Intrepidation

Hmm, that doesn't look bad at all, I once drove the Grand Marquis through a big snow storm to get my brother on the other side of teh state...that was fun...had snow tires on the back so it had no problems. I have no problems with snow, it ice that sucks.

You also said something about Faux News downplaying the problem.

I completely agree. Balthazar, I brainfarted and edited your post by mistake instead of my own...sorry!

If you guys want some old bikes we have a whole bunch we're planning to leave behind...

BEIJING -- China suspended military exchanges with the United States and threatened sanctions against American defense companies Saturday, just hours after Washington announced $6.4 billion in planned arms sales to Taiwan. The development has further strained the complex relations between the two powers, which are increasingly linked by security and economic issues. China's Defense Ministry said the sales to self-governing Taiwan, which the mainland claims as its own, cause "severe harm" to overall U.S.-China cooperation, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. The Foreign Ministry threatened sanctions against U.S. companies involved in the arms sales. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy, Susan Stevenson, had no comment on China's actions Saturday. Taiwan is the most sensitive topic in U.S.-China relations, and the sales announced Friday could complicate cooperation between the two sides on issues ranging from Iran's nuclear program to the loosening of Internet controls, including a Google-China standoff over censorship. China's Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei warned U.S. Ambassador Jon Huntsman that the sales of Black Hawk helicopters, Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles and other weapons to Taiwan would "cause consequences that both sides are unwilling to see," a ministry statement said Saturday. The United States is Taiwan's most important ally and largest arms supplier, and it's bound by law to ensure the island is able to respond to Chinese threats. China responds angrily to any proposed arms sale, however, and it also cut off military ties with the U.S. in 2008 after the former Bush administration announced a multibillion-dollar arms sale to Taiwan. Washington has tried to use military visits to build trust with Beijing and learn more about the aims of its massive military buildup. Overall ties have been tense as President Barack Obama plans to meet with the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, this year. It's not known whether the Taiwan arms sale will affect President Hu Jintao's expected visit to the U.S. this year. Experts on China warned Beijing could take further steps to punish the United States to show its newfound power and confidence in world affairs. Jin Canrong, a professor of international studies at China's Renmin University, said the sale would give Beijing a "fair and proper reason" to accelerate weapons testing. China test-fired rockets in recent weeks for an anti-missile defense system in what security experts said was a display of anger at the pending arms sale. "The U.S. will pay a price for this. Starting now, China will make some substantial retaliation, such as reducing cooperation on the North Korea and Iran nuclear issues and anti-terrorism work," Jin added. The latest suspension of military ties should affect planned visits to China by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. A visit to the U.S. by the Chinese military's chief of the general staff, Gen. Chen Bingde, could also be called off. The U.S. Congress has 30 days to comment on the newest arms sales before the plan goes forward. Lawmakers traditionally have supported such sales. Though Taiwan's ties with China have warmed considerably since Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou took office 20 months ago, Beijing has threatened to invade if the island ever formalizes its de facto independence. China has more than 1,000 ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan. Obama's national security adviser, Jim Jones, said in a speech Friday that both Washington and Beijing do things "periodically that may not make everybody completely happy" but that the United States is "bent toward a new relationship with China as a rising power in the world." The arms package dodges a thorny issue: more advanced F-16 fighter jets that Taiwan covets are not included. The Pentagon's decision not to include the fighters and a design plan for diesel submarines -- two items Taiwan wants most -- "shows that the Obama administration is deeply concerned about China's response," said Wang Kao-cheng, a defense expert at Taipei's Tamkang University. Taiwan's Ma told reporters Saturday that the deal should not anger the mainland because the weapons are defensive, not offensive. "The weapons sale decision will ... allow us to have more confidence and sense of security in developing cross-Strait relations," he said. http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/world/BO134428/

I think its the beats...I love the beat of Poker Face, especially the way the song opens.

Thanks for posting this Croc, this should be posted across the news sites.

Dictionaries have been removed from classrooms in southern California schools after a parent complained about a child reading the definition for "oral sex". Merriam Webster's 10th edition, which has been used for the past few years in fourth and fifth grade classrooms (for children aged nine to 10) in Menifee Union school district, has been pulled from shelves over fears that the "sexually graphic" entry is "just not age appropriate", according to the area's local paper. The dictionary's online definition of the term is "oral stimulation of the genitals". "It's hard to sit and read the dictionary, but we'll be looking to find other things of a graphic nature," district spokeswoman Betti Cadmus told the paper. While some parents have praised the move – "[it's] a prestigious dictionary that's used in the Riverside County spelling bee, but I also imagine there are words in there of concern," said Randy Freeman – others have raised concerns. "It is not such a bad thing for a kid to have the wherewithal to go and look up a word he may have even heard on the playground," father Jason Rogers told local press. "You have to draw the line somewhere. What are they going to do next, pull encyclopaedias because they list parts of the human anatomy like the penis and vagina?" A panel is now reviewing whether the Menifee ban will be made permanent. The Merriam Webster dictionary joins an illustrious set of books that have been banned or challenged in the US, including Nobel prize winner Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, which last year was suspended from and then reinstated to the curriculum at a Michigan school after complaints from parents about its coverage of graphic sex and violence, and titles by Khaled Hosseini and Philip Pullman, included in the American Library Association's list of books that inspired most complaints last year. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/jan/25/oral-sex-dictionary-ban-us-schools?DSF

Supposed to be the coldest night of the year with temps in the single digits above and below zero. the winds have been really whipping (30 mph+) since since teh intense snow squalls yesterday. At the beginning of the week we were in the mid 50's with our on monsoon.

As long as you're enjoying it!

Sexy Alfa is sexy.

The Zune HD is a much more focused product when it comes to being an music players than the iPod is. For people who like music it is the better choice. I the iPod Touch has more Apps/3rd party support for now, but then its been out for longer. It's browser is better than teh SZune's as well, but again, it's a music player first...and has some really neat features for music. The Zune also has a far cooler and more create menu system than the iPod's, static pictures may not look like much, but the way it works is very slick. Plus its one of only two media devices on the market that use an OLED screen, which is far superior for clarity and color to other screens. Styling is naturally, subjective, but how this: somehow looks amazingly better than this: is beyond me. The original Zune was a joke, this one is not. I've seriously considered a Zune HD...really impressed with it. The only thing stopping me from getting one is the iPhone, because I like the idea of a gadget that can be a phone, cheap camera, and mp3 player all in one. That and I have other things I need to spend money on before a gadget right now. lol

Well I dunno about GM cars, but with LH cars, any other brand other than the OEM ones cause problems...you should check and see if Bosch etc. work ok.

Lucky for you, I dunno what they cost for your car but for me they're $100 a pop.

If it has 2 cats it'll most likely have 4 sensors, one pre cat one post cat, as said.

Also, the car will usually throw a code (such as P0161 or P0159) if there's something wrong with a sensor. MAF (or MAP) sensor might be something to look at as well...those can foul and not throw codes.

How many O2 sensors on their on those cars? Mine has 4. =/

Also diagnostics take less time, should be an hour maybe two max. Might cost $100 or so to find out, but if you find the problem then you can just fix it yourself or have a shop do it.

Yeah state has nothing to do with find a lemon...that's the thing with used cars, it's always a gamble...no matter what the age. As far as your misfire issue...it certainly doesn't sound like a terminal illness. I wouldn't go giving up on this car after the first problem crops up. Maybe you should try taking it to a dealer and having them look at it. They have diagnostic tools normal shops don't, and might be able to better pinpoint the problem, and as it happens.

Apple will sell these, because there will always be tools who think it got an "i" in the name so it must be awesome and who have to have the latest thing...even if they look like dorks holding something like that.

Open source actually tends to be less clutter, less unnecessary crap, and less resource intensive. iTunes has become so bulky and overwrought in the last few versions. Used to use it, no longer do.

Well true, they did try to spin it that way when they first announced it, that Autoblog posted that they're legally required to.