trinacriabob

Put French onion dip in front of me and I become dangerous.

Good photo, but I don't know what I think about this car. I only know one person who has a Stinger. It is the first year model and it appears to be working out fine.

Good ... a September thread is up and running. Seen on the 1st of the month while driving through a borderline industrial / residential area. I couldn't believe it. I had to turn back! 1980 was a good stepping stone from the oversized headlamp 1978-1979 models to the 1981 shovel nose refresh, which sounds like a negative but was definitely successful. Except for the windshield, the aftermarket exhaust, and those too wide whitewalls, this Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe is in great shape. I wondered which engine it had, but I wasn't about to go knocking on doors to find out. Seeing this view from off in the distance is what got me to drive around again. If anything, this 1980-only treatment really connected this smaller model to the highly successful 1976 model with quad rectangular lamps and twin waterfall grilles.

I almost forgot about this one. It was really obnoxious and stereotypical, but hilarious. (In this live rendition, he involves the audience) This guy's fame turned on a dime, and he got rich off this one song skyrocketing.

Yes, I have had the Elantra and Forte as rentals several times. I believe I've had an Optima once. When it comes to Hyundai and Kia, I almost like their Accent and Rio, respectively, more. They're like personal go karts. Sadly, those have gone from 6 speed automatics to CVTs. I've had rentals with both types of transmissions.

All this talk and arguing about Toyota ... what a coincidence. I had to rent a car for two days just a few days ago. I had requested a compact. When I got there, I told the rental agent I preferred something with a trunk. So, he gave me a Camry, which I had rented in Houston a year or two ago and reviewed here. So, I live with this car for 2 days and take it out of town. The driving was 65% interstate, 25% two-lane rural highway with some stops and speed zones, and 10% stop and go city driving. I got 35.9 mpg - or let's just say 36 mpg. (Had it been all interstate, it would have pushed 40 mpg). They were able to do this with with 2.5 liters worth of engine, no turbocharger, and an 8 speed automatic transmission, which is the best part of this powertrain. For this, I give Toyota some credit. I like my own car with over 100,000 miles much more than this car, but I sure don't have many options on what to buy these days. (I'm not looking to open up a discussion on EVs and the future right now ... I'm just venting). I'll say that, compared to my GM car, you feel the cheapness when you slam the doors shut or have to use the prop rod to keep the hood up. If the few cars I sort of like can be purchased new within the window of time I foresee, I will be somewhat happy about that. (I recently learned the VW Passat is also gone, and I like the Passat much more than any Asian car of the same size.) If not, and I wind up buying one of the remaining sedans left on the market I'm lukewarm about, it looks like I will have gone from loving cars to merely liking them.

Heard this last week at a restaurant ... heard it tonight at a restaurant. This is one goofy song that stays with you for a while after you hear it.

I was randomly thinking what an epic commercial this was some 10 years ago ...

For everyone mentioning shingles, the reason some might have gone for an update is because, in the last 5 or so years, they went from the one injection regimen to Shingrix, a two injection regimen. I got the Shingrix series a few years ago ... one less thing to worry about, I hope.

The FDA has approved the enhanced Moderna booster. Retail pharmacies are expecting to see it come in. I routinely get my flu shot Labor Day weekend and plan to get this Moderna booster at the end of the month, even if I need to travel to a hick town and then eat in some off the beaten path gem that would make it onto 'Diners and Dives,' or whatever that series is called. Also, since I plan to be in the NYC area in the near future, I may go ahead and get that once only adult polio booster mid-month, especially if it's covered and/or not too expensive.

Man, who gets this footage with these vantage points?!? That is a very retro livery for TAP. This is a tough airport to land in, at the water's edge of this Portuguese island 600 miles off the coast of Portugal, and very popular with UK and German tourists. It's the narrow runway, wind, and fog. I was thinking the pilot would do a go around instead of putting the wheels down.

It's what I did yesterday. For my car: I dropped by Costco to find out about the new Michelin sale cycle and look at (not kick) some tires. Most of the time, the guys who work there are fairly cool and a few times you get the boorish meathead type. The guy who helped me was very cool. New Michelin Defenders, or Michelin equivalent, will be my September project. For me: I did the "express" "Costco lunch" and then went to "Cafe 150" for a dog and drink.

I can handle Toyotas and, with the lack of American cars in the market niches they do serve, they are beginning to look even better. However, what I cannot handle is the brown/tan aesthetic of any of the population centers in the Mountain West. I might even include the Central Valley of California. - - - - - The random but practical thought I really wanted to share: I just got my flyer from Costco. In a few days, the Michelin sale cycle is on, with $150 off when buying 4 tires. That's essentially 4 tires for the price of 3 in my world, meaning the tire size I need for my daily driver. Check your specific Costco market area if this is of interest to you.

I also like the Dreamliner. I've only flown on it twice - from LAX to DFW, within the U.S, and from LPA to MAD, within Spain. I like the bins, ceiling treatments, bigger windows, and more "humid" cabin ... great for the sinuses. I wondered why they couldn't make the Dreamliner 2-4-2 seating in economy. Then, the light bulb came on. Duh. Simple math: 2+4+2=8 and 3+3+3=9. So, maybe they could have made the Dreamliner a little bit longer and gone 2-4-2 with in economy! I'll decide after I fly on a Dreamliner on a long flight, like across the ocean. So, you got to fly upstairs on the 747. I'm guessing this was after the era of the spiral staircase. I got to fly up there once, too, but Air France had made the upper level premium economy and used a larger part of the first level ahead of the wing for first and business class. I got upgraded on the American side without even asking for it. The agent at check-in saw that I had red-eyed the night before for the connection and would be red-eying again on this flight, so he put me upstairs. Mostly, the French and French-Canadians have always treated me well and the stereotype doesn't hold up well, at least for me!

The last 2 big American carriers to hang onto a 747(-400): Delta and United. They would fly them on routes from their American gateway cities to major international destinations and Hawai'i. I believe they were discontinued just within the last 5 years. Delta United Of these 2 holdouts, I only few on United's jumbo once ... from Washington DC (connecting location) to Frankfurt. When the plane was newer, every major American carrier had one and they were using them from coast to coast, or part of the way ... to Chicago. @oldshurst442 Air Canada also had them for a long time, and it was basically the same thing - from Toronto to places like Frankfurt and London. Everyone had gone to an all white livery with no window striping by the end of the chapter.

After a few false starts where I started watching it and turned it off because it was tedious and a long movie, I watched "Gone Girl" in its entirety. That movie contains enough material about dysfunction for a handful of doctoral dissertations in psychology. Whew.

I'm at over 70,000 miles on my Michelin Defenders. ... rotated every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, and just front to back. I'd say 85% of those miles were on interstates, and all of it was conservative driving. They are 80,000 mile tires, but the tread life warranty ends at 5 years. I'm not complaining.

I didn't know of a polio booster but the CDC site says there is such a thing, though it doesn't surprise me ... even for adults who have been vaccinated. It is addressed by the very last sentence under "Adults." https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/polio/public/index.html It seems I have read about an uptick in polio and tuberculosis in the greater NYC area. - - - - - My car also needs tires and my Michelins have lasted an incredibly long time. I'm waiting because I want another set of Michelin Defenders. I'm hoping this will be the last set of tires I will be buying for this car.

@David Wow. I've never been to Hawai'i. I don't know if and when I'll get there. And I don't know how I'd mix it up if there - Oahu, Hawai'i (big island), Maui, and/or Kauai? One wants to see the famous things we've all seen about Oahu. But I'm also interested in the topography and vegetation of Kauai, which looks stunning. I can name all the state's islands, but I don't know much about the other islands. - - - - - Oh, yeah, what I originally came on here to randomly pontificate: Life is too short for cheap hot dogs.

Spotted on August 17 After fasting and getting my blood drawn at a nearby suburban medical complex, I always head here for a donut and a cup of coffe. I walked out and saw this ... and reached for my phone camera. This was the downsized base Buick Regal coupe, after the first generation of GM colonnades (1973-1977). The wheel covers and simpler trim indicated it was not the more finished Limited, which would have had plump seats and more chrome trim outside. The engine badging says 3.8 liter, and this would have been the first year for the much improved "even firing" crankshaft modification that GM kept supplying in this V6 for almost another 10 years. The paint might be faded but the body is in great shape. It was air conditioned, but had manual windows and no gauge package. The owner walked out of the bakery shortly afterwards and said it was her father's car, it was garaged, and had a little over 50,000 miles. She was really nice and liked talking about her car. People know when you're not a "creeper" because you obviously know the car they are driving and its details fairly well. As she drove off, she honked and waved.

Seen on the evening of August 15 upon entering an Italian restaurant with a mean Monday night dinner special. GM's Saturn brand turned out to be better than a lot of us expected A vehicle you don't see very much. As it "matured," Saturn put clean looking and tasteful front fascias on their vehicles Of the 2 seaters with which a few GM divisions responded to the Mazda Miata, this was the most attractive one. However, I wouldn't own one. For most of its current owners, it's a hobby car and almost never a daily driver.

Seen on August 15 during a lunchtime trip to the supermarket. Parked further out on the lot, the driver was not around. This appears to be a 1980 to 1984 Buick LeSabre "Collector's Edition" and most likely powered by the 5.0 liter V8 engine designed by Olds, so this person will hopefully keep it for a long time. A little "photo essay" for something worth a second look Side view - a very long full-size GM vehicle Interesting mix of vertical grille and canted headlamps and the confident, roadworthy look of an American boulevardier Unmistakable Buick Motor Division front fascia treatment The lack of a CMSL puts its model year at 1984 at the very latest. Check out that vinyl top that has no body defects at its edges. Collector's Edition - worth keeping around Wire wheel covers in excellent shape, while Hankook tires are not an OEM brand. Old school GM dashboard with brushed silver bezels and shared with Electra/Park Avenue at the same time they were RWD, and also with Riviera for 2 years of its production.. I would expect to have the Collector's Edition have the top of the line (leather) seating option for what Buick made available that year. Some people may hate and have hated these full size B-O-P cars. While I can do without the leather seating, these big GM cars were somewhat of a treat to ride in every now and then.

Saw this one on August 5 at a shopping center parking lot, where it was parked near my car. (bonus peek-a-boo view of my car, too) It was a 2013. The owner said it was not his daily driver and it had low miles. It had the 3.6 V6. The owner said that he didn't get the fuel economy he would have expected, even on the open road. I believe these are CT4s, if I'm not mistaken. To this day, I am taken aback by how raked the profile of this Cadillac coupe is.

The new Moderna booster with broader coverage has been approved by the UK and is supposed to be available in the U.S., possibly by the end of September. Just like Costco not telling you when Michelins go on sale next,* pharmacists won't tell you when this new booster becomes available. I am planning some travel during the Thanksgiving holiday and into early December, so I am hoping the updated Moderna will be available by then. I have gotten Pfizer (1) - Pfizer (2) - Moderna (booster 1) and had a headache each time, for about a day. I'm fine with that. I get the same reaction when I get my flu shot, which I get on Labor Day weekend each year. I think I will wait for the enhanced Moderna product. As for the new Moderna booster, I will travel to a hick town to get it. That's what I had to do with the first three shots and I'm fine with that. Some hick towns have filling grubby diner food at cheap prices - good for your wallet, but bad for your cholesterol. * Michelins ought to come back on a Costco sales cycle on Monday, August 29, since they have now run Bridgestones on promotion for 2 months.

I agree here. I just saw a brand new Challenger with 392 badging at a gas station. It was that currently popular enamel gray color and the owner was really happy he was able to get one. This is going to be tricky, I think. It wouldn't be as tricky if there was a slight revamp, and it was a good one. Each Charger and Chrysler 300 has gotten a little better than the previous rendition, so there was a frame of reference for buyers. When the LaCrosse was released, it was a welcomed change from the stodgier Regal-Century platform, and buyers took the them reasonably well. If it was a brand new ground breaking model in a segment that the brand hadn't previously messed with, this could work, too. Examples across time might be the Camaro/Firebird, the Cordoba, and the Aurora. The tricky part is slotting in a model that the buyer would consider an equal (or equivalent), while introducing (forcing) the buyer to a technology for which they do not want to be an early adopter. The idea of being put into an EV Charger or Challenger equivalent in less than 2 years time for the typical wannabe Charger and Challenger buyer AT THIS TIME - since there haven't been that many on the lots for a LONG TIME - is going to be a head scratcher.