Random Thoughts Thread

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Tesla needs to die. Elon Musk went from being the Henry Ford of our generation (automotive) to being the henry Ford of our generation (raging racist and anti semite).

And 1978 was another whole year and generation. I had a 1978, it was a cool car but not as cool as the 66-67, 68-72 or 73-77. The beginning of a long, slow irreversible decline for GM. 

Still loved my 78, which was sadly totalled in an accident. (Not my fault!). I still have a dream every few months where I go down to the garage and that car is still there. 

Tesla owners have become sort of cultish.  They are very into their cars.  One friend has one and was into showing me what it can do, including pin me back into my seat under hard acceleration. 

What's amazing is that a lot of rich West Coast liberals opt for them.  You'd think they'd make a statement and avoid anything with Elon's mark on it. Here's hoping that other EV choices become popular.

- - - - -

Yep, your '78 with a 260 V8.  I remember.  And buyers had to spring even more for one of those over a '77. 

The most glaring example would have been the drastic drop from the big fendered '77 Monte Carlo to the anemic and cartoonish looking downsized '78.  Cheap rat-tat-tat pods on the dash, a non descript bench seat, a base V6, and, drum roll, an unreliable Turbo 200 transmission.

A couple of years later, they all brought out more engines.  Two people I knew had a '79 Regal ... one had Pontiac's newer 4.3 liter (265) V8 and one had this tiny 3.2 Buick V6, which was only 196 cubic inches ... we're talking old Ford Maverick sized powerplants.

All of these cars got considerably more attractive with the 1981 refresh, but they were on borrowed time. I loved my '84 Supreme Brougham coupe and won't easily forget the trip from an East Bay suburb up to Portland through the Napa Valley and meth lab plagued Lake County right above it.  

[Robert Hall]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

Everytime I do actually see someone driving a cybertruck, I imagine how moronic they must be

It's like if you completely separate Tesla from Musk and objectively look at the Cybertruck, it's just not a very good product.   Their hatchback cars/CUVs are pretty good EVs from what I've read, though. 

On 1/13/2025 at 1:30 PM, G. David Felt said:

Yes, Canada also did the stupid thing of allowing tree planting way to close together to maximize tree output and yet the climate change has then ended up killing large sections of the trees, ending in very terrible forest fires as I remember 2019 and all the ash coming down from Canada over Washington.

I remember we were getting a lot of smoke in NE Ohio from fires in Quebec and Ontario that summer...the sky looked surreal at times with a red ringed sun in a gray sky....

[G. David Felt]

4 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

It's like if you completely separate Tesla from Musk and objectively look at the Cybertruck, it's just not a very good product.   Their hatchback cars/CUVs are pretty good EVs from what I've read, though. 

The Cybertruck is such a Failure that Tesla is having the Foundation badge taken off the existing oversupply of trucks to move them are regular 3 motor trucks. The assembly line is idle as they moved the workers to the Model Y assembly line.

2 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Tesla owners have become sort of cultish.  They are very into their cars.  One friend has one and was into showing me what it can do, including pin me back into my seat under hard acceleration. 

What's amazing is that a lot of rich West Coast liberals opt for them.  You'd think they'd make a statement and avoid anything with Elon's mark on it. Here's hoping that other EV choices become popular.

The thing I do not get is the amount of Asian and Black humans here in Washington buying Tesla Products from an opening racist individual. That is just mind numbing.

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

 

The thing I do not get is the amount of Asian and Black humans here in Washington buying Tesla Products from an opening racist individual. That is just mind numbing.

Cognitive dissonance...

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Tesla owners have become sort of cultish.  They are very into their cars.  One friend has one and was into showing me what it can do, including pin me back into my seat under hard acceleration. 

What's amazing is that a lot of rich West Coast liberals opt for them.  You'd think they'd make a statement and avoid anything with Elon's mark on it. Here's hoping that other EV choices become popular.

- - - - -

Yep, your '78 with a 260 V8.  I remember.  And buyers had to spring even more for one of those over a '77. 

The most glaring example would have been the drastic drop from the big fendered '77 Monte Carlo to the anemic and cartoonish looking downsized '78.  Cheap rat-tat-tat pods on the dash, a non descript bench seat, a base V6, and, drum roll, an unreliable Turbo 200 transmission.

A couple of years later, they all brought out more engines.  Two people I knew had a '79 Regal ... one had Pontiac's newer 4.3 liter (265) V8 and one had this tiny 3.2 Buick V6, which was only 196 cubic inches ... we're talking old Ford Maverick sized powerplants.

All of these cars got considerably more attractive with the 1981 refresh, but they were on borrowed time. I loved my '84 Supreme Brougham coupe and won't easily forget the trip from an East Bay suburb up to Portland through the Napa Valley and meth lab plagued Lake County right above it.  

I pulled the 260 and dropped a 307 from a wrecked hearse in it. I called it my Hearse Olds, because people always mis pronounced Hurst Olds...

10 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Cognitive dissonance...

Indeed.

 

 

Kitchen table I build, one of my children was having a guest for dinner.

 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

New Tesla logo FWIW

New Jazz album, they are fantastic.

Local antique store has this cool arts and crafts style table, I love it. May try to build a copy alter this year.

The one Imperial the derby guys missed, saw it on a walk with my wife.

Built this small wall cabinet to hold some of my wood turnings and pottery

My healthy lunch...

[A Horse With No Name]

The crew I work with...

How cold it is in Ohio

 

Words matter.

[trinacriabob]

7 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I pulled the 260 and dropped a 307 from a wrecked hearse in it. I called it my Hearse Olds, because people always mis pronounced Hurst Olds...

Kitchen table I build, one of my children was having a guest for dinner.

 

Had I known you, I would have bought that 260 from you!  Quietest domestic V8 I have ever heard when the exhaust is newer ... as in amazing. Also, being a debored 350 meant bigger cooling jackets within.

I'm going to say your 307 was Olds and not Chevrolet, and maybe from a so-equipped Cadillac hearse.  The small block fit should be interchangeable.

Beautiful table.  That must give you both satisfaction and relaxation from this hobby.

[G. David Felt]

6 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

The one Imperial the derby guys missed, saw it on a walk with my wife.

Imperial for the wanna be Imperialist Dicatator since I see the Idiot47 sign in the background. LOL

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, G. David Felt said:

Imperial for the wanna be Imperialist Dicatator since I see the Idiot47 sign in the background. LOL

Astute.

I don't think I would have been an American citizen as a child according to the current school of thought. 

Wait.  Maybe they'll cherrypick and give Europeans a pass and give kids of parents from those s-hole country a thumbs down.  It seems that things run on favoritism rather than on fairness.

[A Horse With No Name]

Capitalism is the extraordinary belief that the nastiest of men for the nastiest of motives will somehow work for the benefit of all.

 

 

Best name for the cyber truck, the Incel Camino. 

Especially as Camino is Spanish for walk. 

[G. David Felt]

Very interesting read.

Trump’s Military Is a Disaster Waiting to Happen

This pastor makes clear a very pointed view that Trump fails to understand.

Washington National Cathedral Bishop Calls Out Trump to His Face

[G. David Felt]

I find this a very interesting topic and the response from China is one that I have to laugh at as China is anything but fair to companies outside of China that are forced to partner up with a Chinese company giving 50% of the business to them so that an Auto Company can sell in China.

Trump has tossed TikTok a lifeline. But China’s not happy

Quote:

When asked about Trump’s vision for the future of TikTok, China’s Foreign Ministry said the “operation and acquisition of companies” should be “decided by companies” and in line with Chinese law.

The US should “earnestly listen to the voice of reason” and “provide an open, fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment” for companies from all countries, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Tuesday.

SO is China willing to abide by their own Foreign Ministry statement and provide an open, fair, just, and non-discriminatory business environment that DOES NOT require a 50%/50% partnership to sell their products in China?

[A Horse With No Name]

17 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

Very interesting read.

Trump’s Military Is a Disaster Waiting to Happen

This pastor makes clear a very pointed view that Trump fails to understand.

Washington National Cathedral Bishop Calls Out Trump to His Face

It is a $h! show of epic proportions. 

Music for today

On a more positive note. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]