Drew Dowdell

Not neccessarily. The auto makers just need standardized chains.

Oil opened down $2 at $118 RBOB Gasoline drifting around $2.98

Up until the announcement, Oldsmobile was putting out more Intrigues alone than Saab and Hummer are selling combined. Throw in the Aurora<More sales than Sky>, Bravada<More sales than Outlook>, Intrigue <more sales than Aura>, Alero <way more sales than Astra> and Silhouette<way more sales than Relay>, and you suddenly wonder why Saturn is here today and Oldsmobile isn't.

Saudi Arabia has not been able to maintain it's previous oil production levels. Russia has not been able to maintain it's previous oil production levels and has reduced it's shipments to Czhek republic by 50% Venezuela has not been able to maintain it's previous oil production levels. Mexico has not been able to maintain it's previous oil production level and will switch from net exporter to net importer by 2015 Indonesia and Malaysia have not been able to maintain their previous production level and have already switched from net exporter to net importer. The gas companies have been granted permits and full access to build a few new refineries already...... ever get the feeling they don't want to because they know something about where future oil production will be by the time the refinery is built?

There might be a recession in Europe but not nearly as bad as what will happen here. England and Ireland are in for a walloping, but Germany with their fiscally conservative habits <it's sort of culturally ingrained to not use credit cards>, will probably weather it relatively easily. The U.S. will suffer because of it's gasoline/automotive based infrastructure and high fuel costs. Europe can at least turn to the rails if automobile use becomes too expensive. Even AirFrance trying to combat high jet fuel costs by buying railroad companies in order to offer alternative <cheaper> service to their customers. In one of the biggest, most blatant shifts of wealth to the rich ever constructed, the federal government is now going to bail out private investors <rich people and hedge funds> with taxpayer dollars. Somehow we all seem to be ok with that. I feel like I'm getting out of here in the nick of time and to the safest <financially> place I can think of that has friendly faces.

pretty much at the end of every food isle, there is a little old lady handing out something.

Oil finished the day at 120.31, RBOB Gasoline at $3.0073

5 star crash rating v. 4 star crash rating noise level

Keep in mind that the Cobalt SS is the fasted FWD car on the Ring ever. It tied the GT-R, M3 E46, and beat cars like the S2000 and Audi S5. Not bad company to be keeping, just saying... Edit: The Cobalt SS is no longer the FWD champ of the ring. On June 23, 2008, this ugly critter beat the Cobalt SS's time by 6 seconds..... but it's French so it really doesn't count. They were probably running from a German car.

My original desire to go to Europe because it sounded like a fun and interesting thing to do is turning into a move of financial asylum.

How about a national requirement to meet Euro bin 5 by 2010 and then work with Europe to develop a unified standard and CARB can lump it if they don't like it. Simultaneously, national standards for gasoline and diesel formulation. My guess is there is no chance of that happening till after January 20, 2009.

When I'm not working on an apartment, this is my usual Sunday afternoon brunch. I make no bones about being a cheapwad. Scrooge lived luxuriously in my opinion.

You guys are worried about the death of the V8.... what about the death of the small town?

Euros, due to my medium term plans.

What I'm pointing out is that transportation fuel costs are wiping out the advantage of overseas manufacturing.

Federal Reserve Bank is a private institution made up of member banks.

To those of you who thing globalization is a good thing....

Required reading for C&Gers

Spin off from another thread. I'll update material swings in price. Something that will probably make the news today: The spot price for oil just fell over $4.80 a barrel to be under $120. Currently sitting at $118.58. RBOB Gasoline is down 11 cents a gallon to $2.97.

You can get flatter than an '80s Volvo?

fixed. E-class diesels and VW diesels* usually have waiting lists... *Not counting Touregg

It's not quite Hershey in size, but it can definitely rival in quality.

on something the level of a Cadillac, they could afford to use active motor mounts

Anyone going? Turns out, my vacation to the New Hope area is on those same dates. I had completely forgotten about it until the owner of the B&B we're staying at asked if we liked classic cars. So we'll be there.

I"ve always admired them. I like the CTS for the more sporty, flashing side of things. I like the Fleetwood for a long distance highway cruiser. I've always had the dream that, if I could be like Jay Leno, I'd buy a '96 FB, pull the LT-1 out and put in an LS-6 or LS-2, and firm up the sway bars a whole lot, but otherwise keep it as stock looking as possible.