Новый проект - обзоры продающихся в наших краях машин

В общем-то, ничего особо нового в этом проекте нет, в свое время я делал что-то похожее на Нетлабе, но основывались те обзоры исключительно на мнениях из журнала TopGear.  В этот раз я решил добавить информации с тем, чтобы мнений было несколько.

Не секрет, что каждое печатное (и не только) издание имеет какой-то уклон. Для политических изданий это обычно характеризуется понятиями “левый-правый”, также любыми вариациями на эту тему. Для автомобильных журналов политика если и важна, то только в смысле политкорректности, на которую они плюют в различной степени. Например, тот же TopGear может написать, что-то в стиле “машина – полное дерьмо и ты будешь кретином если ее купишь”. А WhatCar выразит свое мнение несколько более цивильно:  ” ко сожалению, автомобиль не оправдал наших ожиданий, но мы надеемся, что компания учтет недоработки и порадует нас обновленной моделью, которую мы, возможно, сможем вам рекомендовать”.

Поэтому, в этой “вводной” статье, я хочу немного рассказать о журналах, которые я буду использовать в обзорах и постараться объяснить их позиции на рынке (с точки зрения направленности журнала).

TopGear

Сайт журнала

Это, пожалуй, самый неполиткорректный автожурнал в Британии, что, кстати, странно, поскольку выпускается он весьма и весьма политкорректной конторой, под названием BBC, на существование которой с британцев (и меня в том числе) взимают вполне неслабый налог. Команда журналистов там подобралась вполне пофигистичная и чуждая всему, что пытаются пропихнуть в сознание людей наши “либерасты”. То есть, тот же Джереми Кларксон (главный журналист у них) вполне может написать что-то в стиле “если ты купишь эту машину, то все будут считать тебя голубым, поэтому лучше засунь эту идею себе в жопу, пока туда не засунули что-то еще”.  Или призвать расстреливать велосипедистов и “зеленых”.  Впрочем нет, “зеленых” он предлагал вешать на столбах, а велосипедистов просто давить, ибо нефиг.

В общем, думаю, идея  о том, что это за журнал понятна.  Специализируются они, в основном, на обзорах суперкаров (и вообще спортивых автомобилей), которым посвящается большая часть номера. Однако в команде есть и “зеленые”, как ни странно и они периодически публикуют обзоры различных “эко-машин”, призванных спасти человечество. Но такие статьи – большая редкость, и, в основном, отношение журнала к электро- и гибридомобилям очень прохладное.

Журнал оценивает автомобили, в основном, с точки зрения динамики, скорости и удобства и плюет на такие параметры, как цена, экономия топлива и налоги. То есть, настоящий автомобильный журнал.

Car

Сайт журнала

Этот журнал чем-то похож на TopGear, но немного более политкорректен. Политкорректность их заключается не в том, что слово “fuck” у них напечатано только раз пять на каждую статью, в отличие от TopGear, где это вполне нормальное выражение, а то, что они пытаются подходить к обзорам машин не с точки зрения пропитанного насквозь бензином фаната, а обычного человека. То есть, они могут вполне благосклонно “обозреть” электромобиль, а не написать о том, что это дерьмо неописуемое и вообще, ну его нафиг. Зависит от машины, конечно. Плюс ко всему, в журнале есть великолепный раздел Insider, в котором печатаются аналитические статьи. Аналога этому на рынке нет.

Рейтинг машин журналом составляется довольно своеобразно. Обычно, каждой машине присваивается количество “звезд” от одной до пяти, но кроме этого, есть еще и субьективный рейтинг, который называется “Good, bad and ugly”, прямо как одноименный фильм. Почему-то, в русском переводе этот фильм называется “Хороший, плохой, злой”, но правильный перевод – “Хороший, плохой, уродливый”. Именно так они и характеризуют автомобили, невзирая на “лица”.

Расшифровка “звездного” индекса дается журналом в различных вариантах (не иначе, как под настроение главреда). Вот, например, типичный образчик из последнего журнала:

1. пердеж
2. легкий бриз
3. ветер
4. гроза
5. ураган

“В таком вот акцепте” (с) Профессор Выбегалло.

Оценка машин производится, в основном, по динамическим характеристикам, но, в отличие от TopGear, журнал обращает внимание на потребительские характеристики.

WhatCar?

Сайт журнала

Наиболее политкорректный и “зеленый” журнал из всех автомобильных.  То есть, это журнал для тех, кто автомобили не любит и интересуется ими только с точки зрения “что купить” и “как при этом заплатить поменьше”.

Ориентирован он на потребителей, очень часто встречаются статьи-разоблачения нехороших автомастерских, а также материалы из серии “газета выступила, что сделано?”. Одна из постоянных рубрик журнала называется “найдите мне автомобиль”. То есть, если есть желание и время, можно позвонить в журнал, дать им свой бюджет и они подберут что-то приемлемое, на их взгляд, за эти деньги, согласно требованиям клиента. Рекомендации обычно сводятся к чему-то в стиле “VW Golf двухлетка, пятидверка серебряного цвета – лучшая покупка”.

То есть, я думаю, что вы уже поняли, что из себя представляет это издание. Просто потребительский журнал, который, в отличие от двух вышеупомянутых, не обращает особого внимания на динамику разгона или мощность двигателя, а сосредоточился на качестве гарантийных мастерских, количестве поломок и расходе топлива. Именно оттуда я периодически тягаю различную статистику надежности машин.

AutoExpress

Сайт журнала

Издание, родственное (по бизнес-части) российскому AutoReview и немецкому AutoBild. Специализируется, в основном, на новостях автомира, публикации различных мутных фоток еще не выпущенных в свет машин, которые (фотки, а не машины) сделали недостреленные охраной автофирм папарацци. В отличие от своего российского коллеги, журнал практически не публикует аналитику, а, в основном, отводит свои страницы очередным слухам о том, кто, что, где и как сказал о новой модели бренда XYZ.

Есть в журнале, правда, две постоянные информационные колонки, а также раздел в стиле “разбираем модель такую-то”, но, как правило, это наиярчайший представитель желтой автопрессы.

Обзоры машин у них, как правило, написаны одной строкой, причем, не обязательно содержат полезную информацию. В общем, к их оценкам я отношусь скептически, но, на всякий случай приведу их тут тоже.

AutoCar

Сайт журнала

Еженедельный отпрыск WhatCar, который, несмотря на похожесть формата с AutoExpress, является несколько более серьезным изданием. По крайней мере, обзоры у них обычно интересные, хотя и довольно краткие.

В основном, информация совпадает с той, которая есть у WhatCar, но иногда попадаются оригинальные суждения. Поэтому я решил привести данные из этого журнала в обзорах.

Вот, пожалуй и все, что я хотел сказать. Думаю, что уже в самом ближайшем будущем начну составлять обзоры. Начну, как и полагается, с буквы “А”.

FAST WOMEN IN HISTORY PT II | AUTO RACING'S TOUGH FEMALE PIONEERS

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Legendary (Canadian born) British auto racing star~ Kay Petre

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The Canadian-born, Kay Petre was an early motor racing star at the legendary Brooklands track. The exploits of this 4′10″ speedqueen made big news back in her day.  Born Kathleen Coad Defries in 1903, she moved to England in 1930, following her marriage to Englishman Henry Petre.  Henry was a keen flier who regularly took off from the Brooklands airfield– it was here that Kay first became interested in motor racing. She had always been a skilled and competitive sportswoman back at home, especially in ice-skating. Henry bought Kay her first car for her birthday, a Wolseley Hornet Daytona Special. Soon after her racing career began, with a third and a second in her first two races.  In 1933, Kay purchased her first “proper” racing car, a 2-litre Bugatti. She used it to good effect in the regular handicap races at Brooklands, quickly adjusting to the handling and the increased speed.

One of the most famous images of Kay is her seated in the big 1924 Delage, a 10.5 litre V12-engined ex-John Cobb Land Speed Record car she had been racing. In order to reach the car’s pedals, she had them rigged with large wooden blocks.  Petre threw down the gauntlet to her French rival on 26th October 1934, clocking 129.58 mph on a flying lap. The record stood until the August of 1935, when Gwenda challenged again, setting a new benchmark marginally faster. Not to be outdone, Kay jumped straight in the Delage and beat the record the same day, lapping at an average of 134.75 mph. this was the first time that a female driver had earned the Brooklands badge for a lap at 130 mph or over. Gwenda, driving her Derby-Miller special, joined that exclusive club three days later, hitting 135.95 mph. Kay admitted defeat graciously and went back to her own racing.

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The racing legend, Kay Petre, in her car in the pits at Brooklands, prepares for her first drive since an accident on the circuit, ca. 1938.

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Sadly, in 1937 Kay’s circuit racing career came to a dramatic end. During practice for the Brooklands 500 Miles, she was involved in a horrible accident which she was lucky to survive. Reg Parnell stalled above her on the banking, slid down and hit her Austin Seven, rolling it down the banking and crushing Kay underneath it. She suffered severe head injuries and was lucky to survive. After being in a coma for a few days and undergoing surgery to her head and face, she eventually made a good recovery, the only permanent damage being some paralysis of one side of her face.

After her recovery, Kay made one final appearance at Brooklands in 1938, driving the White Riley. Whether it was an actual race, public practice or merely some parade laps is unclear. She was cheered enthusiastically by the crowds but had lost her nerve and did not race there again. At this time, she was campaigning for Reg Parnell to have his racing licence returned. The authorities blamed him for the accident and revoked it, although Kay herself never held him responsible and eventually he was allowed back behind the wheel. her views were “If you race fast cars, one of the risks you take is that one day you might cop it!”

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Kay Petre, the racing legend, recovers at her London home after an accident at Brooklands, ca. 1938.

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After retiring from circuit racing, she could not get the motorsport bug out of her system and took up rallying, first as a navigator for the Singer team but later driving for Austin again, sometimes in a Grasshopper. She competed at home and in Europe, with the Alpine Rally being her favourite. One of her co-drivers was the French race Anne-Cecile Rose-Itier, who partnered her for the Monte Carlo Rally. It was at this time she began her second career as a motoring journalist, which she continued after the war. Much later, she was employed by Austin as part of its design team, selecting colours for the interior of the Mini, amongst other models.

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HEARSE SKETCHES

   

I took time out from the background on the barn to do these two sketches from a recent “cruise-in” I attended in Auburn, Indiana.  The pencil is light, as I want to paint over the pencil, so I lightened my final lines with an eraser, but they should still be visible.   These are smaller than my usual pieces, done on 9×12 canson aquarelle paper.   The photos were of the complete sides of the cars, but I focused on these angles, because I liked the composition of them better this way.   The left vehicle,  is a 1939 Cadillac  hearse and the sides have carved wood curtains for the windows on the sides and back, very beautiful, very rare and unique.  The right is a 1949 Cadillac hearse, owned by a friend of mine, whom, was kind enough to allow me to ride to this event with him in this vehicle, very cool.  They just don’t make cars like they used to…..

CC Racing na Lagoa: o rali da consagração

É já no próximo fim-de-semana que Carlos Costa e Fernando Nunes, a formação liderada pelo tetra-campeão dos Açores de Ralis na Fórmula 3 e do Agrupamento de Turismo, participam na última prova do calendário da referida competição.

Depois de uma excelente prestação na penúltima prova do campeonato, o Rally Além Mar Ilha Lilás, onde os homens do Citroen C2 R2 que ostenta as cores da Azoria, Wurth, Reso Transitários, Revista Saber Açores e Açorplás Alumínios, impuseram um andamento fora do normal e confirmaram junto aos mais cépticos o excelente momento de forma pelo qual a formação atravessa, assim como a entendimento comprovado entre homem e máquina.

Recuperando ainda as declarações de Costa no final da prova terceirense, o mesmo afirmava à chegada à Praça Velha que “foi um rali feito com cabeça e com muita dedicação, onde conseguimos de principio a fim impor o nosso andamento e onde carro e equipa estiverem, com sempre, ao seu melhor nível”.

Para a derradeira prova do Campeonato, Costa e Nunes, pilotos da CC Racing, pretendem “efectuar um rali ao nosso gosto, tal como o fizemos na Terceira, mas desta vez nos pisos de terra da ilha de São Miguel. Afinal, é a dita volta de consagração dos vencedores! Os nossos mecânicos voltaram a fazer um trabalho extraordinário com o carro, deixando o C2 impecável, o que eleva o nosso entusiasmo e as nossas expectativas para que façamos um rali sem qualquer tipo de preocupações”.

O Rallye da Lagoa, este ano com um figurino diferente que Carlos Costa prontamente elogiou afirmando “é de dar os parabéns ao Grupo Desportivo Comercial pelo interesse que tem manifestado em arranjar alternativas para que se continuem a realizar ralis de terra em São Miguel”, começa na 6.ª feira, dia 2 de Outubro com a disputa de 3 provas especiais de classificação, para ver as restantes provas especiais disputadas no dia seguinte, estando prevista a chegada à Praça Sra. Da Graça às 17H50.

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Insualation for your Glass

Camp Kit happen indispensable for car

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Essential items your encampment kit should pertain are:

1. Coleman stove- This can be duel render or propane.

2. Lantern

3. Navigator Kit w/ plates and cups

4. Silverware Kit- Described later

5. Attention

6. Ply clean

7. Brillo Pads

8. Two Dishcloth’s

9. Two Pocketable Towels — These can be victimised to covering the lantern during pass.

10. Salinity and Seasoner

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16. Artificer Lace — for ligature downward tarps

17. Two decks of performing game

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19. Reflector Oven or Live range Oven

20. Arm

21. Bow saw

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Utensil Angle:

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Alex shows his mad car skills

You know by now how mad on cars little Alex is… but now here’s a short video clip…

He wanted me to film him with his cars today – but it’s often tricky as he then becomes more interested in the camera than the cars!

All he knows is all he has learnt from magasines, TV or asked me about (or other people). I don’t want to force him into anything as I don’t want to put him off cars – but when he does ask questions I don’t “child” the answer down. He wanted to know what the wings and spoilers were, so I told him about the aerodynamic aids cars have. He knows about engine layouts too – and not era of car is a problem for him!

Something very sweet about the way he pronounces a lot of the car names too!

I’ve posted this before, but I like it so much I decided to share it again! It shows Alex at one of the Goodwood Breakfast club meetings. He doesn’t just look at the cars, he asks about them. Who am I to starve him of the answers! He knows his V8s from his straight 6’s, his dropheads and his tintops…. got to love him!

Gore-Backed Car Firm Gets Large U.S. Loan

By Josh Mitchell and Stephen Power

September 25, 2009

WASHINGTON — A tiny car company backed by former Vice President Al Gore has just gotten a $529 million U.S. government loan to help build a hybrid sports car in Finland that will sell for about $89,000.

The award this week to California startup Fisker Automotive Inc. follows a $465 million government loan to Tesla Motors Inc., purveyors of a $109,000 British-built electric Roadster. Tesla is a California startup focusing on all-electric vehicles, with a number of celebrity endorsements that is backed by investors that have contributed to Democratic campaigns.

The awards to Fisker and Tesla have prompted concern from companies that have had their bids for loans rejected, and criticism from groups that question why vehicles aimed at the wealthiest customers are getting loans subsidized by taxpayers.

“This is not for average Americans,” said Leslie Paige, a spokeswoman for Citizens Against Government Waste, an anti-tax group in Washington. “This is for people to put something in their driveway that is a conversation piece. It’s status symbol thing.”

Continue

Dancing duets, undersized car machines and a bit of grumpiness!

Well, before I get to my post today…a lot of you seemed quite concerned after watching the video of my walk in Cornwall Park and suggested that my humans should really get a bigger car machine to carry me around.  Well, actually – they did have one before! From when I was a little puppy, they had another much bigger car whose name was ‘Honda CRV’ - this was Hsin-Yi’s car and she loved it. 

There was a special space at the back all for me and my humans taught me that I must always lie down when I’m in the car, so I don’t get thrown around too much which would make me feel very sicky (when I was a puppy, I was sicky every time I went riding in the car – Hsin-Yi spent a lot of her time cleaning puppy vomit!   But I grew out of it by about 6 months…)

Then at the end of last year, my humans were planning to do the “moving overseas” thing and so they sold the big car machine in the last month and only kept the little one for the last minute things…but then they had to change their plans!

Because of lots of bad things all happening at the same time, they decided it was not a good idea to do the “moving overseas” thing then and that we should remain in NZ for another year. And although we only had 1 small car machine left, they decided we would just try to manage with it because it would cost too much money paper to buy another big car again and then sell it again at the end of the year! So that is why I’m riding around in an undersized car machine…

It might look a bit cramped when I’m getting in but actually, I really like it - I get to ride on the comfy back seat and be much closer to my humans…I can even rest my head on the shoulder of whoever’s driving! So don’t worry about me – and this is only temporary. When we move to our new home in Australia next year, my humans have promised to buy a new car machine which will have a special space in the back for me again!

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OK – now to the thing I really wanted to tell you about: well, you may remember me mentioning a couple of posts back that I have started learning a Canine Freestyle Pairs Routine with my friend, Bodie the Border Terrier!

We haven’t had much time to practise together but here is a video of what we’ve been doing so far – it’s still a bit messy and needs LOADS of work but we’re having lots giggles putting it together!

 

This is really just for fun and to try something different, because Hsin-Yi feels that things get too serious when we’re just practising for competitions and then it misses the point of what doggie dancing should be about!

In fact, some people have said some very unkind things about me which made me feel really mad and upset. They said I’m a useless doggie and won’t achieve anything because I don’t like to dance unless Hsin-Yi shows me that she has a treat in her hand, so I know that I am going to get a reward at the end. This means I won’t ever get very far in competitions as our humans are not allowed to hold treats in the ring – because these people believe that “dogs shouldn’t need treats because dancing should be self-rewarding“

AHEM! Hsin-Yi says that is a really naive and patronising thing to say - because it shows that they don’t understand dogs at all – they are judging all dogs by one type of dog and don’t even realise that lots of dogs are different! It’s like saying all women should love cooking because they should find it “self-rewarding” - just because they are a woman!

Huh! Just because I’m not like the Border Collies and other working breeds who just LOVE working for the fun of it and can never keep still and are practically begging to be given stuff to do…they’ll run and jump and spin around even without the promise of treats – they’re just so happy to be doing stuff. Well, great for them but I’m a different sort of doggie: I’m pretty mellow and laid-back. Us Danes have very low work drive and are difficult to motivate; I mean, I like dancing and stuff but I’m just as happy lazing around in the sun and napping…so I like to know that there’s going to be some reward for me expending all that energy! I’m not going to just do it for the fun of it!  (What fun? What’s the fun in manically spinning around for nothing?)

Anyway, I don’t see what’s the big deal about my human holding a treat in her hand when we’re dancing – it’s not like she’s feeding me during the routine or luring me with a piece of food – have a look at this video of my last performance of “Me & My Shadow” – most people don’t even realise that Hsin-Yi is holding treats until we tell them!

 

I think it’s good enough that I’m focusing on my human for such a long time and doing my tricks & moves in time with her and the music and not making any mistakes – why do I need to prove that I can do it for nothing – just to get ribbons and titles, to show I’m “worth something”? I think it’s more important that we dance well as a team and really wow the audience with a snazzy routine, than if I’m just plodding around – without treats but also without any focus or energy!

Anyway, Hsin-Yi told me not to let those silly people make me feel bad. She says that she could teach me to work without treats if she really wanted to – but it would make our training sessions really stressful, ‘coz it wouldn’t come to me naturally like it does with the other working breeds and she would have to get really tough with me.  

Hsin-Yi likes challenges (that’s why she ignored everyone who said you can’t dance with a Great Dane!) but she says this isn’t a worthwhile challenge to spend our time on. Life’s too short and there are too many other better things to do than spend hours forcing me to do something which she doesn’t believe is important anyway.

For her, being in time to the music and performing interesting choreography (something a lot of other people can’t do, even though they’re working without treats!) and people saying they enjoy watching our routine the most – and of course, having fun – is far more valuable than showing I can be like a robot doggie and work for nothing.

(c) Pauline Smith

Hsin-Yi says she’s very proud of me already for just dancing as well as I did in that video – especially as I have achieved far more than anyone expected a Dane to do already! She’d much rather spend our time teaching me new routines, than just trying to perfect 1 routine for competition and showing that I can do it without treats. So what? What’s the big deal about that? Isn’t it more impressive if I can do 6 different routines, with new tricks and moves each time, than one same, boring old thing repeated over and over?  

Besides, I’ve decided that even if I’m “useless” because I won’t dance without treats and so I can’t earn ribbons and titles…

…well, at least I do Therapy Work and swimming and modelling and beach hikes and Agility and city tours and playdates and TV work and church blessings and Hallowe’en parades…and many more things than those ‘perfect’ doggies might do in 6 lifetimes…so there! Humph!

 

 

 

 

(sorry for the grumpiness but I think some humans shouldn’t comment or judge unless they have trained a Mastiff or Beagle or Malamute or some other “non-traditional, difficult” breed themselves and achieved a lot with them! Anyway, I have got that off my chest now and I feel much better! )

When Buying Used Mustangs for Sale, Look Out for Signs of Abuse

The Ford Mustang has achieved iconic status in American culture since it was introduced at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.

One measure of how the muscle car has captured the imagination of America is its prominence in movies ranging from 1968’s Bullitt (starring Steve McQueen and featuring a 1968 Mustang GT 390 Fastback) to 2007’s I Am Legend (in which Will Smith drove a 2007 Shelby GT500 around an abandoned New York).

At present, one of every two sports cars sold in the US is a Mustang; used Mustangs for sale are also among the most popular vehicles on the after-market.

And the Mustang’s appeal shows no sign of waning as a recent survey revealed that the majority of teenagers chose the Ford Mustang as the new car they would most like to buy.
The Mustang is also seen as one of the most affordable sports cars on the market, with some models going for less than $20,000. However, this price is still beyond the reach of a lot of people’s budgets, explaining the popularity of used models. For Mustang lovers, the most desired used Mustangs for sale are the First Generation models, which were made from 1964 to 1973, after which these muscle cars were discontinued when the OPEC oil embargo caused gas prices to skyrocket. However, previous owners may have abused their Mustangs – after all, it is a sports car – and then failed to maintain it properly. So, look out for signs of abuse to avoid your dream car becoming a money pit.

When considering whether to buy a used Mustang, be sure to take it out for a drive at highway speeds. If you notice things such as a noisy engine or drivetrain, squeaks and rattles in the suspension and grinding of gears when in five speed, then the car was likely driven hard. Also pay particular attention to the clutch; if it feels loose, the car may have been abused. Considerable tread wear on the rear tires is another tell-tale sign. If you are not qualified to inspect a car for potential problems, take the car to a qualified mechanic to have it checked out.

You may be able to save some money on maintenance if the car still has its original warranty, which is three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. The warranty takes effect on the date of purchase and transfers to the new owner. Thus, even if the Mustang was a 2005 model but was not bought until late-2006, it may still have some months left on the warranty. If you are buying the car through a dealership, you can also request a carfax report, which will give you the history of the car including such vital information such as if it was used as a rental vehicle and if it has had any major damage.
If you’re lucky enough to have bought a First Generation Mustang, make sure to bring it to a reputable restoration shop to have the work done on it. Remember that finding the right restoration shop for your dream car is just as important as the effort you spent looking for used Mustangs for sale. Ed’s Classic Mustangs specializes in Mustangs made from 1964 to 1973, and has a team of skilled restoration mechanics to make your muscle car look as if it just rolled off the factory floor. You can also buy a full range of Mustang parts and accessories online from Ed’s
Used Mustangs For Sale Article
Used Mustangs For Sale Article

devilish driving

i tell you, driving really can bring the devil out of a person. I ‘zi ren’ is a very patient and gracious driver on the road. i usually try to give way to cars, taxis or buses. maybe not lorries and trucks cos they too tua piang, will block my view of the front if they are ahead of me and move damn slow like tortoises. other than that, i don’t really curse and swear at other drivers unlike my sickening lao gong. I hate sitting in the car with him as the driver because he’s forever in a F1 race! He drives on the road as if everyone is his enemy and challenge him. outrageously childish right!? sometimes i worry when people cut our lane or tailgate us because my hb will take it PERSONALLY lor! then we have to buckle our seat belts just in case he did a revenge with the same action. sometimes i screamed in the car to tell him to stop acting childish. because ultimately if kenna accident, and we knocked from the back, we must pay for the damage ok. really dunno what’s with this driving thing to guys. Out of the car look like gentlemen but when they turned into ninja turtles inside the cars, all the TMD (aka ta ma de)  actions and vulgarities come out. I conclude that these people are losers in real life, deprived or stressed in one way or another, that’s y resulting in such releasing of anger in this driving channel. When i said that to hb, he said maybe it’s true???? wah lao, he very stress meh? no need to look after the monkeys at night, no need to juggle between work and family, no need to bother about spending lesser time at home… still stress? 

but having said that, i do have my fair sharing of meets with F*king drivers on the roads. maybe i get to share more about them when i have the time to do it.

crash

a black BMW convertible
wrong side up
in the carpool lane

3 paramedics
2 police officers
1 man on the ground
not moving
unconscious
on his way to work

blood stains on his necktie
the pressed white shirt
with extra starch
untucked
torn
covered in shattered glass

he had just woken up
45 minutes ago
showered
ate breakfast
shaved
kissed his wife
checked his e-mail
and his
to-do list,
never once
considering
the present circumstance

happens every day
to someone
and the best we can do
is hope
it’s not us

think about it…
but
not too much

'02 Mazda Chariot

Backstory:

I traded my car over the weekend (that’s a longer story for another day).

Fast-Forward to Tonight:

I’m driving back to the car dealer because the “Check Engine” light is on in my new (used) car. Here’s my confession: In my brain, I’m gerbil-wheeling all the potential things that could be wrong with my car, alternating with raging paranoia that I’ve bought the wrong car and therefore am a failure of a person. And I’m realizing how thick the pity party is, and I’m wanting to snap out of it but can’t seem to get the upper hand on my mind.

And in the midst of this churning blah-ness, this line pops into my head:

“Some may trust in horses, and some may trust in chariots, but we will trust in the name of our God.”

And I realized that in a small way, I had been trusting in my chariot–my ‘02 Mazda “Chariot”–to deliver me from my fears of ongoing car woes. 

In this small sliver of my day, I was encouraged to consider the possibility that grace is found in those moments when near-forgotten lyrics connect with new circumstances–not to make everything better–but to give you even just a moment to stand still and breathe in hope.

Premium <code><a href="http://www.livingstonesurfaces.com/">countertops</a></code>, solid surfaces

Solid surface countertops are popular because they look great and are easy to care for. They are available in all possible hues and patterns, so you can select any counter type to complement your kitchen interior design. Solid surface counters are usually made of sheets of plastic glued to a wooden base. Counters made from engineered stones are also referred to as solid surface countertops. Solid surface countertops are renowned for their durability. With proper maintenance, which is very simple, they last a lifetime and retain their beauty for decades. Minor scratches and burns can be removed easily. Solid surfaces are stain-resistant and impenetrable for bacteria. Solid surface kitchen countertops can be of all shapes imaginable. There are lots of ready-made counters, but you can have one custom-crafted to suit your individual desires. Actually, this is the best way for you to come by your long-craved-for type of countertop, because you can discuss every detail with the fabricator and get a product that will satisfy you for the rest of your life.

Dunce Alert

Ooops

I enjoy sharing and writing about the good stuff, but I am also willing to share the stupid stuff too. I definitely know how to laugh at myself. I generally don’t mind if others laugh along with me as long as you make sure I’m laughing too before you start laughing hysterically at my expense! My car has had some electrical problems not too long ago so I was only mildly surprised when on Friday I noticed that my interior cabin lights were staying on while driving. I didn’t go anywhere all weekend so I didn’t worry about it until yesterday. I played around with the light switch to see if maybe it was on the wrong setting somehow. I carefully verified that they didn’t stay on while the car was shut off and exactly how long it takes for them to turn off on their own so I could tell the service center. I woke up extra early today so I could take it to the dealership by 7:15 am and get to work by 8:00. Annoyed by the task, but glad to get it over with-and within my warranty period.

I pull up into the service line and give them my name as I prepared to take things I would need out of my car. When asked what the problem is I say, “My interior lights stay on while I am driving.” Well, he fixed my so called problem even faster then it took me to tell him about it. He promptly reached through my window and turned my interior lights off the permanent setting with the switch that was designed to do just that. “Uhhhh….oops. I didn’t realize I had switched it on to permanent, I’m so sorry. I guess I don’t need to leave it then.” The service guy was very nice and told me it’s OK and that I must have just accidentally hit it. Now that service guy has a funny story for he and all of his co workers to laugh about today. Glad to be of service.

I felt like such a “girl.” Well, to be fair not all women are like this but apparently I am one of those!! I do have my moments of brilliance [according to me] when setting up equipment, putting things together and trouble shooting certain problems. But, I am 100% girly girl when it comes to my car, household repairs, most complex technological systems. I don’t even know how to change a flat tire even though I know it’s probably something I should learn. My garbage disposal is still out. The lights in my kitchen went out months ago but it’s a huge fixture with multiple screws. It looks heavy and who knows what kind of dirt or creepy crawly things are lurking inside that fixture. Needless to say, I really don’t even want to attempt to do it by myself. Good thing I don’t spend too much time in the kitchen.

So, I went to work early to do some overtime after my aborted vehicle drop off and that was that. The good news is that there is nothing wrong with my car and because I got to work so darn early I managed to get a premium covered parking spot which is helpful when I relax in my car for lunch breaks on hot days. The bad news is that I am so freaking tired because I got up earlier and that I am officially a dunce for the day!

G-Werks Mk1 'S-Bend' Exhausts - Back in Stock!!

We have just taken stock of our Mk1 Stainless Steel exhaust systems with the ‘S-Bend’ design tailpipe. I think you’ll agree they’re a very good looking piece of kit and transform the look AND performance of your Mk1 instantly. Available for the Cabriolet as well, they are a very popular item so be quick to get your orders in, we only have 3 left already!

The complete system will cost you £329.99. As always give us a call on 01903 730 006 and we shall put these on the 24hr courier straight to your door.

The Family Car

We’ve taken the plunge and bought ourselves a family car. We’d battled driving an “it’ll do” Holden station wagon and an “it won’t do anything” Citroen. Cars are the bane of my existence. I don’t like them, they cause me grief, stress and at age 33.3, I don’t need that. There’s enough stress in my day to day life that I shouldn’t need to worry about whether or not I’ll make it to work alive.

The Citroen I drove was a character. Unfortunately, cars that haven’t yet done 100,000km shouldn’t be characters. They shouldn’t have idiosyncrasies, they shouldn’t make strange noises and they should definitely stop running after you’ve turned off the engine, not in the middle of an intersection. On a daily basis, it was a roll of the dice as to whether my Shitroen was going to make across two lanes of busy traffic with the engine still running. After driving for ten minutes, it would emit a ridiculous whining siren noise and this humungous red STOP light on the dash board would flash repeatedly. I kid you not. This car was embarrassing to drive and what made it worse was that no local mechanics knew how to fix it. They had no idea what to do with a French car. So that is possibly the last European vehicle we’ll be buying.

Of course putting all of the above into the mix with the fact that a baby is now on it’s way… the perfect storm of car buying and selling was building. We traded in the old Citroen for a new Mitsubishi Outlander.

I never thought I’d be the driver of one of these SUVs. I never enough thought I’d utter the phrase SUV. I’ve always hated them on the roads and I’ve always despised those that drive them. They seem to be a haphazard bunch, drivers that don’t seem to care about anything outside of the vehicle. But we’re starting a family and these are the family cars of today. So now, The Wife and I drive around in higher than everyone else and strangely enough our driving skills have deteriorated somewhat. Personally, I feel a bit stupid driving a family car when I don’t yet have a family, but it’s all about the future. Even still, we don’t really need a car of this size right now or even a few years down the road, but goddam it’s fun to drive and it sure beats the hell out of rolling the dice every morning before I go to work.

Did I mention the smell? The brand new car smell? It’s worth the price of purchase alone.

so today im spending some time working though my itunes library, and adding some new stuff in. the type of music i listen to varies greatly, but today im looking for one thing, songs to sing loudly to in the car. so i’ve been searching the internet to see what other people like, but their stuff sucks. so rather than to continue looking through lists that include Culture Club and/or Sir Mix Alot, im making my own of what i already have. hopefully it will help other people in my predicament. this list is in no order, it’s just what i put down as they came to me.

99 problems – jay-z

this is one of my favorite Jay-Z songs of all times. so good.

good life – kanye west feat. t-pain

kanye does a lot of stuff to tarnish his name in the media, but he IS good at what he does, and that is what matters. and t-pain can make any song popular.

at last – beyonce

yes, the etta james original, but i prefer beyonce’s updated version from the movie Cadillac Records.

just around the river bend

please don’t make too much fun of me on this one, it’s just something i can sing crazy amounts of loud to and have fun. ignore the first 45 seconds of that video.

crushcrushcrush

i love paramore, period. and this is just a good, loud song.

a favor house atlantic – coheed and cambria

i love coheed and cambria. claudio’s voice is like nothing else.

american boy- estelle and kanye

i love this. of course because of kanye, but estelle’s voice is awesome as well. plus it’s fun.

baby you wouldn’t last a minute on the creek – chiodos

my favorite “new” band is Chiodos. they are amazingggggg. this song is epic.

hey jude- the beatles

you didn’t really think i could make any sort of music list without them, did you? i shouldn’t have to explain why anyone would like this song. it takes care of itself.

lets stay together- al green

i will probably sing this song up to 5 times a week for the rest of my life.

i can’t quit you baby – led zeppelin

like the beatles, i can’t make a music list without some zeppelin peppered in there. this is my favorite song from led zeppelin, probably because it has so much feeling.

get like me – david banner feat. chris brown

this is nice to turn the bass up, roll the windows down, and act G to. hahah. i love it.

roll to me – del amitri

i remember this song being on the radio when i was younger, and i have always liked it.

holy diver- killswitch engage

this song has been a favorite of mine since last summer. the crew of people i was hanging out with were hardcore kids, as was i at the time, and this was a bit of a theme song for us. originally done by Dio.

grounds for divorce- Elbow

i LOVE elbow. all of their songs are great, but this is the first that i ever heard, and i’ve been stuck on it since.

so yeah, those are 15 of the many songs i like to sing in my car. i know that list looks like a crackhead put it together, but i’m really not kidding when i say i like all kinds of music. i hope it was helpful, or at least slightly entertaining.

Waterless Car Cleaning Produccts

Water is an essential commodity for drinking and sustaining various life forms. It is estimated that the current water resources are depleting at a faster rate than the nature can replenish it. If this remains the scenario, then there will be no water left for our future generations. Apart from the mandatory purposes water needs to be saved. Car washing is one such activity where water is used in huge amount. But some eco friendly people have come up with products which do not need water to wash cars.

Waterless Car Cleaning Products are the face of the day. These products are chemically made to clean your car’s surface and give it a protective covering which the traditional water wash cannot give. It protects you car from acid rains and give I an ultra clean look. Just spray the products and wipe it off with micro fiber to get that shiny touch on your car. These products are a new way of life. You will save up to 250-300 liters of water per wash if you use these products. It is easy to easy and much more efficient than your traditional washing methods.

Traffic Lawyer Gets Traffic Ticket (Part 3)

New York Traffic Ticket For Disobeying A Traffic Control Device

I have been diligently scouring the Vehicle and Traffic Law and researching relevant case law precedents to craft a defense to my recent traffic ticket.  Allegedly, I disobeyed a traffic control device.  Click here for details.

As a New York traffic lawyer whose law firm fights the most traffic tickets throughout New York State, I need to win this case for pride (not to mention the $130 fine and surcharge).

Giselle Dragon, our cracker jacket paralegal, noticed right away that the officer omitted certain information.  Specifically, he failed to write the expiration date of my registration.  However, unlike a parking ticket, omission of these types of details is not fatal (although it can be used to attack the officer’s carefulness and credibility at the traffic trial).

She then pointed out that the ticket says “pavement markings” which here is helpful for me   Disobeying a traffic control device is a catch-all moving violation.  It refers to any sign, pavement marking or other official DOT device which restricts or prohibitions certain movement.  By writing pavement marking, the officer is narrowing the scope of this charge to a specific type of traffic control device.

More importantly, here, he claims that I improperly used the acceleration lane to pass motorists on the right.  However, there really is no pavement marking which I disobeyed.  At best, I crossed a broken white line but that’s not illegal.  Motorists cross these types of pavement markings all the time.  Further, in my case, there actually were no markings on the pavement separating the right lane from the acceleration lane.  See photo below.

So, here is my defense.  I am charged with disobeying pavement markings which don’t exist and, even if they do exist, would not be the type that restricted or prohibited me from crossing them.  Having years of experience as a traffic lawyer, I can tell you that this type of legal argument is much more compelling to a judge than simply saying “I didn’t do it”.

No pavement markings separating right lane from acceleration lane

Stay tuned.  A not guilty plea will be entered and updates to then follow.

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• Debunking Traffic Ticket Myths [Speeding] (lifehacker.com)
• You Can Get Away With Anything in Traffic Court, With a Little Patience (streetsblog.org)

Volkswagen L1 likes fuel efficiency

The Volkswagen L1 concept is a breakthrough for fuel efficiency and roof-opening doors. Its carbon fibre reinforced body weighs just 124kg, and it has a maximum speed of 160kph. But the best bit, the L1 consumes just 1.5l of diesel per 100km. Again, it’s just a concept, and probably won’t see the bright light of a summer’s day, but we don’t care. How cool is that fighter pilot-esque seating inside?

Sponsored by…

back online

sorry, i was missing in action in the past days. got back from london safely. it was a great trip. now i need to make sure i hand in all the receipts to get my money back from work

anyways, back to today. i drove in germany for the first time since my car accident in 2003. yes, you heard me correctly, i did not drive a car in this county of car-dom for six years. i drove in the us, but not over here. and i have to admit that the longer i did not drive the more tension built up being afraid to have another accident.

eventually, i blamed it all on stick-shift cars. and whenever i had to drive for work here, boo-hoo, it happened to be a stick-shift so i had someone drive me (the person who would accompany me at a fair). no problem. for a few months now we have an automatic. a nice shining mercedes-do-not-mess-it-up car. all shiny and bling bling. and this saturday i had to drive it. no excuses, no way around it.

needless to say i was shitting my pants, totally afraid of breaking this thing or running into an accident. let’s make a long story short, everything went well. i did not break anything, i drove really well, and the car…wow, what a ride! i zoomed on the highway and before i knew it i was going 160. you don’t feel it with the car, can’t feel the speed at all.

and guess what, when i was back here, all parked nicely, i tried to call a friend to tell her about my achievement. she didn’t pick up the phone. so i called another friend. she didn’t pick up either. mh. ok, it’s a nice day, maybe that’s why. so i called home, noone there either. what in the world is going on? so i tried a third friend…well, history repeating. ok, so there is noone to tell my achievement to! thank you very much world! i have to turn to online blogging to spread my happiness.

i am relieved i did not break anything. and i am surprised that i did so well today. no, i will not run to the next car dealership and get myself a ride. but i will be more calm about driving and trust myself more.

tomorrow i’ll just be lazy but at the same time household chores are calling…darn it. where is my weekend? i want to sleep, i want to relax, i want to do nothing!!!

franzi

A Luxurious Limo

When you are in the Jacksonville, Fl area and need the the very best in limo and transportation services, look no further than A Luxurious Limo.  They specialize in providing the very best and ultimate experience when you need a trip to the airport, night out on the town with your crew, or that special occasion! They cater to whatever your needs might be.  With a selection of unique and luxurious limos and town cars, you will arrive in style!  A Luxurious Limo also has knowledege of the entire area if you want to be surprised on where to go to find the hottest night club or eatery.

You won’t go wrong with choosing A Luxurious limo.  Check them out on the web at www.aluxuriouslimo.com for their rides and package deals.  You can also call 904.545.9007 to schedule your ride.

ScanGauge II 3-in-1 Compact Multifunction Vehicle Computer with Customizable Display Review

I’ve had the scanGuage II for about 3 weeks at the time of this review. I had bought the unit because I was interested in finding out about how my car, a 2002 Toyota Solara was holding up and what the car computer might tell me.

First the cons:

would have been nice to have sockets 1. The cord is too long. The total run from the ODB II port to where the unit is mounted is about a 15 inches, top. It on both the plug and the SG II. Include a long and short cord, or just have it

so that cat5e network cable could be used.

Why? Because storing the excess cable somewhere is a problem, I ended up storing in inside the panel protecting the steering column, and may have created a short in one vehicle lighting circuits.

2. The velcro is too weak to hold the unit in place. I ended up using Radio Shack  LockTite fasteners (the clear ones) instead.

3. The manual leaves a lot to be desired, especially the pictures which are so low contrast and dark they are useless. I had to go online and download the manual as a PDF file.

Pros: The ScanGuage works as advertised. To me this is the Holy Grail of advertising. It barely is worth repeating the items for sale that deliver what they promise.

1. The display is large and very legible, even at night (or especially at night).

2. The diagnostics (both realtime and stored) are comprehensive

3. The codes are easy to read.

The biggest pro for me is being able to monitor my actual Miles Per Gallon *mileage* I’ve changed my driving style from constant foot on the gas

pedal to gas-and-coast. A tank of gas lasts SO much longer now, because I now know how much a lead foot costs. In fact for any given trip I can tell

how much it costs not only in dollars and cents, but also by engine load and

how far (or further) I got just coasting along.

The unit is (in my black & gray interior) inconspicuous, and the slightly cheap look to the unit works to it’s advantage: no one takes it seriously as “a thing worth stealing.”

If I had any indication that someone would understand what it does, I’d be recommending it left and right. As it stands, it is something of a specialty item, except you soon wonder how you ever got along without it.

A 170-MPG Diesel Hybrid Volkswagen

Volkswagen is redefining the automobile with the L1, a bullet-shaped diesel hybrid that weighs less than 900 pounds, gets an amazing 170 mpg and might see production within four years.

The L1 concept car unveiled at the Frankfurt auto show pushes the boundaries of vehicle design and draws more inspiration from gliders than conventional automobiles. The only question the company’s engineers asked when designing the L1 was, “How would a car have to look and be built to consume as little energy as possible.” Their answer was small, light and extremely aerodynamic. Those guidelines led to a car that requires just 1.38 liters of diesel fuel to go 100 kilometers. The concept of a one-liter car is that it consumes one liter of fuel per 100km, or about 235mpg. However, the L1’s 1.38 l/100km is closer to 170mpg. Impressive nonetheless.

Electric motors provide great torque, and VW says the motor in the L1 kicks in under hard acceleration to provide up to 40 percent more grunt. It also can propel the car on its own, though VW doesn’t say how far the L1 will go on electricity alone. VW also didn’t offer any specs on the lithium-ion battery, which gets a boost from regenerative braking.

I think VW is coming out on top in this race to a “green car”. I can not wait to see what GMC and other America companies  will do to compete with this badass. I think this will give the extra push to everyone else to design a green car.

Nissan launched new Teana & X-Trail

Teana

 

 

Japanese automotive company today launched its two new model in Indian market –the luxury X-Trail SUV and New Teana.

New Teana has been launched in two variants XL and XV. The new Teana which comes with styling getup and powerful engine The 2.5L engine pumps out 182PS of max power and 228Nm of max torque .Teana comes with this new graphics Oynx Black,Luna Blue,Brilliant Silver,Amethyst Grey,Bordeaux Red,Pearl White .

Nissan Teana priced at

Teana XL – Rs. 21,00,000

Teana XV – Rs. 25,40,000

 

 

 

   

 

X-Trail

 

The new X-trail powered by a 2.0L Common Rail diesel engine producing 150hp at 4000rpm and 320Nm at 2000rpm. New X-Trail available in 3 variants LE, SLX MT & SLX AT. The new X-trail comes with 6 speed manual transmission as well as in automatic mode. The new X-Trail available in 7 shades- Blue Sapphire , Titanium Grey, Diamond Black , Pearl White , Champagne Gold , Quartz Silver , Graphite Grey . X-Trail priced at

X-Trail LE – Rs. 20,81,000

X-Trail SLX MT – Rs. 23,18,000

X-Trail SLX AT – Rs. 25,08,000

premium rapid car charger for motorola qa4, zn5 zine, rival a455, clutch i465, i9 / blackberry curve 8900, storm 9500, 9530, tour 9630 / lg env3 vx9200, env touch vx11000, tritan ax840 / samsung rant m540, exclaim m550, highnote m630 - retail packagi

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Cellet Motorola Q9H RAZR2, V8, V9 micro USB Chip Plug in Car Charger with Blue LED – Packaged This Premium Edition Vehicle Power Adapter lets you conserve the phone’s battery. Charge simultaneously in an operating vehicle without ever overcharging. Advanced Blue LED indicator 9 FT cord Built-in original 34063 IC chip Innovative comfortable hand-grip design Compatible models: Motorola Q9H, RAZR V9m, RAZR2 V9, etc. Directions: Plug in the Super Charger into the vehicle power outlet Wait for the Blue indicator and the charging indicator should be displaying on the phone LCD. For most phones, a complete charge should be in less than 2 hours. Suitable for charging Ni-Cd, Ni-Mh, Lithium-Ion, and Lithium-Polymer batteries……..

Readmore

Technical Details

– Advanced Blue LED indicator

– 9 FT cord

– Built-in original 34063 IC chip

– Innovative comfortable hand-grip design

See more technical details

 “a+” 2009-01-06

By Thomas B. Showalter

it’s a car charger and it works, dont know what else there is to say.

 “You get what you pay for…” 2008-10-11

By Moncho

I agree with the first reviewer…it does the job but it keeps popping out of the female micro-usb at phone, why?: because the male micro-usb connector is not the standard quality connector. There are better choices out there for a similar price…skip this one.

 “Good product” 2008-09-16

By misskitty723 (Somewhere, CT)

The product works just as described. I have an adaptor in my car for two cigarette lighters, and for some reason it keeps getting loose in there and sometimes pops out. Only bad thing, but might only be because of the adaptor.

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Ice cream + Wooderson

I ONLY REMEMBER SNIPPETS OF THE FIRST ONE. I was in an ice cream parlor with my friend Ed, who was telling me about some crazy weekend he had planned with old friends that included plans to consume a lot of alcohol and drugs. He was half bragging and half fearing this weekend in his voice. We had already eaten and were looking for dessert. He figured out what he wanted quickly, a flavour that was ostensibly fruity in nature and yellow in colour. I was walking around looking at all the flavours, unable to make up my mind. A girl behind the counter was trying her damnedest to make good recommendations, and I am flirting with her, and every time she suggests something I come up with a reason that I can’t have it. Then it hits me. I want blackcurrant sorbet. I look up at the wall that has all the flavours written down on it and, lo and behold, there’s blackcurrant up there. The girl who’s helping me/smiling at me is on the other side of the parlour and I say something flirty, very loudly, to get her to to pay attention to me. I turn around and Ed isn’t there but my father is, and he rolls his eyes at her as if to say “Sorry about him.” The girl comes back, smiles, scoops me some blackcurrant sorbet which I end up eating, with a spoon, with Ed again, off of what looks to be either a large leaf or a bowl that looks like one.

Later, I’m with Wooderson, or at least seeing everything he does. (Wooderson, if you recall, is the character that Matthew McConaughey played in Dazed And Confused). We’d previously driven in his car, very fast. His car is a souped-up sort, a Charger or a GTO. Previously when we had driven around Wooderson was doing the driving but this time, when I see him, he’s a passenger. Some other dude is doing the driving and the wheel is on the right side of the car. Thing is, we’re so clearly driving in North America, out of what seems like Denver (I have never been to Denver so I don’t know; also, Dazed and Confused was set in Texas). So this guy is driving, fast, down a highway that is winding and bare. He brakes, hard, and Wooderson goes flying out the window, and lands with a thud. He gets up and dusts himself off and says something to the laughing group of guys that sounds like “Don’t fuck with me, I played football…for five years.”

Then he’s alone with the car and I’m just watching him. He pulls a bottle of whiskey out of his trunk and starts drinking it on the roadside, angry and sad. He looks like he’s going to cry. He gets in the car and starts driving again and he ends up driving onto an army base during a war. The car is replaced by a wheelchair. He’s in the wheelchair and he’s tooling around the base and I know he’s looking for the guy who humiliated him earlier with the car prank. He goes into one room where a lot of Asian soldiers, presumably the “enemy,” are being tended to. He then wheels over to another room where, ostensibly, he can get some treatment. The second room is much smaller and to get to it he has to wheel past a larger room that’s filled with soldiers and other army personnel. This room is massive.

Soon, it’s me again. I’m on the army base and I walk into a side room where two members of my editorial staff are there. I am wearing a suit jacket atop my clothes. I walk over to a box of books on the ground and read something that’s on a note attached to this box of books. I suddenly get very angry and topple the box over. I start to remove my jacket in disgust. One of my editors says, “Really? You’re really quitting?” and the tone is You’re quitting over this? I start to walk away and then I go back to topple the box some more, all the while insisting that I’m not angry but actually very calm. Another editor grabs me from behind and asks me to go be “calm” somewhere else, and I tell him to not put his hands on my neck. They’re forcibly removing me from the room and I’m insisting that no one touch my neck.

Motor Your Way Through Behavior-Based Questions

One difficult type of question you’ll face in interviews is the behavior-based question.  It’s a question starting out something like, “Tell me about a time when you…”  Interviewers won’t be satisfied with a philosophical answer, they want real situations.  And, there will surely be a number of layering [drill-down] questions to follow.  They want details.

How can you possibly prepare for all the possibilities?  I can think of at least three ways: 

1. Do some research on behavior-based questions–Google searches will come up with a bunch of examples for you. 
2. Think about the characteristics an employer will prize in the type of position you are seeking.  For example, if one of them is tenacity, they are likely to ask a question about a situation where a lot of roadblocks were put in your way.  You can get clues from the job posting, or from network contacts that are familiar with the company or job, or from your own experience on a similar job.
3. Learn how to organize your answers using the CAR model.  CAR is an acronym for Challenge-Action-Results.  Most candidates can’t organize an answer to save their souls.  They wander off on all sorts of tangents and sometimes never get to the point–at least not while anyone in the room is still listening.  You’ll get high marks just for keeping your answer orderly and on point. The CAR model:

• Challenge — Give just enough background so the listeners understand the situation.  Make the summary brief but complete, so you don’t have to keep circling back to add details later,  interrupting the flow of your answer.
• Action — Tell what you and others did.  Keep to the sequence of how things evolved so your listener can stay with the story.
• Results — Give them a bottom-line outcome.  Add lessons learned.

Behavior-based questions can present a wonderful opportunity to talk about accomplishments on your resume.  So, think about how key characteristics required on the job in question relate to one or more of your accomplishments. 

Your answer doesn’t always have to have a beautiful outcome.  Sometimes we did the right thing and it didn’t work out.  Sometimes we did the wrong thing, but we learned from it.  Nevertheless, beautiful outcomes are nice if you’ve got them.

Interviewers will expect to surprise you with the topics they choose.  So, they anticipate you will pause and think for a couple of moments before answering.  Understanding this will take stress out the eerie silence in the room as you search your brain for the right example and organize your answer using the CAR model.

Use the CAR model and you’ll motor your way through the answers to behavior-based questions.  [Did I really say that?  Ptuuuy!]

A Drive in the Country - HER Perspective

After six days of not seeing each other, which felt like an eternity to us, we finally had our chance. Unfortunately, as is often the case for us, our meeting would have to take place in public. This is not a bad thing, as we enjoy getting each other off in public. But if I were being honest, a good naked fuck would have been my choice. A private place would have been preferable as it would allow us to take our time and “enjoy the journey, not just the destination” as one of our twitter friends put it.

But knowing that we would not have this private place to meet, I decided that no matter what, I was going to give him head and get him off. He had mentioned that he had never had “road head” in a previous meeting and when I suggested it, his eyes lit up. He resembled a kid on Christmas morning knowing he was about to get just what he asked for.

We stopped at a bar to have something to eat and drink before heading out for our drive as I was hungry. (pun intended) During this, what was supposed to be quick stop, we engaged in some very meaningful and intense conversation, that honestly made me forget my hunger (for food that is) and made me anxious to get out on the road. He was also.

He was commando the whole day; while I took my panties off in the bar.  The funny thing about him being commando is the change in him it represents. The first time we ever met, he requested that I be commando and I agreed if he did the same.  He was hesitant and came fully dressed, only later did he take his underwear off in the bathroom.  I then asked him to remain commando for his drive home, after our several hours of teenage like “making out” throughout a book store. (We’ve talked about whether to write about our first meeting, having not decided to in the past, I think that it will be my next post).

He wasn’t comfortable being commando that first time and even in the subsequent times, it was at my urging and insistence that he go commando that he did. Now, however, he does it on his own. He WANTS me to be able to get him off in public, whether that be the park, the car, the bar, the bookstore, or coffee shop. I love this change. He is taking chances and risks that although make him nervous at first, make him feel free once completed.

He drove and headed for a country road and almost immediately I had my hand inside his pants. When he asked for me to take him in his mouth on the freeway, I willingly obliged as I thought he’d make me wait until a more private setting. He is more private than I; I’d have happily given him head while we drove down the highway, with the semi-truck drivers watching. As well as those driving the SUV’s, trucks, and mini-vans. Just about any car is taller than my car. I would not care if they got a show, good for them, hope it would make them hard or wet. But he made me stop when cars came close.

The interesting thing about the “road head” or blow jobs in general that I give him, is that I LOVE sucking his cock. I love it.  The weird part, I have never loved it before. Hell, I hated it. I never did it, never wanted to do it, and would avoid it at all costs. I was one of those girls that said “do not cum in my mouth” if I ever even gave the guy a blow job at all. And now here I am, urging him to let me take his cock in my mouth, telling him to cum in my mouth, and swallowing his sweet cum whenever given the chance.

I’m not sure what made this change come about. I think that I was tired of being reserved sexually. Tired of being the “good girl”. I also realized that I am a sexual being. I enjoy sex. I want sex. I crave sex. I need sex.  But I also want to give pleasure, not just get it.

When I take him in my mouth, he moans. He watches me with this beautiful look on his face, a combination of desire and pleasure. Perhaps it is similar to the look he described in my eyes on the one occasion I was able to keep my eyes open while I came. He said what he saw in my eyes was “hunger”. I think in some ways he is also a little amazed. Amazed that I’m so willing to do this for him, amazed that I WANT to do this for him.

On the freeway, I took him in my mouth and let him grow hard within my lips. This is my favorite part, feeling his arousal increase as I suck and lick his cock as it gets big and hard in my mouth.  Being a perfectionist, I want to give him the best blow job he has ever had, so I am constantly trying to improve my technique. I look at websites for tips, ask him what he likes, experiment, and just keep trying to get better at it. Lately I’ve been much more skilled at taking him deep into my throat, taking his whole cock (at times) into my mouth and throat, something that I’ve never been able to do before. When I do this, he moans loudly. The first time he said in amazement “did you just take my whole cock in your mouth?”. I’m pretty sure I mumbled something like “yes” as it is hard to talk with a cock in your mouth. : )

On the country road, he gave me free rein and I sucked his cock alternating between gentle and hard, long and short strokes, sucking on the tip and taking him deep. Because we were out away from people, he let me continue to suck on him while he continued to come and did not rush to zipper himself up.

I’m surprised and delighted to say that I enjoy the taste of his cum. At times, I cannot swallow it all while other times it slides right down my throat.

He finger fucked me while we drove back and I came twice, he began to try for three, but I stopped him. The truth is that when I cum, it only makes me want him more. I want his cock inside of me and nothing less will do at that moment. So I could not allow further orgasms, as I knew that I would not have a chance to ride his cock. Not that day anyways.

On our way back, we held hands, my head on his shoulder, his head against mine.  I  would have given anything just to pull over, grab a blanket and lay in his arms for just awhile longer, (well, if I’m giving anything, why not a good hard naked fuck while we are on the blanket), but our time was about up. He told me then how he had wanted to ask me for “road head” but hadn’t and he was happy I suggested it. I asked him why he didn’t just suggest it to begin with, he said that sometimes he forgets that I like to give him head. That I want to do this for him, when he is so used to the opposite.

We weren’t searching for this, whatever you want to call what “we” are, we both were basically looking  for was a good fuck, maybe a good fuck friend. What we found was a good fuck, but also so much more. A place where I am me and he is him. We express our wants, needs, and desires openly. Although we both hesitate at times; as our trust in one another grows, I think that we will be even more open in the future. I hope that he will continue to grow in his confidence to ask me to do whatever it is that he wants, as I will grow in mine.

At this point, nothing he has ever asked for has been something I wasn’t willing or didn’t want to do. I am open and willing to explore with him, on whatever road that takes us.

Read his version, A Drive in the Country – HIS Perspective .

Ice-T and Coco in Real 3D

Click to See The Rest

The 3D Collection just got taken to another level. That’s right we are revisiting all of our projects in REAL 3D.  We recieved TONS of requests to put up more pics of Ice and his wife Coco SO we figured why not give you the best of both worlds and we created the “Murder Red Bentley GT Showcase” in COMPLETE 3D. So break out the glasses and come see Ice T and Coco in real 3D as Coco wonders “Can I find nail polish that will match this hot color?”

Don’t worry Coco if you can’t find it we will make it for you!

Get on over to www.HardLifeStyle.com and check out ALL of the new additions including a completely updated 3D gallery. The times are changing rapidly!

DIRECT LINK TO THE ICE-T SHOWCASE HERE: http://www.hardlifestyle.com/3d-ice-t-bentley-project.html 

KEEP UP!

Settling in

(The first part of this was written in the morning. I’ll denote where the second part, written after a rather full day, begins.)

I spent yesterday slowly unpacking the car–slowly enough that it’s on the agenda for today, too–and shopping for various things I needed, like a shower curtain and laundry detergent. (Showering in the morning was an adventure.) I also got a couple of things I wanted, like candles and a pottery mug–my giant one is too much commitment for some beverages, and it’s still somewhere in the car, anyway. Target has these candles with wooden wicks. I love them so much. They crackle as they burn.

Anyway, I think the birds are starting to settle in, too. Phoebe’s broken blood feather finally fell the whole way off. She looks a mess and seems a little woozy, but I think she’s healing. I’ve got some vitamin-fortified treats in there for her. Grace is continuing to heal. And Francis is experimenting with his new squawk. He used to be such a nice, quiet bird. They all spent the day being really needy and really screamy, with little breaks for walking around the apartment and finding things to try to chew on.

Part of my shopping was, as I mentioned, at Target. Very standard move-in stuff. But the better part was at the Anchorage Market & Festival. This is the last weekend for it, and I wanted to see it before it ends for the season. That’s where my mug came from. Also, some vegetables that are now in my fridge (including a very large zucchini), some birch syrup, and a salmon quesadilla for breakfast. (I’d been up for hours, playing with the birds and by turns carrying boxes and putting things away. Mostly playing with the birds. And I hadn’t eaten, before I left for the market. Which, by the way, I found from memory!) It was pretty fantastic; I’ll go back when they reopen, next year. I posted this pic to Twitter, and people were amused:

I still don’t have much furniture–a Murphy bed comes with the place, and I bought a barstool, so I can sit at my counter–but I’m making do. One of my Rubbermaid-type boxes is serving as a plant table. (The plants may pull through. It’s hard to tell. I should buy dirt and a pot today, for the Christmas cactus.) And I have a couple of pretty things on there, along with the plants, as well. The spices I brought with me–an odd assortment based on their ages more than on what I’d do with each one–are all set up by the stove. It’s nice.

My landlord–or, well, my agent for the property company, who won’t be for long, because she quit (it’s all very confusing)–was super nice. She let me borrow some sheets and a coffee maker and a towel, when I moved in. That saved me buying sheets for a different-sized bed than I’ll be buying in 4 months. And her friend lives on the same floor I do, and we’ve chatted a few times. I think we’re going to breakfast this morning! (Which reminds me. I should wrap this post up and get a shower. My clothes will be out of the dryer soon.)

Looking at my last post, I meant to tell you some other things. One is that the gas station right after you turn off of the Tok Cutoff onto the Richardson Highway (it looks like it used to be a Texaco, and the owner just put together some of the letters to spell “ECO”) is pretty nice. Their gas is the standard high price for gas along the Alaskan Highway System, and they have an outhouse (with electricity!) instead of a running-water restroom (also fairly normal), but the owner is a super sweet guy. We got to talking–in part because I asked him if I could get to Anchorage by dark–and he welcomed me to Alaska and gave me a print of some sled dogs (two of them, twins), drawn by a friend of his who is the Iditarod artist. So I’ll get a frame for that, because it’ll make me happy each time I look at it.

The Glenn Highway isn’t at all like the Alaskan Highway. I had gotten really used to the former–and the Tok Cutoff is enough like it that I sort of lump them in my mind–so I was feeling pretty confident, and then all of a sudden, there were these really tight curves, 30-40mph dealies. It was a little hair-raising, because of course nobody in the opposite direction was going that slow. And just as I was beginning to adjust to that, I got dumped onto the freeway into town. I was totally unprepared for driving in civilization, which was more or less what I needed to do (although there’s some argument about whether anyone else on that freeway was exactly prepared for civilized driving, either, that night). It was all very strange and disconcerting.

The final trip mileage was 4202.6. The last day of that was between 600 and 610; it looks like it never made it to my Twitter stream, and the phone is in my room. I’ll look it up.

(This part is new.)

Today, I went to breakfast at Middle Way Cafe with my neighbor (the friend of my landlady’s I mentioned above). Great brunch location, with tasty (and mostly pretty healthy) food, as well as fresh juices. Then we decided to try picking berries, though that sort of failed–there were a few left, but only after a pretty long walk up a pretty large hill, which we might have tried to do, only we had no cell coverage, and she was on call. Earlier in the season, next time! But we went to get dinner at Moose’s Tooth, where I got a 4-beer sampler. Everything was good, though I got distracted and forgot to pick up a growler. Tomorrow, perhaps!

Around the end of dinner, a local gamer I’d been in touch with over the Internet called, and we agreed to meet and talk about the game he’s starting, which I’ll be playing in. Call of Cthulhu. It’ll be on Saturday afternoons for the next few months (unless that’s when my reference shift falls)! It sounds like a good group of people. And he gave me a whole bunch of advice and tips about living in Alaska, everything from “go ahead and buy that bear bell” to what kind of reel is easiest for newbie fisherpeople to what kinds of people to expect to run into around Anchorage. It was pretty great. I feel like I owe him cookies.

The birds are a little less whiny, despite my not giving them as much attention today–because I was out. I think Phoebe’s recovering, and Grace definitely is. They both seem alert (well, as much as Phoebe ever is) and curious and generally more like themselves, though maybe a tad needier than normal. I may ask the vet if I can come in on Wednesday or Thursday, so they have more time to really get situated and de-stressed. As much as I want Phoebe’s wing looked at, I just don’t have the heart to put them in the car. It’s going to kill me to do that to them. And it’s going to make them trust me less.

Other errands: getting George’s mechanic appointment set up, since the 3000 mile mark is pretty far gone. Signing a lease and getting a parking spot officially assigned and calling the utility companies. Getting an Alaskan license and registration (though I may put that off for another week or two), as well as dealing with Geico. Getting a pot and dirt for the cactus. Grocery shopping–and man is it going to be a big trip. Finishing with the car unload, including getting the stuff down from the luggage rack. I’m not relishing that thought, short and uncoordinated as I am.

But I still have two full weeks before I start work. I should be able to get all of this stuff and a fair bit of exploring out of the way before then. (Also, I’d like to look at some Web development books. And maybe tune back in to what’s going on in the library world. The mental break has been great–and will continue to be great for at least another few days–but I’d like to be sharp when I start.) I’m pondering driving down to Seward and/or Homer, after the car’s had its checkup. I’d like to collect some glacier water, which I can do on the way, though I don’t have enough vessels to get enough of it for brewing. (I also don’t have enough bottles. Or other ingredients. But the water’s pretty time-dependent, I would guess, what with freezing and all.) Also, I plan to go to the zoo and maybe the Imaginarium. And the Ulu Factory. And I’ll have to pick up a tourism guide to see what else I need to check out. Dale said he wanted me to “have seen everything, so [I] just share the good stuff,” by the time he gets here.

Parking 101

In Baghdad, it’s not enough to park your car in a parking space. You have to cram your car into any available space.

I ran across this excellent parking job the other day as I was taking someone to pick up their vehicle from service.

So, let me explain the rules of parking as I understand them.

1. If your vehicle is at least two inches smaller than the size of the space, you can parallel park in that space.
2. While moving into the space, inch forward until your bumper causes the vehicle in front of you to move. Then hit the brake. Shift into reverse to adjust your angle taking care not to hit the vehicle behind you. Then move forward until your bumper causes the vehicle in front of you to move. Shift into park.
3. If your vehicle has 4-wheel drive, you can park as deep in the gravel rocks as you wish.
4. If your vehicle has 2-wheel drive, park your vehicle at the vehicle dispatch office until you can get a 4-wheel drive vehicle. It’s easier to move other vehicles with your car when you have 4-wheel drive.
5. If your car is damaged because you backed into a wall, file a complaint with the garrison office about how close the concrete barricades are to your vehicle.

So, to drive and park in Baghdad, all you have to is shrug off any personal responsibility and any driving skills, and you too can park your van on a bus bumper.

I just ordered a new 2010 Ford Escape for when I return home. It has an auto-park feature, which apparently will save me the hassle of knowing how to parallel park.

[Via http://blogging-iraq.com]

Sangalhos já tem velódromo

O Velódromo Nacional de Sangalhos – Centro de Alto Rendimento (CAR) foi inaugurado ontem, mostrando reunir todas as condições para a prática de ciclismo de pista, esgrima, judo, ginástica e trampolins.

O ministro da Presidência, Pedro Silva Pereira, considera que o CAR de Sangalhos “cumpre de uma só vez vários sonhos antigos do desporto português”.

O Velódromo Nacional compreende a primeira e a única pista coberta para ciclismo em Portugal, de 250 metros de comprimento, inaugurada de forma simbólica por Alves Barbosa, nome sonante do ciclismo nacional, que se destacou por ter sido o primeiro português a vencer a Volta a Portugal.

Alves Barbosa

A infra-estrutura, que representa um investimento global de 12 milhões de euros, inclui ainda um hotel centro de estágio, com 16 quartos duplos, área de restauração, sala de convívio e ginásio.

O complexo recebe hoje e amanhã a 1.ª edição da Taça Ibérica de Pista.

 

Texto de Joana Capucho (fonte: Diário de Notícias)

Foto de Ana Jesus Ribeiro

[Via http://anajesusribeiro.wordpress.com]