Barry Cooper is former cop who got disgusted with the "drug war" and how corrupt police handled marijuana crimes. He’s been releasing videos titled "Never Get Busted Again," since 2007, but he’s really hit it out of the park with this stunt. Basically, he set up a fake grow house, and when the local cops used a bogus warrant to raid it, he and his lawyer were waiting. Bonus? The whole thing was captured on video! Bravo sir! Anyway, here’s the news:

• A standard engine in F1? As much as it sounds like heresy, it’s going to happen. None of the manufacturers like it, but Ferrari has previously said it would withdraw from the series if it was forced to retire its proprietary racing engines. Expect fireworks. AutoWeek
• In other Ferrari-related news, the company is set to lay off a whopping ten percent of its workforce. Now I knew things were bad out there, but Jesus, Ferrari? I thought some companies were immune from the humble problems of the masses. Autocar
• Flying cars are cool, and I feel a little cheated we don’t all have them already. But I really think that if a company is going to take pre-orders, it should at least have a flying prototype. Or maybe I’m just too picky. Motor Authority
• For those worried about the bailout, it looks like it’s in the can. Sources on the hill say a deal is expected by the end of the day. Now let’s see some hustle, Detroit! Freep

I basically gave up the comics page when Bill Watterson stopped drawing Calvin and Hobbes, but I still get a kick out of This Modern World and a couple of others. Until this morning, I hadn’t seen Scott Meyer’s Basic Instructions, and it’s pretty funny. Today’s installment is called "How to Have a Horrifying Conversation." Anyway, here’s the news:

• The heads of the Big Three are back in front of Congress today, and this time, they brought a plan, instead of just a big bag to haul the loot back to Detroit. But that doesn’t seem to matter much to the public. 61% of folks don’t want to help Detroit. CNN
• Generally, I like tend to like the shows on NBC—Medium is great—more than those on CBS or ABC, so I was surprised to learn it’s fairing so poorly in the ratings. So what does that have to do with cars? Well, it means Knight Rider’s future looks sketchy. LA Times
• Love it or hate it, Honda has been successful at just about everything it’s tried. But "just about everything" doesn’t mean "everything." It looks the company’s F1 team is on the block. GrandPrix 
• As far as excuses go, "God told me to do it" is pretty thin. So the idiot who rammed a San Antonio woman at 100MPH for "not driving like a Christian" should probably get busy coming up with something else. My San Antonio via Jalopnik

Running across the desert at night is all the rage at the US/Mexico border, but if you’re going to sneak into a country illegally, why not do it with some style?  That’s apparently what three Iraqi dudes were thinking when they tried to hitch a ride in a Bentley GT. The plush machine was coming back to the UK from testing at the ‘Ring, but eagle-eyed inspectors stopped them at the border. Anyway, here’s the news:

• It’s not like I get tremendous joy from the fact that Detroit is struggling—I’ll leave that to the divas over at the Truth About Cars—but this article says that Hot Wheels’ parent company Mattel is actually worth more than General Motors, and that’s kind of funny. Newsweek
• After half a century, the party is over for Gaz’s venerable Volga. Use this handy template to construct something witty to say about its demise: "In Soviet Russia, Volga [blank] you! Jalopnik
• UPS is currently testing new hydraulic delivery trucks which deliver 50% better fuel economy and 40% lower emissions. How long before Brown starts pushing the fact that it’s green? Gas2.0
• Ferrari fans can relax, as it turns out that Maranello’s threat to quit F1 was just some pointless saber rattling. Apparently, there’s really no chance that F1 will go a spec engine. You have to love those feisty Italians. AutoWeek
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There’s been a lot of stressful stuff in the news lately, so it’s really awesome to stumble across something this gut-bustingly funny. Seriously, "Almost Transformers" had the editorial playpen rolling. I totally wish there was a car in this clip, so I could devote an entire blog to it. Anyway, here’s the news:

• To save costs, the Formula 1 brass has floated the idea of moving to a standard engine, and as you can imagine, not every manufacturer is happy about it. Ferrari has even promised to leave the series if the change is implemented. F1 Live
• Need confirmation that most people are idiots who can’t even plan past lunch? Well, with gas prices dropping, sales of SUVs and pickups have rebounded slightly. Because that trend will continue forever, obviously. Automotive News via Autoblog
• The good old 350 small-block and the Corvette engine have been dropped into just about everything, so lots of domestic gearheads are going to be stoked about this news: the General is going to offer the new ZR1 engine as a crate motor. Motor Authority
• While it’s getting almost boring—in a scary kind of way—to write about how terrible Detroit is doing, it’s interesting to note that it’s not like the Big Three are the only ones suffering—Honda’s profits have dropped by 40%. Freep
• Back in June, Jen blogged about how the producers of ABC’s Wife Swap were looking for a car crazy family. Obviously, they want to stick a gearhead mom in with a bunch of wack-job hippies and vice versa. Know any folks who might be interested? ABC
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It’s hard to believe they can get 800 hp out of such a tiny, naturally-aspirated V8—current F1 regs call for a displacement of only 2.4L. Watch it rev to 18,000 RPM on the dyno, below.

Man, this would almost make it worth going to France. In addition to a gym, spa, bar and restaurant, I-WAY in Lyon, France offers a world-class F1 simulator. A competition suit and helmet are required, and a session will set you back about $90. Via iMotor.

Continue reading "I-WAY F1 Simulator" »

While I can understand it, I’ve never really forgiven Hotmail for its policy of wiping your account if you don’t log in every three months, and I’ve had no problems with Google’s mail service. Gmail is great. But this idea of not letting you email drunk? It sucks! Just how am I supposed to send messages when I’m off the clock? Anyway, here’s the news:

• Given that F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has reportedly been contemplating a return to the States, it seems strange that the Montreal race would be axed. The move means that there are currently zero F1 races in North America? F1 Live
• Remember all those rumors about a mid-engined Corvette? Well, it turns out that’s all they’ll ever be—the General is officially over the concept. On a related note, Resse’s has confirmed that the 2010 version of its famous peanut butter cups will not feature chopped pickle. Motor Trend
• In other GM news, the company is apparently looking to kick the Renaissance Center to the curb.  Now, as someone who’s stayed at the RenCenter numerous times, I can safely say it’s the worst designed building I’ve ever had the displeasure of being inside. Good riddance. Detroit News
• The Jaguar XF-R has been spotted in Death Valley again. And while I think it’s great that it’s being tested in the States, I’d much prefer the 500HP Kitty have its bugs worked out across the pond, and be offered for sale here. World Car Fans

I’m not an economist—I barely understand how to balance my checkbook—but I’m a little freaked out by the whole Wall Street crisis. Maybe I just like the idea of being a citizen of a first-world country, I don’t know. Anyway, here’s the news:

• The XF sedan has been a success for Jaguar, but since the XJ and the XK aren’t exactly flying out of showrooms, the company has decided to cut production at its Castle Bromwich plant. While it obviously makes sense to adapt production to demand, I don’t get why those uber-hot XKs aren’t selling. Autocar
• If these spy shots are any indication, it looks like Ferrari is going to offer a drop-top version of its 599. It’s not clear if the Prancing Horse will get some engine tweaks to counter the extra weight, but something tells me this baby is going to look sexy as hell topless. Auto Express
• Mercedes has been making armored cars for 80 years, and to mark the occasion, the company has released the S600 Pullman. It’s fast, bullet-proof and also features a self-sealing gas tank, so it’s just perfect for your third world dictator or drug lord friends. Order now to insure delivery by December 25th! Motor Authority
• While racing in second place during the wet and wild Belgian Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton slid through a hairpin and wound up in front of leader Kiki Raikkonen. After allowing Raikkonen to retake the lead, Hamilton went on to win. But after some post-race analysis, the FIA determined the slide amounted to an illegal advantage, and docked him 25 seconds, which put Hamilton in third. Of course, the McLaren team was pissed and filed suit, but today a French judge refused to hear the case. Sounds like Hamilton was robbed to me. AutoWeek

Well, scientists over in Switzerland fired up the Hadron Collider yesterday. Fortunately, the uber-trick big bang replicator didn’t create a black hole and destroy the Earth, like some feared it might. As you can imagine, all this comes as a great relief to Jen, who spent yesterday worrying about where to move her cars. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Will Formula 1 return to the States? Well, if everything works out, it looks like we’ll be hosting a race in 2010. But will it be run at Indy or in Sin City? I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather go to Vegas. Autosport
• The division of the Interior Department responsible for collecting royalties from oil companies has been caught in an ethics scandal, which has highlighted "a culture of substance abuse and promiscuity." Wow! And I thought CarDomain was a fun place to work! Boston.com
• Barack Obama bumped into drag racing pioneer Big Daddy Don Garlits while campaigning in Virginia, and while he probably won’t get Garlits’—a registered Republican— vote, I still think he deserves props for knowing who he is. New York Times
• Are Porsche and VW gearing up to release a modern 914? Given the current economical climate, a budget sports car would make sense. But this isn’t the first time we’ve heard rumors about a baby Porsche revival. Motor Authority

Formula One machines are some of the most advanced cars on the planet—but even the uber gearheads that design and build these babies aren’t perfect. Check out what an improperly grounded regenerative braking system does to the BMW mechanic who unknowingly touches a "live" car. Luckily, he escaped injury.

YouTube via Autoblog