Re: New Car Reviews

On 19/08/2026 23:05, Tara wrote:
> On Aug 19, 2026 at 5:47:23 PM EDT, "Julian" <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
>> On 19/08/2026 22:22, Tara wrote:
>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 4:58:52 PM EDT, "Julian" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 19/08/2026 21:33, Tara wrote:
>>>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 4:31:16 PM EDT, "Tara" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Aug 19, 2026 at 4:12:29 PM EDT, "Julian" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 20:56, Wilson wrote:
>>>>>>>> On 8/19/2026 3:32 PM, Julian wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 19:46, Wilson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> On 8/19/2026 11:31 AM, Julian wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> On 19/08/2026 16:04, Wilson wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/18/2026 8:02 PM, Dude wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/17/2026 8:43 PM, dart200 wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 8/17/26 7:56 PM, Dude wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "We planned on a year of bare-bones motoring. These features
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> make us feel like we're cheating." - Aaron Gold, Aug 17, 2026
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Motor Trend:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Five—No, Six—Sorry, Eight—Features I Didn't Expect in Our
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> $25,000 Kia K4
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://tinyurl.com/2mmsamkj
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> most of those are software feature that cost zero to replicate
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> once implemented. the fact they aren't standard across all new
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cars is kind of a market failure imo
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> You forgot to mention the Kia warranty:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Powertrain Warranty: 10 years or 100,000 miles for engine,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> transmission, and drive parts.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Basic Warranty: 5 years or 60,000 miles for most other vehicle
>>>>>>>>>>>>> parts (bumper-to-bumper).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anti-Perforation Warranty: 5 years or 100,000 miles for rust hole
>>>>>>>>>>>>> damage on body sheet metal.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Roadside Assistance: 5 years or 60,000 miles for 24/7 help like
>>>>>>>>>>>>> towing or flat tires.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> They need those because they have a deservedly bad reputation for
>>>>>>>>>>>> reliability.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Certainly a decade and more ago and until five years ago
>>>>>>>>>>> easily stolen but, at least in Europe, they are well above
>>>>>>>>>>> average, in the top 10, for reliability.
>>>>>>>>>>> https://www.whatcar.com/news/are-kia-cars-reliable-most-and-least-
>>>>>>>>>>> reliable-models-revealed/n27619
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I might be behind the times in my negative attitude towards the Koreans.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> "Kia (and sister brand Hyundai) transformed from lower-tier
>>>>>>>>>> reliability in the early 2010s through major quality investments,
>>>>>>>>>> platform sharing, and engineering improvements. Recent models are
>>>>>>>>>> generally viewed as dependable daily drivers with competitive build
>>>>>>>>>> quality.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> "Made in Korea" signified "Cheap imitation" until the 1980's which
>>>>>>>>> fixed the post war economy and facilitated big national investment
>>>>>>>>> in the likes of Samsung, Hyundai, LG and Daewoo. By 2000 they were
>>>>>>>>> becoming among the elite in advanced heavy, shipbuilding etc., and
>>>>>>>>> electrical/onic engineering.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> There's one thing they are not very good at making and that is
>>>>>>>>> people...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> According to United Nations and demographic projections, South Korea's
>>>>>>>>> total fertility rate is expected to slowly rebound from its historic
>>>>>>>>> lows to approximately 1.0 child per woman by 2050, remaining well
>>>>>>>>> below the 2.1 replacement level needed for a stable population
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> That country is going to go extinct unless they change that.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Yes, and they know it. In 2024 the rate was the global lowest.
>>>>>>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-68402139
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Why is the population decline upsetting to many people (other than to those
>>>>>> who don't want more kids).
>>>>>> Honestly, I don't understand and would like to.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it for purely monetary reasons?
>>>>
>>>> It's a big factor when the young have to support so many pensioners
>>>> and the cost of living is high but everywhere women get educated the
>>>> birth rate drops.  "as women got more autonomy, making household
>>>> decisions, more power, they have to make some kind of compromise between
>>>> raising children and having more, kind of, autonomy in the workplace."
>>>
>>> I understand why women aren't having as many kids, all that, all those reasons
>>> you list. It appears that those who think it's a bad thing are looking at the
>>> 'big factor' then - the young having to support the elders and not having
>>> enough young to do that is a purely monetary concern. It would be a painful
>>> transition but when all the current oldies die, it will gradually even out
>>> with a lower population (young and seniors) balanced out over all. But for
>>> now, the complaint and worry about low birth rates is a monetary concern. I
>>> don't know why but I thought maybe it might be more than that.
>>> In ten years, who knows what the world will look like and women may be in a
>>> better position then to want more babies. Or not.
>>> We women, really do have a lot of power don't we. :) In concrete reality, this
>>> is a new concept.
>>
>> Pretty much the only places with stable or growing birth rates are those
>> where women have little or no rights, education and independent means.
>>
>> The UN expects the population to peak at just over 10 billion in 2080
>> and then gradually decline sustainably as more women are emancipated
>> being progressively harder to keep them in the dark in this world.
> 
> If it's a gradual decline, the change could happen with a minimum of pain if
> we accept and adjust to it. I admit, I want a lot fewer people on this planet
> mainly for the good of the planet. For creatures (humans included) - room to
> breath and grow...not too much though :)

As far as I can tell there are always exactly the right number
of people on the planet for the good of the planet. I just can't
rustle up enough conceit to think otherwise.