Robert Hall

Spring still a while off...got these two out for their weekly startup on Saturday. Once the roads are salt free I'll drive the Cadillac some. Supposed to get to 50 today, hopefully most of the snow and ice will melt.

I'm sick and tired of 47's reign and it's only been a week. Going to be a long 4 years. For my mental health and sanity I'm trying to avoid any media involving him and his administration. Just burnt out on politics and the stupidity and uselessness of many Americans....a nation of imbeciles.

I can't imagine there is much of a market in the US for a $100k KN EV van...I know there is the whole 'van life' thing, but that is a small group of 'lifestyle influencer' wankers on TikTok/YouTube, etc. At least the VW ID Buzz has the brand history and heritage going for it.

They want to replace them with resource units that swear loyalty to the orange sh*tgibbon. They want mindless red hat zombies.

A buddy of mine drove Golf Rs for years--had ones each of the last two generations...was always raving about it... but he got married a couple years ago, now has two big dogs so traded the R on a Subaru Outback...he's miserable the last time I talked to him--misses his zoom zoom car and lots of other things...

Cognitive dissonance...

It's like if you completely separate Tesla from Musk and objectively look at the Cybertruck, it's just not a very good product. Their hatchback cars/CUVs are pretty good EVs from what I've read, though. I remember we were getting a lot of smoke in NE Ohio from fires in Quebec and Ontario that summer...the sky looked surreal at times with a red ringed sun in a gray sky....

It's an interesting thought, but not realistic for me...

Yeah, if they hope to sell a Charger EV, they have to play up the muscle car aspects...they know their customer base..vroom, vroom, go fast..squeal tires! burn rubber! Crash! It's a good looking car, though maybe too subtle in the dark blue I saw...

I love the burgundy interiors, and the dark blue ones.. those 80s seats were quite comfortable IIRC...haven't ridden in one in ages. This '87 Caddy Fleetwood Brougham interior looks like a great place to sit for a road trip... '96 Brougham looks comfortable also.. Though I'm happy w/ my '19..though the seats aren't as wide as the oldies..

So the Dodge EVs will be going VROOMM with their Fratzonic exhausts.. And now the snow is coming down pretty heavily (camera doesn't really capture that).

I like those JGC SRTs/Trackhawks...still prefer the WK2 styling to the WL. Those are growing on me, rarely ever see them. I liked the Impala SS versions in burgundy. Though for Caprices, I prefer the previous generation boxy ones up through '86 ('87 went to the bland composite headlights).

Went out to breakfast today before the weather gets icky, saw a new Charger out front of my local CDJR dealer..didn't realize the 2025s were on the lot yet. This one is a Daytona R/T 'Stage 1' according to the badging...in an understated dark blue..it's a clean design.

It’s been a cold, snowy January. Highs have been in the 20s since the 1st, flurries every day. I always start my Mustang once a week, got it and the Caddy out this morning. Roads are salty so they went back in the garage…

Elon and Bezos are obsessed w/ space exploration and getting to Mars, maybe we need to send Trump, Elon, Bezos, etc on a one-way mission to colonize on the Sun...that would probably go well.

I saw that video..reminds me a lot of backwoods eastern Ohio driving when I was a lot younger...I had a buddy in college w/ a silver w/ red interior and top '78 Bonneville, we used to hoon around on backwoods backroads in the winter in it.. I recall eating at a sushi restaurant w/ a track w/ flat bed train cars with varieties of sushi going round and round...

I used to work with a Michael Hunt and in grad school knew a Richard Head.

I'm disappointed in the mess Stellantis has made of the Chrysler brands..but not surprised. Teetering on the edge of oblivion has been their SOP for decades now.. I can't really get enthused by the WL GC...I do like the interior design, though. But it seems like they have had nothing but quality issues. Probably going to keep my 10 yr old WK2 GC to at least 100k or more (that's like 10 years away if I keep WFH).

End of the year...good time to reflect and plan. I can't believe I'll be 55 in 6 months. Just sometimes can't wrap my head around it.

Took the Jeep in for an oil change and tire rotation this morning...a bit over 80k and running fine. Ready for the winter.

When I've traveled for work in recent years, I keep my laptop with me in my backpack usually, since I'm traveling between the hotel and the office..sometimes I'll leave it in the room when I go out for dinner or drinks after work for a few hours. Haven't seen a hotel room safe big enough for a laptop. A couple times in the past when I've had a laptop on vacation, I put the backpack in the trunk of my car if I'm going out of the hotel for all day or something. My most recent vacation/road trip I only took my iPad, less bulky than my laptop... I'd put my wallet and iPad in the room safe when I'd walk down to the beach w/ my phone.

250 amp up from 150 amp. It was old, all the breaker slots used. With 3000 sq ft, 2 new A/Cs and 2 furnaces, hot tub, etc it was maxed out…but not the right weather to do it.

Me too..I use them so much... I've given to them every year for at least 15 years... End of the year...tired. Yesterday was exhausting, power was off for hours getting a new main panel and meter, getting my home power upgraded and to code. Would have been ok had it been warm and April, but it was 34 and snow/rain. Sat in my Jeep running the heater and heated seats most of the day. Only 3 more work days spread over the next 2 weeks, looking at getting a lot of rest over the next two weeks...got to catch up on quality sleep and minimize online. Stay in bed w/ sleeping terriers.

Took the Caddy in for it's first service since I've had it. 60k service...oil change, tire rotation, spark plug changed, etc. Only one small issue--a crack and small leak in the washer fluid reservoir..they have to order the part. Running great otherwise...put 5300 miles on it 9 months.

I remember the Arco Arena being kind of off by itself. I recall eating at a few restaurants downtown that were nice. Been 20 years since I’ve been there. My sister did a few gigs for a few years at CALPERS, CALSTRS and CALTRANS, I visited a couple times to go to concerts back in the day.