Robert Hall

Closest is the S4 at about $60k...and it has about 340 hp for '09 (switched from a V8 to a V6 for '09). The SHO looks to be kind of unique in the market at it's price point...lots of technology, AWD, it looks like it's going to be a sweet car.

Here's a neat site with loads of old tractor pics.. antique tractor fotos

Old tractors are cool... my Dad had a '62 John Deere 2010 model. He used it for a variety of things around the farm, including plowing the nearly 1 mile driveway in the winter. It was one of the first vehicles I learned to drive. Looked a lot like this one:

Yes, but remember, 68 is delusional and believes his opinions are facts.. I'm a big RWD fan, but I do like 4wd and AWD, and see nothing wrong with FWD in some kinds of models.

It's taken me time to get into, but I kind of like it with repeat listenings. Too bad no Slash, though. One track I particularly like is 'Better', for the sound and the vocals. The album as a whole has an interesting appeal to me partially because it took so long to get out..

I never get plain coffee at Starbucks... I always go for the primo stuff. I can fix plain Starbucks coffee at home. I usually only go to Starbucks once or twice a week..the lines at the one at work are too long usually, and the one near home always has a long line in the drive thru. But Sunday morning, it hits the spot. I also like the seasonal drinks, like the Pumpkin Spice Latte and Peppermint Latte.

My usual venti White Chocolate Mocha w/ triple shot is like $4.75 or so here in Phoenix. I only do the iced in the summer, and usually buy the Starbucks bottled coffee drinks at the grocery.

I was thinking historically, cars have had various crash test requirements for decades, applying them to trucks is a relatively recent development, I believe. It does look like the Ram's structure faired the best of the 3. I wonder why the new F150 wasn't included.

True, their unibody cars have good ratings. Crash test ratings and safety seems to have been an afterthought w/ trucks among many carmakers, though...

Looks like the Silvy's B-pillar is collapsible. Of course, big trucks and SUVs often roll over in a side impact. Looks like they are doing ok on the front collision standard...remember the old Astro and S-Blazer which collapsed like accordions in front collisions?

When I brew coffee at home, I usually do Starbucks Breakfast Blend or French Roast. I've tried Dunkin Donuts coffee, it's pretty good.

I'd have to take a G8 GXP over a Charger SRT-8... I like the hardware of the Charger,but can't get into the styling. Plus, the GXP has a manual available. Kind of an apples and oranges thing, though. The SHO is in a different category than the Charger and G8, it's more of a budget Audi or maybe a TL competitor, or nominally an Impala SS competitor.

My current gig is with a government (city) client, and it's been eye-opening. A lot of zombies work there, just hanging around biding time until retirement and a pension, it seems. They are content maintaining their COBOL programs and seem to show no interest in doing the cool, modern technology stuff that contractors like myself are building.

So would I, the Evo is fast and handles well, but it's cheap inside and styled like it's targeted to a teenage video gamer. The SHO is larger and more adult. I liked the 1st and 2nd gen SHOs, didn't care for the 3rd gen because the 3rd gen Taurus was so ugly ('96-99 model).

Yeah, but they are old, outdated platforms with 4spd transmissions, cheap interiors, etc. The SHO is modern, much better content and drivetrain. It's a better car at a higher price. It will be interesting to see a Super version of the NG LaCrosse would stack up, though.. (or will the Buick be compared to the MKS now that the Sable is gone?).

Sounds plausible...from what I've heard, the unemployment rate for my thing is about 3% in the Denver metro and a bit higher in Phoenix. I've been talking w/ recruiters about lining up my next gig when my current contract ends, there are still a lot of job postings out there for my thing.. I get daily updates from Dice, Monster, etc for Phoenix, Denver and other metros I like, and the picture still looks better than '01-02 after the dot.bomb bubble burst.

Seems quite nice...much more modern and much nicer inside and out than it's comparable GM models (Impala SS, LaCrosse Super).

Yeah, I'm in AZ now, but I lived for years in snowy states (Ohio, Michigan, Colorado). I didn't have FWD there...my solution was a 4wd SUV (Jeep) for a practical, capable daily driver, RWD cars for fun. And I had all RWD prior to 1994. I would never choose FWD.

Not wings, but something from Ann Arbor I miss is BD's Mongolian BBQ.... I remember when they opened there in '96 or so. There is one in Denver that opened in '99, but none in AZ. And Zingerman's Deli. And Steve's Lunch (a Korean joint downtown). And the little silver trailer all-night greasy diner...don't recall the name.

Those are cool..they also have a '70 Cutlass 442 2dr sedan coming soon.

Wild...can't imagine having a 70yr old car as your only car...brave man. Having an 8 yr old car w/ 95k makes me nervous.

Speaking of degrees of hot, usually Thai places have no spice, mild, medium, hot and Thai hot...I used to have a coworker that I was very competitive with--when i'd order hot, he'd order Thai hot. One time, I ordered double Thai hot---he ordered quadruple Thai hot...his whole noodle dish was covered in red. Don't know how he finished it. These days, I don't do Thai hot anymore--usually just mild or medium. Without downing a few Immodium before and after (and guzzling Pepto-Bismol afterwards), I can't handle really spicy food anymore. It's not much fun not being able to make it home without firehosing.

I've had a few dishes that were supposed to be Russian, didn't really care for it. Can't remember what was in it, some kind of cold soup that tasted like old socks, IIRC. One of my best friends is of Russian ancestry, but he doesn't cook any Russian dishes, just Jewish staples (matzo, corned beef, etc).

Top 15, in order of preference: 1. Thai 2. Italian 3. Mediterranean/Middle Eastern (Greek, Iranian, Lebanese, Israeli, Morrocan, etc---there are a couple great Israeli restaurants here in Phoenix that I like a lot). 4. American 4. Indian (both northern and southern, and Nepalese). 5. Vietnamese 6. French 7. Southern 8. S./Central American--Mexican, Peruvian, Argentinian, Brasilian 9. Japanese 10. German 11. Chinese 12. Sri Lankan (some of the spiciest and most flavourful I've had). 13. Mongolian 14. Korean 15. Ethiopean (I've never wanted 'keel over' walking into an Ethiopian, Indian or Thai restaurant--I love the scent of lots of spices and ingredients...then again, I have a very poor sense of smell, too much perma-congestion). I've also enjoyed Jewish, Carribean, West African (Ghanan), some Polish.... Not much of a fan of Russian dishes. I think my dislikes are not so much specific cuisines but certain ingredients---i.e. I won't touch eggplant or food made from internal organs.

I call BS...now you are contradicting yourself...you said previously the same standards that apply to cars shouldn't apply to trucks. If I bought a truck to commute in, I'd want it to be as nice inside as a car of the same price range, as most buyers would, I suspect, if they use them the same way. Therefore, the same standard applies. A $40k truck should be as nice inside as a $40k car.