Rumorpile: Audi To Buy Ducati Motorcycles.. Umm What?!

The stupidity deepens... We are going to alienate everyone...!    

Some days I miss being a young man, that was very much part of it.  And will continue to do so.  That and E bikes, E lawn mowers, E snow blowers. In Ohio, I work in facilities for a university. We got rid of our gas powered snow blowers and got electric ones. Much quieter, never fail to start on a cold morning, no explosive gas sitting around, don't need to keep a bunch of gas on hand for them, lighter, cleaner (no grease or oil, etc.)  Amazon around here is all E delivery vehicles.  The paradigm shift is happening, and we see this overseas on other markets, where electric cars are rapidly replacing EV's. This is why I see the demise of domestics (among other issues). When the inevitable happens and the US and Canada do open the door to Chinese EV's, they will be so far ahead of what US automakers are making that it will be like watching the typewriter business or the buggy business go away as the new technology rushes in like a flood. 

You should eventually do it.  Personally, I don't think the place has a very good vibe, but I had to endure it.  They have extensive agricultural areas because they offer that area of study and, when the wind blows the wrong way, you feel like you want to throw up.  In some fields, they consider it on par with Michigan, but, for most fields, Michigan is much, much better.  The freshman admit rate at U of I remains high.  At Michigan, it keeps tightening up and getting lower. I think the latter is a much more attractive campus and college town.  Within the last 20 years, I found out that I have a first cousin in New York I'd never met before who chose Michigan over Cornell, and he also got into Cornell. Hindsight is 20/20, isn't it?

I've been taking photos and need to slot them into their right spots. GM "full sizes" Buick LaCrosse (3rd and final generation) This picture turned out good and flatters it.  It's about the same length as the 1st generation, but the sweep of the cabin greenhouse makes it look deceptively longer. I think there was a person inside, and they were wondering why I was taking this photo - - - - - Olds Ninety-Eight Regency (RWD, probably Olds 5.0 liter Rocket V8) Got it just in time! I'm thinking '83 or '84. I will always love these cars. This one dates back to July.  The others are all recent.  As I would say, "voila la Cathedrale Roulante." - - - - - Pontiac Bonneville At its very youngest, this is a 36 year old car.  The last year for this rear light bar was 1989. I saw this in a valet situation at a hospital and didn't have a chance to talk to the parking attendant. This Bonneville is in outstanding shape. I did not like the rounded Bonneville that Pontiac marketed from 1992 through 1999.  But I really liked the very last one which debuted in 2000 ... as long as the trim level didn't get carried away with the cladding.

Not good for the world economy as China has grown without importing. China’s growth is coming at the rest of the world’s expense