Where logic goes into a compiler, then dies. 2009-02-20T17:05:12-08:00 Doctor Ravuya http://ravuya.ballofdoom.com/blog/index.php ravuya@ballofdoom.com tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace Pivot Copyright (c) 2009, Authors of Questy in Möbius Space 2009-02-20T17:05:00-08:00 2009-02-20T17:04:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.87

So, you might have heard that GM has had all sorts of problems lately, and they've had to close down Pontiac and Saturn (so far) and spin off Saab. Seeing all the Americans talking about how much money can be saved, I decided it would be a good idea to use GM's website's quote feature to ask a local dealership how much they would give me a deal for. I picked out a base model Saab 9-3 Sport Combi, which I've always felt is egregiously overpriced, but GM's website says they will give me between a $5500 and $7000 "delivery allowance" since I am a good Canadian citizen and buying a car from Canada instead of getting it from the States, which a sane human being would do. I send off my quote. This is where you, if you're a Canadian car dealer, might want to pay attention: I am asking you for a quote because I want you to beat the MSRP.I am asking you for a quote on the specific model because I want that specific model and probably have figured out what I want from a car.For some reason, I am buying a Swedish-made American-supported car. This means I might be insane.What does the local Saab dealer do? They send me an email in 16-point red Comic Sans, telling me that they received my "inquirey" and then telling me about the car I just told them to quote. Then they give me a price $2000 over MSRP and include erroneous information about options I didn't request. If anyone from GM is reading this (if, in fact, you can read) you might want to clue in your dealerships a bit.

I picked out a base model Saab 9-3 Sport Combi, which I've always felt is egregiously overpriced, but GM's website says they will give me between a $5500 and $7000 "delivery allowance" since I am a good Canadian citizen and buying a car from Canada instead of getting it from the States, which a sane human being would do. I send off my quote.

This is where you, if you're a Canadian car dealer, might want to pay attention:

1. I am asking you for a quote because I want you to beat the MSRP.
2. I am asking you for a quote on the specific model because I want that specific model and probably have figured out what I want from a car.
3. For some reason, I am buying a Swedish-made American-supported car. This means I might be insane.

What does the local Saab dealer do? They send me an email in 16-point red Comic Sans, telling me that they received my "inquirey" and then telling me about the car I just told them to quote. Then they give me a price $2000 over MSRP and include erroneous information about options I didn't request.

If anyone from GM is reading this (if, in fact, you can read) you might want to clue in your dealerships a bit. ]]> Ravuya 2009-01-30T22:28:00-08:00 2009-01-30T22:26:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.86

I've been back in classes for about six months now, and it's been pretty hard to get back into the flow of worrying about assignments and group work and the like when you're no longer Getting Paid. Anyway, in the interest of finally updating this blog, I figured I would share a story from one of my options this semester; it's the History of Totalitarianism and a lot of rather not-bright people are in it. The professor is one of "those" young guys who like to talk informally and at length on a variety of topics; you can imagine that when he gets to around tenure age he'll be one of those old professors who can enunciate for hours on nothing at all. Anyway, in the course of his discussion, he told us to read the book 1984 if we hadn't, and shows us the infamous Big Brother poster from 1984. It's the one that says "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU." I notice the girl next to me writing furiously. I look over at her page, and I see that she has written down "Read BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU." This is the same class where some person behind me could not distinguish if an obvious Soviet propaganda film (replete with bourgeois caricatures stabbing a common working man to death with a parasol) was real newsreel footage of the October 1917 revolution or not, and proceeded to ask the professor if he liked Obama.

Anyway, in the interest of finally updating this blog, I figured I would share a story from one of my options this semester; it's the History of Totalitarianism and a lot of rather not-bright people are in it.

The professor is one of "those" young guys who like to talk informally and at length on a variety of topics; you can imagine that when he gets to around tenure age he'll be one of those old professors who can enunciate for hours on nothing at all. Anyway, in the course of his discussion, he told us to read the book 1984 if we hadn't, and shows us the infamous Big Brother poster from 1984. It's the one that says "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU." I notice the girl next to me writing furiously. I look over at her page, and I see that she has written down "Read BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU."

This is the same class where some person behind me could not distinguish if an obvious Soviet propaganda film (replete with bourgeois caricatures stabbing a common working man to death with a parasol) was real newsreel footage of the October 1917 revolution or not, and proceeded to ask the professor if he liked Obama. ]]> Ravuya 2008-06-21T22:54:00-08:00 2008-06-21T22:54:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.85

Americans, how can stuff like this be allowed? Is it really a productive use of your tax dollars to provide people with the avenue to be a partisan slimeball? Perhaps I just don't "get" the purpose of Congress.

stuff like this be allowed? Is it really a productive use of your tax dollars to provide people with the avenue to be a partisan slimeball? Perhaps I just don't "get" the purpose of Congress. ]]> Ravuya 2008-06-04T20:16:00-08:00 2008-06-04T20:14:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.84

In the interest of making this blog more relevant to my new love affair with high-performance Japanese econoboxes, I bring you a much-linked set of pictures of the new Toyota/Subaru RWD coupe. I think I've found my next next car. The front end reminds me of the Prelude, for some reason, and the rear reminds me of the Legacy, two coupes which I really like, and I'm not even really into coupes all that much. Hopefully the weight and performance improvements also make it over to the mainline 'preza and Legacy. Performance belongs in a hot hatch, dammit.

a much-linked set of pictures of the new Toyota/Subaru RWD coupe. I think I've found my next next car.

The front end reminds me of the Prelude, for some reason, and the rear reminds me of the Legacy, two coupes which I really like, and I'm not even really into coupes all that much. Hopefully the weight and performance improvements also make it over to the mainline 'preza and Legacy. Performance belongs in a hot hatch, dammit. ]]> Ravuya 2008-05-01T18:06:00-08:00 2008-05-01T18:06:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.83

In the interest of disclosing how I managed to get my Eee set up with WPA2, here is the forum thread that sussed it for me. The Eee is pretty awesome. Go pick one up!

here is the forum thread that sussed it for me.

The Eee is pretty awesome. Go pick one up! ]]> Ravuya 2008-04-08T12:08:00-08:00 2008-04-08T12:06:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.82

Apparently if you're an atheist in Illinois you should be coerced and bullied into not testifying. It sounds reasonable then that atheists also shouldn't be allowed to own land, or have children. This is so far beyond politics, it's not even funny anymore. She should be in prison.

should be coerced and bullied into not testifying. It sounds reasonable then that atheists also shouldn't be allowed to own land, or have children.

This is so far beyond politics, it's not even funny anymore. She should be in prison. ]]> Ravuya 2008-03-16T18:24:00-08:00 2008-03-16T18:21:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.81

What the hell? Well, at least someone else feels the same way I do.

What the hell?

Well, at least someone else feels the same way I do. ]]> Ravuya 2008-03-07T16:57:00-08:00 2008-03-07T16:56:00-08:00 tag:questysadventuresinmöbiusspace,2009:QuestyinMöbiusSpace.80

Digg: Yesterday's news, today, brought to you soon by Microsoft.

Yesterday's news, today, brought to you soon by Microsoft. ]]> Ravuya