Notes on the 2005 Mustang.
I have just returned from a weeklong business trip, for which I rented out some base-model, 2005 Mustangs. V-6, Automatic. :-( One with several interior upgrades (power seats, leather, 6-disc CD) One completely base model. Much to my surprise, it was cheaper ($285 vs. $315) on a weekly rate than the Taurus, my usual rental. That's right. A tank of gas cheaper for the Mustang. Some of my findings:

• The car gets lots of attention. It seems Ford has restored some of the lost luster to the Mustang image with this year's model. Random passersby stopped to ask about the Mustang, how it drove, how I liked it, etc. "It isn't a small car anymore." was the most succinct of several similar comments I heard.
• The base model has a road gear. I got 27 MPG on the highway. That's slightly more than my Crown Vic's (w/ Touring Package) 25 MPG, and much better than Taurus' 20 MPG, from a car with better handling.
• Quality is an issue.The first one was F.O.R.D., with an electrical short. The replacement had trouble unlocking the driver's door sometimes, and had a surging throttle. Each car had 2500-3000 miles at rental time, so it's possible that a prior driver damaged the cars beforehand.
• It's too low for me.If you're shorter than 5'11", this is the car for you. Else, get a convertible or bump your head a lot. Then again, I'm a bit tall-bodied and short-legged, so low-ceiling cars tend to bother me.

Themes in the Noise
In general, I'm liable to write about anything. But I expect a few themes to recur as time passes:

• Information Systems topics: I make a living in IS, so occasionally I'll comment on trends or happenings.
• Competetion/Games: Sports and Gaming of all forms.
• Politics: The sport that almost everyone can play.
• Food: Things related to cooking and dining out. I also maintain a (mostly) local pubs listing
• Writings: Very infrequently, I'll post writings of some sort. I'll post updates here. The writings page is accessed via the "Stories" link in this page's header.