Random Thoughts Thread

[David]

24 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Why does my signature link appear to be broken?  This is fairly new ... less than a week.

Lots and lots of wind turbines in and around the Coachella Valley of So Cal (think Palm Springs and surrounding towns).

I think this is all tied into the image issue @Drew Dowdell said he was working on. Not sure why but I lost my image quote too. Very weird.

[David]

Pictures have stopped uploading @Drew Dowdell

Other than not able to post the cool picture of the Camaro Wagon at the Dream cruise, the modern ride is found here in multiple different pictures.

https://jalopnik.com/this-chevrolet-camaro-wagon-spotted-on-the-street-looks-1828496582 

[daves87rs]

Actually saw a new 19' Mali RS driving around in white.....gives a the Mali a sporty look it needed....

Edited August 22, 2018 by daves87rs

[ocnblu]

[David]

 

 

 

9 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Meh, I would rather have this Ford or the 1950 GMC Truck rescue.

 

 

[David]

https://jalopnik.com/why-did-this-genius-truck-bed-hatch-take-so-long-to-inv-1828494840

Story at the above link but I have to agree, a bed cover that can act as a slider and a lift is awesome. Had my fair share of Tonneau covers and this is super slick having both.

[David]

Who knew Henry Ford accepting the Grand Cross of the German Eagle from Nazi Officials for his work.

[ykX]

6 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Who knew Henry Ford accepting the Grand Cross of the German Eagle from Nazi Officials for his work.

Actually, Ford was a known Nazi sympathizer and supporter and known anti-semite. 

[balthazar]

29 minutes ago, ykX said:

Actually, Ford was a known Nazi sympathizer and supporter and known anti-semite. 

Quote

Ford didn’t like the Nazi militarism. Not enough to turn down this award, but still, he wasn’t close on a political level with the Nazis, and is quoted as saying in the New York Times at the time of the award: “My acceptance of a medal from the German people does not, as some people seem to think, involve any sympathy on my part with Nazism. Those who have known me for many years realize that anything that breeds hate is repulsive to me”. While Ford didn’t turn down the award, he also didn’t travel to Germany to receive it, so it was awarded to him in Michigan instead.

Just because person H likes aspects of Person F, does not mean Person F feels equally toward Person H. The 'framed picture of Ford hung in Hitler's office' is trotted out ad nauseam to attempt to portray complicity by Ford with Hitler. Ford didn't give it to Hitler/hang it on his wall.
Regardless of any entity's intent, the Ford business history stands by itself as an amazing example of industrial might. Anyone could do almost anything by studying Ford's business, including, unfortunately, the Nazi's.

The medal was awarded in 1938.

Edited August 22, 2018 by balthazar

[David]

13 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Just because person H likes aspects of Person F, does not mean Person F feels equally toward Person H. The 'framed picture of Ford hung in Hitler's office' is trotted out ad nauseam to attempt to portray complicity by Ford with Hitler. Ford didn't give it to Hitler/hang it on his wall.
Regardless of any entity's intent, the Ford business history stands by itself as an amazing example of industrial might. Anyone could do almost anything by studying Ford's business, including, unfortunately, the Nazi's.

The medal was awarded in 1938.

Outstanding insight that is much needed to balance out the actual picture.

Thank you,

[David]

Cool Read on the I6 from MB.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/enthusiasts/straight-from-the-grave-an-iconic-engine-design-makes-a-comeback/ar-BBMfjE7

[David]

Crazy 1200HP plus VW sleeper setting new world record at the drag strip.

 

[ykX]

14 hours ago, balthazar said:

Just because person H likes aspects of Person F, does not mean Person F feels equally toward Person H. The 'framed picture of Ford hung in Hitler's office' is trotted out ad nauseam to attempt to portray complicity by Ford with Hitler. Ford didn't give it to Hitler/hang it on his wall.
Regardless of any entity's intent, the Ford business history stands by itself as an amazing example of industrial might. Anyone could do almost anything by studying Ford's business, including, unfortunately, the Nazi's.

The medal was awarded in 1938.

Stop white washing the history.  A short search will reveal plenty of information on the subject.  His business history creating Ford motor company has nothing to do with other things he did, including using slave labor in the European factory and his rampant antisemitism that fit perfectly the Nazi ideology.

[balthazar]

3 hours ago, ykX said:

Stop white washing the history.  A short search will reveal plenty of information on the subject.  His business history creating Ford motor company has nothing to do with other things he did, including using slave labor in the European factory and his rampant antisemitism that fit perfectly the Nazi ideology.

I've read quite a bit on Henry Ford over the last 20+ years- I done far more than 'a short search'.

But one has to be careful what we attribute merely by association of name. There was forced labor in the Ford plant in Germany, but who controlled that factory and who instituted that practice? "It was a Ford plant, therefore Henry Ford is responsible" is not going to hold up on face value, especially in times of imperialism/war. "But Henry Ford had anti-semetic views in the 1920s, therefore he must've approved the practice" won't either. The Cologne plant was nationalized by Germany in the 1930s.
https://www.upi.com/Nazi-atrocities-at-Ford-Werke-studied/36841007666227/

Edited August 23, 2018 by balthazar

[ykX]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

I've read quite a bit on Henry Ford over the last 20+ years- I done far more than 'a short search'.

But one has to be careful what we attribute merely by association of name. There was forced labor in the Ford plant in Germany, but who controlled that factory and who instituted that practice? "It was a Ford plant, therefore Henry Ford is responsible" is not going to hold up on face value, especially in times of imperialism/war. "But Henry Ford had anti-semetic views in the 1920s, therefore he must've approved the practice" won't either. The Cologne plant was nationalized by Germany in the 1930s.
https://www.upi.com/Nazi-atrocities-at-Ford-Werke-studied/36841007666227/

This is up to a much longer discussion, he is the subject of many studies.  While the plant was nationalized it was still controlled by Ford, and he and few other top executives directly or indirectly were responsible.

In regards to his anti-semitic views, he not only held them well into 1930s and even 40s (not just in 1920s as you present), he did many unforgivable things.  Only, by the end of his life he seems to change his view on the subject.

[balthazar]

You have confused terms above. 'Nationalized' in this case is completely synonymous with 'controlled'.

- - - - -

The Jewish Virtual Library's review of the topic :
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/ford-motor-company-nbsp-and-the-third-reich
 

Quote

The company's managers at Cologne also feared for their own individual jobs -- feared that they would be replaced by political appointees. So Cologne's management attempted to assuage the Nazis' concerns about their and the company's loyalties in at least three ways. First, they introduced a racial criterion for the hiring of management staff. Foreign and Jewish members of the subsidiary's management board were removed, despite, interestingly, the strenuous opposition of Henry Ford.

The first time that a Jewish manager was fired (in 1936), Ford himself was successfully able to reverse the decision. Subsequently, however (certainly by 1940), control of the subsidiary effectively shifted to Cologne, and Ford was unable to thwart further dismissals.

Quote

Who was in charge of Fordwerke when it used slave labor (it is now generally accepted that this occurred between 1941 and 1945)?

By the time that slave labor was introduced, Fordwerke was clearly under the direct control of the Nazi government, though administered through the company headquarters in Cologne (albeit by Robert Schmidt). The meetings of the board of directors had already been suspended, and didn't resume until after the war. Although the American parent company desperately sought to retain control of their German assets, they failed to do so. Fordwerke became an instrument of the Nazi state. I certainly found no evidence that American management ever sanctioned the use of slave labor or that it even knew of the use of slave labor.

Edited August 23, 2018 by balthazar

[balthazar]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=55&v=8XG_JfyPdvE

[David]

10 hours ago, balthazar said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=55&v=8XG_JfyPdvE

Weird, this just takes me to a generic Youtube page, 

[balthazar]

Let's try it again :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XG_JfyPdvE

[David]

18 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Let's try it again :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XG_JfyPdvE

WOW, That is cool but also one loud truck.

Weird, that if you go back in and edit your post afterwards and click at the end, then press spacebar, the YouTube link will then properly post.

[ocnblu]

Local dealer has a gray Bolt.  I don't see anything wrong with it except the electric powertrain, which is crap.  If it had, oh, say, a 2.0t and a six speed manual, I would drive one. 

[daves87rs]

5 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Local dealer has a gray Bolt.  I don't see anything wrong with it except the electric powertrain, which is crap.  If it had, oh, say, a 2.0t and a six speed manual, I would drive one. 

They actually move quite well...surprised me a bit...😉

Would be the perfect car to keep the mileage down on that new truck....😁

[David]

16 hours ago, daves87rs said:

They actually move quite well...surprised me a bit...😉

Would be the perfect car to keep the mileage down on that new truck....😁

And cost much less per month to fuel.  

[balthazar]

[David]

WOW, Amazing just how big the European Hornet is compared to the US. Glad to see this El Camino was recovered from the suckers.

OUCH, the Queen shown at the end is monstrous! 

 

[ocnblu]

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

That's what she said

[daves87rs]

6 hours ago, dfelt said:

WOW, Amazing just how big the European Hornet is compared to the US. Glad to see this El Camino was recovered from the suckers.

OUCH, the Queen shown at the end is monstrous! 

 

Wow!!

[balthazar]

[David]

Interesting 🤔, he squeals like a little girl!  

 

[David]

Always excitement here in Washington State. Last night a floating mine was discovered in our waters by a Marina.

 

 

[David]

Amazing Tesla airborne, misses sticking the landing and ends in jail.

The police sure have taken a jolly attitude about it on their site.

 

Ack, Stupidest thing ever having a car like this.

 

[ocnblu]

[David]

1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

Hate to say it but that looks so CHEAP. I would not want that on my truck.  

[Robert Hall]

12 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Do they offer a chromed version?    The black plastic makes it look really cheap and cheesy.  A version with lighting in the letters could look good.

[David]

[David]

 

  

[ocnblu]

12 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Do they offer a chromed version?    The black plastic makes it look really cheap and cheesy.  A version with lighting in the letters could look good.

Nah I think it's only this one.

[balthazar]

Every few days, when I randomly check a clock, it's on "11:11". Somebody's trying to tell me something...

- - - - -
 

[ocnblu]

Yes, get new batteries for that daggone clock!

[balthazar]

Unrestored, 29K mile '59 Series 62 convertible. Asking $195,000.

[David]

31 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Unrestored, 29K mile '59 Series 62 convertible. Asking $195,000.

WOW 😮 The price is crazy. lovely car thow

[Robert Hall]

Random thought...looking at that '59 Caddy, I wish I had mad phat Photoshop skillz....imagine a 'what if' '59 Escalade..i.e. a '59 Chevy Suburban w/ a front end like a '59 Caddy and lots of chrome..

[David]

1 hour ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Random thought...looking at that '59 Caddy, I wish I had mad phat Photoshop skillz....imagine a 'what if' '59 Escalade..i.e. a '59 Chevy Suburban w/ a front end like a '59 Caddy and lots of chrome..

Would so love to see that!  

[David]

Real Cadillac station wagon.

I have to give Kudos to the guy who took a 2 door Tahoe and grafted the front end onto it.

Would love a modern day version of this.

[trinacriabob]

Very random thought - sort of Memory Lane like ...

I found out I'm not the only car enthusiast who does this.  I have sometimes rolled down the passenger window while going over a narrow bridge (covered bridges are even better, if you can find one!) to have the engine's purr echo back at me.  This was particularly gratifying with an Olds Rocket V8.  I got the idea while sitting in the passenger seat of a new Olds with a V8 in California while a teacher was driving us on a field trip and we went over a stone bridge.  The sound was beautiful. I subsequently did that various times on my own after my dad handed me down his Cutlass Supreme and it had an Olds V8. 

Ah yes ... the simple pleasures in life.

[trinacriabob]

On 8/30/2018 at 4:24 PM, dfelt said:

Double entendre.  I love it.  I wonder if this was even slightly controversial in its day.

[balthazar]

^ That's a modern day photoshop, my friend. Advertising just wasn't "there" in 1957.
 

[ocnblu]

LOL trina were you serious?

[balthazar]

On 8/30/2018 at 11:56 PM, balthazar said:

Every few days, when I randomly check a clock, it's on "11:11". Somebody's trying to tell me something...

Was driving up to my sister's place this afternoon, glanced at the dash clock, it read 1:11.

[Robert Hall]

It's a sign...you need something with a 111 inch wheelbase...;)