Saturday, April 04, 2020
Yesterday, April 3rd, a fire of unknown origin destroyed over 3,500 rental cars at Southwest International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers, Florida.
The fire happened in an overflow parking area for rental cars at Southwest Florida International Airport near Fort Myers, in Lee County. The county and much of the Florida peninsula are experiencing moderate drought conditions, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
A brush fire burned cars at an airport in southwest Florida Friday, spewing plumes of black smoke that could be seen up to 20 miles away.
Officials said the cause of the fire wasn't known, but the blaze was likely fueled by dry conditions and record heat.
https://www.news-press.com/story/news/local/2020/04/04/fire-near-southwest-florida-international-airport-contained/2946972001/
I just read that Michigan's Governor Whitmer was elected on a Fix the Damn Roads platform
Never heard about that before, I wonder how many roads have been fixed so far, and what the eventual result will be of electing Whitmer vs the road conditions before and after.
In her 2019 budget proposal, Whitmer offered Plan A: a proposal that included an unpopular fuel tax that was attacked by legislators on both sides of the aisle, although no counter was ever made formal.
This year, Whitmer announced Plan B: an additional $3.5 billion toward the Michigan Department of Transportation’s five-year plan, committed to fixing crumbling roads and bridges along the state’s major highways.
Estimates say the bonds will pay for 49 large-scale projects, and accelerate an additional 73 statewide.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a31710910/coronavirus-michigan-roads-trucks-supplies/
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/opinion/editorials/2020/02/05/gov-whitmers-bonding-plan-what-fixing-damn-michigan-roads-looks-like/4666733002/
Her first time signing the state budget, and Whitmer vetoed $375 million dedicated to fixing roads and bridges.
Hours after vetoing millions to fix the roads, Whitmer convened the State Administrative Board — made up of the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state treasurer, state superintendent and the Department of Transportation director — to transfer additional funds, originally dedicated to roads, to local bus transit and rail roads.
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2019/10/28/opinion-does-whitmer-really-want-fix-damn-roads/4081675002/
one decision in the past 20 years cost GM around 2 billion dollars. That ignition switch.
General Motors has reached a preliminary settlement in a lawsuit on behalf of owners of vehicles with faulty ignition switches and related defects, agreeing to pay $120 million.
It addresses economic harm due to resale, repairs, and other related losses due to the defect.It is unrelated to the $625 million settlement fund that GM initiated in 2014 to pay for 124 deaths and 275 injuries.
It is also unrelated to a settlement in 2015 that paid $275 million for more than 1380 death and injury claims that were not part of the compensation fund.
In 2015, when GM settled criminal charges with the U.S. Department of Justice for $900 million and paid $300 million to a New York teachers' pension fund for lost shareholder equity.
The only other associations that have employees that make such incredibly expensive bad decisions, are city police departments and county sheriffs departments. Those cost their cities and counties millions every year.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a31965015/gm-settles-lawsuit-ignition-switch-car-values/
The ignition switch was a one dollar part. The issue was covered previously in 2014 https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2014/04/26-million-gm-vehicles-have-been.html
Great News! I love to share good news, there is so damn little of it. The Aston Martin Heritage Works is now offering emergency repairs to keep the country's medical staff commuting, no matter what the make or model.
Now Aston Martin's Works division has found its own way to help, with boss Paul Spires offering the division's workshop facilities for emergency car repairs for local health-care workers.
With the U.K. in lockdown and almost all business suspended due to the crisis, Works has offered to carry out emergency repairs for locally based health-care workers to keep them mobile during the crisis.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a32030576/aston-martin-works-servicing-cars-free-coronavirus/
a couple thoughts about the car industry
notice that many of them are asking the govt for a bailout, a stimulus package like cash for clunkers.
Must be interesting to make 17 million a year like Jim Hackett, and not be able to come up with an intelligent plan to keep your company afloat.
Or GM CEO Mary Barra who makes 22 million a year.
Neither of these CEOs has a clue. They simply do not have even a plan for increasing sales when the economy is doing good...
Isn't it simple? Build an inexpensive car for under 15k, you know, like every successful cool car that got major car companies into the black.
The T bird, Mustang, Camaro, Charger, Model T, Model A, 240Z, Mini, MG, Miata, F100, Meyer Manx, VW Bug... you get what I'm saying?
How are companies with 50 years and more unable to make a good cheap car? I get it, they want to make a wallop with every car sold, like Ferrari, but every expensive car company I can think of went bankrupt. Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, Bentley, Spyker, Bugatti, Aston Martin.
What is the deal? Doesn't anyone point out that these mega corporations (Ford, GM, Chrysler/Fiat, even the US post Office) can get a loan on their assets?
Vice versa, if they can't make it, do they deserve a bail out when clearly they feel rich enough to pay upper management (board members) over a million a year apiece? Doesn't a monkey throwing handfuls of it's own crap at a grid of possible decisions have as much chance of picking a stradegy that barely keeps a company solvent? Airlines, cruise ships, etc... none of them seem to have the ability to succeed, no matter what industry they're in.
Amazon, Dominoes, liquor stores, grocery stores, Porn Hub... they all seem to be able to run their businesses no matter what the world is up to, or how the economy is doing.
Meanwhile 14 people have been charged with embezzlement from the UAW https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a31253503/uaw-embezzlement-scandal-gary-jones-arrest/
Must be interesting to make 17 million a year like Jim Hackett, and not be able to come up with an intelligent plan to keep your company afloat.
Or GM CEO Mary Barra who makes 22 million a year.
Neither of these CEOs has a clue. They simply do not have even a plan for increasing sales when the economy is doing good...
Isn't it simple? Build an inexpensive car for under 15k, you know, like every successful cool car that got major car companies into the black.
The T bird, Mustang, Camaro, Charger, Model T, Model A, 240Z, Mini, MG, Miata, F100, Meyer Manx, VW Bug... you get what I'm saying?
How are companies with 50 years and more unable to make a good cheap car? I get it, they want to make a wallop with every car sold, like Ferrari, but every expensive car company I can think of went bankrupt. Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Jaguar, Bentley, Spyker, Bugatti, Aston Martin.
What is the deal? Doesn't anyone point out that these mega corporations (Ford, GM, Chrysler/Fiat, even the US post Office) can get a loan on their assets?
Vice versa, if they can't make it, do they deserve a bail out when clearly they feel rich enough to pay upper management (board members) over a million a year apiece? Doesn't a monkey throwing handfuls of it's own crap at a grid of possible decisions have as much chance of picking a stradegy that barely keeps a company solvent? Airlines, cruise ships, etc... none of them seem to have the ability to succeed, no matter what industry they're in.
Amazon, Dominoes, liquor stores, grocery stores, Porn Hub... they all seem to be able to run their businesses no matter what the world is up to, or how the economy is doing.
Meanwhile 14 people have been charged with embezzlement from the UAW https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a31253503/uaw-embezzlement-scandal-gary-jones-arrest/
Friday, April 03, 2020
Mabeco Motorcycle
https://www.facebook.com/anibal134/posts/10216926834543315
Kim points out that Indian sued them for duplicating the Indian motorcycle design
the James Dean Porsche was a major plot point of tv show Supernatural episode 5, season 5 "Fallen Idols"
Not only is it a good show, now and then they featured cool cars. No, a 4 door 67 Impala isn't cool. It's good, it's fine, it'll do... but it doesn't push the meter all the way to cool
https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Little_Bastard
http://www.supernatural-fan-wiki.com/page/Fallen+Idols+Full+Recap
https://www.motorshock.com/2012/07/la-porsche-di-james-dean-nel-telefilm-di-supernatural/
https://www.tvmaze.com/episodes/1077/supernatural-5x05-fallen-idols
makes sense, right? Nope. There is no reason for tax payer funded enforcement of traffic laws need to be camouflaged.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bad_Cop_No_Donut/
The next several posts are all going to seem to have a common theme, but just so you don't get the wrong idea, I'd like you to know I like good cops.
I simply do not have any forgiveness for bad, corrupt, unprofessional, hysterically egotistical cops.
So, good cops? Send me a link. Bad cops? Don't bother, any time anyone in the world needs any evidence of bad cops they only have to say to google, NYPD, LAPD, Sheriffs Deputy, Police, or Law Enforcement. There's simply an unlimited amount of proof of police being criminal and getting away with it, but getting caught at it.
NYPD just can't stop being pricks, they decided they had to tow semis which were doing their best to stay out of the way until they could get loaded.
A New York City Police Department precinct towed trucks from a residential roadway while the drivers waiting for a load were trying to get some much-needed rest amid the Coronavirus crisis, according to a new report.
The raids occurred early on March 23 on a residential road in the 66th Precinct of New York City
They even tweeted about what a good thing they were doing. What assholes
https://www.reddit.com/r/Bad_Cop_No_Donut/comments/fqztaj/nypd_bragging_about_towing_semis_during/
https://cdllife.com/2020/report-nypd-towed-semis-while-drivers-slept-amid-coronavirus-emergency/
Any of you that praise cops because they simply have a badge? Wil be hard pressed to find anything resembling respect for NYPD after this, and the endless list of other shit NYPD has done. NYPD raping that guy with a toilet bowl plunger comes to mind.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, fine. Must be nice to be unaware of the things cops do, but here's the info
Abner Louima was assaulted, brutalized, and sexually abused in 1997 by officers of the New York City Police Department after he was arrested outside a Brooklyn nightclub.
His injuries were so severe as to require three major surgeries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abner_Louima
On the ride to the station, the arresting officers beat Louima with their fists, nightsticks, and hand-held police radios. On arriving at the station house, they had Louima strip-searched and put in a holding cell. The beating continued later, culminating with Louima being sexually assaulted in a bathroom at the 70th Precinct station house in Brooklyn. Volpe kicked Louima in the testicles, and while Louima's hands were cuffed behind his back, he first grabbed onto and squeezed his testicles and then sexually assaulted him with a broken broomstick. According to trial testimony, Volpe walked through the precinct holding the bloody, excrement-stained instrument in his hand, bragging to a police sergeant that he "took a man down tonight."
Photo of Louima taken after his beating used in the criminal trial, as Government Exhibit #82 Louima's teeth were also badly damaged in the attack when the broom handle was jammed into his mouth.
So folks, if you don't think the police assault, terrorize, and torture people for fun? There's exhibit A.
Further, the police that knew about this and did nothing? As guilty as those that did it, it's known to everyone in the legal world as aiding and abetting. Plus the supervisors, and upper police management? Did nothing to to the cops guilty of this brutality, instead they assisted in the cover up. Ditto the police union.
So, forget trying to find a good cop. If you can't find a cop that does their sworn duty (police officers oath when accepting the job, badge and gun) to arrest anyone suspected of a crime (including other cops) then you can hope to find one you're simply not aware of the illegal and criminal things they've done. Hell, try and find one that will admit cops are dirty. Any questions about that should be directed to Exhibit A above, Abner Louima.
It's a damn pity that this shit goes on, but given immunity, and union protection, people that have a badge, and a gun, and lots of examples and training in how to plant evidence and get away with it (Rampart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rampart_scandal ) simply don't make it through the career without abusing the privileged existance they have.
So, if you know of a good cop story, I'd love to post it. I've said that before, and I'll probably repeat it again now and then, but so far? No one has sent me a link to a story about one. It's easier to find proof of UFOs. That's pretty sad. But the NYPD sure as hell is never going to win awards for decency or professionalism from anyone but themselves
For any cool cop, on the job, or retired, just keep doing the right thing, do what you can to resist the temptation to turn to the dark side. Talk like yoda, or whatever it takes to walk the line like our good friend Johnny Cash sang about.
Be like agent Coulson, or Capt America, Sheriff Andy Taylor, or any respectable person... Roy Rogers, John Glenn, or John Wayne even.
What would R Lee Ermey say to these fucking NYPD cops?
lawenforcementtoday.com said " In this case, we simply cannot abide by what a member of the NYPD did.
NYPD Deputy Inspector James King, the commanding officer of the 66th precinct, tweeted about the operation right after it happened. He has since deleted the Tweet in which he actually bragged about having illegally parked tractor trailers towed in the middle of the pandemic.
Seriously, he did that.
Neither the NYPD nor the mayor’s office commented" Cowards. Despicable cowards.
https://www.lawenforcementtoday.com/nypd-precinct-commander-has-truck-drivers-cited-while-they-sleep-along-brooklyn-streets/#more-100092