(GolfDigest.com)
Champion - Callaway Great Big Bertha
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Beauty & Pain Is In The Eye Of Beholder
The Ballad of Ducati Ownership
The troublemaker Ducatis I’m referring to are the now-affordable and forever gorgeous 916 era bikes. This includes the 916, 748, 996, and in some cases the 998. These are the machines that really nailed down the high-maintenance and expensive-to-operate Italian motorcycle mentality. But oh, are they ever beautiful.
(Jalopnik.com)
The troublemaker Ducatis I’m referring to are the now-affordable and forever gorgeous 916 era bikes. This includes the 916, 748, 996, and in some cases the 998. These are the machines that really nailed down the high-maintenance and expensive-to-operate Italian motorcycle mentality. But oh, are they ever beautiful.
(Jalopnik.com)
It Cost Him Approximately $34/Mile To Own This Car For 10 Months
What it cost me to own a Ferrari for a year
During my 10 months of ownership (it wasn’t quite a year :( ) I put 1,863 miles on this car.
Total Cost:
All said and done, I am $58,363.51 into this car,
The real problem came at where do you sell a Ferrari?
I listed the car for a 7 day auction with a buy it now of $65,000.
On day 7, with one hour left to go, my auction was up to $55,700. I was preparing to list the item on BAT and pay Ebay the $15 I owed them, and boom, last minute bidding war.
With only several seconds to go, one lucky bidder met my bid at exactly $65,000.
So in 10 months of owning and driving a Ferrari, I spent -$6,636.49. Take away my $140 listing fee from Ebay and I profited $6,496.49. I also got to write off the taxes I paid on it, so it’s slightly more than that, but all in all, through my love, and hate, of this car, I would say it was a good decision.
(Jalopnik.com)
During my 10 months of ownership (it wasn’t quite a year :( ) I put 1,863 miles on this car.
Total Cost:
All said and done, I am $58,363.51 into this car,
The real problem came at where do you sell a Ferrari?
I listed the car for a 7 day auction with a buy it now of $65,000.
On day 7, with one hour left to go, my auction was up to $55,700. I was preparing to list the item on BAT and pay Ebay the $15 I owed them, and boom, last minute bidding war.
With only several seconds to go, one lucky bidder met my bid at exactly $65,000.
So in 10 months of owning and driving a Ferrari, I spent -$6,636.49. Take away my $140 listing fee from Ebay and I profited $6,496.49. I also got to write off the taxes I paid on it, so it’s slightly more than that, but all in all, through my love, and hate, of this car, I would say it was a good decision.
(Jalopnik.com)
These Grind My Gears
The 12 Toughest Things About Daily Driving
We recently asked you guys what the toughest things about driving were for you. Here were your interesting answers!
We recently asked you guys what the toughest things about driving were for you. Here were your interesting answers!
- "Traffic"
- "When my car is cold and people don’t understand why I don’t accelerate faster..."
- "Staying under the speed limit"
Cheap Oil Isn't Helping Everyone
Cheap oil means bad business for pirates
Gulf of Guinea sees decline of maritime attacks as oil prices remain low.
According to the Huffington Post, low oil prices tip the risk/benefit scales in a way that simply make it not worthwhile for some pirates to attempt to seize tankers. In the Gulf of Guinea, a major shipping lane for oil tankers, attack from pirates dropped from 69 in 2014 to 49 in 2015. Nigeria, the heart of Africa's oil production, lost as much as 500,000 barrels a day when prices were over $100 per barrel, or about a quarter of its outgoing supply, according to West African maritime industry analyst Bolaji Akinola.
Of course, there are other reasons for the decline in piracy, including increased communication, collaboration and coordination of anti-piracy efforts by multiple navies. In addition, West African pirates have adapted their criminal enterprises in the face of cheap oil, focusing more on kidnapping and ransom than stealing petroleum, "the kind of piracy that we saw in the Somalia area, in the Gulf of Aden," says Akinola.
Stealing oil just isn't the lucrative business it once was. Still, until conditions improve for people living in the region, crime will continue. "In the long-run, there is a need to provide employment for youth, especially in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria," Akinola tells NPR. "I hope you are aware of the fact that piracy in the larger Gulf of Guinea area has been blamed on Nigerian pirates. So until you are able to meaningfully engage this category of people, they will continue to constitute danger to shipping."
(AutoBlog.com)
Gulf of Guinea sees decline of maritime attacks as oil prices remain low.
According to the Huffington Post, low oil prices tip the risk/benefit scales in a way that simply make it not worthwhile for some pirates to attempt to seize tankers. In the Gulf of Guinea, a major shipping lane for oil tankers, attack from pirates dropped from 69 in 2014 to 49 in 2015. Nigeria, the heart of Africa's oil production, lost as much as 500,000 barrels a day when prices were over $100 per barrel, or about a quarter of its outgoing supply, according to West African maritime industry analyst Bolaji Akinola.
Of course, there are other reasons for the decline in piracy, including increased communication, collaboration and coordination of anti-piracy efforts by multiple navies. In addition, West African pirates have adapted their criminal enterprises in the face of cheap oil, focusing more on kidnapping and ransom than stealing petroleum, "the kind of piracy that we saw in the Somalia area, in the Gulf of Aden," says Akinola.
Stealing oil just isn't the lucrative business it once was. Still, until conditions improve for people living in the region, crime will continue. "In the long-run, there is a need to provide employment for youth, especially in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria," Akinola tells NPR. "I hope you are aware of the fact that piracy in the larger Gulf of Guinea area has been blamed on Nigerian pirates. So until you are able to meaningfully engage this category of people, they will continue to constitute danger to shipping."
(AutoBlog.com)
Their Cars Made Them Famous, But It Didn't Get Them Started
Car Brands That Started Out Making Something Totally Different
Toyota
Toyota
- Long before it ever produced a vehicle, Toyota -- known in those days as Toyoda -- made some of the world's finest automated looms. Seriously, like, sewing looms. The company began in 1926 as Toyoda Automatic Loom Works, Ltd. That distinctive front-styling feature you see on every Lexus? That's a nod to the looms.
- Founded in 1870, Mitsubishi was originally a shipping company, and in the decades that followed it continuously expanded into areas like coal mining, banking, and paper. Even today, the automotive sector is just one part of a much wider corporation that ranges from oil and gas, to insurance, to satellite-launching rockets.
- McLaren is sort of an odd duck here. Its race cars have been winning for decades, so it's entirely understandable for someone that's unaware of the brand's history to think it's been making road cars for just as long. Founded in 1963 by Bruce McLaren, the company existed for the singular purpose of racing. Some of the greatest race cars in history ensued, but the company didn't produce its first road car until the 1990s. Then it went on hiatus for a few years again.
- Ferruccio Lamborghini was a mechanically inclined guy, and after WWII, he built his own tractors largely out of miscellaneous spare parts. Lamborghini Trattori is still in business, though no longer related to the car company. As an Italian man of means, he enjoyed fast cars, and owned a Ferrari 250 GTO. Once he realized that the 250's clutch was the same unit he used in his tractors, he asked Enzo for a few spares, and... let's just say in the wake of the feud, the first Lamborghini as you know it was born.
- Sir William Lyons founded the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922, as a manufacturer of, well, motorcycle sidecars. The company expanded its efforts to cars, becoming SS Cars Limited in the 1930s. As for the name change? In the context of World War II, the letters "SS" had a decidedly evil connotation, so the name officially changed to Jaguar on March 23rd, 1945.
Kings Once Again Poised For A Cup Run
Kings bounce back in big way
Los Angeles poised for run at third Stanley Cup title in five seasons
Here are five reasons why the Kings clinched:
1. Rest and motivation
The 2014-15 Kings didn't have a terrible season by any means, going 40-27-15 for 95 points. But that was three points short of a playoff berth in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, and just more than six months removed from raising their second Stanley Cup banner, the Kings were packing their bags for an early summer.
Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Between the two Cup runs in 2012 and 2014 and a trip to the Western Conference Final in 2013, they played 64 postseason games in addition to the combined 246 regular-season games over that span. Top players like Kopitar and Doughty admitted before the start of this season that the extra rest could prove beneficial.
"It felt good, even though it stinks to miss the playoffs," Kopitar said. "We kind of needed that to recharge and get away for a little longer period of time. You always feel like you're in a rush to get ready. Not this time.
"The sour taste from missing the playoffs is what drives us to do some damage this year."
2. Overtime heroics
The new 3-on-3 format apparently agrees with Los Angeles, which has won 11 of 14 games this season decided in the extra period.
Combined with the shootout, the Kings have played 18 games this season that have gone beyond regulation and picked up the extra point in 12. Contrast that to a season ago, when they were 3-15 in those situations (1-7 in overtime, 2-8 in shootouts). If they had managed an even 9-9 split, they would have breezed into the playoffs.
"We've been doing a good job of getting those chances when we have because the puck possession in the 3-on-3," forward Milan Lucic told LA Kings Insider earlier this month. "As you've seen from all the 3-on-3 play, puck possession is probably the biggest thing, and when you get those chances, you've got to make sure you score, and we've been bearing down on them. To be honest, that was one of the things we talked about early in the season, heading into those overtime games, is getting those points."
3. 'America's Best'
When Quick made 32 saves in a 5-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 14, he wasn't just shutting out the defending Cup champs. He also set an NHL record for most shutouts by a U.S.-born goalie with the 41st of his career, passing John Vanbiesbrouck and Frank Brimsek.
Quick is having his typical elite season, ranking second in the League in wins (37) and fourth in goals-against average (2.14). His .921 save percentage would be the second highest of his career. He has been a workhorse as usual -- he's second in the NHL in minutes played and tied for second with 58 games -- but with Jhonas Enroth earning Sutter's trust to the tune of 12 starts already and performing brilliantly at times (2.01 GAA, .930 save percentage), Quick won't sniff the career-high-tying 72 appearances he made last season.
4. The missing piece
The Kings acquired Lucic on June 26, sending the Bruins the No. 13 pick in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft and goaltender Martin Jones.
Lucic, who had an eight-game point streak end Saturday against his former team, has provided a power-forward presence with a penchant for performing in big spots -- he lifted the Cup in 2011 with the Bruins and has 26 goals and 61 points in 96 postseason games. It's the type of resume the Kings needed with Justin Williams leaving to sign as a free agent with the Washington Capitals on July 1.
"I think he's given our top end of our forward group some size and some skill, and that's never a bad thing," Sutter told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.
5. Everyone playing their roles
The Kings' best players have stood out. Quick has been a fortress in goal, Kopitar is close to a point-per-game player (24 goals, 65 points in 70 games), and Doughty figures to again get consideration for the Norris Trophy, averaging the third-most minutes in the League (28:12) and playing dynamically at each end of the ice. Forward Tyler Toffoli leads Los Angeles with 26 goals, an NHL career-high.
The Kings didn't win the Cup twice by merely relying on its stars, though, and this version has its own share of complementary pieces.
Forward Vincent Lecavalier, acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 6, has revived his career with eight goals in 32 games. Forward Kris Versteeg, traded from the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 28, can fit in on the top line with Lucic and Kopitar, or play down in the lineup. And with veteran defenseman Matt Greene limited to three games because of a shoulder injury that required surgery, the Kings brought back 2012 Cup winner Rob Scuderi and added Luke Schenn for bottom-six depth.
(NHL.com)
Los Angeles poised for run at third Stanley Cup title in five seasons
Here are five reasons why the Kings clinched:
1. Rest and motivation
The 2014-15 Kings didn't have a terrible season by any means, going 40-27-15 for 95 points. But that was three points short of a playoff berth in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, and just more than six months removed from raising their second Stanley Cup banner, the Kings were packing their bags for an early summer.
Maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. Between the two Cup runs in 2012 and 2014 and a trip to the Western Conference Final in 2013, they played 64 postseason games in addition to the combined 246 regular-season games over that span. Top players like Kopitar and Doughty admitted before the start of this season that the extra rest could prove beneficial.
"It felt good, even though it stinks to miss the playoffs," Kopitar said. "We kind of needed that to recharge and get away for a little longer period of time. You always feel like you're in a rush to get ready. Not this time.
"The sour taste from missing the playoffs is what drives us to do some damage this year."
2. Overtime heroics
The new 3-on-3 format apparently agrees with Los Angeles, which has won 11 of 14 games this season decided in the extra period.
Combined with the shootout, the Kings have played 18 games this season that have gone beyond regulation and picked up the extra point in 12. Contrast that to a season ago, when they were 3-15 in those situations (1-7 in overtime, 2-8 in shootouts). If they had managed an even 9-9 split, they would have breezed into the playoffs.
"We've been doing a good job of getting those chances when we have because the puck possession in the 3-on-3," forward Milan Lucic told LA Kings Insider earlier this month. "As you've seen from all the 3-on-3 play, puck possession is probably the biggest thing, and when you get those chances, you've got to make sure you score, and we've been bearing down on them. To be honest, that was one of the things we talked about early in the season, heading into those overtime games, is getting those points."
3. 'America's Best'
When Quick made 32 saves in a 5-0 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on March 14, he wasn't just shutting out the defending Cup champs. He also set an NHL record for most shutouts by a U.S.-born goalie with the 41st of his career, passing John Vanbiesbrouck and Frank Brimsek.
Quick is having his typical elite season, ranking second in the League in wins (37) and fourth in goals-against average (2.14). His .921 save percentage would be the second highest of his career. He has been a workhorse as usual -- he's second in the NHL in minutes played and tied for second with 58 games -- but with Jhonas Enroth earning Sutter's trust to the tune of 12 starts already and performing brilliantly at times (2.01 GAA, .930 save percentage), Quick won't sniff the career-high-tying 72 appearances he made last season.
4. The missing piece
The Kings acquired Lucic on June 26, sending the Bruins the No. 13 pick in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft and goaltender Martin Jones.
Lucic, who had an eight-game point streak end Saturday against his former team, has provided a power-forward presence with a penchant for performing in big spots -- he lifted the Cup in 2011 with the Bruins and has 26 goals and 61 points in 96 postseason games. It's the type of resume the Kings needed with Justin Williams leaving to sign as a free agent with the Washington Capitals on July 1.
"I think he's given our top end of our forward group some size and some skill, and that's never a bad thing," Sutter told the Los Angeles Times on Thursday.
5. Everyone playing their roles
The Kings' best players have stood out. Quick has been a fortress in goal, Kopitar is close to a point-per-game player (24 goals, 65 points in 70 games), and Doughty figures to again get consideration for the Norris Trophy, averaging the third-most minutes in the League (28:12) and playing dynamically at each end of the ice. Forward Tyler Toffoli leads Los Angeles with 26 goals, an NHL career-high.
The Kings didn't win the Cup twice by merely relying on its stars, though, and this version has its own share of complementary pieces.
Forward Vincent Lecavalier, acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 6, has revived his career with eight goals in 32 games. Forward Kris Versteeg, traded from the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 28, can fit in on the top line with Lucic and Kopitar, or play down in the lineup. And with veteran defenseman Matt Greene limited to three games because of a shoulder injury that required surgery, the Kings brought back 2012 Cup winner Rob Scuderi and added Luke Schenn for bottom-six depth.
(NHL.com)
We've Known This For Years & Now Finally Care?
America’s Public Transit Is Broken—And It’s All Your Fault
There’s plenty of talk about how housing has become dramatically less affordable in the US, but hardly anyone talks about the transportation crisis, which is the direct result of failing to build enough places for people to live. Because cities have become too expensive, the transit-dependent have been forced to move further and further away. These are the Americans without a smartphone in their hands, who don’t have a car at home, who might live below the poverty line. These are the people who are riding those buses for hours a day to get to their jobs or their school. These are people who would kill for a car that could finally give them some stability in their lives.
The solution is not to buy everyone cars—it’s to design our cities so no one has to shoulder the economic burden of owning a vehicle if they don’t choose to. This is where policymakers have failed.
(Gizmodo.com)
There’s plenty of talk about how housing has become dramatically less affordable in the US, but hardly anyone talks about the transportation crisis, which is the direct result of failing to build enough places for people to live. Because cities have become too expensive, the transit-dependent have been forced to move further and further away. These are the Americans without a smartphone in their hands, who don’t have a car at home, who might live below the poverty line. These are the people who are riding those buses for hours a day to get to their jobs or their school. These are people who would kill for a car that could finally give them some stability in their lives.
The solution is not to buy everyone cars—it’s to design our cities so no one has to shoulder the economic burden of owning a vehicle if they don’t choose to. This is where policymakers have failed.
(Gizmodo.com)
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