As I approach my 28th birthday this week I have been reflecting on where I am at in my life and the impact I have on my wife and daughter. It made me think of what I have learned from my parents, and here are some of the values that I hope to pass on to my children, as taught to me by my dad.
10. Be strong in your beliefs. It is never, ever, under any circumstances acceptable to cheer for the Oakland Raiders! Ever!
9. Dinner is always better when cooked over an open flame. Men are expected to BBQ well and often.
8. There is no excuse for bad customer service. If someone is giving you money, always smile while you take it.
7. You are entitled let the referee know how you feel about that call he obviously just got wrong. Let him have it! Don’t hold back, even if he can’t hear you through the TV.
6. No day is so bad that red meat, soda, and a ballgame can’t make it better.
5. There are some things that are worth ponying up the extra money to get. Quality sports equipment, well built tools, a reliable vehicle, mom’s birthday dinner.
4. In the history of mankind there has never been anything worthwhile on TV after 10 pm, so go to bed and get the sleep you need. You will thank yourself in the morning.
3. Feel free to dance or sing along, your level of talent is insignificant. The guy who can’t dance but tries always has more fun than the wallflowers, and he gets the girl.
2. Get a serious hobby and take it serious. Whether its golf, fixing up a car, or even playing Mario Kart, it gets rid of frustration, gives you something to look forward to all week, and serves as a way to remind yourself and your friends “Who’s the man”.
1. The first item on any checklist or situation is to make sure your wife/mom is happy first. The rest of the items fall in to place so much easier when done in this order.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
10 Worst Cars Built In My Lifetime
I consider myself to be somewhat of a car guy. I spend most of the day talking cars, driving cars, and reading about cars. I make a living showing people why certain cars are better than others and getting them excited about owning one. I love cars.....at least most of them. Here are 10 that I loathe, abhor, and that otherwise hate. I think you will see why.
10. Ford Probe- The car seems like more of a punchline then a sport-compact. What do you call a car shaped like a suppository, available only in black, blue, purple, and white, and built to penetrate the market of people who can’t afford a Mustang? Answer: a Probe.
9. Chevy Cavalier- I am not a fan of cheap, American made economy cars, but the Cavalier takes the cake. It did not see a style change in 11 years. There were 3 different body style changes with the Honda Civic during the same time! This car is covered in cheap plastic and the suspension gives you a feeling of what it must have been like to drive a horse drawn carriage down a dirt road, except with more squeaks.
8. Chrysler Sebring- International car critic and one of my heroes, Jeremy Clarkson, had this to say about the new Sebring, “Anyone thinking of drawing up a list of the ugliest cars ever made will be forced to put this one at the top. But the worst thing was the overwhelming sense from everything you touched that it had been built by someone who was being deliberately stupid or who was four years old. Life inside that bag of crap plastic gave me some idea of what it might be like to be a boiled sweet.”
7. Hummer H3- “It may be slow but at least it’s expensive.” That about sums up the mess known as the H3. The Hummer H2 is cool because it is a big, beastly monster that commands respect and has enough power to take over small countries. It is so over the top and unpractical that it is cool. But not the H3. It is too small, too cute, and came with only 5 cylinders. Its like a 4 cylinder Jeep or a V6 Mustang, why bother?
6. Daewoo- I don’t even have to list a model (there are only 3) since the whole company consists of poor cars. They only survived in the US for 4 Years. They are by far the worst of the Korean automakers to take a stab at the US market, and that is not a very elite group.
5. Dodge Durango- Even before the recent fuel crisis made it almost obsolete, the Dodge Durango has always sucked. The worst fuel economy in its class, ugly and bubbly styling, and the loosest, least responsive steering I have ever seen. They flooded the market with them and now you can buy one that about 5 years old for the same price as a nice set of 20" wheels and tires.
4. Chrysler PT Cruiser- This was one of the first cars to go “retro” with its styling. But they somehow missed the most important pages of the muscle car playbook- make it fast and fun to drive. Rather than make it a hotrod they built it on the Dodge Neon platform and gave it the handling and feel of a minivan. It is slow, boring, and has not seen a single styling overhaul in its much warn-out 10 year run. Note- Chrysler managed to take the same retro idea and did it right in the award winning Chrysler 300.
3. Cadillac Catera- This was Cadillac’s attempt to attract young buyers with a luxury midsized car. Cadillac lauded this car as "The Caddy that Zigs." They launched a huge ad campaign, including Super Bowl Commercials, with a talking stork claiming European performance. The problem with this car is that it is extremely boring and looks and drives like a grandma car. Worst though is its reliability, or lack thereof. It has more issues with its electrical system than a hairdryer in a water fight. The internet is full of stories of Cateras where the heated seats caught fire, the power seats getting passangers pinned in their cars, and catastrophic and unexplainable engine problems.
2. Pontiac Aztec- The Aztec started out as a good idea: an aggressive looking, off-road capable, crossover SUV. The end result was an ugly plastic-clad mess, with terrible lines, and a face not even a mother could love. Time Magazine described the car well; “The Aztek violates one of the principal rules of car design: We like cars that look like us. With its multiple eyes and supernumerary nostrils, the Aztek looks deformed and scary, something that dogs bark at and cathedrals employ to ring bells.”
1. Ford Focus- The 2000 Ford Focus set the record for recalls on a car ever! One of the recalls fixed the nuisance of the rear wheels falling off of the car while it was moving! Another one attempted to fix the ignition from randomly shutting off the car. My garbage disposal runs quieter and smoother than most Focus’ I have driven. And that hideous chrome fender flair bandage they have on the new Focus needs to go away.
10. Ford Probe- The car seems like more of a punchline then a sport-compact. What do you call a car shaped like a suppository, available only in black, blue, purple, and white, and built to penetrate the market of people who can’t afford a Mustang? Answer: a Probe.
9. Chevy Cavalier- I am not a fan of cheap, American made economy cars, but the Cavalier takes the cake. It did not see a style change in 11 years. There were 3 different body style changes with the Honda Civic during the same time! This car is covered in cheap plastic and the suspension gives you a feeling of what it must have been like to drive a horse drawn carriage down a dirt road, except with more squeaks.
8. Chrysler Sebring- International car critic and one of my heroes, Jeremy Clarkson, had this to say about the new Sebring, “Anyone thinking of drawing up a list of the ugliest cars ever made will be forced to put this one at the top. But the worst thing was the overwhelming sense from everything you touched that it had been built by someone who was being deliberately stupid or who was four years old. Life inside that bag of crap plastic gave me some idea of what it might be like to be a boiled sweet.”
7. Hummer H3- “It may be slow but at least it’s expensive.” That about sums up the mess known as the H3. The Hummer H2 is cool because it is a big, beastly monster that commands respect and has enough power to take over small countries. It is so over the top and unpractical that it is cool. But not the H3. It is too small, too cute, and came with only 5 cylinders. Its like a 4 cylinder Jeep or a V6 Mustang, why bother?
6. Daewoo- I don’t even have to list a model (there are only 3) since the whole company consists of poor cars. They only survived in the US for 4 Years. They are by far the worst of the Korean automakers to take a stab at the US market, and that is not a very elite group. 
5. Dodge Durango- Even before the recent fuel crisis made it almost obsolete, the Dodge Durango has always sucked. The worst fuel economy in its class, ugly and bubbly styling, and the loosest, least responsive steering I have ever seen. They flooded the market with them and now you can buy one that about 5 years old for the same price as a nice set of 20" wheels and tires.
4. Chrysler PT Cruiser- This was one of the first cars to go “retro” with its styling. But they somehow missed the most important pages of the muscle car playbook- make it fast and fun to drive. Rather than make it a hotrod they built it on the Dodge Neon platform and gave it the handling and feel of a minivan. It is slow, boring, and has not seen a single styling overhaul in its much warn-out 10 year run. Note- Chrysler managed to take the same retro idea and did it right in the award winning Chrysler 300. 
3. Cadillac Catera- This was Cadillac’s attempt to attract young buyers with a luxury midsized car. Cadillac lauded this car as "The Caddy that Zigs." They launched a huge ad campaign, including Super Bowl Commercials, with a talking stork claiming European performance. The problem with this car is that it is extremely boring and looks and drives like a grandma car. Worst though is its reliability, or lack thereof. It has more issues with its electrical system than a hairdryer in a water fight. The internet is full of stories of Cateras where the heated seats caught fire, the power seats getting passangers pinned in their cars, and catastrophic and unexplainable engine problems. 
2. Pontiac Aztec- The Aztec started out as a good idea: an aggressive looking, off-road capable, crossover SUV. The end result was an ugly plastic-clad mess, with terrible lines, and a face not even a mother could love. Time Magazine described the car well; “The Aztek violates one of the principal rules of car design: We like cars that look like us. With its multiple eyes and supernumerary nostrils, the Aztek looks deformed and scary, something that dogs bark at and cathedrals employ to ring bells.”
1. Ford Focus- The 2000 Ford Focus set the record for recalls on a car ever! One of the recalls fixed the nuisance of the rear wheels falling off of the car while it was moving! Another one attempted to fix the ignition from randomly shutting off the car. My garbage disposal runs quieter and smoother than most Focus’ I have driven. And that hideous chrome fender flair bandage they have on the new Focus needs to go away.Any that you would add to the list?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
