Boeing B-50A “Lucky Lady II” had a cameo in television on the pilot episode of Quantum Leap

Boeing B-50A “Lucky Lady II”, the first airplane to fly around the world nonstop back in 1949.

Lucky Lady II had a cameo in television in 1989, on  the pilot episode of the popular science fiction series Quantum Leap on NBC, in a two-part episode where the protagonist finds himself in the body of a USAF test pilot who must succeed in breaking a new speed record in the Bell X-2 rocket aircraft.

The production of the two-part episode led to the fabrication of a full-scale fiberglass mockup of the Bell X-2, and the forward fuselage of Lucky Lady II stood in for the B-50 mothership used to launch the X-2 from a predetermined altitude.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/617693038404313/permalink/3229732477200343

5 time Hall of Famer, the mastermind of Group 44, and at one time - an employee of Kodak who was given the ultimatum to quit the racing or quit the Kodak job... has passed away at 95 yrs old.

“XKEs did not want to be race cars! We battled that son-of-a-bitch all its life and we forced it to be one.

Founded in Falls Church, Virginia in 1965, Group 44 Inc. fostered relationships with manufacturers such as MG, Triumph, and Jaguar, leading to a quarter of a century of American road racing victories.

 Between SCCA, IMSA, and the Trans-Am series, Group 44 secured over 300 victories.

 Tullius himself made starts in NASCAR and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, notching the final victory of his career in 1986 at the 3 Hours of Daytona.

In 1981, Group 44 brought Jaguar back to Le Mans for the first time in 27 years. In 1985, they won the GTP class, defeating the dominant Porsches that seemed so unbeatable to the rest of the field.

Tullius was inducted into the Sebring Hall of Fame in 2014, the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2015, the British Sports Car Hall of Fame in 2017, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2018, and the IMSA Hall of Fame just last year.

https://www.racingjunk.com/news/robert-charles-bob-tullius-1930-2026

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1339159811581195&set=a.586323163531534

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/obituaries/rip-bob-tullius-1930-2026

FoMoCo Pres Bunkie Knudsen's personal Boss 429 was built with AC, it was the only one built with AC, KK 1205

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1368975511925855&set=a.556433083180106

they've announced the Big Boy's basic schedule, but no detailed schedule yet. Here's the basics: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania.

The Eastern leg begins May 25 and will include display days in Omaha, Nebraska; Chicago, Illinois; Buffalo, New York; and Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia for Independence Day. 

Additional display days are anticipated in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, before the tour concludes July 29.

I just learned that the Union Pacific Railroad was created by President Abraham Lincoln, to build a transcontinental railroad connecting the nation

 https://www.up.com/about-us/history

congrats to ( the very talented) Hot Rod Chavik for making a GNRS 2026 AMBR contender and winning the Outstanding Engineering Award winner for his 32 roadster!

the sole remaining original track indicator for Penn Station's Track 1

https://www.facebook.com/groups/274096786828026/permalink/1518887179015641

you might not recall the name Suzi Quatro, but in the 70s, she was a significant pop culture character... both in rock music, and acting on Happy Days as Leather Tuscadero, the younger sister of Pinky Tuscadero, an old flame of Fonzie's

She was born in Detroit, and opened for Alice Cooper in Chicago in the winter of 75, and was on Happy Days in 7 episodes. She had a famous duet song in '78, "Stumbling In"

She was on the cover of Rolling Stone! Jan '75

Quatro moved to the UK from Detroit aged 21 in 1971 and only discovered in January that her US driving license was only valid for 12 months after entering the country, meaning she's been driving illegally here since 1972.

"I was told when I started to drive in this country that my American license was fine," 75-year-old Quatro told The Mirror earlier this week. "And over the years I was insured, I had speeding tickets."

"Can you believe it?" she continued. "I only found out in January because the US laws changed too, and they won’t renew your American license unless you can prove you have been in the particular state your license is from for the last six months, and of course, I can't. I live here. So I needed a British license.

"I'm 75, for god’s sake. I’ve been driving since I was 16."

Quatro took her test on Wednesday 18th March and thankfully passed at the first attempt.

Breaking the good news to The Mirror, she enthused: "I passed! I’m so pleased. It’s such a relief. I got a couple of minors, nothing big. 

"My husband was so pleased. He sent messages all over the world to friends of ours. He’s so proud. At 75 it's quite an achievement."

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1371706378329419&set=a.628458302654234

toxic chemicals in New Jersey, the remains of dumping waste materials at Ford's former assembly plant in the late 60s and early 70s.... have been waiting to be cleaned up for 43 years.

Back in May 2019, Ford announced that it had settled a case with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which resulted in the automaker paying $21 million toward the cleanup of 166,000 tons of contaminated soil at the O'Connor Disposal Area in New Jersey, where toxic paint sludge had been disposed of for decades.

Then, in June 2022, New Jersey filed a lawsuit against the automaker over the 500 acre Ringwood Mines contamination, and now, a consent agreement has been reached that will finally bring that saga to a close.

A number of toxic chemicals have been found at that site, including not only paint sludge, but also, benzene, 1,4-dioxane, lead contamination, and other industrial waste. It has contaminated the groundwater, which poses a dangerous health risk for surrounding communities.

Waste materials were dumped at the site from the late 1960s through the early 1970s, most of which came from Ford's former assembly plant in Mahwah, New Jersey. The site was added to the Superfund National Priorities List in 1983, removed in 1994 after cleanup actions were completed, and restored to the list in 2006 following the discovery of additional contamination. Now, this action represents the final stage of the cleanup process, which brings roughly four decades of investigations and remedial work to a close.

https://fordauthority.com/2026/03/consent-agreement-requires-ford-nj-to-clean-up-superfund-site

How did anyone not object to dumping the industrial waste in the countryside where it would clearly pollute the area, and soak into the groundwater?

In 1958, the American Oil Company (AMOCO) released a pictorial map of space outlining some of the most bedeviling space-related puzzles of the age

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-do-we-know-about-space

great mail boxes!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/218676792817854/permalink/1465650051453849

Porsche literally took an image of a predecessor model’s headlight and scaled it up until it dwarfed the smaller, real unit to disguise the actual appearance of the new model

Porsche clads its prototypes in flat black and then places stickers that look like headlights and taillights over the vehicle’s actual lighting. 

These faux designs have the effect of disguising the car’s actual fascias from a distance, 

That’s exactly why the Cayenne EV prototypes have Hyundai-esque pixel-light decals on the back, according to Porsche itself.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/heres-why-porsche-puts-big-headlight-camouflage-on-its-prototypes

this is brilliant, new tire tech automatically deploys and retracts studs depending on temperature. The Hakkapeliitta 01 tire has a new temperature-sensitive compound that deploys and retracts studs

When the road surface is warm enough, the studs, which themselves have been redesigned specifically for this tire, sit back beneath the surface of the rubber. As the road surface gets colder—like, tire-in-contact-with-ice cold—they push out. Nokian says it’s been working on this technology since 2014, around the time it debuted a concept tire that deployed studs with the press of a button. Other startups had attempted to deliver such products, but they never arrived.

The key is what the company calls an “adaptive base compound.” This is the material that the studs sit in, and it’s sensitive to temperature—becoming rock-solid when cold, and softer and more pliable when warm.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/nokians-new-tire-has-studs-that-magically-retract-when-its-warm

this isn't really news, but one third of iridium plugs bought from Rock Auto, Amazon, and eBay were fakes

the summary is that only the Rock Auto plugs appeared to be genuine across the board. Plugs bought from Sixity Auto Parts on Amazon and eBay also appeared to be the real deal, but others purchased through Amazon and eBay were fakes.

https://www.thedrive.com/news/ridiculously-in-depth-spark-plug-test-shows-1-3-of-them-were-fakes

The Petite Ceinture railway circling through the city of Paris served urban travelers from 1862 to 1934 before being abandoned.

 Construction was started in 1852 under the Empire of Napoléon III and Baron Haussmann, the influential civic planner. The 20th century sprawl of Paris beyond the Petite Ceinture and the success of the Métro eventually made the circular railway obsolete.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/petite-ceinture

A labor group representing Uber and Lyft drivers has filed a complaint with state regulators, alleging that Waymo is violating its permit by allowing unaccompanied minors to ride in its autonomous vehicles in the Bay Area.

Some San Francisco parents said they would trust Waymo over human drivers if regulators allow unsupervised teen riders.

https://abc7news.com/post/union-backing-uber-lyft-drivers-files-complaint-waymo-involving-teen-riders/18727861/

SF Gate newspaper just posted the origin story of the taco truck!

In 1969, Mexico City-born husband-and-wife team Raúl and Lupe Martinez arrived in Los Angeles by way of Tijuana. After a few years, the couple grew a fledgling street taco operation that centered around MacArthur Park into a true business, converting an ice cream truck into a fully operational kitchen in 1974. The pair promptly launched the rebuilt rig on the streets of greater LA, setting up curbside to quickly serve smaller, more compact tacos to people at bars or events.

King Taco was able to pump out from its truck. Here, carne asada, cabeza and al pastor ruled, served with simple additions and salsas for a more discerning Mexican customer base around LA.

The truck’s unique setup, with an ordering window, flattop grill inside and tremendous mobility, was more than a novelty of the age — it is today widely regarded as the first taco truck in the county, including by Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano in his book “Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America.”

Within a decade of King Taco rolling out on wheels, there were more than 500 different taco trucks in the LA area.

According to L.A. in a Minute, the truck sold $70 worth of tacos on its first night in 1974, doubling that number on its second evening of service. The Martinezes would later grow King Taco into a fleet of trucks and more than 20 standalone brick-and-mortar locations across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.

https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/first-taco-truck-la-22075020.php

https://kingtaco.com/

King Taco sponsors a Nascar team, and a 24 Hours of LeMans team

thank you Cacophony for the compliment of the day!

Unparalleled content Jesse, thank you!

A violent five-vehicle pileup in Covina injured four people Wednesday morning was the result of attempted vehicular manslaughter, when a husband chased his wife’s vehicle before the crash around 5:50 a.m. near the intersection of North Hollenbeck Avenue and East Cypress Street

A witness who helped the trapped woman described the harrowing scene.

"The car that was flipped over, somebody kept on yelling ‘help!’ She was just screaming the whole time that her husband was trying to kill her and that he was after her. He was chasing her in another car."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/domestic-dispute-leads-5-car-134000053.html
https://www.facebook.com/ABC7/posts/the-violent-crash-involving-at-least-five-vehicles-stemmed-from-a-domestic-viole/1349708593964438/
https://www.foxla.com/news/covina-5-car-crash-injuries

https://hoodline.com/2026/03/covina-husband-s-chase-turns-quiet-intersection-into-5-car-smashup/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1310115422351233/posts/26963998713202885/

I read the headline and KNEW this was some ghetto shit

iconic art deco poster art of Cassandre

https://www.moma.org/artists/1015-a-m-cassandre

https://www.dezeen.com/2025/03/21/cassandre-art-deco-centenary/

https://permild-rosengreen.com/shop/170-am-cassandre/#!?page=2

A M Cassandre poster ad for Bugatti

 
Cassandre, pseudonym of Adolphe Jean-Marie Mouron, was a French painter, commercial poster artist, and typeface designer.

https://www.cassandre-france.com/

https://www.moma.org/artists/1015-a-m-cassandre

iconic

It's been too long since I just enjoyed myself looking at cool stuff, instead of trying to put up 10-12 posts in a day so you all have some interesting stuff to browse through during coffee breaks, or, whatever it is that causes you to make time to see what I've posted lately... so there aren't 10-12 posts today, there are half as many as that, but they are just pleasant to look at. 

It requires twice as much time to come across stuff I want to post using this method, but it's usually more relaxed, less news, and more visually appealing

https://www.tumblr.com/cncenginedynamics

when you've got a hobby of collecting swap meet stuff on the cheap, I bet something like this costs about a hundred bucks, tops

https://www.tumblr.com/cncenginedynamics

a sharpie marker and a lot of artistic talent

https://www.tumblr.com/cncenginedynamics

when on the topic of blowers, here's one brand that is never mentioned... Bowers. Bowers Blowers, was a prominent name in the racing industry before being acquired by The Blower Shop in 1984.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/146599390544

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/dsc00838-jpg.3031269/

cap that with a magnesium Enderle bug catcher, and you're doing even better

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=508912997261097&set=pcb.508913277261069

While on the topic of blowers, the Roots Brothers invented this design, and why call it a blower?

The Roots brothers designed it as an air conveyor to supply blast furnaces and ventilate mine shafts. Hence, blowing air in

Patented in 1860 by Philander and Francis Marion Roots

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_blower

In 1900, Gottlieb Daimler included a Roots-style blower in a patented engine design, making the Roots-type blower the oldest of the various designs available.

loving this, and missing working with machine shop guys.

I have one Starrett product not in this display case... a steel ruler. Damn right I snapped that up at a swap meet. Might never use it, but after the zombiepocalypse, someone will find it and rebuild the world, perfectly square and measured exactly to the micron

By the way, I love displays of tools, and Starrett. I have a couple micrometers, a set of adjustable parallels, that steel ruler, a depth gauge, and a dial indicator

https://www.tumblr.com/cncenginedynamics

a mag, a blower, and a hemi. Keep it simple, and enjoy the ride

https://www.tumblr.com/cncenginedynamics

something I hadn't heard of until now... when breaking free a seized engine, consider the aluminum oxide. Lubricant type rust penetrators, they won’t dissolve aluminum oxides

 Kroil, PB Blaster, and trans fluid will do nothing about aluminum oxide, and so, once you've soaked the cylinders in those, and it won't budge, try cleaning those out, and then giving white vinegar a try for the same amount of time

another new to me tip is to make a plate to fit over the cylinder and use a portapower to hydraulically push the piston, if all else fails

https://www.facebook.com/groups/496619540483459/permalink/4166880593457317

see  https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/10/penetrating-oils-compared.html for a comparison of penetrating oils

I love well built things, interior decorating done right, wood panel accent trim, crown molding, etc etc so this diner interior is just the sort of place I'd like to be! Skee's Diner, Torrington, Connecticut.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=26768315062772173&set=pcb.4242448769329378

But the story is quite unique:

Skee's Diner was built by the famous Jerry O'Mahony Dining Car Company around 1930. It is the oldest diner in the state of Connecticut, and perhaps the best preserved interior of a diner thats almost 100 years old in the country!

The Torrington Historic Preservation Trust is interested in offering the right "entrepreneurial spirited" person an opportunity to build, own and operate their own classic American Diner/Restaurant in downtown Torrington, CT.

https://www.preservationtorrington.org/skeesdiner.html

they couldn't take a frickin minute to grind off the old stripes? Or, simply repaint over the original stripes? This looks like they sent a very lazy paint truck driver to do a job

https://dailytimewaster.blogspot.com/

https://www.bestourism.com/medias/dfp/14742

the under-21 truck driver pilot program was a complete failure. Only 80 even bothered to apply

“Large motor carriers have long peddled the thoroughly debunked myth of a driver shortage to promote policies allowing them to hire the cheapest labor possible in order to maximize their profits,” OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer. “This includes efforts to lower the minimum age for driving interstate to 18 years old.”

https://landline.media/dont-go-down-atas-under-21-road-again-ooida-says/

Dolly Parton has announced a groundbreaking partnership to rebrand and expand the Tennessean Travel Stop network.

The initiative kicks off with the flagship location in Cornersville, Tennessee, relaunching as Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop in early summer 2026.

Parton, no stranger to life on the road after decades touring in her signature bus, emphasized the personal touch behind the project. “I have spent the bulk of my life on the road, and more specifically on a bus,” she said in the announcement. “I believe we will fill a void out there on the highways, all while bringing the heart and soul of Tennessee.”

The Cornersville site will remain operational during renovations, ensuring minimal disruption for drivers on Interstate 65. Looking ahead, this flagship serves as a proof of concept, with plans for additional locations rolling out across Tennessee and potentially nationwide throughout 2026. Features will include state-of-the-art facilities tailored to truckers’ needs, such as ample parking for semis, quick-service eateries with Southern-inspired menus, and retail showcasing local Tennessee products, from artisan crafts to snacks that evoke home.

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/dolly-parton-launches-truck-stop-venture

https://www.sfgate.com/centralcoast/article/dolly-parton-house-solvang-22062767.php

https://www.compass.com/homedetails/25300-Pine-Crest-Ave-Idyllwild-CA-92549/1591669083423842241_lid/

the Hassan Brothers, tow truck company owners, were busted for defrauding workers’ compensation insurers of nearly $6 million in premiums.

The scheme involved underreporting payroll by over $13 million and using "shell companies" to hide employee wages and avoid tax withholdings.

a California Department of Insurance investigation revealed they reported only $3 million in payroll when the actual figure was over $16.7 million.

Mark Hassan, who operated numerous towing businesses across Los Angeles—including Hadley Tow, Courtesy Tow, and California Coach Towing—held active contracts with several Southern California law enforcement agencies at the time of his arrest.

https://www.foxla.com/news/hassan-brothers-california-towing-insurance-fraud-arrest.amp

For three years straight, lag bolts have been the most common thing left behind by Burning Man attendees who are too lazy or stoned to remove the tent stakes.

Volunteers found 2,304 lag bolts, tent stakes and pieces of rebar embedded in the hardened mud this year, an increase from 1,508 in 2024.

That's 52 percent more.

The BLM inspects 120 sites on the festival’s grounds. If 12 or more of those sites fail the agency’s requirements, Burning Man risks losing its privileges to use the desert for future events.

Just seven of the 120 sites inspected failed to meet BLM’s standards.

70,000 people attended Burning Man last year

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/burning-man-2025-trash-22079930.php

https://www.dezeen.com/2025/09/09/architectural-installations-burning-man-2025/

You're about to hear a lot of groans, moans, and bellyaching from New Yorkers... the mayor just decided that 24/7, 365, the speed limit in New York school zones - is 15 MPH.

The speed limit will be lowered to 15 mph around all the city’s thousands of schools by 2029, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Monday – as insiders quietly revealed the slow-as-dirt zones will be enforced 24/7.

“If this were really about protecting the children, why would it be 24 hours a day?”

His new push will lower 20 mph speed limits in roughly 700 school zones, and establish 100 new 15-mph zones by the end of this year.

Altogether, 15 mph speed limits will come to 800 more school zones – or 1,300 citywide – by the end of 2026, officials said.

The new limits will become official after a 60-day public comment period, officials said.

City Department of Transportation officials will eventually expand the lower speed limits to all 2,300 public and private school locations across the city when Mamdani’s first term ends, the mayor said.

city officials going back decades have supported lowering speed limits to 15 mph, including former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1999.

https://nypost.com/2026/03/16/us-news/mayor-zohran-mamdani-will-lower-speed-limits-to-15-mph-in-school-zones-sources/

an organized diesel fuel theft scheme in Northwest Florida knew how to use super magnets to get the fuel pump to dispense without counting the gallons

 5 arrested, on felony tampering with a fuel pump.

The guys were caught on surveillance footage filling up multiple semi trucks with diesel fuel.

https://weartv.com/news/local/magnets-used-to-bypass-diesel-pumps-in-northwest-florida-theft-scheme-investigators-say

How the hell did the engineers who designed the pump, not notice that they had ferrous materials, (which are needed to create sparks, and are magnetic) in a part of the pump system where someone could use a super magnet to get free fuel?

A driver in Los Angeles was ticketed for using a jacket carefully wrapped around the front seat with the seatbelt fastened across it to resemble a person to cheat carpool lane laws

CHP pulled the driver over on the 10 Freeway on March 3 for using the HOV lane without a passenger. $500 dollar ticket minimum

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/l-a-county-driver-caught-using-phony-passenger-in-carpool-lane-chp/

Congrats and happy 30th anniversary to King Shocks!

Every component sold by King Shocks is manufactured in their California workshop, and it's a privately owned company - there is no corporation cutting corners so shareholders get rich, and customers get screwed

This two-owner '86 Dodge Omni GLHS is 1 of only 500, is for sale with fresh paint, fresh seat upholstery, a hooped up engine, etc... but it's a 4 door

https://www.autoguide.com/auto/1986-dodge-omni-for-sale-44630965

"It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" location on Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10161990945845800&set=gm.4458297887828133&idorvanity=3164534807204454