trinacriabob

Everything is more legible and clearer from a laptop than from a smartphone. Per the homepage, there are 2 birthdays today and I only really "know" one of the birthday folks. That said, happy birthday (or buon compleanno) to @Paolino. Enjoy the special day.

I figured the sales of high priced/high quality and workmanship vehicles would be low in terms of units. They are interesting to look at, but not to own, always having to worry about door dings and small scratches. I had to laugh because around 1976, Oldsmobile sold over 1 million cars, of which 512,000 (IIRC) were Cutlasses. Now, Oldsmobile has been absent for some 20 years. It's the truth. The worst thing that may have happened to the U.S. and Canada, and several other "first world" (somewhat of a controversial term anymore) countries, is the erosion of the middle class. It made for a healthier country in terms of fiscal soundness, morale, and, yes, even basic health. It's very sad.

Woke up this morning and realized it's January 20th. That means January 20, 2025 is exactly a year away. (The leap year buys us a little more time.) The variables are daunting. * sigh *

I saw this today. Generic looking and the driver was somewhere else, so probably not a fast charger. There are either 0 or 1 car(s) at these 2 dedicated spaces.

I was listening to the news and they stated that rental car agencies in Italy are shelving 20% of their EV fleets. It didn't name companies, so it sounds like an average or aggregate. With the infrastructure here, and rural swaths and poorer regions, getting them charged could be a problem. People shouldn't be scared, but they are understandably apprehensive. Everyone wants EV infrastructure they can work with and understand. I remember when I found a Tesla charger and was thrilled. I then came to learn it was a Destination charger. That's why no one was around. I had to move on to a Supercharger at 11 p.m. I had the 20 minutes, but not the molasses slow 2 hours that would have kept me up until 1 a.m. - - - - - What I was really going to post: I dislike and don't trust vessel dishes at eateries. It has a smoke and mirrors aspect about it.

Joyce Cooling - given that she's from the Bay Area and the time she was born, some Italian DNA wouldn't surprise me ... the city's demographics are much different now Sporting a "don't be giving me any crap as I walk down this Berkeley street" look - I don't know if that's really Berkeley; however, I have a weird "relationship" with the place I would just hear her stuff come on some jazz stations when channel surfing and figured she would be more of a tree hugger than being quite hip, with the NorCal coastline in the background

As for the crucifix and all the other consistent demographics, don't get me started on schemata. I could extrapolate and then some. - - - - - Yes, I'd have to say I miss it. It and the Buick coupe before it were the most reliable cars I've had, bordering on almost unbelievable. As for a new ride, I'm going to hold off. I know driving has always symbolized freedom for me and I do do enjoy it, but I want to make sure everything gels a little more. First, transit is very good and popular and I just got a monthly pass for 34 Euro! That even includes some local train use, which makes it even more appealing. As for cars, I will have to do some research, both in published form and by asking around. I'll have be making trips back in both April and July, so I don't want to buy a car just yet. - - - - - At this point, I'll list some cars I'm considering (alphabetically) and ALL of them must be automatic. With that comes learning whether it's a decent automatic and whether it appears to have been taken care of. Alfa Romeo MiTo - the most "exotic" on the list Citroen C3 Fiat Tipo 4-door (only, not the wagon) - definitely practical and you don't see all that many Ford Fiesta - a little nicer looking as a coupe, IMHO Ford Focus Hyundai i-10 Hyundai i-20 Kia equivalents to the Hyundais above or similar Opel Astra - this was sold as a Saturn in the U.S. Opel Corsa Opel Karl - yes, it's related to the Chevy Spark, but the dash and finish inside are nicer Renault equivalents to the cars in this list Seat Ibiza - now related to VW and it shares tech with them, but a little nicer looking than its Teutonic relatives Smart four four Toyota Yaris VW Polo - - - - - I'll also have to consider whether I will default to a sedan even though most of the coupes are more attractive and will have to consider trunk capacity (I'd like to be able to fit one regular suitcase, a duffel or gym bag, and possibly the tote that slides on top of the regular suitcase. Also, as with anywhere else, there are so many gradations in styling/appearance, trim, color, engine/trans. choices across adjacent years.

This Joyce Cooling is talented. Native San Franciscan

I think that, once we branched out from mostly GM, the focus should be pluralistic ... for anything that was, is, and will be on the road and that members like. I obviously still love and carry a torch for GM's colonnades, from 1975 through their derivatives until ~ 1987. (I don't ever see becoming a fan of Tesla, specifically ... especially after being "traumatized"by one ... lol.) Change requires stretching. I've stretched some from only GM to other domestic manufacturers ... then to foreign brands ... and prospectively most likely to something just a bit larger than the basic econobox.

I just noticed this. That's impressive. Was that an illuminated crucifix on the building's wall? Drive-through religion? 5.0 liter V8? Manual? I'm thinking you probably would have enjoyed the twisties of the Front Range with a stick (even more). - - - - - What I was going to post ... What did I do to my car today? Well, I THOUGHT about the car. It would have been its 16th birthday. I sold it with 128K. There is almost no doubt that, aside from smaller annoying fixes, the powertrain could deliver at least twice that. They'll have to take care of it. I'd hate to see a babied 3800 Series III not delivering the service it so easily can. * sigh *

I was scrolling around earlier today and saw the birthday list. Then, I ran errands and also went to Ikea. I checked it again later to make sure I didn't have sleep in my eyes ... and didn't want the day to pass without wishing @balthazar a happy birthday.

I saw this interesting video on what a Boeing 797 could be. I disagree with his thoughts about the 787 being sort of a gamble. It's great. It's got range to go very far and also works for 2 to 3 hour flights. The 787 rolled in the 757 and 767, so it was good that way, although it's more similar to a 767. I didn't know there was that much love for the 757 ... and that it left a gap. The 737 is one of the best planes ever. It's boring, but has been a workhorse for decades. Now, if all these MAX issues could be resolved and fade into the rear view mirror. The biggest thing is that Airbus is scoring big with the 321-XLR, which carriers are increasingly using for transatlantic service. I flew on one for 7 hours for a 177€ deal back to North America and it was better than okay. It was better than doing it on an older Boeing 757, though both are 3-3single aisle. So, this 797 is meant to go head-to-head with Airbus. It will be like a long 737, have longer range for transoceanic service, and, best of all, this concept shows it having 2-3-2 twin aisle seating, so 7 seats across. You really want that on a long haul flight. It opens up the feel of the cabin. I'm no marketing researcher. Boeing has their work cut out for them. They also have to deliver with this latest 777, which is behind schedule. I think this line-up from big to small looks plausible: 777 - their biggest remaining airliner and as close to a 747 as we'll get anymore 787 - aka the Dreamliner 767 - they have kept a line in operation, but only for freighters - UPS, Amazon Prime, etc. use them a lot! 797 - new plane to slot into niche 737 - local and domestic workhorse - - - - - What do I know? I just know which airplanes I like, but that's aside from how they pencil out. Primarily, I wish Boeing success.

I'm surprised and not surprised. I'm surprised because they had made a commitment and were making a statement. I'm also surprised that they didn't buy them with any volume purchase incentives. I'm not surprised because many renters did not like the Teslas. They do not have a scan code with a "to do list" for you because it's not obvious what you should be doing to operate all the "necessary" aspects of the car. Or a sheet they hand you with your rental leaflet. A person sometimes even has to hunt around to find how some things work on a newer ICE car. We're no longer talking 1999 Cavaliers where you could hop in and go. I'm open to EVs in a rental fleet. I will plan and work around the charging and range issues. The dashboard and its interfaces basically need to be more user-friendly and intuitive. That's what I ask.

As I read the comments, I learned that this was a reboot of a song done by 4 or 5 guys earlier on. This reboot is better. Decent music started tapering off right around this time. I can't remember if I was in a rented Grand Am or G6, but I definitely remember where I was.

I am a little stressed right now as I read about the polls and polling. I know there are more qualified people available on both sides who aren't showing up or aren't monopolizing the media with theatrical high drama. - - - - - What I was really going to say: health care professionals don't like smart people. You can read an awful lot about things on line and, if think in visual and diagrammatic terms, you can practically self diagnose. I have correctly done it numerous times. I had to trade in my last doctor after 3 years because he was so crass, but his medical assistant had a pleasant demeanor. Now, I have a doctor I like enough, but his medical assistant can sometimes be a mercurial sn@tch. I think I go in too late in the day, so she's probably on edge craving a smoke break. This is why I do what I can to avoid the doctor's office. My only vice is the occasional buffet or Brazilian steakhouse visit where they shave off the meats right at the table. My dad didn't stay on his medication regimen for decades and courted cardiac issues later. My mom was never in the hospital between having me and passing away.

I agree. Bonneville Model G was a head scratcher. The front grille was too tall and the rear taillamps full of eggcrates. Similarly, for a few years in the early '80s, Buick threw the Century name onto what was really a Regal notchback, right along with Limited trim found in the Regal coupe of the same year. My dad had that sedan in dove gray enamel inside and out. It was a mostly a good car with intermittent spark knock and a metal pan had to stay on the garage floor for seeping oil. That Catalina coupe is nice! You didn't see many. I forgot that Pontiac stopped making their 4.9 and 4.3 in 1981/2. I've never been a fan of the 305 after being "burned" by one in a Camaro I kept for a short while. Pontiac's 301 never made it into California IIRC and what they did is substitute 305s.

The Toro/Riv that definitely did not belong on the list was '86 and '87. They were disappointing. Yay for Toro's trestle shifter. I loved it. But that was about it. In 2007, a neighbor had an '88 Coupe de Ville in triple chocolate brown/mauve metallic. It had the velour interior with the wreath embroidered into the cushioned seats. Also, alloy wheels. It was beautiful. It had the 4.5 V8 and it had been hassle free for him. Cadillac improved their aluminum V8 engines as time marched on.

I should have included this for a laugh. Sometimes, Google Maps does a great job of telling you where you are but scratch its head when it comes to providing directions to get you somewhere.

This was just great, in terms of what he has to say. I agreed with most of it. 5. Those years of Eldos and Toros were too big and too thirsty. I'd always opt for an Olds 455 over a Cadillac 500. Then, if we're talking that span of years, it has to have a true opera window. That would limit me to the '75 and '76 Toronado. The '77 would have had a 403. 4. Uh ... no. 3. Mostly, I agree. My favorite would be the Parisienne (he didn't mention it) followed by the 88. Right, 307s and 301s over 305s (for me, anyway). By the end of this mentioned period, the Chevy 4.3 TBI Vortec V6 was available in the Chevys and Pontiacs. It made for better fuel economy and it's 3/4 of a Chevy 350, so very durable. In '81 and '82, the 88 (certainly not the 98) could be had with Olds's 260 V8, so the biggest Olds to have this small but quiet and smooth powerplant. 2. I have never liked the LeSabre. It's about its dowdy looks. He gives a long span of years, with '88 onward getting the nod. To that, I would instead say Bonneville for '90 and '91 - nicer, color blocked taillamps. And then, skip over to 2000+ Bonnevilles, which is usually my favorite GM full-size car as it is. 1. I agree. Not a huge fan of FoMoCo, but these cars became more attractive and were in fact reliable. Some later years of Grand Marquis actually looked very nice. (But so did the last 2 years of Mercury Milan with the vaned grille.) Yes to the 4.6 SOHC V8, but it would be great to know which few specific years had quirks. - - - - - He does not mention any colonnade coupes or their 4 door variants. It's that the nicely kept ones are not cheap. Also, from his many vids, he is definitely fond of larger cars. He also did not mention the '94 to '96 Caprice, which people later realized are/were very good. Again, I'm guessing it has to do with their used car purchase price. - - - - - He knows so damn much about a vast span of years for so many cars from different manufacturers, right down to trim related stuff and mechanical specifics. I might only file this stuff away in my head if I was a big fan of certain (GM) cars.

This was shocking. The Airplanes sub-forum is intended to be a celebration of airplanes and aviation. The following does not qualify, so it's here in Random Thoughts. You know how when you sometimes get a snippet of a piece of the news and the gravity doesn't sink in? Well, it sounded like 2 planes in Tokyo bumped into each other while taxiing or maneuvering and would need to be repaired. Far from it. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67879308 This was an actual crash as a newer JAL A350 had landed at Tokyo Haneda and clipped a smaller aircraft with 6 people in it while moving on the runway at high speed. Five of the six people in the small craft died (the pilot is in serious condition) and everyone on the Airbus 350 - 379 people - made it out in time as they plane was starting to catch fire. They filed out to the different slides and listened NOT to reach for their carry-ons. The hull is a complete loss. They are investigating the situation and Airbus experts have gone to Tokyo to assist, but people have some general ideas about what happened. This hearkens back to the weirdness of Air France 358 from Paris to Toronto where the A340 overshot the runway (there was no other plane involved), went into an embankment on the side of the big 401 expressway, broke up, caught fire, and yet everyone was able to exit the aircraft and survive the crash.

Thank you for encapsulating what 2023 meant in global terms and for the automotive scene. Yes, cheers to the new Envista. I will have to test sit or even rent one when possible. It brings around a Buick at an entry-level price point that's not a jellybean-like Encore, although a very different Buick. Having driven a Citroën C3, I had assumed there were 4 cylinders under the hood. There were 3, as with the Envista! That shaves off mechanical hardware and weight. It did what it was supposed to do without much fuss and 3 cylinders under one cylinder head can be made to feel balanced "enough." And cheers to it for being made available with a simple enough geared automatic transmission. Yes, jeers to Subaru most of the time ... for me, anyway. I had to take a look at this Forester. If not badged, I might question what it is. It looks less Subaru because of trim that says Nissan and volumes that say Fiat, specifically the Panda, and Toyota. The new front end is mostly clumsy. The dash loses the cubby with information at the top of the center stack that I like - which the Ford Focus and Fiesta also used - in favor of larger and more vertical touch screen. Many jeers for world events and situations. Some megalomaniacs put their needs above human lives and seem to sleep easy despite how many lives have been lost. Dysfunctional is an appropriate word for people, things, and processes that seem to be gaining acceptance as being status quo. Thanks for the well wishes, too.

Thank you for the kind words, @NINETY EIGHT REGENCY Everything is a balancing act, it seems. I won't have big freeways, gleaming skyscrapers, and cheap fuel ... but gain some other things in the United States of Europe. Where I'm at right now, I'm about an hour from France and an hour from the French speaking part of Switzerland. You overhear numerous languages, which is very okay with me because I don't do monolingual ... one of my quirks. I like hearing about the cars you own, and have owned, because you have a lot of passion for and information about the cars that I loved growing up. Happy New Year. Stay healthy and safe!

Thank you, David. I definitely will. There is a completely different "inventory" of cars over here. Some are familiar to me and some are not. I have known of this site for quite a while. It's how you find cars over here. You would use the filters just like on any other automotive buy-sell website: http://www.autoscout24.com I have already found several Aldi stores at which to buy essential stuff. One night I went in there and ended up buying a nice enough jacket/parka for a bodacious price. I also had one of the first significant "spotting" occurrences there:

My wind up, or wind down, for 2023: I moved across the pond. I'm going to try to make a go of it. I've been thinking about it for a long time. I spent about 4 years in Europe between ages 4 and 13, so it's familiar turf. It had become exhausting weighing the pros and cons of where to consider living in the States. Southern Europe checks more of the boxes for me. I was dragging my feet in getting my act together (more so with administrative stuff than the packing) and restocked frequent flyer tickets I'd use to move with ... twice. About a month or two before, I called Cunard and the lady I spoke with said to put my name on the waiting list because it didn't cost anything to do so. Right around Thanksgiving, I was notified I cleared the waiting list for the upcoming transatlantic crossing of Queen Mary 2, which I've wanted to travel on for a long while. I guess it was meant to be and people I knew told me the crossing would be a good way to de-stress for 7 days. This was the last eastbound crossing of the year of the QM2 - New York (US) to Southampton (UK) in early December. The price was to my liking for an inside cabin and it being "low season." Also, I'd be spending my b-day on the ship. For it being December, the crossing was benign as the North Atlantic was unusually calm. It can be agitated in the winter months and this ship was built as an ocean liner, as opposed to a cruise ship, to handle that. - - - - - Embarkation will occur after check in at the ship terminal in New York, but it's great to take a deep breath and survey this grandiose ocean liner Sailing away, with Governor's Island standing in front of Lower Manhattan ... those of us who could brave the windy evening and wanted to take in the views were either here (Deck 11) or at the very top (Deck 13) The front of the ship, with its bow pointed toward the Verrazano Bridge, meaning letting off the harbor pilot and the transition from New York's harbor into the Atlantic Ocean This was the basic view of the route, with the screen rotating displays of various maps and factual information This is the Grand Lobby at midship, which will mean the purser's office reception area, which will apply to everyone, and some shops and bars you may or may not visit The library, which is excellent and nicely appointed, sits in the forward superstructure and you can look out over the bow toward the sea Sitting in one of the indoor "promenades" that skirt the sides of the 2 main theaters with a cup of tea watching the wake passing by the sides of the ship For it being mid-December on the North Atlantic, these were outstanding conditions This was the main dining room, meaning the bulk of the staterooms were assigned to it and, while anyone could nitpick, most of the meals here ranged from good to excellent, with a few items having fancy haute cuisine names I couldn't decipher and that I passed on There was a theme night or two (I only stuffed one regular dark suit into the luggage) but some people came prepared ... this is someone's get up ... "Mambo Kings?" ... not sure ... and this is up at the late night buffet where all the night owls and characters are to be found This is the indoor pool (one of 4 or 5 on the ship) and its two jacuzzis on Deck 12 just in front of the main funnel Check this out - this is the rearmost pool and some folks are hot tubbing in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean as winter is officially a week or so away This is at the very top of the ship, with a path that wraps around the front of the ship and above the bridge Somewhere between New York and Southampton, with some/most of the 5 pounds I packed on, standing behind the main funnel and in front of the kennels - I think about 20 dogs and 5 cats were along for the ride There was time to have breakfast and walk around Deck 7, which is the open promenade immediately under the lifeboats ... it looks like they're driving on the wrong side of the road, which means this is Southampton (UK) and it's time to disembark - - - - - I will be staying in Turin (yes, that Torino, home of FIAT and some other famous Italian automakers) before heading south toward the country's south - where the palm trees are - fairly early in the new year. It has been a weird year for me, many of us here, and other people I know. So, best wishes for 2024 to my friends on C&G.

I was handed the keys to a Chevrolet Malibu 3 times in the last 2 months. On two occasions, it was in the province of Quebec and, on the other, it was upon coming back to the U.S. One rental lasted only 2 days. As for the Quebec rentals, both of my vehicles were plated in the province of Ontario. I was told that Malibus were common in rental fleets because they were one of the more obtainable cars during and after the pandemic. I don’t know how much sense that makes, but it’s not something I’d investigate further. Since they’ve released this last-gen Malibu, I’ve had them in so many rentals, probably aggregating somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 miles. When I’m given the keys to one, I am somewhat relieved because getting used to the car and setting it up won’t require much effort. The Malibu will be living on for at least another year. Essentially, it will continue as the model we currently know. I’m not going to review the car as I’ve done so in the past, but distill this to its best points and not so good points. Top 5 1 – For being close to a full-size package, it gets very respectable fuel mileage 2 - The interior is roomy, as is the trunk, with a nod given to the very roomy back seat and large rear doors that enable one to easily load large items into the rear passenger area 3 – The logical layout of the dashboard, and its symmetry, are appealing, and the forward lean of the dashboard and low cowl enhance visibility as well as provide a more connected feeling to the road, and I really appreciated this in coming over from a Nissan Altima 4 – The handling is fairly nimble, with each generation of FWD Malibu improving on the previous one 5 – It makes enough power to handle everyday driving situations, yet not enough to tempt a frisky driver to be frisky Room for improvement 5 1 – The styling has gotten long in the tooth and, while some really took to its silhouette and trim when newly released, I always saw some homely or ungainly vantage points in this car 2 – The 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine can start sounding grainy when pushed 3 – The powertrain is a small one in terms of displacement and, with its size, had to be turbocharged 4 – The auto stop-start doesn’t seem to remember you don’t like it and has to be deactivated (unless I missed something) when starting the car up the next time 5 - It’s an important “one size fits all” sedan suitable for many buyers in this niche and it could have been just a little bit better in virtually every area – the powertrain, the styling, the appointments, etc. Since it’s more agreeable than a Nissan Altima in my opinion, it could be ratcheted up to compete head-to-head with the Camry and the Accord - - - - - Picking it up, getting in, and seeing a sanitized car Taken at the edge of the Ile de Orleans, with historic Quebec City beyond and across the St. Lawrence River Going round and round to find a parking spot in Centre-Ville Montreal where persistence can pay off It can handle quite a bit being put into the trunk and, with these decent sized pieces of luggage, it only appears to be half full This shows the forward cant and low cowl of the dashboard that I have taken to and hope will remain in a possible future rendition Dropping off the car, with yet another Malibu next to it - to the left - in the return line - - - - - I found a review where the writer echoes a lot of the things I see in this car. He even comments on the overwrought molding where the rearmost side window meets the sail panel, and it sounded like it irritated him. It irritates me, too. I like the write-up on the current Malibu seen via this link and his photos are very good: https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/cars/chevrolet/rental-review-the-2023-chevrolet-malibu-last-domestic-midsize-standing-44502760 Now, we are learning from articles that there may be a forthcoming generation of Malibu. There are many renderings going around and they are not all the same. Some aspects look appealing, such as the slimming down of the front fascia. However, in some renderings, I see a continuation of the rear backlite into the same plane as the trunk lid. (Think Buick Envista.) I do not care for what looks like a four-door fastback or hatchback and hope that there will be something akin to three volumes while still keeping the sweeping lines we’re being treated to via investigative journalism.