Saw a paper-plated Lexus HS-250h yesterday. Based on the JDM Avensis platform like the Scion tC, this entry-luxury sedan is slightly larger than a Toyota Corolla, beating out the next nearest luxury competitor, the Civic-based Canadian-market-only Acura CSX. I don’t have any gripes with the design (it looks great for a sedan), or the technology (Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive is the benchmark), or the market segment (this has been empty since the Infinity G20 disappeared): It’s the labeling. The HS is a hybrid-only vehicle, hence the “H”. Does it really need the “h” after the 250 to drum it into out heads that it is a hybrid? If they intended to keep the little h to make it fall in line with all the other hybrid models nomenclature wise, they should have chosen a different series name.
(0)Monthly Archive for September, 2009
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Saw the 2010 Toyota 4Runner today. I guess it is possible to make it uglier than the previous generation! It’s as unatractively boxy as the latest Honda Pilot. They have carried through the very Korean-car-looking nameplate over the rear number plate like the new Highlander, and borrowed the “crab-eye” taillights from the FJ Cruiser. This example was without a rear wiper – I guess that’s where they are cutting costs on the base models now, just like on the base Matrix.
(0)Finally saw a Hyundai Genesis sedan last week. Up until now, I’ve only seen it on Korean dramas and in print ads. Hyundai is trying to place this car amongst similarly sized upmarket rear-wheel-drive premium sedans, but after seeing a silver example of this vehicle, my impression is, “it’s big, but it’s still a Hyundai”. The paint finish is not at the premium level, nor is the chrome trim. Design-wise, there are a lot of unresolved lines and curves like where the rear windscreen meets the adjacent metal, and the edge of the boot lid and the associated panel lines. I’m still waiting for the Federal Government to slap them with dumping for selling this car for $25K USD less than what it costs on the KDM.
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The last of the Hitachino varieties that Maruka has brought in, the Real Ginger Brew. I popped this open tonight with a little trepidation. I know I like ginger ale, but this kind of ginger ale? Pours with a good head, semi-cloudy medium brown. Strong spice aroma. It would take me a while to identify if I didn’t know what it was, but if you know then the aroma is unmistakeably ginger. It’s actually an intriguing aroma, but unfortunately I don’t like the transition to the taste. What bothers me is that it is sweet, which then kind of masks the strong hops and bitter. Fairly alcohol high at 7%.
I have to say I really don’t care for this one, and I don’t think it’s so much the ginger as the other flavors. If I were offered this another round, I would pass on it and give it a 1 out of 4 hopped out monkeys.
Nice to see all the krappy drivers back in Hawaii. On my way home on the day I got back from Japan, I was in the center-right lane of Alapai by the police station turning onto Beretania when a maroon Camry went speeding by in the center-left lane and went straight up Alapai! Today, I was going down Lagoon in the second left lane to turn left onto Nimitz. There was a big-ass Lexus tailgating me all the way down from Tripler, constantly poking her nose out into the turning lane so she could try seeing around me. At the intersection when I got into the right of the two turning lanes, she went into the far left lane. As I turned left onto Nimitz, I could see her flash by in back of me going straight down Lagoon Drive diagonally across two lanes! Good job poeple!
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Twas a strange evening in Kaimuki. Plans for an urban ride to shake out Ckucky’s 24″ BMX, and for Scat and I to just shake ourselves out with an urban ride got pushed back to tonight. I hustled from a training session in Aina Haina and managed to get to Ckucky’s house just before 5:30PM, and Scat was still stuck in his car somewhere on the freeway. He arrived, not specially happy, but pulling out a bling bling 26″ BMX SE OM Flyer, you can’t stay depressed for long. He also had a 20″ beater BMX. Plans for me to jump on it were aborted when we found the rear tire flat. Time was being lost, so I decided to just use my full suspension pig. Continue reading ‘Urban Kookage’
Got back in just after 10 this morning. Ckucke picked me up from the airport and gave me a lift in to work. I did manage to sleep on the plane ride back from KIX since it was the same movies as on the outbound flight, and I had already watched everything interesting then. There were lots of open seats on the way back, but not as much as on the way out – I had a row to myself as did almost everybody else! The HNL-KIX food was the same “Kalua Pork Curry/Oyster (sauce) Chicken” that they have had catered in Hawaii for a while. The KIX-HNL fare was better with an omurice and wonderful roll cake, but no other choice. I only got offered the snack bag once on the outgoing flight, whereas they used to push the stuff like it was going out of style at every possible opportunity before. I was unable to get Suntory Malts Premium either way, having to settle for Asahi outbound and Yebisu inbound. The outbound snack is the same ham and cheese roll, but the inbound snack is now a sweet roll and a small anpan, which is superior to the weird Danish and hideous vegetable/fruit juice that they used to have.
Once again, thanks go out to the boys, Fab and Scat cruised on by late afternoon to help me pull the engine out of the red Corolla. There wasn’t anything terribly wrong with it, except it’s not the correct block for the model, so techinically puts me into a different class for racing. It’s the supercharged block, without the supercharger. So in actuallity I’m makeing LESS power than stock since the pistons are lower compression. Anyway, previously we’d dropped the transmission and I’ve since rebuilt it with all new bearings and synchros. I decided to pull the engine since I have a spare original spec engine, and installing the transmission onto the engine should be easier. A few little snags, but it was relatively painless. Continue reading ‘Right Tool for the Job’
Stumbled across this at Foodland today and had to buy it. “Limited edition”, is this like the Beanie Baby tactics of the beer world? Anyway, I’m a sucker for a dark beer that promises to be good, since I like Guinness Stout. The draft widget one can’t be beat, except on tap. Anyway, on to this aniversary edition. Pours with a good head, opaque almost black, but doesn’t have the amazing inverted bubble action of the wiget or tap stout. Aroma is nowhere as intense as their usual stout. Taste is likewise. Hints of the classic smokiness. It’s pretty clean and dry, moderated bitterness that tapers nicely. The blurb on the label describes it well, “a refreshing taste, which underlies the complex flavor of stout.” I’d call it Guinness stout lite. It hints at stout, but lacks the originals intense flavor, creamyness. It is quite drinkable. I’m just about done with my first and contemplating another. No idea of the ABV percentage, stouts typically are low, I feel a good buzz hitting. But I also had about 3 shots of sake with dinner about an hour ago.
I’m not sure how to rate this. I’d take a draft Guiness over this any day, but it’s good. And as mentioned, quite drinkable. The normal Guiness stout tends to be a heavier slower drinking affair. And doesn’t always get along with food. I’d give it 3 out of 4 tipsy monkeys.
Guess this is a case for “Do as I say, not as I do.” Driving along a compact “SUV” with the Eh, Slow Down, this Ain’t the Mainland bumper sticker doing 65 in a 45 mph zone. Perhaps not entirely fair since no one actually does 45 on that stretch of ewa bound H-1 before University, but still excessive as it darted between lanes.
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