Robert Hall

The Toronado was Olds' Riviera counterpart, I believe. The Cutlass Supreme coupe was more Olds' Monte Carlo..

I'm glad I've never had to work in restaurants..I have a number of friends that did it in high school and college. The closest I've come is working the cash register in a college bookstore for a few semesters. I don't like having to directly deal w/ end users/customers.

Sarasota

A Riviera coupe' version of the LaCrosse could be interesting....with it's own unique metal, lower, distinct fascias, frameless door glass, more pronounced sweep spear and rear 'hips', faster roofline maybe..with the G6 gone, GM has no Epsy/Epsy II coupes any more..

I usually do 15-20% unless the service is really bad (-) or outstanding (+). Then there are the gray areas (how much to tip the pizza delivery guy?)--or to tip or not to tip at fast casual places where you order at the counter, fill your own drink, but they bring the food out to you and bus the table--i.e. like Pei Wei's (which I go to fairly often, and tip if I have cash). I always round up to the nearest .50 or .00 total, makes it easier to read in the Money and Mint reports I run at the end of the month..

we in da house now

The DTS is a good looking car, but the MKS has the advantage in cabin tech, interior design, and powertrain (AWD, 6spd tranny, EcoBoost V6).

I'd put the Fusion over the Malibu for the availability of a manual (it's still available, isn't it?). Probably rank the LaCrosse above the Milan, haven't seen one yet. I'd rank the CTS over the MKZ. As far as the full-size models go, I'd take the Taurus over the Impala and the MKS over the DTS. I really like what I've read about the SHO, looking forward to seeing it in person. As far as Chrysler goes, don't care for their mid sizers, but I like their full sizers for their RWD and V8, but not so much their styling.

Seeing them coming in over the city to land at Sky Harbor when driving up I-10 from the south is impressive...at one point when they are over the freeway, from the angle of the road, it looks like they are only 50 feet above 8 lanes of traffic... Rob

I see them often, since my commute goes right past Sky Harbor Airport on I-10 and I go to the airport twice a week for drop off/pick up of my sister. Last Thursday evening I was driving to the airport and saw at sunset a beautiful British Airways 747 take off right over the freeway...I've been on that evening PHX to LHR flight several times before. On my Monday 6am airport run, I saw an Air China 747 parked in the same place I saw Air Force One a couple weeks ago.. I've flown across the ponds in both 747s and 777s, but I prefer the 747. One of the best airports for viewing them is Honolulu--walking along between the concourses you see the planes pretty close up. Rob

Saw a '10 SRX in dark blue at the local BPGC dealer Monday...looked pretty decent from a distance, parked near a black Acacia and a dark red Enclave...

One memorable one for me was an '04 or so dark blue Euro-spec Tahoe parked across the street from the Colleseum in Rome. It looked huge amidst the Fiats and other typical European cars. Haven't seen anything memorable today so far...

Funny you mention NJ...besides Pittsburgh, another area I've been researching lately as a possibility is the Philadelphia and Trenton areas. State government, corporate hqs, seems to be plenty of cube action around there...been watching the daily query results from Dice and Monster.. Phoenix is too much of a retiree's paradise, like parts of Florida. I'm too young to be a place so placid and dull...I need be somewhere more lively, and the Middle Atlantic/NE solve other issues for me that the West can't...i.e. closer proximity to E. Ohio.

A few things important to me wherever I live: A good infrastructure as far as roads and freeways. I like to travel, and I like to be within 1/2 hour or so of a major hub airport w/ plenty of direct flights within the US and some direct flights to Europe. A diverse corporate climate w/ major companies as well as plenty of high tech companies...i.e. plenty of cubicles. A range of climate variations--all sun and heat is pretty dull. Reasonably close to the ocean, forests, mountains, rivers. Not a big fan of very flat areas. I'm sick of desert landscapes. I'm a foodie, so I need diverse dining options...lots of variation in restaurants and cuisines nearby. A place that is moving forward into the future, not dying or it's on last legs (i.e. no Detroit). Of course, in this economy, all metros are hurting to varying degrees.. Major sports teams are good to have, esp. for the arenas and stadiums, as I enjoy going to concerts, and the occasional hockey, football, or baseball game.

I've read about it...though I don't recall seeing a pic like that. I believe in a Collectible Automobile article about the Oldses of that era, it's mentioned...the option was called Jet-something? One thing I don't recall from the article was if this was strictly experimental or a rare option...didn't Cadillac dabble in FI in the '50s also? Rob

I like the SSR concept, didn't care for the styling...but a folding roof car pickup based on the current Holden Ute, that would rock. Rob

How about an LS6 El Camino convertible? Now that would be a fun phantom to build...1 Not for off roading or anything but one my unlimited money dream projects would be to build a GMT900 Suburban ZR1...that would be so badass. Rob

Heh-heh...there were plenty of them in Colorado Springs (part of why I don't live there any more) and in Chandler, Az (where I work but wouldn't want to live)... I like a more diverse environment... I've seen a bit of Georgia, the airport in Atlanta and a buddy lives in Marietta, seems like a decent suburb..plenty of Indian programmers like my buddy and a few good Indian restaurants around. I visited him a few years ago for a long weekend, didn't rent a car and he and his wife drove me around...very green... Rob

Yeah, a buddy of mine has a bright red '03 Rubicon. We've gone 4 wheeling with it and my GC...I was able to keep up with him on most trails, except when it got too narrow and rocky (he has the more agressive tires). What a sweet Jeep. I don't care for the new ones, they just look odd to me.

Having lived in many different environments in my life---small town, extremely rural, resort/fishing town, college town, downtown big city, suburbia, semi-suburban older neighborhood in a big city--- I think the last two suit me the best in the near future, both for career prospects and level of amenities/etc I like in a place. Haven't decided where I'm going next geographically on my voyage through life, but I'm pretty certain I'll be leaving Arizona within the next year. Maybe back to Denver, maybe back to the Midwest, or to the West Coast, Northeast, or Middle Atlantic. Not the South or Southwest. Rob

I'm definitely keeping the GC, probably to trade eventually on a 4th gen GC. But I'd love a Defender or Wrangler Rubicon as an off road toy to tackle more of the Colorado back country...

I'd get a Defender because of their history and off road prowess...always liked the traditional Land Rovers. A full size truck is just a truck...too mainstream for me, and I prefer SUVs. I want a serious off road rig eventually, more capable than my GC. The best choices, IMHO, are a Wrangler Rubicon or a Defender 90.... the Defender is more unique than a Jeep, don't see them very often.

Haven't notices any particularly interesting cars today, but did see an Air China 747 at the airport this morning, parked at the same special terminal Air Force One was a couple weeks ago. Must have been something official, since AFAIK Air China doesn't have scheduled flights to PHX.

I wonder, does the Compass have a compass standard? That's one of the little features in my Jeep I miss when I'm in a rental car, esp. in places that don't have distinctive E/W/N/S landmarks.

Are they legal in the US? I don't think so, likewise for the completely mad Pagani Zonda...