New Era!

I still can't believe it - but it is true. The W era, which almost every sane person throughout the world had considered a disaster, is now officially history. Now, the President of the United States of America is a tall skinny black man, the son of a Kenyan, with a very funny name. Yes, the Obama era has begun!

Everything had been such a diaster that many people - including whites who had never considered voting for a black man, and Republicans who had never supported a Democrat before - are looking forward to changes that Obama will bring to the nation and the world.

I must remember that Obama is only one man, with only 4 years' worth of time (though he may, and hopefully will, get another 4 years afterwards). Also, there are some issues that Obama and I disagree with - most notably his decision to have Rick Warren deliver the invocation (and reward Orange County for the past three decades of political destruction in America that Obama himself must undo now). Nevertheless, Obama is the best shot at getting things fixed, and he appears to have chosen very competent individuals for his executive team, certainly more fair-minded than those who had served the W administration.

Undoing the legacy of the W years has only begun. It'll be a long, torturous road ahead back to a sane world. But having Obama in the White House is a good start. I do look forward to him overturning the "Defense of Marriage" Act, a disgraceful relic of the Clinton-Gingrich era, though I do recognize that he has his hands full with the economic stimulus and other urgent items requiring more immediate attention. At least, his governing philosophy, as outlined in the inaugural address, is smart and to the point; government is not to be small or big, but rather, to be able to most effectively serve the people's needs.

Gwaneum One: further developments

I have received the title for Gwaneum One. This is the first time I own a brand-new car without any strings (lienholders, co-signers, etc.) attached. Sure, it's a lowly Hyundai, but it is still a luxury car with the price tag - and more importantly, content and craftsmanship - to match. Now, all I need will be the vanity plates.

Cafepress.com has also sent me the first bumper sticker for Gwaneum One. It reads: "California, what rights do you want to take away next?" I think this is the best way for me to express my strong displeasure over Proposition 8, without dwelling specifically on the measure itself (or gay marriage). Proposition 8 WAS about using religious prejudice to take away someone else's rights, and that's the one point I must make. I will continue to collect a few extra bumper stickers, probably from EvolveFish.com, which will probably be religious in character. The key will be to accentuate the positives; rather than stating what I am against, I want to state what I am for. (This also serves to decrease the likelihood of some wingnut being offended by Gwaneum One - and vandalizing her.) I need to decide if I want to specifically display Unitarian Universalist motifs, or if I want to be more mildly pan-religious.

I will wait until I have the vanity plates before I actually start putting the bumper stickers on. In any case, as Gwaneum One is a very conservatively styled car, I don't want her to be saddled with too many bumper stickers, something too many liberals (and even a few conservatives) are guilty of.

And slowly but steadily, Hyundai is putting more Genesises on SoCal freeways; today, I parked next to another silver example, which was a V6 with Premium Package. I do notice that many examples are being retrofitted with the Korean market winged logos. I refuse to do the retrofit (the full retrofit will cost me at least $500, and even then, Gwaneum One will NEVER be a Korean-market "BH380"), but it's tempting, as the winged logo does look great. On another note, I do notice that many Genesis owners are moving from an established luxury brand (including the almighty Lexus and BMW), rather than upmarket from cheaper Hyundais. Looks like I'm far from the only one who recognizes how good the car is.

In retrospect, I do have one regret over my car swap. I had made the BMW retirement the centerpiece of the swap, and that wasn't the right way to do it, as it accentuates the negatives (both of the BMW brand and of the sociopolitical developments). The correct way to have done it would've been to center the process around the purchase of the Hyundai, then do the BMW retirement as a side thing; that way, I could've honored the progress of the South Korean society in a much better way. I can't turn back the clock on the car swap, but now that I do have Gwaneum One, the car herself, her vanity plates, and her bumper stickers will have to do the job in accentuating the positives.

Gwaneum One: Winner!

Several new developments are welcoming me and Gwaneum One.

First, the prestigious North American Car of the Year award, which is handed out every January, has gone to the Hyundai Genesis this year. This is a great award, as it is an independent award done and paid for by fifty jurors, all of whom are automotive experts but write for very different audiences, from performance freaks to consumer activists to everyone in between. I'm glad to know that Gwaneum One is a winner - and that she is every bit deserving of the win. Of course, this is the first time that a Korean car has ever won the award.

I'm starting to tap online resources as well, for parts, accessories, and enthusiast communities. I've found a number of sources for parts and accessories; some are Hyundai dealerships around the US which sell genuine US-spec parts and accessories at a discount, while a specialty shop, run by a Phoenix-based Hyundai and Kia dealership, can get me Korean-market accessories. If I ever decide that Gwaneum One ought to look like a Korean domestic market Genesis (complete with the wing logos and the BH380 trim badging), I can do that, though for a steep price (primarily due to the steering wheel logo having to be replaced, which also requires the airbag to be replaced). I'd rather have Gwaneum One carry the standard Hyundai logos as it does now. And there are enough owner communities out there, some generic Hyundai and some Genesis-specific, that I should be able to get information on improvements and problem fixes before most other people. It's kind of hard to find such communities with some cut-rate vehicles, mostly domestics. (And I can no longer stand the cockiness of BMW community groups - I'm glad that I'll never have to drive another BMW again.)

News feeds also tell me that Hyundai moved 6,167 Genesises across the US in 2008. Wikipedia calls this a "flop," but considering the price tag and the state of the economy, this is hardly a flop, though it's not exactly runaway success either. It bears remembering that US sales began only in very late June, and vehicles with navigation and/or V8 weren't really around until September anyway. Hyundai appears to be selling about 1,000 to 1,200 per month, which is a very respectable number for the price range, and similar to the numbers racked up by the likes of Lexus GS and Infiniti M. And there are no aggressive sales incentives either. The real goal here is not to move the most cars, but rather, to improve the perception of the Hyundai brand and get people to buy even the cheaper Hyundais with more confidence and joy. That's what the original Lexus LS400 did for Toyota and other Japanese brands, as well! I am starting to spot a Genesis every other day or so. If Hyundai needs to sell enough cars to justify the development costs, that can be very easily done in South Korea and China.

Last, but not the least, California DMV has processed Gwaneum One's registration much quicker than usual, and I've received the standard plates today. Of course, they won't last long, as I will swap them for the vanity plates when they are ready. But I'm glad that I no longer have to drive Gwaneum One with just a 90-day windshield temporary permit (which also happened to advertise my name and address to any passerby); now, I can drive anywhere in the US, and after a talk with my insurance agent, into Canada as well.

More signs of the times

I continue to have afterthoughts from my three months in Asia, especially now that my "sudden" replacement of a BMW with a Hyundai has really come to light among my social circles.

Spending the Christmas holidays in South Korea and Hong Kong was a true eye-opener. It didn't hurt that I took in many non-Christian motifs (especially Buddhist) during my trip. More than ever, I am reminded that the different religious belief systems out there are, just like scientific theories, attempts at explaining the world in ways the average human mind can understand. My Seoul acquaintances told me there are over 8,000 different versions of the Christian Bible, all with different takes on the same core belief; this reminds me that I shouldn't be taking the Bible, or any other religious text, word-for-word (especially given that they're all less-than-satisfactory translations anyway), but rather, get the big picture and live by that.

The Christians really hate idolatry, even though some Christian branches, notably the Catholics and the Mormons, are heavy with statues and other imagery. I decided to take my own interpretation on this. It is wrong to worship Jesus because he is Jesus; for me, being obsessed with the being of Jesus himself is itself idolatry. What really counts is what he embodies - the love of God so great, he sends a part of himself in human form and sacrifices himself, just to save the humankind. Without taking this into the picture, and without taking that into one's everyday life, I believe that being Christian becomes utterly meaningless. Too many Christians are of the mindset that "no matter what I do, I am saved by Jesus, and I am not of this world, so I can be a total a-hole especially around those who refuse to be saved" - I'll never accept that. This salvation theme resonates with many other religions, and over in Buddhism, Kwan Yin vows not to save herself until she saves every human first. I will not worship Kwan Yin; what I worship will be all the mercy and love she connotes. (Of course, the fact that Kwan Yin is transgender doesn't hurt either.)

On a different note, while I will continue to boycott unsavory governments and corporations, I will take that to a more sophisticated level. Many Americans showed their stupidity by boycotting everything French, when France dared to oppose the US-led invasion of Iraq. This ignored over two centuries of shared values and friendship between the people of the US and the people of France. The French kept their cool by continuing to welcome Americans with open arms - assuming that the American visitor didn't act like a jerk, anyway. In almost all countries, the people are good, it's the leaders who deviate from the program for their selfish ends. I found that first-hand in Seoul; the South Koreans are great people, despite their government, the Unification Church, and the Korean-Americans. Rick Steves, the travel guru, reminds me of the same thing, after his visit to Iran.

What will this mean for me? My boycotts will target the worst of the worst, while no longer penalizing people who might as well be my friends. By buying a Hyundai automobile and an LG TV set, I've done just that with the Koreans (I will continue to stay far away from Samsung, Korean Air, and Forever 21). With other nations' corporations, I'll do the same. While Toyota's main US manufacturing subsidiary, notorious for its anti-labor activities and support of John Roberts, shall never be forgiven, other parts of the Toyota empire, including the Japanese headquarters and New United Motors in Northern California, are probably not all that bad; that means while I'll never drive a Kentucky-built Camry or a Texas-built Tundra, I'll no longer rule out a Japan-built Prius or a California-built Tacoma. And taking this to non-corporate levels as well, I may reconsider my boycott of CODEPINK organic coffee, which comes from a women's cooperative in Nicaragua. While I can never forgive Nicaragua's government and popular homophobia (enforced by left-wingers, at that), a bit less poverty among the fair-minded women may be what it takes to start changes there. And conversely, evil corporations, even those from "good" nations, will surely see my wrath; I continue to harbor warm thoughts toward modern-day Germany, but I will never buy Krups or BMW products ever again.

I took a few photos at Costco yesterday as I thought of these things.

Here is a children's book - and it is surely a sign of the times. Barack Obama, in his successful run for the Presidency, popularized many phrases that resonated with most of mainstream America. This book is made up of such phrases, and I think this is priceless. Specifically, it reminds the reader that there is no black America, no white America, no red America, no blue America - but only one America. The "divide and conquer" tactic, rising from the suburban cul-de-sacs and the gated communities of Orange County, which had prevailed in the US for the past three decades, must come to an end, and the Obama Presidency is the first step in making that happen.

The neoliberal economics and the neocon ideology have really trashed the US, especially in the last few years. I must continue to remember that Obama is only one man, with only four years' time; he won't get much done. He can, however, get the mentalities changed and the process rolling. The US is still pretty much the only country that can afford to give healthcare to me if I ask for it, but can't give it to me for ideological reasons; Obama won't change that overnight, but he will start a process that will eventually get that changed. I do hope the changes will be soon enough that by the time I do get sick and need healthcare, I'll be able to get it.

But the forces that corrupted the US for the past three decades won't go away overnight. Mann Coulter, the "shock jock" of conservative commentary, continues to put out garbage like this. Never mind that if I am to take the conservative ideology literally, we're looking at a sodomite who is an abomination in the eyes of God, and must be stoned immediately.

There is no doubt in my mind that Coulter is not a woman, but a castrated sodomite, given all his talk about how women must lose their right to vote, and so forth. I am more reminded than ever that one's gender (including my own) is not determined by what is under the person's mini, but rather, what's between the ears. And this is one sodomite that still has tons of testosterone-induced anger management problems.

I do hope that the American public will see past rambling shock jocks like this, and work for what's best for the nation and the world - and ultimately, themselves. Of course, there will be evil entities standing in the way - News Corporation, the Unification Church, BMW, certain foreign governments, and more - but they have NO right to determine my (or any other American's) future or destiny.

Hollywood & Griffith Observatory

This post is a test of my Photobucket account. At the rate I take photos, I will run out of Blogger space before I know it!

My folks have returned from their Christmas/New Year's trip, so I have to put up with them for now. They are happy about my car swap - but NOT happy that I had to do it behind their backs. However, I still feel that I had no choice; not only did they force me to keep driving a cursed Ford Contour (and rack up unreasonable traffic tickets and repair bills) until it literally conked out, but they would've certainly done everything to ensure that the BMW would stay with me forever as well.

They did say that I could've sold the BMW to them - or to another acquaintance - for more than the pittance that I got. The BMW could've replaced some other, aging vehicle among my acquaintances. But that was not really my intention; my intention was to ensure that no BMW product would ever stay within my circle of acquaintances, period.

In any case, I won't be living with them much longer anyway. Time to move on to the family business and other more pressing issues. For now, however, here are the final batch of photos from the night before their return. I traveled to Griffith Park and Hollywood for some more photo ops, ensuring that both my car, Gwaneum One, and my camera, a Canon, would give me as much of the spirit of Kwan Yin as possible.

I've arrived at Griffith Observatory, which closed in 2002 for renovations, and re-opened in 2006 (though requiring advance reservations for a visit). The advance reservation requirement went away in late 2007, allowing me to drive Gwaneum One right up to the parking area. The renovations created many new exhibit areas while preserving the best of the old.

One of the older attractions is above. It's the third Foucault Pendulum I come across in just over two months.

Here's a newer area, dealing with the stars and the planets. This photo shows the relative sizes of the solar system's planets. Here, Pluto is still considered a planet (it was demoted shortly after the observatory re-opened). Some faraway bodies that challenge Pluto's planetary status are indeed discussed alongside Pluto itself, however. Under each planet, I may weigh myself and see how much I'd weigh on the corresponding planet.

Nearby is a globe of the moon, along with this actual moon rock. The violet lighting on the moon rock is overexposed in this photo. I haven't figured out how to adjust the ISO rating on my camera manually, however.

My moon weight is about 26.5 pounds.

My Earth weight is now 150 pounds. I did lose weight - and I am certainly out of the plus size territory. Thank all the good food and walking from my three months in Seoul and Hong Kong. I do weigh more than an average woman, but then, I have the extra weight of the male skeleton to deal with.

Here is a very nice periodic table of elements, with samples of each element. Of course, heavy radioactive elements can't be sampled here - some are so unstable, they can only exist for tiny fractions of a second anyway!

The element numbers go up to 111 now, and yes, all have proper names. The captions here say that the universe started out with just hydrogen, fusion power in stars create helium, then dying stars create all other elements up to uranium (92). Anything with higher element numbers must be created artificially.

Here is another old element that is restored: the rotunda above the Foucault Pendulum. Looks mythical but can't really tell what's up there...

The observatory is free, but I paid $7 to take in a planetarium show, detailing the evolution of astronomy from the ancient times through Ptolemy and Galileo to today. The narration was live, and the images lovely, but the planetarium projector didn't see much use...

Los Angeles city night lights. One feature of Los Angeles is that the gridlike street light patterns appear to extend forever. As much as I hate LAX, I love landing there at night, due to all the lights.

The downtown skyscrapers are on the left. On the right are some major buildings of the Mid-Wilshire District, which is now surrounded by the ever-growing Koreatown. I repeat my vow to avoid taking Gwaneum One to Koreatown as much as I can, as I drive her to carry the forward thinking of the South Koreans rather than the backward thinking of the Korean-Americans.

The ISO number goes only up to 400 automatically with my camera, which is why the lights are dimmer than they should be. Again, I need to figure out how to do manual adjustments.

A series of three Saturn photos. The top is from a Voyager mission three decades ago. The bottom is from Hubble Space Telescope above Earth. The middle, with Saturn blocking out the Sun completely, is from the Cassini spacecraft - and is completely new to me. I love the way the rings glow under the sunlight.

This is the public Zeiss telescope that makes this observatory famous. Unfortunately, it's having problems, and is not open tonight.

I did walk around and find two portable telescopes. One, next to the telescope dome, was pointed at the moon, for a good look at some of the craters. The other, on the lawn, was pointed at the Orion Nebula; my own telescope does show the Orion Nebula okay, but this larger telescope showed it in more detail. Of course, the nebula glows in a faint blue; those spectacular pink photos require hours of camera exposure.

On the lawn, north of the observatory itself, this monument stands to honor various astronomers over the past several centuries. Normally, the monument should be lit, but not on the night I visited; the light is from my flash.

And it's the gibbous moon overhead.

I didn't feel like returning home, so I took Gwaneum One over to Hollywood. I parked her on Hollywood Boulevard, across the street from the Egyptian Theatre. Of course, here is another night lighting camera test.

Hollywood and Highland - a very famous intersection, and for the past several years, home to a posh shopping mall and Kodak Theatre as well as a subway station.

I am looking west from the northeast corner. A bit to the west on Hollywood Boulevard is the El Capitan Theatre, which was restored by Disney. There is a Disney Store there. Also around me are a Frederick's of Hollywood lingerie store and an American Apparel store, as well as many tacky souvenir stalls.

This is probably the Los Angeles equivalent of San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf - a place where the crowd is more likely to be tourist than local.

Two Walk of Fame stars. Great to know that they are Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron - two outstanding actresses who will soon portray the world's first post-operative trans lesbian couple!

Sir Elton John. Can't go wrong with him either.

Here's someone whose handprints I had seen in Hong Kong - John Woo. Now, I am in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where all the handprints are, some dating as far back as the 1920s.

The cast of Harry Potter.

Unlike the vast majority of transwomen, I am NOT a Trekkie. But I had to take this photo of the Star Trek cast handprints anyway, if only for George Takei, who got married last year during the short timeframe that gay marriage was legal in California.

Proposition 8 was a mistake, and more importantly, a grossly barbarian attempt by foreign forces (Catholic and Mormon Churches, the Vatican, the South Korean government, and various immigrant communities) to impose their primitive moral values on California. I'll support any and all efforts to overthrow it. I will soon order a bumper sticker to that effect, and put it on Gwaneum One. Putting that sticker on a Hyundai will further clarify that I carry the spirits of the fair-minded everyday South Koreans, rather than the bigotry of the Korean-Americans and the South Korean government that they helped install.

I need to watch this movie. Marley and Me - starring none other than my idol Jennifer Aniston.

The Hollywood United Methodist Church. This church is also committed to restoring marriage equality in California.

My feet hurt, as I was wearing heels (I had not counted on walking around Hollywood). Yes, I was again going for that sleek cardigan-tights "no pants" look. But I am glad to have gotten out and about one last time. Will continue to look for photo ops, however!

San Diego Auto Show

Here is a post of a whopping 50 photos from San Diego Auto Show.

I wasn't able to attend the Los Angeles show due to my absence. Sure, I was in Seoul, and there was an auto show there back in September, but I wasn't really looking forward to buying a car back then (besides, I wasn't too interested in Korean market only vehicles), so I skipped both shows. I came to this show after the fact (in my Gwaneum One, in fact), but I had to come, just to see what the marketplace is like, and how Gwaneum One stacks up against the field.

This was also another way to test my new Canon. I took ALL of these photos with the flash off; I am getting superb quality, even without a tripod.

I'm starting at the Dodge display, looking at this SRT version of the Caliber. SRT or not, the Caliber is a piece of scrap metal, built for fleet fuel efficiency average rather than any serious attempt at the small car market.

Surprisingly, I did see a fair number of Calibers during my South Korean stint. Some were serving the US Army, but others were driven by South Korea's Republican colonial government supporters, who think buying a crappy American compact is another way they can show appreciation to their colonial masters at the GOP.

Apparently, Chevrolet is trying to bring the Camaro back. Given that Ford has insisted on the Mustang with success, and that Dodge is phasing in the retro-styled Challenger, it's about time.

A different kind of Chevy: the Malibu Hybrid. It's only a mild hybrid which requires the engine to run at all times, so it is not as efficient as the Japanese competition. But glad to know that the domestics are now in the hybrid game, with entries that do stand a chance.

The X6 is proof that BMW's talk about being a company of no compromises is complete BS at best. The X6 makes major concessions in hauling capacity, handling, and practicality, just so that it could look stylish. Never mind its sky-high price and pathetic fuel economy. Even within the BMW lineup, the X5 is a much better alternative.

For that matter, all cars, BMW or otherwise, are compromises. BMWs must compromise on hauling capacity and ride quality so that they can deliver their world-famous handling.

Just about the only thing BMW won't compromise on is its dedication to reactionary politics. I'll make sure that BMW will pay a dear price for that stance. There are people in my social circles who currently drive BMWs on a temporary basis, and after hearing my story, will make sure to get another make - BMWs were turning out to be too cramped and firm for them anyway. I have already cost BMW about a dozen sales or so, and I look forward to having hundreds and thousands of future BMW sales evaporate as well.

Here is a nice entry from Toyota, if a bit pricey. This is the new Venza crossover SUV, based on the Camry and built in Kentucky. It's a more stylish alternative to the Highlander, which is otherwise identical.

A much cheaper Toyota, straight from Japan: the 5-door Yaris, for $14,000. Canada and Europe could get this car for years, and finally the US gets its chance.

This is my kind of car - though I'd rather buy from a different Japanese manufacturer.

This Ford Fusion shows the 2010 model year facelift. This is the Sport trim. There will also be a hybrid version.

I rented a brand-new 2008 Fusion V6 in Indy last April, and was pleased with it, though I hated its ergonomics. Apparently, ergonomic flaws are fixed for 2010. In any case, it is a vastly superior car to my former ride, the Contour, and now I am willing to consider Fords again.

Here's something I used to see in Europe: Ford Transit Connection delivery van. It looks like Ford wants to start selling these in the US too.

The 2010 Ford Mustang is also getting a facelift and some improvements.

Here is a very nice Hyundai. It's the 2010 Genesis Coupe, which shares the Genesis Sedan's rear wheel drive design but is otherwise a completely different car. I saw a few of these on the road back in South Korea.

Here is the Hyundai Elantra Touring, which takes the i30, the European hatchback version of the Elantra, and slightly lengthens it into a wagon form. This might be a car that I could need in the future.

Still at the Hyundai display. This is the basic Genesis, in red, with no optional equipment.

There are a number of red Genesises out there in the lower trims, but none with the Technology Package. I had to take a silver one as a result, but after the bumper scratch in Vegas, I am glad that I got the silver.

This is the interior of the basic Genesis. The parking sensor and Xenon headlight switches are replaced with blanks, and a standard pushbutton stereo replaces the navigation system. There is no Driver Information System knob. Also, the dash trim is all fake wood, instead of the leather used in Gwaneum One.

Yes, compared to Gwaneum One, this car certainly looks downmarket. But compared to anything else out there, it still looks great!

Here is another Genesis. Like Gwaneum One, it's silver. But the badging identifies it as the 4.6 - the V8 model that is exclusive to North America.

For the price of Gwaneum One, I can buy four of these. Hyundai started in the US with the $5,000 Excel, and even today, the Accent remains the cheapest car available, with a price tag just under $10,000.

The Sonata Limited. This example has the 2.4L engine. Now, all US-market Sonatas are built in Alabama.

And yes, those red blinkers clearly identify the car as a US model. I personally hate them. With red blinkers, turning on emergency flashers can look like stepping on the brake. These days, whenever I see traffic jams ahead, I always brake while turning on the emergency flashers - a practice that I had learned during my South Korean road trip, where everyone makes the same signal. For that, I must have amber turn signals - something taken for granted on the Korean highways, but becoming increasingly rare in the US.

The Sonata Limited can now be had with navigation. The interior is a significant improvement over that of Gwaneum Zero, which was a 2006 South Korean domestic market Sonata.

This is a black Genesis with Technology Package; aside from the color, it's identical to Gwaneum One. The Lexicon stereo is busy blaring out Amy Grant's version of "Big Yellow Taxi."

I made sure to talk about replacing a BMW 3-series with Gwaneum One, with other visitors checking out the Genesis. And when a few Hyundai representatives approached me, I made sure to share the story of Gwaneum One - and Gwaneum Zero - with them too; they thanked me, and gave me a Hyundai car wash kit as a sign of appreciation. It's not much, but it makes me feel better. Beats the BMW cockiness (and reactionary politics) any day!

For the first time in a long time, Volkswagen is selling a minivan.

The Routan, however, is a clone of the Chrysler minivan, rather than a descendant of the Microbus.

Here is a new Volkswagen sedan - the CC. It is a Passat with sleeker styling and higher price tag. For over $28K, I still don't get V6 power.

One thing I hate about modern Volkswagens (and many other European cars) is that my old-fashioned national origin preferences can simply no longer be met. Many Volkswagens are Latin American rather than German, using parts from all over the world. And while the CC is from Germany, its parts may as well be from elsewhere in Europe, including the cheaper Eastern Bloc nations.

A pair of New Beetles. They are not so new anymore, as they've been on the market for 11 years now. I still feel like driving around in a brightly colored New Beetle while dressed in a matching colored Ally McLesbian miniskirt suit; people constantly accuse me of having a fetish!

Here is one car that can never go wrong. It's the Honda Civic Hybrid - the choice of Karen Bradley of Democracy Cell Project, Gayle Brandeis of CODEPINK, and even the organizer of my favorite transgender lesbian nightclub.

However, for me, a Civic Hybrid would've been a "me-too" choice. When it's time to replace my aging Accord (which won't be anytime soon), I'll consider the Civic Hybrid. But I had to replace my BMW with something that had luxury and presence, and that could also make a personal statement about my Asian trip/meditation, and the only car that could do it for me was the Hyundai Genesis.

The Smart has been in the market for a decade now, and thanks to the recently sky-high gas prices, they are now available in the US as well. I think it's still illegal in the US to park a Smart perpendicularly in a parallel-parking space, however, taking away one major benefit of having a Smart.

This Kia Borrego is a fuel cell-powered prototype.

At the San Diego Auto Show, many "green" vehicles are displayed in a common area separately from their manufacturers' main displays.

The Borrego is a very nice SUV, but as it is a heavy truck-framed vehicle with a thirsty optional V8 (the same one powering the Hyundai Genesis 4.6), nobody seems to want it.

This Hyundai iMode prototype also is fuel cell powered.

Here is a Hyundai that I could be driving before I know it. The 2011 Sonata will offer a hybrid powertrain option, using the existing 2.4L Theta engine for gasoline power and adding electric powertrain and a next-generation battery pack. I do want a midsize hybrid, rather than a Prius or a Civic, given the kinds of driving I do for work, even though I'll have to take some hit in fuel economy.

In any case, having a Hyundai in my garage is something that was unthinkable until a few months ago. And now, I'm talking about having two Hyundais. As long as Hyundai doesn't offend me BMW-style, and as long as Gwaneum One proves to be better than a $40K Excel, I may indeed end up buying many Hyundais to come.

And all the great stuff that Hyundai has done recently is also benefiting its subsidiary Kia.

And yes, the Kia Soul is now available in the US! Some of the low-tech features, including the 4-speed automatic, did make it into the US version, so I am not too pleased.

I love minivans. And the Kia Sedona is a great minivan at a great price.

If I ever decide that I want to drive a sporty, firm German compact luxury sedan again, this Audi A4 may be the key. It has a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and a great interior.

And here is my first US look at the Audi R8 supercar.

Lincoln's new MKS. It does get some nice options like all-wheel-drive. But I do consider my Gwaneum One to be a far superior vehicle.

Ford seriously needs to revive Lincoln the way GM sort of revived Cadillac.

Lexus GS350. It offers everything that Gwaneum One offers, with the added benefit of the Lexus reputation and dealer service. However, I must cough up at least $52,000. I'd rather drive Gwaneum One and keep the change.

This is Lexus's version of the Toyota Venza. This will be the next Lexus RX. This particular example is designated as the RX450h, denoting hybrid powertrain.

If I want a luxury convertible that actually offers room for four, the choices are not great. The most common (and most competent) choice has been the BMW 3-series, but now that's out of the question for me. This Lexus IS250 will be an alternative, even though I still hate Toyota.

The Mercedes-Benz C350. It's stodgy rather than sexy. And the Mercedes lineup is now plagued with reliability problems. But I still would love to drive one - a competent German sports sedan with a name that still conjures up an image of engineering excellence and precision.

The no-nonsense Honda Accord. This is a 4-cylinder EX built in Ohio. Pricing is about $23K - very reasonable.

A normal 4-cylinder Accord is a great choice, but I'd rather get one in a hybrid form. Honda has discontinued the Accord Hybrid, however, as it had been a power-oriented V6 model with mediocre fuel economy.

This is a very expensive minivan, at $41K. But the Honda Odyssey Touring is as good as a minivan gets.

The Cadillac CTS. Great car at a reasonable price. I hate the styling, however. And I also hate the fact that GM continues to crank out some really miserable pieces of scrap metal right alongside this CTS.

Here's another European car that I can buy in the US. The Opel Astra is now available in the US, as a Saturn. I don't know, however, if it makes sense to blow $22K on a tiny economy car that has only a 4-speed automatic.

The Pontiac G8, actually a Holden model built in Australia, is supposed to be Gwaneum One's main competition. But Gwaneum One is vastly more refined.

The G8 may be available as this pickup truck version soon. Vehicles like this, including the Chevy El Camino and the Ford Ranchero, used to be very common, but now they're forgotten.

This is the newest Nissan Maxima, offering a lot for $31K. Maximas are nice, but I hate the styling on this one.

Nissan also wants to compete against the boxy Scions with this boxy car of its own. It's called the Cube. I saw a number of Cubes during my South Korean stint; Nissan had just set up shop in South Korea during my stay.

The fabled Nissan GTR. No price tag, though I am pretty sure it's very pricey.

The Nissan Z-car is now the 370Z, redesigned.

Here is another Nissan product. This Infiniti G37 convertible may be the ticket to open-air driving for me. After all, I don't want to drive the BMW 3-series ever again, and driving a Lexus IS isn't all that appetizing either.

For under $20K, I can get this Subaru Impreza, complete with all wheel drive, automatic (though only 4-speed), and a number of standard features. Subaru's "fagalicious" reputation doesn't hurt either.

Let's see... $37K for a Japanese econobox that gets SUV fuel economy and offers a punishing ride.

Sure, it's the highly acclaimed Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. It's a great performance car that many car buffs drool over. But no thanks for me.

The Chrysler 300C is also considered to be a main competitor to the Hyundai Genesis. But again, in terms of technology and refinement, there is no comparison.

The black example is the high-performance version that costs $47K, including $1,700 gas guzzler tax. At least its transmission is 5-speed rather than the standard 4-speed.

Great retro styling on the Dodge Challengers here - but again, that's all I like about them.

All in all, I am very impressed with the various vehicles available, even some of the domestics. However, I am more convinced than ever that the best vehicle for 2009 sits right in my garage.