trinacriabob

Thanks for the comments. They have been very civil, attesting to the maturity of the C&G crowd. I brought this up because walking through B&N, I noticed that Sharon Rocha, Laci Peterson's mom, has a book out. I cannot even imagine what she's gone/going through. How do you process that? Here is a situation where a jury, in which many of the people were highly intelligent, and in the liberal Bay Area no less, handed Scott Peterson the death penalty. They were able to see through all his lies and questionable actions to get there. I was sitting having breakfast at a hotel in FLL after returning from a March-April 2003 South American vacation to find that a war had broken out and that Laci and Conner's badly damaged bodies were recovered north of the Berkeley Marina in SF Bay. I also brought this up because, a handful of summers ago, I was in Italy. Two absolutely horrendous crimes had taken place, both of them perpetrated by a group of middle to upper middle class teenagers who needed a thrill. One of them was that an elderly nun was cornered in an alley in a northern Italian town and stabbed to death. The other was that an 8 year old girl was tied to a barbecue grill in a park in a southern Italian town and burned to death...the papers went on to describe that she was a sweet natured child who was loved dearly by her neighbors. I kept asking myself: didn't their parents teach them the boundaries of propriety? these 2 events punctuated my trip with sadness. I'm sorry, I would have no qualms about letting the "drip" flow to any of these perpetrators. When you take actions like that, you give up a lot of rights...possibly your life. Someone mentioned rehabilitation and change. I was driving home and thinking about that tonight. Psychologists establish that 90% of your self-esteem is "locked in" by the time you finish high school. Also, have you run into people from your past many years later, only to find that the interpersonal dynamics do not change much? I have. I think that some fundamental behaviors and personality traits are fairly engrained in some people. The extent of my troublemaking was limited to cloaking houses in eggs and toilet paper or trespassing at highbrow Beverly Hills hotels as a teenager to go "pool hopping" with my friends. It's hard for me to have empathy/sympathy for people that have committed such unilateral and unfathomable acts.

Funny you should say that. The penultimate time I went to Las Vegas, Thrifty upgraded me from a Stratus to a Jeep Grand Cherokee due to lack of cars. It had a V8. I liked the sled, but it slurped up the petrol. I liked sitting up high and it handled nicely through Vegas's traffic snarls. I thought about a 4.0 (six cyl., not GPA) after seeing the badges out there on Jeeps. Come to find out, that engine is a goner, having been replaced by the 3.7 a-l-u-m-i-n-u-m V6. I used to work with the most obnoxious NJ guy (still liked him because he was so funny in an uncensored way) who had am early 90s Jeep 4.0 L6 with 215,000 miles that he did not take care of because marijuana was more important than maintenance. I guess the demise of that engine offering has pushed me away from considering this vehicle. But, if you can snatch (no pun intended) a late model well-maintained 4.0 L6, that could be a good thing.(Incidentally, the NJ guy got fired and moved back to Jersey).

The Yes and No are for crimes which, if convicted, would carry the death penalty. As one reads the paper, they can't help but see all the heinous, unprovoked and sickeningly violent actions carried out by certain individuals. While I may bill myself as a liberal practicing Catholic, religion doesn't even come into this one. My feeling is that if it is legitimate to kill an opponent in combat to protect yourself, it is certainly ok to permanently anesthesize a monster who threatens a city, a state or a region. Let's try to keep politics/religion out of this. Just your practical opinion. I don't apologize for mine.

ONLY 5'-9"? I'd say that's in the upper 10% of the female height charts.

Lyrics relating to your conundrum: How's it going to go down? Will you meet him on the Main Line, or will you catch him on the rebound? :AH-HA_wink: Couldn't resist given the geographic reference. I suggest Amtrak and Septa.

Gee thanks Carbiz (a Torontonian, right?). I guess I could become Trinafied, but the electrolysis bill could be an expensive proposition. :AH-HA_wink:

First, stay within the GM fold and don't be a deserter. Regarding earlier Magnum RT posts, don't EVEN think about it. I was following one on the freeway yesterday and kept thinking how it looked like something in the process of being flattened for the wrecking yard. That car will look ridiculous in 5 years. I say: a minivan of some sort if that doesn't jar your image (don't know you, so I throw out that caveat) as they are practical (animals, camping, ya da ya da), Trailblazer/Envoy/Rainier, but check C/R for engine choices and the related "dots." Don't go the Equinox/Torrent route as they have been faulted for ungainly handling and stability. From earlier pics you posted, I like the "Firehawk."

Thought by the title this would have been a foible at work, but it's a foible with Mom instead...or the makings of one. My advice: if the theme keeps on coming up with your Mom, you might have to say something. If it's an isolated occurrence, then don't say anything. I would have made a great psychologist as people tell me I am too analytical and philosophical (would sure as heck be more interesting than what I do). A person I knew in Portland, referring to annoyance with people's wearing of their sexuality on their sleeve, once said "People have a sexuality, they are not their sexuality." Ocn, ahead of your sexual preference, you are: a male of a given ethnicity/age/religious conviction/political conviction, a person who probably does his (insert line of work) quite well, a decent writer and a car aficionado. I don't get it: why is it so important to know what you do for 1/2 to 1 hour of the day on selected occasions? There are a couple of people at work who are "mysterious" in this regard. Except for one chick who has the prototypical lesbian "chip" which I only bring up because it gets in the way of getting things done, I really don't spend much time wondering...and neither should anyone else. Maybe I'm wrong...but I think Europeans, from being around relatives, don't dwell on this "status" thing as much as Americans. You're not a coward. I don't think you owe anyone any explanations.

I am surprised that the retros are getting as much acceptance as they have been. I would have thought that, with a group as interested in avant-garde design as C&Gers are, they would not have flown. I thought the ugly-ass Dodge Ram/Dakota disgustingly ultra-macho trucks would have fallen flat on their faces...was I wrong.

There was something else going on in his personal life. This isn't about the deal he got at the Ford dealership...that's just where he snapped. Mayhem...then arson...then suicide. It doesn't have to come to that. People should get help.

The Saturn experience is supposed to be a good experience. But, unfortunately, there are a lot of slimey salespeople out there -- some are hardly different from those pushy ones who sell gym memberships. (My motto: If you push me, you don't get my commission. Period). Well, I'm glad it ended well. Wishing you many years of happy and safe motoring!

The Saturn experience is supposed to be a good experience. But, unfortunately, there are a lot of slimey salespeople out there -- some are hardly different from those pushy ones who sell gym memberships. (My motto: If you push me, you don't get my commission. Period). Well, I'm glad it ended well. Wishing you many years of happy and safe motoring!

Haypops, shopping has 2 p's. :AH-HA_wink: Which GM Card do you have that has a redemption allowance of $ 3000 on a reasonably priced car? Or did you get one of those "tack on a little" offers in the mail? Which Chevy dealer? I think El Monte has some big dealers. That's where Longo Toyota is.

Not the kind of wheels I would want to drive, but it is definitely better looking than the Miata. Good going, Pontiac.

Now the Challenger! I saw it on the homepage. This is getting out of hand. Have auto designers lost their creativity to the point that they have to re-release such literal translations of old classics? Granted, the Camaro is the best looking of the lot. But the Mustang, the TBird and the Challenger? Way too similar. Heck, the Mustang's dash is an almost direct rip-off. I said NO. We need some fresh pony car designs.

How about this spin on it -- there are a lot of people out there who don't think owning a domestic car (be it GM or our competitors) is cool. Tonight, as I came back from my evening class, I noticed uninterrupted rows of foreign cars in the parking structure. I thought: "What's wrong with these people?" Well, maybe nothing, but I think there's a plethora of good products to satisfy their needs domestically. I, for one, have never cared if my car was cool or not...I was ecstatic to have a Cutlass Supreme (Rocket) 350 V8 coupe with almost all the goodies when I turned 16. Sure, my friends razzed me that it wasn't sporty or it was too big or that I was too young to have that kind of car as they drove their Celicas, Z's and God knows what. Back to the topic, a lot of it IS perception more so than media spoon feeding. Some people think that owning that foreign car speaks to their level of sophistication and savviness.

Thanks for the "a picture is worth a thousand words" lesson, Cananopie. It goes to show that Lucerne is modern, a stablemate of the Phaeton...only slightly better looking...and made in the good old U S of A

Like your plate says "You've got a friend in Pennsylvania." You guys dividing up my air fare so I can come too?

These are the only ones I am considering. If they don't change the LaCrosse grille in 2007 to look more like that of the Lucerne, I will get this car. Have rented 5 to 10 of them thus far and put enough miles on GPs to take me from LA to NY. Thus, it's a car I can live with. I really feel the lighter colors are more flattering for this car. I don't like any of the others and don't want the silver because I have it now. Would go for a light metallic blue but it's not in the fold. These are the choices. Please chime in.

LaCrosse was $ 1,000 for 2005. It is now $ 2,000. I myself have $ 2,218 on my card. I am practically down to a "trickle" in terms of using the card now and am pumping up my Air Canada Master Card (they are "in bed" with United and I would rather accrue miles from any UAL flights on an airline from a "socialist" country that only has one dominant carrier -- you Canadians know I love you and your country :AH-HA_wink: ). Lucerne has more mark-up margin inherent with the higher price point. I would have been pissed if a car meant to do some series volume anchoring Buick's top end would have come out with a $ 1,000 redemption allowance.

I probably should get over the 2 engine over the water issue. It has been with us for as long as the "67" has been around -- that craft has been dubbed the "transatlantic workhorse." As for 747 variants, such as the 500, I think it makes more sense than the cattle car they call the A380. The "47" will always be a looker. The A380 will always be ugly. Ok, back to GM

Z, I usually see your point, but not this time. I thought this was one of the ugliest rear panels and grilles ever (though better than the bathtub RWD mid 90s Impala). Thank God for the current freshening. I agree to some extent. However, keep in mind that the effect is beyond the lens. The lens design itself may be unique and more flattering during the day when you will probably concentrate on the design of the lens ... and not the red circles behind it. Also, keep in mind that someone did research on perceptions. Red circles may be akin the red traffic signals, and thus grab your attention more than another geometry.

I have read numerous comments in auto mags and auto guides that newer engines are more efficient and lasting longer? I am in the 200,000 mile club myself (the first time). So what are the reasons? Lower rpms by additional gears, better tolerances in the factory, fuel delivery systems? Please chime in on what is making engines last considerably longer. I am curious. The one that stumps me the most is fuel delivery? How does multi port fuel injection improve the longevity of the engine over carburetion?

Thank you, Vipes. While the Lucerne won't cause orgasms, it won't make you barf like the Avalon either. The first Avalon was nice...somewhat Intrigue-like in its silhouette (no Olds pun intended). The last 2 renditions have been nothing short of hideous. In fact, there are a lot of ugly cars from Japan on the market at this time...the Avalon, the 350 Z and on and on.

Sidebar -- sidebar -- but that's cool: Yes, Boeing knows where the market is, more so than GM does. Boeing's 777 and 787 have great versatility and there is more growth projected for short to medium haul flights, which the latter plane ought to handle well. Boeing has the option of doing another variant on the "47" which, as anyone who knows me well on the site can attest, gives me goosebumps...I love it. (Incidentally, are you sure that the A340 consumes that much more fuel than a Triple 7? Each engine on the Triple 7 puts out some 90,000 to 105,000 lbs. of thrust which is mind boggling. Each of the 4 engines on the A340 puts out about 30,000 to 40,000 lbs of thrust. They are considerably smaller in size. It's obvious by being near one. However, take note that A340 literature really plays up that you are traveling on your "over the water" flight with 4 engines). Yes, true. GM needs to identify their 777s and 787 Dreamliners.