trinacriabob

Wondering when the new Boeing 747-8i is to make its debut as Air Force One. Doing some reminiscing and found a photo of Varig Brasil's jumbo. Brazil's flag carrier hasn't operated in a long time, but they were definitely THE Brazilian airline, even with nonstops from LAX to GRU (Sao Paulo), and maybe even Rio. Here's their 747-300 approaching the south runway at LAX: Here's their very last livery, with the jumbo flying in front of Sugarloaf Mountain and Rio's beaches on approach to GIG (Rio de Janeiro International)

I ignored the cars. They're not my style. However, I like and am getting used to the new skyline of Lower Manhattan. Sooner than later, I want to go to the observatory at the top. I've gone to the upper level of the previous WTC twice - in 1984 and 1996. I've never been to the Empire State Building, but I've walked past it. The WTC site has a much nicer position, with views of the harbor, other boroughs, and more of the bridges. Also, downtown Manhattan can be really cool on an off-peak Sunday because it was surprisingly quiet. I've actually parked my Cutlass on or near Wall Street for free, walked to Battery Park, and boarded the Staten Island ferry, which is a great adventure in and of itself. It was also a relief from being at the house of my eccentric but brilliant NYU schooled chemist uncle, where the lodging was free. I've always found that NYers are goofier, funnier, more direct, and friendlier than one might think. OTOH, Chicagoans are defensive about their city and area to the point of coming across as insecure. You can have the Windy City. I got my hands on a National Geographic when I was a kid, and saw how all the boroughs are laid out, on islands, with water all around, and with topography and knew this city and metro area were a gem. Four out of five of NYC's boroughs are on islands. Only the Bronx is attached to the very bottom part of New York state.

It didn't used to be, but today is always a difficult day. Never forget.

Rest in peace, Queen Elizabeth II ... it would have been nice to see both the Queen and Prince Philip become centenarians. Like most Americans, I do not follow the royals, but one good memory of the Queen would be her christening of the QE2 some 55 years ago, in 1967. The superstructure would need to be completed and outfitted after the launch of the hull. The ship - the famed QE2 - was finished and first sailed to NYC in 1969. They haven't been sliding them into the water for decades. They build them in dry dock and then "add water." Also, the champagne bottle HAS TO break. It would be bad luck if it didn't, they say. There wasn't all the technology we have today, but, in many regards, these were probably simpler and better times.

You got them all, and you got them in ascending order, by division! There we go: unified grille on Chevy and Buick, split grille on Pontiac and Olds I doubt that these were anything but reliable ... you can probably get an in-line 6 in all of the base models ... maybe even a "3 on the tree" (lol) but I hope people wouldn't have done that! I liked the curved and mirror-imaged taillamps on LeMans coupes that had the finned back lites, say around '67. A good many of those seemed to have 326 motors.

@David The price point is also a little high. Or it can go there quickly.

I just saw this photo. I had completely forgotten that they made these and couldn't even generate an image of it in my head if told about it. Cutlasses couple sales far exceeded sedan sales in several of its generational designs. However, it's not totally ugly. They did the best they could with it.

Put French onion dip in front of me and I become dangerous.

Good photo, but I don't know what I think about this car. I only know one person who has a Stinger. It is the first year model and it appears to be working out fine.

Good ... a September thread is up and running. Seen on the 1st of the month while driving through a borderline industrial / residential area. I couldn't believe it. I had to turn back! 1980 was a good stepping stone from the oversized headlamp 1978-1979 models to the 1981 shovel nose refresh, which sounds like a negative but was definitely successful. Except for the windshield, the aftermarket exhaust, and those too wide whitewalls, this Cutlass Supreme Brougham coupe is in great shape. I wondered which engine it had, but I wasn't about to go knocking on doors to find out. Seeing this view from off in the distance is what got me to drive around again. If anything, this 1980-only treatment really connected this smaller model to the highly successful 1976 model with quad rectangular lamps and twin waterfall grilles.

I almost forgot about this one. It was really obnoxious and stereotypical, but hilarious. (In this live rendition, he involves the audience) This guy's fame turned on a dime, and he got rich off this one song skyrocketing.

Yes, I have had the Elantra and Forte as rentals several times. I believe I've had an Optima once. When it comes to Hyundai and Kia, I almost like their Accent and Rio, respectively, more. They're like personal go karts. Sadly, those have gone from 6 speed automatics to CVTs. I've had rentals with both types of transmissions.

All this talk and arguing about Toyota ... what a coincidence. I had to rent a car for two days just a few days ago. I had requested a compact. When I got there, I told the rental agent I preferred something with a trunk. So, he gave me a Camry, which I had rented in Houston a year or two ago and reviewed here. So, I live with this car for 2 days and take it out of town. The driving was 65% interstate, 25% two-lane rural highway with some stops and speed zones, and 10% stop and go city driving. I got 35.9 mpg - or let's just say 36 mpg. (Had it been all interstate, it would have pushed 40 mpg). They were able to do this with with 2.5 liters worth of engine, no turbocharger, and an 8 speed automatic transmission, which is the best part of this powertrain. For this, I give Toyota some credit. I like my own car with over 100,000 miles much more than this car, but I sure don't have many options on what to buy these days. (I'm not looking to open up a discussion on EVs and the future right now ... I'm just venting). I'll say that, compared to my GM car, you feel the cheapness when you slam the doors shut or have to use the prop rod to keep the hood up. If the few cars I sort of like can be purchased new within the window of time I foresee, I will be somewhat happy about that. (I recently learned the VW Passat is also gone, and I like the Passat much more than any Asian car of the same size.) If not, and I wind up buying one of the remaining sedans left on the market I'm lukewarm about, it looks like I will have gone from loving cars to merely liking them.

Heard this last week at a restaurant ... heard it tonight at a restaurant. This is one goofy song that stays with you for a while after you hear it.

I was randomly thinking what an epic commercial this was some 10 years ago ...

For everyone mentioning shingles, the reason some might have gone for an update is because, in the last 5 or so years, they went from the one injection regimen to Shingrix, a two injection regimen. I got the Shingrix series a few years ago ... one less thing to worry about, I hope.

The FDA has approved the enhanced Moderna booster. Retail pharmacies are expecting to see it come in. I routinely get my flu shot Labor Day weekend and plan to get this Moderna booster at the end of the month, even if I need to travel to a hick town and then eat in some off the beaten path gem that would make it onto 'Diners and Dives,' or whatever that series is called. Also, since I plan to be in the NYC area in the near future, I may go ahead and get that once only adult polio booster mid-month, especially if it's covered and/or not too expensive.

Man, who gets this footage with these vantage points?!? That is a very retro livery for TAP. This is a tough airport to land in, at the water's edge of this Portuguese island 600 miles off the coast of Portugal, and very popular with UK and German tourists. It's the narrow runway, wind, and fog. I was thinking the pilot would do a go around instead of putting the wheels down.

It's what I did yesterday. For my car: I dropped by Costco to find out about the new Michelin sale cycle and look at (not kick) some tires. Most of the time, the guys who work there are fairly cool and a few times you get the boorish meathead type. The guy who helped me was very cool. New Michelin Defenders, or Michelin equivalent, will be my September project. For me: I did the "express" "Costco lunch" and then went to "Cafe 150" for a dog and drink.

I can handle Toyotas and, with the lack of American cars in the market niches they do serve, they are beginning to look even better. However, what I cannot handle is the brown/tan aesthetic of any of the population centers in the Mountain West. I might even include the Central Valley of California. - - - - - The random but practical thought I really wanted to share: I just got my flyer from Costco. In a few days, the Michelin sale cycle is on, with $150 off when buying 4 tires. That's essentially 4 tires for the price of 3 in my world, meaning the tire size I need for my daily driver. Check your specific Costco market area if this is of interest to you.

I also like the Dreamliner. I've only flown on it twice - from LAX to DFW, within the U.S, and from LPA to MAD, within Spain. I like the bins, ceiling treatments, bigger windows, and more "humid" cabin ... great for the sinuses. I wondered why they couldn't make the Dreamliner 2-4-2 seating in economy. Then, the light bulb came on. Duh. Simple math: 2+4+2=8 and 3+3+3=9. So, maybe they could have made the Dreamliner a little bit longer and gone 2-4-2 with in economy! I'll decide after I fly on a Dreamliner on a long flight, like across the ocean. So, you got to fly upstairs on the 747. I'm guessing this was after the era of the spiral staircase. I got to fly up there once, too, but Air France had made the upper level premium economy and used a larger part of the first level ahead of the wing for first and business class. I got upgraded on the American side without even asking for it. The agent at check-in saw that I had red-eyed the night before for the connection and would be red-eying again on this flight, so he put me upstairs. Mostly, the French and French-Canadians have always treated me well and the stereotype doesn't hold up well, at least for me!

The last 2 big American carriers to hang onto a 747(-400): Delta and United. They would fly them on routes from their American gateway cities to major international destinations and Hawai'i. I believe they were discontinued just within the last 5 years. Delta United Of these 2 holdouts, I only few on United's jumbo once ... from Washington DC (connecting location) to Frankfurt. When the plane was newer, every major American carrier had one and they were using them from coast to coast, or part of the way ... to Chicago. @oldshurst442 Air Canada also had them for a long time, and it was basically the same thing - from Toronto to places like Frankfurt and London. Everyone had gone to an all white livery with no window striping by the end of the chapter.

After a few false starts where I started watching it and turned it off because it was tedious and a long movie, I watched "Gone Girl" in its entirety. That movie contains enough material about dysfunction for a handful of doctoral dissertations in psychology. Whew.

I'm at over 70,000 miles on my Michelin Defenders. ... rotated every 5,000 to 6,000 miles, and just front to back. I'd say 85% of those miles were on interstates, and all of it was conservative driving. They are 80,000 mile tires, but the tread life warranty ends at 5 years. I'm not complaining.

I didn't know of a polio booster but the CDC site says there is such a thing, though it doesn't surprise me ... even for adults who have been vaccinated. It is addressed by the very last sentence under "Adults." https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/polio/public/index.html It seems I have read about an uptick in polio and tuberculosis in the greater NYC area. - - - - - My car also needs tires and my Michelins have lasted an incredibly long time. I'm waiting because I want another set of Michelin Defenders. I'm hoping this will be the last set of tires I will be buying for this car.