Purchasing a Car.

My research into economics and efficiencies of various cars finally culminated on Aug 15, 2008 and I chose Honda Civic LX Sedan amongst nearly a dozen similar cars. Though it is slightly more expensive than the nearest rival, Toyota Corolla, Civic's more urbane interior more specifically its digital dashboard tilted my decision in going for the Civic. People like me who find it tough to keep an eye on speed will love this feature. Speaking of my speed, incidentally I happened to cruise at 40 mph in a 15 mph school zone in my DMV driving license test. Luckily, I got my license on that day with a minor warning as other aspects of my driving that day were perfect.

Coming back to the dashboard, I love the digital speedometer that helps me keep track of my speed continuously. I strongly recommend a Civic for someone who has a similar problem. Moreover it is highly fuel efficient with 25/36 mpg, a boon in this economy. Another very good feature in Civic is its overall handling. The car is compact yet spacious and easy to drive. Throw in Honda's historical resale value and high security standards and you can get the best bang for your buck. Initially I had concerns over Civic's style but as I saw it as a prospective car of mine and delved a bit further into its details, I started to like the styling. For a comprehensive review (US News) on Honda Civic click here.

Toyota Corolla isn't far behind though. 2009 version is far stylized than its predecessor. In fuel economy it has the best figures in the segment with 26/35 with many consumers reporting 27-28 in city. Corolla doesn't seem to have any significant cons but has most of the features on a basic level. For someone who isn't concerned about styling/handling as much as fuel economy Corolla is apt. Corolla is overshadowed by its sibling Prius, which is way more fuel efficient albeit lacking in power. US News' review on Corolla can be found here.

I also compiled a list of vital stats of compact cars and it can be accessed here. I spent nearly a month in finalizing my choice. Test driving the cars that I short-listed was the crucial factor that enabled me take a decision. My order of factors in determining the car to purchase were suitability (through test driving), price, fuel economy and security. I hope you find this helpful to decide the car of your choice.

Federecession

Roger Federer, synonymous to perfection in tennis, is in a recession and this is obvious. 2 grand slam finals, 1 grand slam semi-final, 2 ATP titles and 47-12 singles record in 2008 is great for mortals but not so for Federer. What's more disconcerning is the way he is losing. It is one thing to lose to Rafael Nadal, who by the way is on cruise control, and is totally different and dismaying to lose to Simons and Blakes of the world. But the writing is clear that Federer is not in command of his game (I wouldn't use 'no longer' yet). The beating at Wimbledon was more than what the scoreboard read. It inflicted a greater damage on his confidence and mindset. Nadal grabbed Wimbledon's keys from Federer's closet, ofcourse when the latter was watching.

For someone familiar with Federer's game, there is one aspect in his game that looks to be strikingly unfamiliar. His volleying. Federer is one of the unique players who is equally strong in serve-and-volley and baseline styles. All-court mastery is his forte and that enables him to chip in classy backhand crosscourts and equally poised shots at angles that others can merely dream of. But after Roland Garros 6-0 whipping and more so after Wimbledon's epic five-setter Nadal has managed to breach into Federer's confidence, a territory untouched for about 5 years. He was thus brought down from his pedastal and looks like a pale shadow of himself ever since.

Agreed, every champion has to fall and change in guard is inevitable. But tennis is not yet ready for a change in guard. I was revetted to my screen when Federer conquered Pete Sampras, another favorite of mine, in 2001 Wimbledon. I was so craving for Sampras to hold and it was deja-vu in 2008. This time it was Federer who was hanging. Hats-off to Rafael Nadal. One great quality in Nadal is his never-say-die spirit. There were moments in Nadal-Federer encounters where Nadal looked lost. Other players gave up. But, what sets Nadal apart is that he simply never gave up and in turn, forced Federer to give up. These matches were huge tests of persistence and mental strength in addition to skill. But as the saying goes, will is greater than skill. Ultimately, both of them bring great tennis to fans and what else do we want.

I personally hope Federer rediscovers his touch and brings back his magic to US Open. Last week he lost his World #1 ranking (which he held for a record 237 weeks) and I hope this ranking doesn't topple further. Since beginning of 2004 (till early 2008) he has compiled a match record of 315-24 => 92.9% win percentage which shows how indelible his stamp was on the tennis circuit. This menancing record has started to liquidate. Though it is only Nadal (in top 10) who has a better one-on-one record against Federer others are fancying their chances against the wounded tiger. I am eagerly waiting in anticipation to see how strong Federer's resilience is. And I am pretty sure he is not a rabbit caught in headlights.