Pan Admun Republic of Western Blog

Disclaimer: All below is BS, please drive safely on the road.

These are the rules of engagement for safely driving on 401 without getting a ticket:

• Sweep the road ahead and behind constantly and look for sudden brake light, cars on the side. Beware of fast mover coming in from behind fast.... it might not be a Farrari.


• Cutting in and out of the right lane is a dumb idea. If you're at that speed, just stay on the left. As they say, slower traffic on the right.


• Pay attention to highway on ramp for ticket issuing agent come on the highway.


• Scan every car you passed, you will regret if one of them is not an ordinary Ford.


• When encounter a fellow driver got pull over and ticket giving is in progress, speed up to put distance between you and ticket getting danger.


• When encounter a larger vehicles like trucks, speed up and pass them ASAP to avoid debris falling off it and potential danger if it losts control.


• On a one lane highway, beware of agent Smith on the opposing lane, he might swing around and get you if he doesn't like your current distance over time ratio.


• From observation, 2:00pm, 5:00pm, 11:00pm, and 3:00am is the best time to meet your officer of the day.

Conclusion: If you can't drive fast and safe, might well drive slow and safe!

So, I have been driving my laser blue zoom-zoom 5 (Protege 5) for almost 6 months now. I mean to write up some observations compared to my old my VW Golf GL....

Good things about the zoom-zoom (or so-so/bad things about Golf):

• It has more housepower, afterall (130 hp). It makes acceleration a bit faster.
  
• It sticks more to the road on turning, it seem to because of the suspension or thinner/better Dunlop tires. Some highway off ramp was used to be a bit scary when I attacked it in higher speed (~80 km/h), but zoom-zoom just stick to the ground like I'm going 60 km/h when it is actually 90 km/h. The GL body roll quite a bit, that make a difference.
  
• It gets 30-40 km more/tank of gas, compared to Golf ~410 km/tank.
  
• Sequential shift is cool.
  
• The standard foglight.
  

So-so/bad things about zoom-zoom (or better things about Golf):

• I'm going to miss the heated side mirror, full size spare tire.
  
• I feel safer if there are side-impact airbags... not that I want to use it.
  
• The door metal sheet wabbles when I slam the door.
  
• The car is noisier, especially wind noise above 110km/h.
  
• The rear mirror rattles when going through bump or engine knocks. Ok, I have those wide mirror, but I don't remembered it rattled that bad on my Golf... maybe blame the thin rubbers??
  
• The engine knock on lower RPM, to the point it sounds dying to me. VW engine sounds better.
  
• The seatbelt is harder and less comfortable.
  
• No 15 km auto door lock mechanism maybe hazardous at night.
  
• You just appreciate those little things in VW's design. e.g. low gas beep, central console tilt to the driver slightly, soft plastic pad in glove and door compartments that help prevent things knocking around and make noises.
  
• I wish zoom-zoom has ASR and ESP, even as options.
  
• A two-tone horn is good. With a one tone horn, it's quite jumpy when the alarm armed.
  
• There are magnatic interfence that I can't put the compass on the lower dash. I end up put it on the top of the wind shield.
  
• The sun visor can be designed better that it is not blocked by my wide mirror. (Again, I didn't have that problem w/ Golf)
  
• The hood use a metal stick to support it, unlike the Golf has a strut...
  
• The windshield doesn't seem to be as strong as the one on Golf...
  
• The heater is not as hot as the one in Golf.
  

I guess zoom-zoom 5 is a pretty good car, given it is a 10+ years old design....

This dream was realized when I was in HK back in X'mas 2000. I was shopping for a tie for my brother, and called him up in San Francisco. I tried to describe to him the color and pattern of the tie.... I thought, "It'd be really nice if I can take a photo of it and SMS it to Kalman, so he can tell whether it is the one he like."

Another good function will be to take pic of pretty gals on the street and mail it to Gus.... hahaha.

3 years later, camara phone is finally gaining popularity in N. America... about a year or two since they landed on Japan and eveyone got one over there these days.

Ok, I want to get one eventually.

Spec:
- SMS/MMS
- color screen
- fast (I just found my Sony-/// response so slowly...)
- ~1Mpix (minimum)
- Java
- GPRS/EDGE
- clamshell form factor
- polyphonic ringtone
- voice recording
- maybe w/ PDA function....

potential choice: /// Z600

I always found it cool to be able to sit in front of my TV in the living room, and surf on the web at the same time using my laptop running WLAN.....

Hey Gus,

I just can't shake the image of Up-Up away... now there is more:

Sorry, the UL is slow (your DL)

A commerical

[update]
It is now available @ youtube

Even original up-up can be found on youtube...
[/update]

Testing, 123

Ok, I'm almost ready to bring this blog on-line

Testing w/ a reguler post

Yes! Now I have my own Blog, so I can try out this technology! Wowho!