My acquaintances mostly went for HRC or write-in Sanders, with a few vocally supporting Trump.

Remember at the beginning of this campaign, when Trump publicly said that McCain was a loser because he was captured as a POW? And the Republicans collectively shrugged their shoulders? At that point, I had a feeling the Republicans would all come home to Trump at the end.

Nobody does military hero worshipping (real or fake) like the Republicans, and if Trump can get away with saying something like this...

The Corolla and the Prius aren't really comparable vehicles. While they are both certainly "penalty boxes" from a car enthusiast's standpoint, the Prius is definitely a step up in quality and comfort. It also has extra hauling capabilities as a hatchback versus the Corolla sedan.

Anecdotes say that NYC taxi drivers, with all their stop-and-go cyclings of the batteries, are going 350k-500k miles and some are just beginning to need replacements. Average consumers are seeing usually a minimum of 150k or so from online anecdotes, though most people don't keep cars that long anyhow.

And there are third party outfits that do replacements for $2000 now.

I'm seeing lots of 328d here now, which they sell as 320d across the pond. Probably because it's a $400/month lease now.

Infiniti makes a AWD hybrid Q50.

But for people who enjoy driving Euro cars, leasing is really the financially responsible option.

A typical German lux sedan that gets leased is the 3-series/C-class/A4. They lease for around $300-$400/month. For a 3 year lease with a typical $3000 down, the cash outlay is about $13000. If you had bought the car outright, the depreciation during the same 3 year period would be greater than $13000.

The manufacturers subsidizes the leases, and you get to dump the cars before the warranty expires (keeping a Euro car past warranty can often be an expensive proposition).

[Anecdote] One of my first jobs out of school was working with a bunch of self-taught developers of which none of them except one person had a STEM degree. Econ, environmental studies, theater, political science. The product they wrote ended up being very popular in that particular market niche and took a healthy slice from the dominant player in that market. I've never encountered another workplace setup like that ever again.

Just because it's safe now doesn't mean they were safe a week ago. Presumably your data was there a week ago as well.

Same in downtown Portland. If you're able to maintain 25mph you're pretty much guaranteed to hit all greens when in the square grids.

There's a perfectly good explanation for it. Most immigration (in the UK as well as many Western nations) will be from Asia and Africa. Most people in these countries do not own cars and use public transport as they are predominantly city dwellers. Coupled with the fact that most immigration occurs when the test taker is past the minimum age of getting a driver's license - it's understandable that test takers from Asia and Africa are at a disadvantage.

And those people typically live in English-speaking-only expat enclaves that they never venture out of - no different than those who claim to have visited Mexico by way of a visit to a Cancun all-inclusive resort.

When in Montreal (or Paris or wherever), I learn just enough of the language to butcher it. Badly.

As their ears bleed from my pillaging of their respective beloved language like nails on a chalkboard, the admission of their excellent knowledge of English usually comes forth quickly.

Actually, isn't it cheaper do go bilingual anyways? With French/English and Spanish added to a product's packaging and manual, you are essentially able to sell your product to consumers in all of the Americas, Africa and much of Europe without much little or no repackaging of your product.

Recently, a thousand signatures were gathered to require English signs in Richmond (though it failed to pass in city council), so it shows that BC people are not immune to fears of language hegemony when it is perceived to threaten their own identity.

http://www.vancouverobserver.c...

Because it was the French that started the IOC. So French and English (and a 3rd host country language) would be made the official languages.

The Greek flag is always flown as the very first flag, despite them not making a showing in some of the winter games.

I used to teach music lessons to primarily homeschooled kids, and the vast majority of them were never silent about their disdain for science.

I was a childhood friend of one of the sons of the pioneer of the Christian homeschooling movement, and their beliefs were also pretty far away from you and your parents'.

To a good chunk of these people, your family would neither be defined as "Christian" or "conservative". You're clearly an exceptional case.