Random Thoughts Thread

[G. David Felt]

Interesting read, seems ford is looking for another cheap way to make money without actually investing in engineering.

Ford gave up on beating China on batteries and cut a deal instead

Ford clearly is giving up on EVs as it looks to commercial battery packs for storage to make money. They are giving up on being a leader in the Auto sector. Wonder how Henry Ford would have felt about this, also it does rais the question, how long till Ford as an Auto company is dead. Trucks, a few SUVs and falling farther behind in all auto fronts tells me Ford is not a stock work investing in.

[Robert Hall]

Ford has seemed to really drop the ball in recent years. 

trinacriabob's post on Saturday about 20 years on C&G got me thinking, had to look...I joined August 21, 2005 so it's been 20 years this year for me also.  That date was coincidentally, my late brother's 56th birthday--an age I'm 7 months from now.   Life moves in mysterious ways at times. 

[Drew Dowdell]

18 hours ago, G. David Felt said:

One would hope the site software could tell you more details on the type of bots that are attacking the site and why. That is very weird. 

It looks like they're scraper bots.  They don't seem to be doing anything except crawling the whole site.

[G. David Felt]

The IRS released new tax brackets for 2026. Some Americans will save thousands while others won't be so lucky
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/irs-released-tax-brackets-2026-121500860.html

https://www.howtogeek.com/15k-budget-ev-reliability-better-than-ice/

[G. David Felt]

Too funny

 

[G. David Felt]

Kia is on a hot streak, taking over times square for the New Year Count Down.

KIA AMERICA CELEBRATES THE ALL-NEW 2027 TELLURIDE WITH NEW YEAR’S EVE TIMES SQUARE TAKEOVER

College graduates are asking Dude where is my Job as Growth goes up, jobs go down.

The weakest labor market since 2011 has BofA asking, 'Dude, where’s my job?'

[G. David Felt]

WOW, this is big and clearly Idiot47 and his administration have lost big time.

 

[G. David Felt]

WOW, Boeing moving manufacturing to Canada. Hope this gives him a heart attack and goes 6 ft under.

 

WOW, Idiot47 world is collapsing and I hope he takes a dirt nap.

 

Further proof that Idiot47 is clueless in how to run a business let alone a country.

 

[G. David Felt]

Proof that what GM is doing here is bad for America, Death of manufacturing, the support of supply train and that Idiot47 has not understood or figured out. Tariff threats clearly are a FAILURE for America.

 

[G. David Felt]

Really hope he has to sit in prison.

 

OUCH - I truly believe that the U.S. will be like China in 3 to 5 years and EREV will have a short life.
Everybody's Betting On Extended-Range EVs. This Could Make Them Obsolete Instead

[G. David Felt]

Interesting read.

Rivian CEO: Apple CarPlay is never coming, and here’s why

Good to see this blow up in Idiot47s face and the lemmings he put in charge that have no clue what they are doing.

Trump administration suffers legal blow over CFPB funding

[G. David Felt]

Very interesting read and clearly Tesla is not up to par with the Chinese. Testing was done in Mongolia with -20 temps so the batteries took a major hit, Tesla was around low 30% range with a Tesla 3 RWD having 48% over their normal range where Chinese were around 50% over their normal range. Clearly, Tesla needs to update to at least 800V system and put some engineering into their battery packs. Sadly no Korean EVs were in the test mix. The Newest Mercedes CLA was and really took a hit for being the newest 800V system, sad that the battery system sucks so bad.

67 EVs Were Range-Tested In Sub-Zero Conditions. Here's Where The Teslas Ranked

Story is based on this posted YouTube video.

 

This cracks me up, so much great Karma to these crooks, amazing that one of them has a CyberTruck and was putting it in the frunk when it blew up.

 

[G. David Felt]

This car proves why American Auto Companies are DEAD MAN WALKING.

This is one SEXY EV.

[G. David Felt]

Talk about crazy weather.

 

[trinacriabob]

Happy new year to all my long time C&G friends!

Overall, 2025 wasn't bad, but I didn't get as much as I wanted accomplished. For this upcoming year, I'd like to decide which side of the pond I want to live on.  I don't want to call it a resolution as much as it is an objective.

Since it's cars that brought me here a long time ago, it's no surprise that I'm bummed by the absence of coupes and sedans, not to mention many viable choices for things I would want to use my GM Card earnings on, should it come to that.  

I see that the VW Jetta is still around.  I once had one in Houston, and I wrote about it.  I liked it quite a bit.  I've also had a few Nissan Versas recently and read that the curtain might be falling on that. The profit margin might be too slim.  A few reviews said that this is one of the better small cars for the money.  (CVT and all.)  Lastly, the Toyota Camry LE should be around for a while and I once had one as a rental and like the latest rendition, complete with its hybrid engine.  With GM having brought a good few of us to C&G, it would have been hard to imagine a day looking toward the future where there would be no GM sedans, let alone coupes, to choose from.

End of (my usual) rant.  Happy Friday.

[G. David Felt]

Not surprised by this with Idiot47 tariff tax on Americans that sales have fallen off a cliff and with it made in Germany, not selling at all here. Plus the terrible range due to such a small battery pack.

VW’s $60K electric bus dead 12 months after US launch

[G. David Felt]

Interesting, 2026 will be one to watch to see just how the U.S. labor market does. I suspect we will see more contraction.

US on verge of unemployment surge that forces Fed to slash rates, Wall Street veteran says

[oldshurst442]

 

[trinacriabob]

Today is National Spaghetti Day.

There's still time!

[oldshurst442]

 

[G. David Felt]

Interesting read, how China has stated what a solid state battery is versus hybrid versus traditional, as stated classification system based on electrolyte type, dividing batteries into liquid, solid liquid hybrid, and solid categories according to ion transport mechanisms

China just set the world’s first rules for the “dream battery”—and EVs may never be the same

[G. David Felt]

Warren Buffett is superior in every way compared to Idiot47.

Warren Buffett exposed the top reason for Donald Trump’s business failures long before he became president. What to learn from the mistake

[G. David Felt]

This guy nails it, showing that EV range loss in below freezing is not what it used to be and is on par and even better than ICE.

I've Driven 5 EVs in the Winter. Here's Why People Shouldn't Be Scared of the Range Drop - Autoblog

[A Horse With No Name]

On 12/28/2025 at 5:46 PM, G. David Felt said:

Sad that corruption is the new norm now in DC.

State Dept. 'not functioning' as staffers get sidelined for warning Trump is breaking law

At this point (Every rant from Olds Hurst, every rant I have made here in the last 20 years, every rant Noam Chomsky has made, every rant ever made about America) has been proven to be wildly true. 

On 1/6/2026 at 5:34 PM, G. David Felt said:

Warren Buffett is superior in every way compared to Idiot47.

Warren Buffett exposed the top reason for Donald Trump’s business failures long before he became president. What to learn from the mistake

But Buffet is part of our corrupt system in that he is American. I can't dunk on everything American m BNSF is an amazing railroad and I think Buffet owns part of it. Overall though...the country just needs to die and be replaced by something else. Its beyond redemption. 

On 1/4/2026 at 5:00 PM, oldshurst442 said:

 

I fully expect to have ICE in Montreal shooting Sikhs because they think they are Muslim. Don't kid yourself on how deep this stupid cycle is. The United States is beyond moral redemption, and needs to die and be replaced with something else. 

On 1/4/2026 at 2:34 PM, trinacriabob said:

Today is National Spaghetti Day.

There's still time!

I did my part!

On 1/4/2026 at 12:14 PM, oldshurst442 said:

 

The United States is vile, it needs to die and be replaced with something else. 

On 1/3/2026 at 1:09 PM, G. David Felt said:

Interesting, 2026 will be one to watch to see just how the U.S. labor market does. I suspect we will see more contraction.

US on verge of unemployment surge that forces Fed to slash rates, Wall Street veteran says

Hopefully. The United States is beyond moral redemption, it needs to die and be replaced with something else. 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 1/3/2026 at 12:48 PM, G. David Felt said:

Not surprised by this with Idiot47 tariff tax on Americans that sales have fallen off a cliff and with it made in Germany, not selling at all here. Plus the terrible range due to such a small battery pack.

VW’s $60K electric bus dead 12 months after US launch

Can you say Chinese Century fast enough, or often enough...how about Chinese millennium?

On 12/30/2025 at 8:10 PM, G. David Felt said:

This car proves why American Auto Companies are DEAD MAN WALKING.

This is one SEXY EV.

At this point, legacy automakers are legacy automakers. 

On 12/30/2025 at 7:48 PM, G. David Felt said:

Very interesting read and clearly Tesla is not up to par with the Chinese. Testing was done in Mongolia with -20 temps so the batteries took a major hit, Tesla was around low 30% range with a Tesla 3 RWD having 48% over their normal range where Chinese were around 50% over their normal range. Clearly, Tesla needs to update to at least 800V system and put some engineering into their battery packs. Sadly no Korean EVs were in the test mix. The Newest Mercedes CLA was and really took a hit for being the newest 800V system, sad that the battery system sucks so bad.

67 EVs Were Range-Tested In Sub-Zero Conditions. Here's Where The Teslas Ranked

Story is based on this posted YouTube video.

 

This cracks me up, so much great Karma to these crooks, amazing that one of them has a CyberTruck and was putting it in the frunk when it blew up.

 

Putting a trillion dollars into exec pay rather than R and D will end well for them. Loki, not the former poster, the god of chaos is proud of the chaos he lets humans create for themselves. 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 12/29/2025 at 10:53 AM, Robert Hall said:

Ford has seemed to really drop the ball in recent years. 

trinacriabob's post on Saturday about 20 years on C&G got me thinking, had to look...I joined August 21, 2005 so it's been 20 years this year for me also.  That date was coincidentally, my late brother's 56th birthday--an age I'm 7 months from now.   Life moves in mysterious ways at times. 

Yeah, the Maverick seems like a good little truck, my Ranger has been fantastic, but thinking Toyota for the next vehicle for a lot of reasons. Terminal rot inside of Ford being one of them. 

On 12/28/2025 at 8:18 PM, G. David Felt said:

Interesting read, seems ford is looking for another cheap way to make money without actually investing in engineering.

Ford gave up on beating China on batteries and cut a deal instead

Ford clearly is giving up on EVs as it looks to commercial battery packs for storage to make money. They are giving up on being a leader in the Auto sector. Wonder how Henry Ford would have felt about this, also it does rais the question, how long till Ford as an Auto company is dead. Trucks, a few SUVs and falling farther behind in all auto fronts tells me Ford is not a stock work investing in.

...I see the US eventually have to become more urban, and every prices can't stay cheap forever. At that point, the legacy Japan, Korea and China have in building affordable vehicles on an EV chassis will make Ford as obsolete as a steam locomotive or typewriter. 

On 12/29/2025 at 11:24 PM, G. David Felt said:

Kia is on a hot streak, taking over times square for the New Year Count Down.

KIA AMERICA CELEBRATES THE ALL-NEW 2027 TELLURIDE WITH NEW YEAR’S EVE TIMES SQUARE TAKEOVER

College graduates are asking Dude where is my Job as Growth goes up, jobs go down.

The weakest labor market since 2011 has BofA asking, 'Dude, where’s my job?'

Still absolutely unsold on the reliability of Kia ICE, and would probably avoid Kia EV based on ICE reliability. Although I really like Kia EV products. 

On 12/13/2025 at 2:20 PM, G. David Felt said:

OUCH, I think GM has a multi-billion dollar cost coming its way.

GM’s big V8 recall just got way messier — here’s why everyone’s suing

There is poetic justice with Ford and GM collapsing in terms of product quality alongside the United States cratering, ethically and legally. We will have a much messier, more rapid fall than Rome. 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 12/13/2025 at 11:21 PM, G. David Felt said:

She NAILS every point of why Red states have the lowest education, lowest quality of life, cast system of HELL.

The U.S. Population needs to WAKE up to WE THE PEOPLE which means all and not giving in to the 1%.

The U.S. is a 3rd world if not 4th world country for most states.

Loki, the god of chaos, never ends it for humans who are willfully stupid, but rather inhibits their stupidity so it is never terminal. People just keep enacting the means of their own suffering. 

[G. David Felt]

On 12/30/2025 at 1:49 PM, G. David Felt said:

WOW, Boeing moving manufacturing to Canada. Hope this gives him a heart attack and goes 6 ft under.

 

WOW, Idiot47 world is collapsing and I hope he takes a dirt nap.

 

Further proof that Idiot47 is clueless in how to run a business let alone a country.

 

Interesting that You Tube is terminating accounts that report real news about what companies are doing including moving out of the U.S. for greener stable places like Canada.

Interesting read, the focus is shifting to what the computer can do rather than AI this, AI that as people especially those that have lost their job to an AI bot are fed up with AI.

https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/dells-ces-2026-chat-was-the-most-pleasingly-un-ai-briefing-ive-had-in-maybe-5-years/

"we don't actually care about AI PCs"  Because
1.) PCs without a 2000 dollar video card can't do any decent AI
2.) Shuttling all your stuff to cloud to perform AI is creepy AF.  NOBODY wants that.
In 10 years, when AI silicon is cheaper then local AI will be great. But right now, your PC can get AI by either being really really expensive, or super duper insecure....

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Still absolutely unsold on the reliability of Kia ICE, and would probably avoid Kia EV based on ICE reliability. Although I really like Kia EV products. 

I understand your concerns on ICE, but their EVs have been pretty rock solid as a standalone group. As I posted here, the savings and reliability have been impressive. So many coworkers are taking advantage of buying value powered EVs as we have moved into a large return period this year on EVs coming back off lease.

I will say this, the latest coworker who has joined the Kia family picked up a 2yr lease return of the EV6 GT, powerful 4 door hatch that was $78K new and with only 18K miles on it he paid out the door $32K for the auto and it still has full warranty. He loves the 18 minutes to 80% fast charging as he is awaiting the install of an L2 charger in his home.

Great deals to be had on EVs that can go the distance.

[oldshurst442]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

At this point (Every rant from Olds Hurst, every rant I have made here in the last 20 years, every rant Noam Chomsky has made, every rant ever made about America) has been proven to be wildly true. 

Yup.

I wanna know though, where is the pushback from americans. You know, the riots...  Because the ONLY thing that can get americans out of this is violence...  If not, well...look at how real deal every day Russians and real deal every day North Koreans cope with their realities and that is the life that americans will have going forward for the next whatever years UNTIL you phoquers fight back...

trump is weighing in on not even having mid-term elections...   (because he knows impeachment is heading his way if republicans lose the mid terms...not that will stop him from anything anyway...) 

trump was hinting on running for president...again...for a 3rd term in 2028...

Im mean...what other hints do you phoquers need to phoquing actually revolt???!!!

yet here is another reason.  2 phoquing reasons.

Forgetting that he caused an insurrection full of FALSE claims...

1. An actual invasion of a country with a KIDNAPPING (I do not care of this man was also a dictator, its NOT up to the usa to settle this...because the REAL reason is to steal THAT country's oil)

2. AN ACTUAL KILLING of an american CITIZEN...  A MOTHER. A 35 year old MOTHER.  

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Don't kid yourself on how deep this stupid cycle is

oh....I KNOW how deep this is... 

CANADIANS KNOW....how deep this is.

It seems the ONLY phoques that do NOT know how deep this is... is americans...

 

Do I have to post Elbows Up or Gloves Off pics?

Do I have to post phoque the usa with pics of burning american flags?

Well...

PHOQUE THE usa!!! 

 

And in the garbage where the american flag belongs!!! 

21 minutes ago, G. David Felt said:

I understand your concerns on ICE, but their EVs

 

The ONLY concern you guys NEED right NOW, the ONLY ICE concern you need right now is THIS kinda ICE

 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

@oldshurst442 Last nights protests across the country have clearly stirred up Americans and Hopefully the Murdering ICE agent will face his required day in court for his murderous act.

Seems some are willing to get more violent as the protestors in Sacramento California broke down the gate at the ICE center and entered.