I call BS on this one. We all know that cars "aimed at the young" end up being bought by old people trying to look hip. All of those cars look way too hard to climb into for the real target demographic. #conceptcars
Once again Audi and Mazda are the only noteworthy examples of clear design direction. While the other manufacturer's run nillywilly with their nonsensical unfocused designs, Audi and Mazda have instantly recognizable elements that hopefully survive to 2030. #conceptcars
Once you enter your destination into the navi app on your smart phone, you can play against the vehicle to "win" complete control over the system and gain access to increasingly outrageous driving scenarios.
I love the sound of this. I think it'll be hilarious to see kids being forced to square off against a War Games computer every time they want to go somewhere. Didn't make the high score? The car's taking you to Boise! Wanna go to Starbucks? Fat chance, gotta beat the Parnelli Jones boss at his own game! Why didn't you go to school today, Junior? I was driving there, but I couldn't get the Star Power 4x multiplier at 48,375 points and the car sent me the wrong way down an on-ramp! #conceptcars
On I95 south of Washington DC, we have what I call the "Occoquan Kink", a relatively radical curve (for an interstate) with an elevation change in it. It's also got a left-lane exit on the southbound pretty much at the turn's apex. This feature of I95 *never* fails to cause traffic to slow to a crawl, unless you're on it at like 7:30am on a Sunday. And there's not a really useful alternate route if you're heading into DC Metro.
I commute up the 2 and across the 210 freeways (map) and it was truly bizarre this morning.
I'm on my way to my desk job in my typical yuppie garb, thinking about what meetings I have today.
...meanwhile it's like a very foggy coastal morning. Except it's not fog. Even with the AC on recirculate, the smoke smell comes in. 50% of the slow-lane traffic is fire trucks from all over the state, and as I pass the Osborne exit, 6 LA Sheriff cruisers blow by me, each full of 5 deputies.
They're obviously not reading this, but I really want to say thanks to all those hard working men and women who put their asses on the line so I have the opportunity to come to work and drink coffee.
@Mad_Science: I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble up there. I'm in San Diego and went through this a few years ago. My drive home from work is still very eerie as the fire burned through most of my commute.
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Edited by Shamoononon: I shave my legs. at 08/31/09 12:25 PM
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@Shamoononon: It's really hot today.: I was in SD in 2003 for the massive Cedar Fire. I was in-town but had a few friends whose places burned down. Part of the research facility I was working at burned.
@pauljones: Good luck to your family. I can't imagine having to leave my home, not knowing what I will be coming back to... I hope everything turns out alright.
The deaths are tragic... I truly admire those who rush into the flames while the rest of us run away. My best to their families.
@pauljones: Hey dude, if you need help moving any of your family's stuff in to a u-haul or something my email address is on my profile under "website." I had to help my Grandparents evac from Altadena yesterday and I know how much work it is. That goes for anyone who might need help escaping from the fires.
I just went for a long drive through the mountains around the SF Bay Area last night and passed by the remains of the barriers of a fire we had near here recently. Driving through the deep forest roads, I couldn't help thinking of this going on right now. I feel fortunate to live so close to so many great driving roads, and hate the thought of losing them.
I hope only the best for those with homes in the path of the fires. Good luck to those fighting them! I hope it becomes a winning battle soon!
What roads did you hit yesterday? The one thing I really miss about the Bay Area is San Antonio Valley Rd., which is a continuation of Mt. Hamilton pass the observatory. One of the best roads I've driven anywhere. Going northbound on that road you can then turn right when you reach the intersection of Del Puerto Canyon. 50 miles of heaven.
Pescadero Creek Rd. is pretty good too. It's kind of sad when you start to pick where you want to live based on the quality of their mountain roads. That's when you know you're addicted. It's like choosing an area based on the prevalence of crack dealers, except different...
@LionZoo: I know exactly what you mean. Good choices on roads, but that was a little farther south than I wanted to go. I took Page Mill out of Palo Alto, then took Skyline over to Highway 9 into Santa Cruz. I then found a tree to urinate on and headed north on Highway 1 to Pescadero and back onto Skyline North, then hitting Kings Mountain down into Redwood City. It was a pretty good run.
I just love that about this area. I only have to drive about 10-15 mins to get to some of the best roads most people have ever seen. There is a network of backroads that a lot of people don't even know about, much less travel. No cops either...
L.A. Times has been doing a spectacular job over the past couple of years with their info graphics and their use of Google. They also did a hugely useful fire tracker last year during the Yorba Linda fires that was outstanding. Hats off to who ever it is in charge with those things.
Ah, yellow skies in the morning and C-130's droning overhead all day. Probably the one and only bad thing about living in central Idaho in the summertime.
I hope everything goes well for them out in California. I've known several people who have lost their homes and more to wildfires, so I hope they can keep things under control out there.
The fire is still burning with little to no containment, and the air quality is pretty damn bad. Imagine a sitting around a campfire with a bunch of your buddies just chilling and having a good time.
Well, in Soviet California, the campfire sits around you and your buddies and makes for a warm, but oddly uncomfortable time as you see your homes in the path of a steadily-moving wall of 80-foot flames.
In case those of you in other areas of the nation didn't already know, there's a good reason to keep up-to-date on your house insurance.
Welcome to La Canada/Flintridge, currently known simply as "Hell".
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@pauljones: Stay safe out there. I'm back visiting this upcoming weekend and was hoping to get a run or two in on my beloved Little T, but that doesn't seem to be happening. However, that's a very minor issue compared to that of other people's.
By the way, I remember a year when I was young where the fires were so bad you'd look at the San Gabriels at night and there would be sections of fire on the mountains that were easily visible from the San Gabriel valley. That gave a distinct impression that you were in some surreal hell and all your exits were blocked by fire. Is it like that at the moment?
My family lives in La Canada, and I spent the weekend up there helping them pack up and make the house as safe as possible. They are now on their way down to my apartment in Long Beach.
It's a surreal, frightening thing to see a house that you spent a fair deal of your life in, and that your family still lives in, not more than a mile away from the fire.
@pauljones: Yeah La Canada is pretty close to the danger spot, but the sad thing is I wouldn't call it anywhere close to the most dangerous fire areas in the LA area, which I believe are Malibu and Santa Clarita. There are certain advantages to living in the San Gabriel valley. Hopefully, the fire department will do a good enough job and your parents' house will be fine. The boys generally do a fine and valiant job this time of year and I'm sure that holds for this year as well.
Still, fire or no fire I'd rather be in LA than Boston. As it is, it looks like I'm going to extend this contract for the time being. The pay is just too good and I'm stockpiling money for when I go off to law school.
@pauljones: My friend was the last one to leave his neighborhood during the evacuations last year. By the time he got out, the fire had spread into his neighborhood. He told me that the street he drove down had fires on both sides with trees bursting into flames. The wind was also bad, so there were embers and flames flying across at 60-70 mph. He said it looked like Hell.
On the brightside, the neighborhood was untouched by the fire. It literally caressed the walls and moved on. I wish your family good luck!
@LionZoo: So far as I know, there are no fires in Malibu or in Santa Clarita, thankfully. Although they might be able to see the La Canade fires from Santa Clarita.
@MrBangBam: It wasn't quite so bad as your friend was describing; there aren't a whole lot of winds, oddly enough for this time of year, and my family started packing as soon as the voluntary evacuation was released, and as soon as it became mandatory, they were ready to get in the car and go immediately.
@MrBangBam: We should arrange a trade. Four seasons is overrated. I thought I wanted it when I went off to college. One winter showed me I was very very mistaken. Not to mention I like the LA culture much better, and there are no good driving roads around Boston (driving roads by my definition, which basically means roads that seem like rally special stages).
To get this back on topic, the same mountains that allow LA to have such wonderful, spectacular, driving roads also makes it hell on fighting the fires. It's hard enough hiking in those mountains when conditions are perfect, do be fighting fires on them must take some incredible skill.
It's going to be weird next time I drive through those roads and the landscape is all charred. I probably won't be able to see it this trip, but for my trip in October I'm bracing for some really blackened scenery.
If they are lucky the Hurricane will take care of the Fires.
Which is like having a mouse problem so you get cats. Then having a cat problem so you get dogs. Then having a dog problem so you get Alligators. Then having a Gator problem so you get hand grenades.
So with that thinking a Earth Quake should rock the West coast just after the Hurricane comes in.
@bourgeoisie: Funny you would mention that... The L.A. Times reported last week that the guns-for-cash turn-ins to the Police is running at a record pace. Seems people need to buy holiday gifts more than they need their Saturday Night Special handgun...
@Charles_Barrett - Now with Variable-Valve Timing: I wonder how many of the guns turned in for these buybacks are stolen just for the occasion? Every time I hear about these events they go on and on about how all the guns are checked to see if they were used in a crime, never a word about checking if they're stolen or if they'll be returned to their rightful owners.
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11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
11/10/09
I love the sound of this. I think it'll be hilarious to see kids being forced to square off against a War Games computer every time they want to go somewhere. Didn't make the high score? The car's taking you to Boise! Wanna go to Starbucks? Fat chance, gotta beat the Parnelli Jones boss at his own game! Why didn't you go to school today, Junior? I was driving there, but I couldn't get the Star Power 4x multiplier at 48,375 points and the car sent me the wrong way down an on-ramp! #conceptcars
11/10/09
"Oh, that's simple! Left, Right, Left, Right, A, B, Up and then Down. Easy!" #conceptcars
11/10/09
09/04/09
08/31/09
I went out last night hunting for some shots of the fire. I found this. The edge of the flame is about 7 miles from my house.
08/31/09
I'm on my way to my desk job in my typical yuppie garb, thinking about what meetings I have today.
...meanwhile it's like a very foggy coastal morning. Except it's not fog. Even with the AC on recirculate, the smoke smell comes in. 50% of the slow-lane traffic is fire trucks from all over the state, and as I pass the Osborne exit, 6 LA Sheriff cruisers blow by me, each full of 5 deputies.
They're obviously not reading this, but I really want to say thanks to all those hard working men and women who put their asses on the line so I have the opportunity to come to work and drink coffee.
Good luck, guys.
08/31/09
[maps.google.com]
08/31/09
My family just got hit with a mandatory evacuation notice late last night/early this morning.
Having seen those flames from a slight distance, we are praying like hell for the guys that have to meet them up close.
I'm sad to say that I believe there have already been two firefighter fatalities.
08/31/09
My thoughts are with you.
08/31/09
Are they way up in the hills or down in town?
Seems like most of La Canada is gonna safe. Smokey, but safe.
Hope/pray for the best.
08/31/09
Not fun.
08/31/09
The deaths are tragic... I truly admire those who rush into the flames while the rest of us run away. My best to their families.
08/31/09
08/31/09
I hope only the best for those with homes in the path of the fires. Good luck to those fighting them! I hope it becomes a winning battle soon!
Save the driving roads!
08/31/09
What roads did you hit yesterday? The one thing I really miss about the Bay Area is San Antonio Valley Rd., which is a continuation of Mt. Hamilton pass the observatory. One of the best roads I've driven anywhere. Going northbound on that road you can then turn right when you reach the intersection of Del Puerto Canyon. 50 miles of heaven.
Pescadero Creek Rd. is pretty good too. It's kind of sad when you start to pick where you want to live based on the quality of their mountain roads. That's when you know you're addicted. It's like choosing an area based on the prevalence of crack dealers, except different...
08/31/09
I just love that about this area. I only have to drive about 10-15 mins to get to some of the best roads most people have ever seen. There is a network of backroads that a lot of people don't even know about, much less travel. No cops either...
08/31/09
Scary Stuff
08/31/09
08/31/09
08/31/09
That, and the LA:Now blog from the LAT has been really helpful. Basically they post every bit of news as soon as they can verify it.
08/31/09
I hope everything goes well for them out in California. I've known several people who have lost their homes and more to wildfires, so I hope they can keep things under control out there.
08/31/09
If this keeps going the way it is, a lot of us are going to lose our homes.
08/31/09
09/01/09
08/31/09
The fire is still burning with little to no containment, and the air quality is pretty damn bad. Imagine a sitting around a campfire with a bunch of your buddies just chilling and having a good time.
Well, in Soviet California, the campfire sits around you and your buddies and makes for a warm, but oddly uncomfortable time as you see your homes in the path of a steadily-moving wall of 80-foot flames.
In case those of you in other areas of the nation didn't already know, there's a good reason to keep up-to-date on your house insurance.
Welcome to La Canada/Flintridge, currently known simply as "Hell".
08/31/09
Damn....remind me not to bitch this winter when we have a few feet of snow in Wisconsin.
Stay safe, hope you come out of it unburnt.
08/31/09
Good thing you swapped out those plastic body pannels for the asbestos ones last week.
08/31/09
By the way, I remember a year when I was young where the fires were so bad you'd look at the San Gabriels at night and there would be sections of fire on the mountains that were easily visible from the San Gabriel valley. That gave a distinct impression that you were in some surreal hell and all your exits were blocked by fire. Is it like that at the moment?
08/31/09
My family lives in La Canada, and I spent the weekend up there helping them pack up and make the house as safe as possible. They are now on their way down to my apartment in Long Beach.
It's a surreal, frightening thing to see a house that you spent a fair deal of your life in, and that your family still lives in, not more than a mile away from the fire.
08/31/09
Still, fire or no fire I'd rather be in LA than Boston. As it is, it looks like I'm going to extend this contract for the time being. The pay is just too good and I'm stockpiling money for when I go off to law school.
08/31/09
On the brightside, the neighborhood was untouched by the fire. It literally caressed the walls and moved on. I wish your family good luck!
08/31/09
08/31/09
@MrBangBam: It wasn't quite so bad as your friend was describing; there aren't a whole lot of winds, oddly enough for this time of year, and my family started packing as soon as the voluntary evacuation was released, and as soon as it became mandatory, they were ready to get in the car and go immediately.
08/31/09
To get this back on topic, the same mountains that allow LA to have such wonderful, spectacular, driving roads also makes it hell on fighting the fires. It's hard enough hiking in those mountains when conditions are perfect, do be fighting fires on them must take some incredible skill.
It's going to be weird next time I drive through those roads and the landscape is all charred. I probably won't be able to see it this trip, but for my trip in October I'm bracing for some really blackened scenery.
08/31/09
08/31/09
If they are lucky the Hurricane will take care of the Fires.
Which is like having a mouse problem so you get cats. Then having a cat problem so you get dogs. Then having a dog problem so you get Alligators. Then having a Gator problem so you get hand grenades.
So with that thinking a Earth Quake should rock the West coast just after the Hurricane comes in.
08/31/09
12/16/08
12/16/08
Funny, when was the last time you saw criminals and gangbangers lining up at the Police dept's "buy back" to hand in their weapons?
12/16/08
12/16/08