing very lightly at over 8,000 feet. Was this done because the brand is gone, the image is no longer that relevant to way younger people, and/or due to political correctness? I know that the Univ. of Illinois mother campus had to shelve the imagery of Chief Illiniwek in logos, sportswear, and communications because people are tightly wound and have to look for the worst in things.

Thank God. Just like the double decked freeway at the Embarcadero in San Francisco was taken down, the Seattle waterfront ought to look way better with the viaduct down. When did the tunnel become operative and how many lanes does it have in each direction? I was amazed at how long the light rail from the airport to downtown takes because it veers over to the southeast side of the city (Rainier Beach, etc.) before angling back up to downtown. I'm not complaining since I used to take the articulated bus to and from the airport from the east side and it meandered along I-405 and through Renton streets, all to be civic minded and save money. When is the light rail supposed to cross over to the east side and up to Northgate? It needs to go even further north but neither county north and south of King Co. has funds going toward the light rail, IIRC. All these shoehorned cities like San Francisco and Seattle decide to upgrade infrastructure WAY AFTER the growth and gridlock has occurred. Better late than never.

Saw a mid '70s base Chevy Nova in near perfect condition at a fast food place this afternoon. Base! No wheel covers, no mouldings, and no air conditioning. With all its bare bones, it was probably a 250 c.i. L6 ... which means it will run forever. I'll put up some photos when I sort them.

I saw a new Lacrosse driving home last night. It was white. I like it better than the chunky 2010-2016 rendition. It had 2 exhaust rectangles. You could sort of see the suspension's wishbone arms at the rear of the car when it pulled away. The big demerits, for me, are the seating position, console height, etc. I ain't 6'-2". If one were to get it with the new entry-level 2.5 L4, would they still get 2 exhaust outlets … or one? Ah, yes, summer in Seattle … about 2 months of it … but outstanding nonetheless.

Ghetto looking Grand Prix. I see the graphic even tells you which part of the Bronx it's in. Doesn't seem too close to the Westchester County line! If this is a GT, I'm wondering which engine it ran with. I'd say the GP was the best looking RWD downsize from 1978-1980 but then the Cutlass Supreme overtook it from 1981-1987 when it shovel nosed the grille and narrowed its tail lamps. The sleeker lines on the GP when the quadruplets all got refreshed in 1981 looked better. Too bad they also got CCC (Computer Command Control) that same year and had to work through teething issues. There was a term I saw used for the unique back lite treatment on these cars. Perhaps it was finned rear back lite. I think they were only featured on GM midsizes from '66 to '68, +/-. And they definitely looked better when on a Pontiac.

Did you go medium-haul or long-haul on the Dreamliner? JAL and ANA use them nonstop from Tokyo to Boston, probably bringing brainy folks to and from MIT and other brain trusts. I believe they now fly them on the nonstop LAX to AUK/SYD/MEL route. That's some 14 hours. This route had always been a mainstay for 747-400s and A380s. When I was a kid, the flights to Oceania would go LAX-Honolulu-Down Under, so 5 +9. Yes, I really liked my flight. However, I probably prefer the 2 (window side) in the back of the '47 where it narrows more so than 3 (window side), which is everywhere in the '87, though.

Congrats. What a cool place! Is there an implied or stated dress code? I looked at the link and saw that piece of salmon. It may be good but, like most fine dining, the portions are small and I'm always hungry.

I did it! I finally rode on a Boeing 787(-9 version) "Dreamliner" on a medium-haul flight. It gets a "thumbs up." It looks small but feels much larger once you're inside. Their selling points are all there: much quieter, better overhead bins with a design that gives more headroom, larger windows, windows that don't require shades because you control the dimming with a small imperceptible button, a beautiful raked wing that eliminates the need for winglets, and, best of all, higher humidity inside the cabin. The lack of humidity inside the cabins of yesteryear really messed with my sinuses and I'd get headaches. That high level of dryness also makes for more fatigue on a longer flight. This ride on the 787 was quiet and comfortable. However, they'll get the passenger revenue they need. It is set up as 3-3-3. The outgoing 767 was set up as 2-3-2 which made it easier for everyone to get a good seat. Of all the 767s, I'd sure like to fly on the rare 767-400, of which U.S. carries only ordered about 36. I'll say that the proper humidity issue cannot be underestimated. The latest Boeing 747-8i was built with a lot of the same features: noise baffling, better bins, the raked wing, and higher humidity. Flying over the pond back to the U.S. on this latest 747 showed the difference humidity control makes - you stumble off the plane and into customs feeling a lot better and more together as opposed to feeling like a wet rag. This one belongs to United ... beautiful! Many European and Asian carriers (Air France, Japan Air Lines, etc.) now operate them.

Cool. Yep ... very 1970's with those get ups. Was this in WA state? Your relative reminds me of some movie star from the 40s or 50s but a name doesn't come to mind. So, then, you're the youngest kid in your family?

This is what I will do.

@ccap41 4 a.m pick up on a weekday - nice, wide boulevards and freeways from starting point to the airport. @Drew Dowdell I will keep that in mind (Uber) for scheduling ahead and for an early morning flight. I may just walk over to a fairly major hotel and schedule the pick-up to begin there. Thank you to both of you!

I like most vantage points of the current Lincoln Continental, especially the front, but do not like how the rear tapers and is sort of weak for being meant to be a commanding "boulevardier."

Cadillac Cimarrons were the ultimate pieces of crap. GM waved a wand and tried to turn a frog into a prince? They didn't succeed. It was just a Chevy Cavalier with more power gizmos. They also did not go the distance. The only person I knew who owned one was also a turd.

I do not like the new Regal - either as the sportback or the wagon. I find the styling bland from almost all vantage points. Inside, the choices of interior colors is dismal. I am warming up to the more horizontal dash.

Guess what? I am NEW to these. Typically, I've had rental cars while on vacation or, if in foreign urban centers, I've just used their metro systems to get around. I need to get to the airport. Early. If not an early flighty, I just take a bus from a suburban mall to a train station for the subway into the airport and go on the cheap. Can't beat that. Plus, I love riding subway type trains. There is no early bus or train service for those first flights out. So I plan to take Uber or Lyft. Questions: 1. Have you had success with early pick ups in the burbs to go to the airport with Uber or Lyft? 2. Do you prefer Uber or Lyft? Pros and cons? 3. Should one schedule the ride in advance or should one schedule it when you're almost ready to depart? 4. Will they show up? I recently had an insane experience with a supposedly reputable shuttle service ... and in the middle of the day. Your input is sought! Thank you.

I can see how one would think of (American) politics but this was often in the logos of Mexican restaurants in California. I like Mexican food but I don't love it. - - - - - Interesting car spotting ... sort of ... Yesterday, I saw an Alero coupe. I like those and am happy to see them motoring about. However, it was an interesting dark blue-turquoise color I don't recall. It looked sharp on the coupe. Then, earlier today, I saw an Alero sedan in the exact same color. Both were in respectable condition. That little coupe would have been a nice car to putt around in ... throw in a beige cloth interior, buckets, console, and a sunroof. - - - - - My apologies - we're in June now.

I don't know if my opinion is unpopular, nor if the car is unpopular. I'd say it's a niche car and a small few still like these a lot over 20 years later. I would be in that fold. 1994 to 1996 Caprice LS - if in immaculate condition, with the up-version LS 60-40 cloth seats, the small (263 c.i. or 4.3L) Chevy V8, and low miles. This interior, but in cloth. Console? Yes, please. I'm going to assume these ride a little smoother than would a W-body FWD. I can't be sure of that but I certainly like the idea of a centered engine, suspension components that are easier to see, and a transmission that sits in the back, so to speak. And to think I borderline hated this car model when it was currently being sold and seen everywhere.

I had a '84 Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe. It was the most comfortable car I've ever owned. (It was a hand me down.) I never did buy a new Intrigue, though I very badly wanted to. I was in a Buick showroom just recently and test sat in the E triplets ... the Envision looks glassy enough from the outside but has a whole different view from the inside out, meaning the exterior is deceiving. I also saw what the sticker looks like and was surprised it was that high on the one on the floor. The Encore, as you know, is small. The Enclave is the only one that, to me, has a conventional and generous enough greenhouse from both outside and inside, but it's a heavier vehicle and costs more money. Personally, I would be indifferent between Buick and GMC for CUV-SUV products just as long as the visibility factor from the inside is good and the vehicle is equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.6 V6. I also prefer cloth seats, especially in hot or cold climates.

The world needs an icon for an asshat (great term) ... a clean one that everyone could use ... the question is whether the hat would vertical or horizontal in said icon. Then there's a question of what the hat itself would be like ... a top hat, a sombrero, etc.?

For some reason, it works better on the Intrigue ... possibly, it's the smaller pods for different functions under the A/C vents rather than one big plastic one that reaches up that high. The glove box appears to be smaller but the big ARS lid is visible atop the dash on the passenger side. The in-dash ignition switch is a big plus. I prefer it over there. I will always have a soft spot for this W-body and still see 20 year old Intrigues on the road!

I disagree on this one. I like this dash more. For one thing, it parallels what the Regal did at the end of its similar cycle as a coupe. It went from the "ravine dash" to one similar to this. In the case of the Buick, I prefer the old "ravine dash" because it had curved edges and the nice cowl across the top. In the case of the Cutlass, I preferred this dash. It's way better when there is a console. It was easier to work with, it had contrasting horizontal and vertical A/C vents, the glove box was large, and it was similar to the forthcoming Intrigue's dash. I remember that the illumination was blue and that's my preferred dash illumination color when driving at night.

I'm guessing all of these are W-body Cutlasses? Toward 1995, wasn't there a more rounded looking dashboard? I once took one of those, a rental coupe (!) with a 3.1 V6, up to Vancouver, Canada. It was white with alloys and plump black bucket seats. It was comfortable and handled well, with good gas mileage to boot, but I only sort of liked it. I don't know what the terminology is or was, but Olds chose to give their W-bodied Cutlasses a blacked out C-pillar treatment that, IMO, looked terrible. It took the Cutlass Supreme from being the best looking of the G-bodies to the worst looking of the W-bodies. The design possibilities with a body colored C-pillar were there and the car could have still looked different enough to distinguish it from its W-body siblings. The Cutlass Supreme is what enabled Olds to rocket upward in its heyday but was sadly a big contributor to its demise when they couldn't reinvent it properly.

I only wish they could get it to handle a little more tautly, get the faint droning sound of the tires/etc. to stay out of the cabin, get rid of the front fascia's appliance look, and not have the "laptop left open" (2020) at the top of the center stack. I think that's too much to ask for the price point and its position on Toyota's pecking order.