trinacriabob

Stop being so Canadian and apologizing! I, for one, am rarely offended. It's hard to separate humor from political correctness, so let it roll (laissez les bon temps rouler). So it goes like this: the virus started in China, so it was a Chinese virus it then got transported to Italy in 2 ways - 1 person from Wuhan repatriating to Italy (Lombardy, in the north) and 2 tourists from China staying near the Colosseum (Rome, in the center) * there rea also contact traces where there was some movement between Germany and Italy related to work and that caused it to spread * so, it is now an Italian virus and the EU hates them the south of the country got its first cases a month later - 1 person, a mother, returning to the east coast of Sicily after visiting the kids in Lombardy and 1 person in Palermo, on the northwest coast, who was vacationing from Lombardy so, to the south, it's a northern Italian virus ... and southern Italians think northern Italians are cold and structured while the northern Italians think the southern Italians are unruly and unfiltered then, somebody who may have been in China returns to the Seattle area and WA state is at the center of the spotlight so, in the U.S., it's a Pacific Northwest virus the West Coast puts a lid of sorts on it, but cases in tri-state NYC skyrocket so, in the U.S., it's now a New York virus and, to the world, it's now an American virus - - - - - To put some humor into this, I can only think of the commercial for Pace picante sauce. Some dude is getting food in what might be a diner in Texas and gets a hot sauce that looks odd. They are probably thinking it's Tex-Mex or from across the border. Then, together, they examine the label on the Pace picante sauce and it comes from a company headquartered in New York. So, in unison, they exclaim with a twang: "New York City?!?" You know some rednecks in the U.S. are thinking that exact same thing right now.

I saw this before but it came back up and I saw it again. I don't understand it. And I don't see it. If they eliminate the Malibu, or whatever that niche of car would be named going forward, GM will have no product to offer to the rental and salesperson fleet markets. The Malibu shores up the segment above it and beneath it, when they chose to eliminate the Chevy full-size and compact. What I don't understand is how, with boomers growing in numbers among retirees, the demand for sedans dwindles as much as they say it has. I agree that it'll see a refresh in about 2 years, and maybe continue on for a few more years. However, I think that a similar vehicle will be slotted into the Malibu's spot, possibly with a different type of powerplant (electric or other variant) and with a different name. I sort of thought the name "Malibu" was a detriment. At times in its history, it has been a dowdy car. Moving over to Buick, I think that their naming a German produced sport sedan "Regal," which has had even dowdier chapters in its history, was a misfire. I think some nameplates need to go away. They can come up with other ones. It's called brainstorming. As successful as the Cutlass was, Olds was smart to shelve that nameplate and rename their new midsize product the Intrigue.

I had meant to put the second half of the above post in Random Thoughts. Sorry about that.

@Robert Hall I presume the second one is a NON-N95 dust mask. I have some of those. What I've been doing is doubling them up when I go to get groceries or go to the post office. I don't keep it on for a long time. It's more confining and uncomfortable than just one, which doesn't offer much protection. - - - - - Okay, folks, I want everyone (assuming they are practicing their faiths) in church for Easter. I'm still trying to get over this. I think that, no matter how hard it is, people should plan on April 30, at the very least, which is 18 days beyond Easter. Just recently, Mark Cuban beat around the bush and said he wasn't ruling out a run. This worries me. Isn't one reality show star enough in the most important office in the land (or the world)? The problem is that the idiots (who are far from rich) who like this sort of stuff and lack critical thinking skills vote for ultra rich narcissists who sell them the populist line of crap ... yet don't give a crap about them. Then, if this is even tenable, how about Kevin O'Leary being a possible PM choice for our northern neighbors? Please break this worrisome trend, folks.

I recall there being a Cortina years ago, most likely a Ford product for the foreign market. - - - - - About the current downer subject, I was looking at the global caseload map ... the shaded one. The Southern Hemisphere caseload is a lot smaller. There are cases but, for the numbers of people, they aren't as high as in the Northern Hemisphere. This makes me wonder if what they say about UV rays and higher temperature (over 30C/86F) is helping the fight. In Brazil, which has over 200 million people, there are about 12,000 cases ... at this time. Our April is their October. It's hard to look away even if you try.

Saw this photo and thought it was funny. Don't know why. It's the central square (more of a rotunda) with Sofia, Bulgaria's Orthodox cathedral in the middle of it. Don't remember what brand of car that is. I can almost hear one of those French sounding ambulances somewhere in the background.

Love most Firebirds but that front fascia ruined the '77 and '78 models, IMO. Had it been a little more subtle, it might have worked. Their switching over to rectangular lamps was a good design decision, though.

No. Being high-line Germanic and relying on its storied heritage will get it to be billed that way, though. I don't like this dash, just like I didn't like the boring and utilitarian dash of the BMW 3## series of that same era. Now, I would take cloth seats, like those shown, over leather any day of the week and twice on Sundays. Right after college, a friend of mine bought a nice house in the suburbs and a Mercedes 190. It was always in the shop. He said that they were "throw-away cars."

Bill Withers passed away a few days ago. He was 81. It was caused by other health issues and not related to the current pandemic. He had three big songs, among others, but two were sort of downers ("Lean on Me" and "Ain't No Sunshine"). That leaves this one as his best song, IMO: R.I.P. Mr. Withers

Today was my first trip to get groceries in April. There are more masked and gloved customers in the stores. Adults seem to be evaluating other people's masks (preformed/cupped, home made cloth, and purchased across the face types), just like little kids in school look to see who has the best lunch pails. At the first supermarket, people were very well behaved. Then, I went to a drug store chain I like. As I was walking in, an older lady with a noticeable enough white trash quotient comes stumbling out of the store, and coughs ... and then later coughs again. She did not bother to aim for her elbow. She was walking under the covered walkway, so I walked over to area behind the cars to approach the store. As I was about to walk in, I happened to make eye contact with a person in the handicapped spot waiting in his car and we both shook our heads at what we just saw. It's people who choose to remain oblivious to what we are told, and is spelled out for us, that are hindering most well intentioned people's efforts.

I got lube, oil, and filter service before this all got out of whack. I now wonder how the mechanics or dealers will deal with cars when they have to work on them. They will have to touch the steering wheel, the keys, the shifter, etc. and will have to go in and out of the limited airspace of the passenger cabin to start it, check how it's running, move it, etc. The same applies to the customers and their cars. I'm trying to look for some humor in the fact that I might be cutting my own hair for the first time and it will be without one of those contraptions you see for $39.99 on an infomercial.

Now the media is focusing on shopping. They are giving all these guidelines. More people are covering their faces somehow. The media both helps and hurts. After health workers and first responders get access to masks, sanitizing products, and the like, these products should become more available to the general public as a slow trickle. As much as I like to keep my tank above half, I will be consolidating shopping/errands and refueling a lot less.

Nice. Where did you acquire those skills? @oldshurst442 I'm going to give this one a phonetic try - I R O V I A P O L L A' ? This is one that I like: ^ A ^ A P I A (where the ^ is lambda) ... an easier one for a visitor to figure out It's a beautiful place, too: L A L A R I A, the white beach on the island of Skiathos in the Sporades archipelago.

It's like a vehicle full of Granny Clampetts.

Things helping us in the fight against COVID-19 - technology (more advanced) and information (for scientists to tap into and to keep people informed) Things hurting us in the fight against COVID-19 - mobility - 100 years ago (~ 1918) there were fewer cars, buses, subway vehicles, and commercial air travel was not an option - you just stayed in your neck of the woods I so badly would like to go out to get a cup of coffee or tea ... and sit in there while I'm doing that.

The fluorescent lights and beige cloth covered walls can be soul sucking. If they design those spaces with people in mind, they can lower those beige cloth walls down to 3 or 3.5 feet and it opens up the room. I don't know if, in that industry, you need the walls to pin up a lot of information. File cabinets can also be tucked underneath. Cube city is just a cop out because it's mass produced and cheap. I don't think it's good for morale over the long haul.

Spotted this in the parking lot at Lowe's. It's either a 2002 or 2003 Pontiac GP, the final year for the coupe. This model was born as a coupe and no one would have imagined they'd make a sedan out of one. I came very close to buying one in the summer of 2003. I was in Spokane WA visiting a childhood friend, and had to make myself scarce until the end of the work day. I go to a Barnes and Noble and then wander over to an adjacent Pontiac dealership. They had a GT coupe like this and it was discounted beyond belief. (Had it been a Subaru, they wouldn't have needed to do that.) Since home was about 300 miles away, I could have driven off in it. I chose to pass. Good decision. But I've got a soft spot for the last Grand Prix coupe.

I also saw this at the dealership. It's the sticker on a new Malibu FL. Is this a new model? FL meant "fleet" and it was being held at the extreme edge of the property, where I found a parking spot. Check out the better flexibility for fleet ordering - 2 better priced and separate driver confidence packages and the power seat is available as a stand alone item. It came with the rally wheels. The only obvious thing missing was a leather steering wheel. Okay price, I guess.

Saw two interesting cars today: In the supermarket parking lot, a guy was getting into an "old" Riv that had temporary plates. I asked him if it was a '91 or a '92. It was a '92. He told me it was sapphire blue metallic (the darker metallic blue) and it had blue leather bucket seats. He said it had a little over 60,000 original miles and he got it for about $3,500. He was beaming about it. It all looked good except that it had the padded blue landau roof that cluttered up the lines of the side rear passenger window and the rear back lite. These cars looked better without vinyl tops. At a dealership to look for a part, I saw this classic. Wow. It was a 1983 and ran with the 5.0 (307 c.i.) V8. I didn't get a photo of it, but the Brougham interior was equally in perfect condition. It was hard to fit this Olds 98 (aka "la cathedrale roulante") into the photo.

Was at Dollar Tree picking up some basic items on Saturday. I saw a new black Hyundai Sonata in the parking lot. I thought about it. It was ugly.

I see news stories of people in the South (LA) and in "the South" (FL) who are violating social distancing rules and holding church services. Stooo-pid. I guess the concept that "God helps those who help themselves" doesn't resonate with them. This is problematic when, in mid-March, prior to all the protocols taking effect, a choir ensemble two counties north of Seattle met to rehearse. It didn't turn out good. On the bright side: J&J is identifying vaccine candidates for trials in September. The FDA approved the use of the anti-malaria drug to treat COVID-19 patients with active cases. Some famous people have bounced back - Sophie Trudeau - mid-40s, Tom Hanks and his wife - early 60s (he is diabetic type 2) ... they evidently took the very long flight from Australia to get back to Los Angeles. We'll definitely hear more as more VIP types heal up. Holding good thoughts ...

Je connais le funiculaire - un fois! Mieux pour les personnes qu'ont fait son retraite. Il n'y a pas de paquebots de croisiere durant l'hiver ...

There is or was a funicular in DTLA dubbed "Angel's Flight." It transported people from the flat part of downtown up to Bunker Hill. You really can't tell what's Bunker Hill since so much grading has gone on and it's basically where the towers of the Financial District now stand. - - - This really annoys me. You go to the dumpster and see so many cardboard boxes in there. How about breaking them up into pieces and recycling them weekly or biweekly? Ditto for looking into a trash can and seeing empty plastic water bottles and aluminum cans. When you're at IKEA, the bellwether of Nordic efficiency, you will also see empty plastic bottles and aluminum cans. It's even worse at IKEA when labeled containers are right next to each other. What's wrong with people? One of our country's biggest hazards is stupidity. If people can't figure out how to recycle the basics, how are they going to figure out how to protect themselves and their loved ones?

I don't trust some of the reporting ... at all. I'm talking China and Russia. China's numbers almost appear frozen and Russia's seem too low. Russians have traveled freely to Western Europe and some EU airports now show signage in the country's language, English, Chinese (probably that, instead of Japanese), and Cyrillic characters (so probably Russian). The weekend days are allocated to getting the necessary staples. Off to do just that. very balthazar

Thank you for the comic relief. This is analogous to those movies where they are chasing each other around the table or the pirate/wench chase scenario on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disney. The ride has been altered, given that many people are so uptight in the New Millennium.