David Hingtgen

Pre-emptive mod warning: Don't ask for a direct link, don't post a direct link. If you can't find what you want from all the hints/discussion so far, either: A. It's not out there yet. B. You suck at the internet.

Umm, erm... >>>Northrop tanker motion denied - Updated Northrop just announced that the Government Accountability Office has denied motions filed by it and the Air Force calling for a partial dismissal of Boeing's protest of the tanker decsion. Northrop says the denial of its motion came "after a supplemental filing by Boeing Corporation that streamlined its original protest and eliminated many of the elements that were central to the Air Force and Northrop Grumman motions.'' It's not clear what Boeing may have removed from its original filing. Quote: "Boeing's decision to abandon the public relations rhetoric contained in its original protest filings is in keeping with our motion," said Randy Belote, Northrop Grumman vice president of corporate and international communications. "We are encouraged that the company has streamlined its approach. We remain convinced that the Air Force process that led to Northrop Grumman's selection was fair, open and transparent, and we look forward to assisting the Air Force defend its selection decision before the GAO." UPDATE: Boeing says it has no idea what Northrop is talking about. This is the Boeing response. Quote: We have no idea of the basis of the Northrop Grumman statement. We continue to press every ground in our original appeal. We have neither abandoned nor narrowed any ground. In fact, our supplemental filings have added additional grounds to our original filing based on the information we have received from the Air Force since filing our protest on March 11. Any assertion to the contrary is a blatant attempt to misrepresent the facts. Boeing also had this to say about the GAO denial of the Northrop and Air Force motions: Quote: The GAO has denied both the Air Force's and Northrop Grumman's motions to dismiss our claims. This decision is consistent with our view that full consideration of all appeal grounds is warranted. We view today's decision by the GAO as a significant development in our appeal of the tanker decision.>>>

Hey, with more and more 5000lb SUV's out there, you need a 4000lb car now not to get vaporized when the soccer moms hit you... IIRC, part of the reason cars are getting heavier (and MPG isn't going up much) is because of the constant increases in safety equipment/requirements. Tire monitors, stability control, a dozen airbags, thicker door beams, etc.

I want to see more than a video--show me an actual mission.

Nope, nothing beyond what I posted. But it's from a very trustworthy source.

If there weren't pics to prove it, I'd think this was an April Fool's thread: http://www.g8board.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1691 18-year-old without a license gets a brand-new G8 GT, #5 off the production line. Lets his friend drive it, who immediately spins it into a street sign (or two). $10,000+ in damage. Car was owned a good 18 hours it seems. (And that was the first estimate, later in the thread it seems they found more damage when checking underneath) So beware if an 'almost new' G8 GT ends up for sale with only 300 miles soon... PS--who buys their kid who's never driven before, a brand-new 360+ HP car? ::edit:: Wow, the 30th was a bad day for new cars: 08 Viper totalled only 1/8 mile from where it was bought: http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f12/idiot-...er-pics-432661/

The simple fact that the 80's were the last time we saw your basic "jet-age" system that's been used since the 60's being installed at new terminals. In the 90's, we started getting "new" stuff like Denver's. The 80's were the peak of old-school (yet working and reliable) baggage handling.

Dodge already has full specs for the 09 Challenger up at their site. The more I look/read, the more I like---much more than the Camaro or any Aussie car at this point. If I can pay off my car a year early, I think I'd like a '11 Challenger. (or maybe if I can find a nice used '10 at that point--it'd be a lot easier to afford) (and it will be blue)

They keep trying to re-invent the baggage system. I don't think any have been successful. If I designed an airport, you can bet it'd have 1980's style baggage handling.

Now it seems they ARE considering making a Pontiac out of the Holden 60: http://www.leftlanenews.com/pontiac-mullin...-gxp-coupe.html I'd much rather see it as a GTO or Firebird, not a FIFTH G8 variant. (We already have the base, GT, GXP, and El Camino) Though of course, using G8 parts would get it over here cheaper--and thus, more likely to come over, period.

Well, he's broken now. And the joint still won't move! I've emailed Hasbro and will bitch at them until I get a replacement. The joint is in pieces, boiled, pulled, pliers, and slicing with an X-acto. And it's still stuck and won't move. Very defective. (There's stuck joints, and then there's this thing) I think I found like vinyl in and around the joint, COVERING the seams between the joint and the arm. It's more than just "a bit of paint" in the joint.

My first Destro ever. Anyways--he can't bend his right elbow. It's REALLY stuck. Any suggestions? I can BEND it almost 90 degrees at this point, but it's just the plastic bending, not the joint rotating. If I could remove his forearm and elbow joint from the upper arm, I think I could free it. But I also think trying to take it apart will simply shear the elbow joint apart.

First KC-45 arrives in Dresden, Germany: http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/defen...dd-5b52bc2bec8a

Drove out this evening to one of Iowa's many smaller, older, rural Wal-Marts. Often good things hidden away in them. In addition to their "stuffed full of Wii's" video game case, I found a Crimson Guardsman. Yes, I know that's a peg-warmer everwhere else. But not here. First I ever saw. (there are no 25th Joe figures at all in most stores locally--none) Also, snagged Iron Grenadier Destro.

Trade one losing format for another: BetaMax to HD-DVD converter: http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/betamaxhd.html?cpg=70H

Ebay pics of Wave 8 at Hisstank. I *really* hope that Cobra Commander has a chromed face plate---hard to tell--it's definitely reflecting the light better than other releases, but doesn't IMHO look QUITE enough to actually be chromed. Maybe just "shinier silver paint". http://www.hisstank.com/forum/attachment.p...mp;d=1206927112 Roadblock: I'll wait for a cartoon-colors repaint. (Dark green vest instead of bright lime)

No, the Grand Prix is gone. Last one was built in November. The few remaining ones on the dealer lots are the very last of them. And the Solstice is SO not a Firebird replacement. Right myk?

That was given to Pontiac because Chevy already had so many vehicles. Pontiac's lost the Firebird, Grand Prix, and Bonneville in just the last couple years. G8 can't replace all 3. And they just recently said "no" to the Concept 60 coming over here in any way shape or form. (they blame CAFE) (and I want one)

No comments on the many new Camaro pics of RS/SS spoilers/decals/fairings? http://www.autoblog.com/photos/gm-accessor...ro/723879/full/ (last pic's the best, and has a different spoiler)

If Yamato used lead paint, they could use less yellow. Lead is what makes yellow rich and opaque. Non-lead paint leads to many coats being needed. (obvious on anything made from 1980+)

There's going to be a 3-disc "extra" special edition of Top Gun coming---the third disc is going to be about the F-14's and the guys who flew them. No word on if it's DVD or Blu-Ray---hopefully the latter.

More shopping cart stories: Moron (with teenage moron friends) in an SUV sees a cart, and PURPOSELY accelerates and hits it with his giant off-road bumper guard to get it out of his way. He laughs, then goes "oh Sh**" when he sees the cart turn and start heading for a nice new Cadillac. The cart stopped about 1 foot from the Caddy. Local Target employee wrangling up the carts with the little self-propelled thing seems to "lose" the self-propelled thing (she wasn't looking, and just left it by itself for a little bit), and it starts heading towards my car! I was just walking out of the store, and it was too far for me to get there in time--luckily the dumb girl realized that it was out rolling along on its own, and got to it. (though from how/when it stopped, I think that thing must have a timer or something, so that it won't go very far without human input--presumably to prevent what just almost happened)

Northropbus has filed for Boeing's protest to be dismissed. Presumably, Boeing can then appeal the protest dismissal filing...

We had rain/sleet/ice today, so my car's worse than it was. So much for it warming up this week to clean and wax it... PS---had my first encounter with a parking lot shopping cart. %*%&%&! I've got like a "ridge" of paint where it was rubbed/folded up. Going to sand it down, if I'm really lucky I can level it out without entirely removing the color coat. (Clear coat's gotta go). The rest of the bumper's marks are so subtle I really don't think it'd be worth/possible to fix without actually making it more obvious. (you can imagine how carefully I choose my parking spots, weighing time/distance to other cars, doors, and shopping carts---but it was so windy that day that apparently a cart from 50 yards away came at my car---I was in the store for like 5 mins, and there were NO loose carts in the lot when I parked---it either blew out of the corral or someone left it there while I was in the store and it blew into my bumper)

Got my countour molded splash guards (AKA, fancy mud flaps) today. Now I just gotta decide if I want them painted to match or not. From behind, the black looks best and blends in with the well/tire. But from the side, it's really obvious that there's a big chunk of black all of a sudden. Here's my main reference thread: http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.asp?m=33...e=1&smode=1 This is a very similar car, in a similar color to mine, with the molded guards painted to match: http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/upfiles/33768/Ig13792.jpg (though IMHO it's not quite matched---the flap doesn't have nearly the metallic sparkle that the car does)