Random Thoughts Thread

[A Horse With No Name]

46 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I could see myself doing that..I don't really like dealing with car salesmen, they waste so much time.  I have no interest in haggling, prefer fixed prices for products. 

I got a really decent deal on the Ranger, would be tempted to use them again. 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

More wise advice for today....

 

[trinacriabob]

On 5/23/2021 at 9:39 AM, daves87rs said:

Always been a fan of these wagons. Have a major love for those early to mid 70s GM wagons... 

Agree.  This reminds me of a kid from NJ who was in the undergrad part of my grad program.  I didn't know him that well but he was of smaller stature, looked like he was still in high school, and had a turned up nose and freckles and, whenever I would see him driving around in the full-size Pontiac station wagon he probably got from his parents and from which he could barely see over the dashboard, he looked more like a kid that the car didn't belong to and like he was taking it for a joy ride.  Quirky times ... school.

- - - - -

Back to the early '90s Olds full-size wagon.  It has an attractive front fascia.  The rest of it can get a little bloated but I do like the glass roof treatment that Olds used to call a Vista roof.  The front of the same M.Y. Buick Roadmaster looks like a sperm whale that is grinning at you. 

As far as the Olds front end, it looks like it could even graft on nicely onto a mid-size or full-size coupe or sedan.  

Edited May 26, 2021 by trinacriabob

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

 

Back to the early '90s Olds full-size wagon.  It has an attractive front fascia.  The rest of it can get a little bloated but I do like the glass roof treatment that Olds used to call a Vista roof.  The front of the same MY Buick Roadmaster looks like a sperm whale that is grinning at you.  As far as the Olds front end, it looks like it could graft on nicely even onto a mid-size or full-size sedan.  

I think only the grille and bumper (and hood?) differed as far as the front end between the Caprice, Roadmaster, and Custom Cruiser.  The Buick also had the Vista roof.

It was odd that Buick also got the Roadmaster sedan (with a different front end from the wagon) but Olds didn't get an equivalent sedan. 

 

[G. David Felt]

Grew up doing road trips in a 1976 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon. The 3rd rear facing seat was all mine.

[A Horse With No Name]

28 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Agree.  This reminds me of a kid from NJ who was in the undergrad part of my grad program.  I didn't know him that well but he was of smaller stature, looked like he was still in high school, and had a turned up nose and freckles and, whenever I would see him driving around in the full-size Pontiac station wagon he probably got from his parents and from which he could barely see over the dashboard, he looked more like a kid that the car didn't belong to and like he was taking it for a joy ride.  Quirky times ... school.

- - - - -

Back to the early '90s Olds full-size wagon.  It has an attractive front fascia.  The rest of it can get a little bloated but I do like the glass roof treatment that Olds used to call a Vista roof.  The front of the same M.Y. Buick Roadmaster looks like a sperm whale that is grinning at you. 

As far as the Olds front end, it looks like it could even graft on nicely onto a mid-size or full-size coupe or sedan.  

I really would love to own an Olds wagon of this era. 

[Robert Hall]

Those '70s clam shell wagons were something else... what beasts.  A neighbor at my family farm had a '71 Brookwood that was quite the beater, a farm wagon...he drove it until he died in 1987 at age 82.     And in Steubenville, the parents of one of my classmates from kindergarten through 2nd grade had a '74 Olds Custom Cruiser...I remember riding in it as a kid.  Something like this..

 

 

[balthazar]

3 hours ago, David said:

Crazy, but many people hate the negotiating part of buying a new auto.

You are not forced to "haggle".

Frankly, in the Age of the Internet, all the guesswork is taken right out.  I just bought a new vehicle, I didn't do any 'haggling' on the front end (I did on the back end due to my situation's unique turn of events- to my benefit).  My sales guy hardly seemed surprised I knew the specific GM holdback amount on my truck, to the dollar. 

If you can arrange for a licensed electrician to come to your house and install a 240V line to your garage for your BEV charger on wall X, you can buy a vehicle in person and civilly discuss (or NOT) a number on a piece of paper.  It's not worth saving yourself a FEW GRAND and test-fitting a vehicle in person; talking numbers is that frickin' burdensome??  I don't understand how some adults navigate the world they're in, I really don't.

[G. David Felt]

3 minutes ago, balthazar said:

You are not forced to "haggle".

Frankly, in the Age of the Internet, all the guesswork is taken right out.  I just bought a new vehicle, I didn't do any 'haggling' on the front end (I did on the back end due to my situation's unique turn of events- to my benefit).  My sales guy hardly seemed surprised I knew the specific GM holdback amount on my truck, to the dollar. 

If you can arrange for a licensed electrician to come to your house and install a 240V line to your garage for your BEV charger on wall X, you can buy a vehicle in person and civilly discuss (or NOT) a number on a piece of paper.  It's not worth saving yourself a FEW GRAND and test-fitting a vehicle in person; talking numbers is that frickin' burdensome??  I don't understand how some adults navigate the world they're in, I really don't.

True, I find it very easy to know all the details including the holdback amount to the dollar so you can negotiate a fair price. That research and time spent talking is not what others want to deal with as they would rather just pay a set price as to why GM Saturn division with set pricing on the auto's at the time was very popular with that type of buyer.

Good thing we have variety of ways to buy.

 

[balthazar]

Fresh off of Carvana: where you can buy a 2020 Sierra Elevation that originally stickered for $51,250, now has 7,000 miles, and you get to pay $56,990!!

There's your set price! It's not "fair", but at least you didn't have to haggle!! ???

You'd be better off paying a confident friend who's not paralyzed to talk to someone a grand to go to the dealer and save you... I don't know; 6 or 8 grand.

[G. David Felt]

22 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Fresh off of Carvana: where you can buy a 2020 Sierra Elevation that originally stickered for $51,250, now has 7,000 miles, and you get to pay $56,990!!

There's your set price! It's not "fair", but at least you didn't have to haggle!! ???

You'd be better off paying a confident friend who's not paralyzed to talk to someone a grand to go to the dealer and save you... I don't know; 6 or 8 grand.

Guess that is one reason auto purchase services has grown as a business.

The Best Car-Buying Services in 2021 - Clark Howard

Crazy to you and me, but for others, they just want to pick an auto, be told what to pay and go on with their life.

[Robert Hall]

6 minutes ago, David said:

Guess that is one reason auto purchase services has grown as a business.

The Best Car-Buying Services in 2021 - Clark Howard

Crazy to you and me, but for others, they just want to pick an auto, be told what to pay and go on with their life.

Precisely.  It's not a flea market or Turkish bazaar.  I don't haggle over the price of a Mac Book Pro at the Apple store or the price of a washer and dryer at Home Depot.  Why should buying a car be different?  Cars are saddled with the ancient, obsolete dealer franchising shit. 

[balthazar]

You. Don't. Have. To. Haggle. At. The. Dealership.
You're free to pay sticker price all day long. ?

1 hour ago, David said:

Crazy to you and me

I strongly suspect it's just me on this one.

[surreal1272]

15 minutes ago, balthazar said:

You. Don't. Have. To. Haggle. At. The. Dealership.
You're free to pay sticker price all day long. ?

I strongly suspect it's just me on this one.

Screw the dealership model, is all I have to say.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by surreal1272

[surreal1272]

A true throwback to the 70s and the vans that made that decade.

[surreal1272]

And this is just plain old nuts, dangerous, and all those other bad things and I also want to drive it.

[Robert Hall]

^ Wild van. That reminds me of an MPC Dodge van model kit that had a drag option of a blown Hemi to mount in the middle like that.  

[trinacriabob]

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I think only the grille and bumper (and hood?) differed as far as the front end between the Caprice, Roadmaster, and Custom Cruiser.  The Buick also had the Vista roof.

It was odd that Buick also got the Roadmaster sedan (with a different front end from the wagon) but Olds didn't get an equivalent sedan. 

Interesting point.  Since the sedans followed the styling cues of these bigger wagons, Olds might have put together an attractive full-size RWD sedan (with that grille and then some).  Or, as Olds used to say, "We've had one built for you,"  which I thought was one of their better ad slogans.

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I really would love to own an Olds wagon of this era. 

Right.  As long as one could get the year, engine, and color/interior trim they wanted ... more or less.

5 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Those '70s clam shell wagons were something else... what beasts.  A neighbor at my family farm had a '71 Brookwood that was quite the beater, a farm wagon...he drove it until he died in 1987 at age 82.     And in Steubenville, the parents of one of my classmates from kindergarten through 2nd grade had a '74 Olds Custom Cruiser...I remember riding in it as a kid.  Something like this..

 

 

Ok, now this is a little scary ...the creased rear flanks, the wood grain, the wheel covers, the body color on the door frames, and a spooky grille that Olds later cleaned up for the better.  Not to mention the thirsty 455 cubic inches probably lurking under that hood. In the next 2 years, the quad rectangular lamps helped some.

[daves87rs]

All this talk about haggling reminds me why I think it is going to be better to just buy my lease........       I happen to mention this someplace else, but if anyone wants to send some positive vibes or even prayers our way I would be grateful. My wife is dealing with a medical issue that is going to require some tests in the next few weeks . Have to be prepared for any news. I am happy that she is at one of the best hospitals in MI that can take care of her issues. So if I happen to disappear here and there, with her is where I will be. Adding to the fun is trying to interview through all this as well. But I am doing my very best to be positive...

[G. David Felt]

6 minutes ago, daves87rs said:

All this talk about haggling reminds me why I think it is going to be better to just buy my lease........       I happen to mention this someplace else, but if anyone wants to send some positive vibes or even prayers our way I would be grateful. My wife is dealing with a medical issue that is going to require some tests in the next few weeks . Have to be prepared for any news. I am happy that she is at one of the best hospitals in MI that can take care of her issues. So if I happen to disappear here and there, with her is where I will be. Adding to the fun is trying to interview through all this as well. But I am doing my very best to be positive...

Wishing you and your Wife all the Positive vibes I can send via the air for positive results for the better. At least you have options for the best medical care for her.

If there is anything we can help with hit us up.

[A Horse With No Name]

11 hours ago, daves87rs said:

All this talk about haggling reminds me why I think it is going to be better to just buy my lease........       I happen to mention this someplace else, but if anyone wants to send some positive vibes or even prayers our way I would be grateful. My wife is dealing with a medical issue that is going to require some tests in the next few weeks . Have to be prepared for any news. I am happy that she is at one of the best hospitals in MI that can take care of her issues. So if I happen to disappear here and there, with her is where I will be. Adding to the fun is trying to interview through all this as well. But I am doing my very best to be positive...

I will be sending good vibes north every day. Scary times. 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[trinacriabob]

Good morning, folks.

So, I look at G&G birthdays on the home page and, what do you know, it's the birthday of member Charger4U, whose Word Association thread lives on and on.

And, as far as "famous" people go, it's Marjorie Taylor Greene's birthday as well.   

Woohoo.

Happy Taco Thursday.

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Good morning, folks.

So, I look at G&G birthdays on the home page and, what do you know, it's the birthday of member Charger4U, whose Word Association thread lives on and on.

And, as far as "famous" people go, it's Marjorie Taylor Greene's birthday as well.   

Woohoo.

Happy Taco Thursday.

I know lots of places around Columbus with great tacos. 

[ccap41]

For @smk4565

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

This is wicked cool. I like old four door cars...

 

This is not good. 

 

[G. David Felt]

36 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

For @smk4565

 

 

Man that is one ugly car. What a pathetic Engine sound for an ICE even as a Hybrid. Not impressed at all with the car and the bouncy nature on the track. Guess one has to really love F1 racing to love this car.

[ccap41]

5 minutes ago, David said:

Man that is one ugly car. What a pathetic Engine sound for an ICE even as a Hybrid. Not impressed at all with the car and the bouncy nature on the track. Guess one has to really love F1 racing to love this car.

Or anybody interested in the latest racing technology or quickest/fastest OEM cars around a race track. One doesn't have to like F1 to appreciate somebody putting their driveline into a consumer vehicle. 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

4 hours ago, ccap41 said:

For @smk4565

 

 

Thanks for posting this up, its cool.

[surreal1272]

6 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Or anybody interested in the latest racing technology or quickest/fastest OEM cars around a race track. One doesn't have to like F1 to appreciate somebody putting their driveline into a consumer vehicle. 

Thats pretty much the same thing as what's he's saying. 

[ccap41]

15 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Thats pretty much the same thing as what's he's saying. 

One does not have to love F1 racing to like fast cars. 

[trinacriabob]

21 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Triangles!  That's great.

Right after college, I was over at a Hispanic friend's house, who was doing the community college thing, and was about to put a glass with a soft drink down on the coffee table.  He said, "No, no, Robert," pointing to a set of coasters, "put a circle down."

[G. David Felt]

Wishing everyone a Happy relaxing Memorial Day Weekend doing what ever makes one happy! ?

[daves87rs]

10 minutes ago, David said:

Wishing everyone a Happy relaxing Memorial Day Weekend doing what ever makes one happy! ?

Sadly I will be working most of it, but I do at least have Monday off! Be safe, and enjoy it everyone!!

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, daves87rs said:

Sadly I will be working most of it, but I do at least have Monday off! Be safe, and enjoy it everyone!!

Stay strong my friend, I saw where the average CEO got an 8.7% increase in earnings to an average of $12.2 million paid last year as boards decided the pandemic was not a normal thing and removed all pandemic related expenses in configuring their bonus and final payout.

Crazy when so many lost jobs and those of us that had full or part time jobs got no raises, they increase the pay for these over paid CEO's.

CEO Pay Surges In 2020 Despite Pandemic Suffering | HuffPost

Dozens of large companies "rigged" CEO pay during pandemic, study claims - CBS News

Just a few of the stories hitting the web today, but crazy.

I do have respect for companies that did put employees first. While I did not get a pay raise in 2020 and am hoping for one in 2021, at least DELL Technologies CEO and Chairman Michael Dell and the board and from VP on up took no pay checks at all. They committed to not laying off anyone so even our facilities people down to the hourly janitors kept their jobs and cleaned over and over the same empty buildings world wide.

One Reason I love working for Dell. Respect for Multi-Cultural workforce and every job be it salary or hourly.

Dell's work force has moved to 70% being 100% work from home and the next 20% with some office time and then 10% being those that have to always be on site.

Take a look as we are hiring: Jobs and Careers at Dell Careers

If you find something you would like to apply for, DM me with resume and let me submit you internally, it goes much faster than submitting it yourself externally. Just need to know the job number.

I am also working this weekend except Monday.

Take care,  

[Robert Hall]

I'm looking forward to the weekend...hope the rain lets up soon, though, want to do so some grilling.   

 2021 has been good to me so far with work.  I did leave my previous long term contract at the end of January after 6 1/2 years, but landed a new gig with a growing local company (still 100% WFH) at a 30% pay increase and great benefits.  

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, daves87rs said:

Sadly I will be working most of it, but I do at least have Monday off! Be safe, and enjoy it everyone!!

Also, I hope everything goes well for your family, and you, based on a post you wrote a day or two ago.

The first weekend of summer is only hours away.

[balthazar]

I think both dudes got in the car : 

 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

I think both dudes got in the car : 

 

We know who wears the pants in that family!

[oldshurst442]

^^^ That lady...she is impressive!   

 

[balthazar]

[trinacriabob]

6 hours ago, David said:

We know who wears the pants in that family!

Probably so.  But it looks like she has had some practice on "The Jerry Springer Show."

If you ain't wearing the pants, gents, run while you still can.  If you can.  (Spoken like a true Southern European reared in a patriarchal household.  No apologies for that, either!)

[daves87rs]

12 hours ago, David said:

Stay strong my friend, I saw where the average CEO got an 8.7% increase in earnings to an average of $12.2 million paid last year as boards decided the pandemic was not a normal thing and removed all pandemic related expenses in configuring their bonus and final payout.

Crazy when so many lost jobs and those of us that had full or part time jobs got no raises, they increase the pay for these over paid CEO's.

CEO Pay Surges In 2020 Despite Pandemic Suffering | HuffPost

Dozens of large companies "rigged" CEO pay during pandemic, study claims - CBS News

Just a few of the stories hitting the web today, but crazy.

I do have respect for companies that did put employees first. While I did not get a pay raise in 2020 and am hoping for one in 2021, at least DELL Technologies CEO and Chairman Michael Dell and the board and from VP on up took no pay checks at all. They committed to not laying off anyone so even our facilities people down to the hourly janitors kept their jobs and cleaned over and over the same empty buildings world wide.

One Reason I love working for Dell. Respect for Multi-Cultural workforce and every job be it salary or hourly.

Dell's work force has moved to 70% being 100% work from home and the next 20% with some office time and then 10% being those that have to always be on site.

Take a look as we are hiring: Jobs and Careers at Dell Careers

If you find something you would like to apply for, DM me with resume and let me submit you internally, it goes much faster than submitting it yourself externally. Just need to know the job number.

I am also working this weekend except Monday.

Take care,  

 Nice! And some remote here in MI..  ?  Lots of fun stuff, most though on the tech side. Looks like from the sales/admin side they require a bit more experience in tech/software than I have. It’s been many years since I’ve been knee deep in tech stuff (like Cisco/Sun Micro other stuff) and ISPs were still a thing... ? will dig deeper into that list though!

[trinacriabob]

Sort of a cool photo.  Love white Chargers, though I don't need all the bells and whistles (and costs) of the top of the line model.  For me, less is more when it comes to cars.

Also cool that it is staged at one of those storage lots or graveyards for airplanes found in the Desert SW.  This beast in the background is obviously a KLM 747 that is basking in the desert sun.

[balthazar]

[oldshurst442]

I heard this song for the first time in years after David Pastrnak got a hat trick last night and the Gahden's DJ played this song while 18 000 Bruins fans were ecstatic and were singing along. 

So...I got inspired  to post this today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2021 by oldshurst442

[A Horse With No Name]

On 5/28/2021 at 10:52 AM, David said:

Wishing everyone a Happy relaxing Memorial Day Weekend doing what ever makes one happy! ?

The same back at you. 

13 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I heard this song for the first time in years after David Pastrnak got a hat trick last night and the Gahden's DJ played this song while 18 000 Bruins fans were ecstatic and were singing along. 

So...I got inspired  to post this today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kinda sad to destroy the Firebird, lve the Bruins clips. 

We hiked this over the weekend...