Robert Hall

We're using Office Communicator enterprise-wide at my current client...it's pretty well integrated into Outlook/Exchange and Net Meeting. My most recent client before was using Lotus Notes, which is pretty dated compared to newer products. I also have a previous client that used Skype for it's IM client, not bad, esp. with the mix of Macs and Windows machines in the office. At home I have AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Google Gmail Messenger, Windows Live Messenger but find I don't use them that much anymore, find myself using Twitter and Facebook more.. Rob

Makes me wonder--did Chevy build any 4dr Lagunas with 4spds? I'm pretty sure in at least '73 that the Laguna was available in a 4dr and a wagon..

Yeah... the '70s Grand Ams are the G8's ancestor, really the only overtly sporty RWD 4drs Pontiac had in their past. Rob

Must be the same car...there can't be many silver '71 SPs in Colorado. A google turned up some pics.. I remember walking up to it thinking something is different about this El Camino before I read the placard. Beautiful car. At the time, I knew about the later Sprints and Caballeros, but didn't realize GMC had a Sprint in '71-72. Dan Carr's '71 GMC Sprint SP Rob

Sad.. I've only seen one '71-72 Sprint before---a beautiful silver w/ black stripes '71 SP at a Goodguys car show at PPIR back around 2000. I later saw the same truck in Muscle Car Review magazine.

Got to work this morning and there is a silver C5 Z06 parked out front next to a black C6 Z06 w/ California personalized plate 'GFARB'.

There is/was one of these in Denver I used to see often..dark blue w/ a white top. Same house had a white '71-72 LeMans 2dr ht as well. The manual in a 4dr had to have been pretty low production.

I've seen the first 3 many times since first seeing them w/ my Dad around 1980. Only seen the later 2 a couple times, they have some good moments, like the chase between DH in an '87 Olds 88 and a radio controlled car in Dead Pool. I liked the first and Magnum Force quite a bit, esp. all the early '70s Fords (Harry has a sweet '71 LTD convertible), and the dialog between him and Hal Holbrook is great. My folks had these movies on Beta and later VHS. I need to get them all on DVD sometime, I've been a Clint fan for a long time, need to build up a library of his movies.

Didn't see too much interesting this weekend, though on the twisty road to Jerome through the high desert and mountains I saw a silver Camaro '10 SS (first one I've seen not on a dealer's lot, had a WA plate) and a gorgeous black '69 GTO w/ Cragar SS wheels...rumbly. For more Pontiac Excitement!, I also saw an old Sunbird 4dr, about a 1990 or so, that had been bright red but from too many years in the AZ sun had faded to pink.

The 2nd one sort of reminds of a home made car from the '80s built in the US, had an Italian sounding name with GM parts. Can't recall the name, but it was in Car and Driver and other mags in the '80s, was silver also.

Thanks, all. So far a quiet birthday...we are going out to brunch here soon, then I'll get in some pool time this afternoon--hot and sunny here. Went for a drive up in the mountains yesterday, up to Prescott and Sedona. Taking off the whole week, got some house and car stuff to take care of early this week, then heading over to San Diego for a 4th of July long weekend...going to visit a couple buddies there and get some beach time in....put off the Seattle trip until late July due to scheduling issues. Rob

And he had left behind about a 1/2 billion in debt. Wow.

it is

At lunch today, I saw a gorgeous Royal Maroon '69 Mustang Boss 429...Magnum 500 wheels, rear wing and sport slats. Droool... It's only the 2nd Boss 429 I've ever seen in the wild (other is a black one in Colorado Springs that I saw a few times in a parking garage)...seen a few at Barrett-Jackson...don't recall seeing any at the Steamboat Springs, Co Mustang Roundup the times I've gone (400-500 cars show up for that). Rob

Unfortunately, there is going to be more Not Good for GM before things get better, I'm afraid.

That's how I understand it...my sister is 51 and dating a 28yr old now, Cougar and Cub is how she phrases it..

ACL tears

At some point in the next decade, maybe Michael Bay will start remaking his own movies--e.g. 'The Rock'--now with 50% more explosions!

Yes, it looks like there are 6 thingys on each side on the engine, and a tiny V12 badge on the C-pillar. Those (W140) were the biggest and heaviest of the S-class/CL, IIRC. W140

I've read his next movie is a reboot of the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' franchise....also read he's working on an ultra-violent remake of 'The Care Bears Movie' (though that might have been in 'The Onion').

I remember Kylie Minogue had a hit with Loco-Motion when I was in high school..she's still pretty cute today.. Rob

Yeah... on the Merc 500SEL, a front or rear brake job is about $1000 (pads, rotors, misc parts, etc). I read somewhere that with older luxury cars, 'if you couldn't afford it new, then you can't afford it used' because the maintenance costs will kill ya... like older Ferraris with their $12k tuneups.. I think I'll stick w/ domestics. Rob

These are pretty amusing to read.. Worst Movie of the Year? CNN Review

One of the sites had a closeup rear 3/4 view, nice C-pillar. It would be interesting to see Audi offer a sleek 3dr hatchback version of the A5, kind of an homage to the original Audi Coupe Quattro..

My Merc experience has been limited to occasionally driving my sister's old money pits, the '84 500 SEL and '91 300CE here in AZ. Fun cars, but way too $$$$ to maintain. I wouldn't mind having something like a late model, CPO CLS with low mileage, though, for a commuter car. I'd love an SL55 AMG or SL63 AMG, but they are waaaay outside my price range, new or used.. Rob