I think this is one of the saddest things I have heard in my life. It is like the "kiss of death" for all things quality. I wrote a paper on this when MP3s were first becoming popular. The paper never really went anywhere, but the idea (I was a music major at the time making "clean, clear orchestral recordings") that maintaining quality throughout the entire process was key, and having your final recording be "just like the real thing", the badge of success. With compressed format so much of that is thrown out the window. Sad.

Well, actually, I have see better results at altitude (although less power). Modern cars will try to maintain a ratio of fuel to air regardless of condition (based on mass-air flow). So, at higher elevations a vehicle will burn less fuel, since there is less oxygen. (This is not true for 70's era mechanically regulated cars without emmissions, etc.) This is not the case if your car is turbo charged... fuel economy will suffer a bit, but you will have more power -- your turbo will be "working" harder to maintain high air pressure in the cumbustion chamber.