Random Thoughts Thread

[balthazar]

Un-identified B-O-P assembly plant, 1961 ~

[trinacriabob]

There's no doubt that this coronavirus is both serious and depressing.  What's odd is the random distribution of it - clusters in (1) east(ern) Asia: China, South Korea, Japan, (2) Iran, and (3) Italy (more northern).  The first reported death occurred in the U.S. - in Washington state.

Maybe we should focus on the people getting through it ... which is most people.  I read this courageous account told by a Chinese 27 year-old who went through 3 difficult weeks fighting off the virus until it ran its course.  You can read it here:

https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-survivor-recounts-fear-confusion-040847300.html

Edited March 1, 2020 by trinacriabob

[David]

4 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

There's no doubt that this coronavirus is both serious and depressing.  What's odd is the random distribution of it - clusters in (1) east(ern) Asia: China, South Korea, Japan, (2) Iran, and (3) Italy (more northern).  The first reported death occurred in the U.S. - in Washington state.

Maybe we should focus on the people getting through it ... which is most people.  I read this courageous account told by a Chinese 27 year-old who went through 3 difficult weeks fighting off the virus until it ran its course.  You can read it here:

https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-survivor-recounts-fear-confusion-040847300.html

Most Chinese cannot afford a ticket to the US or Europe. As such, South Korea and Japan get ton's of Chinese tourists.

Italy is understandable as the rich from China go there for fashion week and brought their Biological weapons bug with them.

Sadly, the science has shown that this bug is like the last 3 and appears to be man made. Why a country feels the need to have and use biological weapons is beyond me. Be better than the stupid war mongers in the US and Russia is what I think. But then I am a pacifists at heart.

[dwightlooi]

50 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Sadly, the science has shown that this bug is like the last 3 and appears to be man made. Why a country feels the need to have and use biological weapons is beyond me. Be better than the stupid war mongers in the US and Russia is what I think. But then I am a pacifists at heart.

We don't know that, and we'll NEVER know that. Even if it is true the ChiComs will never admit it because everyone in the world and their own population will be lining up to pound them in the arse. Sure, the Chicom will survive such a scandal, but Xi Jinping is not invulnerable -- not to other aspiring power blocks within the Chicom at least. So, you'll never know because there is no way they'll let you.

[balthazar]

[ocnblu]

6 hours ago, balthazar said:

I've always wondered about those iconic "trolley car" diners, I've always assumed they were manufactured at a central facility, then wheeled to the chosen site and dropped like a mobile home.  We have at least one in Lancaster city still in operation.

[ocnblu]

GREAT AD COPY! 

[dwightlooi]

Here's an idea for Corvette's baby brother...

 

[balthazar]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I've always wondered about those iconic "trolley car" diners, I've always assumed they were manufactured at a central facility, then wheeled to the chosen site and dropped like a mobile home.  We have at least one in Lancaster city still in operation.

The one pictured above is a converted rail car, not a manufactured ‘diner’.

[riviera74]

7 hours ago, dwightlooi said:

Here's an idea for Corvette's baby brother...

 

oh wow.  Chevrolet's answer to the MX-5 Miata.  This should have replaced the Saturn Sky after Saturn was terminated in 2010.

[ocnblu]

[dwightlooi]

1 hour ago, riviera74 said:

oh wow.  Chevrolet's answer to the MX-5 Miata.  This should have replaced the Saturn Sky after Saturn was terminated in 2010.

Not really... the Miata is neither fast nor mid-engine nor a hard top coupe.

[balthazar]

Also hasn’t changed its styling basically since day 1. Just tweaks.

[ocnblu]

[balthazar]

[daves87rs]

On 2/29/2020 at 9:15 PM, dwightlooi said:

We don't know that, and we'll NEVER know that. Even if it is true the ChiComs will never admit it because everyone in the world and their own population will be lining up to pound them in the arse. Sure, the Chicom will survive such a scandal, but Xi Jinping is not invulnerable -- not to other aspiring power blocks within the Chicom at least. So, you'll never know because there is no way they'll let you.

 

Very true... but you have to become very suspect when China has such an aging population problem, much worse than the US.

Either way, I have to be worried based on the fact I have asthma issues.... 😞 

On 2/29/2020 at 8:13 PM, trinacriabob said:

There's no doubt that this coronavirus is both serious and depressing.  What's odd is the random distribution of it - clusters in (1) east(ern) Asia: China, South Korea, Japan, (2) Iran, and (3) Italy (more northern).  The first reported death occurred in the U.S. - in Washington state.

Maybe we should focus on the people getting through it ... which is most people.  I read this courageous account told by a Chinese 27 year-old who went through 3 difficult weeks fighting off the virus until it ran its course.  You can read it here:

https://news.yahoo.com/coronavirus-survivor-recounts-fear-confusion-040847300.html

Part that worries me is my asthma. Seems to bulk of it gets stuck in the chest unlike the flu. Seems to be one of the main reasons why older ans sicker folks take a turn for the worst....

[USA-1]

On 2/27/2020 at 10:09 AM, dfelt said:

According to the Incoming COO, Ford is in Dire straights as it was back when it put everything up for loans to survive compared to the bankruptcy by the cross town rivals.

https://www.autonews.com/executives/farley-says-ford-faces-sense-urgency-similar-financial-crisis

Very unfortunate for FMC as a storied multi-generational American family business in the automotive world. In the movie Ford vs. Ferrari you could really see the heart and soul that Henry Ford II "Hank the Deuce"/"HF2" poured into the company. You can tell that passion isn't there today with Bill Ford Jr. and Edsel Ford II on the board, they just don't have it in them, Bill Ford Sr., Edsel I youngest son and HF2's youngest brother didn't seemed to have it either. The real passion the original three, Henry I, Edsel and Henry II had hasn't really been there at FMC for at least 30 years, basically since "Hank the Deuce" died in 1987. I just watched a documentary on the history of Ford Motor Company just the other night, it was very interesting and educational. It showed how even Edsel Ford was very involved and tried to help his hard headed father Henry I with the business, he seemed to have a great business sense, but didn't get a chance to make his mark before succumbing to stomach cancer in an untimely death in 1943 at the age of 49. "Hank the Deuce" took over after Henry I started getting dementia and eventually died of a brain aneurysm in 1945. Synopsis of it for ya!  

Man how Henry I, Edsel I and HF2 must be rolling in their graves. Hopefully the Ford family with the help of Farley can right the ship before it's too late. They definitely need to get new launches organized, the Explorer/Aviator launch was a disaster and still are a QC nightmare. If they're going to just build trucks and SUV's now they've got to get them right!

[USA-1]

4 hours ago, balthazar said:

The Del Toro! Looks like a disaster waiting to happen. "Hey just make sure you don't get your foot down in the auger blades Grandpa!" 

6 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Additional Regenerative Range Extender?

Edited March 2, 2020 by USA-1

[USA-1]

On 2/29/2020 at 6:22 PM, dfelt said:

Most Chinese cannot afford a ticket to the US or Europe. As such, South Korea and Japan get ton's of Chinese tourists.

Italy is understandable as the rich from China go there for fashion week and brought their Biological weapons bug with them.

Sadly, the science has shown that this bug is like the last 3 and appears to be man made. Why a country feels the need to have and use biological weapons is beyond me. Be better than the stupid war mongers in the US and Russia is what I think. But then I am a pacifists at heart.

Now we have attention whore little rocket man Kim launching unidentified projectiles in NoKo per Seoul reps, that's all the world needs right now is that dictator moron to deal with. We'll have to deal with him now too, Papa Trump needs to put him over his knee again as he's obviously feeling left out.

[USA-1]

Hey @oldshurst442 Happy Birthday Canadian brother from another Mother!! Hope it was a good one man!!

Edited March 2, 2020 by USA-1

[ocnblu]

Yeah olds, what he said!

[dwightlooi]

7 hours ago, USA-1 said:

Now we have attention whore little rocket man Kim launching unidentified projectiles in NoKo per Seoul reps, that's all the world needs right now is that dictator moron to deal with. We'll have to deal with him now too, Papa Trump needs to put him over his knee again as he's obviously feeling left out.

Don't worry, Orange Man is very smart.

[oldshurst442]

I thought that the President made the phat phoque of a dictator promise with full pinky swears that he wont be testing and releasing anymore missiles into the air... 

I thought the President declared that he has achieved peace with that phat phoque.    I wanna know what caused the phat phoque to go against that pinky swear that he had with the President?    

OK!!!      I wanna know who released doves in North Korea's air space???!!!     I want that man (or woman)...........FIRED!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[oldshurst442]

I have a very bad chest cold the last 2-3 days.  Also,   We decided to majorly de-grease and clean the restaurant the last couple of days, while I was sick, so that hasnt been too pleasant on every account. 

 And on my birthday, we as a family did not do anything special, but my wife and kids love me and I am the luckiest guy around because of it...so yeah...thanx for asking my American brotha from anothah mothah. 

@USA-1

[USA-1]

49 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

I thought that the President made the phat phoque of a dictator promise with full pinky swears that he wont be testing and releasing anymore missiles into the air... 

I thought the President declared that he has achieved peace with that phat phoque.    I wanna know what caused the phat phoque to go against that pinky swear that he had with the President?    

OK!!!      I wanna know who released doves in North Korea's air space???!!!     I want that man (or woman)...........FIRED!!!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right? Seoul states, "Unidentified projectiles." So LRM Kim is playing with his erector set again. 😁 All this spesky Coronavirus/COVID-19 international coverage is getting all of the world's attention, as his own people are probably dropping like flies from it. The President knows cry baby Kim isn't a threat, just doesn't like to be ignored...LRM's old school (like NoKo's whole military) way of stating "hey I'm still over here waiting for your call back"  POTUS: "STFU fat phoque I'm busy right now!"

46 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

I have a very bad chest cold the last 2-3 days.  Also,   We decided to majorly de-grease and clean the restaurant the last couple of days, while I was sick, so that hasnt been too pleasant on every account. 

 And on my birthday, we as a family did not do anything special, but my wife and kids love me and I am the luckiest guy around because of it...so yeah...thanx for asking my American brotha from anothah mothah. 

@USA-1

Bummer. Hope you get better soon man!!

[David]

10 hours ago, USA-1 said:

Now we have attention whore little rocket man Kim launching unidentified projectiles in NoKo per Seoul reps, that's all the world needs right now is that dictator moron to deal with. We'll have to deal with him now too, Papa Trump needs to put him over his knee again as he's obviously feeling left out.

Need to Import the Coronavirus19 into the country and all will be ok.  

@oldshurst442 Belated Happy B-Day my friend. Rest and recover. The business can survive a few days without you.

3 hours ago, dwightlooi said:

Don't worry, Orange Man is very smart.

As smart as Bone Spurs on his feet.  

[trinacriabob]

23 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Cigarettes in his chest pocket ... probably Bel Air brand.

14 hours ago, USA-1 said:

Hey @oldshurst442 Happy Birthday Canadian brother from another Mother!! Hope it was a good one man!!

@oldshurst442 How are you spending your birthday, olds?

[oldshurst442]

8 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Cigarettes in his chest pocket ... probably Bel Air brand.

 

@oldshurst442 How are you spending your birthday, olds?

  My birthday was yesterday. 

Saturday, got home from work tired and greasy and in pain (chest and muscles hurt from cleaning the restaurant and from a cold).  Took a shower and I took the family out to dinner to celebrate. We had a nice time. We saw Venom the movie when we got home.

Yesterday, my actual birthday, came home from work tired and greasy and in pain (chest and muscles hurt from cleaning the restaurant and from a cold).  Took a shower. We saw Alien and Aliens.  My wife hates those movies so she went to bed early. My kids, twas the first time they saw it. 

Today.  Sweet phoque all!  Its Spring Break for them, and Im actually staying away from all members. Im being anti-social as I want some needed  "me" time.  Im feeling much better physically, but I need some alone time.  Nothing to do with me aging one more year LOL.  Ive just had a very very rough...month at work and with this cold...I just need to unwind.

But tomorrow...we are going skating!!!  Yeah...I was supposed to go into work but BECAUSE Im feeling better, but Im also feeling a little remorse for being anti-social...I will go skating with  my kids!!!  The wife could come too...but she dont skate. She could stay home and cook if anything.  

[balthazar]

Hold old da kiddos, 442?

[oldshurst442]

27 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Hold old da kiddos, 442?

daughter is 14 and son is 12. 

[trinacriabob]

16 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

daughter is 14 and son is 12. 

Do they speak or understand Greek?

[oldshurst442]

They understand it. They speak it but are too shy to do so if that makes any sense...

I mean, if they are forced to speak Greek, they will do so. But its not as fluid as I speak it. To be fair, at home, we speak English and French more often than we do Greek.   Sad to say. But reality dictates that Greek is not part of our environment. 

Even when we have family get togethers, we speak English more often than not. Its like the sentence is started in English, therefore English would be the language and structure we define our communications with and Greek words are substituted sometimes in place of English ones.  And sometimes French words are also added to the sentences as well.   And that is how my kids "speak" Greek as well...   They will back away from speaking fully Greek though. 

I speak almost perfectly in Greek. I do have a slight anglophone tone when I do speak Greek as opposed to a Greek from Greece. Plus I obviously dont speek Greek lingo from Greece. I also speak Greek at a slower speed than native Greeks do.  But my speed is matched to theirs after a couple of days when Im there. (In Greece) But my anglophone tone remains.  Same with my (Quebec) French. My (Quebec) French is on par with the Frenchies of Quebec, except I got that slight English thing going on. Its ever so slight, but one could tell Im an anglophone. My dad's French was pure laine Quebecois though. And his English was pure Canadian English (Montreal English).   

My English goes from a Montreal English accent to a slight American one. Blame American culture...

 

Edited March 3, 2020 by oldshurst442

[David]

10 minutes ago, oldshurst442 said:

They understand it. They speak it but are too shy to do so if that makes any sense...

I mean, if they are forced to speak Greek, they will do so. But its not as fluid as I speak it. To be fair, at home, we speak English and French more often than we do Greek.   Sad to say. But reality dictates that Greek is not part of our environment. 

Even when we have family get togethers, we speak English more often than not. Its like the sentence is started in English, therefore English would be the language and structure we define our communications with and Greek words are substituted sometimes in place of English ones.  And sometimes French words are also added to the sentences as well.   And that is how my kids "speak" Greek as well...   They will back away from speaking fully Greek though. 

Like the days of Rome so are the end of various languages as humanity moves towards a single communication language. English seems to be the defacto business language and science language.

According to Babbel which I see both Google and Bing point to as the #1 authoritative language we have the following Top 10 most used languages in the world.

1. Chinese - 1.3 billion native speakers
2. Spanish - 460 million native speakers
3. English - 379 million native speakers, 753 million secondary speakers
4. Hindi - 341 million native speakers
5. Arabic - 315 million native speakers
6. Bengali - 228 million native speakers
7. Portuguese - 220 million native speakers
8. Russian - 153 million native speakers
9. Japanese 128 million native speakers
10. Lahnda (western punjabi) - 118 million native speakers

Top ten languages most spoken by people who speak them, we get a different list.

1. English - 1.132 billion speakers
2. Mandarin Chinese - 1.117 billion speakers
3. Hindi - 615 million speakers
4. Spanish - 534 million speakers
5. French - 280 million speakers
6. Standard Arabic - 274 million speakers
7. Bengali - 265 million speakers
8. Russian - 258 million speakers
9. Portuguese - 234 million speakers
10. Indonesian - 199 million speakers

https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/the-10-most-spoken-languages-in-the-world

[balthazar]

Lotta hours! :

[Robert Hall]

This guy's artwork is really cool..love the subject matter..

https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2020/03/03/making-fine-art-of-old-detective-television-show-cars-with-painter-ben-addison/?refer=news&utm_source=edaily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-03-03

[dwightlooi]

22 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

I thought that the President made the phat phoque of a dictator promise with full pinky swears that he wont be testing and releasing anymore missiles into the air... 

I thought the President declared that he has achieved peace with that phat phoque.    I wanna know what caused the phat phoque to go against that pinky swear that he had with the President?    

OK!!!      I wanna know who released doves in North Korea's air space???!!!     I want that man (or woman)...........FIRED!!!  

He sure stopped for the better part of two years and we gave him ZERO sanctions relieve, no nuclear fuel and nothing but a bit of attention. Sure as hell beats paying tribute to the fat arse under Clinton or Obama!

[David]

As much as I and others have our own thoughts on Politics, lets keep this focused on Auto's please.

[David]

Good Read on the review of a 2020 GMC Acadia AT4 edition.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2020-gmc-acadia-review/

Over all they gave it a 8 out of 10 on the grading scale. The reviewer said shocking is that the 9sp transmission is one of the best they ever reviewed and was silky smooth with the V6. 

END RESULT: Quote: A useful segment leading choice.

Over all they really like this auto.

LIKE

• Powerful acceleration
• Superb transmission
• Solid build quality

DON'T LIKE

• No adaptive cruise control
• Some cheap interior bits
• So-so seats

[balthazar]

Pricing on early COEs keeps going up!

[David]

GM Looking to the Future with their 100 year celebration of Futurama.

 

[ccap41]

Maybe Seattle needs more fossil fuels burned in the air, right @ocnblu??

https://www.yahoo.com/news/seattle-ghost-town-residents-face-040500149.html

@dfelt, I'm hoping(and assuming) you and your family are doing alright? 

[David]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Maybe Seattle needs more fossil fuels burned in the air, right @ocnblu??

https://www.yahoo.com/news/seattle-ghost-town-residents-face-040500149.html

@dfelt, I'm hoping(and assuming) you and your family are doing alright? 

It is very weird as I went into the office yesterday and then decided to just work from home as the bulk of my fellow 1200 employees are working from home. The streets are very quiet, people are clearly standing at a distance from everyone and everyone is wiping down their desk, keyboards, mice, etc. using disinfectant wipes.

I was walking down the stairs to the cafeteria to get food yesterday and choked on saliva going down the wrong pipe. Talk about people jumping back and moving away from me. Was way too funny.

F5 network company closed their 44 floor HQ tower due to needing to be sterilized since employees got sick. Amazon had an employee and is cleaning that building and sent out very strict guidelines. Even Dell sent out a notice about no more shaking hands, no hugging, keep your distance and if you feel at all not well to stay home.

Will be an interesting experiment in work from home. I have to wonder how many companies will rethink having a large office if they can get the job done having far more workers work from home.

[balthazar]

Have had my eye on this light post for years. Been in my house not far from it for 28 years now, and tho this was a gas station built in the mid '60s & apparently torn down sometime in the '90s, I don't remember it.
Light is interesting because the post is hinged in the middle, allowing it to be lowered to change the bulbs. It would be a quick project to sink a Sonotube, pour a footing, and install this (repainted) back by my shop. Maybe 1 day the site will be cleaned up and I can snag it.

[trinacriabob]

On 3/2/2020 at 11:35 PM, dfelt said:

Like the days of Rome so are the end of various languages as humanity moves towards a single communication language. English seems to be the defacto business language and science language.

According to Babbel which I see both Google and Bing point to as the #1 authoritative language we have the following Top 10 most used languages in the world.

1. Chinese - 1.3 billion native speakers
2. Spanish - 460 million native speakers
3. English - 379 million native speakers, 753 million secondary speakers
4. Hindi - 341 million native speakers
5. Arabic - 315 million native speakers
6. Bengali - 228 million native speakers
7. Portuguese - 220 million native speakers
8. Russian - 153 million native speakers
9. Japanese 128 million native speakers
10. Lahnda (western punjabi) - 118 million native speakers

Top ten languages most spoken by people who speak them, we get a different list.

1. English - 1.132 billion speakers
2. Mandarin Chinese - 1.117 billion speakers
3. Hindi - 615 million speakers
4. Spanish - 534 million speakers
5. French - 280 million speakers
6. Standard Arabic - 274 million speakers
7. Bengali - 265 million speakers
8. Russian - 258 million speakers
9. Portuguese - 234 million speakers
10. Indonesian - 199 million speakers

Thanks for the chart.  I love this sort of information.  It's amazing that, while only 10 million people live in Portugal, it's the world's 7th language.  The answer is an easy one:  Brazil.

I once read something that said the 2 languages which polled the highest on the "want to learn" list are French and Italian.  That's "want" as opposed to what people ultimately do.  The second list bumps up French quite a bit.  Most high school and university students in this country study Spanish.  

I took a lot of French in high school and a little bit of Spanish in college.  Most people forget what they learned.  I never did.  It sure has come in handy.  Guess what, folks?  You go to Quebec or Argentina, for example, and speak to the locals fairly proficiently in THEIR language ... and you will be treated even better.

I should have asked @oldshurst442  Qu'est-ce que avez-vous fait pour ton anniversaire?  I'll ask 442 this because I know ocnblu wouldn't want to field the same question in another language.

[ocnblu]

3 hours ago, dfelt said:

work from home

Good thing, I hear Seattle authoritays are strongly recommending ppl over the age of 60 should stay home as much as possible.  You shouldn't chance it at your advanced age.

2 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Qu'est-ce que avez-vous fait pour ton anniversaire?  I'll ask 442 this because I know ocnblu wouldn't want to field the same question in another language.

Well I had two yerrs of French tongue action in high school but I am a bit rusty.

Did you ask him "How was your birthday?" or "What did you do for your birthday?"  Please reply avec anglais.  Merci gopoop.

Edited March 5, 2020 by ocnblu

[oldshurst442]

@trinacriabob

Je n'ai rien fait de spécial pour mon anniversaire.  Merci d'avoir demandé. 

@ocnblu

She asked me what I did for my birthday.  (Il veut etre repondu avec la langue des tetes carrées )

Ici, on parle francais, mon tabarnak!!!  (Ive heard that a few times...) 

 

 

 

[ocnblu]

So you did not do anything special for your birthday.  Thanks for asking.

You replied with the language of... something

Here, I'll speak French, my tabarnak.  What the heck is a tabarnak I don't even know.

 

Thanks for the refresher, mon petit pomme de terre

[oldshurst442]

52 minutes ago, ocnblu said:

So you did not do anything special for your birthday.  Thanks for asking.

You replied with the language of... something

Here, I'll speak French, my tabarnak.  What the heck is a tabarnak I don't even know.

 

Thanks for the refresher, mon petit pomme de terre

OK...

The first sentence was correct.

In brackets, because you wanted to be replied en anglais. I responded in kind:  "He wants to be answered with the language of the square heads."   

What is a square head?  Its a derogatory term the French have for the English that dont speak french. Why tete carree? (Square head)  It goes deeper than just anglophones not speaking french or not willing to speak french...but yeah...English people are square heads (block heads, stiff upper lips versus la joie de vivre the French have got...) 

French Frog versus Tete Carree.    

Its not:  "Here, Ill speak French"

Its: "Here, we speak French"

When an English speaking person (In Quebec) refuses to speak French and speaks only English (before anyone passes judgement on French Canadians, they need to understand why the Quebecois have become so defending of their language and culture in Quebec...one has to know the history between the British colonies in North America and the wars with the French colonists and so forth all the way to the early 1900s up until WW2)  

So...Ici on parle francais.  Here, in Quebec...we speak French!!!  

Tabarnak!   

A Church Tabernacle. Same spelling in French, but Quebec slang/lingo and how its pronounced its tabarnak.  And its a swear word. Quebec swear words and swearing are really, truly blasphemous and sacrilegious.   And the way I said it there, it puts an exclamation point that  HERE!!!  We PHOQUING speak french...TABARNAK! 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by oldshurst442

[ocnblu]

Whatev mon petit pomme de terre

[oldshurst442]

Ça, ce n'est pas gentil, mon ami. 

Parler plusieurs langues est un talent qui doit etre honoré plutot que de laissé de coté comme si ce n'était rien de spécial ...

Désolé....mais ça fait pitier.