z28luvr01

This really hurts Acura's image more than anything else. They'll never be thought of in the same sentence as Caddy, BMW, and MB without a RWD-based platform and a V8. Not that the RL isn't amazing, but it's all about perception, and we GM fans know a thing or two about how powerful that is.

That's a NA Ecotec engine cover, same as in my Cobalt and in the 2.4L SS. Plus, the spoiler and the door lock knob look the same as well. My guess is either one of those cars, probably the SS.

They got the stance on the non-supercharged SS just right. Sportier than the base/LS/LT, yet more subdued than the SS/SC. I love it, and am seriously mulling over getting the SS kit for my car.

The more I look at Satty's pup, the more it looks like she needs to grow into her head.

They get those prices primarily be flying to off-the-beaten-path airports that aren't heavily used. They feel they can move passengers more efficiently by using smaller airports. SWA also cuts out things like in-flight snacks and maybe even movies. They have a homogenized fleet of nothing but 737s, so mechanics, pilots, and flight attendants can be more easily trained. There's supposed to be books on The Southwest Model....I'd really like to check one out one of these days. To compete with companies like Southwest, the major carriers have had to cut back on a lot of things, like making you pay for meals you used to get for free, or making you pay to "borrow" a headset so that you can hear the in-flight movie. Old planes are kept in service longer than they should be. The 757 I flew home from San Diego on was so old the VCR chewed up three in-flight movies. Air travel used to be a glamorous thing...you were treated like royalty while you were on board. Now it's more like riding a flying bus.

Cute dog, Satty. Black labs are awesome, very playful and very athletic. You'll run out of gas long before she does. They like to be walked and played with a lot, preferrably in a park, beach, or somewhere where they can run. Otherwise they can get restless and run out the door when you're not expecting them to. Just for the heck of it, have one of those tracking chips implanted in her. The AKC has one, and my dog came with one from a company called AVID. It's relatively cheap, and she'll also get a tag that says she has a chip so that the shelter or whoever finds her will know to scan her and return her to you. My Dalmatian/English Pointer is also named Lucky.(bad camera phone pic follows)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL - news) and Northwest Airlines Corp.(Nasdaq:NWAC - news) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, according to court documents. Delta, the No. 3 U.S. airline, which earlier this year said it did not have enough cash to meet its liquidity needs in 2005, filed for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court in the Southern District of New York. "The action we have taken is a necessary and responsible step to preserve Delta's value for our creditors, customers, employees, business partners and other stakeholders," said Delta Chief Executive Gerald Grinstein in a release. "Delta is open for business as usual and will continue normal operations throughout the reorganization process." Minnesota-based Northwest, whose mechanics have been on strike since August 20, filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy court in Manhattan. The two filings doubled to four the number of major U.S. airlines operating under court protection, dramatizing the industry's struggle with soaring oil and competition from low-cost carriers. The sector's woes went from bad to worse this month as refinery outages caused by Hurricane Katrina sent jet fuel prices spiking. U.S. airlines are expected to post some $10 billion in losses this year. Atlanta-based Delta's woes were compounded by a crushing debt load of more than $20 billion and one of the industry's biggest underfunded pension burdens. Founded in 1928, Delta became a top international player by taking over many routes from defunct Pan Am in 1991. It has faced an uphill battle to recovery after getting hammered by the September 11, 2001, attacks and the slowdown in flying that followed. "Delta is overleveraged and they weren't going to stay out of bankruptcy, no way," said Ray Neidl, an analyst at Calyon Securities. Both airlines would likely use bankruptcy to slash labor and pension costs, following in the footsteps of No. 2 U.S. carrier United Airlines, the main unit of UAL Corp. The bankruptcies could put added pressure on other carriers including AMR Corp. (NYSE:AMR - news), parent of American Airlines, by putting them at a competitive disadvantage as their bankrupt rivals shed costs and ditch pensions, analysts said. On the other hand, other airlines would benefit if Delta and others cut back on domestic routes, getting rid of overcapacity which has made the U.S. airline sector the most troubled worldwide. Credit rating firm Standard & Poor's said on Wednesday that Northwest's failure to make $42 million in payments due on Tuesday made a bankruptcy filing likely. Adding to pressure on the Eagan, Minnesota-based carrier, Northwest would face a lien against its assets if it missed a $65 million pension payment due on Thursday, S&P said -- unless the airline sought court protection. United and US Airways Group Inc. (OTC BB:UAIRQ.OB - news) are both already operating in bankruptcy, though both are hoping to emerge soon. Additional bankruptcy filings could pave the way for additional mergers and acquisitions in the sector, Merrill Lynch & Co. analyst Michael Linenberg said in a report. On Wednesday, Delta shares closed down 7 cents, or 9 percent, at 71 cents on the New York Stock Exchange. Northwest shares, which were hammered Tuesday on expectation of a bankruptcy filing, closed up 30 cents, or 19.1 percent, to $1.87 in busy trading on Nasdaq. Northwest's stock has plunged 86 percent so far this year, while Delta has lost 90 percent of its value. On the debt markets, Northwest's 10 percent notes due in 2009 rose to 26 cents on the dollar, about 2-1/2 cents higher on the day, after tumbling more than 9 cents on Tuesday, according to MarketAxess. Delta's 8.3 percent bonds due 2029 rose to 16 cents on the dollar, about 0.5 cent higher on the day, according to MarketAxess. They are still about 3/4-cent lower month-to-date. (Additional reporting by Dena Aubin)

Maybe you should take a look over here.

After reading the first part, here's my initial comments: How has Katie responded to your calling and your dropping by her cousin's house? If she wasn't totally blowing you off, you might have a shot if she's not currently seeing someone. Maybe you just ought to be straight with her, and tell her that the first time you two went out, that you didn't really know what you were doing as a boyfriend, and that probably gave her the wrong impression. After reading the second half, here's the rest: Sadly, your relationship with Jen is tainted before it started. You'll be able to do nothing right in that relationship, and every time you trip up, she'll probably bring up Katie. Another knock against Jen....you admitted she's materialistic. To me that's a red flag of sorts....materialistic people are seldom truly satisfied. In any case, I think the one you really want is Katie anyway, based on your last paragraph. Good luck though in whichever way you choose. I wish I had two women to choose from :)

Some of them even help in keeping the engine cool by redirecting the air up through the radiator/engine bay. I believe the one in my Cobalt is like that.

Saw 2 HHRs while waiting to get my Cobalt serviced. One silver and one black. What a cool little thing the HHR is in person. The inside is very nice. Here are a couple of (bad) pics from my camera phone. Also saw a '06 Cobalt SS (2.4L) in black in the parking lot. The look and the stance on that car is perfect. If only one could get that appearance with the supercharged engine.

Nah, the one Fly posted still has two Ss, as in "dessign". GM marketing seriously needs to be obliterated. On a note not related at all to the topic at hand, welcome back, Croc, and nice avatar.

Since I am the registered owner of a Cobalt, I'd have to answer this question with "Cobalt". The new Civic does nothing to win me over. It looks rather bloated and ungainly, but mostly weird.

Wow, I always thought the original Pilot was a rather handsome vehicle. Thanks for botching it, Honda.

Its the same way on the Cobalt too. They're banking on a larger emblem providing all the brand recognition.

I could see it getting a facelift similar to the '06 Trailblazer, which would bring it closer in resemblence to the GMT900 front.

Cheers and Gears (C&G) is greater than (>) all (*)

This is about as sappy as I get: Hi, my name is Frank I am a 5' 4" male I have brown hair and brown eyes I enjoy spending time outdoors, listening to music, playing drums, and just being in the presence of someone who cares about me as much as I care abut them My favorite foods are anything cooked on the BBQ, and anything Italian. Cajun spiced foods and food smothered in cheese are also a plus I'm looking for a 4'11" - 5'-5" non-smoking female who loves to laugh, be herself (not who MTV tells her to be), and who brings out the best of me.

Of those four, I hate to say it, but I'd go with the Accord. Second place probably goes to the GA if you can stomach the dashboard. I'm not too familiar with the Cougar, but stay away from the Chryslerbishi. However, if you're interested in expanding your list, how about a late model GP coupe?

Dsuupr said it best. The Seville was more in line with American tastes back then.

If they up the HP on the Cobalt SS signifcantly to the 250-300 range, they'd need an AWD system to counteract the ridiculous amount of torque steer. With the Cobalt already beginning to carve itself a racing pedigree of its own, it'll be nice to see how it fares on the WRC circuit. Plus, there is an additional payoff in the form of a possible AWD HHR, which would proably make it the best budget SUV alternative out there.

I'm with you, balthy. In my albeit limited time riding in and driving supposedly superior imported competition, I'm usually left asking myself "What's the big deal? Is this really that much better than a GM?" However, GM has to actively work at changing that perception. Superior product obviously is the key, and innovative product-based marketing plays a close second. They need to be the ones setting the bar on all fronts.

I think the single greatest advantage for FWD vehicles is the more efficient packaging. The combination of cab-forward design and the lack of a pronounced center tunnel makes for a more roomy interior given the exterior dimensions. Also, the lack of a rear differential allows for a deeper trunkwell.

I'm by no means a great chopper, but I have done a few and can offer a few pointers on what I've learned: - practice practice practice - a good understanding of art principles is of utmost importance. Photoshop is a tool, like a paintbrush or a spray gun. It doesn't make you a good designer any more than having a nail gun makes you a good carpenter. For chopping cars, probably the most important thing you'll need to know is how light behaves on different surfaces. Once you understand that concept, you'll need to learn how to duplicate proper lighting using the tools provided by Photoshop. That'll come through knowledge of how the tools in Photoshop work as well as, you guessed it, practice. - When you're working, use layers, lots of them. If you spray something on top of a JPG and you don't like it, you have to start from scratch. Creating a new layer before you modify the graphic allows you to just delete the mods that you don't like. - don't get discouraged, just keep practicing. Most of the choppers on this site started out just like you. Ask NOS2006 about his Corvette with Nomad headlights or crispey2k (ChrisPauwels) about his GP based Chevelle. Both of those guys have improved so much since then. That's about it from me. I'm sure some of the better choppers can offer some more detailed tips than I can.

Yes, and for that matter, so does this: