tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169869572024-03-19T06:23:16.151-05:00dcminiDanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-53129907022296090422013-05-31T11:21:00.003-05:002013-05-31T11:21:55.282-05:00<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18pakg6q535z3jpg/original.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="244" src="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18pakg6q535z3jpg/original.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/18pakg6q535z3jpg/original.jpg">[image link]</a><br />
Thought this was interesting. I tried to follow the flowchart and landed no where near the MINI.
<a href="http://jalopnik.com/this-flowchart-will-tell-you-exactly-which-new-car-to-b-510431857">Flowchart via Jalopnik</a><br />
<br />
Also, I know it has been a long while since my last post but here I am again. Enjoy!DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-3979678469023532242012-04-05T12:00:00.002-05:002012-04-05T12:05:34.933-05:00Another Cnet Video Review<object width="364" height="235"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" /><param name="background" value="#333333" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50122672" /><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="364" height="235" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50122672" /></object><br />This time of the new coupe roadster. Love the new "Cat Door". Gotta love that Brian Cooley.<br /><a href="http://cnettv.cnet.com/2012-mini-cooper-really-mini/9742-1_53-50122672.html">direct link</a><br />enjoyDanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-6827223407970734612011-08-04T10:02:00.002-05:002011-08-04T10:04:25.405-05:00MINI ConnectedHere's a good walkthrough of MINI Connected with typical Brian Cooley commentary. Enjoy.<br /><object width="364" height="256"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" /><param name="background" value="#333333" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50109068" /><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="364" height="256" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50109068" /></object><br /><a href="http://cnettv.cnet.com/2011-mini-clubman-john-cooper-works/9742-1_53-50109068.html">direct link</a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-30072664170075368492011-07-15T09:51:00.002-05:002011-07-15T09:54:16.315-05:00Fiat Vs. MINII dare you to count the number of times MINI is mentioned in this Fiat review. I must say, the Fiat does have a lot going for it. Take a look at the Cnet review of the Fiat 500C.<br /><object width="364" height="256"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" /><param name="background" value="#333333" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50107887" /><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="364" height="256" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50107887" /></object><br /><a href="http://cnettv.cnet.com/2012-fiat-500c/9742-1_53-50107887.html">direct link</a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-6891464661786003732011-05-05T12:49:00.003-05:002011-05-05T12:56:17.842-05:00MINI Countryman Dies while they Check the TechI'm a big fan of <a href="http://reviews.cnet.com/car-tech/?tag=TOCleftColumn.0">Cnet's</a> car reviews, mainly for its honesty. But what do you do when the car you are reviewing dies during your video review. Well, again, I like their reviews for their honesty. Take a look. <br /><object width="364" height="256"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" /><param name="background" value="#333333" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50104362" /><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="364" height="256" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50104362" /></object><br /><a href="http://cnettv.cnet.com/2011-mini-cooper-countryman-all4/9742-1_53-50104362.html">direct link</a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-84088533713003967262011-03-29T12:59:00.005-05:002011-03-29T14:05:34.589-05:00Countryman Rear Bench Option<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHYK39fuL1vrn3prHhDBTOxWod7c-vvsxp2dzhoO8BtsH85O06PIeh38dN3BucZXoPAyh0LJs0enr71-2oNk2fqKgp7avc_vjr4hMZFEzIbaEjtjA0bi_XaGIMddQMvca0dQb/s1600/Bench.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHYK39fuL1vrn3prHhDBTOxWod7c-vvsxp2dzhoO8BtsH85O06PIeh38dN3BucZXoPAyh0LJs0enr71-2oNk2fqKgp7avc_vjr4hMZFEzIbaEjtjA0bi_XaGIMddQMvca0dQb/s400/Bench.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589564879304859826" /></a>For those of you wondering what the rear bench option on the Countryman looks like, a video posted on <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/03/29/video-meet-the-mini-family/">Motoringfile</a> had a quick glimpse. This is the first good look I have seen but there might have been others somewhere that I had not noticed. I think I would opt for the bench instead of the rail but that's just me. As far as I know, the rear bench is not available yet but will be <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/03/10/countryman-rear-bench-for-2012/">soon</a>.<br /><br />Here is the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6bP-47_E0I&feature=player_embedded">video</a>, bench shown at about the 5:15 mark.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="420" height="256" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/a6bP-47_E0I?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-62988996119770370982011-02-28T09:25:00.003-06:002011-02-28T09:31:30.313-06:00The Smart still not so smartHere is a video review from Cnet for the 2011 Smart ForTwo. What was interesting was the inclusion of an automated manual transmission. What was expected was that it is still is quite bad. Perhaps that is why MINI has not gone the route of including an automated tranny. <br /><object width="364" height="256"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" /><param name="background" value="#333333" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50100845" /><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/embed/player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="364" height="256" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50100845" /></object>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-89139107125653951432011-02-14T13:49:00.006-06:002011-02-14T14:38:39.729-06:00Mini on MINI Action<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfODgR1IoIj9BiB-1KFP-arVKcq9zlvf8K_0BRbNOe2IuVgEzZdltvOfujqPyPNTPptGrw6m0venImdxeLwGJ3SKoLuPPYq_MOOmCWTeKFsVFG8Momr9aabK3buoh5wfsuEFa/s1600/photo+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 299px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfODgR1IoIj9BiB-1KFP-arVKcq9zlvf8K_0BRbNOe2IuVgEzZdltvOfujqPyPNTPptGrw6m0venImdxeLwGJ3SKoLuPPYq_MOOmCWTeKFsVFG8Momr9aabK3buoh5wfsuEFa/s400/photo+2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573646497655275778" /></a>Snapped this photo over the weekend of the new MINI Countryman with a classic <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/02/04/mini-re-inacts-suv-stunt/">Mini on the roof</a>. It was parked in front of <a href="http://www.patrickmini.com/">Patrick MINI</a> in Schaumburg. I think the recent travels on a <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/02/11/when-a-viral-campaign-goes-wrong/">flatbed tow truck</a> were to get it from the east coast to Chicagoland. Keep you eyes open as I think it might be making the rounds to a city near you.<br /><br />FYI, it seems to just be a steel frame on posts that are welded to the roof structure that support this classic Mini.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Vl7niAySioL4BhBxbazY1LQJuoxFlmqZ_owV7fVgJbzSrdSd56qJLKOKK8BQP2UBn2BYtNhw8vKCWsfY9QotNlfXMYb97WW1z4LcV8YaabH0wyMD8_Ebz3VpGKrt5t2KGjNC/s1600/photo+4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Vl7niAySioL4BhBxbazY1LQJuoxFlmqZ_owV7fVgJbzSrdSd56qJLKOKK8BQP2UBn2BYtNhw8vKCWsfY9QotNlfXMYb97WW1z4LcV8YaabH0wyMD8_Ebz3VpGKrt5t2KGjNC/s400/photo+4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573646506604315314" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzNz0BFJLDnvvZrZkiG-wbiV7aWcsnMTJB6xXbkpeuCQgstB0Zjx4bT3fN9c7ChqixoBlylaVRGEtL9djCfNQYcCUnSPc4hB6nthY0RCSvb70M3OmsTUw4JxeGN0EhJPby_LQ/s1600/photo+3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnzNz0BFJLDnvvZrZkiG-wbiV7aWcsnMTJB6xXbkpeuCQgstB0Zjx4bT3fN9c7ChqixoBlylaVRGEtL9djCfNQYcCUnSPc4hB6nthY0RCSvb70M3OmsTUw4JxeGN0EhJPby_LQ/s400/photo+3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573646500942945730" /></a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-89065096711764974342011-02-09T11:01:00.005-06:002011-02-09T11:24:15.408-06:00And That's Why I Just Don't Bother<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAe4fpGbB6L6IP8h_Sy_pzvqOzQSMnHIl8hiVrg_rSVUzWPmzzLIBdmDbV4CpCmiaN_sNl8SLIOXogg2rnoa889bArLCjkOAkQ9fTVnmYdfKmQpPoXTXFLiOcFXvrLYT2sZTP/s1600/Calvin-bad-mood.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 368px; height: 327px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfAe4fpGbB6L6IP8h_Sy_pzvqOzQSMnHIl8hiVrg_rSVUzWPmzzLIBdmDbV4CpCmiaN_sNl8SLIOXogg2rnoa889bArLCjkOAkQ9fTVnmYdfKmQpPoXTXFLiOcFXvrLYT2sZTP/s400/Calvin-bad-mood.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571741087754746898" /></a><br />Sometimes internet commenters are <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/02/09/were-better-than-this/">just plain mean</a> on <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/02/06/minis-superbowl-commercial-debuts/">Motoringfile</a>. Some just take it too far thinking they can hide from being responsible and just lash out at other people. I used to love reading comments on Motoringfile four or five years ago because they were actually useful, entertaining, and/or smart. Now, just as on the forums over at <a href="http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/">NAM</a>, it just is not fun anymore. <br /><br />I will say that for some, comments/forums are still entertaining and useful at times. NAM is a great resource as is Motoringfile if you don't mind the occasional irrelevant comment. I just don't like wasting my time with this baby stuff by participating in comments or forum posts. That's why I reinforce Motoringfile's position and say, we ARE better than this.<br /><br />Keep it positive people. Happy motoring!DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-8238699541806992962011-02-07T15:37:00.007-06:002011-02-08T13:00:03.665-06:00MINI tattoo where? Ouch.I don't remember seeing this headline on Motoringfile. Those crazy Germans. Enjoy.<object width="425" height="245"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/yWLlu__3EBkYLueGDNHdXA/2510/2532"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/yWLlu__3EBkYLueGDNHdXA/2510/2532" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="245" allowFullScreen="true"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/213318/saturday-night-live-dana-carvey?c=2510:2532">link to video</a><br />[UPDATE]<br />Well, I guess <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com">Motoringfile</a> did report on this a last week. Don't know how I missed <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2011/01/28/man-wins-mini-cooper-with-tattoo/">this article</a>.DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-55913619424560209782011-01-27T11:18:00.010-06:002011-01-27T12:35:09.193-06:00Don't Worry, I'm Still Around<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOzttIgDVgRGWK62BZnz4slFCNpCGpUrO3zEANuObUnszP-QTzXVT0Eq3ZFh2K-xmb6yEkDHJzy1Ir1WtXP6X0-VvsIcIeSP7aqDOaaMZhKsJA4q_DnmWndMCMpbiGFUkFVPs/s1600/Not+My+MINI.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOzttIgDVgRGWK62BZnz4slFCNpCGpUrO3zEANuObUnszP-QTzXVT0Eq3ZFh2K-xmb6yEkDHJzy1Ir1WtXP6X0-VvsIcIeSP7aqDOaaMZhKsJA4q_DnmWndMCMpbiGFUkFVPs/s400/Not+My+MINI.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566931974291963394" /></a><br />It's crazy to think it's been almost a year since my last post here on dcMINI. But it has and it not that there has been a lack of MINI related things going on. In fact there are plenty.<br /><br />I will say that I have not been driving the MINI all that much, being winter in Chicago. I don't think I even dove the MINI for all of December and a good portion of November. I know, I really wanted to but I have a really good excuse. I was recently married and much of my focus was on that. We had a Parisian wedding! And it was fantastic. We ended up doing it a bit differently by combining the honeymoon with our wedding but I really had a great time. We traveled to Madrid, Barcelona and then Paris, where we were married in a really cool old church. We dont have the pictures yet of the wedding day but here are some <a href="http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=271673&id=845154236&l=8cd46d14a5">photos</a> of the rest of the trip. Anyways.... that happened. I am still under 50K miles and the car has been doing ok. And by "ok" I mean there has been some issues I have dealt with. Nothing major but still worth mentioning. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rRbCQtuzvC9JzoZEjBdbY0eEg5aGfapkdCg9nJljRCTdiXI2zseegYQ8aL4gvBv58MiBhT7jaFD4t7otqaOXNIBylIIelUzQjSAey7zWUtP_VOzRUaYSE61DZqqxAV9S68RN/s1600/MINI+Surgery.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 298px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rRbCQtuzvC9JzoZEjBdbY0eEg5aGfapkdCg9nJljRCTdiXI2zseegYQ8aL4gvBv58MiBhT7jaFD4t7otqaOXNIBylIIelUzQjSAey7zWUtP_VOzRUaYSE61DZqqxAV9S68RN/s400/MINI+Surgery.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566928483076895474" /></a><br />Some of you who listen to the <a href="http://www.whiteroofradio.com/">WWR</a> podcast know that they remind us, almost weekly, to check the oil level on our cars. Fellow MINI owner <a href="http://mtaylorsmith.com/?page_id=248">Taylor</a> was one of the first I had heard about having a problem with this. Apparently there was a slow oil leak from the oil pan gasket that eventually caused the engine to seize up. Not fun! Fortunately, he talked his way into getting the dealer to help out with replacing his engine but still, knowing that could happen to a very knowledgable guy scared me a little. I have since had my oil pan gasket and valve cover gasket replaced since they were starting to fail as well. It was just a precaution but worth doing as opposed to replacing an engine. This was back in September of 2010<br /><br />Now, I have a little leak from the coolant line, probably a hose seal somewhere, but I have to have that checked out. Since the MINI is not my daily driver, it is not a priority to get this fixed asap, but I plan on getting it in in the next couple weeks.<br /><br />Now to address the fact that I have not been posting as much as I would like. When I first started this blog, it seemed that everyone that wanted a voice could just start up a blog. Now I have noticed that that is not the case. There are a few of you still out there doing their thing but most are hitting up facebook. I am no exception. Although not all MINI related, my facebook handle is www.facebook.com/dcmini if you are ever interested in that. Friend me up and let me know you are a dcMINI reader.<br /><br />Thanks for reading, and I'll try to post up here on more significant MINI stuff as they happen. :-)DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-41208229846105885872010-03-11T10:15:00.002-06:002010-03-11T10:20:42.982-06:002010 MCS Mayfair Cnet ReviewSometimes I think they just want to get a rise out of us. I still think this was a good review though. True about the volume knob. Check the blooper at the end.... Classic!
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<br /><object width="364" height="280"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/flv/universalPlayer/universalSmall.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50084454" /><embed src="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/flv/universalPlayer/universalSmall.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="364" height="280" allowFullScreen="true" FlashVars="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50084454" /></object>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-18066668962587436662010-01-25T14:49:00.009-06:002010-02-22T08:45:45.848-06:00X-Ray Mini<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTfeYcWT7YkHTIs3sqLk5cipkRHqpdtfTM1IpNpRozHCCj01YzTJUmEHIwIjGaJcpizonYRUc-UU7SX9COmO6kjBc2_EQrgaS1lWunSkMpz-Bi3HNiVzEPtlu-NBUNaLwO3yS/s1600-h/Mini-717x430.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTfeYcWT7YkHTIs3sqLk5cipkRHqpdtfTM1IpNpRozHCCj01YzTJUmEHIwIjGaJcpizonYRUc-UU7SX9COmO6kjBc2_EQrgaS1lWunSkMpz-Bi3HNiVzEPtlu-NBUNaLwO3yS/s400/Mini-717x430.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5430783382263126402" /></a><br />I came across this over at <a href="http://www.ted.com/">TED.com</a> which I though was fascinating. For the 50th anniverary of the Mini, <a href="http://www.nickveasey.com/">Nick Veasly</a> decided to x-ray a Mini piece by piece. Check this video out. Towards the end, he shows the Mini in all its glory. Very cool!.<br /><object width="420" height="307"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/NickVeasey_2009G-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/NickVeasey-2009G.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=406&vh=226&ap=0&ti=726&introDuration=16500&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=2000&adKeys=talk=nick_veasey_exposing_the_invisible_1;year=2009;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=the_creative_spark;theme=inspired_by_nature;theme=art_unusual;event=TEDGlobal+2009;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="420" height="307" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/NickVeasey_2009G-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/NickVeasey-2009G.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=406&vh=226&ap=0&ti=726&introDuration=16500&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=2000&adKeys=talk=nick_veasey_exposing_the_invisible_1;year=2009;theme=new_on_ted_com;theme=the_creative_spark;theme=inspired_by_nature;theme=art_unusual;event=TEDGlobal+2009;"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/726">Video Link</a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-58290424116087684572010-01-20T14:11:00.005-06:002010-01-20T14:17:07.831-06:00BeachComber<object width="425" height="245"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/DhDFOy3AWNXFTvw0ocFEDw"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/DhDFOy3AWNXFTvw0ocFEDw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" width="425" height="245"></embed></object><br />The Beachcomber seems like old news now that the R60 is all over the net, which it is heavily based on. Take a look at the new R60 over at <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2010/01/20/mf-analysis-mini-countryman/">Motoringfile</a> to compare. It seems very clear to me. And I am digging the new look. I can't wait to see it in person, a very long time from now.... ugh.DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-86091248481359822092010-01-05T15:22:00.004-06:002010-01-18T13:12:21.364-06:00Happy New Year (40000 Miles)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjX8RRxU-0kUDiRqjU0s7r6W2mPdihoezgr5YUlN2gNux05yzi38W9JxaHHZtXjkqCSYHUJLeCt2uEm9O0uLzEy-l613S-TQxfqe4QLmc7oCS7SSx3v2T-ULLNi55g29-L2yUO/s400/IMG_1097.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjX8RRxU-0kUDiRqjU0s7r6W2mPdihoezgr5YUlN2gNux05yzi38W9JxaHHZtXjkqCSYHUJLeCt2uEm9O0uLzEy-l613S-TQxfqe4QLmc7oCS7SSx3v2T-ULLNi55g29-L2yUO/s400/IMG_1097.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />The odometer on the MINI rolled over its 40,000 mile on New years Day! It was freezing (thankfully part of me was toasty with the heated seats). Things are going well with the MINI. My <a href="http://dcmini.blogspot.com/2009/10/rotors-pads-and-tires-oh-my.html">new brakes</a> are a bit squeaky but that's ok. My <a href="http://dcmini.blogspot.com/2009/10/rotors-pads-and-tires-oh-my.html">new tires</a> feel great. I had a change to drive it in some light snow and I felt sure footed. Huge difference! Happy new year! Here's to looking forward to new things!DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-44912786238636891572009-11-18T15:39:00.007-06:002009-11-18T15:47:05.671-06:00Lenny Wins!I caught this on the Simpsons the other day where Lenny, Carl and Homer daydream of supervising themselves at the power plant. What else would you do but race a red, white and blue MINI in the halls. Good Stuff. Enjoy.<br /><object width="425" height="245"><param name="movie" value="http://www.hulu.com/embed/202Na0X9lqLKhRpXgz5ANg/124/155/i140"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.hulu.com/embed/202Na0X9lqLKhRpXgz5ANg/124/155/i140" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" width="425" height="245"></embed></object>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-35336499771801321302009-10-13T09:04:00.003-05:002009-10-25T21:44:55.199-05:00Rotors, Pads, and Tires... Oh My!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGD5gE_kxthet7yzR2rgBmgrFU1zAdH0goZ6Sh5pEb0VRFTTzXeM8T4H5teib35Cj5_o2nEalWdpBoiJ_E1RibacJsllemKLcPh1ZY9OS4d60MRkS5vrVkzefOSTnIA-hwIAN/s1600-h/New+Brakes.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGD5gE_kxthet7yzR2rgBmgrFU1zAdH0goZ6Sh5pEb0VRFTTzXeM8T4H5teib35Cj5_o2nEalWdpBoiJ_E1RibacJsllemKLcPh1ZY9OS4d60MRkS5vrVkzefOSTnIA-hwIAN/s400/New+Brakes.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396733977826726418" /></a><br />As my MINI gets a little older, I tend to take the car out more often. Baby-ing the car has been lacking lately since the it becomes more and more difficult to make the time. So I decided that I would try driving the MINI on a more daily basis, even in the winter months that are approaching fast in Chicago. <br /><br />I had my brakes redone at 37616 miles. I didn't go with any performance rotors or pads, just a stock rebuild kit from <a href="http://www.minicarparts.net/Parts/M3057.cfm">MINICarParts.net</a>. They had a good deal with the entire kit, free shipping, and an additional 10 percent off. It's been a couple weeks now and the brakes feel good after starting out a little mushy. <br /><br />In another effort to get ready for winter, I needed to replace my <a href="http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+AST&partnum=045HR7EASTXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=1&speed_rating=S&speed_rating=T&speed_rating=U&speed_rating=H&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S">Kumhos</a> badly. Although they were a great summer tire and were considered an all season tire, they are really not. In fact in any snow, they are down right dangerous. And at the last rotation, I had some serious road noise issues. I think being a very sticky tire also makes them wear a lot faster too.<br /><br />I decided to go ahead replace those with a set of <a href="http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+G+019+Grid&partnum=045VR7G019&vehicleSearch=false&fromCompare1=yes">Bridgestone Potenza G 019 Grid</a>. The ratings on the winter performance were considerably better than the Kumhos so we'll see if that is the case this winter. So far, after having them installed and aligned at 37659 miles, the ride is very smooth now.<br /><br />Oh yeah, I also changed out my battery just in case with a battery from <a href="http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/parts/partsProduct.jsp?skuDescription=Duralast+/+Battery&categoryDisplayName=&fromString=&itemIdentifier=4475_133767_0_&productId=4475&sortType=&parentId=42-0&filterByKeyWord=&isSearchByPartNumber=&navValue=14200175&categoryNValue=14299999&fromWhere=&itemId=175-0&displayName=Battery&store=3184&searchText=&brandName=Duralast">Autozone</a>. So far everything is fine.DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-32713422251219327222009-09-03T18:38:00.004-05:002009-09-03T18:56:58.534-05:00MINI Confidential<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7jCXDe_S5DC-S1fJ3TImwvFOeVgS1c_2bwfndJYakbn-P7-emuGYJeF3-CIF5AxSvRjGp1M4WVMuPB2qgGnnDIY411_1_O9PB4HIhIwh1A9MCJq3-TFm2g6KwZXRDj6GPIAQ/s1600-h/book.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7jCXDe_S5DC-S1fJ3TImwvFOeVgS1c_2bwfndJYakbn-P7-emuGYJeF3-CIF5AxSvRjGp1M4WVMuPB2qgGnnDIY411_1_O9PB4HIhIwh1A9MCJq3-TFm2g6KwZXRDj6GPIAQ/s400/book.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377390012968662210" /></a>Some of you might have received an email from MINI with this coded image. Since I did not have my MINI decoder near by I just tilted my laptop screen to reveal the message which brought me to a <a href="http://www.miniconfidential.com/">new site</a> with a bunch of videos and images of what's new at MINI specifically the <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/2009/08/26/world-debut-the-mini%C2%A0coupe-concept/">new coupe concept</a>. As I was poking around I came across this sketch with a very familiar logo branding that made me think I was on <a href="http://www.motoringfile.com/">Motoringfile</a> for a second. (look at Motoringfiles header image with the "fast forward" icon) Interesting to say the least. btw, I do like what the coupe represents. I just don't think its useful enough to make the masses buy tons of them. What's great about the MINI now is that it can be used in so many ways. Exciting nonetheless. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGeRmUuVfvHwAeE6VaHi4vOJaTzG8Jm9KQobPkza2SbDz7PktlRHZg2TkQID2dpzEkeGwgxrWhyhlsby7w7G_s-nmcxZH73t6HrFeOMcE6JWWZX90nI2FQ9yp4jjZl3a4afFl/s1600-h/Picture+38.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGeRmUuVfvHwAeE6VaHi4vOJaTzG8Jm9KQobPkza2SbDz7PktlRHZg2TkQID2dpzEkeGwgxrWhyhlsby7w7G_s-nmcxZH73t6HrFeOMcE6JWWZX90nI2FQ9yp4jjZl3a4afFl/s400/Picture+38.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377389900518965186" /></a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-86732955856583374572009-08-29T08:22:00.005-05:002009-08-29T08:34:19.875-05:004-1/2 Years, 36,000 Miles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lpTxUmpFucUJr6v-uNT1XclwFkuWoZ6Vh4jxuAETNdQV1fpnooSEbIGCX4isdY0x7zDGTDPHQRGhqfUFLWBANNu0j2zfPqhKUeiDrBovN1E3mVHsiZeTdliMxnP9vLoxAlxH/s1600-h/IMG_0954.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lpTxUmpFucUJr6v-uNT1XclwFkuWoZ6Vh4jxuAETNdQV1fpnooSEbIGCX4isdY0x7zDGTDPHQRGhqfUFLWBANNu0j2zfPqhKUeiDrBovN1E3mVHsiZeTdliMxnP9vLoxAlxH/s400/IMG_0954.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375378046232380146" /></a>I just rolled over my 36,000th mile yesterday. I have been driving the MINI for more of the day to day errands and more often to and from work. I think the next thing I want to do is get some good winter tires. I want to start driving the MINI more and having the <a href="http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Kumho&tireModel=Ecsta+AST&partnum=045HR7EASTXL&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=1&speed_rating=S&speed_rating=T&speed_rating=U&speed_rating=H&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=S" target="blank">205/45HR-17 Kumho Ecsta AST XL Tires</a> is just to dangerous in the winter. I am not sure what tire I should get but I will keep my eyes open.DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-80543138089556594122009-07-05T22:00:00.002-05:002009-07-06T11:50:02.783-05:002009 4th of July<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQ8A70z-GFZ8_a9vpPOEGiSm5mRLexVgz0lJDrKPny4Oh32WDYF-IkTrdx8YUtFclKLQxkRIzEGNthEol_BZqvd8RpEO96ND2hr6N6L3qp5qHkGO5seCX1SSRQfuOwYkwpjy2/s1600-h/2009julyparade.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPQ8A70z-GFZ8_a9vpPOEGiSm5mRLexVgz0lJDrKPny4Oh32WDYF-IkTrdx8YUtFclKLQxkRIzEGNthEol_BZqvd8RpEO96ND2hr6N6L3qp5qHkGO5seCX1SSRQfuOwYkwpjy2/s400/2009julyparade.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355390396124694178" /></a><br />We participated in the 2009 4th of July parade again over in Oak Lawn. This year we decided to make a patriotic top hat that proved to be a bit challenging since there was a slight drizzle all morning. Thankfully there was no wind so we were good to go. There were a ton of kids snatching up all the candy they could get as we tossed handfuls of tootie rolls out the window. I had a lot of fun getting the MINI all dressed up. Check out the picts below and <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ernestovumbles/sets/72157620815559281/">Steve's photos</a>. He's the one with red MINI and the inflatable Uncle Sam that has a perfect parade hand wave. Nice! More info on the <a href="http://chicagominiclub.com/2009/06/16/july-4th-mini-parade/">CMMC</a> site as well.<br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="400" height="267" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fcontdan%2Falbumid%2F5354828521246372801%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-18329916165995129262009-06-09T11:35:00.005-05:002009-06-09T12:49:09.980-05:00MINI is a Favorite @ WWDC<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZSPx6Kri0zHzRz0_0D3raB3Cpvt82-9BMp6zXCU18-j0QduVdMjeRiBCVz6YOfY1kLPJeLToCyZ_G48I-jKuiQ1kg7SSqmT69gpCbqtXHfa0wtISGEmeh8TQiq82_sZrHyr7/s1600-h/Picture+1.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghZSPx6Kri0zHzRz0_0D3raB3Cpvt82-9BMp6zXCU18-j0QduVdMjeRiBCVz6YOfY1kLPJeLToCyZ_G48I-jKuiQ1kg7SSqmT69gpCbqtXHfa0wtISGEmeh8TQiq82_sZrHyr7/s400/Picture+1.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345367745223167490" /></a> In case you missed the <a href="http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/0906paowdnv/event/index.html?internal=ijalrmacu">keynote</a> yesterday at the <a href="http://developer.apple.com/WWDC/">WWDC</a>, Apple presented a few new items including the new <a href="http://www.apple.com/iphone/">iPhone 3G S</a>. And just like with MINIs, the "S" makes it go faster. ;-) Zipcar also introduced there new way to find nearby cars and reserve them via their new app. During their demo, they found a Prius nearby but opted for the MINI instead for the fun factor. And just in case when you finally get to the location and you just can't find the car parked, you can sound the horn from your phone. How cool is that! It's like when I call my own cell when I misplace my phone in the house. The keynote is posted <a href="http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/0906paowdnv/event/index.html?internal=ijalrmacu">here</a> and skip to 1h33m for the <a href="http://www.zipcar.com/">Zipcar</a> presentation if you don't want to watch the whole thing. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeq1BvKkxWkxO898Ja3R1Tfflu4Rs1A6VO537fEbm5FsNLXHDIOKefK_0xLn0D43unUfFqFU6HhH5DCOyxI9oGMAOxKm2O6KFU5zt0ikRYnMCwRjkU9JN26cU_PA5tS5QTrHg/s1600-h/Picture+2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeq1BvKkxWkxO898Ja3R1Tfflu4Rs1A6VO537fEbm5FsNLXHDIOKefK_0xLn0D43unUfFqFU6HhH5DCOyxI9oGMAOxKm2O6KFU5zt0ikRYnMCwRjkU9JN26cU_PA5tS5QTrHg/s400/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5345371492253701602" /></a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-90796994662281505972009-06-03T08:00:00.003-05:002009-06-03T10:08:51.246-05:00Three 3's and Two 1's<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBIe0eGk2vowSc_SgqfIxQHdl51hj0TkOaiqrm0WhgvZJ0S9cNose2gxQLINTchXJ2PdpOdL2uESx_ZAEM7LSkXxYo_oUgC4pv0aW3wIVuFpw0UuHoMb_RD-HGIu30yo3ORGI/s1600-h/dcmini.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNBIe0eGk2vowSc_SgqfIxQHdl51hj0TkOaiqrm0WhgvZJ0S9cNose2gxQLINTchXJ2PdpOdL2uESx_ZAEM7LSkXxYo_oUgC4pv0aW3wIVuFpw0UuHoMb_RD-HGIu30yo3ORGI/s400/dcmini.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343100248725554418" /></a>Not really a milestone but more for helping myself remember when I rotated my tires. I really can't recall when I last did that but I know it's been a while. So I decided to get a little dirty and rotate them myself this passed weekend. While I was at it I also decided to clean my wheels inside and out. Now we'll see how long that last but for now the wheels look great. I did notice a couple of nasty gouges in the inside of the rim, probably from road debris, but you can't tell looking from the outside. Here are some photos of the finished product, a couple of days later. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXIxd35qxo68zusFv6qKc5ymLtyv540IEeW_cbuUTlx7R7bn-rSFsxuXqEVgJkd3LRd1O_4O8T-zO4cNESY6n3bcOd4zI_rPjGEWcoxZ-EPvz_VuCqEDyOiJKqr8ewdTi3m8J/s1600-h/dcmini1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 165px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdXIxd35qxo68zusFv6qKc5ymLtyv540IEeW_cbuUTlx7R7bn-rSFsxuXqEVgJkd3LRd1O_4O8T-zO4cNESY6n3bcOd4zI_rPjGEWcoxZ-EPvz_VuCqEDyOiJKqr8ewdTi3m8J/s400/dcmini1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343114635832020418" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQeoVohZYAkZAPlvl-GUyxCwlCT5ttSPM_9luyY8bCjC1i7KKotx2l5B9SKJfrOp0xOlQlSWaEcC7C4nQlqX96K3qM26M-EnGzMrXm9Of6K1rPDXp4F1vM9aq0TwauMUNWWwg/s1600-h/dcmini3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQeoVohZYAkZAPlvl-GUyxCwlCT5ttSPM_9luyY8bCjC1i7KKotx2l5B9SKJfrOp0xOlQlSWaEcC7C4nQlqX96K3qM26M-EnGzMrXm9Of6K1rPDXp4F1vM9aq0TwauMUNWWwg/s400/dcmini3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343116896926547778" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4KUivcWG_JMCLSlW_5oAnFeKx99GR91gTynkyuBeYJA666eozYlatuSbQU1WB5-zX8ui59YzErqLfMsQZYmkiA1a2FhVUbwsj0SPmlP1fjMM2Vc0yH022WmEq9o7Ew4l7x_3/s1600-h/dcmini2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4KUivcWG_JMCLSlW_5oAnFeKx99GR91gTynkyuBeYJA666eozYlatuSbQU1WB5-zX8ui59YzErqLfMsQZYmkiA1a2FhVUbwsj0SPmlP1fjMM2Vc0yH022WmEq9o7Ew4l7x_3/s400/dcmini2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343116720811282178" /></a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-3886126013638882912009-05-24T20:54:00.003-05:002009-05-24T21:00:35.845-05:00I Pity Da FoolI passed up this classic van this weekend from vintage TV show, the A-Team. Awesome... Wait a minute... that is a Kia Van!! Only in America. Respect the Van! Hope everyone enjoys their Holiday weekend!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKe9ha7i5zUUdnB6eD5Iu2Y91Ar0-6p0Y9ht0wenFDkdSmhFpchH-2vvqbCNXevz_nJR3yD4I-poVk7b2tTT_LVJhW3Q60VlxFtHqVrL-3zjuXbShxeD-jrq_ODCy-4Yvrw8Ab/s1600-h/Respect+the+Van.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKe9ha7i5zUUdnB6eD5Iu2Y91Ar0-6p0Y9ht0wenFDkdSmhFpchH-2vvqbCNXevz_nJR3yD4I-poVk7b2tTT_LVJhW3Q60VlxFtHqVrL-3zjuXbShxeD-jrq_ODCy-4Yvrw8Ab/s400/Respect+the+Van.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5339575567374008002" /></a>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-77382073552538500482009-05-19T21:25:00.008-05:002009-06-02T23:51:19.698-05:00VW Bug SpoilerI snapped a shot of this Vdub with a pretty cool automatic spoiler. As I drove along the side of this, the spoiler would pop up at about 45mph and retract back as it slowed to about 15mph. I've seen this before on the <a href="http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&um=1&sa=1&q=crossfire+spoiler&btnG=Search+Images&aq=f&oq=">Crossfire</a> and other cars but I never knew it was on the bug too. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosKzK3rWaQ6UJr-9xJTY_N3G5_eeiig8IvghSlyLt_l45Zvqp7qUHbkQbsros6TJKkLIavmniV85pDP9UZ9v0SKZcztSRG-F-aIKai89tUP2SblR1zM9ZFIdnxlnKky85dyg1/s1600-h/Vdub+bug+spoiler.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosKzK3rWaQ6UJr-9xJTY_N3G5_eeiig8IvghSlyLt_l45Zvqp7qUHbkQbsros6TJKkLIavmniV85pDP9UZ9v0SKZcztSRG-F-aIKai89tUP2SblR1zM9ZFIdnxlnKky85dyg1/s400/Vdub+bug+spoiler.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337728857945431058" /></a><br />There's some really <a href="http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=volkswagen%20beetle%20spoiler&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi">ugly VW bug spoilers</a> out there but this one isn't all that bad. Now whether it actually does anything is a different question. I'm sure it's mostly for show. As a side note, the iPhone really does some trippy things with fast moving objects. Take a look at those wheels... weird! :-)DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16986957.post-39549945789396285592009-05-07T13:05:00.003-05:002009-05-10T09:29:56.772-05:00MINI E on Cnet's Green ShowHere is a quick test drive of the MINI E. I have not seen one of these in the wild since they are only being leased on the east and west coasts. Not sure if they can even venture out here without worrying on how to recharge it. <a href="http://cnettv.cnet.com/2001-1_53-50071438.html">direct link</a><br /><object width="364" height="280"><param name="movie" value="http://www.cnet.com/av/video/flv/universalPlayer/universalSmall.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="FlashVars" value="playerType=embedded&type=id&value=50071438" /></object>DanChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17986358862584913954noreply@blogger.com0