GM doesn't care to make good sedans

A few months ago Ford announced the company will cease to sell sedans (other than the Mustang) and will focus fully on SUVs and trucks. Most in the industry thought it is a prudent strategy because consumer tastes having switched dramatically to SUVs, and also Ford’s currently lineup of sedans are lackluster to say the least.

Last week General Motors basically announced a similar plan, only that GM will shutdown plants and cut workforce into the 10 thousands as well. The public reception to that have not been so good. The same GM that received the massive government bailout after the start of the great recession, and the same GM that just last year lavished in the cut to corporate taxes, cannot repay the favors in kind by eliminating precious jobs. Those are real consequences to people’s livelihoods, rather than just a different product mix inside a dealership showroom as in the case of Ford.

Even from a strict economical standpoint this plan by GM isn’t entirely positive. It’s true that the market is leaning so heavily towards SUVs that Lamborghini sells one, but that isn’t to indicate the sedan category is dead in the waters. Asian manufacturers are still making quality sedans and continuously improving them (the redesigned Honda Accord is brilliant), and people are still buying. While not completely immune to shift to SUVs, the combines sales of Toyota’s Corolla and Camry remains in the 600,000s annually.

GM simply isn’t making class-competitive cars.

Indeed (negative) reputation plays a part, and I think American manufacturers never recovered from the adverse brand equity it carried from the 80’s and 90’s. Back then if a customer wanted a well-built car that will last for many years, the only option were Asian marques, and brand perception is a heck of a sticking point. Surely you’ve seen the Chevy commercials where “real people” were surprised at the quality of a Chevrolet car; bad reputation is insanely difficult to repair.

These days GM and Ford are making solid cars, but it’s never class-leading. Alpha-chassis Cadillac sedans are some of the best handling cars currently available, but the interior quality is leagues below its rivals from Germany. It can be argued that GM never intend to produce world-class sedans, but merely what’s good enough to move units. Now that those units aren’t moving quite at the numbers of the past, GM decides to eliminate the category from its portfolio completely.

It’s a shrewd move; partly due to prevailing market forces, and partly because GM doesn’t care to make great cars. Thousands will be out of a job because of GM’s incompetence.

Businesses are driven by the bottom line, but I think ceasing production of sedans is the wrong decision. The popularity of SUVs and trucks is partly bolstered by cheap gasoline prices, so then what will happen when prices inevitably go back up? Just like in the early aughts, American automakers will once again not have the appropriate product mix to cater to that demand.

Only there won’t be another bailout; GM never learned from their mistakes precisely because the government saved them from collapse back in 2009.

Working hard or hardly working?

Quick thoughts on the 992

Let’s first get this out of the way: as with any new generation of 911, I’m hating the redesign now but will grow to love it later. Yes, I did so even with the much maligned 996.

But for now, my initial reaction to the new 992 is decidedly mixed. So designated as the 8th generation of the iconic 911, the 992 received its world premiership a few nights ago in Los Angeles. The car was only shown in S and 4S guise, with vanilla Carrera and slew of other variants to follow (much) later. I’ll leave you to peruse the countless automotive media outlets out there to have the stats and figures from the press release regurgitated to you.

The first problem that strikes me is the enormity of the wheels. Porsche have trickled down the staggered setup found in the 991 GT RS cars to the 992 Carrera, with the S trim featuring 20-inch up front and 21-inch wheels at the rear. Remember back when 20-inch wheels were the lone province of customized cars and trucks owned by rappers? Those days are long gone. When even a comparatively lowly Honda Civic Type R has 20-inch wheels, no surprise the latest plain 911 does as well.

Automotive design is starting to creep ever closer to looking like Matchbox or Hot Wheels models with these enormous wheel sizings. Give me a smaller rim with more tire sidewall anytime.

The second immediately problem with the 992 is at the back. Porsche for whatever reason have fitted a singular light-strip spanning the length of the rear-end, a familial design element seen in the latest 718, Panamera, Macan, and Cayenne models. I think it looks utterly out of place on the 992, and it renders the back of the car more bulbous than it really is. The 911 shape is timeless and recognizable the world over so I’m not sure why Porsche felt the need to implement a shared design cue from the rest of their lineup.

I do rather like the two slats on the rear intake deck functioning as the third brake light, so that when it’s activated it spells out “11” (as in 911). It’s a brilliant design detail.

Giant wheels and unwieldy looking rear-end aside, the rest of 992 exterior looks fantastic, especially from the front quarter view as seen in the main picture above. The flat hood-line and wrap-around front wings harken back to earlier air-cooled 911s, and I think it’s executed perfectly. The 992 is wide-body only for all trims, which is a shame because I quite prefer the more lithe and delicate stance of the narrow body. It’ll be weird indeed seeing a non S Carrera with the smaller wheels and the hulking fenders.

As for the interior, Porsche have done what’s en vogue these days and replaced analog items with digital screens as much as possible. I’m not as against the encroachment of digital displays in cars (thanks, Tesla) as others; at least Porsche kept the central tachometer an actual needle and number part, though the unit in the 992 looks like it belongs more on a Ford Mustang. Where’s the black face, white numbers, and red dial of old?

The starkest change in the new interior is the PDK shifter knob being replaced with a tiny rectangular nub. The driver won’t be able to toggle gears up and down like the lever of old; the nub is only used for selecting drive modes. Porsche restricts gear changing to the wheel paddles, which on one hand is the correct most fastest way to do it, but on the other I quite enjoy rowing through the gears using the center knob. I hope a proper PDK shift lever is brought back in the GT variants of the 992. There’s certainly room for one.

As ever, this world premier of the 992 is only the first salvo in what is to come numerous other models. Petrol-heads will be eagerly awaiting a new GT3, and whether or not it will still have an atmospheric engine. The regular 992 Carrera looks to be a proper sports car worth its steep entry price (it’s as fast as a 997 Turbo), but for me and many others, it’s the GT cars that most captures our attention, and money.

I really do hope I will grow to like the new rear-end design.

"Patrick....SAD!"

Yesterday was not so good a day for me and million others who have grown up on the animated show SpongeBob Squarepants: the cartoon’s intrepid creator Stephen Hillenburg died due to complications from ALS. What a truly despicable disease to sap such a creative light from us all, and countless others from their loved ones. We don’t need more ice bucket challenges, please simply keep donating money.

Upon hearing off the news I was hit with profound sadness. 57 years is still way too young of an age to succumb to the grips of death. We will never know what other culturally significant artistic endeavors Hillenburg could still yet have done, he of the genius behind SpongeBob Squarepants.

Indeed SpongeBob is the seminal animated TV series in my childhood, and I’m sure many others as well. Within the pantheon of ‘Doug’ and ‘Hey Arnold’, SpongeBob Squarepants is right there at the top. You’d think a show about a talking sponge and his starfish friend wouldn’t amount to much, but it’s the stories that make it so special. Rather than being the typical children cartoon that panders to a kid’s most base sensibilities, SpongeBob challenged us with big ideas and provoking thoughts. Positive themes of friendship, optimism, and success were juxtaposed on-screen with their polar opposites, letting kids in ever slightly on just how the real world works.

Most importantly it’s all wrapped up in a humorous and hilarious container that made it easy to digest, and in turn, utterly indelible.

Spongebob’s popularity never waned even nearly two decades after the first episode aired, and the generation that grew up on it are fully adults now. To this day I still often reference the show amongst my friends. Social media meme culture would not be nearly as robust and funny without screenshots of SpongeBob screenshots.

So while we deeply mourn the untimely passing of Hillenburg, there’s great satisfaction in seeing the immense legacy he is leaving behind. I have no doubts we’ll still be talking about SpongeBob another two decades after this; and if I ever have kids, they will for sure be introduced to the joy and wonder that Hillenburg have so generously given to the world.

He was number one.

Beware of heights.

I bought nothing on Black Friday

A mainstay of Thanksgiving week is the ever popular Black Friday. Remember when we actually had to wait in lines until the clock strikes 12am on the Friday after Thanksgiving? I personally don’t because I’ve an aversion of lines, but nevertheless what used to be an Olympian effort just to score that television for dirt cheap prices (only five available at this price!) is now a leisure stroll through your preferred Internet shopping sites. Heck, most of the discounts were already available before Thanksgiving.

This Black Friday I spent absolutely zero dollars because I’ve implemented intense austerity so to have sufficient funds for an 911 next year. Otherwise I would’ve totally bought that LG OLED television I’ve been eyeing for many years now, plus the just-released new Apple Macbook Air was looking tasty as well. Smart people take the opportunity to do their Christmas shopping during Black Friday, and I’d do that too if not for the fact I simply make personalized photo Calendars to give out to everyone.

In the social media age, Black Friday is not replete without people commentating on the sad state of consumerism and how people are spending money they wouldn’t have otherwise if not for the steep discounts. I saw many tweets to that effect on Black Friday, high-horsed people lamenting the decay of human logic and decency. The few videos of customers physically fighting over a piece of merchandise is always entertaining. Seriously, is it really worth hurting a fellow human being to save a few dollars? Remember: it’s Thanksgiving!

Indeed I don’t doubt that a significant chunk of the population is foolishly induced by Black Friday price-cuts to spend (more) cavalierly. Our United States does have a consumer debt problem after all; it remains too bloody easy to simply put purchases on credit cards and procrastinate the worry of paying to much later (or never: hello bankruptcy!). That said, there’s also another significant chunk of the populace who are financially responsible and leverage Black Friday to buy items they’ve been wanting to at the best possible price. Therefore one shouldn’t use a broad brush to paint the entire consumer base as degenerates of the capitalist system.

Speaking of prices, I do enjoy how Black Friday shines a light on how overpriced items during other times of the year. For example the Google Pixel 3 XL phone that was released only a month ago at $899 can be had at an $200 dollar discount. Anybody buying that phone at full price afterwards ought to feel quite shortchanged.

Overall I think Black Friday is a good time and we all have our idiosyncratic ways to celebrate the occasion. This year I happen to buy nothing but perhaps next year will be different. I’ll certainly be looking at 911-related products for sure.

Rays of fire.

Return from Thanksgiving

And we are back!

It’s been slightly less than two weeks of unadulterated break time, and I am delighted to report I’m ready to get back into the swing of things. I had originally planned to take the entire Thanksgiving week off from work, but due to the calamitous wildfires up in Paradise and all the smoggy air that permeated to us here in San Francisco - a solid week of hazardous conditions, campus (where I work) has been completely shutdown since the 14th.

A sort of forced vacation, if you will; I didn’t even have to utilize any of my precious paid-time-off accruements. That said it’s somewhat difficult to enjoy such good fortune while people are dead and thousands are displaced due to the fires. Again, if you haven’t donated to our neighbors in their time of unfathomable need, please do so.

So what did I do during the fortuitous time off? Nothing ordinary. I purposely stopped my normal schedules of reading and studying, and instead enforced an extended period of mindless entertainment. It was not without some struggle: I’ve been so indoctrinated to always be learning and improving that the notion of not doing any of that was a shock to the system. Many times in the past week while watching yet another car video on Youtube, I would suddenly get the urge to be productive and think “perhaps I should pick up the book and read for an hour’.

But I successfully fought it: not one page of book was read during the great respite. As “useless” and “waste of time” as it may be to binge watch the latest series of Wheeler Dealers, the time spent away from my normal routine (including not going to work) was ultimately beneficial. I relish my job immensely, and count myself lucky to be in a position to do it, but even so, a hiatus from the monotony is absolutely critical. Europe has got it correct in that regard: countries there take the whole month of August off.

The important thing a break provides is perspective, and being able to detach from the regular situation. During the time off while enjoying the slew of non-productive activities, I regained appreciation for the usual work I get to do, and gratitude for the life I am currently living. Countless others aren’t able to simply paid to stay home for a few weeks; that thought alone is humbling enough.

So I’ve returned, refreshed, and ready to attack. At least for the next four weeks until it’s time for Christmas break again. I do love this time of the year.

My primary position during Thanksgiving week.

A permanent cameo in heaven

When news of comic books legend Stan Lee passing away came into my purview, I was not particularly overwhelmed with sadness or grief. The man was 95 years old! That’s a full and intense life indeed. We should all be so lucky to simply live that long, much less produce a body of work that inspired multiple generations and will live on as a testament for ages.

Growing up in China, I did not get the pleasure of being exposed to American comic books at an early age. The ruling party probably considered them counter to communist ideals. After my family moved to America, we were not of sound enough financial situation to afford me frivolous comic books to read. My first exposure to the magic of Stan Lee was via television, namely the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series (cue the music). Even then I merely knew the name Stan Lee, and not what he looked like, and that he revolutionized how comics were created.

Like many non comic book junkies, the legend of Stan Lee materialized in his cameos in Marvel movies, beginning with the very first X-Men and the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies. Thanks to the Internet I found out those were special Easter eggs and not just some old guy who keeps showing up briefly in films of Marvel characters. Awaiting to be pleasantly surprised by the Stan Lee cameo became a ritual, more so in the recent decade since the proliferation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Sadly that ritual will come to a close after the next slate of movies. A nice way to button it up would be to have his final cameo be in the fourth Avengers movie. Avengers 4 is the endgame to this current iteration of the MCU, so wouldn’t it be fitting to have Stan Lee’s last appearance on the silver screen be that as well; an end to an era.

How people chose to deal with a person’s death is not by business; cry and be sad if you want. For me, when a person passes away after having lived a long and wonderful life, my only emotion is celebratory. I’m happy and glad someone got to experience life to its fullest measure.

An “Excelsior” to you, Stan.

Wait for me.

California is burning. Again.

Merely a year after the devastating Napa fires of the previous October, Northern California is once again engulfed in plums of dangerous smoke. Unseasonably dry and and windy conditions compounded the fiery conditions that started in the city of Paradise. By afternoon on the same day last Thursday, San Francisco - some 200 miles away from the epicenter - was already covered in a haze of orange.

The smokey calamity up north was joined by another blaze down south near the city of Malibu. Hundreds of thousands of residents from both Malibu and Paradis were forced to evacuate, and the structures lost amount into the many thousands. Deaths, too, in the tens and climbing; those unlucky few unable to escape in time.

With the ‘Camp Fire’ barely contained through much of the weekend, the air quality in San Francisco made outside activity untenable. Grumble as we may about being stuck at home on what was to be a nice long Veterans Day weekend, just shift perspective to the families that have lost homes in the fire: everything you’ve ever known to be secure and solid, gone in a flash. Suddenly our situation isn’t so bad at all.

I don’t think there’s any way possible to be mentality prepared for that kind of misfortune. Home insurance will no doubt cover most of it, but the strength and energy required to rebuild absolutely everything is something I can’t fathom. What was once quaint and vibrant neighborhoods are rendered into apocalyptic ghost-towns; where would you even begin?

Those of us fortunate enough to not be materially harmed by the ongoing fires in California owe it to the karmic gods to assist our neighbors in their time of great need. I urge you to donate whatever you can to the various verified GoFundMe campaigns dedicated to the cause. I fear we’re going to need each others help frequently in the years ahead as climate change produces more and more extreme weather events.

God bless the brave firefighters and first-responders ceaselessly working onwards.

Smog-filled afternoon sky in San Francisco on the same day the fires started in Paradise.