Tue - August 16, 2005
'89 900 Turbo CVT pics
Edited to save space. Links to pics of my 1989
Saab 900 turbo convertible (the white one) can be found
here:
Links to white convertible pics
Links to white convertible pics
Posted at 04:44 PM
99 Turbo pics
Edited to save space - pictures of my non-running
1978 Saab 99 Turbo can be found
here:
Link to 99 Turbo pics
Link to 99 Turbo pics
Posted at 04:43 PM
Mon - June 20, 2005
Domed Greens are for Putt-Putt, not the U.S. Open
Something is wrong when the top five golfers in the
world finish a tournament at (respectively): +2, +6, +9, +12, and +8. And
something is even more wrong when three of the four golfers in the last two
groups for the final round (that is, the four golfers who were leading at the
end of round 3) finish with an 80, 81, and an 84.
The players seemed to think that Pinehurst No. 2 was a "fair test" (as quoted in USA Today). Well, the players may have tolerated it but I thought it was ridiculous. Particularly bizarre was watching the 15th hole, a 200 yard par-3. Time and again, players would hit their tee shot about 20 feet short of the pin and watch the ball roll back down off the front of the green into the fairway. Hitting a golf ball within 20 feet of a pin from a distance of 200 yards is a remarkable demonstration of skill. Yet, at the 105th U.S. Open such a demonstration of skill was punished.
The conventional wisdom was that Pinehurst No. 2 put a premium on the short game. In truth, no one's short game was good enough to consistently produce birdie chances given the greens and the pin placement. As a result everyone ended up 20-40 feet away from the hole, and the 105th U.S. Open turned into a putting contest.
It may have been fair in the sense that all players were equally disadvantaged, but it was not fun to watch. Ugh.
The players seemed to think that Pinehurst No. 2 was a "fair test" (as quoted in USA Today). Well, the players may have tolerated it but I thought it was ridiculous. Particularly bizarre was watching the 15th hole, a 200 yard par-3. Time and again, players would hit their tee shot about 20 feet short of the pin and watch the ball roll back down off the front of the green into the fairway. Hitting a golf ball within 20 feet of a pin from a distance of 200 yards is a remarkable demonstration of skill. Yet, at the 105th U.S. Open such a demonstration of skill was punished.
The conventional wisdom was that Pinehurst No. 2 put a premium on the short game. In truth, no one's short game was good enough to consistently produce birdie chances given the greens and the pin placement. As a result everyone ended up 20-40 feet away from the hole, and the 105th U.S. Open turned into a putting contest.
It may have been fair in the sense that all players were equally disadvantaged, but it was not fun to watch. Ugh.
Posted at 08:56 PM
Sun - June 5, 2005
Star Wars Episode III
I've seen it twice now, and it's very good. So
much happens in the movie that you really need to see it twice to digest all the
developments.
There are many things about the Star Wars story which are hopelessly naive, and at the top of the list is Lucas' very flat view of politics. In Lucas' favor, the politics of Star Wars are merely the background for the main story. But still, I cringed when Chancellor Palpatine declared in the Senate that "the Republic is to be re-organized into the First Galactic Empire." Why re-organize? Why not preserve the illusion of the Republic while wielding dictatorial powers?
Lucas' model is obviously the death of the Roman Republic, but he forgets that the title "Emperor" is essentially "Field Marshal" - the Romans required their political leaders to have been successful generals even during the Republic. There were few Roman Emperors who took office without having commanded an army in the field, and the few who did almost immediately engaged in military conquests to fix that hole in their resume (e.g., Claudius and the invasion of Britain in 41 A.D.).
A better parallel for Lucas would have been Nazi Germany, where Hitler never relinquished the extra-legal powers he was granted, and became the absolute dictator of the country -- without the developments being marked by any formal vote or debate (Hitler's status was later written into law formally, but that was after he had already become dictator-in-fact).
At any rate, a Republican form of government might well grant dictatorial powers to a "Maximum Leader" in the face of a perceived crisis, but it would not transform itself into a permanent military empire under the sole control of a civilian.
I realize I'm being a politics geek, but the moment rang false to me.
There are many things about the Star Wars story which are hopelessly naive, and at the top of the list is Lucas' very flat view of politics. In Lucas' favor, the politics of Star Wars are merely the background for the main story. But still, I cringed when Chancellor Palpatine declared in the Senate that "the Republic is to be re-organized into the First Galactic Empire." Why re-organize? Why not preserve the illusion of the Republic while wielding dictatorial powers?
Lucas' model is obviously the death of the Roman Republic, but he forgets that the title "Emperor" is essentially "Field Marshal" - the Romans required their political leaders to have been successful generals even during the Republic. There were few Roman Emperors who took office without having commanded an army in the field, and the few who did almost immediately engaged in military conquests to fix that hole in their resume (e.g., Claudius and the invasion of Britain in 41 A.D.).
A better parallel for Lucas would have been Nazi Germany, where Hitler never relinquished the extra-legal powers he was granted, and became the absolute dictator of the country -- without the developments being marked by any formal vote or debate (Hitler's status was later written into law formally, but that was after he had already become dictator-in-fact).
At any rate, a Republican form of government might well grant dictatorial powers to a "Maximum Leader" in the face of a perceived crisis, but it would not transform itself into a permanent military empire under the sole control of a civilian.
I realize I'm being a politics geek, but the moment rang false to me.
Posted at 02:17 PM
Fri - May 27, 2005
Linden Hills Festival
Just for fun, here are some pictures from the
Linden Hills Festival, held at Linden Hills Park in southwest Minneapolis, last
Sunday, May 22. Here's the parade of kids on bicycles and strollers that goes
around the block, to start the festival at
noon:
And, of course, what festival would be complete without pony rides for the kids:
There were a lot of other rides and games for the kids, a large silent auction for the adults, a portable band shell for music and live acts (my favorite is always the Linden Hills Orchestra -- an ad hoc group of players in the area who get together just for the festival). Oh, and lots of food. Plenty of arts and crafts people selling their wares in booths, as well.
It was a great time. The Festival was rained out in 2001 and 2004, so we were glad to have a chance to get this one off the ground.
And, of course, what festival would be complete without pony rides for the kids:
There were a lot of other rides and games for the kids, a large silent auction for the adults, a portable band shell for music and live acts (my favorite is always the Linden Hills Orchestra -- an ad hoc group of players in the area who get together just for the festival). Oh, and lots of food. Plenty of arts and crafts people selling their wares in booths, as well.
It was a great time. The Festival was rained out in 2001 and 2004, so we were glad to have a chance to get this one off the ground.
Posted at 11:30 AM
Tue - May 24, 2005
My Saab Stories . . .
Is it better to have Saabed and lost, than to
have never Saabed at all? I think so.
I bought my first Saab in 1989, a 1975 99LE Wagonback with an automatic transmission (and my biggest automotive regret, trading her in for a new Acura Integra):
Sadly, I have no pictures of my second Saab, a 1985 Saab 900, light blue, with manual transmission (bought in 1993). It was the base model, with an 8-valve 2.0 liter engine, no turbo. It actually felt more sluggish than the '75 99 even though it had a manual.
I sold my second Saab when I ran across this beauty, a 1988 Saab 9000 turbo, 4-door hatchback (bought in 1993). 175 horsepower! I owned this car for over 10 years, and put 120,000 miles on her:
After a brief interlude with a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee (short story - low mileage, poor stability, no more cargo space than I had in my 9000 turbo), I bought this Saab in 2004, my current daily driver:
a 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero, 5 speed, with 230 horsepower and 258 ft-lbs of torque. 30 mpg on the highway at 75-80 mph! Needless to say, this car is absurdly fast.
Of course, my Saab obsession is not over. Pining over my lost '75 99, last fall I purchased a non-running 1978 Saab 99 Turbo with 204,000 miles, with the intention, not yet realized, of repairing and restoring it. Truthfully I haven't yet decided what to do with it -- it's not really in good enough shape to justify spending money on the restoration (it's not rust-free). I may just keep it as a donor car for when I find a rust-free shell of another 99. But here it is:
And last, but not least, I've purchased a 1989 Saab 900 turbo convertible, red, 5-speed manual, with 119,000 miles. It's a Florida car I found on eBay from a reliable seller. It's not here yet, but I'll update the post with a picture when it arrives.
Fortunately, collecting old Saabs is somewhat cheaper than other hobbies. :)
I bought my first Saab in 1989, a 1975 99LE Wagonback with an automatic transmission (and my biggest automotive regret, trading her in for a new Acura Integra):
Sadly, I have no pictures of my second Saab, a 1985 Saab 900, light blue, with manual transmission (bought in 1993). It was the base model, with an 8-valve 2.0 liter engine, no turbo. It actually felt more sluggish than the '75 99 even though it had a manual.
I sold my second Saab when I ran across this beauty, a 1988 Saab 9000 turbo, 4-door hatchback (bought in 1993). 175 horsepower! I owned this car for over 10 years, and put 120,000 miles on her:
After a brief interlude with a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee (short story - low mileage, poor stability, no more cargo space than I had in my 9000 turbo), I bought this Saab in 2004, my current daily driver:
a 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero, 5 speed, with 230 horsepower and 258 ft-lbs of torque. 30 mpg on the highway at 75-80 mph! Needless to say, this car is absurdly fast.
Of course, my Saab obsession is not over. Pining over my lost '75 99, last fall I purchased a non-running 1978 Saab 99 Turbo with 204,000 miles, with the intention, not yet realized, of repairing and restoring it. Truthfully I haven't yet decided what to do with it -- it's not really in good enough shape to justify spending money on the restoration (it's not rust-free). I may just keep it as a donor car for when I find a rust-free shell of another 99. But here it is:
And last, but not least, I've purchased a 1989 Saab 900 turbo convertible, red, 5-speed manual, with 119,000 miles. It's a Florida car I found on eBay from a reliable seller. It's not here yet, but I'll update the post with a picture when it arrives.
Fortunately, collecting old Saabs is somewhat cheaper than other hobbies. :)
Posted at 09:21 PM
Fri - July 30, 2004
Golf is Hard
I'm back from several days at a resort north of the
Twin Cities in the Brainerd area. Needing to exercise more, I've decided to
play golf.
I have not touched a golf club in over 15 years, and before that played only once or twice. So I anticipated some difficulty. When we got to the resort I took a 45 minute lesson from a golf pro, which helped immensely. And I spent some time on the driving range (although it's amazing how your swing goes to hell when there isn't a pro right there to remind you of all the things you need to remember as you swing the club).
I then played 18 holes of golf every day, for three days in a row. The first day I shot a 169, the second a 141, and the third a 133. The fact that I "only" improved by 8 strokes in the third game is somewhat misleading, because I started to lose more strokes putting from 50 feet away than I did before by chipping in close to the pin, albeit after taking 10 strokes to get close to the green).
I was playing a good course (the Pine Beach East course at Madden's resort in Brainerd, MN, for those keeping track at home). The 6th hole is a monstrosity - a 610-yard par 6. This is not a good hole to play when you've lost the ability to make a clean hit on the ball. The first two games I shot a 15. The last game I made a 10, which should have been a 7 or an 8 if I hadn't putted back and forth across the green twice.
I have yet to make par, but I have three bogies to my credit (all on par 4's, oddly enough -- my putting problems have kept me from making bogies on the par 3's).
I did have a couple of really good shots - enough to make me wonder if I might eventually play well. My most reliable club was my sand wedge -- I actually hit the flagstick twice hitting out of sand traps. In the third game I had a couple of excellent, 250-yard drives off the tee, and an amazing 200-yard shot with a 3-wood while on the upward-sloping part of a large valley in the middle of the fairway, sitting about 15 feet under the level of the fairway (and under the level of the green), which headed straight for the hole and landed about 10 feet off the edge of the green. (Of course, I pissed this good shot away when I four-putted for triple bogey, but still . . . )
My appreciation for the athletes who play this game professionally has deepened immeasurably.
Golf is hard.
I have not touched a golf club in over 15 years, and before that played only once or twice. So I anticipated some difficulty. When we got to the resort I took a 45 minute lesson from a golf pro, which helped immensely. And I spent some time on the driving range (although it's amazing how your swing goes to hell when there isn't a pro right there to remind you of all the things you need to remember as you swing the club).
I then played 18 holes of golf every day, for three days in a row. The first day I shot a 169, the second a 141, and the third a 133. The fact that I "only" improved by 8 strokes in the third game is somewhat misleading, because I started to lose more strokes putting from 50 feet away than I did before by chipping in close to the pin, albeit after taking 10 strokes to get close to the green).
I was playing a good course (the Pine Beach East course at Madden's resort in Brainerd, MN, for those keeping track at home). The 6th hole is a monstrosity - a 610-yard par 6. This is not a good hole to play when you've lost the ability to make a clean hit on the ball. The first two games I shot a 15. The last game I made a 10, which should have been a 7 or an 8 if I hadn't putted back and forth across the green twice.
I have yet to make par, but I have three bogies to my credit (all on par 4's, oddly enough -- my putting problems have kept me from making bogies on the par 3's).
I did have a couple of really good shots - enough to make me wonder if I might eventually play well. My most reliable club was my sand wedge -- I actually hit the flagstick twice hitting out of sand traps. In the third game I had a couple of excellent, 250-yard drives off the tee, and an amazing 200-yard shot with a 3-wood while on the upward-sloping part of a large valley in the middle of the fairway, sitting about 15 feet under the level of the fairway (and under the level of the green), which headed straight for the hole and landed about 10 feet off the edge of the green. (Of course, I pissed this good shot away when I four-putted for triple bogey, but still . . . )
My appreciation for the athletes who play this game professionally has deepened immeasurably.
Golf is hard.
Posted at 05:02 PM
Mon - July 19, 2004
Odometer Poker - Seven of a Kind!
When I came home the other day, I noticed the
following display on my
odometer:
Posted at 01:18 PM
Thu - March 25, 2004
Springtime is here - Storm-Blogging
The first thunderstorm of the season -- simply
glorious.
Posted at 04:57 PM
Wed - March 24, 2004
Black Beauty II
For those who are wondering how my car search
turned out, here are a couple of
pictures:
Posted at 02:09 PM
Fri - March 12, 2004
Target in Sight, Captain
The search for a new car is coming to a climax
this afternoon. I had been looking at a 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero, red, 5 speed, with
26,000 miles out in California, but the transportation hassles and likely
expense ended up trumping the benefits of an outstanding price on an excellent
car.
I'm down to choosing between two cars locally: a 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero, black, 5 speed, 84,000 miles (but priced appropriately to reflect the mileage), and a 2001 Aero 9-5, black, 5 speed, flawless, 25,000 miles (but priced to reflect condition, low mileage, and the Saab certified used car extended warranty).
The decision will be made this afternoon.
I'm down to choosing between two cars locally: a 2000 Saab 9-5 Aero, black, 5 speed, 84,000 miles (but priced appropriately to reflect the mileage), and a 2001 Aero 9-5, black, 5 speed, flawless, 25,000 miles (but priced to reflect condition, low mileage, and the Saab certified used car extended warranty).
The decision will be made this afternoon.
Posted at 02:38 PM
Thu - October 23, 2003
Volvo Engineers Achieve the Impossible
USA Today has an article
(scroll down) on the Tokyo auto show, where Volvo unveiled a new version of its
S40, which has some, er, interesting physical
dimensions:
"The '04.5 S40 is
shorter, taller and
wider than the previous model, called the
'04, and has more interior room than not only the previous S40 but also the S60,
which is a bigger car outside."
A truly impressive achievement. Next up, Volvo squares the circle, invents faster-than-light travel, and cures the common cold . . . :)
("Shorter" is the opposite of both "taller" and "longer," so the writer was at a disadvantage here. There must be a better way to phrase this).
Posted at 01:04 PM
Quick Links
Who In the Hell is
Greg Abbott?
Categories
Feedback - Send Me E-mail
greg (at) gregabbott.org
Calendar
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
Visitors
XML/RSS Feed
Archives
Interesting Reading
Entry Content
Comments powered by
Statistics
Total entries in this blog:
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Aug 18, 2005 12:10 PM
Total entries in this category:
Published On: Aug 18, 2005 12:10 PM