Random Thoughts Thread

[Drew Dowdell]

38 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I will.  I know that most of them have a layer of features.  My concern is that someone had to have bought something.  I did ... the upcharge to put the bag underneath.  Thanks.

You would call the card you booked the tickets on, not the card you put the upcharge on (unless they're the same of course).  All you had to buy was the flight. You don't have to buy the bag check fee.  I never pay bag check fees because I fly so much I get them for free. I would be SOL if it required payment of the bag check fee to get the reimbursement. 

You could argue with the airline to get your bag check fee refunded. 

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

Well it seems Balthazar gets his wish.  There is no regular cab, 6.5' bed Silverado or Sierra slated fer production at this particular juncture.

 

Although if the employee discount is great enough, an extended cab 2019 Canyon SLE 4X4 in Sedona with tan and brown interior might fit the requirements, and it would fit in muh garage.

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Well it seems Balthazar gets his wish.  There is no regular cab, 6.5' bed Silverado or Sierra slated fer production at this particular juncture.

You said 'short bed' [5.5'], not standard bed, I thought.
Just seems silly to get such a short bed truck, but of course I shouldn't speak for everyone.

I'm not at all happy there's no crew cab/standard bed 1500!

[ocnblu]

6 hours ago, balthazar said:

You said 'short bed' [5.5'], not standard bed, I thought.
Just seems silly to get such a short bed truck, but of course I shouldn't speak for everyone.

I'm not at all happy there's no crew cab/standard bed 1500!

There is one with a 6.5' bed.

[Robert Hall]

15 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Well it seems Balthazar gets his wish.  There is no regular cab, 6.5' bed Silverado or Sierra slated fer production at this particular juncture.

 

Regular cab with short bed is probably one of the lowest volume (and lowest profit)  configurations?   

Edited July 29, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[balthazar]

I don't think profit margin is a worry here, but; sure.

At this point in history, the Silverado is basically where the full-size Chevy line was in the mid-'60s, a BUNCH of options, powertrains and body styles. The recipe obviously works.

Anyone have a link to a full spec on the next gen Silverado? I've seen the PDF ordering guide, but it's an equipment list- it doesn't give dimensions or body styles.

[Robert Hall]

I assume all the 2019 specs will be available in the 4th quarter since they say 'available late 2018'...

I haven't read anything about it, but I assume they will give the current style the 'Classic' treatment and continue it for 2019 for some configurations as they have done in the past?    

[balthazar]

I did see bodystyle / powertrain chart at the time of release, couldn't find it again tho.

Also read something that claimed there would be a 'classic' / NU GEN production overlap.

I need to find out the 'nannys' on the new truck, also. Going to be tough for me to acclimate to something radically different/intrusive with this many miles in on an 'old school' truck.

[Drew Dowdell]

8 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I did see bodystyle / powertrain chart at the time of release, couldn't find it again tho.

Also read something that claimed there would be a 'classic' / NU GEN production overlap.

I need to find out the 'nannys' on the new truck, also. Going to be tough for me to acclimate to something radically different/intrusive with this many miles in on an 'old school' truck.

Looking at the order guide right now.  The current truck will continue as a 2019 in DoubleCab config only.  1WT, 1LT, 2LT trims.

5.3 Liter, 6-speed Auto only. Z71 available. 4x2 or 4x4.

Could make for a good deal for someone who wants that config.

 

[ocnblu]

4 hours ago, balthazar said:

I don't think profit margin is a worry here, but; sure.

At this point in history, the Silverado is basically where the full-size Chevy line was in the mid-'60s, a BUNCH of options, powertrains and body styles. The recipe obviously works.

Anyone have a link to a full spec on the next gen Silverado? I've seen the PDF ordering guide, but it's an equipment list- it doesn't give dimensions or body styles.

There is a spec/dimensions page at the order guide for the new Chivvalay trucks.

[balthazar]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

There is a spec/dimensions page at the order guide for the new Chivvalay trucks.

Nooooo... all I see on Page 65 is a short bed crew cab's dimensions.
i KNOW there's other body styles; where's the full listing of specs; not out yet?

[ocnblu]

39 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Nooooo... all I see on Page 65 is a short bed crew cab's dimensions.
i KNOW there's other body styles; where's the full listing of specs; not out yet?

There's a button at the top right of that page.  Click it to toggle between body styles.  Also, over to the GMC Sierra intro page on GMC's site, there is a specs/dimensions page over there.  I know fer a fact the crewcab with 6.5' bed is listed therr.

Edited July 29, 2018 by ocnblu

[balthazar]

22 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

There's a button at the top right of that page.  Click it to toggle between body styles.  Also, over to the GMC Sierra intro page on GMC's site, there is a specs/dimensions page over there.  I know fer a fact the crewcab with 6.5' bed is listed therr.

Are you sure you're not looking at the "2019 Silverado LD", which is the continuation of the '18, NOT the all new '19 1500 ??
Otherwise, just link me to it, since I'm an idiot today.

Edited July 29, 2018 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2019&regionID=1&divisionID=1&type=0&vehicleID=21483&section=dim&page=&butID=6

https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2019&addOptions=true&regionID=1&divisionID=1&vehicleID=21483&section=dim&pagenum=2&butID=6

[balthazar]

So I'd lose 4" of wheelbase & gain 4" overall length [157"/153" ~ 237"/241"].

Edited July 30, 2018 by balthazar

[Robert Hall]

12 hours ago, ocnblu said:

https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2019&regionID=1&divisionID=1&type=0&vehicleID=21483&section=dim&page=&butID=6

https://www.gmfleetorderguide.com/NASApp/domestic/proddesc.jsp?year=2019&addOptions=true&regionID=1&divisionID=1&vehicleID=21483&section=dim&pagenum=2&butID=6

Interesting...only short bed and standard bed w/ the 1500 double cab and crew cab variants...no long bed.  Saving that for the regular cab and heavy duty, I assume.  

[G. David Felt]

With the 90,000 acre california fire that has forced the evacuation of Redding california and lose of life, there has been other casualties too besides the human, animal and building loss. Only 5% contained at this time and being pushed along with steady 30mph winds.

Auto loss, Antique auto's part of a much larger collection that were stored for the Museum that rotates them are now lost. RIP

[Drew Dowdell]

It's a shame that the death of the planet is now such old news that I don't even hear about stories like the wild fires until someone posts a car related thing on C&G

[G. David Felt]

We are fast approaching the next bear market, S&P is at 2.4 from a .7 in 2009 almost to the 2.7 market crash of 2007 already at the 2000 bear market of 2.4.  We are in for a painful correction that is going to shock many and not much will be able to be done by the folks in DC to stop it.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-simple-reason-the-next-bear-market-will-be-more-painful-2018-06-20

Get ready to feel the Pain.

WOW, LA, Yosemite and North California all on fire.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/California-wildfires-Wall-Butte-where-burning-11277514.php

[G. David Felt]

WOW ? Mercedes-Benz is to become 3 seperate companies.

https://www.autoblog.com/2018/07/26/daimler-mercedes-restructuring-cars-trucks-mobility/

Or to more accuratly quote them:

The company said it would set up three legally independent entities — Mercedes-Benz AG, Daimler Truck AG and Daimler Mobility AG, under the umbrella of Daimler AG.
 

Kinda like how Alphabet has setup their legal entities under a single umbrella. Very software driven design they are doing.   

[Suaviloquent]

See if they hadn’t chopped down those Sequoia and Redwood old growths back in the day these fires would practically extinguish themselves. 

 

That’s what California gets IMO, turning a desert into an oasis on borrowed water from a vast underground reservoir that might be finished in the next few decades. And then what?

 

Also California May have bountiful growth but it sure as heck should not have almond orchards for one example, totally wastes water to grow those.

And then the damn water utilities, they sold unused water capacity and then when demand grew the contracts were setup in a way that the taxpayer would pay ridiculous markups for essentially their water. Nothing changed about it’s quality or management, just some slips of paper, a few crony politicians and a handful of closed door signatures and viola! A state that always mismanages its water!

 

 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

OUCH Hydrogen fuel crunch, no go on the auto.

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1117927_hydrogen-supply-shortage-leaves-fuel-cell-cars-gasping-in-california

They are gasping for fuel.

[G. David Felt]

Seems old truck style is all the New Rage!

https://jalopnik.com/this-minnesota-dealership-gives-new-chevy-silverados-a-1827967382

[G. David Felt]

Some of us here have stated that we are headed for a Bear market, if not this fall by spring, start of summer 2019 at the latest.

Not going political, but this is affected and the first wave of recession at least with the Bear market is being seen. S&P is almost at the level of 2007 when our Great 2nd Depression started and lasted till 2012.

We are now seeing the start of job losses and request for bailouts from the Gov due to the Tariff wars.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/07/30/after-trumps-farmer-bailout-manufacturers-ask-what-about-us/?utm_term=.b952e8477808

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/25/the-first-layoffs-from-trumps-tariffs-are-here/?utm_term=.99f29f83bc95

Companies in business since the early to mid 1800's are now being faced with possibly going out of business due to the inability to absorb the high tariff prices. Example is that Steel prices for local produced US steel have jumped 33%.

US steel companies that were profitable jumped at increasing profit margins big time with the tariffs on steel / aluminum.

29,000 requests have been filed with the Commerce Department for exclusion from the steel / aluminum tariffs, the gov have only processed 1,317 so far. Half have been denials forcing companies to pay a 25% tariff on their asian sourced steel / aluminum.

Result is that an 1839 Lawn care company that made their products here in America but did bring in some metal and other parts that are not made by any american company had to layoff 75 employees this summer due to a reduction in sales caused by the increase in prices to make and sell their products here. Asked for a bailout / being able to not have to pay the tariffs and denied. The company says if sales do not pick back up, they could be faced with closing the company by the end of the year.

Currently the price tag alone to bail out companies hit by the Tariffs is pegged at $39 billion dollars.

The white house says companies due to a strong economy can weather the storm till China gives into an equal trade agreement.

Other companies in the stories above say they will be faced by Labor Day in making the hard decision to close their doors if they cannot find a way to stay competitive due to the increased costs. 

Another fall out that will hit hard is coming this back to school season as people will fins much higher prices on clothes to technology as we enter the fall season.

To quote the story, Trump states Tariffs would help local US company Whirlpool in their appliance business, yet Whirlpool states that steel costs have risen far higher than anywhere else in the world here in the US causing disappointing earnings and validating that the Tariffs have canceled out any benefits the tariffs were meant to bring to the US.

Farmers are demanding Trade, not aid in dropping the tariffs. Yet while the white house states that this will force other countries to negotiate with lower tariffs on US built products, so far it has had the opposite effect in increasing cost on US products making sales overseas all but dead.

Enjoy reading the links above if you want to read even more on how this will affect us. A trickle down wave of stunted trade / sales is going to hit the US hard I believe in my own opinion on these stores.

On 7/30/2018 at 6:29 AM, dfelt said:

With the 90,000 acre california fire that has forced the evacuation of Redding california and lose of life, there has been other casualties too besides the human, animal and building loss. Only 5% contained at this time and being pushed along with steady 30mph winds.

Auto loss, Antique auto's part of a much larger collection that were stored for the Museum that rotates them are now lost. RIP

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/twin-wildfires-threatening-10000-california-homes/ar-BBLimcF?li=BBnb7Kz#image=AAz9KJh|16

Keeps getting worse, they now estimate 10,000 homes are in the line of being burned down between Napa Valley and Redding California. It could become the biggest fire in California history.

[balthazar]

I would think significant increases in metals costs would be reflected in the recycled metals market, but that hasn't budged this year yet.

- - - - -
The bulk of what I've read has said economists say a downturn could happen late 2019 or in 2020, not in 2 months.

">>The first thing to know about the next recession is that it won’t be quite like the last one, which involved a huge housing bust and a terrifying financial crash. While some analysts think stocks are overvalued today, there are few signs now of the type of giant imbalances that toppled Lehman Brothers and other financial institutions in 2008. Safeguards put in place after the 2008 crash also put limits on excessive debt and other factors that can cause a crash.<<"

Edited July 31, 2018 by balthazar

[trinacriabob]

This was a very random and unexpected sighting (Sicily).  So I'll put it under random thoughts (stateside).

It even has my reflection in it taking the photo.  I just noticed that.

[Drew Dowdell]

20 hours ago, dfelt said:

Seems old truck style is all the New Rage!

https://jalopnik.com/this-minnesota-dealership-gives-new-chevy-silverados-a-1827967382

They stole my idea!!! I want to see one of the new GMCs with that scheme.  IF I get a truck, I'd want to do a black stripe down the side like my dad's.

@Intrepidation did this photoshop for me. 

56 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I would think significant increases in metals costs would be reflected in the recycled metals market, but that hasn't budged this year yet.

- - - - -
The bulk of what I've read has said economists say a downturn could happen late 2019 or in 2020, not in 2 months.

">>The first thing to know about the next recession is that it won’t be quite like the last one, which involved a huge housing bust and a terrifying financial crash. While some analysts think stocks are overvalued today, there are few signs now of the type of giant imbalances that toppled Lehman Brothers and other financial institutions in 2008. Safeguards put in place after the 2008 crash also put limits on excessive debt and other factors that can cause a crash.<<"

That last bit was true until Congress removed more than a few of the safeguards back in the spring.  

[G. David Felt]

7 minutes ago, Drew Dowdell said:

They stole my idea!!! I want to see one of the new GMCs with that scheme.  IF I get a truck, I'd want to do a black stripe down the side like my dad's.

@Intrepidation did this photoshop for me. 

That last bit was true until Congress removed more than a few of the safeguards back in the spring.  

Love the Truck, that is Bad Ass looking!

Totally agree with you about how congress has removed the safeguards and now all bets are off on financial firms keeping themselves in check.

[Robert Hall]

I like the retro two toning and white wheels...  not sure how it would work on the new generation with it's really weird styling, though..

[balthazar]

1 hour ago, Drew Dowdell said:

That last bit was true until Congress removed more than a few of the safeguards back in the spring.  

Perhaps, tho that article I quoted was from 2 weeks ago.

[Drew Dowdell]

10 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Perhaps, tho that article I quoted was from 2 weeks ago.

Then the article was inaccurate when written. 

[G. David Felt]

Gotta love dog toys and what they come up with.

The Dognald!

https://barkshop.com/items/the-dognald

 Great other dog products too, but check out the Pics from the Pack of various dogs chewing on Potus.

 

[balthazar]

 

 

Edited July 31, 2018 by balthazar

[daves87rs]

12 hours ago, dfelt said:

Some of us here have stated that we are headed for a Bear market, if not this fall by spring, start of summer 2019 at the latest.

Not going political, but this is affected and the first wave of recession at least with the Bear market is being seen. S&P is almost at the level of 2007 when our Great 2nd Depression started and lasted till 2012.

We are now seeing the start of job losses and request for bailouts from the Gov due to the Tariff wars.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/07/30/after-trumps-farmer-bailout-manufacturers-ask-what-about-us/?utm_term=.b952e8477808

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/25/the-first-layoffs-from-trumps-tariffs-are-here/?utm_term=.99f29f83bc95

Companies in business since the early to mid 1800's are now being faced with possibly going out of business due to the inability to absorb the high tariff prices. Example is that Steel prices for local produced US steel have jumped 33%.

US steel companies that were profitable jumped at increasing profit margins big time with the tariffs on steel / aluminum.

29,000 requests have been filed with the Commerce Department for exclusion from the steel / aluminum tariffs, the gov have only processed 1,317 so far. Half have been denials forcing companies to pay a 25% tariff on their asian sourced steel / aluminum.

Result is that an 1839 Lawn care company that made their products here in America but did bring in some metal and other parts that are not made by any american company had to layoff 75 employees this summer due to a reduction in sales caused by the increase in prices to make and sell their products here. Asked for a bailout / being able to not have to pay the tariffs and denied. The company says if sales do not pick back up, they could be faced with closing the company by the end of the year.

Currently the price tag alone to bail out companies hit by the Tariffs is pegged at $39 billion dollars.

The white house says companies due to a strong economy can weather the storm till China gives into an equal trade agreement.

Other companies in the stories above say they will be faced by Labor Day in making the hard decision to close their doors if they cannot find a way to stay competitive due to the increased costs. 

Another fall out that will hit hard is coming this back to school season as people will fins much higher prices on clothes to technology as we enter the fall season.

To quote the story, Trump states Tariffs would help local US company Whirlpool in their appliance business, yet Whirlpool states that steel costs have risen far higher than anywhere else in the world here in the US causing disappointing earnings and validating that the Tariffs have canceled out any benefits the tariffs were meant to bring to the US.

Farmers are demanding Trade, not aid in dropping the tariffs. Yet while the white house states that this will force other countries to negotiate with lower tariffs on US built products, so far it has had the opposite effect in increasing cost on US products making sales overseas all but dead.

Enjoy reading the links above if you want to read even more on how this will affect us. A trickle down wave of stunted trade / sales is going to hit the US hard I believe in my own opinion on these stores.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/twin-wildfires-threatening-10000-california-homes/ar-BBLimcF?li=BBnb7Kz#image=AAz9KJh|16

Keeps getting worse, they now estimate 10,000 homes are in the line of being burned down between Napa Valley and Redding California. It could become the biggest fire in California history.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.....

Add that to the fueling hate-it's going to be like nothing you've ever seen before.....

Don't want to say I'm scared, but I can tell you it worries me....

[daves87rs]

On 7/30/2018 at 3:26 PM, dfelt said:

Seems old truck style is all the New Rage!

https://jalopnik.com/this-minnesota-dealership-gives-new-chevy-silverados-a-1827967382

Love these trucks!!!

[balthazar]

Quarter mile : 9.2 @ 151 MPH

[G. David Felt]

Gotta Love the Manta Ray

 

[G. David Felt]

OUCH 

 

[ccap41]

^ WOOOOW

[ccap41]

On 7/31/2018 at 12:57 PM, dfelt said:

Gotta love dog toys and what they come up with.

The Dognald!

https://barkshop.com/items/the-dognald

 Great other dog products too, but check out the Pics from the Pack of various dogs chewing on Potus.

 

That's freakin great and I'm surprised you'd advertise that. 

[G. David Felt]

@ccap41 Dogs are awesome, you cannot go wrong with them.

[Robert Hall]

I saw somewhere yesterday was National Mutt Day....have two of them--a Chi-Terrier mix (Beardsley--gray boy) and a Terrier mix (Raine--red girl), in addition to the purebred Yorkies.. love 'em, had them almost 4 years...   Adopted as a pair from a rescue in AZ. 

 

[G. David Felt]

@Cubical-aka-Moltar Seems Beardsley is telling you something!  

[Robert Hall]

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

@Cubical-aka-Moltar Seems Beardsley is telling you something!  

He can be a bit yappy...but he's mostly mellow and fits in with the pack..

Edited August 1, 2018 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

He can be a bit yappy...

? He was talking back to you. How Rude!  

[balthazar]

[Robert Hall]

And today is National Yorkie Day.  Love the breed...4 of them in the pack.

[G. David Felt]

7 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

He can be a bit yappy...but he's mostly mellow and fits in with the pack..

Dude can I have another Toke! 

Who is wearing the stripped diaper?  

[balthazar]

Ford testing lighting performance in light of new law allowing lower mounted headlights; 24" vs. 28". They found no performance issues with the lower lights, which they also tested WRT dirt accumulation.