You would think that with the supposedly shortened life of PDP's and the burn in problem there would be thousands of disgruntled customers who bought plasmas several years ago and are just now having their panel go out. Doesn't seem to be happening does it?

My 5 year old Pioneer 50" plasma still has a great picture and no burn in (how can it with the "screen saver" function working?). The only panels I have ever seen with burn in have been in public places continuously showing transit schedules or in business lobbies with a burned in CNN ticker at the bottom. My only problem is when I see a 50" plasma for sale at $1399 at Sam's. I feel a little better when I think of the $750 I saved by not getting the extended warranty.

To get back to the original topic, if plasmas had shortened life�s we would have a tsunami of dead panels on the beach. The LCD fanboys need a new story.

When will VW wake up to the fact that keeping the US 2 years behind Europe is idiocy? What other European name plates have found this to be an effective strategy? Continuing to produce previous generations may make perfect sense in third world countries but in the most competitive market in the world? There can be only 2 explainations:

1. VW is run by total morons.
2. VW has given up on ever being completive in the US yet wish to continue to fly the flag but only at the lowest cost.

If any individuals responsible for the previous foray in US manufacture (Westmoreland PA) are still in power I suggest it is option #1.

There was a time a long time ago in place far away where gas was cheap and iron plentiful, yet the people yearned for small, inexpensive and efficient trucks and they bought them in large numbers. Datsun 620's and Toyota HiLux's were the vehicle of choice by many couriers and security companies because they were nearly indestructible when driven lightly loaded. I don't think our needs have changed that much. Home ownership is up, gas is up, average commutes are up although the average butt is wider and many don't believe nor do they want to learn that vehicular gearing can be reconfigured while underway through the use of a dry plate clutch and gear shift.

The rest of the world finds great utility in small trucks, perhaps we can learn something.

What is second prize - 2 Nitros?

This is all old news (since 1991). The concept is flawed, they have yet to produce 1 car that meets specs. If you dive into the background and other attempts to do the same thing you come up with the realization that compressing and expanding air includes some undeniable physics which limits performance. There is a reason why MDI has not succeeded apart from sporadic infusions of cash by well meaning investors: it doesn't work. Go browse around the website. Periodically they raise interest which is always presented as news breaking but when they have to present demo cars they fall flat and on many facets.

Can I talk to about Herbalife?

http://www.theaircar.com/

It has taken the Germans 9 years (ML intro in '98) to figure out that many if not most Americans have no need nor desire to have 4wd. SUV's have been bought merely to avoid minivans and frumpy station wagons. Sure up north 4wd abounds, but get out of the frost belt and most American SUV's are 2wd and many of the Japanese are also 2wd. For reasons only known to MB and BMW they have chosen impose a $2k penalty on their own SUV sales. For a hint look at the penetration of 4wd sales in their sedan models where it is offered. In Texas it is rare to see a 4wd sedan or SW from MB or BMW except where it is mandatory. I would have far preferred to have a 2wd ML and enjoyed a lower purchase price and a couple of mpg if it had been offered.

The promise of a 2wd R320 with 30 mpg would find me first in line to buy one.

Yep the sharp minds at VOA have got it figured out. America does not like hatchbacks, they hate'em so much that they are willing to buy them just to get them off the road. Look at the Mini, the Fit or the A3, a lot of people had to sacrifice just to get rid of them.

VOA has made repeated blunders ever since they thought they could make cars in an old Chrysler plant in 1975. Why should they change now?

Slight correction Owen, both of Biff's "mommies" will be driving the new Aygo.

There was a time when it was common for CRT TV's to be priced less than the same sized CRT monitor. Once the LCD market is mature it would be reasonable to expect this relationship to reestablish itself.

(cue great gnashing of teeth by LCD panel makers)

Dell has printer secrets?

Wouldn't HP's fortunes be greatly improved if they just fixed their own printer software? The feature race is slowing to a close. There is however a great opportunity to deliver much better operability with other programs (scanning from the front panel often yields no or few applications nor any effective way to add them) or build better HP applications whose objective is to provide functionality not just driving photo printing revenue to HP's web site. I don't think that they realize that many customers would pay for decent software. I guess they are too worried about selling ink.

One question: why don't all printers which offer 2 sided copying perform 2 sided scanning? Obviously the scanner mechanisim handles 2 sided originals in the process of copying. Go figure.