SoCalCTS

In answer to why Nissans are terrible cars... Consider this from Consumer Reports, "Nissan took the biggest dive in Consumer Reports’ reliability ratings. Four out of five of the vehicles produced in the automakers Canton, Miss plant and they were all given poor marks... the Nissan Armada and Infiniti QX56 had abysymmal ratings (151% and 297% below average, respectively)" The Nissan quest was named least reliable minivan and the Nissan Titan was named the least reliable large truck. As for the United Negro Scholarships for California, I believe this shows a gross misunderstanding of California's demographics. California has one of the lowest percentages of black residents in the entire USA. Maybe Latino or non-race based scholarships would have been more appropriate.

Nissans are terrible cars. Good-riddance! Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out! These are just admin jobs at an HQ building. Nissan is still leaving its design center in San Diego. Consider this though... Toyota does well in California because they build Tacomas and Corollas here. Nissan, what have you done for California lately?

I hope the next CTS takes on a more F-22 stealthy appearance. Less sharp edges like the F117 stealth fighter and softer sexier lines like the F-22.

Crusade from Webster's 1 capitalized : any of the military expeditions undertaken by Christian powers in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to win the Holy Land from the Muslims 2 : a remedial enterprise undertaken with zeal and enthusiasm As for the recruitment on campus... who cares? I'm sure the government will be calling every high school kid since you still have to register with the selective service. And there is definitely a Right Wing bias to the news in San Diego, CA. Or better yet watch Fox News, CNN and MSNBC and just try and tell me that any of those are liberal biased! At best MSNBC is moderate and CNN is turning into a mini-Fox news.

Interesting choice of words... there is no "crusade" in America. Crusades are for religious purposes. These changes are a normal correction to politics leaning too far in one direction. During the Clinton years things went left and now they are too far to the right. The majority of America is in the middle and this should be viewed as a return towards the center.

Merit based pay was not in the initiatives. Prop 74 was about the process in which a Teacher could be fired. Since Prop. 74 failed, the firing process for teachers will remain the same. The teacher is entitled to a hearing and can appeal the decision in Superior Court and again in a Court of Appeal. Before being fired, a teacher has 90 days to improve. Prop. 74 would have eliminated the 90-day period and the need to document reasons for dismissal beyond the two evaluations. This proposition was about punishing teachers since they did not support Arnold stealing $2 Billion in education funds. He said he was borrowing the money but later said that it would NEVER be repaid.

Well prop 79 was prescription rebates for poor people so officially it was supported by Democrats but then again it didn't really make that much sense. Prop 78 was put on the ballot by the drug companies and was just writing into law the drug discount cards.

Me too Croc! It looks like we are going to beat all of the Arnie initiatives (fingers crossed).

Wow.

So if they add all this stuff... why does Cadillac need a DTS? I hate it when GM just completely blurs the lines between its products.

I have to agree with Croc. Pronouncing it Im-PAL-ah where "pal" is prounced like "pal=buddy" is not even an option. There is not one dictionary out there that supports this kind of pronunciation.

Croc, I went to UC San Diego and since we didn't have a football team... would you mind if I jumped on the Trojan band wagon? :P

I guess it was just hard enough being an Asian on television 30 years ago. At least, he served as a role model for all the Asian-Americans that aspired to be in show business.

Frontiers isn't exactly a widely circulated newspaper. This may not be AP headline worthy but its certainly worth a few minutes on Entertainment Tonight. It's too bad it took him so long to come out because he could have spent the last 40 years with gorgeous young men throwing themselves at him. :P

This once again proves that General Motors just doesn't get it! The Solstice has such positive press and looks so great and now they roll this hideously ugly POS out to tarnish the Solstice before sales even take off. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

International Herald story Isuzu plans to buy GM stake in Australia By Naoko Fujimura and Maki Shiraki Bloomberg News MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2005 TOKYO Isuzu Motors, the largest Japanese truck maker, said Monday that it planned to buy General Motors' stake in a jointly-owned Australian truck venture, extending an overseas push that has delivered record earnings. The company planned to buy GM's 40 percent stake in Isuzu-General Motors Australia, said Kouitsu Mabuchi, an Isuzu spokesman in Tokyo. Mabuchi declined to give price details. Isuzu may also take a majority stake in a new truck unit in South Africa, to be spun off from a GM subsidiary, the Nihon Keizai newspaper reported Monday. The Australian sale would be the second in the Asia-Pacific region this month by GM, which is raising cash after posting $3.8 billion of losses in the first nine months and losing its investment-grade credit rating in May. The deal fits the strategy of Isuzu's president, Yoshinori Ida, who is shifting production abroad to cut costs and to shield earnings from currency swings. Isuzu shares rose nearly 3 percent in Tokyo on Monday to close at ¥451, and have surged 49.5 percent this year. "It's good that Isuzu is getting its plan to fruition and executing the plan to expand abroad," said Naruse Shinya, an analyst at Nomura Securities in Tokyo. Japan's "domestic truck sales have become flat," he said. GM sold 8.7 percent of Fuji Heavy Industries to Toyota Motor on Oct. 5 for $740 million. GM's decision to sell its overseas assets to Isuzu suggests that the U.S. automaker will keep its 7.9 percent stake in the Tokyo-based truck maker, said Atsushi Kawai, an analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities. "This would confirm that the link between GM and Isuzu is close," said Kawai, predicting that Isuzu's shares would "outperform" the market. "Isuzu wouldn't buy out the venture" if GM planned to end the relationship, he said. Isuzu, which sells three in four of its vehicles abroad, earned a record profit of $60 billion in its last business year, after taking market share from Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus. Its global vehicle sales in the quarter that ended June 30 rose 79 percent to 98,617 units, helped by demand from China and Thailand. The company said last month that it planned to set up a 680 million yuan, or $84 million, joint venture with Qingling Motors in Chongqing, southwestern China, to make as many as 175,000 engines and parts for the Chinese and export markets. Isuzu in June announced a 624 million Hong Kong dollar, or $80 million, plan to triple its stake in Qingling to 20 percent to build trucks for the construction boom that has started ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. GM's venture in Melbourne imports Isuzu's N-Series light trucks, F-Series medium-size trucks, and G-Series and Giga heavy trucks. It imported 5,644 units in the first nine months of this year, a spokesman, Campbell Johnston, said. Isuzu said the venture sold 6,757 trucks in Australia last year, with 21 percent of the market. The Nihon Keizai newspaper reported Monday that Isuzu would take a majority stake in a new truck unit in South Africa, to be spun off from a GM subsidiary. The paper also reported the Australian acquisition plan. GM, meanwhile, said that it was in talks with several companies aimed at forming a "strategic partnership" by selling them a stake in General Motors Acceptance, its auto-finance unit.

The 4-seater rotary sports car is the answer to the demands for a self-assured, advanced sports vehicle. And Mazda Senku offers a radical new direction in this genre. To meet and surpass the challenges of increasing environmental and safety requirements, as well as diversification of customer demands, Mazda continues to offer unrivalled driving dynamics while achieving harmony with changes in society. Exterior Next-generation aesthetics values The overarching design aesthetic is “sharpness & mellowness”. These contradictory factors are cleverly integrated to create a next-generation design standard,featuring ultra-long wheelbase,minimal overhangs,unique floating appearance supported by large wheels and tires,and a smoothly dignified shape pared of all ornamentation. These elements come together in a revolutionary coupe form that is both dynamic and supremely elegant. The cabin presents an open,spacious feeling to create a prestigious personal space designed to give priority to the people seated in the front. And interior design achieves a pleasing harmony of quality and sportiness through the vivid contrast of jet-black and red key colors,metallic cockpit accents,and seats and trim executed in supple, high-quality leather by Mazda's skilled craftsmen. Interior Full-support information technology Externally mounted cameras capture images from around Senku for display on three panels mounted above the dashboard.They not only give at-a-glance monitoring of the vehicle's immediate environment but also provide support for nighttime forward vision(Night Drive Aid function) and warn of the approach of vehicles from behind. In addition, a large display panel mounted at the bottom of the instrument panel shows the setup and operating status of the navigation, audio and air conditioning systems. This wide range of advanced IT facilities gives full information for driver support at all times, while switches on the steering wheel and a touch screen inside the steering wheel allow easy operation without changing posture to reduce driver fatigue. Sophisticated seat arrangement Large flying wing electrically powered sliding doors combined with high front-seat hip points allow smooth entry and exit,even to the rear seat.Coversion to the full luggage mode is easily achieved by simply folding the rear seatbacks down towards the front of the vehicle, or to the 2+2 seating mode by folding a board away. The newly conceived rear-gate arrangement consists of two powered gates which can be opened separately or together to match the size of luggage to be loaded.

Josh is right. The Blade does seem to beat the RAZR. Here's a comparison at engadget. The RAZR's design and size are pretty sweet but it's totally an average phone. This baby, based on Korean specs, has a QVGA screen, external media controls, TF/MicroSD card slot (w00t), Bluetooth (so does the RAZR though), and more all at a thickness that is like, 1MM thicker than the RAZR and does NOT have the bottom 'bulge" that the RAZR does. Plus EV-DO. The downside is that the blade is really boring and bland looking.

Check your messages for my email address. I can do it for you.

Car plus sportswear fashion with a Remix Generation feeling ·Projecting an atmosphere inspired by adidas Japan’s Remix Generation seeks comfort, individual style and the freedom to combine whatever, whenever. Nissan designers followed the same path in dreaming up the Note inspired by adidas. Having observed young people’s attachment to sportswear as icons of their everyday lives, the designers considered how cars could be used in similar nonchalant fashion. Inspired by the adidas sports brand, they infused this carefree lifestyle into interior and exterior design and materials. Looking at cars through Remix Generation eyes Sportswear must guarantee ease of movement and comfort and a wide range of motion and functions, including elasticity, durability and appropriate response to cold, heat or moisture. Print patterns and color add fashion value. That is what the Remix Generation demands of fashion. It has spawned a culture in which sportswear and everyday clothes are freely combined without being restricted by existing values. How would this notion apply to cars? A possible answer to that is the Note inspired by adidas. The original Note model is as flexible as the wishes of its driver and passengers. With this value reference, the Note inspired by adidas offers users completely new values in a car. "Wearable" exterior and interior How can a car be enjoyed in the same carefree way as sportswear in everyday life? The answer to that is the concept of "wearable." In the Note inspired by adidas, the user can change certain parts of the exterior and interior of the car as they desire. Users can express different moods as they wish. For example, users can change the surface treatment on the front and rear bumpers. In addition, the large-diameter wheels and tires are different in form from those on the original Note The sporty design and materials were inspired by the globally renowned adidas multi-sports brand (thanks to the cooperation of adidas Japan). The interior extensively incorporates design elements and materials from sportswear fashion. Fabrics and rubber materials that are familiar components of sportswear and related products have been applied to the dashboard, door panels and other locations to create a Remix image. This is in contrast to the general use of hard materials for many interior trim parts of a car. Dashboard trays are fitted with nets in which small items can be inserted for storage. The enameled glove box is opened and closed with a zipper. The center console incorporates a removable bag that can be carried around outside the car. Seat covers are made of several different materials and with different design patterns so that users can change them as they like. Overall length (mm) 4,050 Overall width (mm) 1,720 Overall height (mm) 1,590 Wheelbase (mm) 2,600 Seating capacity 5

What an eclectic rip off of other designs. It has Chevrolet style round tail lights, Cadillac stacked headlights and a profile more reminiscent of America than Japan. Maybe thats why I like it.

[img]http://http://us.tnpv.net/2005/WKA200510/WKA2005101871819_pv.jpg[/img] Ford Equator Concept Unveiled in Tokyo

ANSA Italian News story Elkann heads for drug rehab centre Agnelli heir leaves Turin hospital and flies to Arizona (ANSA) - Turin, October 18 - Agnelli heir and Fiat executive Lapo Elkann on Tuesday left the hospital where he was treated for a drug overdose and headed for a drug rehabilitation centre in the United States . The 28-year-old Elkann left Turin's Mauriziano hospital at about 7 am and immediately flew to Switzerland, from where he was expected to take another flight to Tucson, Arizona . "After what has happened I need time to think," he said in a statement released by his lawyer. "In order to ensure I get as much peace as possible, I'm going to spend some time abroad before going back to work." Elkann, the grandson of the late Fiat patriarch Gianni Agnelli, thanked doctors and staff at the Turin hospital before his departure . He gave no indication of how long he expected to stay in the American rehab clinic and asked the media to "respect my need for silence" . Elkann was questioned by Turin prosecutors on Monday in connection with the drug overdose which landed him in hospital. Investigators are keen to find out who gave him the drugs . The Fiat executive reportedly confirmed to prosecutors that he had bought a first batch of cocaine from street dealers in central Turin before going to the apartment of a transsexual prostitute . He was apparently unable to give investigators more than a vague description of the dealers . According to the most credited version of events, Elkann later asked a friend of his host to go and buy some more cocaine. He allegedly overdosed because one of the last doses he took was of heroin, not cocaine as he imagined . Prosecutors released no details of Monday's hour-long interview, which took place in the Mauriziano hospital to which Elkann was taken by ambulance on October 10 . Investigative sources said Elkann was questioned as a witness, not a suspect. Possession of small amounts of cocaine for personal use is not illegal in Italy . Elkann's host and two other transsexuals who joined them during the night, were questioned last week. They reportedly said that only he had taken drugs and that he had brought them with him . The Fiat manager, who has until now been in charge of the group's brand promotion, told relatives who visited him on Friday he was "eager" to return to work . Since taking an executive position in the company, Elkann has successfully launched new sportswear and leatherware lines with the Fiat logo . Commenting on his latest experience, he is widely reported to have said: "I've really made a mess of things. I've been stupid." This guy knows how to party like a rock star! I hope the other two transvestite hookers were under 50!

People in this segment don't buy based on fuel economy. This is not a hybrid after all. Its more about getting a brand new car for the cheapest price possible.

Exactly... I am sorry that Natalie is missing but seriously, we have thousands that we know are dead or dying in other parts of the world. Fox News and CNN's Nancy Grace have wasted so much time on this story. I'd rather have them spend more time talking about all those men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq or something else newsworthy.