Something Random

[jtr1962]

Let's divide the population into groups. The first group believes that public transportation as it is in NYC is a good idea. They use it regularly, and feel good about helping the environment. The next group are people that like the idea, but need it to be more convenient, cleaner, closer to where they live, etc. The third group are the ones that like their cars. They like sitting in their safe, clean, climate controlled cocoons, not having to put up with other people's shit.

Groups one and two make up the majority by far. I'd say most people fall into group two. They currently use mostly cars, but would gladly use public transit if it was decent, perhaps even not own a car at all if the public transit was comprehensive enough. Very few people actually like to drive, or live in a place where driving might be enjoyable. The majority drive on congested roads with their driving experience akin to getting teeth pulled. Few have a mostly uninterrupted commute at 100+ mph as you do. For most, if they get up to 50 mph at some point in their trip they're moving. Sure, there is a hard-core group who are next to impossible to get out of their cars. We even have them here. They are the people who will spend twice as long driving into Manhattan as it would to take the subway just because they have an aversion to public transit. Thankfully, they're a small minority even if they greatly affect the majority with their transportation choices. Given that auto travel is heavily subsidized by taxpayers, the majority would probably end the gravy train for this minority if decent public transit existed. A lot of the mindset of this minority has little to do with reality anyway. I've been on public transit thousands of times. Only a couple of times have I had to put up with other people's crap. I put up with more crap trying to ride my bike than I do riding the subway. At least on the subway the idiots aren't trying to control tons of steel while simultaneously trying to massage their egos. Honestly, making getting a driver's license so easy that it lies within the capability of the average person has been a recipe for disaster.

Oh, and using public transit isn't just about helping the environment. Long before I cared about such things I was still an avid mass transit user. For my uses, and many others, public transit is both faster and far cheaper than car travel. If I were to use the subway daily, I would pay at most $76 a month for as many trips as I want. This is less than auto insurance in most places.

 

[paugie]

In my place, people have taken well to the 3 Mass Rail Transit (MRTs) systems that have been built.

Most are losing money (people won't pay high fares) and the government is paying huge foreign loans taken out to build them.

But overall, they are cheaper and faster than the buses and jeeps which used to be the only mode of public transport.

I would go for more trains in my city.

 

[jtr1962]

Most are losing money (people won't pay high fares) and the government is paying huge foreign loans taken out to build them.

You can't look at transit systems in isolation and say they're losing money. Rather, I look at the big picture. You build a new rail line. Even if it requires subsidies forever to keep fares low enough you'll have new development along it. The real estate and other taxes from new development which otherwise wouldn't have taken place unless the rail line was built will more than cover any subsidies. Think of mass transit as the oil which lubricates the economic engine. When thought of in those terms, rail transit is a bargain.

But overall, they are cheaper and faster than the buses and jeeps which used to be the only mode of public transport.

In general buses suck. Most of the failed public transit initiatives were based on road transit. Rail as a general rule is always faster, certainly much more comfortable. It is also far more immune to weather which might bring buses to a standstill.

 

[Bozo]

You can't look at transit systems in isolation and say they're losing money. Rather, I look at the big picture. You build a new rail line. Even if it requires subsidies forever to keep fares low enough you'll have new development along it. The real estate and other taxes from new development which otherwise wouldn't have taken place unless the rail line was built will more than cover any subsidies. Think of mass transit as the oil which lubricates the economic engine. When thought of in those terms, rail transit is a bargain.

Be careful what you ask for: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20838931/

I've been saying for years that a lot of our problems are caused by uncontrolled building. We build and pave over the earth, then channel all the rain water into the nearest stream, then bitch when the streams flood. The water table in this country has been dropping rapidly in the last few years because rain never has a chance to be absorbed into the ground.
The buildings and parking lots (roads too) absorb sunlight and convert it into heat.
We build walls along our rivers to direct the flow of water. Then when there are heavy rains, there is no place for the water to go, so it speeds up and down the river miles from the rain, there's where the flooding and damage occur. Unfortunately, it is usually 20 times worse than if the river was allowed to flood where the rain was.
And, we keep building and paving over farm ground so everyone can have a Walmart.

Bozo :joker:

 

[paugie]

Metro Manila, AFAIK, is one of the most densely populated areas on earth.

It is supposedly rain forest if precipitation is the benchmark.

We have flash floods during thunderstorms. And typhoons bring destructive winds at least twice a year. The ordinary typhoons with 60-70 kph winds intensify the Southwest monsoon which bring rains for days on end.

Much of the metropolis has been underplanned with regards to sewage, water supply, many roads are narrow. Electricity is supplied using overhead hardware. Diesel and gasoline fumes are a pall over the city.

Is this a rant or what!

 

[Chewy509]

Thought I would mention, I just recieved a DVD from Sun Microsystems with "Sun Solaris Express Developer Edn 5/07" in the mail today.

Now just need to find time to install it on my home box...

 

[Clocker]

Today is our 10th wedding anniversary! I cannot believe how time flies by.

 

[timwhit]

Today is our 10th wedding anniversary! I cannot believe how time flies by.

Congrats! Here's to another 10 years, Bartender, drinks on the house. No top shelf. Well/rail only please.

 

[Handruin]

Congrats buddy. Glad you guys are still going strong! Like Tim suggested, here is to another 10!

 

[Fushigi]

Congrats from here as well. We celebrated our 5th anniversary last month.

 

[Fushigi]

I wonder what the Volt's range would be if it used this battery technology.

 

[ddrueding]

Congrats Clocker!

I just got home from a 40-hour network troubleshooting marathon. 5 buildings (300+ users), all connected by fiber, one rouge DHCP server. Giving out IP addresses in the correct range (so conflicts were occuring) but with a different(bogus) DNS and GW, so no networking actually worked. It was going on and off sporadically the whole time, very tricky to track down.

 

[Fushigi]

On this day in 2003, Galileo mission terminated by sending the probe into Jupiter's atmosphere, where it was crushed by the pressure at the lower altitudes. In 2001, Deep Space 1 flew within 2,200 km of Comet Borrelly. In 1964, the North American XB-70 Valkyrie, the world's first Mach 3 bomber, took its maiden flight from Palmdale, California. In 1942, the B-29 Superfortress made its maiden flight. And in 1937, J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit was published. Happy Birthday Luke Wilson (1971), Ricki Lake (1968 ), Faith Hill (1967), Cheryl Hines (1965), Dave Coulier (1959), Bill Murray (1950), Stephen King (1947), Jerry Bruckheimer (1945), Chuck Jones (1912) and H. G. Wells (1866).

"It is the dull man who is always sure, and the sure man who is always dull."
- H. L. Mencken

 

[Mercutio]

one rouge DHCP server.

Yeah. Proper DHCP servers pinch their cheeks to get them that color. Only the really slutty DHCP servers use rouge.


Congratulations to those of you who have maintained long term relationships with females interested in the opposite gender. :|

 

[Clocker]

A new report revealed 2007's top 14 most recalled vehicles. The findings exclude the 3.6 million cars recalled by Ford this year (due to a cruise control part) as none were 2007's.

According to BusinessWeek, 4 of the top 5 recalled cars were imports, the lone domestic being the Jeep Liberty. GM and Ford did well, both having a very low volume of vehicles recalled. Chrysler didn't perform as well as the other domestics, scoring 3 significant recalls. Full results to follow.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/vw-new-beetle-tops-most-recalled-list-for-2007.html

1. Volkswagen New Beetle: 1,002,000
2. Toyota Sequoia: 533,124
3. Jeep Liberty: 149,605
4. Nissan Altima: 140,582
5. Hyundai Tucson: 128,300
6. Dodge Nitro, Jeep Wrangler: 80,894
7. Suzuki Forenza, Reno: 75,697
8. Volkswagen Passat, Passat Wagon: 58,800
9. Chrysler Sebring, 300, Dodge Caliber, Magnum, Charger, Nitro, Jeep Compass, Liberty, Commander, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler: 50,665
10. Infiniti G35 Coupe: 23,934
11. Chevrolet Aveo: 17,676 (engineered in Korea)
12. Nissan Versa: 16,309
13. GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook: 13,032 (fixed during product launch)
14. Ford Expedition: 10,061

 

[Handruin]

A new report revealed 2007's top 14 most recalled vehicles. The findings exclude the 3.6 million cars recalled by Ford this year (due to a cruise control part) as none were 2007's.

According to BusinessWeek, 4 of the top 5 recalled cars were imports, the lone domestic being the Jeep Liberty. GM and Ford did well, both having a very low volume of vehicles recalled. Chrysler didn't perform as well as the other domestics, scoring 3 significant recalls. Full results to follow.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/vw-new-beetle-tops-most-recalled-list-for-2007.html

1. Volkswagen New Beetle: 1,002,000
2. Toyota Sequoia: 533,124
3. Jeep Liberty: 149,605
4. Nissan Altima: 140,582
5. Hyundai Tucson: 128,300
6. Dodge Nitro, Jeep Wrangler: 80,894
7. Suzuki Forenza, Reno: 75,697
8. Volkswagen Passat, Passat Wagon: 58,800
9. Chrysler Sebring, 300, Dodge Caliber, Magnum, Charger, Nitro, Jeep Compass, Liberty, Commander, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler: 50,665
10. Infiniti G35 Coupe: 23,934
11. Chevrolet Aveo: 17,676 (engineered in Korea)
12. Nissan Versa: 16,309
13. GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook: 13,032 (fixed during product launch)
14. Ford Expedition: 10,061

OK, I get the point you are trying to make, but how many domestics neglect to issue a recall in hopes no one gets hurt (they're rather pay in settlement)? How many of the issues which could have been recalls are handled through service bulletins during regular maintenance?

The straight forward information could also be that VW issues all recalls and doesn't do service bulletins (it's a guess, I don't know). Is it not up to each auto manufacturer to decide what constitutes a recall? I'd fathom it's likely based on liability of the actual problem.

Also, what is the percentage of fleet cars that actually get the recalls serviced? Typically most rental companies only seem to use GM products and I suspect that's a large portion of their market.

I still don't judge the quality of an automaker based on the number of recalls issued in a year. This type of information really isn't useful to me without a lot more details.

 

[Mercutio]

... on the other hand, repeated recalls for the same part are probably a decent indication of a problem.

I know Ford sedans have notoriously unreliable automatic transmissions and Volvos seem to have lots of problems with turbo or fuel injection parts, and if those things are bad enough that *I* know it, I bet mechanics are full of helpful tips like that.

 

[Bozo]

The straight forward information could also be that VW issues all recalls and doesn't do service bulletins (it's a guess, I don't know). Is it not up to each auto manufacturer to decide what constitutes a recall? I'd fathom it's likely based on liability of the actual problem.

Most safety recalls are based on how many complaints have been made to the feds. Once they get involved, they pressure the manufacturer to issue a recall.
And remember, not all recalls are for safety items. I've had recalls for cracks in the plastic dashboards. This was a cosmetic recall.

Bozo :joker:

 

[Fushigi]

Sorry, but this is worthless. If they only looked at 2007 data then someone's lying. VW did not sell over a million Beetles. But if they're looking beyond 2007 then they should be including the Ford recall. Also, the Liberty is listed twice.

Or, are they saying that there were __ recalls on the Beetle with __ * (Sales Volume) = 1MM+?

There's no detail to bring about an understanding of what the numbers are supposed to actually represent.

As Bozo notes, there's also nothing that brings to mind the severity of the recall. Something like a transmission issue is a lot worse than an issue with the radio.

This matters as VW could have had 25 safety recalls on the Beetle while Nissan had just one cosmetic recall on the Altima. Based on the article we don't know.

If one is to try to make a case for a manufacturer's relative reliability, a more interesting way to break it down would be to note each manufacturer's average cost per vehicle for recall & warranty repairs. But even that only speaks to repairs performed during the warranty period and thus isn't much of an indicator of long-term reliability.

 

[Clocker]

Wow! Aren't you guy sensitive !

Fushigi- I think there were multiple recalls on the Beetle causing the high number. I assume some vehicles were recalled more than once for different reasons.

The fact of the matter is that, in the past, one would say that domestics had more recalls/problems and deduce that they were an inferior product. Now the opposite trend appears to be forming but I guess the opposite isn't true. My only point is that the idea that imports are better than the newer domestics now is only a perception in the market, not reality. Almost all the manufacturers make good products. I'm sure that is hard to believe for a die-hard import lover.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/17/oil-sludging-atonement-toyota-settles-class-action-suit/

http://www.autoblog.com/2006/04/18/bum-steer-nhtsa-investigating-toyota-tundra-for-bad-ball-joints/

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/19/553-000-tundra-and-sequoia-models-recalled-for-suspension-fix/

Here's a good one Toyota doesn't want to get in the news:
http://www.fjcruiserforums.com/forums/problems-dealer-service/33440-engine-bay-body-rips.html

 

[ddrueding]

Disclaimer: die-hard import lover

I've never seen a domestic interior that could hold a candle to a BMW or Benz.
I've never seen domestic power/mpg figures that could match a GTI, Evo, or WRX

 

[Stereodude]

I've never seen domestic power/mpg figures that could match a GTI, Evo, or WRX

I hope your joking... The Corvette will pound all 3 of them in power / mpg figures...

 

[Fushigi]

Stereodude - If dd meant power/liter or HP/$ the 'Vette loses.

Clocker - I'm sure you're right on the recalls thing but the article doesn't specify the source or derivation of their numbers so I still say as a data point it's useless.

Manufacturer spend on warranty & recall repairs (per vehicle) would still paint a better picture.

Now, to the larger point of "domestic" v. "import" reliability, it is certainly a much more level playing field than it was a decade ago. Honyota are proving to have chinks in their armor (Honda tranny issues, Toyota engine sludge, etc.) while Ford & GM continue to improve. The Euro makers simply aren't known for reliability outside of MB Diesels and MB has taken some reliability dings in recent years. Besides, most Euro brands are sort of domestic nowadays with Ford owning Jaguar & Volvo and GM owning the likes of Saab. BMW & VW are TMK the main pure-play Euro brands left. Maybe Benz now that it's dumped Chrysler. Literally everyone I know who has even owned a VW loved the car but wouldn't buy another as they had too many repairs. And the Koreans have come on strong from selling essentially junk a decade ago to some vehicles that are regularly getting very high ratings.

BTW I quoted domestic & import as I don't think the terms are relevant any more. Many domestics are at least partially designed, built, and/or contain parts from foreign countries and many imports are at least partially designed, built, and/or contain parts from the US. Corporate profits go to the shareholders and there's no barriers to domestic v. foreign ownership of stock. As the ride says, "It's a small world, after all."
There are other factors to consider - interior design, features, bang/buck, advanced powertrain tech, etc. But when talking solely about reliability there's really not a ton of difference between the best & worst. At least over the first few years of ownership. Personally, I keep my vehicles for well over 100K miles so I want a vehicle that is reliable and reasonably inexpensive to maintain. I'm at 133K miles right now and hope to get at least another year or two out of my current ride.

 

[Mercutio]

I just ate a plate of really, really (150,000 scoville) hot wings.
Apparently there's a mild chemical burn around my lips, but the endorphin release has me feeling pretty damned good.

And now my name is going to be engraved on a plaque for my accomplishment.

 

[jtr1962]

If one is to try to make a case for a manufacturer's relative reliability, a more interesting way to break it down would be to note each manufacturer's average cost per vehicle for recall & warranty repairs. But even that only speaks to repairs performed during the warranty period and thus isn't much of an indicator of long-term reliability.

Not to mention that type of use is a huge factor. 10,000 miles in NYC is probably more wear and tear than half a million on the highway. If certain vehicles happen to be bought more often in NYC they might have very poor reliability numbers, but that still might not be indicative of inferior design. As a great, somewhat related example, consider my cycling experience. I probably average a flat tire a week when I'm cycling regularly. I also seldom have a rim last longer than 5000 miles before it's to the point where spokes break and truing it is impossible. Compare this to other riders on country roads who have a few flats a season, and have their rims last as long as their bike. And I've already cracked a couple of frames. Back in the days when I used dial-type speedometers the brackets used to crack with some regularity. I even have a front fork break off right where it meets the headset. I doubt any of this has to do with my bikes being inferior. The same line of thought can be carried over to any type of vehicle. Even subway trains which might work just fine in Philadelphia or Boston won't hold up here. When judging vehicle reliability, the service environment is the single biggest factor by far.

 

[ddrueding]

I just ate a plate of really, really (150,000 scoville) hot wings.
Apparently there's a mild chemical burn around my lips, but the endorphin release has me feeling pretty damned good.

And now my name is going to be engraved on a plaque for my accomplishment.

Damn. That is insane. How many did you have to eat? What did they use to spice it?

 

[ddrueding]

...it is certainly a much more level playing field than it was a decade ago.

...

Many domestics are at least partially designed, built, and/or contain parts from foreign countries and many imports are at least partially designed, built, and/or contain parts from the US. Corporate profits go to the shareholders and there's no barriers to domestic v. foreign ownership of stock. As the ride says, "It's a small world, after all."

Coincidence? I think not.

 

[Stereodude]

Stereodude - If dd meant power/liter or HP/$ the 'Vette loses.

Who cares about power/liter? It's a useless measure that has nothing to do with fuel consumption or anything else relevant. But, if you want to play the power/liter game look at the Pontiac Solstice GXP or Saturn Sky Redline. They beat most import motors.

 

[Stereodude]

Personally, I get a kick out of how "American" when referring to cars now means, "North American" inclusive of Canada and Mexico.

 

[ddrueding]

Personally, I get a kick out of how "American" when referring to cars now means, "North American" inclusive of Canada and Mexico.

I didn't know any car companies were based in Canada or Mexico? If you mean assembly, my VW was made in Mexico.

 

[Mercutio]

Damn. That is insane. How many did you have to eat? What did they use to spice it?

Like 15 wings or so. I also had to sign a medical release before they would serve them to me.
It was probably a mix of some kind of BBQ sauce with some Dave's Ultimate Insanity or something similar.

 

[LOST6200]

Holy mooloy! I hipe you don;t get the burnming squits by tomorrow.

 

[Stereodude]

I didn't know any car companies were based in Canada or Mexico? If you mean assembly, my VW was made in Mexico.

What I mean is a lot of the "American" cars aren't actually made in the US. They are made in Mexico and Canada. Why am I supposed to care about the jobs of people in Mexico and Canada more than those in Japan, Korea, or Germany? The US auto industry has already decimated the state I live in by moving their plants to Canada and Mexico.

The simple fact is that the big three will sell American parts suppliers down the river in a heartbeat to save a few pennies by buying from Asian parts suppliers. Why should I care about the big three and all the "American" jobs they make when they it's clear they don't care about American suppliers and their American jobs?

 

[ddrueding]

Holy mooloy! I hipe you don;t get the burnming squits by tomorrow.

Reminds me of a joint in southern China (Near Guangzhou). We couldn't pronounce the name, but it rhymed with "ring of fire".

 

[ddrueding]

Why should I care about the big three and all the "American" jobs they make when they it's clear they don't care about American suppliers and their American jobs?

I suggest my method: don't care.

 

[Stereodude]

I suggest my method: don't care.

I pretty much don't...

 

[paugie]

I just ate a plate of really, really (150,000 scoville) hot wings.

hohoho, Merc. we've got something in common, though I must confess, I must have eaten only chillies in the <100,000 scoville range. The Wikipedia article rates our Philippine "labuyo" at max 100,000.

My father introduced me to chillies by roasting 2 of them and forcing me to eat it as a companion to our standard rice meal. I considered it torture then (my eyes watered involuntarily) but now I enjoy hot food.

 

[ddrueding]

At one point I got into a "pissing contest" with a GF's father while we were on vacation. Dip a wooden toothpick in Dave's Insanity sauce and put it in your mouth; see how long you can keep it there. After that we were cutting up and eating habaneros (sp?), washing it down with tequila. He was much cooler than she was

 

[paugie]

Holy mooloy! I hipe you don;t get the burnming squits by tomorrow.

My best antidote to the burning squirts/ring of fire is lots of veggies.

I remember my grandmother (dad's mother) had a medium sized glass jar which she kept at least half full of rice-grain sized chillies. Every now and then, she would pop some into her mouth and ... Maybe it was the equivalent of chewing tobacco. I can never imagine myself doing that.

 

[Mercutio]

I was once eating lunch in Chicago's Chinatown.
I went into a restaurant, a little hole in the wall place that just smelled spicy and awesome.

I told the only guy in the place who spoke English that I wanted something hot and spicy. He asked me "How spicy you want?"
I said "Bring it to me the way you would make it for your family."
And he just laughed and shook his head.

He brought me a plate full of beef, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms and peppers. Lots and lots of little tiny red death peppers. And I ate the whole thing. I'm red in the face, my nose is running, and my eyes were teared up, but it was GOOD, just exactly what I wanted to eat.

So I'm taking out my wallet to pay, and the guy shakes his head at me. "For you, who eat like my family, there is no pay."

Anyway, yes, I like very spicy food.