Hold onto your ape hangers, American Chopper returns next year
This is not a drill: American Chopper returns to the Discovery Channel in winter 2018.
Discovery tells us the reboot gets father and son together to "reclaim
their preeminent bike brands and – hopefully, rebuild some sort of
relationship."
(AutoBlog.com)
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
You Don't Always Have To Keep Up With The Joneses
BMW Doesn't See A Need For A New Supercar Despite It Being Painfully Obvious
BMW is again considering developing a new high-performance sports car of some sort, something to slot above the current BMW i8 and the upcoming Z4 roadster and new 8 Series. The issue is that the execs just don’t know why they would need to.
Speaking to Autocar at the Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW Vice President Dirk Hacker said the idea of developing a new supercar or high-performance sports car above the upcoming 8 Series is yet again fresh in the minds of the company. The only issue they’re having is coming up for a solid reason to do something inventive, fun, invigorating and exciting like that. There has to be logic!
(Jalopnik.com)
BMW is again considering developing a new high-performance sports car of some sort, something to slot above the current BMW i8 and the upcoming Z4 roadster and new 8 Series. The issue is that the execs just don’t know why they would need to.
Speaking to Autocar at the Frankfurt Motor Show, BMW Vice President Dirk Hacker said the idea of developing a new supercar or high-performance sports car above the upcoming 8 Series is yet again fresh in the minds of the company. The only issue they’re having is coming up for a solid reason to do something inventive, fun, invigorating and exciting like that. There has to be logic!
(Jalopnik.com)
Business Is That Simple, If You Stick To The Blue Print
The simple formula Jeff Bezos used to turn Amazon into a $480 billion company
1. Distinguish between high and low impact
As Jeff Bezos explained to Amazon shareholders in his 2015 letter, there are two categories of decisions. Type 1 are the mission-critical, high-impact choices that influence the larger strategy, while Type 2 are the lower stakes choices that can easily be reversed if need be.
Given that most large companies have a very fuzzy distinction between the two, they fall into the trap of immediacy and their ability to direct resources to the truly important things suffers.
Most of your time should always be spent on Type 1 decisions. Type 2 decisions should either be delegated, or they should be batched together with other less critical choices for later.
All you need to know
Amazon is one of the most successful corporations of our day. They have many things going for them, but the key determinant of their success is arguably their decision-making process.
It’s easy to neglect the idea of having a framework in place to make choices. It’s something we have an intuitive process for, but it’s useful to remember that our intuition has known gaps.
Good decision-making not only removes those gaps, but it also filters signal from the noise.
(QZ.com)
1. Distinguish between high and low impact
As Jeff Bezos explained to Amazon shareholders in his 2015 letter, there are two categories of decisions. Type 1 are the mission-critical, high-impact choices that influence the larger strategy, while Type 2 are the lower stakes choices that can easily be reversed if need be.
Given that most large companies have a very fuzzy distinction between the two, they fall into the trap of immediacy and their ability to direct resources to the truly important things suffers.
Most of your time should always be spent on Type 1 decisions. Type 2 decisions should either be delegated, or they should be batched together with other less critical choices for later.
All you need to know
Amazon is one of the most successful corporations of our day. They have many things going for them, but the key determinant of their success is arguably their decision-making process.
It’s easy to neglect the idea of having a framework in place to make choices. It’s something we have an intuitive process for, but it’s useful to remember that our intuition has known gaps.
Good decision-making not only removes those gaps, but it also filters signal from the noise.
(QZ.com)
Monday, October 30, 2017
I Would Hope So
Toyota: We Expect To Dominate In This Class Where We Are The Only Ones Racing
Toyota, for now, will be the lone manufacturer left in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s top racing class next season. The company said it wants to stay in the class, “only with the goal of winning.” The only thing you can do is win if there is no one else competing, Toyota.
With Toyota’s last remaining competitor in the top Le Mans Prototype 1 class, Porsche, out of WEC after this season, things are looking slim in terms of the competition. Reports say should Toyota stay and be the only manufacturer, it could have a few privateer teams compete against it. But when a team has a $100 million annual budget for a series, there probably isn’t much hope for the teams trying to do things out of their own garage.
(Jalopnik.com)
Toyota, for now, will be the lone manufacturer left in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s top racing class next season. The company said it wants to stay in the class, “only with the goal of winning.” The only thing you can do is win if there is no one else competing, Toyota.
With Toyota’s last remaining competitor in the top Le Mans Prototype 1 class, Porsche, out of WEC after this season, things are looking slim in terms of the competition. Reports say should Toyota stay and be the only manufacturer, it could have a few privateer teams compete against it. But when a team has a $100 million annual budget for a series, there probably isn’t much hope for the teams trying to do things out of their own garage.
(Jalopnik.com)
Duh!
Stop Spending Time With People Who Drag You Down
Before you run off to your next meeting or gathering, ask yourself if those people bring out your best qualities. If you’re an intelligent thinker, do they challenge your mind? If you’re a creative type, do they push you to pursue your art? If you’re curious, do they present you with new perspectives on the world? If you’re a free spirit looking for adventure, do they seek it out with you or tie you down? Are you actually content to be around them?
Think
about the things that uplift you as a person, the qualities that push
you to be better, and seek those things out in others. Surround yourself
with living catalysts who will push you to be the absolute greatest
version of yourself. Every moment you spend with someone holding you
back is a moment forever lost.
(LifeHacker.com)
Before you run off to your next meeting or gathering, ask yourself if those people bring out your best qualities. If you’re an intelligent thinker, do they challenge your mind? If you’re a creative type, do they push you to pursue your art? If you’re curious, do they present you with new perspectives on the world? If you’re a free spirit looking for adventure, do they seek it out with you or tie you down? Are you actually content to be around them?
(LifeHacker.com)
An Interesting Read
If You Can’t Find a Spouse Who Supports Your Career, Stay Single
I was at a dinner with eight highly successful professional women recently, ranging in age from 35 to 74. Their stories were typical of research I have been conducting on dual-career couples.
This experience underlines the conclusion I’ve drawn from years of research and experience: Professionally ambitious women really only have two options when it comes to their personal partners — a super-supportive partner or no partner at all. Anything in between ends up being a morale- and career-sapping morass.
If your partner is not willing to engage, uninterested in “leaning in,” and resistant to seeking help, you should ask yourself why. Just like at work, it is interesting first to work on yourself. Understand your own issues, the impact you have on others, the degree to which you are creating the reaction you are struggling with. Consider working with a therapist or coach. In the end, after you’ve figured yourself out, if the relationship hasn’t improved, the question remains: What is keeping you in this team? Are you staying out of love or fear?
(HBR.org)
I was at a dinner with eight highly successful professional women recently, ranging in age from 35 to 74. Their stories were typical of research I have been conducting on dual-career couples.
This experience underlines the conclusion I’ve drawn from years of research and experience: Professionally ambitious women really only have two options when it comes to their personal partners — a super-supportive partner or no partner at all. Anything in between ends up being a morale- and career-sapping morass.
If your partner is not willing to engage, uninterested in “leaning in,” and resistant to seeking help, you should ask yourself why. Just like at work, it is interesting first to work on yourself. Understand your own issues, the impact you have on others, the degree to which you are creating the reaction you are struggling with. Consider working with a therapist or coach. In the end, after you’ve figured yourself out, if the relationship hasn’t improved, the question remains: What is keeping you in this team? Are you staying out of love or fear?
(HBR.org)
Did You Know - Chick Fil A Edition
15 Facts About Chick-Fil-A That'll Make You Say, "Whoa, That's Crazy"
5. Only three states don't have a Chick-fil-A: Alaska, Hawaii, and Vermont.
Complete list (BuzzFeed.com)
5. Only three states don't have a Chick-fil-A: Alaska, Hawaii, and Vermont.
Complete list (BuzzFeed.com)
Friday, October 27, 2017
This Is A Beast
This 828bhp Mercedes-AMG GT Makes The R Look Weak
The IMSA RXR One is a tuned AMG GT that looks like it wants to punch a 911 GT3 RS in the face
(CarThrottle.com)
The IMSA RXR One is a tuned AMG GT that looks like it wants to punch a 911 GT3 RS in the face
(CarThrottle.com)
It's Really This Simple
Romancing the Supercar Buyer: How Ultra-Luxe Car Dealers Clinch a Sale
Hint: It’s not like selling a Camry.
3. Bring the Car to the Client—or the Client to the Car
Aston Martin takes its atelier, as it were, directly to the customers, with personal exclusive “fittings” of its $3 million Valkyrie for the 150 individuals who merit the right to purchase one. (The materials covering the seats, dashboard, and headliner; the style of the body panels; and exterior trimmings such as rims and wheel covers are all bespoke.)
Pagani will do the same but in reverse, flying customers to company headquarters over the two- to three years it takes to develop a car that it tailors the vehicle to the owner like a suit, down to sizing the car for torso length and shoulder width.
“You can’t go sell cars—you have to offer an experience,” O’Gara said. “Especially with the young millennials, that is what everyone is looking for.”
6. Play Hard to Get
The other facet of cultivating the modern luxury buyer is fostering a sense of ultra exclusivity, both on the automaker level and on the dealer level. Production numbers must remain low—one-off models, ideally. Like red-carpet starlets in haute couture, the modern wealthy car enthusiast would never be so crude as to be seen in the same car as someone else.
“These cars are always instantly judged by their performance credentials, price tag, and ultimately, exclusivity,” explained Jonathan Klinger, the spokesman for Hagerty, which insures blue-chip collectible cars. “These exotic brands are basically sold and spoken for before the first production one is even ready, so that you have instant pent-up demand.”
Bugatti will make fewer than 500 Chiron cars total, Koenigsegg fewer than 40. Pagani will make just a little more than 40. Only half will go to the U.S., even though the company could sell all its inventory here if it wanted to, Horacio Pagani said. That’s by design. He wants even the ultra-rich to dream about his cars.
“The most important thing for all the human beings is to evoke a feeling,” Pagani said. “I don’t make any differences between a customer, someone who will eventually own the car, or someone else who can just dream about it. We are selling cars, but at the same time we want to give our fans the car of their dreams.”
Complete list (Bloomberg.com)
Hint: It’s not like selling a Camry.
3. Bring the Car to the Client—or the Client to the Car
Aston Martin takes its atelier, as it were, directly to the customers, with personal exclusive “fittings” of its $3 million Valkyrie for the 150 individuals who merit the right to purchase one. (The materials covering the seats, dashboard, and headliner; the style of the body panels; and exterior trimmings such as rims and wheel covers are all bespoke.)
Pagani will do the same but in reverse, flying customers to company headquarters over the two- to three years it takes to develop a car that it tailors the vehicle to the owner like a suit, down to sizing the car for torso length and shoulder width.
“You can’t go sell cars—you have to offer an experience,” O’Gara said. “Especially with the young millennials, that is what everyone is looking for.”
6. Play Hard to Get
The other facet of cultivating the modern luxury buyer is fostering a sense of ultra exclusivity, both on the automaker level and on the dealer level. Production numbers must remain low—one-off models, ideally. Like red-carpet starlets in haute couture, the modern wealthy car enthusiast would never be so crude as to be seen in the same car as someone else.
“These cars are always instantly judged by their performance credentials, price tag, and ultimately, exclusivity,” explained Jonathan Klinger, the spokesman for Hagerty, which insures blue-chip collectible cars. “These exotic brands are basically sold and spoken for before the first production one is even ready, so that you have instant pent-up demand.”
Bugatti will make fewer than 500 Chiron cars total, Koenigsegg fewer than 40. Pagani will make just a little more than 40. Only half will go to the U.S., even though the company could sell all its inventory here if it wanted to, Horacio Pagani said. That’s by design. He wants even the ultra-rich to dream about his cars.
“The most important thing for all the human beings is to evoke a feeling,” Pagani said. “I don’t make any differences between a customer, someone who will eventually own the car, or someone else who can just dream about it. We are selling cars, but at the same time we want to give our fans the car of their dreams.”
Complete list (Bloomberg.com)
Bigger Has Further Proven Never Be Better
How Porn Publisher Larry Flynt Hustled — And Wound Up Richer Than Hugh Hefner
One key to Flynt’s enduring wealth seems to be that, in contrast to the free-spending Hefner, Flynt has always been as focused on the bottom line as on political provocation. “My editorial staff on Hustler is 7,” he told the Daily Mail in 2015. “[Hefner’s] is probably somewhere between 40 and 50. I make a profit whereas he’s losing money every month.”
That attention to fundamentals has given Flynt the leverage to grow his core operation steadily, acquiring multiple other producers of adult entertainment, and growing divisions including the international cable TV operation Hustler TV. So while the Playboy empire was often on the rocks in Hefner’s final years, Flynt’s Beverly Hills headquarters still appear to be bustling. In fact, Flynt reportedly considered a bid to buy the Playboy Mansion last year.
(Fortune.com)
One key to Flynt’s enduring wealth seems to be that, in contrast to the free-spending Hefner, Flynt has always been as focused on the bottom line as on political provocation. “My editorial staff on Hustler is 7,” he told the Daily Mail in 2015. “[Hefner’s] is probably somewhere between 40 and 50. I make a profit whereas he’s losing money every month.”
That attention to fundamentals has given Flynt the leverage to grow his core operation steadily, acquiring multiple other producers of adult entertainment, and growing divisions including the international cable TV operation Hustler TV. So while the Playboy empire was often on the rocks in Hefner’s final years, Flynt’s Beverly Hills headquarters still appear to be bustling. In fact, Flynt reportedly considered a bid to buy the Playboy Mansion last year.
(Fortune.com)
Thursday, October 26, 2017
These Are Legit Concerns
13 reasons why we're not ready for our motoring future
2. The world's unpredictable
Maarten Sierhuis, director of the Nissan Research Centre, said: 'Reasoning and learning is not simple. From the raw data, we need to perceive the world and understand the obstacles. It's hard [for a machine] to distinguish a human standing still from a lamppost. Then the system needs to predict what the object will do next and what every other object will do.'
Real-world driving involves quick decision making that would require some extremely sophisticated programming. For instance, going through a red light because you've been waved through by a roadworker or a policeman. 'When you drive, how many times do you break the law in traffic? More often than you think.'
Drawing on his experience working with NASA, he believes that you need to keep humans in the loop, supervised by something like air traffic control.
3. Tech can't stop it raining
When it comes to self-driving, there's no hiding place. Either it works or it doesn't. And sensors don't always work. If your car has a reversing camera, you'll know how its performance is reduced by rain or dirt. And poor weather is no friend of digital radio reception. Daimler's Wilko Stark admits: 'Autonomous cars are highly weather dependent. In snow, it doesn't really work.'
10. It's all hugely expensive
For existing car manufacturers, there's going to be a period when they're simultaneously refining their current line-ups of petrol and diesel cars and developing hybrids and full electric cars.
Some visions of the future would also require a lot of road resurfacing, and the installation of charging points at workplaces, in shopping centre car parks, at filling stations and for domestic use. Expect more toll roads and congestion charges. And in-car advertising will be HUGE once cars can drive themselves.
12. We keep buying stuff
Amazon and other online retailers have increased the number of van journeys: in 2016, up by 3.8% to 78.2 billion miles in the UK. The other great users of white vans – plumbers, plasterers, electricians – are also thriving. In both cases, they need to get to your front door, without delay.
The future isn't just about commuting, shopping and leisure use.
13. Car sharing is easier said than done
The case for car sharing is compelling: most cars stand idle most of the time. But implementing it is far from simple. There are two routes: pairing drivers with passengers – a modern form of hitchhiking – and pairing unused cars with carless drivers.
Complete list (CarMagazine.co.uk)
2. The world's unpredictable
Maarten Sierhuis, director of the Nissan Research Centre, said: 'Reasoning and learning is not simple. From the raw data, we need to perceive the world and understand the obstacles. It's hard [for a machine] to distinguish a human standing still from a lamppost. Then the system needs to predict what the object will do next and what every other object will do.'
Real-world driving involves quick decision making that would require some extremely sophisticated programming. For instance, going through a red light because you've been waved through by a roadworker or a policeman. 'When you drive, how many times do you break the law in traffic? More often than you think.'
Drawing on his experience working with NASA, he believes that you need to keep humans in the loop, supervised by something like air traffic control.
3. Tech can't stop it raining
When it comes to self-driving, there's no hiding place. Either it works or it doesn't. And sensors don't always work. If your car has a reversing camera, you'll know how its performance is reduced by rain or dirt. And poor weather is no friend of digital radio reception. Daimler's Wilko Stark admits: 'Autonomous cars are highly weather dependent. In snow, it doesn't really work.'
10. It's all hugely expensive
For existing car manufacturers, there's going to be a period when they're simultaneously refining their current line-ups of petrol and diesel cars and developing hybrids and full electric cars.
Some visions of the future would also require a lot of road resurfacing, and the installation of charging points at workplaces, in shopping centre car parks, at filling stations and for domestic use. Expect more toll roads and congestion charges. And in-car advertising will be HUGE once cars can drive themselves.
12. We keep buying stuff
Amazon and other online retailers have increased the number of van journeys: in 2016, up by 3.8% to 78.2 billion miles in the UK. The other great users of white vans – plumbers, plasterers, electricians – are also thriving. In both cases, they need to get to your front door, without delay.
The future isn't just about commuting, shopping and leisure use.
13. Car sharing is easier said than done
The case for car sharing is compelling: most cars stand idle most of the time. But implementing it is far from simple. There are two routes: pairing drivers with passengers – a modern form of hitchhiking – and pairing unused cars with carless drivers.
Complete list (CarMagazine.co.uk)
I Disagree With #1 On This List
The 20 Best TV Spin-off Series of All Time, Ranked
The best of TV's follow-up shows, from "Angel" to "Xena."
It’s been 30 years since Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie first
appeared as interstitials on “The Tracey Ullman Show.” The origins story
of “The Simpsons” is now the stuff of legend: “Tracey Ullman” executive
producer James L. Brooks recruited Matt Groening to turn his “Life in
Hell” comic strip into interstitials; instead, Groening came up with the
Simpsons family, based on his own family (and named after most of
them). After three seasons on “Tracey Ullman,” a series was attempted —
starting with an animated Christmas special in 1989.
Now entering Season 29, the show is close to surpassing “Gunsmoke” (which ended its run with 635 episodes) as the primetime scripted show with the most episodes in history. “I can’t believe how many people who work on the show have been working on the show for as long as they have,” creator Matt Groening said this summer at San Diego Comic-Con. “It’s gratifying to be able to continue to tell stories and come up with new jokes — and repeat some old ones.”
Complete list (IndieWire.com)
The best of TV's follow-up shows, from "Angel" to "Xena."
2. “The Simpsons”
- “The Simpsons”
- Fox
Now entering Season 29, the show is close to surpassing “Gunsmoke” (which ended its run with 635 episodes) as the primetime scripted show with the most episodes in history. “I can’t believe how many people who work on the show have been working on the show for as long as they have,” creator Matt Groening said this summer at San Diego Comic-Con. “It’s gratifying to be able to continue to tell stories and come up with new jokes — and repeat some old ones.”
14. “A Different World”
- “A Different World”
- NBC TV/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
19. “The Facts of Life”
- “The Facts of Life”
- NBC-TV/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock
Complete list (IndieWire.com)
Higher Education, The OG Ponzi Scheme
How School Trains Us To Fail In The Real World
Instead of learning critical life skills on how to manage money, how to negotiate, or how to communicate, kids are mostly taught to memorize information.
School is an unsuitable learning environment for many jobs
For those that say school is not the place to impart wisdom to youngsters, but to prepare them for the workplace, I hear ya, but sorry. You just walked into a nasty trap with that point of view. If school is to prepare us for a career, then why is it that it’s absolutely horrible at accomplishing that?
College claims to be the safe, sure way for a great career (it’s not)
Some may think that employers love to train employees their way, but I think the truth is more often a “plug and play” preference. Would you rather hire someone who has proven they can do the job well, or someone who has a piece of paper that says they “might be a good employee, after training of course?” It hurts to be rejected on the basis of limited experience, but it’s an employer’s market out there, and businesses tend to play it safe when they can.
(Medium.com)
Instead of learning critical life skills on how to manage money, how to negotiate, or how to communicate, kids are mostly taught to memorize information.
School is an unsuitable learning environment for many jobs
For those that say school is not the place to impart wisdom to youngsters, but to prepare them for the workplace, I hear ya, but sorry. You just walked into a nasty trap with that point of view. If school is to prepare us for a career, then why is it that it’s absolutely horrible at accomplishing that?
College claims to be the safe, sure way for a great career (it’s not)
Some may think that employers love to train employees their way, but I think the truth is more often a “plug and play” preference. Would you rather hire someone who has proven they can do the job well, or someone who has a piece of paper that says they “might be a good employee, after training of course?” It hurts to be rejected on the basis of limited experience, but it’s an employer’s market out there, and businesses tend to play it safe when they can.
(Medium.com)
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
A Rare Chance To Own A Unicorn From Pontiac
A 1979 Pontiac Trans Am With 65 Miles On It Could Be Yours For $159,900
Nearly four decades ago, 18-year-old William Leland Jr., a distant relative of Henry Leland, the founder of Lincoln and Cadillac, bought a highly well-equipped 1979 Pontiac Trans Am for $10,095. The Trans Am wasn’t to be driven or even washed, Leland ordered. When Leland died at the age of 42, his father took over ownership, and preserved the car according to his son’s wishes as a shrine.
Now, after being passed on to a third owner, the
car is on sale, having been preserved in pristine condition 39 years
after it emerged from GM’s manufacturing facility in Norwood, Ohio.
The car, according to RK Motors, has “never been washed, never been rained on, and [benefitted] from yearly fluid changes that included fresh oil and distilled water.”
It was also fired up once a month, and worked through its gears. It’s hard to imagine a 1979 Trans Am in any better shape.
(Jalopnik.com)
Nearly four decades ago, 18-year-old William Leland Jr., a distant relative of Henry Leland, the founder of Lincoln and Cadillac, bought a highly well-equipped 1979 Pontiac Trans Am for $10,095. The Trans Am wasn’t to be driven or even washed, Leland ordered. When Leland died at the age of 42, his father took over ownership, and preserved the car according to his son’s wishes as a shrine.
The car, according to RK Motors, has “never been washed, never been rained on, and [benefitted] from yearly fluid changes that included fresh oil and distilled water.”
It was also fired up once a month, and worked through its gears. It’s hard to imagine a 1979 Trans Am in any better shape.
(Jalopnik.com)
Not Really, Because Someone Just Had To Have It
Paying $10,000 For A Bugatti Chiron Model Engine Seems Rather Silly
Life is full of silly things, a lot of which would be cool if they weren’t so silly. Take this model of a Bugatti Chiron engine: It’d be a great conversation piece on your LED-backlit display wall of rare, expensive automotive memorabilia dusted with diamonds for extra shine, but maybe not for $10,000.
Then again, if a display wall dusted with
diamonds is your kind of thing, maybe a starting price of $9,365 for
this model isn’t a big deal.
Personal feelings about the worth of material objects serving no purpose other than to look at aside, this 1:4 scale of a Bugatti Chiron engine and gearbox is pretty mesmerizing. The company that makes it and other expensive vehicle replicas, Amalgam Collection, said there are 1,040 individual parts and all of the special finishes Bugatti puts on the actual car’s 1,500-horsepower W16 engine packed into a model that’s only 18 inches long and 9 inches high.
(Jalopnik.com)
Life is full of silly things, a lot of which would be cool if they weren’t so silly. Take this model of a Bugatti Chiron engine: It’d be a great conversation piece on your LED-backlit display wall of rare, expensive automotive memorabilia dusted with diamonds for extra shine, but maybe not for $10,000.
Personal feelings about the worth of material objects serving no purpose other than to look at aside, this 1:4 scale of a Bugatti Chiron engine and gearbox is pretty mesmerizing. The company that makes it and other expensive vehicle replicas, Amalgam Collection, said there are 1,040 individual parts and all of the special finishes Bugatti puts on the actual car’s 1,500-horsepower W16 engine packed into a model that’s only 18 inches long and 9 inches high.
(Jalopnik.com)
There's No Replacement For Displacement (Yet) For Lamborghini
Lamborghini will keep naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines as long as it can
Maurizio Reggiani, development boss of Lamborghini, further explained to Autocar that the naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines on models like the Huracan and Aventador will remain for quite some time, and they mean for as long as possible. So don’t expect to see these models to have newer and smaller engines anytime soon, or as long as Reggiani is the development boss. He then says that it provides “a sense of emotion in a super-sports car”.
Reggiani once said that a Lamborghini’s DNA is made up of design, emotion and performance – elements that define a new car. The company then puts these elements in a scientific way by making them physical things so that the new cars can be compared to an old one, or perhaps, its competitors. Other factors that matter include sound, speed, acceleration and design.
(4WheelsNews.com)
Maurizio Reggiani, development boss of Lamborghini, further explained to Autocar that the naturally aspirated V10 and V12 engines on models like the Huracan and Aventador will remain for quite some time, and they mean for as long as possible. So don’t expect to see these models to have newer and smaller engines anytime soon, or as long as Reggiani is the development boss. He then says that it provides “a sense of emotion in a super-sports car”.
Reggiani once said that a Lamborghini’s DNA is made up of design, emotion and performance – elements that define a new car. The company then puts these elements in a scientific way by making them physical things so that the new cars can be compared to an old one, or perhaps, its competitors. Other factors that matter include sound, speed, acceleration and design.
(4WheelsNews.com)
Did You Know - Basic Conversational Skills
Use the FORD method when you don’t know what to say in conversation
F – Family (Their S/O, kids, siblings, pets, family traditions)O – Occupation (What do they do? How did they get into it? Where did they go to school?)
R – Recreation (What do they like to do?)
D – Dreams (Ask about their goals, dreams, and aspirations)
(CavemanCircus.com)
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
A Rare Chance To Own A Unicorn From McLaren
This never-registered 1997 McLaren F1 is for sale, if you have the cash
This is the automotive equivalent of being mint in the package.
(AutoBlog.com)
This is the automotive equivalent of being mint in the package.
(AutoBlog.com)
I Hope They Make A Comback
Mitsubishi reportedly plans to spend billions to get back in the game
Plans include electrification and a move into China and Indonesia.
Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors reportedly plans to inject more than 600 billion yen ($5.35 billion) in capital spending and research and development over the next three years through fiscal 2019 in a bid to turn around its business after recent scandals.
The Nikkei newspaper said the new plan calls for spending 5 percent of annual sales on equipment and the same proportion on R&D.
Funds will be used by the company for the development of electrified vehicles such as the new e-Evolution concept and for production in China and Indonesia.
Mitsubishi Motors will release the specifics of the new medium-term plan on Wednesday, the business daily said.
(AutoBlog.com)
Plans include electrification and a move into China and Indonesia.
Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors reportedly plans to inject more than 600 billion yen ($5.35 billion) in capital spending and research and development over the next three years through fiscal 2019 in a bid to turn around its business after recent scandals.
The Nikkei newspaper said the new plan calls for spending 5 percent of annual sales on equipment and the same proportion on R&D.
Funds will be used by the company for the development of electrified vehicles such as the new e-Evolution concept and for production in China and Indonesia.
Mitsubishi Motors will release the specifics of the new medium-term plan on Wednesday, the business daily said.
(AutoBlog.com)
An Interesting Addition To A Government Building
The German Parliament building has a glass dome above it that people can climb using a spiral ramp. The dome symbolizes that the people are above the government, and the government should be transparent.
(CavemanCircus.com)
(CavemanCircus.com)
The Lost Art Of Time Management
View your time as an investment, and pay attention to what gives you the greatest return
Think of how stingy you are with your money: if someone on the street asks for $10, you’re not giving it to them. There’s no way you’re giving a 30% tip for a normal dining experience. And so on.
And yet so many of us just waste ungodly amounts of our time. We throw it away, every day. I know I do unless I’m careful. What helps me to not waste time is to see it as an investment, and to keep track of the returns I get for my investment.
This approach has led me to recognize that some things offer incredible immediate return on investment: a night spent learning a new song on my preferred instruments, for example, gives me a lifetime of being able to play that song. That’s an incredible return. Other investments are more like low-interest, high security, long-term investments: going to the gym, eating right, etc. Some, like reading good books, are kind of a combination of both.
But many activities are worthless from an investment perspective: whatever benefit they seem to give doesn’t last any longer than the activity itself.
(CavemanCircus.com)
Think of how stingy you are with your money: if someone on the street asks for $10, you’re not giving it to them. There’s no way you’re giving a 30% tip for a normal dining experience. And so on.
And yet so many of us just waste ungodly amounts of our time. We throw it away, every day. I know I do unless I’m careful. What helps me to not waste time is to see it as an investment, and to keep track of the returns I get for my investment.
This approach has led me to recognize that some things offer incredible immediate return on investment: a night spent learning a new song on my preferred instruments, for example, gives me a lifetime of being able to play that song. That’s an incredible return. Other investments are more like low-interest, high security, long-term investments: going to the gym, eating right, etc. Some, like reading good books, are kind of a combination of both.
But many activities are worthless from an investment perspective: whatever benefit they seem to give doesn’t last any longer than the activity itself.
(CavemanCircus.com)
Monday, October 23, 2017
A Rare Chance To Own A Unicorn From Ford Cosworth
This Low-Mileage, Mint-Condition Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500 Will Set A New Six-Figure Price Record
With a similar car selling for almost £115,000 earlier this year, this rarer white one with half the mileage and in even better condition is expected to smash that to set a new record
(CarThrottle.com)
With a similar car selling for almost £115,000 earlier this year, this rarer white one with half the mileage and in even better condition is expected to smash that to set a new record
(CarThrottle.com)
Friday, October 20, 2017
I Wonder How Much The Company Will Sell For
Here's your chance to buy a whole motorcycle brand
It has a history dating back to the early 1900s.
In case you're unfamiliar with the company, Excelsior-Henderson dates back to the early 1900s, and was operated by the Schwinns of past and current bicycle fame. According to Mecum, the company remained in business right up until the Great Depression, when it shut down the motorcycle line in 1931. While in business, the company built a wide array of motorcycles in four-cylinder and V-twin configurations, and built a few racing bikes, some of which had engines nearly 1,000cc in displacement.
Now as for how this is a potential shortcut for budding motorcycle industrialists, the purchase of the Excelsior-Henderson brand comes with every bit of intellectual property from the company. That includes various marketing things such as logos, branding and websites, but it also comes with complete frame and engine designs used by the company, as well as expired patents. All of these things would be a boon to a new motorcycle company, since it would provide a bit of a starting point, rather than starting completely from scratch. The brand and its associated intellectual property goes on sale at the Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction which runs from January 23, 2018 to January 27, 2018.
(AutoBlog.com)
It has a history dating back to the early 1900s.
In case you're unfamiliar with the company, Excelsior-Henderson dates back to the early 1900s, and was operated by the Schwinns of past and current bicycle fame. According to Mecum, the company remained in business right up until the Great Depression, when it shut down the motorcycle line in 1931. While in business, the company built a wide array of motorcycles in four-cylinder and V-twin configurations, and built a few racing bikes, some of which had engines nearly 1,000cc in displacement.
Now as for how this is a potential shortcut for budding motorcycle industrialists, the purchase of the Excelsior-Henderson brand comes with every bit of intellectual property from the company. That includes various marketing things such as logos, branding and websites, but it also comes with complete frame and engine designs used by the company, as well as expired patents. All of these things would be a boon to a new motorcycle company, since it would provide a bit of a starting point, rather than starting completely from scratch. The brand and its associated intellectual property goes on sale at the Mecum Las Vegas motorcycle auction which runs from January 23, 2018 to January 27, 2018.
(AutoBlog.com)
Something To Ponder
Their life is characterized by entertainment and distraction, not learning and creating.
As a result, they don’t have close
relationships. They’re stuck in jobs they hate. Their life is on the
fast-track to disappointment, and they don’t know what to do.
Entertainment and distraction is the enemy of creation and learning. They will keep you in mediocrity.
If you don’t want to end up living a life of
mediocrity, focus on learning and education. It’s the fastest way to
become extraordinary, wealthy, and successful.
Cause' It's Always Just Ok
Why Don't Mexicans Like Mexican Restaurants in the United States?
DEAR MEXICAN: I love ethnic foods, and I always ask people of ethnic origins which local restaurants they like to eat at.
Whenever I ask Mexicans what Mexican restaurants they like best, the
answer is always "I don't like the way any of them make their food." I
live in Phoenix, which has a Mexican restaurant run by Mexicans on every
corner. Don't tell me they all Americanize their food for us gabachas. What gives?
DEAR GABACHA: Phoenix and the cities around
it have a great Mexican-food scene, from the alta cocina fare at Barrio
Café to the Globe-style buttered burritos at Casa Reynoso in Tempe and un chingo
of Sonoran eateries with their fabulous caldo de queso, the greatest
soup on Earth. But it's never good enough for Mexicans. Oh, we'll go out
to eat at Mexican spots, but no one can cook like our mamà or primos during a carne asada Sunday, especially not in el Norte,
because . . . well, because, okay? Don't question Mexicans! Such
Mexican arrogance filters down to our soccer squad—and now you know why
El Tri won't ever get to even the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup until
Cuauhtémoc himself becomes our forward. And I'm not talking about
Blanco. . . .
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Desperate Fans Go To Desperate Measures
Woman gets a Volkswagen GTI in exchange for Szechuan sauce
Rachel Marie was lucky enough to get ahold of a packet of Szechuan sauce. According to The Drive, Marie intended to trade it online for a set of pins. Instead, she was offered a MkIV GTI. It's a good one, too, with a five-speed manual and Volkswagen's 20-valve 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four. This writer was very close to buying a similar car a decade ago.
It's not clear what state the car is in, but the trade seems to be worth it (unless it needs a new timing belt). Still, congrats to Rachel for cashing out before McDonald's brings the sauce back in full force sometime next month, tanking the Szechuan sauce market by flooding it with new currency.
(AutoBlog.com)
Rachel Marie was lucky enough to get ahold of a packet of Szechuan sauce. According to The Drive, Marie intended to trade it online for a set of pins. Instead, she was offered a MkIV GTI. It's a good one, too, with a five-speed manual and Volkswagen's 20-valve 1.8-liter turbocharged inline-four. This writer was very close to buying a similar car a decade ago.
It's not clear what state the car is in, but the trade seems to be worth it (unless it needs a new timing belt). Still, congrats to Rachel for cashing out before McDonald's brings the sauce back in full force sometime next month, tanking the Szechuan sauce market by flooding it with new currency.
(AutoBlog.com)
A Good Read
Why Do Smart People Do Foolish Things?
Intelligence is not the same as critical thinking and the difference matters
Given all the advantages of intelligence, though, you may be surprised to learn that it does not predict other life outcomes, such as well-being. You might imagine that doing well in school or at work might lead to greater life satisfaction, but several large scale studies have failed to find evidence that IQ impacts life satisfaction or longevity. Grossman and his colleagues argue that most intelligence tests fail to capture real-world decision-making and our ability to interact well with others. This is, in other words, perhaps why “smart” people, do “dumb” things.
The ability to think critically, on the other hand, has been associated with wellness and longevity. Though often confused with intelligence, critical thinking is not intelligence. Critical thinking is a collection of cognitive skills that allow us to think rationally in a goal-orientated fashion, and a disposition to use those skills when appropriate. Critical thinkers are amiable skeptics. They are flexible thinkers who require evidence to support their beliefs and recognize fallacious attempts to persuade them. Critical thinking means overcoming all sorts of cognitive biases (e.g., hindsight bias, confirmation bias, etc.).
Is it better to be a critical thinker or to be intelligent? My latest research pitted critical thinking and intelligence against each other to see which was associated with fewer negative life events. People who were strong on either intelligence or critical thinking experienced fewer negative events, but critical thinkers did better.
Reasoning and rationality more closely resemble what we mean when we say a person is smart than spatial skills and math ability. Furthermore, improving intelligence is difficult. Intelligence is largely determined by genetics. Critical thinking, though, can improve with training and the benefits have been shown to persist over time. Anyone can improve their critical thinking skills: Doing so, we can say with certainty, is a smart thing to do.
(ScientificAmerican.com)
Intelligence is not the same as critical thinking and the difference matters
Given all the advantages of intelligence, though, you may be surprised to learn that it does not predict other life outcomes, such as well-being. You might imagine that doing well in school or at work might lead to greater life satisfaction, but several large scale studies have failed to find evidence that IQ impacts life satisfaction or longevity. Grossman and his colleagues argue that most intelligence tests fail to capture real-world decision-making and our ability to interact well with others. This is, in other words, perhaps why “smart” people, do “dumb” things.
The ability to think critically, on the other hand, has been associated with wellness and longevity. Though often confused with intelligence, critical thinking is not intelligence. Critical thinking is a collection of cognitive skills that allow us to think rationally in a goal-orientated fashion, and a disposition to use those skills when appropriate. Critical thinkers are amiable skeptics. They are flexible thinkers who require evidence to support their beliefs and recognize fallacious attempts to persuade them. Critical thinking means overcoming all sorts of cognitive biases (e.g., hindsight bias, confirmation bias, etc.).
Is it better to be a critical thinker or to be intelligent? My latest research pitted critical thinking and intelligence against each other to see which was associated with fewer negative life events. People who were strong on either intelligence or critical thinking experienced fewer negative events, but critical thinkers did better.
Reasoning and rationality more closely resemble what we mean when we say a person is smart than spatial skills and math ability. Furthermore, improving intelligence is difficult. Intelligence is largely determined by genetics. Critical thinking, though, can improve with training and the benefits have been shown to persist over time. Anyone can improve their critical thinking skills: Doing so, we can say with certainty, is a smart thing to do.
(ScientificAmerican.com)
Family & Food, So Much Food
16 Reasons Why You Need Filipino Friends In Your Life
When you're with Filipinos, you're with family.
1. They'll feed you. Seriously.
You'll never eat so much in your life.
2. They'll treat you with the utmost hospitality.
You will never be without tsinelas on your feet whenever you visit.
16. They'll always treat you like family.
When you're with Filipinos, you're with family.
Complete list (Narcity.com)
When you're with Filipinos, you're with family.
1. They'll feed you. Seriously.
You'll never eat so much in your life.
2. They'll treat you with the utmost hospitality.
You will never be without tsinelas on your feet whenever you visit.
16. They'll always treat you like family.
When you're with Filipinos, you're with family.
Complete list (Narcity.com)
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
An End Of An Automotive Era
Volkswagen ends production of the Scirocco 43 years after it began
It's a sad and lonely end for the front-wheel-drive hatchback coupe.
Volkswagen, still reeling from the Dieselgate scandal and refocusing its plans on electrifying its vehicle lineup, has officially pulled the plug on the Scirocco nameplate after more than 40 years. The company's German consumer website says (according to Google Translate) that "The Scirocco can no longer be ordered with individual equipment. However, finished, already produced vehicles are available for you."
Even though it's been many years since you could buy a 'Roc in the states, it's a sad and lonely end for the front-wheel-drive hatchback coupe.
(AutoBlog.com)
It's a sad and lonely end for the front-wheel-drive hatchback coupe.
Volkswagen, still reeling from the Dieselgate scandal and refocusing its plans on electrifying its vehicle lineup, has officially pulled the plug on the Scirocco nameplate after more than 40 years. The company's German consumer website says (according to Google Translate) that "The Scirocco can no longer be ordered with individual equipment. However, finished, already produced vehicles are available for you."
Even though it's been many years since you could buy a 'Roc in the states, it's a sad and lonely end for the front-wheel-drive hatchback coupe.
(AutoBlog.com)
These Are Some Awesome Works Of Art
The Most Badass Buildings in America You've Probably Never Heard Of
Emerson College
- Los Angeles, California
- Completed: 2012
In a city defined by its sprawl, Emerson College in Los Angeles strikes a
pretty stunning juxtaposition. The structured outer building frames
softer, more organic shapes threaded through the middle that serve as a
combination of classrooms, student centers, and dorms. Nestled on Sunset
Boulevard between Hollywood and the panoramic views of Griffith
Observatory, it's the kind of place you can't help but marvel at while
you're sitting in traffic.
Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Completed: 2007
This offshoot of the Cleveland Clinic is unlike any other hospital, and
it almost didn't happen. Starchitect extraordinaire Frank Gehry swore he
would never build in Vegas, lest his work become another kitschy casino
or tourist trap. But his heart changed when beverage magnate Larry
Ruvo, who had lost his father Lou to Alzheimer's Disease, asked him to
design a research center focusing on neurological diseases. Gehry
demurred, but when Ruvo offered to expand the center's research to
Huntington's Disease, an affliction Gehry had long since advocated
research on, the architect signed on. The building is a Gehry
masterwork, all wending spirals of shined metal and tumbled facades with
the controlled chaos of the Strip as a backdrop.
A Thought To Ponder
When you’ve moved from goal to habit, you’ve exceeded 80% of your potential competition.
Different people operate by different dispositions. If you are a highly conscientious person, your habits should set you up to feel productive and like you are accomplishing a lot. If you are a highly open person, your habits should make you feel creative and like you are expressing your true self. Set your habits to your personality and play to those strengths which make you the most effective you.
(CavemanCircus.com)
Different people operate by different dispositions. If you are a highly conscientious person, your habits should set you up to feel productive and like you are accomplishing a lot. If you are a highly open person, your habits should make you feel creative and like you are expressing your true self. Set your habits to your personality and play to those strengths which make you the most effective you.
(CavemanCircus.com)
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
I Would Agree With This One
What car is the easiest and cheapest to repair and maintain?
91–97 Honda Accord
I have never heard of anybody getting rid of one of these because the engine was bad. Most of the time it’s wheel issues or transmission issues that causes somebody to move on.
What goes wrong?
Drivers side wheel bearing- This one is a pain to fix, it requires a press and a cutoff tool.
Warped Rotors- Often because of a bad wheel bearing. These cars have hub over rotor which means you need to take off more stuff than you should have to for getting wheels off.
Timing Belt- I have seen timing belts on these go for 100k and more, but at some point you will need to do a timing belt.
– Alexander Nerad
91–97 Honda Accord
I have never heard of anybody getting rid of one of these because the engine was bad. Most of the time it’s wheel issues or transmission issues that causes somebody to move on.
What goes wrong?
Drivers side wheel bearing- This one is a pain to fix, it requires a press and a cutoff tool.
Warped Rotors- Often because of a bad wheel bearing. These cars have hub over rotor which means you need to take off more stuff than you should have to for getting wheels off.
Timing Belt- I have seen timing belts on these go for 100k and more, but at some point you will need to do a timing belt.
– Alexander Nerad
Monday, October 16, 2017
A Great Example Of The Aging Process
Each bottle is the same whiskey matured in the cask for one year more than the last
(CavemanCircus.com)
(CavemanCircus.com)
Friday, October 13, 2017
It's Kinda Responsible For A Car Revolution
Why The First Real Toyota Prius Doesn't Deserve Any Of The Hate
It was an unassuming fairly high-tech car to get people to work efficiently.
[I]t was good at what it was meant to do. Why hate on something like that?
Toyota made Prius to do exactly one thing and it does that exceptionally well. Give the Prius another chance. It may just be a fuel-sipping space pod, but it’s the best at what it’s made to do.
(Jalopnik.com)
It was an unassuming fairly high-tech car to get people to work efficiently.
Toyota made Prius to do exactly one thing and it does that exceptionally well. Give the Prius another chance. It may just be a fuel-sipping space pod, but it’s the best at what it’s made to do.
(Jalopnik.com)
I'm Suprised They Finally Are Doing This
Are We There Yet?
Truck stops are about American as apple pie…and Buffett’s taking a big slice. Berkshire Hathaway acquired a 38.6% stake ($ amount wasn’t disclosed) in Pilot Flying J., the largest operator of travel centers in North America. Buffett plans to up his interest to 80% by 2023.
And he’s partnering with Midwestern royalty to do so: the founding Haslam family. Jimmy Haslam is Pilot’s CEO, and also the owner of the Cleveland Browns. Jimmy’s lil’ bro? Bill, the Governor of Tennessee.
You’re probably familiar with Pilot’s rest stops from the 40 oz soda and party-sized bag of Doritos you picked up on the way to Yosemite. It operates 750 locations across the U.S. and Canada, doing a healthy $20 billion+ in revenue. That makes it the 15th largest private company in the country.
With the investment, Buffett is going all-in on commercial goods transportation. He already owns BNSF Railway, one of the largest freight railroads in the U.S. with more than 32,000 miles of track across the fruited plain.
Sing along with Buffett: “America, America…”
(BroBible.com)
Truck stops are about American as apple pie…and Buffett’s taking a big slice. Berkshire Hathaway acquired a 38.6% stake ($ amount wasn’t disclosed) in Pilot Flying J., the largest operator of travel centers in North America. Buffett plans to up his interest to 80% by 2023.
And he’s partnering with Midwestern royalty to do so: the founding Haslam family. Jimmy Haslam is Pilot’s CEO, and also the owner of the Cleveland Browns. Jimmy’s lil’ bro? Bill, the Governor of Tennessee.
You’re probably familiar with Pilot’s rest stops from the 40 oz soda and party-sized bag of Doritos you picked up on the way to Yosemite. It operates 750 locations across the U.S. and Canada, doing a healthy $20 billion+ in revenue. That makes it the 15th largest private company in the country.
With the investment, Buffett is going all-in on commercial goods transportation. He already owns BNSF Railway, one of the largest freight railroads in the U.S. with more than 32,000 miles of track across the fruited plain.
Sing along with Buffett: “America, America…”
(BroBible.com)
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Where There's Smoke . . . . .
Up in Smoke
As soon as next month, TV screens will light up with ads that state the obvious: cigarettes are “intentionally designed” to be addictive. But this isn’t your typical PSA. Large tobacco companies like Altria and British American Tobacco will be behind the campaigns.
No, the guerrilla marketing tactics of Big Tobacco haven’t stooped to “reverse psychology”…yet. The ads are mandated as part of a two-decades-old DOJ lawsuit, which took aim at tobacco companies for misleading advertising.
And now, they’re paying up.
The 30-to-45 second ads will run five days a week, for a full year, across networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC…and the full campaigns could cost Altria and British American up to $31 million each (talk about a self-inflicted wound).
Good thing these companies have just the thing to take the edge off.
Disclaimer #1: Cigarettes are intentionally designed to be addictive.
Disclaimer #2: Neither Altria nor British American paid for this article.
(BroBible.com)
As soon as next month, TV screens will light up with ads that state the obvious: cigarettes are “intentionally designed” to be addictive. But this isn’t your typical PSA. Large tobacco companies like Altria and British American Tobacco will be behind the campaigns.
No, the guerrilla marketing tactics of Big Tobacco haven’t stooped to “reverse psychology”…yet. The ads are mandated as part of a two-decades-old DOJ lawsuit, which took aim at tobacco companies for misleading advertising.
And now, they’re paying up.
The 30-to-45 second ads will run five days a week, for a full year, across networks like ABC, CBS, and NBC…and the full campaigns could cost Altria and British American up to $31 million each (talk about a self-inflicted wound).
Good thing these companies have just the thing to take the edge off.
Disclaimer #1: Cigarettes are intentionally designed to be addictive.
Disclaimer #2: Neither Altria nor British American paid for this article.
(BroBible.com)
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