trinacriabob

Interesting that this was in an Escape. The mid-2010s Focus and Fiesta, which I have enjoyed as econobox rentals, were vilified for their dual clutch automatic transmissions. None of mine in rental cars acted up, except for one. And it acted up in a big way. I took it from Portland to Seattle to Vancouver BC and back. On the return trip, there were serious shudders in the automatic 1 to 2 shift, which is typical of one on the fritz. It's too bad. Dual clutch automatic is sort of standard for the VW umbrella overseas. They quote crazy prices to replace transmissions. I had a leaflet for GM Mr. Goodwrench factory rebuilt R&R units laying around. This was for 4-speed THM 460 (E) transaxles, just to know my options. The prices were palatable. Fortunately, I never had to fix a transmission. I did fluid changes every 30,000 miles. These cars trans' remained in the pink for their entire service lives.

Their situation has improved. Twenty years ago, it was bad like Venezuela is today. I have a friend who is married to a woman from here. I bet he regrets it because he also "married" her very large overbearing Colombian family with very poor boundaries.

A very unique car ... best in white. What could be a (Grand) Le Mans BUT with a funky front end, vaned triangular "opera" window, and the squashed down rear trunk. Thankfully, the great dashboard is the one shared with the GP. (Located in soulless Chicagoland suburbs that go on forever.) We had a neighborhood family with this car in white. They were never friendly to us. I don't think they liked foreigners (like my parents). They were transplants from Iowa ... the dad was a blue collar guy and the mom was the customer service desk lady at a nearby supermarket. I'd laugh ... the kids in our family have more than one sheepskin to their names and look and act Americanized. How about their kids? Maybe some token community college courses? I would never bring up this sort of stuff except that they were borderline white trash and a-holes. They were the only people I ever knew with a first-gen Grand Am. Condolences on the loss of this good friend ... he was taken from us way too soon. He was apparently a brilliant and impressive individual.

Our gruff German villainess had no idea she was giving a lift to a major horndog who wanted to boink all those girls residing at that clinic-institute.

When movies were stellar: I love this scene ... I've put it up before ... it totally plays in to stereotypes about Germans ... not only that, the scenery, the plot, the music

Thought I'd share ... This is how we came back to the U.S. when I must have been all of 4 feet tall. The ship, Italy's biggest transatlantic ever, built with a lesser known twin, was 902 ft. long. They only served for 10 years. This sort of experience changes how you view life and the world. An architectonic dream per the footage at 3:05 * * they have to pile on the cabins today and make them big and boxy ... these were made to look like big yachts

Just noticing that you're further east than I thought. I'm kidding ... because I hated Champaign-Urbana. It was like pulling teeth.

Again, I have no problem with the brand. I just want a vehicle that doesn't make statements or is about groupthink. That said, only their Legacy sedan qualifies and its interior (including the dash) is very nice. Is it that their CVT is one that hasn't gone through teething or you just don't like CVTs? Most people don't. I'm just thinking back to that era when one could drive a silver American boulevardier with a plush burgundy cloth interior on a scenic country road in the Sierra Nevada or the Cascades and stop in a funky place for coffee and a pastry. That's not about conformity and making statements. That's about pleasure, serenity, and comfort. That's what I have sought in my vehicles.

Very random thought: I wonder what percent of Subaru owners voted for Agent Orange. I bet it's low. (this is an automotive, demographics, and marketing research issue)

This is one of those weird hippie songs and, compared to other counterculture groups, they allowed themselves to be goofy. This song really wouldn't stand out anywhere as much if it wasn't for that horny sounding lady speaking Spanish in the background. It's almost like the protagonist would have had to avoid as much as bumping into her or she would get pregnant.

You could commute to "Cham-bana" from there ... maybe I just saw a Nissan Armada ... a black one. Most of them are black. I only see one each month or two. Is it any wonder? It's one of the more overwrought bombastic vehicles in recent times. (I see more old Intrigues and Aleros.)

I hear you. It eventually becomes exhausting. I've lived in 8 states and 1 foreign country. Two (or three) states and 1 foreign country would have been courtesy of my parents.* * today would have been my dad's birthday ... he didn't have much of a filter, usually making what would be considered politically incorrect observations about most things he saw ... from the car, on TV, etc. and said under his breath and/or in another language ... and, guess what, most of the time he would hit the nail on the head.

First time I've driven with such a steering wheel ... I sort of like it.

It's a very sad thing that school and shopping center shootings just seem to run together in one's memory these days ... or you miss knowing about some from the news. It used to be that they were rare and very shocking that you remember them very clearly, meaning where, when, etc. I'm talking Columbine, for example. Last night, someone visiting SoCal from Reno told me there was a shooting in the valet area of the GSR, formerly the MGM Grand Reno, where he had moved to from SoCal. I hadn't even heard of this. I just looked it up. Sadly, it's a true story.

Happy Friday and have a great weekend. Greetings from "the 213" ... not a flattering view, but it's from Amtrak approaching Union Station ...

Another one ...

Love the "percolating" instrumentals on this one

Random indeed: A get-away car for Ghislaine ... ... could be a Ford Fairlane

I don't see much in the way of new product, so I'm wondering what's up with Tesla's cash flow.

Yep, it's another July 25th. That means it's another anniversary of the sinking of the "Andrea Doria." I always reflect on this. It brings me in touch with my parents' generation and my heritage.

It is. She reportedly grabbed one of the young apprentice's boobs and said something like, 'You'll do.' I don't know how it is that so many super rich people's kids turn out so warped. Maybe they think that the money and privilege they're accustomed to will get them anything "good" and get them out of anything "bad." Incidentally, she arrived to the world on a Christmas Day.

Good morning Not political ... just commenting on her looks, or lack thereof. That's why she instead had to develop "business acumen."

WTH Hulk Hogan, who had a life full of high drama, just died at 71. This was in Clearwater FL. He had had a lot of medical issues lately. Carrying around that sort of bulk from the earlier years generally doesn't bode well later on unless you try to get leaner and eat healthy. Hulk Hogan's father was Italian. His birth name is very different. (Wiki is your friend.) This got me thinking, so I checked the ages. Kirstie Alley was also 71 when she died in Clearwater FL a few years ago.

Thanks. I do better with numbers. Does this mean that a considerable number of GB is sitting there in anticipation of a person updating their machine to 11? If so, when I put through the update, will all the programming for 10 go away so I end up with a net gain in storage? (It sounds and seems like there is an overlap in terms of storage on my laptop.)

Continuing on with the Windows 11 question. When I run a scan, as you know, the file paths flash by you with rapid speed and they move back and forth between things specific to the hardware and its programs and personal files such as documents, spreadsheets, and photos ... back and forth, back and forth ... I am able to see 2 paths that you tech guys may understand better than I do. These also flicker on both and forth: 1. C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\ .... (varying #s and @s) ...\Metada\Windows11.0 ... 2. C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download\ .... (varying #s and @s) ...\Package_for_RollupFix~ ... Since these flicker back and forth during the scan, I wonder what they mean. Important item: I don't remember if it was on my tower or on the laptop I'm asking about, but I think I almost let the Windows 11 upgrade get rolling by a click of the mouse, but cancelled it and/or shut down the computer. Does item 1 mean that some files from the update, that need not be here, are sitting on my drives and taking up space when I'm not on 11 yet? In what folder on an HP product would I find if there are any Windows 11 files prematurely sitting there? Thanks. It would help to know.