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A Blog About Cars ... And Everything Else That Catches My Eye Featuring pixels 53% more colorful than bargain-brand blogs |
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Tuesday July 30, 2013 Autosketch: 1953 Cadillac Le Mans - Low Slung Dream
The Cadillac Le Mans was a low-slung, sporty two-seater concept car which debuted as part of the GM Motorama at New York's Waldorf-Astoria in January, 1953. It is difficult to imagine the impact of the Motoramas in those heady days. These extravaganzas showcased the products of the mighty General Motors. In those days, GM had over 50% market share in the U.S. Public interest in GM's offerings was so great that, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm on January 21, over 12,000 visitors passed through the Waldorf exhibit, totally ignoring the televised swearing-in of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ike rode in a white '53 Cadillac Eldorado convertible in Washington's post-inaugural parade. In 1953, GM exhibited ... (more >>>) It's Your Money ... mine too: Special Inspector General Christy Romero reported on the U.S. Treasury's remaining stake in General Motors. The Fed is still the owner of 14% of GM and taxpayers remain $18.1 billion in the hole. Romero's calculations indicate GM stock would need to climb to $95.51 for taxpayers to be made whole. Current stock price is around $37 per share. Book Review: I Hate Everyone ... Starting With Me' by Joan Rivers I don't care if Joan Rivers is profane, tasteless and vulgar; she makes me laugh. My friend Steve P. and I are the only two straight men in America who openly admit to watching 'Fashion Police'. And it's all because of Ms. Rivers. We are indeed Joan Rangers. That said, how could I not like this book? A selection of the gems within ... (more >>>) After A Month Of This Dimwit, They'll Probably Bomb Pearl Harbor Again: President Obama has formally nominated Caroline Kennedy - aka Ms. Clueless - as the next American ambassador to Japan. But, she claims to be skilled at hailing her own cabs. From Those Wonderful Folks Who Brought Us 9/11: Last week, President Obama celebrated the conclusion of the Ramadan fast by saying, "Throughout our history, Islam has contributed to the character of our country." Huh? What history book is has this moron been reading anyway? America was founded by Christians who embraced Judeo-Christian values. I don't remember any Moorish Pilgrims just as I don't recall any Sikhs at Valley Forge or Buddhists signing the Declaration of Independence. Islam's 'contribution' has brought us terrorists, pedophiles, wife beaters, female genital mutilators and disgusting cab drivers washing their filthy feet in airport men's room sinks. I'll concede this: The Barbary pirates, who claimed Islam gave them license to attack infidels, did help give rise to the U.S. Marine Corps. And, I suppose one could also say that Osama bin Laden stimulated the building construction business in Manhattan. In a related revision-of-history story, Obama also believes that Ho Chi Minh was inspired by America’s founding fathers. Unreal. Political News: Anthony Weiner is a progressive, a Democrat and a serial pervert. Worse yet, his wife and enabler, Huma Abedin, was employed by a documented terrorist organization and Hillary Clinton - at the same time. Oh, and ... a fellow perv, Bill Clinton, presided over Weiner and Abedin's wedding in 2010. Why is the mainstream media failing to report this? And furthermore, Anthony Weiner may have violated federal law when he failed to disclose his lavish six-figure wedding in his financial disclosure forms. Neither Weiner nor Abedin had the resources to pay for the ultra-expensive, $250,000+ wedding, yet neither recorded gifts on their Financial Disclosure Reports for that year. Quote Of The Day is from the late columnist Earl Wilson: "Always remember, money isn't everything - but also remember to make a lot of it before talking such fool nonsense." Friday July 26, 2013
"Most cars seem to have one redeeming feature that saves them from the depths of vehicular Hades. This has none. It does nothing better than a Fusion, costs as much as a decently equipped 3-Series, and displays the kind of QC issues that one would have expected from a Korean auto maker a decade ago. In such a competitive marketplace, this is a disgrace." In city driving, the MKZ delivered 16 mpg. On premium. With a four-cylinder motor. By comparison, my V8-powered Lexus LS has never delivered less than 19 mpg on a tank of gas. Usually, it's more like 21-22 mpg - 24 or better on the freeway. The tested MKZ example featured a fuel filler door "that spontaneously pops open every morning and hangs like a limp appendage." There were the usual complaints about the touch screen controls on MyLincoln Touch. The same kind ... (more >>>)
I had a pretty good ride although there was road construction in a couple of spots - another sign of summer. How Do You Say 'Ugly' In Italian? Zagato, a venerable Italian coachbuilder and design house, has constructed an Aston Martin DBS Zagato Centennial Coupe. Thankfully it's a one-off. Looking like a cross between a badly-customized Volvo P1800 and some sketches from some eight-grader's 1967 notebook, the resultant A-M looks awful from every angle. It has been sold to a Japanese collector - apparently a wealthy, blind fellow. The Jobless Recovery: Malcolm Berko explains the still-dismal state of employment in the U.S. "At year's end 2007 (before the economy collapsed), 63.6% of the working-age population was employed. This number declined to 58.2% by year's end 2011, and today this number, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 58.6%. This number has barely changed in the past 21 months and defines the failure of our economic policies since 2007. New jobs are always created; old jobs are always destroyed. ... The net number of jobs has actually increased since the recession bottomed, but so has the size of the working population. And though the unemployment rate has declined, the percentage of the population that is working has remained at 58.6. So current job growth rate is just enough to keep 58.6% of the working-age population employed but not enough to get back the jobs lost during the Great Recession." Meanwhile, Obama is running around America telling people that everything is just swell. Pay no attention to that Detroit bankruptcy thing; it's probably Bush's fault. Benghazi, IRS targeting, NSA snooping et al are a bunch of "phony scandals." In a speech this week, the president concluded that we should seek out an Ocean of Tomorrows and a Sky Of Tomorrows, whatever the hell that means. Sounds like it was lifted from a rejected 1935 Flash Gordon radio script. Maybe Biden could play Ming the Merciless. Probably Killer Rabbits: Potential assassins have threatened the life of Jimmy Carter multiple times since he left the White House in 1981, according to a new book.
Joke Of The Day: Q: What do they use frozen band-aids for? A: Cold cuts. Wednesday July 24, 2013 Milestone: On Monday, the odometer of my wife's 2005 Toyota Avalon reached the 50,000 mark.
During its eight-and-a-half years, the Avalon has remained trouble-free. (permalink)
I spent part of yesterday morning running errands in town. At 11:00 am, the clouds dissipated and blue sky appeared. Since the closed road I referred to last week had reopened, it was a good time to take a drive in my '39 Plymouth coupe. The temperature was in the mid 60s and the roads were mostly empty during my back road loop. The car seemed peppier than usual and I actually grabbed rubber taking off from a four-way stop sign. During my travels, I saw a 1960s-era MGB headed my way from the other direction. Yep, it was a good day for an old car drive.
I remember him best from the awesome '80s television series, 'Crime Story'. Book Review: 'Grand Central: How a Train Station Transformed America' by Sam Roberts I enjoyed this book from the time I began reading Pete Hamill's Foreword to the very end. OK, it did bog down a little during the preservationist section, probably because that is of minimal interest to me. Otherwise, it was a swell read. 'Grand Central' is a rich, illustrated - and entertaining - history of the iconic Grand Central Terminal in New York City, written just in time to celebrate the train station's 100th anniversary. It is a small but surprisingly heavy book due to the use of thick glossy pages. Appropriate photographs are ... (more >>>) Happy Birthday to my lovely and loving wife. Thought For Today: Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark. Professionals built the Titanic. Monday July 22, 2013 Motor City Meltdown: The city of Detroit declared itself bankrupt last week - the largest municipal bankruptcy case in U.S. history. The blighted metropolis is a mess. Detroit has an unemployment rate of 20%. The homicide rate is one of the highest in the nation. Detroiters wait an average of 58 minutes for police to respond to a call; the national average is 9-11 minutes. 40% of the city's street lights are out. 78,000 structures within the city limits have been abandoned and Detroit is in the red for $18 billion or so.
The mighty municipality that once produced shiny new automobiles at a rate higher than anywhere else on earth is now a shadow of its former self. Blogger Dewey from Detroit - who actually lives in the Motor City - wrote, "What sort of malignant, greedy, hateful racists would not only allow this once magnificent city to self-immolate but actively participate in its demise through racist acts of willful negligence and outright theft? The usual kind, our leaders: Coleman A. Young, Kwame Kilpatrick." Black politicians ... (more >>>) An Important Statistic To Remember: In the 513 days between Travor Martin's death and the George Zimmerman verdict, 11,106 blacks were murdered by other blacks in the U.S. In related news, it's been rumored that George Zimmerman is changing is name to Ben Ghazi so that Obama and the media will never mention him again. Cuban Missile Crisis II: Last week, Panama has detained a North Korean-flagged ship after it was found to be carrying undeclared weapons hidden underneath sugar containers. Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli said the ship, the Chong Chon Gang, was intercepted as it approached the Panama Canal from Cuba and as it was stopped the 35-man crew rioted and the captain tried to kill himself. The 'sophisticated missile equipment', hidden in containers of brown sugar, were found onboard. Martinelli said the undeclared military cargo appeared to include missiles and non-conventional arms and the ship was violating United Nations resolutions against arms trafficking. George Bush was right. There is an Axis of Evil and they're working together - against America. Fun Trip: My grandson just returned from his Great European Adventure. Quote Of The Day is from Ayn Rand: "We are fast approaching the stage of the ultimate inversion: the stage where the government is free to do anything it pleases, while the citizens may act only by permission." Thursday July 18, 2013 Resurrecting Oldsmobile: If Elliot Spritzer and Anthony Weiner can be brought back to life politically, maybe Oldsmobile can be revived too. Last week's 'Sharknado' was a made-for-TV, cheesy-but-compelling shark thriller in which a tornado of killer sharks strikes Los Angeles and the hungry, toothy man-eaters devour a slew of clueless Californians. Sharkmainia ensued all over the internet. I'm sure GM has the tooling for the Oldsmobile Toronado lying around somewhere. The General should put a shark front end on it, paint it in shark colors (white underbelly, fade to blue sides and top), like the Corvette Mako Shark II - as seen and photographed by me at the 1966 New York Auto Show - and sell it as the Oldsmobile Sharkonado.
I think ... (more >>>) Bad Dealership Experiences For Prospective Buyers: A recent survey showed that the auto brands Scion, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Chrysler and Lincoln had the highest percentage of dealerships that rated poorly in consumer shopping satisfaction. Maybe His Road Manager Will Just Tell Him He's In Atlanta: Stevie Wonder swears he won't be performing in Florida anytime soon. In the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal, the singer said he would not be performing in the Sunshine State until its Stand Your Ground law - which had nothing to do with the Zimmerman trial - is "abolished." Five Zimmerman jurors were white and one juror was Hispanic. The only black juror was axed by the prosecution because he or she watched Fox News and, therefore, didn't fit the black stereotype sought by the state. "Helloooooooo, Georgia!!!!" Heh-heh. Book Review: 'How to Make A Million Dollars An Hour: Why Hedge Funds Get Away with Siphoning Off America's Wealth' by Les Leopold The premise of this book is that hedge funds make money by taking it from "the rest of us." I'm glad that I'm not a paid reviewer because I'd ... (more >>>) Bad Pun Of The Day: If you jumped off a bridge in Paris, you'd be in Seine. Tuesday July 16, 2013
During my drive, I spotted a Lincoln Mark LT pickup truck - a beast one rarely sees on the road around these parts. Offered between 2005 and '08, total U.S. sales totaled around than 35,000 over four years. On Saturday, we received a notice that the main/only road south of our development would be closed for a week, starting Tuesday. Since Monday dawned sunny and bright, I hopped in the Plymouth and took another drive on my favorite loop while I still could. At 9:30 am, the temperature was already 65 degrees. I had an enjoyable trip; I love Northwest summers. The War On Coal: As part of its continued regulatory onslaught, the Obama administration said it was moving forward with the decision to further regulate power plant emissions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and "improve the air quality of the country." Regulations from the ... (more >>>) Restaurant Review: Lil' Cooperstown Pub & Grill; West Linn, OR This baseball-themed sports bar features great, pub-style food (in taste, variety and portion size), served promptly by friendly wait staff. This establishment is known for ... (more >>>) Question Of The Day: If Quakers are such pacifists, how come Quaker Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice are shot from guns? Monday July 15, 2013 Regime Change: No, I'm not talking about Egypt. I'm referring to recent events at The Truth About Cars blog. Following a palace coup, Editor-in-Chief Bertel Schmitt has been replaced by the team of Derek Kreindler and the always entertaining Jack Baruth. This is a good thing. While Herr Schmitt wrote many interesting and often witty articles, shared a lot of information about his years at Volkswagen as well as auto ad agencies and offered remarkable insights into the Asian auto industry from his location in Japan, he failed as TTAC's leader, driving away many talented writers (Steven Lang, Michael Karesh and others) as well as commenters. He picked fights, banned people arbitrarily and aired too much information about internal disputes.
In my lifetime, I've been a professional writer (I got my first paid writing gig at age 17), an editor and a publications manager in charge of editors. As a writer, I've encountered wonderful editors, awful ones and everything in-between. I once quit writing for a newspaper over dealing with a clueless, classless editor. Writing was never a big source of income for me, so I could afford to be cavalier about the incident. As an editor, I considered it my job to make writers look good so that they would return and write some more. Too many editors fail do that, eagerly pausing over every submission with a red correction pen. Editing is not about change and control, it's about a gentle touch to bringing out the best in a writer's work, while not offending the author or changing his/her 'voice'. I've been a daily reader of TTAC since the Robert Farago days. The latest editorial duo promises a return to better times, offering fairness, civility and more car news. Sounds good to me. I hope they can pull it off and wish Jack and Derek all the best. Meanwhile, I continue to enjoy writing and publishing the edited-by-me View Through The Windshield. It's still a fun - though unpaid - gig. Acquitted: On Saturday evening, a six-person Florida jury, after deliberating for around 12 hours and having carefully considered the evidence and the court's instructions, acquitted George Zimmerman of all charges in the death of black teenage hoodlum Trayvon Martin. This is a tremendous vindication of our jury system. It was always obvious that Zimmerman acted in self-defense, and never should have been charged. This case was politically motivated from the get-go. Police officers and prosecutors initially evaluated the evidence and declined to prosecute Zimmerman; their integrity got them fired.
In my opinion, it goes double for the President who should have kept his mouth shout, both before the trial and after the verdict, which he called "stupid." But it's all part of the masterfully-orchestrated Black Grievance Theater. My only wish is that any rioters should be dealt with harshly; shoot-to-kill orders would be fine with me. Justice has been served. Let's keep on serving it with sniper teams. Bad Pun Of The Day: When fish are in schools, they sometimes take debate. Friday July 12, 2013 The Power And The Glory: Pope Francis has urged his religious flock to drive "humble" and avoid ostentatious cars. The Pope said, "It hurts me when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model year car; you can't do this." Apparently, Pope Benedict's own choice for transportation within Vatican City is a modest Ford Focus. I dunno. I haven't seen any priests driving ostentatious autos lately. When I was ... (more >>>) Something I Agree With: The Hyundai HCD-14, which made its debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, has been named the 2013 Concept Car of the Year by a vote of automotive writers. The HCD-14 sports a Chrysler 300-style grille and fastback styling - a popular design meme these days. The top-of-the-line Hyundai no longer looks like a Lexus and, except for the grille, looks sleek and unique. I like the Bentley-style winged badges. "It's big, comfortable and luxurious," said Mark Vaughn, senior editor at Autoweek. "But we were even more impressed by the most common comment: 'That's a Hyundai!?'" The Unbearable Dumbness Of Diversity: A recent article in the Costco Connection carried this headline:
The article urges business owners to become more "culturally intelligent." No measurable benefits are touted. Are there stories told of craggy old white guys who ... (more >>>) Headline Of The Week is from The Rumsford Meteor: 'Labor Commissioner Gives Award To Scrapyard For Acting Safely Whenever Someone's Looking'. Quote Of The Day is from Joan Rivers: "Look at Gwyneth Paltrow being named the most beautiful this year. She got Helen Keller and Stevie Wonder to vote." Wednesday July 10, 2013
Tuesday morning dawned with bright sunshine and blue skies and I was feeling better, so I fired up my '39 Plymouth coupe and, after a trip to the gas station to fuel up, took a long drive. The roads were smooth, traffic moved right along and I had a most pleasant driving experience. The temperature had already reached 70 degrees by 9:45 am. By afternoon, it was 87 but by then, I was indoors enjoying the air conditioning. Life is good. Scale Disparity: Looking at a recent sale flyer from a train shop, I was shocked by the price spread between two HO scale buildings ... (more >>>) Book Review: 'The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways' by Earl Swift
Rain turned these 'roads' into impassable muddy bogs. Early experiments with gravel and macadam helped things but, once 20 mph automobiles and trucks came along, these light-duty roads were quickly destroyed. A State Department report, circa 1916, judged road conditions in the U.S. to be "far worse than any other major nation except Russia and China." The Big Roads tells the story of how these primitive paths evolved into the interstate highways of today. As someone who grew up watching the interstates grow and connect ... (more >>>)
"The report also showed another disturbing fact: There are now a record number of Americans with temporary jobs. Approximately 2.7 million, in fact. While part-time and temp jobs reached highs last month, full-time jobs decreased by another 240,000. The recovery, or lack thereof, is being fueled by a shift from full-time to part-time work." Hope. Change. Got it? Today's Inspirational Thought: When all you have is a hammer, every problem can be solved by beating somebody with a hammer. Monday July 8, 2013 Flagship Down: There is much weeping and gnashing of teeth amongst the internet autoverse cognoscenti ever since Cadillac announced last week that they are abandoning plans for a premium class flagship model to compete with the Mercedes S-Class and its ilk. I say, "Smart move." GM unveiled the stunning Cadillac Ciel concept at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance two years ago. It was an recherche design surprise.
While shown in four-door convertible form, GM exec's hinted that a production sedan would eventually appear. Autoextremist Peter De Lorenzo referred to the production version as "something that would finally allow Cadillac to go toe-to-toe with the top models from the leading German players in the luxury-performance end of the business, and mean it." Here's the problem ... (more >>>) When Pope Nancy Pelosi Kicks Me Out Of The Catholic Church ... I guess I won't look at becoming an Episcopalian: "St. Mark's Church in the Bowery holds Christian services in its sanctuary every Sunday morning at 11 am. Unlike most churches, on the last Sunday in June, the Episcopal church hangs the disco ball, turns up the music and invites a disco diva to lead their music ministry for the annual Gay Pride Disco Mass." "The Disco Mass at St. Mark's is a longstanding tradition that offers the church a way to celebrate Pride weekend festivities in a worship style that has ranged from camp and drag to liberationist," explains St. Mark's pastor, the Rev. Winnie Varghese, herself an out lesbian. ... (more >>>) Numerical Follies: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is touting that total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 195,000 in June, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.6%. But ... hours worked were flat at 33.7. And 1.166 million people re-entered the labor force last month, but only 409,000 found jobs. The rest are still looking. Not good. Iowahawk has provided his own analysis of the latest jobs report: "Unemployment report in a nutshell: the Taco Bell that had 30 40 hour workers now has 40 30 hour workers." Restaurant Review: Hudson's Bar & Grill; Vancouver, WA Located in the Heathman Hotel, this restaurant has survived for 20 years without major changes in decor or menu. The decor is upscale Northwest lodge style. Tripadvisor.com rates this restaurant #1 out of 415 restaurants in Vancouver, which - in a way - is kind of sad. Hudson's is very good but pales in comparison to the best offered by cities with comparable populations. I blame the sales tax which drives business across the river to tax-free Portland. Hudson's no longer offers filet mignon on the menu, probably because the eatery is trying to keep prices down. It's almost impossible to find a good fillet at any dining establishment in Clark County, WA these days. Our entrees were ... (more >>>) Quote Of The Day is from David Letterman: "The President is in so much trouble politically, he's thinking of killing bin Laden again." Friday July 5, 2013
Since the low point in early 2009, vehicle sales have risen by an impressive annualized rate of 14% - over four years of strong double-digit growth. Transaction prices were up $617 year-over-year, with an industry average of $31,125. Ford Motor Company was up a healthy 13%, posting its best sales since 2006. Chrysler LLC witnessed a sales increase of 8% and GM trailed with a 6% bump. Nissan North America experienced a sales jump of almost 13%. BMW Group saw sales rise by over 21%. Subaru - this year's neglected success story - saw its sales soar over 42%. Toyota was up 10% in June, with Camry sales topping all passenger cars at 35,870 units. In the U.S. luxury field, Cadillac sales were up 15%, while Lincoln sales were flat. By almost any measure, it was a good month for the industry. Happy Birthday ... Mom. The Death Of Obamacare? Let's hope so. Scott Grannis wrote recently, "I'm standing by what I've said before: "the defects of this legislation are so massive and pervasive that it will never see the light of day ... the Obama administration is going to delay enforcing the penalty ($2000 per employee) on businesses with 50 or more employees that fail to provide them with healthcare insurance. This will presumably give businesses time to adjust, but it also conveniently postpones a key and controversial portion of the law until after the 2014 elections. This delay shows that there were even more fatal flaws to Obamacare than I thought. How could I - or any congressional staffer writing the original law, for that matter - have failed to realize that ... (more >>>) Quote Of The Day is from Henny Youngman: "You have the Midas touch. Everything you touch turns into a muffler." Tuesday July 2, 2013
All of these symptoms appeared suddenly last Monday. I didn't write much but was able to fill last week's blog with material I had already produced and was holding in 'inventory'. This week, I'm light on material and there doesn't seem to be much in the way of car news to report. I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and hope to get some relief from the current conditions. Postings may be light for a while. Modern Medicine: Recently, a friend mentioned the phrase 'blind pimples', a term everyone used to use but has now been replaced by some fancy-schmancy term. People never talk about getting a 'charley horse' anymore - a condition solved with the application of liniment and a bit of rest. Now, it's a 'spasm' and requires more extensive and expensive treatment. The other day, my wife and I were talking about 'prickly heat' which everyone got in the summer back in those pre-air-conditioned days. You treated it by washing the affected part, drying it really well and then applying talcum powder. Sixty years ago, there were only nine non-prescription medications and unguents available in the world ... (more >>>) Book Review: 'To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others' by Daniel H. Pink In the U.S., one in nine Americans works in sales. That's why there are so many books about how to improve one's selling skills. Some are great; some are not. Sadly, Daniel Pink's offering is in the latter category. That's not to say that there aren't a few good ideas in the book. But you have to dig through a lot of sludge to unearth the sales gems. Pink would have you believe that ... (more >>>) Quote Of The Day is from Jay Leno: "President Obama got some good news today. The IRS ruled he can write off the first half of his second term as a total loss." | last month | |
Lincoln Death Watch: Over at TTAC, Derek Kreindler tested a 
Bookmobile: Yesterday, I took a drive in my 
Driving Conditions: Recent days have been chilly and overcast in the morning with sunshine delaying its appearance until afternoon.
RIP: Actor Dennis Farina has died at age 69 from a pulmonary embolism. He was well known because of his roles in the 'Get Shorty' movie and the 'Law & Order' television series.
Sun Fun: On Friday morning, I took a drive in my 
It would be a cheap shot to paint Bertel as Snidely Whipsnade. He seems to be a competent but somewhat thin-skinned fellow who let his ego get in the way of effective management. I wish him well in his future endeavors.
John Hidneraker 
Climate Change: Recently the weather has been old-car-unfavorable for a couple of reasons:
In the beginning, there were no roads in the U.S. - only dirt trails which later became tracks. These tracks were sometimes suitable for horse-drawn carriages and buckboards as long as the weather was dry.
Temp Nation: After Wal-Mart, the second-largest employer in America is Kelly Services, a temporary work provider. Last week's 
June Auto Sales: Light vehicle sales were at a 15.9 million SAAR in June, up 12% from June 2012, and an increase of 4% from the sales rate last month. This represents the highest level for auto sales since November 2007.
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