Robert Hall

A big part of my cutting back wasn't planned; partly it was being laid off at the end of July and being on the job hunt for a few weeks, naturally, I drove less staying at home; my new job is 6 miles away instead of almost 20 like the previous; and August was really, really hot--most days 105-115...when it's that warm, I don't really feel like driving anywhere...just stay inside with the A/C on and spend the evenings in the pool. Now that fall and cooler weather is here, I'm looking forward to some weekend road trips up to the mountains and out into the desert..

I do try and listen to newer bands and bands I'm not familiar with to try and keep expanding my musical interests, but much of it I can't get into..though I have heard a few tracks by Modest Mouse and My Morning Jacket that I like. I've also gotten into Roger Clyne and Peacemakers, they are popular here in AZ.

Not specific artists, but genres... Nu-metal emo. Boy bands. Most hip/hop Most all country music hair metal (though I do like Def Leppard and Guns and Roses, who may have fit in that genre back in my youth).

I do like the original version of that song, though...I'm a big Don Henley fan.. Those Ataris kids are way too young to be singing that song, with one of it's themes being about the passing of youth and entering middle age..

No idea.. I suppose if you had a big enough sampling of each ethnic group one could compare their DNA compare against those samplings to get a % match.. Yes...lots of questions...would be interesting to use in addition to traditional geneaology methods...

Yes...I've had 2 I-6s so far, been happy w/ both of 'em (Jeep 4.0L, BMW 3.2L).

Any 'facts' put forth by the Republicans I automatically assume are fake..I don't trust them.

Hmmm...interesting.. I would think it could identify ethnicity, race and perhaps geographic origin area (at the continent level) more easily than country...can't see how you would identify country by DNA, unless by markers related to historical groups that occupied a geographic area that is part of a specific country. Or by comparing to DNA that is known to be from people from country X. Finding % matches against a test group of DNA from a given country.

Actually, my comment had nothing to do with disabilities... there are people that use computers strictly with voice activation. He's said before that he has no use for email and doesn't see what the big deal with the Internet is...it's a generational thing, I think he's out of touch w/ the modern world. He's at the age where he should be relaxing at his place near Sedona and playing golf...

I was going to, but that would be overkill...

Yeah, and McCain even admits he doesn't use a computer or email. No way in the 21st century would I want a luddite like that leading the country. McCain and the Republicans have done nothing to appeal to my demographic (upper middle class urban/suburban technologists). Before the Palin decision, I didn't think McCain was that bad..but I find her totally disgusting (the whole gun/fundie Christian angle is a complete turn off).

You don't think McCain is going to end the war,do you? He will continue it.... at least 8 more years (if he's elected twice). I'm afraid I don't trust Republicans to do the right thing about anything...they will extend the war indefinitely, to keep business good for their buddies at Halliburton, Blackwater, and other corrupt defence contractors/etc...

Interesting..don't mitochondrials have something to do with the Force (IIRC from the Star Wars: Episode I) ? But seriously, that is very interesting..I'd like to do that...my sister has researched our family tree some, and I've heard a lot from my Mom and Dad, but there are a lot of undocumented details.... My understanding is that there is some Scots-Irish, Irish, Scottish, English, Welsh, Native American (Cherokee) and Ashkenazi (European) Jewish in my family tree...most of my ancestors seem to have immigrated to western Virginia and eastern Kentucky in mid to late 1800s..

And besides that $700B, there is the $171B a year to maintain 8 more years of 'all war, all the time'.. add in an extra $100-200B per year if we start a war w/ Iran (which is likely the next on the list--or is it Pakistan? They seem to have a lot of Islamic Jihad lunatics). This country is in the sh*tter right now...it will only get worse before it gets better. The 'downward spiral' continues...

I've read Cindy has short term memory issues, from the drugs...I read an article here about she has for years been bad about paying her numerous speeding tickets, forgets them.

Saw a black Cayman this evening..2nd Cayman I've seen in 2 days.

Cool..didn't realize the glass roof was out yet.. by the way, are the car dealers closed on Sundays in PA? That was one of the things I liked in CO, the ability to wander around the lots without being bugged by salesmen. Not like that in AZ..open 7 days.

Agreed on that! I miss real Pontiac model names...

That's just pure ignorance talking.. Platform sharing (like the Malibu, G6, and Aura, or Camry and ES) is one thing--each model has it's own distinct exterior and interior design), while the G3 and G5 are purely badge-engineered from their Chevrolet versions.. The G3 and G5 are the same level of lameness as what Chrysler did in the '80s--Dodge and Plymouth got identical sh*tbox FWD models that differed only in badging, grilles and taillights. It's a big step back for GM, IMHO, as they seemed to be moving away from such cheap tricks (i.e. like the U-vans/CSVs, which were 4 badge-engineered models)...it shows how little they care about Pontiac. It's just an afterthought brand now, sadly. ARggghhhhhh.... other than Cadillac, Pontiac has historically been my favorite GM brand, esp. the '60s-70s models..when Pontiac was relevant...the Solstice and G8 are the only ones I like in today's line, they are the only models today with any Pontiac 'spirit', IMHO..

I honestly can't imagine anyone defending the J, X, A, or N cars of the 80s..they were absolute crap, GM at it's lowest point. The Cimmaron was an abomination, against everything Cadillac was about--it was a simple rebadge of a Chevy sh*tbox. The FWD garbage of the '80s are the cars that earned GM its poor reputation it's been struggling to overcome ever since then.

Meh...they were still mediocre crap any way you look at it..lots of recalls and they rusted out quickly. Not GM's best by any stretch of the imagination.

Interesting...never heard of it. Where do you get this stuff?? Fascinating. Reading the Wikipedia article, sounds like it was complete vaporware.

Interesting..that Swift + Canada gets looks like a rebadge of the old Aveo... the US doesn't have it, AFAIK. The European market Swift looks like a much more modern car... apparently, the Euro/Asian market Swift is coming to NA in '10. Swift coming to US in 2010

I'm driving less because my commute is much shorter now than it was a few months ago...was about 40 miles a day, now about 12 miles a day. Will probably do more weekend running around and short trips with cooler weather..the disgusting 105-115 degree summer heat of the last 4 months have kept me inside or in the pool on the weekends. Fall/winter will inspire me to do more road trips.

The Vector was a pretty interesting story... I remember lusting after it when I was like 15... it was quite the dream car in the mid '80s. It's too bad the company never really got off the ground. I seem to recall reading that some of the prototypes used Olds Toronado transaxles. Another over-the-top mid engined sports car that never really went anywhere that I remember from the '80s was the Ceitza-Moroder..had a transverse V16 or something like that. Record producer Giorgio Moroder was the financial backer, IIRC. Anyway, the mystery car of this thread is something postwar, but not the Vector..is it American, European, or Asian? Can we narrow down the decade (50s? 60s? etc) and continent of origin?