December 2006 – Page 3 – chuck.goolsbee.org

Self-parking Lexus befuddles Automobile editors

VIDEO: Self-parking Lexus befuddles Automobile editors

I hate the introduction of useless technology to the world of automobiles. Satellite navigation, onboard DVD players, rear-view remote cameras, car phones, etc. All they do is distract drivers, cause accidents, complicate troubleshooting, and worst of all ADD WEIGHT. Cars already weigh too much as it is. They are, on average, way too inefficient and that is largely due to weight.

Adding completely useless gee-gaws, like a “self parking system” is an idiotic waste of everyone’s time. If you can’t park the car, your should not be DRIVING the car.

Ugh… it gets worse, every day.

Museum Meme Continues

Same museum as yesterday’s shot, awesome car. This is a on-off of a well-known marque. Anyone recognize it?

17th Annual Anti-Football Drive Revs up for January

I’ve never run this one-day rally, but if you are a car nut in the Bay Area, you should go. I’ve been on other Martin Swig rallies (the La Carerra Nevada, and the Mille Autunno) and they were a ton of fun.

Chuck says: Try it, you’ll like it!

Today’s Museum Shot.

A Three-Fer.

Can you name them all (I DID take notes on this one, I promise!)

Here is the reverse view:

Another Museum Piece

The copyright notice is wrong on these, as I’m pretty sure I took these photos in 1998. I flew from the UK to NYC to participate in the 1998 New England 1000 Vintage Rally with my dad. It was the first time I had rallied with him since I was a teenager in his old MG TD. It was also the first time I had seen the 65E, as he’d completed the restoration (the first one that is) while I was away in Europe. One of the stops on the rally was a museum in Maine, that housed this wonder. Anyone care to guess what it is?

The Seattle Times: Opinion: The other war we can’t win

Isn’t this the truth?

I am not a drug user, but I really don’t care if other people do use them (so long as they don’t put others in danger, by doing things like driving.) But instead of viewing drugs as a source of taxation/income, the US Government has been throwing BILLIONS of dollars per year down a black hole fighting this stupid “War on Drugs.” Like the editorial says, it hasn’t worked. People still use and still get addicted. Not only have we made criminals of users, we’ve created an economy that encourages both violent and property crime to support itself. It is ludicrous.

This week’s CpotD theme: Museum Pieces

I don’t know much about this Devin-bodied sportsracer, but I like the way it looks. Taken at the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing… somewhere in northern Florida. I have no idea why this car was located here, surrounded by drag racers. But, there were a few oddballs in there too, like a 1950 Volkswagen 1300.