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GM now owns the Daewoo plant in Korea, apparently, and is producing the 'Holden Viva' there (Vauxhall Viva in Europe, etc) -- a bit like buying an affordable Hyundai badged up as a GM. I drove one as a rental recently, it was OK, $20K on-road new. Obviously GM still has the successful Astra range andother offerings offsetting the 6.0L V8s which aren't selling terribly well at present.
GM-H now also produce a 4-door ute (!) which has a tiny rear cabin for the tradesman with kids, something like a station wagon with the rear roof cut off, I guess, or a 4-door pickup. I believe they had to use the longer luxury Statesman wheelbase to fit it all in...
how could these beasts not sell !!?? I didn't realise the El Camino was a similar concept, thought it was some sort of pickup with a segmented rear tray, etc...
Sophist is a complement on you. I’ve never seen anyone defend hydrogenated fats with so much…charisma.
I do not defend hydrogenated fats. However, I will defend consumer freedom. :)
Randy H Says:
RE: Weimar & die Inflationszeit
This is *exactly* my point. Weimar had no credible military power. They hyperinflated as a result of crippling foreign debt obligations.
ah
One item I remember is that although the welding was done by robots, they had a team of welders on hand.
I remembered some of the robots were in cages for safety reasons, not for safety of the workers but people were sabotaging robots in the early days.
If you don’t believe me, just go ahead and try and buy something.
Now, why would we want to do that? That's like saying, "Try to kill yourself! I bet you can't!".
I like the hybrid concept but it has too much complexity. I prefer simplicity.
Isn't the Tesla an all-electric racecar? Don't know if that's a babe magnet, though. Dual climate control, leather seats and a good European brand seem to go farther with them.
Funny
I'm looking at April numbers from one of the big, top price agencies in SF and there are almost no multiple bids, and more sales for under asking than over.
Hmmm. Maybe BigBrother is looking at last year's numbers.
My spy (who happens to have access to all coastal CA numbers for this agency) tells me they are under *strict* orders to not admit prices are going down, and to "tell everyone it is red hot with multiple bids". He also said a number of low performing agents are being let go. Is it normal to get rid of agents during the "spring selling season" BB?
BigBrother
You are welcome to stay in an overpriced condo in the city. But, if you ever make enough money to afford an actual house in Marin, you'll be in for a big surprise. I'll inform all the people who actually own your client's places of work that they live in "the boonies".
You don't know the meaning of the word "boonies". While you're at it, look up "choad".
BigBrother, maybe "those people" that are bidding up prices should meet up with these people.
Randy H Says:
> Hmmm. Maybe BigBrother is looking
> at last year’s numbers.
Or maybe things are so slow at the open house today that he is typing on his Treo trying to get some of us to rush out and buy…
HOUSING HAIKU 2007
This whole housing mess
is one big debacle. No-
thing more. Nothing less.
--MH
Need babe magnets? Try training a Guide Dog. Guaranteed to attract all kinds of women when you are out and about. However, can't leave the dog at home for long periods and takes lot of time and dedication.
Peter P Says:
May 5th, 2007 at 11:19 am
"I like the hybrid concept but it has too much complexity. I prefer simplicity. "
Go test drive a Prius, it is the coolest thing you've ever driven. They are super simple, you don't even turn the key to start it. The smart key option is fantastic. Randy makes a true point though, you become obsessive with trying to get the most efficiency out of it so you do drive 65 to try to make the little graph go up. It is a little hypocritical I admit because then I jump in my Boxster and drive 95 without a care in the world about efficiency.
Danville Woman Says:
May 5th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
"Need babe magnets? Try training a Guide Dog. Guaranteed to attract all kinds of women when you are out and about. However, can’t leave the dog at home for long periods and takes lot of time and dedication. "
San Diego has a couple of 'dog beaches' which I think are really good pick up places. If I were single I'd take my dogs to the beach a lot more. I think people buy dogs sometimes as a conversation starter. It is quite fun to stand around and talk to people about their dogs.
I'll be interested to see what the upcoming auctions do to the median home prices in LA Riverside and San Diego. People who are saying prices haven't plummeted don't realize that the house has to actually sell to be included in the numbers. These auctions force the issue, and this is all part of a very clear scenario.
Tailing too close leads to far more deaths a year then DUI’s.
I'd like to see the evidence supporting this claim.
Regardless, the problem is Prius owners, and not just them but also any other self-appointed "slow down to my speed" zealots, do far more damage than good. Yes people drive over the limit. That is just the way it is. When you get in the wrong lane and drive like a moron you put everyone else at risk. How?
Have you ever been tootling down the 280 in the 3rd lane when suddenly the guy in front of you -- at a very safe distance -- going 75 jumps to the 4th lane, only to reveal some jagoff in a Prius going 50? Then you jump left. Then the guy behind you jumps left. And so on. If you're lucky, no one gets killed.
In most countries of the world where high-speed highways exist, there is a self-policed order to things. Slow people get right. Faster people get left. You don't pass on the right. You don't doddle on the left.
But you keep telling yourself you're holier than thou, azrob. I hope you have rear airbags for the time that 5 series ends up in your hatchback.
People going fifty in the left lane are idiots. People going the speed limit in the #2 lane (the one to the right of the "fast" lane) are not. All, imho, of course and as someone who does not even own a car.
If you are going under the speed limit, you belong in the slow lane. That is what it is there for.
Tailing too close leads to far more deaths a year then DUI’s.
Huh? Well, I usually leave 4 seconds of space. I prefer staying below speed limit but if the flow is faster I will have to speed up. It is not safe to have large variance of speed.
However, I do not think it is safe to go more than 10mph above.
justme,
What's your objective? If you're care about gas mileage, look into diesel. If want environmental friendliness, consider a bicycle or a moped. If you want to pick up women who only care about cars, look into high end car rentals for the nights when you cruise.
justme,
What's your objective? If you're care about gas mileage, look into diesel. If you want environmental friendliness, consider a bicycle or a moped. If you want to pick up women who only care about cars, look into high end car rentals for the nights when you cruise.
People who drive too slow should stay home.
People who drive too fast or tailgates too regularly should have their license revoked.
People over the age of 70 or those with a diagnosed condition that could impair their driving are not allowed to drive under the penalty of lifetime medium security nursing home facility.
Handicapped people can get a van service and no driving privileges.
Build more railroad capacity and kill the long distance trucking industry.
End all ethanol subsidies.
Severely tax all vehicles (on a sliding scale) with MPG lower than 30.
Oh, how about high quality, high density housing close to work and interspersed with well policed public park spaces (strict dog poop bagging rules in place).
All things I will do once I'm proclaimed the queen of the universe.
(this little thought experiment makes Japan look really good)
Peter P,
You might enjoy this NYT article on fake Chinese medical supplies. People in Mainland China has known for years.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/world/americas/06poison.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all
Anyhow, for those of you who say there's too much nanny state and you rather vote Bush than ... Keep in mind that the Bush administration has no problems with cutting FDA inspection budget dispite this potentially huge public health issue.
Don't be surprised if the median goes up instead of down due to more sales of discounted luxury housing like it has here on Long Island.
Above post in reference to Malcolm's post
I’ll be interested to see what the upcoming auctions do to the median home prices in LA Riverside and San Diego. People who are saying prices haven’t plummeted don’t realize that the house has to actually sell to be included in the numbers. These auctions force the issue, and this is all part of a very clear scenario.
Massive Layoffs at IBM? Wouldn't surprise me!
Read on:
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20070504_002027.html
Randy H says: In most countries of the world where high-speed highways exist, there is a self-policed order to things. Slow people get right. Faster people get left. You don’t pass on the right. You don’t doddle on the left.
I was under the impression that you could get a hefty ticket on the autobahn for any of the above offenses.
Decided to peruse the neighborhood (Willow Glen) for open houses with the missus yesterday. We looked at about 5 houses in a .5 mile radius of each other.
1. All houses were priced between 1 - 1.9 Million
2. Houses were in neighborhoods don't merit million dollars price tags.
3. 3 of the 5 houses were new. Yep, new. They tore down the old house and built a new one. Which stands out in a street with much older houses.
4. We were told by the realtors that the market is much better than last year and is moving upwards.
5. I also checked the log book and nothing more than three entries. We looked late in the afternoon.
My wife and I make a decent living. We can afford the lower end of the price tag but we're not smoking crack either. I was especially amused by the one house that was 1 mil and there were no upgrades since early 1970's. It still had the funkadelic glass walls.
Whatever happened the last 6 years with the housing prices is just sad. I don't see it going down drastically in the short term. I think it will go down slowly for the next 10 years in the BA. Unfortunately, I don't think we'll be sticking around the BA to wait.
Why does Paris do 45 days for a bad license when millians of illegal mexicans are driving around LA everyday with no license.
Why are some employers sued for firing gays when most employers can fire people with no reason at all?
Disclaimer: I have no problems with homosexuals. This is merely an illustration.
Keep in mind that the Bush administration has no problems with cutting FDA inspection budget dispite this potentially huge public health issue.
The problem is that more inspection will not necessarily eliminate the problem. Look, the whole DEA could not win the war on drugs.
The solution is common sense public awareness. Education is the key.
Severely tax all vehicles (on a sliding scale) with MPG lower than 30.
I am against any form of progressive taxation because government should not make value judgement on consumption and/or production.
Peter P,
I'm pretty sure the PEREZ jailing is just an excuse to produce a direct-to-internet women in prison film.
I find it mindboggling that you think we can be educated to avoid tasteless, odorless poison disguised as cough syrup.
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During the boom, if borrowers asked about the adjustable rates on their mortgages, they were told "oh, you can just refinance and start over".
But no one told them you can't refinance if your house is under water, that is, if the loan amount is more than the value of the house. Banks won't go for that, even in the continuing lax lending environment.
So their rates will adjust upward, and they won't be able to pay the mortgage, or refinance, or sell for what they paid.
Interesting times ahead.
Patrick
#housing