Please delete this comment and my reply to it.. I forgot to hit reply.

(would not be a good time to request edit and delete functions for the commenting system? This is long overdue.)

"In other news, Sky is Blue, jalapeno peppers are hot, and taxpayers are screwed." - Sea Urchin

And this is me with my "I can't believe it" face.

"In other news, Sky is Blue, jalapeno peppers are hot, and taxpayers are screwed." - Sea Urchin

And this is me with my "I can't believe it" face.

Seriously.. not trying to be a negative nancy, but that the whole routine really does look phoned in.

This is like the dance equivalent of the Pontiac Aztek.. and that's saying something. The dance, like the ill-fated "sort of" car, isn't sure what it wants to be, but everyone who's seen it is sure it shouldn't "be" at all.

Let's hope the marketing for this product takes on a much more mature approach from here on out.

"I think the controlling stake sell-off had more to do with Ford's need for cash than a reflection of stragegic relationships. I wouldn't be surprised to see them buy that back in the future."

Excellent observation.. this is precisely how I interpreted the sale of Ford's controlling stake in Mazda at the time. Ford needed to make sacrifices to execute is new strategy; I think Mazda understood that clearly as well. Nothing in the future is guaranteed, but I think a buy back as you point out would make a lot of sense given the close ties of the two companies.

Without the iPhone, AT&T's 3G network would actually be usable again. Before the iPhone it was awesome. Now, dropping calls is practically a trademark. For me, it's not bad enough to get me to switch, but if it continues to decline in 2010, Verizon will be signing me up for a BlackBerry Tour2.

AT&T.. seriously, this isn't the way to go. I've been a loyal customer for years, but you got called out fair and square. The ONLY appropriate response to Verizon is to build out your network to handle the demand.

ZING. We have a winner.

This article makes total sense to me. For a long time I was keeping an eye on a Pontiac G8 GXP. When that option became impossible, the next best choice for what I wanted around $40-42K became the Acura TL AWD. And it is a great choice. But as I continued to do my homework, it became clear that the TL really wasn't the best option for me. A large car is exceedingly difficult to park in the city, and since I know it will spend most it's time in traffic on a 30+ commute to the office, that V6 is going to wind up wasting a lot of fuel to do the same thing my 4-banger does now.

The current political climate between being environmentally responsible (can't stand tree hugger hippies, but I'm not fond of conspicuous consumption either) and being financially responsible has being weighing into my decisions as of late. And I can admit I do care what some people in my life think about said choices.. not so much total strangers, but that's a small factor if for no other reason than because I don't want my car to become a target.

As of right now, my criteria puts the TSX directly at the top of the list. The amenities list is very nearly point-for-point the same, and comes in a smaller and more efficient package that ends up being more practical for my needs without sacrificing too much of my wants in the process. And that I don't have to go to a niche sport model to get the stick is a nice bonus too. Manual Shift FTW. :)

"Brian, my constitution says something about gov't providing for the general welfare..." - Chris

Well then, *your* constitution is wrong. The actual Constitution of the United States declares in the preamble that a key purpose of the document as the government's framework is to PROMOTE the general welfare. The general welfare in this context referring to constructs (outlined earlier in the preamble) of tranquility, justice, and defending the sovereignty of the United States and her citizens.

"welfare" didn't mean back then what it means today. Get a clue.

Agreed; that interior looks world class. My first thought was "damn, these people are not playing around." I'm diggin' how the center stack flows from the lower divide into the dash like an exquisite orchid flower. Those trapezoid grips on the steering wheel say sophisticated to me, and the trim highlights look classy against what look like very rich materials.Very nice job indeed.

I can tell the Sonata is not for me, but it's definitely a serious and genuine contender for those shopping in midsize sedan market.