Random Thoughts Thread

[oldshurst442]

Watching play-off hockey is sooooo relaxing when your team aint in it anymore...

[G. David Felt]

Very cool trash clean up happening in Baltimore harbor.

Mr. Trash Wheel is gobbling up millions of pounds of trash - CNET

 

[regfootball]

“The next model introduction in the revival of Opel following decades of stagnation under the management of General Motors will be a new Astra compact hatchback, a previous generation of which was briefly sold in the United States as a Saturn.”

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1132510_arrival-of-new-astra-marks-next-step-in-opel-s-transformation

 

astras get 2 iPads on the dash, Tesla’s only get one

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by regfootball

[A Horse With No Name]

22 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

This looks like a Jetta or a Passat?

Anyway, there is always the debate between dry heat and humid heat.  I find humid heat more annoying than painful. 

An acquaintance of mine who is a Southerner moved from Phoenix to Houston, heading toward "home," where he will probably eventually end up.  He said that, to better deal with heat, one has to keep their weight way down (he's short and lean) and wear little clothing and make sure it's cotton (t-shirts, shorts) and flip flops.

To me, 95 F (should it be that high) and humid is less painful than 115 F and dry.

Probably why nearly everyone in South Florida is thin. 

8 hours ago, regfootball said:

“The next model introduction in the revival of Opel following decades of stagnation under the management of General Motors will be a new Astra compact hatchback, a previous generation of which was briefly sold in the United States as a Saturn.”

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1132510_arrival-of-new-astra-marks-next-step-in-opel-s-transformation

 

astras get 2 iPads on the dash, Tesla’s only get one

 

That was really the final nail in the coffin of the brand, even though it was a great car. Too expensive of a small car fof the American market. 

[A Horse With No Name]

13 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Your ideal climate is found in the Bay Area and, to some extent, in the Pacific Northwest.

It can be depressing, but people in the PacNW mention how the cool, moist air makes them and their skin feel clean.  I don't know how that works.  Perhaps that it's comfortable.

That temperature band is probably the best one for people's well being.  For that matter, cars in the PacNW probably fare better than in any other place in the country ... the air for combustion and the cool, moist ambient for tires, belts, and hoses.

I was discussing this with a prof. I once had.  She said that, even though heat is miserable, extreme cold will finish off a person quite a bit sooner than extreme heat.  So, yes, 50F to 80F sounds just great.  If you can afford the places where it's the calling card.

I would love to live in the PNW. 

[A Horse With No Name]

My name is Chris so....

 

[A Horse With No Name]

For the dog lovers here...

 

11 hours ago, David said:

Cheese Lovers Get Excited, Seems McDonalds is trying out a Chedder Bowl for dipping all things in it.

McDonald’s Is Serving Up a Bowl of Melted Cheddar Cheese for All Your Dipping Needs (msn.com)

Time to buy stock in a company that builds those powered chairs people ride around on in Walmart. 

[A Horse With No Name]

On the more serious side, fantastic song about depression, love the lyrics, video, and music. 

 

[G. David Felt]

Love it or Hate it for the looks and useless road going, but on a race track, it should be amazing. W16 power is a very decent tone.

 

[trinacriabob]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Probably why nearly everyone in South Florida is thin. 

And also because the mindset and value system seems very similar to the one in Southern California.

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I would love to live in the PNW. 

Many people think that.  But a lot of the locals are not that cool.  It's the natural beauty and the temperate climate that I enjoyed.  The weather didn't really get me down - time for coffee somewhere and a good book! 

It seemed like some of the long-term locals were easily rattled by anything that was off color or slightly politically incorrect.  The transplants rolled with it, or even enjoyed that sort of stuff. 

The PacNW is a little more attuned and receptive to NorCal.  A little.  It is definitely not attuned to a SoCal mentality.

15 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

AN EXPOS CAP 

 

I once bought one of these at the Inclined Tower in Montreal.

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Haha.  Where do you find this stuff?!?

[G. David Felt]

Another Major Failure for Texas Power Grid!

Texas is sweltering, and majority of power plants down produce natural gas (electrek.co)

[ykX]

53 minutes ago, David said:

Another Major Failure for Texas Power Grid!

Texas is sweltering, and majority of power plants down produce natural gas (electrek.co)

I guess, similar to what was happening in California and few other states last year.

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, David said:

Another Major Failure for Texas Power Grid!

Texas is sweltering, and majority of power plants down produce natural gas (electrek.co)

Not going to get political, but i do really feel for the people of Texas....seriously....

1 hour ago, ykX said:

I guess, similar to what was happening in California and few other states last year.

We need to step up to the bar as a country and improve our infrastructure. 

Or this one...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I obviously suck at interior decorating...

[A Horse With No Name]

[G. David Felt]

55 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Not going to get political, but i do really feel for the people of Texas....seriously....

We need to step up to the bar as a country and improve our infrastructure. 

Yes Posting this was not to get political!

It was to point out that as the Auto Industry moves to BEVs, the infrastructure has to match and with Tesla building a huge plant there to produce trucks, SUVs and Semi's, clearly power production and reliability needs to match.

One does have to wonder what it will take for people to step up and realize that consumers of BEVs are going to want reliability with redundancy.

[balthazar]

Numbers / volume.

[balthazar]

Some of why I like this era so much : 

 

[oldshurst442]

4 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

I once bought one of these at the Inclined Tower in Montreal.

Olympic Stadium.  Montreal

Home of the '76 Summer Olympics and the Montreal Expos MLB club

 

Under construction

Back view

 

Olympic Stadium. Montreal.

A corrupt, decrepit,  billion dollar boondoggle. 

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by oldshurst442

[trinacriabob]

@oldshurst442

I've seen the Olympic Stadium/Village complex about 10 times now.  Thank you for the time lapse photos of the construction.

When I first saw it, I was wowed by it.  Like anyone would be.  Then, with each visit, I learned more about it.

Mayor Jean Drapeau aimed very high with that one, and with the blank check he "wrote."  You take one look at that ambitious design and it flashes "cost overrun" in big red lights.

But, yes, the stadium complex looks more worn with each visit.  Just take a look at all the concrete plazas around it.  But you keep going back and keep going back because it's just that unique.

When they open up the border, some of us down here might just road trip up to Montreal.  And we will be coming up there hungry, if you get my drift.

[oldshurst442]

I grew up in that neighborhood.  Lived slightly farther than a stone's throw from the stadium.   My aunt and uncle (and cousins, duh) lived closer than a stone's throw away. 

3640 Sherbrooke E is where my aunt and uncle lived.  In front of that ugly ass artistic sculpture shyte, the window immediately to the right of it, was their living room.  I played on that sculpture, slipped on it and had a prong go right through my left thigh the summer of '81.  

The google maps link.  The stadium is 2-3 streets away. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@45.5486864,-73.5550566,3a,49y,106.85h,88.66t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sz-NhkZiECog4PmQvF6T-ZA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en-US

Ive posted a google map link of where I lived in the past. Ill google link it again

3873 Ste Catherine E.   The stadium being 1.5 miles away to the south. 

Ste Catherine street....East.  Yes...THAT same Ste Catherine street that buzzes in the summer which is WEST...which  is DOWNTOWN Montreal  The heart of Downtown, Peel and Ste Catherine, is a mere 7 miles away.  Old Montreal even closer. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Avenue+Bourbonnière+%26+Rue+Sainte-Catherine+E,+Montréal,+QC+H1W+2G4/@45.5461715,-73.5368457,3a,59.3y,303.21h,93.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1swLS2v1RCdt3tVVSdez6BOQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!4m5!3m4!1s0x4cc91b865e3ca78f:0x9c29d85dd1783014!8m2!3d45.5460644!4d-73.5369251

My bedroom window was directly on top of that restaurant's sign to the right.  The first window to the of the buiding to the left was our living room. This current restaurant went bankrupt because of Covid Im assuming. But that location was always a restaurant. Going back to when my dad was a young lad. He (my dad) grew up in that house too. It was Greek owned (building and restaurant) from the late '60s to the early 2000s when that Greek owner passed away. He came from the same village my mom came from. He bought that restaurant from another Greek who owned the building. Original owner kept the building.  Long story.  I dont feel like going through a very intertwined history lesson. But it is quite interesting.  Another time. 

I saw at least 200 games of Expos baseball at the Olympic Stadium. (probably more...closer to 300)  I never missed a home opener from 1983-1995.   I was at the game when Pete Rose, as an Expo, hit his 4000th hit.  I used to take my bike to my cousins' apartment, leave it there and walk.  When my parents and my aunt and uncle finally moved from this neighborhood...well public transport. 

I wasnt at the MLB All Star game in 1981, but I do remember the helicopters flying on top of the stadium.  I was bike riding with my cousins while the game was on. Maybe the TV did capture us when they were filming outside the stadium?   Three  8-9 year old boys riding their bikes near the stadium...on Sherbrooke street and Pie-IX  boul. 

  Hockey runs through my blood.  Best sport in the world.   I LOVE BASEBALL EVEN MORE!!! 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by oldshurst442

[G. David Felt]

Happy Birthday to @andretti @Jordan559and  @USA-1 

[daves87rs]

On 6/14/2021 at 10:18 PM, David said:

Cheese Lovers Get Excited, Seems McDonalds is trying out a Chedder Bowl for dipping all things in it.

McDonald’s Is Serving Up a Bowl of Melted Cheddar Cheese for All Your Dipping Needs (msn.com)

Yuck!

[A Horse With No Name]

The 70's and 80's Rock world wasn't all good...

Design mistake...

 

Vegan burgers I can get behind...

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting, actual advert..

 

[A Horse With No Name]

One last one...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

Good carbs part 2...

 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3291664950927551/?ref=browse_tab&referral_code=marketplace_general&referral_story_type=general&tracking={"qid"%3A"6974384154877553580"%2C"mf_story_key"%3A"30522418786205313"%2C"commerce_rank_obj"%3A"{\"target_id\"%3A30522418786205313%2C\"target_type\"%3A6%2C\"primary_position\"%3A3%2C\"ranking_signature\"%3A1058163457926365184%2C\"commerce_channel\"%3A501%2C\"value\"%3A6.7641061080762e-5%2C\"upsell_type\"%3A108}"}

[G. David Felt]

21 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

And also because the mindset and value system seems very similar to the one in Southern California.

Many people think that.  But a lot of the locals are not that cool.  It's the natural beauty and the temperate climate that I enjoyed.  The weather didn't really get me down - time for coffee somewhere and a good book! 

It seemed like some of the long-term locals were easily rattled by anything that was off color or slightly politically incorrect.  The transplants rolled with it, or even enjoyed that sort of stuff. 

The PacNW is a little more attuned and receptive to NorCal.  A little.  It is definitely not attuned to a SoCal mentality.

I once bought one of these at the Inclined Tower in Montreal.

Haha.  Where do you find this stuff?!?

Dude where did you live around here, as one born and raised here, yes we have the redneck uneducated idiots around the military base in Tacoma and Bremerton, but except for the extremism of narrow minded thinking people in those areas, over all a very multi-cultural embracing all society here. Way better than the year plus I lived in Texas and had to leave due to how extreme the racism is by both white and black against anything that is not one of those two colors and comes into their own self segregated spaces.

Not wanting to get political, but am honestly interested on where you feel the locals were not cool? ?

10 hours ago, daves87rs said:

Yuck!

While I do love Fondue and cheese dips that are made from real cheese, this looks like a bowl of melted Velveeta cheese. Nothing but 100% chemical garbage.

@oldshurst442 There is an Idea, have a real cheese sauce to dip your dogs in at your place.  

[ccap41]

22 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

It seemed like some of the long-term locals were easily rattled by anything that was off color or slightly politically incorrect

That definitely sounds like the PNW. 

[A Horse With No Name]

27 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

That definitely sounds like the PNW. 

Not to be political, but we are all Americans. I have tons of friends of every political, religious, and racial group. 

It varies by area in each state also. One of the people I know through college debate is a young Muslim college student. She loved her particualr small town in Texas, found it very open and welcoming, but hates living in California which she finds astonishingly bigoted and intolerant. 

I tend towards depression, so I find the good in people from everywhere. One of my favorite youtube oodworks, two actually,a re from Texas. Stopping briefly in Dallas when iI fly back from the PNW next week. I don't have the emotional energy to hate people any more. 

 

Looking forward to meeting David, I want to meet TC Bob, almost met ccap41 when I was in St Louis for a debate tournament. 

 

All of you are of different geographical and political stripes, and I dealy appreciate all of the folks here at C and G. 

From the Wall of the Starliner Diner, a local restaurant that serves Cuban and other fare. 

Food at Starliner is fantastic. 

[trinacriabob]

I've lived in quite a few states and overseas.  Yes, people are different everywhere you go.  It can vary within the city, the county, the state, and the country.  But what I've seen is that you either click with a place or you don't.

I was hesitant to move to Atlanta for a job in my twenties because it was "the South."  After 4 months, I felt great about being there and felt welcome.

Then, when I lived near Seattle, I did not feel that welcome.  Their accent is generic West Coast, like what I speak.  I was friends with a few transplants.  But getting the "go back to California" vibe from even a few people was not cool.  I even got it when opening up a bank account, and in a suit.  It was all going smoothly until the question "place of birth" came up.  

So, these experiences can be like an on-off switch and you won't easily forget them.

[A Horse With No Name]

3 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I've lived in quite a few states and overseas.  Yes, people are different everywhere you go.  It can vary within the city, the county, the state, and the country.  But what I've seen is that you either click with a place or you don't.

I was hesitant to move to Atlanta for a job in my twenties because it was "the South."  After 4 months, I felt great about being there and felt welcome.

Then, when I lived near Seattle, I did not feel that welcome.  Their accent is generic West Coast, like what I speak.  I was friends with a few transplants.  But getting the "go back to California" vibe from even a few people was not cool.  I even got it when opening up a bank account, and in a suit.  It was all going smoothly until the question "place of birth" came up.  

So, these experiences can be like an on-off switch and you won't easily forget them.

I loved Atlanta also. 

 

This is also exactly how I feel. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

[G. David Felt]

@A Horse With No Name Yes same here, looking forward to meeting you too.

@trinacriabob Let me give you a late apology for those idiots as that is not the PNW way. Always been a stopping point for the Asian rim and as one married to a Korean, living daily in a multi-cultural environment, it is always important to include everyone. I do agree with you and others who have stated that it does vary from area to area.  Hopefully next time your out this way, it will be a far more warm and embracing feeling.

I can say, I have had to over the last decade correct my own parents who were California transplants form being negative about others moving here. Weird, but I think it is part generational also along with education and openness to new ideas.

Extroverts are far more embracing of all compared to introverts.

Everyone have a Great HUMP DAY!!!

[A Horse With No Name]

I get on a plane tomorrow at 8. Today is my Friday

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[regfootball]

maybe after all this time, 

for those wanting a performance oriented car with utility, maybe the PONTIAC RAGEOUS was what we really should be looking at, almost 25 years later???

 

all the liabilities of the Camaro as a daily driver / practicality, 4 doors, and for winter places if AWD would be taken care of here.

Imagine the trip to Lowe's with the hatchback and folding seat....maybe even able to haul drywall

https://www.motor1.com/news/95302/pontiac-rageous/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by regfootball

[balthazar]

The Rageous was my first ‘falling out of love’ experience with Pontiac.

[oldshurst442]

6 hours ago, David said:

There is an Idea, have a real cheese sauce to dip your dogs in at your place

Actually...not a bad idea.

However, Quebecois arent too keen on fake yellow cheese.  

[oldshurst442]

26 minutes ago, balthazar said:

The Rageous was my first ‘falling out of love’ experience with Pontiac.

I had the opposite effect. 

I always loved Pontiac, but the Rageous only solidified my love for Pontiac THAT much more. 

The Pontiacs that questioned my love for the brand were these:

 

 

[balthazar]

^ Granted... however at the concept car level, there was still a 'quotient of dreaming'. The Rageous killed that for me.

I'm a Pontiac guy, but with a handful of exceptions- I'm out after '79.

Edited June 16, 2021 by balthazar

[oldshurst442]

I couldnt possibly be out by 1979 as I was just starting out in being a car guy.  A tad earlier than '79. But I was just 6 years old then.  

My dad's '70 GTO and  a neighbor's '76 Trans Am were one of the first cars that I loved.  The General Lee too, but we are talking about Pontiac.  Then in 1979, the new look Trans Am came out and I was hooked forever as a Pontiac guy.    There were other Pontiacs in my neighborhood (from the '70s) that had 'that' look that made Pontiac such an exciting brand. 

But...the first car that I disliked was that Sunbird that I posted.  When I saw the Pontiac arrowhead on it, I do remember looking at it and thinking to my little self, WTF?  Obviously not in those words...but the sentiment of WTF was there.

Then the '80s came...and my love for the 3rd gen Trans Am was as strong as the love I had for the '76 and the '79.  The Bandit T/A was not a favorite...I merely liked it. I preferred the years outside of '77-'78.  But when I saw that Bonneville as a new Pontiac, I wasnt too thrilled.  But the Grand Prixs made me kinda forget about that Bonneville.  The FWD Pontiacs of the '80s never had a negative impact on me.  Only because I really didnt know what I was really missing in the RWD Pontiacs of the '60s...   I loved the way the excess styling of late '80s Pontiacs were.  

Then came the weirdness of GM in 1990.  As long as Pontiac had the Trans Am and had made the 4rth gen so adolescent looking that I sooooo ,oved about it, I didnt care what shytty cars Pontiac was peddling.   I loved the W-Body GP, I loved both gens of the FWD Bonnevilles and I also kinda liked the Dustbuster minivan. And my favorite was the plastic bodycladded Pontiac version.  But when Pontiac decided to sell the 2nd gen, I started questioning Pontiac's direction.  And then the Rageous came out immediatley right after and I said to myself..."OK, Pontiac is serious again in making muscle machines!  I want!"      Only for it to be just a concept...

Edited June 16, 2021 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

No no; not 1979 the calendar year -- 1979 the model year. But I was already into '50-60s Pontiacs either way then.
I bought my '64 GP in '86, and I had 'officially' tried to buy a '59 Catalina Vista in '81 (tho too young to drive / my dad said 'no way').

[oldshurst442]

Yeah...I knew that about you.  I forgot.   (That you were into  '50s and '60s Pontiacs when you were a teen in the '70s) 

I did calendar year for me as I wasnt as advanced as you were in recognizing what and who you were about cars.  

I came to that mindset when I was in my late '20s.  However, I did like '50s and '60s cars in my teens, I also liked the cars IN my teens and in my '20s as well which would be cars in the '80s and '90s respectively.  I only started preferring the classics cars over the currents in my late 20s which would be the late '90s.   

 

[oldshurst442]

Watching the Golden Nights-Habs game. 

Camera is films Vegas folk in and around their arena...in Vegas...

I sees plenty, and I mean plenty of Habs  fans wearing their Habs jerseys around.  A family of Habs fans posing for a photo while the TV camera man also captures the moment. 

I dont know whether to be proud or vomit... 

 

THERE! 

 Now I could be proud of both the Habs jersey on TV AND the fact that I HATE the Habs!!! 

PS:  I must admit...it warms me that soooooo out west like that and folk, American folk,  cheer for a team from Montreal!  

Edited June 17, 2021 by oldshurst442

[balthazar]

I personally am a model year '66, so I turned 13 in '79.
I was drawing cars probably since I was around 6. I got heavily into them around '78-79.

So... you're 13, you're getting into cars, the current brand new one is on the left, and the one on the right is still only 10 years old... and they're still around. The '69 looks 1000 times better... then you look up the power/performance figures, and it's game over. 260 CI V8 vs. 455 - are you kidding?The gas shortage tried to get rid of them, but circa '80 the 60s stuff was already mostly in enthusiast's hands and getting appreciated especially in contrast to new cars. I'm not sure such a young used car ever made an 'about face' in interest/value in 10 years ever (before or since), but the '79-into the 80s cars PUSHED enthusiasts right back to the mid 60s-early 70s stuff. 

Musclecars began to take off circa '85-89; there were multiple publications focusing on them. I remember my brother (7 yrs younger) and I laying on the floor, paging thru MuscleCar Review the afternoon each issue hit the mailbox. Now he has a '65 GTO, '68 Firebird, '71 GTO (his first car... ironically 7 yrs younger than my 1st car), and a '69 Firebird project car he's building with his step-son.

I 'grew up' around the late 70s-late 80s stuff, but I never had more than a passing interest in them.   

[regfootball]

4 hours ago, balthazar said:

The Rageous was my first ‘falling out of love’ experience with Pontiac.

The styling was bad.  I do think if the Camaro, or a new model similar to it, went back to a hatchback design with a spacious cargo hold like the rageous, and all wheel drive option were out there. It would be a neat unique market offering. Or, maybe a non cadillac version of the escala?