2010 American Le Mans in Laguna Seca

I had the opportunity to check out the 2010 American LeMans Series in Laguna Seca.  I have to admit that I was quite happy that this time around I was a spectator on the track and not a participant.  The elevation changes on the track are so great that many times during the AMG Driving Academy I felt like I was going to hurl.

We arrived at 9:30am and stayed until about 4pm.  My SO enjoyed the event and loved listening to the cars go by.  I was not as interested in the cars as I anticipated.  The event was amusing for the first hour or so but after a while it's all the same cars.  We did get to see the aftermath of a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR crash.

The downside of attending the race in person is you actually can't see the whole race.  Depending on where the grandstands are, only one portion of the track is visible.  In addition, since the American Le Mans race goes on for over 6+ hours, most will get bored of watching for 10 seconds cars go by the straight.

They definitely needed to have more tents and stores for the spectators to visit.  They had a lot more booths at the Monterey Historical and it was more entertaining.

Below are highlights of the race.

Best Jobs in America

As we slowly come out of the recession, there was some interesting metrics that has been put together on the "top jobs" in America.  What has surprised me the most was how little the median salary are for these top salaries.  I guess I'm not doing that bad.

Naturally, doctors make a lot of money, but having to go through 10+ years of school to get there is something I would never be able to bring myself to do.

The most interesting part of this Focus study is they rated IT as the top job in the US.  Interesting.

Why Bystanders should keep their pants up at all times

Oh goodness, what a classic video.  Mark Tipper actually was leading the race until he was distracted by a nice pair of someone's behind. 



Full article here.

Profile pictures of cars you don't own

I'm not the first one who thinks this way, but I will probably be one of the first to voice this opinion out loud.  You should not put profile pictures of yourself in cars or of cars you don't own.  That's just -- lame.

What is the point?  In it's simplest form, you are poser-balling, pretending you are rolling in something you don't own.  Very classy. 

I have absolutely no respect for people who do that.

Lookie here, wow, I was riding around in a Ferrari, doesn't mean that I'm going to put this on my Facebook profile and claim it's mine. 

End of story.

Additional Photos from Choco Studios

My good childhood friend and colleague Mike, founder of Choco Studios, took these amazing pictures of me and my dog Nizzy during his 30th birthday celebration in Half Moon Bay.  I love the pictures.

How to Put Facebook On A Privacy Lockdown

Business Insider has come up with an easy to follow, step-by-step, DIY instruction on how to lock down your Facebook profile.  Following the suggestions from beginning to end may be too draconian, as it defeats the purpose of being part of a social network. 

My personal suggestion would be to go through the instructions and pick and choose which you would like to retain and which you would like to lock down.  End of the day, follow this golden rule.  If you don't want people to know about it, you probably shouldn't have it on your profile to begin with.

AMG Driving Academy Review Summary

Overall, I loved the experience.  The participants are naturally all affluent individuals and I got to meet a lot of very interesting characters -- from retired investment bankers to EVP of Google.  They came from all walks of life, and many of them flew across the country to attend this event..  I was one of the younger participants.  The average individual was around 50 to 60 years old.

I was fortunate enough to be enrolled in their Private Lounge session, which includes only current and previous AMG owners.  This may have contributed to the age of the group as most of them own several AMG vehicles.

The employees who ran the AMG event were all very professional, courteous, and naturally German.  They went out of their way to make sure everything is taken care of and that you are happy at the event.  They also didn't cheap out in the catering.  Nothing like being poured Jordan wine at the start of the reception and being served braised beef with whole shaved truffle for the main course.

The event was informational, informal, and entertaining. 

AMG Driving Academy Pictures -- Last batch

Below are the last batch of my AMG Driving Academy experience.  My understanding is that there may not be as many SLS as there were for our special course, but nevertheless this would be an once in a lifetime experience that everyone should try at least once. 

Personally, I do not plan to attend future events in the near future mainly because I got way too carsick the first time there.  In addition, I'm not as wealthy as some of my fellow participants so I should save some of my money for the time being.  I do not regret spending the money and going to the even through. 

More AMG Driving Academy Pictures

The SLS, compared to the more track ready CLK Black Series, seems much more forgiving and fun to drive.  The CLK Black Series felt more edgy and skittish.  One interesting thing to note about the SLS was they were all European Pre-Production models.  Therefore, all of the speed dials were in KPH.

Our celebrity instructors of the day were Tommy Kendall and Bernd Maylander. 

AMG Driving Academy More Pictures

Here are more pictures from the SLS AMG Driving Academy in Laguna Seca.

As we walked past the deconstructed SLS, we were welcomed to the hospitality tent as well as a full fleet of track ready SLS AMG that are just waiting for us.  The whole academy was operated by Skip Barber and the structure of the course was minimal in class and a lot of hands on instruction in the AMG vehicles provided.

AMG Driving Academy Pictures

Here are some additional pictures from my 1st AMG Driving Academy in November of 2009.

It was wonderful having the whole fleet of AMG greet us as we got off the chartered bus that picked us up from the hotel.  After walking past the fleet of vehicles, we were greeted by a deconstructed SLS that allowed us to see both the design as well as the construction of the Mercedes Benz SLS in detail.

AMG Driving Academy 2010

I have recently received my invitation to the upcoming AMG Driving Academy for 2010 in Laguna Seca.  The price of the event, taught by Skip Barber instructors, range from $1,500 to over $3,000 depending on the level and tenure of the instruction you choose.

I was fortunate enough to attend the event last year. The course I signed up for was their first ever SLS focused introductory driving class to introduce the Mercedes AMG SLS to the public.  Because of this, the $2,000 package included one night stay at the Intercontinental in Monterey as well as a dinner reception the evening before. 

I have to admit AMG Driving Academy does not market this program very well.  As an outsider looking in last year, I didn't really see the value of attending the course, and my gf was the one who convinced me to go to this once in a lifetime event. 

Personally, after attending the event, I think the event is worth every penny (as long as you're the type that doesn't easily get motion sickness). It is also very easy to see that Mercedes Benz definitely subsidizes the event, as the event itself is easily much more than the entry price I paid.

Here is a recap of the perception I had going into the event vs. the reality:

1. I had the perception that we will only be driving some of the lower end cars, and only receiving taxi rides on the more advanced and expensive vehicles.  The reality is they had a fleet of AMG vehicles that outnumbered the attendees the morning we arrived.  You get full track time with every single one of the AMG vehicles, from the C63 to the SL63, and especially the SLS.  We were encouraged to push the vehicle as much as our nerves allowed.  Most of the time it is our own self preservation that prevented us from pushing the car beyond the limit, not the instructors.  
2. We chose not to initially purchase a visitor/guest pass for my girlfriend because the call center adviser told us that it was only a "tent" and the guest will not be allowed outside of the area.  This $600 price for a visitor only pass is well worth it.  The area is not a tent, it is a full blown lounge with a full service bar and cook to order lunch and brunch.  Your guest is allowed to both stroll around in the paddock, as well as participate in the taxi rides with Tommy Kendall and Bernd Maylander (current F1 safety car driver).  In addition, your guest will be treated very well by the AMG employees and even make a few friends.
3. I thought we would get minimal track time.  In reality, we only spent a total of 30 minutes in orientation, and I think if anything I probably should have spent more time studying the track and how to drive.  We immediate went out to the track and got in our freshly serviced and detailed vehicles.  This was around 8am and we drove straight through until 5pm.

Doberman Photoshoot

I have known Mike for ages and have seen his interest in photography develop from a hobby to a career. It's always fun to work with someone who's passion is his work -- cause they are the ones who will go that extra mile to make their work amazing. I am always impressed by his quality of work and the pictures he takes. One of the few photographers I know that has the ability to capture "the moment", whether it's a couple, a baby, or a furry companion. From his pictures, you can really feel the personality of the individuals in the photograph come to life.

If you are interested in his work, you can find more information here.

Facebook Privacy Policy

Just take a look at the flowchart NY Times put together of how to modify/change your privacy policies on Facebook.  In case you been living under a rock all of these years, Facebook offers their service for "free" because they take the information you provide and generate advertising revenue with them.

At least now I know why they decided to make every single one of my Info entries a fan page. This way they can aggregate personal info data and provide a new channel for direct advertisers.

This is also the reason why I have deleted almost all of my personal information from Facebook.

The car people can actually afford

Let's not get our hopes up America, the car for the rest of us.


Ford Unveils New Car For Cash-Strapped Buyers: The 1993 Taurus

Poser Alert

I got to give credit to the owner of this car for trying.  I still don't understand why people are so desperate to try to be something they are not, sometimes to the point where it's just laughable.  I seriously hope that someone did this as a joke.

My guess is that this was some Asian guy. 

When immigration is taken too far

This is what happens when immigration is taken too far.  Now seriously, why do we care?  With how difficult it is to get a job around here, illegal immigrants are basically taking jobs that no one else is willing to do, at a fraction of the price, without drawing any benefits to their contribution.

The direction Arizona is heading, I wouldn't be surprised if I get stopped and asked for my ID.  Now seriously, who keeps their US Passport on them at all times? Going to be like this scene from the movie "Fun with Dick and Jane".

Stupid Yellow Cab Driver

There are several general understandings that stands for cab driver.  Most do not speak English and although they would like believe they are proficient drivers, most are not.  Prime example was seen yesterday evening around 5:30pm.  This Asian cab driver was swerving aggressively in and out of rush hour traffic without signaling. 

Now did this get him to where he needs to go any faster? Nope.  Having stayed in my 1-lane, I still ended up faster than he was.  In addition, he was actually at several times taking up more than 1-lane just so no one could pass him.  Maybe I should give him the benefit of doubt by thinking he was too stupid to realize which lane he was in. 

To endangering your fellow commuters and being a moron, you have earned a spot on this blog.  Hopefully whomever manages Yellow Cab car # 980 will read this and fire that moron.

Job Interview Tips

This skit is classic. Thank god I've never had an interview like this! This clip is from That Mitchell & Webb Look.

Recent Toyota Recalls remind me of Fight Club

The recent recalls from Toyota reminded me of the movie "Fight Club".  In the movie, an unnamed narrator works as a Product Recall Specialist for an unnamed car company. He is responsible for determining if product recalls of defective models meet cost-benefit analysis. The stress of his job combined with his frequent business trips leads to perpetual jet lag.

It's scary to think that auto manufacturers decide on whether to recall a defective model depending on the cost-benefit analysis conducted by these specialists.  To the corporation, people are only numbers on a spreadsheet, and not individual, irreplaceable human beings. Drawing a parallel to what has happened recently with Toyota, we can easily see that this isn't just a figment of a fictional author's imagination, but reality.  Even Toyota, who prides themselves on reliability and safety, take shortcuts in the name of expansion and cost savings.

What most executives forget about these short term, quarter to quarter reporting, let us increase our profit and margins by whatever it takes, environment is that things catch up.  Fortunate for them, we humans have a very short attention span, and I'm sure most people will forget about this even soon enough and be worrying about what Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan wears next.

Source.

Volvo XC60 IIHS Crash Test Rating

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety conducted their crash test for the new 2010 Volvo XC60.  Overall, the Volvo vehicle did extremely well on the crash tests.  The IIHS ratings range from a top rating of Good to Poor.  As expected, the new Volvo XC60 returned with a rating of Good on all counts.  The vehicle they tested was the AWD version, while I personally purchased the FWD.  I don't think that should affect the outcome of the ratings for my vehicle.

Expected injury measures from the dummy for head/neck/ches/leg/foot all returned with a Good rating.  The structure and safety of the vehicle cage returned with a Good rating as well.  The restraints, whom Volvo was an inventor of the 3-point seat belt, also came back very positive with a Good rating.

In terms of the unseen safety features, the XC60 includes front and rear side airbags as well as rollover sensors that automatically deploy the side curtain airbags.  The electronic stability control standard on the vehicle also includes roll stability to prevent rollover accidents.  Side impact ratings for both the driver's as well as the passenger's side also returned with Good ratings.  One item of note is during the test, the lower side seat trim was pushed against a service release button for the safety belt, which then detached from its anchor on the outboard side of the driver's seat. Although there was no unusual movement of the dummy, the dummy was not restrained during part of the crash event. Volvo has addressed the problem on models built after November 2009 and is issuing a recall to fix the belts on cars built earlier.  It's nice to know that an auto manufacturer proactively works to improve and fix the errors that they found.  The model I bought was build in 2010 -- this problem should be solved.

Lastly, the vehicle has an impressive roof resistance with a crush strength-to-weight ratio of 5.23.  This means you can stack over 5 XC60s on top of each other before the roof of the vehicle on the very bottom would deform up to 5-inches.  The vehicle, with a weight of 4,169 lbs, feels very solid and should be able to easily resist most accidents it will encounter during its effective operating lifespan.  

Source 1.

Source 2.

Source 3.

And this is why I like my Volvo

Volvo has always been at the forefront of crash test safety, and this Youtube video is a great example of why.  Designed and built in 2000, this design center allowed Volvo to conduct full size crash test of their vehicles from various angles and at speeds in excess of 70 mph.  They even have a Plexiglas floorboard at the impact zone so they can record the impact from underneath the vehicles.

With this Safety Center, they are able to not only run vehicle to vehicle crash tests, they are also able to do roll over testing, as well as crash tests involving inanimate objects such as trees, walls, etc.  This sure beats what our government does, and seems to be a much better regimen than any other automobile manufacturer can provide.

Simpsons Ke$ha Intro -- Awesome

Enjoy!



Parody



Original

Finally, a Del Slow that works!

I guess the owner really wanted to be a Rebel pilot....

Superman and their kids

The first sign the Clark Kent was different than the other toddlers.

White trash in the GMC

Just because you drive a rusted out GMC doesn't mean you have the right to cut people off and ignore common courtesy.

I understand you hate the world and those who did better than you because you never bothered to apply yourself to anything.  Although it was not our fault that you whored yourself out to the jocks in high school instead of doing well in class, you still like to blame it on us because it's the American way.  Yes, it's our fault that your life sucks down, so why don't you take it out on us.

Yes, I honked at you because you chose to use the merge lane to pass rush hour traffic and didn't even have the common courtesy to see that I was way ahead of you and just because you were on the breakdown lane trying to pass me doesn't make it right.  Oh wait, did I mention I was actually using the lane correctly and actually merging onto the freeway?

Too bad my camera wasn't set to take a better picture, but you have won my you're an idiot award.

Yelp! Reviews by unqualified individuals who think they are experts

Don't get me wrong, I often use Yelp! to both gauge restaurants I would like to try as well as find the local hot spot, or "good eats".  Unfortunately, with every useful review there are 10 others that are completely useless and ignorant.  This is what I call "noise" in the reviews.  These comments often skew the actual review of the restaurant.  Too bad Yelp! only cares about making money and Search Engine Optimization and nothing about actual quality of review.

Most "Americans" don't realize that Chinese food does not consist of what you find in PF Chang and Panda Express.  Going to an authentic restaurant expecting flavors that were created to cater to the American palate is ignorant to say the least.  After ordering such dishes, proclaiming it hasn't been done correctly (how can one gauge the correct way to make incorrect food?), condemning the restaurant and the cuisine as a whole is ridiculous. This is basically like me going to The French Laundry or Manresa expecting a hamburger, French fries, and milkshake.  Alternatively, it is not realistic for me to go to McDonald's expecting Foie Gras and a juicy steak.

Yelp! of course propagates this perception of "power to the people" with Yelp! Elite.  Yelp! Elite rewards users who create the most content (for SEO purposes), regardless of the quality of an user's review or their expertises.  My translation of an individual who is a Yelp! Elite is someone who has way too much free time and should probably have spent more time working.  If I was a boss, I could probably search online for my employees who are Yelp! Elite members and instantly get a productivity boost replacing them with individuals who actually work.

At the risk of alienating myself, I would almost suggest as part of an user's profile they should very much ask for race as well as origin of birth.  Maybe education and how cultured someone is should play into the ability an user can review a restaurant as well.  Back in the days of professional food critics, they were experienced, and although mean, fully able to accurately rate a restaurant.  I have tried many 3.5 to 4-star rated restaurants on Yelp! that tasted horrible.  If you need any more evidence, consider how great the pool of critics must be if McDonald's is rated at some places 4-stars.  This is why to this day, and from what I can foresee, the Michelin Star rating is so relevant and prevalent.

Lastly, I do have to concede that not every restaurant is good at every single element of a culture's cuisine.  They usually have a handful of dishes that they excel at.  For example, Su Hong in Palo Alto makes great Xiao long bao and sheng jian bao, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend them for other dishes like Zha jiang mian.  Everyday Beijing in San Mateo, a restaurant I tried with coworkers and my girlfriend recently, has good dumplings and the best that we can deduce a "meat pie" but I wouldn't recommend their peanut noodle dish or their xiao long bao.

Maybe some day Yelp! would figure out an algorithm to sort through and filter out the noise.  Maybe one of the way to do that is to only allow individuals to recommend dishes.  Either way, until that day comes, the consumer rated revolution is creating a pretty dismal future with an influx of self proclaimed "foodies".

Iron Man 2 Official Trailer

Hopefully this movie will have a plot and the same character development and charisma as the last movie.  Robert Downey Jr. definitely was a much better actor than I have anticipated in the first movie, and his character in "Tropic Thunder" was off the hook.  I'm glad he's over his druggie days and we're finally able to see his acting skills in action.

White House Correspondents Dinner

I always enjoyed watching these light hearted speeches that the President of the United States partake in during these White House correspondents dinner.  In a lot of ways although they are prepared and rehearsed, they do show a lighter side of the Presidency.



It is still hard to beat Bush's last Correspondents Dinner as President.



The one with Steve Bridges is off the charts.

The real cost benefit of hybrids

LeftLaneNews.com is an automobile publication I refer to and read quite often.  Although the site itself is owned by a large online lead generation company, it still provides some very useful information about the automobile space.  One research they did that was especially impressive was their "head-to-head" comparison of the cost benefit analysis of hybrids and their comparable pure gas only powered competitors.

Many comparisons are unfair because hybrids, for lack of better words, are still positioned by many auto manufacturers as more "premium" cars, and many would offer options that otherwise more economical vehicles ("econo boxes") would not.  For example, I personally would not compare a Toyota Prius with a Toyota Yaris because the Prius is offered with a lot of gadget, luxury features, and other options that are just plainly not available on the Yaris (i.e. back up camera). In addition, many times there is a significant size differential as well.

After taking all of those into account, here would be the best comparison I have seen to date.

The data
Ford Fusion SEL with Package 301A, Decklid spoiler, Reverse sensing system, $26,865
Average MPG: 25
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,710
Ford Fusion Hybrid with Package 501A, Leather trim, $31,460
Average MPG: 39
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,094
MSRP Difference: $4,595
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $616
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 7.5

Honda Civic LX-S, $19,005
Average MPG: 29
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,475
Honda Civic Hybrid, $24,510
Average MPG: 42
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,017
MSRP Difference: $5,505
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $458
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 12

Honda Fit with Keyless entry, $16,560
Average MPG: 31
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,381
Honda Insight LX, $20,510
Average MPG: 41
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,043
MSRP Difference: $3,950
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $338
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 11.7

Mercury Milan Premier with Package 202A, $26,720
Average MPG: 25
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,710
Mercury Milan Hybrid with Package 300A, $31,980
Average MPG: 39
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,094
MSRP Difference: $5,260
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $616
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 8.5

Nissan Altima 2.5S with splash guards, $22,715
Average MPG: 27
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,582
Nissan Altima Hybrid, $26,780
Average MPG: 34
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,257
MSRP Difference: $4,065
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $325
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 12.5

Toyota Camry LE with Extra Value Package, $23,035
Average MPG: 26
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,646
Toyota Camry Hybrid, $27,657
Average MPG: 34
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,257
MSRP Difference: $4,640
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $389
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 11.9

Toyota Matrix 1.8 with Power Package III, $20,210
Average MPG: 28
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,526
Toyota Prius II, $23,550
Average MPG: 50
Annual Fuel Cost: $855
MSRP Difference: $3,340
Annual Fuel Cost Difference: $671
Years to Pay Off Hybrid: 5

Volkswagen Jetta SE, $22,400
Average MPG: 25
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,710
Volkswagen Jetta TDI with Moonroof, $25,680
Average MPG: 34
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,358
MSRP Difference: $3,280
Annual Fuel Cost Difference:$352
Years to Pay Off Diesel: 9.3

Source.

Long story short, at the current prevailing gas prices, it will take you at least 5-years of hybrid ownership to break even on the premium you paid for the hybrid (and some as high as 12-years).  Not to mention that most individuals I know usually won't own a vehicle past the 5-year period, you also have to consider most Ni-Cad and Li-Ion batteries frankly just won't keep their charge much after 7-10 years.  With those considerations in mind, people who are buying hybrids are really doing it for other benefits, such as the carpool lane sticker, or just plainly wanting to give off the impression that they are doing their part to help the environment.  This perception is really what is helping to sell these hybrid vehicles like hotcakes.  In reality, even the resources needed  to mine the minerals for the batteries pretty much even out any benefits your hybrid would have given back.

So this leaves me with another question.  Besides a really amazing marketing campaign, what is really the point of hybrids?

Dr Strangelove Dark Comedy

Dr Strangelove, or How I learned to Stop Worring and Love the Bomb, co-stars George C. Scott.  This movie is so famous it has made it to our pop culture, and even The Simpsons.



I watched the movie for the first time tonight and I have to say even though the movie was made in the 1960s, it was still as entertaining, and relevant, today as it was over 40 years ago.  The hour and thirty minutes the movie runs goes by quickly.  What I love about these old movies is they are very much character and dialog driven, and there isn't as much useless "flash bang" that just takes up space.

The movie clearly shows in a dark comedy how risky the cold war was, and how human nature is never perfect.  Due to imperfect information, crazy individuals, and just bad timing, one bad decision by a General resulted in the total annihilation of the whole human race.

I can see parallels even today with our own "war on terror".  How absurd some of the suggestions are now that "made sense" at the time.  Individuals use misinformation and fear to further their own agenda.

The highlight of the movie is how everyone feared the Russians, while within their own ranks "Dr Strangelove" was still very obviously pro-Nazi.  The leaders in the war room were obsessed with every word from "Dr Strangelove", and although they were the ones who caused the apocalypse, they felt they should all be saved.

Although you can rent the movie pretty much anywhere, you can find the movie for free on Hulu.com here.