Yo, Tony, where's da sample, Chip and Reichen and the Printer
 

If you have to ask . . .

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

Our Mini has a CVT. I forget what the acronym stands for, but basically it means "stick without the clutch." It's faster than traditional manual, because shhifting is electronically controlled instead of mechanically controlled. It's kind of fun sometimes, but basically, I tend to keep it in sport auto mode, on the rare occasions Mrs. Wonk lets me drive it.

Fleeting fame and more.
 

Goatee. But remember to keep it ultra-short, so it has that "I didn't get around to shaving this week" look.

Corno star hair
 

Dude, that is sooo Apollo Ohno in the last Olympics. Even HE has shaved it.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

I think that you're thinking of Tiptronic/AutoStick type technology, where you have control over the shifting of an automatic transmission.

There is also SMG, which stands for sequential manual gearbox or something like that, where it's a true manual, but the computer does the clutching and you just use paddles or buttons to shift. This used to be mostly on exotics, like Ferraris, but now the M3 and some of the little Toyotas have it.

I tried to check edmunds.com to see what kind of transmissions the Mini offers, but it's down/slow, probably as a result of all the worm traffic on the internet today. Generally, though, a computer controlled automatic will still shift slower than a manual transmission driven by a good driver. There is also loss of torque from the use of a torque converter.

With an SMG, the shifting can be very fast if done well, but I hear than the Toyotas, in particular are very slow. The M3's SMG is supposed to be great (as are the $10k versions in lots of Ferraris that started it all), but I hear that it not very reliable and is directly related to many engine failures in early E46 M3s.

Edited to add some info.

Fleeting fame and more.
 

Goatee. So you can have that "I-didn't-get-around-to-growing-this-until-ten-years-too-late-geek" look.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

2003 Mini CVT. Whoever posted the explanation of CVT yesterday apparently plagarised their elucidation.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

No, the Mini does have a true CVT, with six pre-selected shift points. You would need quite the computer system to replace the preselection, but it's still continuously variable.

Corno star hair
 

But alas, Mr. Kiss has not. Will someone cc him on the memo? He isn't listening to me.

Yo, Tony, where's da sample, Chip and Reichen and the Printer
 

You're wasting your breath (or fingers as it were). And I don't know where the name Narcy came from when my name is Snarky. Probably a likelihood of confusion thing - so many people here would answer to Snarky.
But I will attest that he's a pretty good asshole. Good in the sense that his ability is high, not the good v. evil type of good.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

The article says:

"When the road gets twisty, and you want to set up for a corner, slide the CVT's shift lever to the left, where six preset gear ratios are there for the taking; bang the stick forward for a downshift, back for an upshift. Response is instantaneous, though obviously not as satisfying as a proper matched-rev downshift in a car with a clutch."

If the ratios are preset at a certain level, what does the computer do when you cause an upshift or a downshift in that mode? Just gradually but quickly move the gearing so that it's in that ratio? Do you get a smooth transition to that ratio, then? That is very interesting. Seems like you would get the benefit of the CVT whenever you wanted it, but the fun of true manual control when you want that. Too bad it sounds like the CVT is only offered with the smaller engine.

Anyway, I stand corrected...

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

The article says:

"When the road gets twisty, and you want to set up for a corner, slide the CVT's shift lever to the left, where six preset gear ratios are there for the taking; bang the stick forward for a downshift, back for an upshift. Response is instantaneous, though obviously not as satisfying as a proper matched-rev downshift in a car with a clutch."

If the ratios are preset at a certain level, what does the computer do when you cause an upshift or a downshift in that mode? Just gradually but quickly move the gearing so that it's in that ratio? Do you get a smooth transition to that ratio, then? That is very interesting. Seems like you would get the benefit of the CVT whenever you wanted it, but the fun of true manual control when you want that. Too bad it sounds like the CVT is only offered with the smaller engine.

Anyway, I stand corrected...

Gangbangers in Dodge Stratuses
 

More evidence for the "TF is a man trapped in a woman's body" case.

Switching gears to the FB music club list, I got a sneak copy of the upcoming Belle & Sebastian album "Dear Catastrophe Waitress." So far so great. There's a song on here called "Piazza, New York Catcher," a happy little ditty from these Bizarro-World Scots. A sample:

How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can we take
How many nights of leaping 'round on pagan holidays
Elope with me in private and we'll set something ablaze
A trail for the devil to erase
San Francisco's calling us, the Giants and Mets will play
Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?
We hung about the stadium, we got no place to stay
We hung about the tenderloin, and tenderly you tell me
about the saddest book you ever read, it always makes you cry (etc etc.)

My weekend: Vegas followed by Belle & Sebastian concert Sunday night. I'm hoping for some up-tempo numbers so that I can stay awake after 48 hours of coke and strippers.

Yo, Tony, where's da sample, Chip and Reichen and the Printer
 

You are so sweet.


Narc

Corno star hair
 

Dear Mr. AbbaKiss,
Please see the attached picture of Fred Durst (which is not attached because I am jpeg challenged). Please note how stupid he looks and it gets worse as he gets older and try to look like the hip guy he used to be. See, this is sad. Please use the enclosed razor to modify your facial hair situation and next time you watch QESG, please note that NONE of the guys (gay or straight) is allowed facial hair because it is sooo Apollo Ohno from the last Olympics.

Yours truly,
Snarky

Great SNL skit
 

Back when I was in college, SNL had a lot of "guy" skits, like the "copier guy." I came up with "it's the guy who's driving automatic but wishes he were driving stick" guy, which, considering how bad SNL was during those years, might have had a shot of getting on the show if only I'd known any writers. The bit consists mostly of shifting the automatic shift between the different meaningless automatic settings, going through neutral each time and flaling around with the left foot. Comedy gold baby, gold.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

That's pretty simple software: if there's spelling mistakes, the poster is female.

str(JOKE! IT'S A JOKE)8

Boston Cabbies
 

This cracks me up. As if you could teach cab drivers anything.

Etiquette lessons for Boston cabbies

BOSTON, Aug. 22 — Say “please” and “thank you.” Dress nice, and try not to run any stop lights or make offensive comments.Those are the lessons that the city of Boston and Democratic organizers are hoping the city’s 5,500 cabbies learn before next summer’s presidential convention.
“YOU ARE OUR ambassadors,” police Capt. Albert Sweeney, leader of the hackney unit, told a class of new recruits this week. “Next year, people from all over the world will be here and how well you present yourself will help determine what kind of experience they have.”
The effort to improve cab service presents a unique challenge in a city not exactly known for courteous drivers — in cabs or otherwise. (As if there are courteous cab drivers anywhere.)
Narrow streets, many of them one-way, twist and wind their way through. Drivers are notorious for going fast, barely applying the brakes, cutting off fellow motorists and rarely using turn signals. For the thousands of out-of-towners flocking here to attend the Democratic National Convention in July, the mayhem could be unnerving, especially if their cab driver isn’t particularly friendly.

Emily Post for Cab Drivers

It knows all! It sees all!
 

What does the program say about subject-verb agreement? ;)

Ghost in a Jar Fallout
 

I never tire of reading about this. The winning bidder backed out of his $50,922 bid, and teajay 101 aka Tommy is stuck with his Ghost in a Jar. He wonders if perhaps the Black Thing cursed his auction.

http://forums.ebay.com/db1/thread.js...&thread=208861

Other Ghost in a Jar links here.

http://www.logantradingco.com/ghostinjar2.htm

Gangbangers in Dodge Stratuses
 

So, did you do the "treasure hunt?"

And don't forget that Chris Geddes will be spinning at The Derby afterwards.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

Actually, while I was mostly right, I think I mis-stated it a bit, in that it has the 6-point sport selection, but it also has the true CV setup, albeit a low-tech model. A truly well-run CV is continuously plotting load, speed, fuel, and weight, and keeping the engine racing at optimum rpm's (on the peak graph) while delivering variable-but-increasing speed to the drive wheels. Mini does it with mostly mechanical sensors, as far as I can tell, while the really good systems have proxes and sensors from all over the vehicle plugged into a high-power processor.

(In a more direct answer to your question, the CV slides between six pre-selected points when using the stick. Actually, less efficient, but I think it's there just to satisfy the need to shift that characterizes so many of us control freaks.)

I suspect that lawyers, as a group, have a higher incidence of manual trannys than the general population.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

The limiting factor for CVTs remains total engine load, so small cars and small(er) engines are the order of the day. The reason everyone was so excited about the Audi A4 CVT is that it was the largest engine to date married to a CVT --- a 3.0 liter V6. CVT technology has been in industrial use since the late 1800s, but not in cars. And until recently, cars with engines larger than 1.2 liters were considered ineligible for CVT (the Subaru Justy had one starting in 1989). Obviously, there's no size reason the Mini Cooper S should be without one, though. I guess their marketing research told them everyone would want the manual.

The Nissan Murano is the largest engine and heaviest car to carry a CVT, but because of the engine load limits they advise against towing anything heavier than 3,500 lbs., while other SUVs in its class can usually get up to 5,000 lbs.

Corno star hair
 

Thank you. I will let you know how he takes this utterly from left field news. Next project: Eradicate Boy-Band Hair. Kevin Richardson and Chris Kirkpatrick are pushing (have pushed?) 30, and still have the hair, but that does not mean you should.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

If I recall correctly, the S is supercharged. Faced with the option of adding a belt-driven compressor and the accompanying tuning and computer interaction to what sounds like a rather low-tech system, I'm not surprised that the BMW engineers decided against it. Also, if the computer is not measuring load, fuel and air to determine how to vary the gearing as in most modern CVTs, how would it do a decent job of working with the parasitic supercharger to add air and fuel as needed and have the engine spinning at an appropriate RPM to provide enough power to drive the supercharger at any appropriate level?

I'd be amazed if reliablity and manufacturing become good enough with CVTs in the next few years to offer a reasonably prices CVT in an all wheel drive, turbocharged or supercharged application.

That said, they are cool. The one time I was in one, it felt like a boat: the engine load was highest when you were and settled down to a very low level when you were just cruising. Is gas mileage appreciably better than traditional transmissions? Also, I think a good mating to a hybrid engine would be a real killer app.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

I just put the software through the ultimate test:
Truman Capote's truck driver-like prose style was easily id'ed as male, but then I put in his Jackie O-type gabbing from Interview and the program still realized he was a male. That is to say, I think it works.
That's not to say those of you were pegged wrong need to start thinking about gender ID therpy, or start hormone treatments. On the other hand some brief experimental cross-dressing could help some of you resolve some "inner turmoil" that you've been trying to surpress.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

Could you post that link again? I don't want to go back through 800 posts to find it, and I want to try the test right now, while I'm wearing the women's panties.

Gangbangers in Honda Insights
 

All I know is that it said CVT on the sticker. But I never claimed to be an authority when it comes to things automotive. Cars are like art and pornography. I know the good stuff when I see it.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

try some of the sensitive stuff from the politics board you did a few weeks back
http://www.bookblog.net/gender/genie.html

Fleeting fame and more.
 

I still see a lot of them around. And don't call me a geek.

Tax(bitch)wonk

It knows all! It sees all!
 

If you type in "I am a woman" the genie thinks you are a man. Anyone care to analyze that?

Ps. Every phrase of mine from the boards that I have entered into the thing results in a female finding. Guess it has me pegged.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

I'm late getting to this but it's a quiet afternoon so for kicks, I just ran some emails from my various dates through the gender genie...and they all came back with the "well he writes like a girl" analysis. So my question is, am I dating a bunch of girly-men or do men alter their way of talking/writing when they are "pitching woo"?

It knows all! It sees all!
 

Unfortunately, I don't think the same can be said for your long lost half-sister NFH.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

it's the just making the statement baldly, try "I am a strong woman, with my values and goals set", or something with more description

Fleeting fame and more.
 

That doesn't make it right.

There are still comb-overs and mullets for godsakes.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

It was your use of "a" that did it.

Technically, it's only supposed to work for fiction. When I put one of my posts about transmissions in, it thinks I'm male. When I put in my post about second-time bridal showers, it thinks I'm female. I guess I'm in perfect hormonal balance.

It knows all! It sees all!
 

I've avoided this thing for 2 days, and now you make me do this!

The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: Female!
Ha!

It knows all! It sees all!
 

you took the mystery out of it, my explanation is better

It knows all! It sees all!
 

I didn't mean technically analyze it, but that's what I get for posting such a statement on a board full of lawyers. ;)

So if I put "I am your woman" it should say female, correct?

It knows all! It sees all!
 

I was hoping no one would notice that. Of course, I am slow enough to have thought of entering that phrase AFTER I submitted.

I will also note that "Carver is the Camaro of amps" is also a male statement (how could it not be with Carver and Camaro in the same sentence?), but I will assume you were doing that for dramatic effect.