trinacriabob

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.

Vaguely. In that photo, she turned out looking like a cross between Jodie Foster and Stockard Channing. I had to get Stockard Channing in there!

Thank you for the Christmas and New Year good wishes. I'll say it. I could use a wish coming through that would keep me from breaking out the Famotidine: some primary wins for Nikki Haley. I didn't know much about her until a few months ago. I assumed she was of mixed white, Hispanic, and/or Native American ancestry, not that it matters. She is also a Clemson accounting grad. One or two of the others bowing out could pave her way. This at least could prevent that one undesirable outcome. We could all use more peace and tranquility in 2024.

Thanks. I had no clue. I never tried to "build" one. That's a lot of horses in that 2.0 T. What's even funnier is that it makes more than 3 times the horsepower that the old 2.5 (151 c.i.) "Iron Duke" made (90 hp) in so equipped Camaros and Firebirds of the early to mid '80s! I'd say that one could start getting into trouble with about 170 horses, which is what smogged and carbureted 350 V8s made in the venerable colonnades.

Nautilus equipment isn't as ubiquitous as it used to be, but I remember it as the brand most likely to be at the fitness centers I first belonged to. It's still around as mostly Nautilus Nitro, and is also good. There are some brands I can't stand such as Cybex and Hammerstrength. They just don't feel right. Whether good or bad, I never took to free weights. The likelihood of injury can be higher, IMO. Resistance equipment sort of keeps your range of movements in check. I need to return to going regularly but resistance circuit + elliptical + treadmill kept me in shape and gave me good medical lab work numbers.

I heard this and it definitely was a unique song and hit. I looked up singer Kim Carnes. A lot of interesting info: native of Los Angeles, ONE marriage for being in that industry and in that town, and now living in Nashville. The places Angelenos have ended up moving to in the last 20 or so years never ceases to amaze me. When I think of this song, I then wonder why no one wrote a similar song about Charlotte Rampling. Those eyes are her "trademark." I'm sure she has fewer doubles running around than Bette Davis did. LOL

More of an aviation than airplane post, as this vid catches the approach into NY-LaGuardia Airport better than most I've seen. To do so is quite a treat to begin with, but seeing it's Air Canada tells me why it was a bigger treat. That's because they aligned with the Hudson coming south and then had to sweep over the harbor and align with the East River, giving a great view of Lower Manhattan and Midtown, before landing at LGA. He got the Statue of Liberty, the Verrazano Bridge, and many of the other bridges, too. Remember BMW - the order of the bridges up the East River starts with Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, etc. I love this city - always have and always will.

Can't GM or any entity, for that matter, announce layoffs AFTER Christmas or the holidays are over? Is it about making some kind of a favorable accounting or tax related entry on the books for the current fiscal year? (I'm theorizing, since I can't come up with what that would entail.) Shouldn't it be about people? Who wants to see glum faces at the breakfast or dinner table?

I remember that from auto shows. It was easier to get into and out of the Corvettes on the exhibition floors. Since I couldn't see out the C pillar too well, I never pushed getting to know the car, such as renting one. If they had put me in one as a free upgrade, I would have taken it. When they first released the last generation Camaro, it looked too scrunchy to me. As with the Charger's evolution, they did do make some nice modifications to the front and back fascias that definitely improved it. I couldn't see owning a convertible, but if I had to drive a Camaro, I'd probably opt for it over the hardtop that felt too confining. I thought that this last gen started with a 6 cyl. and had several V8 options. Was there ever a 4 cyl. in this last gen ... or was that in a previous generation such as the "Iron Duke" days?

Did I hear free gym? What's in it and which brand? Does it have a view of anything? Before the Gateway Tower (initial name, IIRC) went municipal, there was a beautiful gym in it partway up - about 5 to 10 floors up - with some nice views that people could just be members of. I think I used it a few times with a reciprocity agreement.

Join me in wishing @riviera74 a happy birthday (per today's birthday list). May you enjoy your day on a riviera of your choosing ...

I've got this Toyota Camry they assigned to me. Wow ... this has the second highest mileage of any vehicle I've ever been assigned - 56,000 miles! That's over 9 transcontinental U.S. round trips. The only other car that beat it was in Italy when I was given a Seat Leon wagon with 105,000 km (which is over 60,000 miles). That one looked kind of mangy and they didn't seem to care about all the scratches and all that, including the front bumper panel that had separated on one side and was provisionally fastened together. I asked her if this Seat Leon wagon could get me from Ancona to Bari for the one-way drop (basically most of the length of the Adriatic side) and she said that it would. It did. As for this Camry, it's a rough one. The engine is noisy and, unlike ones I've been put in that have had about 20,000 miles where the 8-speed automatic had some of the best shift quality I've experienced, this Camry revs out to the next shift point and then there's what seems like a pause after that shift. It reminds me of some Smart cars and Opel Corsa automatics I've rented across the pond ... some 20 years ago. I don't believe in these new long intervals for transmission service. I think people need to be routinely servicing their geared automatic transmission every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. It's a basic LE and has none of the bells and whistles, like any of the traffic and parking sensors. It also has that nasty diagonal sweep over the cubby hole for one's electronics.

Give thanks a few days later that @David is on board ... but wish him a happy birthday TODAY! Enjoy your special day and let us know how you celebrated it.

Good/great music - the '70s and '80s Decent music - the '90s Heirloom music - the '60s - - - - - Here's a good '80s piece ... give a listen

It's the eve of Thanksgiving, so Happy Thanksgiving to us Americans (U.S., that is) and have a great extended weekend. It's easy to default to being negative with everything that's going on around us, so think of things to be thankful for - the more I think about this, I have a fair bit to be thankful for - and go for the GLASS HALF FULL outlook. Also, food unites people. See below: And, finally, take it easy on the tryptophan.

There are some interesting things about that might look nice and then make you second guess if you really like it. I'm talking the hunched down front end with the small grille. It looks cool and then you realize it might look weird. The same is true of the lengthy side silhouette. And the same is also true of the inset taillamps into the small cove. It's polarizing, but I don't think there are any agreed upon answers.

To keep things positive, I left that post as a stand-alone. Jimmy Carter governed at an unusual time, though less unusual than today, and he was in office when there was that curious period of "stagflation," something we studied in an upper division macro-econ course. Stagnation and inflation rarely coexist. Also, since his background was in engineering, it has been said that he needed to take a bigger picture view of situations whereas he had a tendency to gravitate toward detail. Well, he was initially an engineer. - - - - - Now, if we had to choose who might rank the lowest on the "class act" factor for an American First Lady, you get three guesses and the first two don't count.

I was having some decaf and doing the laptop thing at Starbucks last night, only to learn that former First Lady Rosalynn Carter passed away. That was sad news. In my lifetime, and in my limited knowledge, she might rank the highest on the "class act" factor among the women who have held the role of First Lady. Thank you for all your contributions to society ... and may she RIP. I am now pushing for Jimmy Carter, who I see would become a centenarian next October 1, to keep on keeping on. He is surrounded by a big family and many friends. I always push for our 99-year-old VIPs who have been good folks to keep going and join that group.

MECHANICAL PHOTOS A standard Nissan normally aspirated 4-cylinder engine is under the hood and most service points are easy to see and identify This is what direct injection/ignition looks like and there are the manifolds at the right, the kind (the material!) of which we would not see in yesteryear's muscle cars

INTERIOR PHOTOS An overall view of the interior upon opening the passenger door. With a few minor exceptions, a symmetrical and appealing dashboard is in front of you Pluses: the infotainment screen is easy to work with and the power connections give you all the choices - Minuses: I don't like the cheaper circular vents and I had a hard time calibrating the air conditioning since it was a little humid This is how things should be laid out ... except for the message, which I told them about upon returning it, that's where the digital speed readout would be Push button start right above the gear selector and you can see some of the stitching on the trim here Comfortable and supportive bucket seats ... I believe the same seat is used if outfitted in cloth For how much car they have to work with, the rear seat legroom should be acceptable for average sized adults Actually, it's more fun to use a sunroof, even if not pulled back, when it's scenic and cool outside I was very pleased with the visibility and this is a big improvement over the last-gen model It's all here and convenient for the driver: trunk release, fuel door release, and hood latch release They come on while starting the car, but these are great and they readily light up when necessary and are also very easy to pick up with one's peripheral vision The trunk room is generous

EXTERIOR PHOTOS Side view More jellybean-like side view showing sunroof and the stranger applique Nissan is using these days between the C-pillar and the rest of the body; again, visibility was excellent Angled front view: the conventional Nissan grille lives on Angled rear view: better than in the last-gen

I'm almost sure my '84 Cutlass Supreme Brougham is no longer in existence, but wonder about my '92 Regal that I gave to charity while still running like a champ. A friend of mine told me he later saw it being driven around, given its less common silver and burgundy combination. I'd like to know how long it stayed on the roads after the donation.

Reader Reviews are submitted by our readers of vehicles they test drive or rent. If you would like to submit a Reader Review, e-mail [email protected] I recently had a current-gen Nissan Sentra as a weekly rental. I had driven one before, but it was the last-gen model, and I’ve reviewed it on this forum. This rental unit had slightly over 30,000 miles on it. I gave the last-gen model a mostly positive review for its “can do” aspects and excellent fuel mileage. Now, looking at this new one, it almost makes the last-gen model look a little dowdy. You’ll notice a couple of things with the new model rather quickly in addition to its more aesthetically pleasing exterior. First, as you drive off, this Sentra handles more nimbly and corners more flatly. The ride is also controlled, and, for the price point, road and tire noise isn’t too intrusive. The interior is nicer in a lot of small ways. My rental had the leather option in the SR trim with contrast stitching in the seats. However, the seat shape is very comfortable, and so are the adjustments, which are electric for the driver. That said, the fit and finish throughout are nicely done for the price point. The Sentra’s dashboard is also an exercise in logic and simplicity. It is very symmetrical. The toggles for instrument panel functions take some exploration, but the settings are easy to work with once you figure it out. Settings on the steering wheel-mounted controls are also easy to decipher but could be inverted from the car you may be used to driving. The connection of a phone is much easier than on many other vehicles and having the Bluetooth eagerly reconnect upon returning to the car seems better than in other cars of different sizes I’ve driven. My only complaint would be the climate control panel. It may look simple, but I could never quite get the air conditioning right. Again, this new Sentra’s hallmark features are its connected handling, a decent enough ride, good fuel economy, and generous room for its size, including the trunk’s capacity. I especially liked the excellent visibility all the way around. Gone is the “opera window” in the sail panel of the last model. Rather, the division of the rear door is done with vertical trim, and the views out back are excellent with a pillar that doesn’t intrude much and a backlight that curves subtly rather than too flatly. In the engine bay is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that is normally aspirated. In both this Sentra and in the Altima, Nissan is going with familiar normally aspirated 4-cylinder engines and CVTs, the latter of which they’ve commonly offered for at least a decade. Hopefully, their CVTs’ service life and sturdiness have improved. Mostly, the CVT behaved well with some quirky and episodic subtle lags picking up speed from a stop, especially when cold. The engine is up to the task of everyday driving, but it gets rowdy when pushed. For the money, the Sentra offers a lot of features, and that’s a good thing. Safety features such as numerous alerts and emergency braking are included. The rear-view camera goes without saying and it’s a decent one, save some murky views when it’s too moist outside. They also have releases for things grouped on the driver’s side of the dashboard and going toward the floor –trunk release, hood release, and fuel door release. The gap cap was a conventional pressurized one. I really like having a secured fuel filler door. One “neat” feature is the lane departure and traffic sensing side sensors. Rather than being on the exterior mirrors, they are now inside and just inboard from the exterior mirrors, and, if things get too close or you get too close to things, they will chime. That means they are work beautifully with one’s peripheral vision and this was much appreciated. There are more pluses than minuses here. This new Sentra has more “personality” than before. I think that the current Nissan Sentra has improved quite a bit. Its competitors would be the Toyota Corolla, the Hyundai Elantra, the Kia Forte, and the Honda Civic. These would be in the same category if being rented. Since its most lauded competitors would be the Corolla and the Civic, I’ll address those. First, I have not driven a Honda Civic, which has gotten more attractive and more like the Accord over the years. However, compared to the Toyota Corolla, in my opinion, the gap narrows. The interior is more appealing than that of the Corolla. In terms of styling, its exterior side view and rear view are sportier and more attractive, but less so up front, where the overused Nissan design vocabulary is up against the overused Toyota design vocabulary. Where the Toyota might shine brighter is in its legendary reliability and longevity. However, if a person foresees a shorter holding period or plans to keep it no more than 100,000 - or 150,000 - miles, this distinction may become moot. I enjoyed spending a week and several hundred miles in this compact and practical mid-sized sedan. View full article

Dealing on Craigslist - primarily when a seller - is guaranteed to take a person toward having a GLASS HALF EMPTY view of humanity.