although it has a fender tag that indicates "special paint" and "special order," the main tag lists the paint's FM3 code. That's unusual because special-paint factory cars usually have the 999 code.
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
the only FM3 1970 Fury III known to exist was at the 2025 Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals
although it has a fender tag that indicates "special paint" and "special order," the main tag lists the paint's FM3 code. That's unusual because special-paint factory cars usually have the 999 code.
Tuesday, December 09, 2025
the stuff you aren't taught in school, about the brave people that do extraordinary things that aren't typical heroic actions... have you ever heard of the chopper crew that stopped the the Mỹ Lai massacre? Courage of conscience is rare
Thompson and his crew saved a number of Vietnamese civilians by personally escorting them away from advancing United States Army ground units and assuring their evacuation by air.
Thompson reported the atrocities by radio several times, although these reports reached HQ, nothing was done to stop the massacre.
In 1970, Thompson testified against those responsible for the Mỹ Lai massacre. Twenty-six officers and enlisted soldiers, including William Calley and Ernest Medina, were charged with criminal offenses; many were either acquitted or pardoned, notably excepting Calley, who was convicted and served a commuted sentence of three-and-a-half years under house arrest.
Thompson was condemned and ostracized by many individuals in the United States military and government, as well as the public, for his role in the investigations and trials concerning the Mỹ Lai massacre.
In 1998, 30 years after the massacre, Thompson, Andreotta, and Colburn, were awarded the Soldier's Medal, the Army's highest award for bravery not involving direct contact with the enemy
Since 2022, when Carvana stock sunk to record lows, the company's stock has surged 8,000 percent and nearly doubled throughout the course of 2025
That performance has resulted in the used vehicle seller being added to the benchmark S&P 500 index, a move that will take place later this month, and it marks a dramatic turnaround for Carvana, in general.
However, what's particularly notable about this performance is the fact that Carvana's market cap now stands at a whopping $87 billion - more than Ford at $52 billion, and even General Motors at $71 billion.
Marty Simonich, a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Utah, has been driving his 2001 Subaru Outback Legacy for 24 years, and it will soon reach 1 million miles, but Subaru corporate headquarters in Camden, New Jersey, isn't saying if they'll celebrate.
The car has gone through multiple engines, at least one transmission, head gaskets, spark plugs, coils, alternators, injectors, power steering components, brakes, rotors, timing belts, and a $1,000 exhaust system.
Growing up, he worked as the night manager at an Arctic Circle in Utah, saving up $800 for a down payment on a 1964 Chevelle with a Hurst shifter and a 283 engine. He raced it on the boulevard during school hours and got in trouble for it.
The hands-on mechanical knowledge Simonich started gathering in his teens has kept the Legacy running when others might have sent it to the junkyard.
Some of the most memorable miles came during a road trip to Kentucky. A friend in the St. Charles area, along the Utah-Idaho border, discovered a stash of old whiskey after a grandfather passed away.
Among the bottles was an unopened 1913 of Kentucky Flyer Bourbon from the Peerless Distillery, still bearing its original U.S. government seal.
The family who discovered the bottle didn't want to discuss it publicly for religious reasons. After all, the one unopened bottle was found among many more empties. They also didn't want to risk shipping the fragile, century-old bottle via FedEx.
So Simonich volunteered to drive it back to Kentucky himself and deliver it to the current owners at Peerless Distillery.
Thanks Joe for telling me about the license plates stamped "Prison Made"
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/price-result/1962-prison-made-montana-state-shaped-license-plate/?srsltid=AfmBOopfA5c47ROMS5Kmd3dhPhZU9-rE2FOD-ERgd7j3vUKz6CdcFm1Z
Most of Americans are aware that license plates were made in prisons for decades... but this is the first time I've heard of any that were stamped "Prison Made"
in only a moment, the power of the 350 and a sudden amount of traction, wrapped this 66 Nova around a telephone pole thank you George!
Monday, December 08, 2025
about three years ago, Stephen Arthur, a full time IT specialist in Brooklyn, started biking with the goal of cycling every accessible street in New York, he's completed 97.4% of NYC streets — 6,446.3 miles out of 6,618
I asked him some questions I thought we'd like to know the answers to, here's his reply!
Tell me about the goal, of cycling every accessible street in New York
I never woke up one day, and said, you know, I am going to bicycle all the streets in NYC and make a project out of it. So I never had that kind of plan in mind when I started. The process just unfolded spontaneously, day by day.
Around 3/2023, after I discovered Wandrer, I wanted to only complete Brooklyn and Manhattan, but I never thought it would go this far.
In fact, over this past summer, I was thinking I might not make 99% (the highest bonus level on Wandrer) of NYC completed, because there are so many off road trails in Staten Island (91%+ completed), that is when I flipped to the Bronx (93%- completed). Now I am feeling much more confident I could reach the 99% level for NYC as a whole.
Since I appear to be the first person to accomplish this feat, I want to claim it for all the effort I put into it. I predict I will finish by March 2026 at the latest. But the last few percent are also the hardest miles to get, and I will not settle for less than 99% of NYC as a whole.
In the 4–5 years of effort, what did you see?
Honestly? Everything. Beautiful neighborhoods that rival Beverly Hills, all the way to blighted neighborhoods, and piles of used condoms in secluded parks
Amazing Italian, Irish, Jewish, African American, Caribbean, Hispanic (like every country in Latin American, not just Mexico or Puerto Rico), IndoPak, Middle Eastern, Russian and Polish neighborhoods with all of the delicious ethnic food you could want.
Bridges, canals, dead-end industrial roads, waterfronts, cemeteries, sunken neighborhoods, beaches, and many more bike lanes in places I would never have expected them if I did not visit
Fires, emergency scenes, bizarre street encounters, weather swings, protests, fistfights, street fairs, parades
Streets that literally felt like mini-museums of NYC history You name it — if it exists in the five boroughs, I’ve probably ridden past it.
Advice for cyclists?
* Take the lane
* Don't get distracted by wearing headphones and listening to music, it's not worth it, stay focused on the road
* Always wear a helmet
* Always wear a high vis vest
* In most places in NYC, you don't need strong lights at night, there are so many street lights in the city, but you should always have front white and rear red lights instead of none.
* No one is going to come up and mug you in the City on a bicycle, even at night, it has never happened to me before, just keep moving if something freaks you out
* Find at least one or two bike shops you can trust, otherwise learn how to fix a bike on your own.
* Being able to replace or patch a flat tube is an essential skill, carry two tubes with you, a complete patch kit, some tire levers, and a pump with you, especially if you are biking alone
* Unless you are doing something completely reckless, no good cop is going to give you a ticket for a moving violation. Most the time they do that sort of thing after someone has been killed, to look like they are doing something for street safety
On the other hand, always keep your eyes out for the police, you never know when they might strike
* Be aware of the road in general, 9 times out of 10, yield the right of way to pedestrians
1 time out of 2, yield the right of way to motorists
* Don't yell at people on the street, unless they do something outrageous, or if they yell at you first, for something silly
* When you make a mistake, apologize sincerely, and move on. We all make mistakes at one time or another
* Being an efficient cyclist is not the same as being a jerk cyclist.
* Don't speed through crosswalks filled with pedestrians
* Strongly preferred, when passing a pedestrian, pass on their back side, so that they can continue on a forward motion
* As alert as you are, you are always going to hit a pothole at some point, so have your body prepared for that event, so that you don't lose balance.
* There is a balance between relaxing and being tense on a bicycle, it is something you need to learn
* If you are involved in any kind of crash, call 911 immediately
* If you are in a minor to moderate crash alone, and an ambulance comes, and they won't take your bike, and you don't have any locks, don't abandon your bike, you can always go to urgent care
* Make sure a police report is taken for any crash where you call 911
* The personality of a bike shop is not as important as the quality of their repairs.
It is worth it to pay for a high quality bike repair if you can afford it instead of going back to the shop multiple times, to see if they can fix it properly
* Always fight your tickets, except for the most outrageous cyclist behavior, it is a misappropriation of police resources to ticket a cyclist, and should not be a police priority at all.
* Don't be scared, pay attention to the road. You are the best judge and caretaker of your own safety.
* Don't get too angry at ebikers, they are increasing the need for the city to build more infrastructure, even though many of them can act like jerks.
* If a motorist yields right of way to you, thank them either by waving to them, or nodding your head. Not all motorists are your enemy, and most are responsible, respectful people and should be courted.
Favorite bike shop?
Sanba and Ride Brooklyn are my two main shops for repairs both nearby in Brooklyn
What bike and gear did you use?
I currently mostly ride a 25 year blue old steel-frame Bianchi Brava road bike (my second one), entry level in its day, practical for NYC riding.
I currently mostly ride a 25 year blue old steel-frame Bianchi Brava road bike (my second one), entry level in its day, practical for NYC riding.
The first Brava I owned was destroyed during a hit and run after 22.5 years of riding in 6/2021, maybe 100,000 miles? Can't know for sure as I only started using Strava regularly in 2017. Fortunately, I was able to find another Brava, same color on Craig's List from a legit seller. Funny thing is, I think the Brava was marketed as a women's bike, and I am a man! Normal shoes when going into work, clip-ins on weekends. Durable wheels and tires that can handle potholes and debris respectively. I don't wear too much bike specific clothing besides shoes, and a cycling hat I wear under my helmet, I never wear tight spandex padded biker shorts. I like baggy, and breathable. Quick dry for long rides, and summer, not cotton. I am not a racer so comfort is at a premium for me.
What would you do differently?
What would you do differently?
I would have recorded my rides on Strava a lot earlier. I think I started with the app in 2013, but didn't get serious with it until 2017. I would have liked to have had those rides recorded. I am not sure when Wandrer started, but I would have liked to have that earlier too. I would have never owned a car.
https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/fitness/the-biking-workout-that-hit-10-000-miles-in-a-year-11608980447
Sandeep Menon does incredible artwork, this is not a photo
You've seen her work in Up, Ice Age, Cars on the Road, Elemental, Elio...
there is not much of a story with this Jag
Second owner Ray Scher raced it at Laguna Seca in 1958 and 1959 and sold it in 1960 to Tom Groskritz, who preserved the car for 61 years until 2021, when the current owner purchased it
an industry analyses of trucking problems
a “perfect storm” of federal policies, including the 2016 Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration memorandum that told states not to place non-English-proficient drivers out of service, as well as the White House’s claim in 2021–2022 of creating more than 870,000 new CDL holders — without explaining who those drivers were.
FMCSA state-level data shows “huge, inexplicable waves” of CDL issuances in a dozen states from 2021–2024.
“The federal government’s own website showed almost half a million new drivers added during what’s supposed to be a recession,” Bates said. “It didn’t make sense — until you look at non-domiciled CDLs.”
A recent Department of Transportation audit revealed at least 200,000 such licenses have been issued nationwide. The proliferation of non-domiciled CDLs has coincided with an increase in trucking capacity across the U.S. Since the FMCSA permitted foreigners to obtain non-domiciled CDLs in March 2019, the industry has added more than 310,000 trucks to roads across the country.
The result: suppressed freight rates, rising insurance costs, and a “race to the bottom” that Maher says has crushed small trucking businesses since the post-COVID downturn.
in recent months, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and state police in Oklahoma, Indiana, Texas and Wyoming began to run multi-day roadside operations targeting CDL irregularities.
The results were consistent: between 20% and 30% of trucks pulled over were operated by drivers with fraudulent or non-domiciled CDLs, expired visas, or no license at all.
The results were consistent: between 20% and 30% of trucks pulled over were operated by drivers with fraudulent or non-domiciled CDLs, expired visas, or no license at all.
Lawmakers in Washington state want to ban the use of studded tires in winter, citing millions of dollars in damage they cause. The most recent annual report says studded tires cost the state up to $29 million a year, and city and county streets millions more.
Washington lawmakers have tried for years to move through bills that would ban studded tires, but the most recent bill in 2019 didn't make it out of committee.
The Spokane City Council has listed supporting the ban as one of its legislative priorities this session, saying "Metal-studded tires cause significant damage to local roadways while providing marginal benefits in a narrow range of environmental conditions. To improve road safety and reduce the escalating cost of street repair, the City of Spokane supports the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s proposal for a statewide ban of metal-studded tires with a two-year phaseout."
The Spokane City Council has listed supporting the ban as one of its legislative priorities this session, saying "Metal-studded tires cause significant damage to local roadways while providing marginal benefits in a narrow range of environmental conditions. To improve road safety and reduce the escalating cost of street repair, the City of Spokane supports the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s proposal for a statewide ban of metal-studded tires with a two-year phaseout."
China has a hell of a plan for it's ferrries... invading Taiwan. Until the war begins, they will continue to carry out civilian transport along their routes.
as soon as China decides to invade Taiwan or another country, hundreds of amphibious vehicles will be loaded onto these ships along with troops.
After that, these ships would approach the enemy coast to a designated distance and deploy amphibious forces directly into the sea to secure a foothold on the shore. These ships, being mainly commercial, are not equipped with defensive weapons, even though they may carry thousands of troops and hundreds of military vehicles.
Taiwan, in turn, has a lot of anti-ship weapons, including anti-ship missiles.
Lance Armstrong will narrate the feature documentary “No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company” The film is eyeing a 2026 release date.
“No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company,” currently in post-production, centers on the history of the Schwinn Bicycles.
Founded in Chicago in 1895, Schwinn provided people, especially kids, with a freewheeling freedom like they had never had before. Now 130 years since the company was established, and more than three decades after its bankruptcy in 1992, this is the full untold story of this legendary American brand – and the family who stewarded it to prominence before ultimately losing control of the company.
The team behind “No Hands: The Wild Ride of the Schwinn Bicycle Company” also produced “The Lego Brickumentary,” narrated by Jason Bateman, and “Loopers: The Caddie’s Long Walk,” narrated by Bill Murray.
the film includes interviews with Trek Bicycle president John Burke, mountain biking pioneers Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze and Charlie Kelly, and others.
“Part love letter to a brand we grew up with, part riveting true story of an iconic American brand filled with mystery, No Hands is a passion project for this team,” said Brookwell in a statement.
“There aren’t many names that elicit this much passion and nostalgia – from fond memories of getting your first Schwinn, to smiling as Kermit the Frog rode through ‘The Muppet Movie,’ to younger generations who first saw a Sting-Ray-style bike on ‘Stranger Things.’
“At its peak, Schwinn stood alongside Coca-Cola and McDonald’s — not just as a brand, but as a fixture of American life that gave generations their first sense of freedom,” said Clarke.
Through unique accounts from the Schwinn family and a who’s who in cycling – including Lance Armstrong, whose life was certainly impacted by his first Schwinn – the full story behind this legacy can finally be told.”
Schwinn advertised with Roy Rogers and Capt Kangaroo
Springfield (Oregon) Police Department said it will cover all Flock automatic license plate recognition cameras in the city in the coming days as it prepares to remove them.
Deputy Chief George Crolly said in a statement. “Given what we have learned, we do not have confidence that the current system provides the level of control and assurance we require.”
The announcement comes after the Eugene Police Department reported vulnerabilities and limitations in its own Flock ALPR system that raised concerns about operational needs, data security and community expectations.
The Chicago Police Department’s promotions system allows officers’ disciplinary records to be ignored. Disciplinary records are not factored in as the department evals fitness for promotion. The main qualifying factor are test scores
Chicago’s system of promotions remains out of step with other big cities. Police departments in New York City and Los Angeles consider disciplinary records before promoting officers, seeing their past actions as a critical factor in determining if they’re fit to supervise others.
In New Orleans, the police department created a promotions policy that considers an officer’s disciplinary history after it fell under a federal consent decree stemming from decades of corruption and misconduct. The department took nearly four years to create and launch its new policy.
Specialized, AliExpress and Chinese law enforcement have dismantled two counterfeit manufacturing operations, resulting in the seizure of over $1.6 million of counterfeit goods.
Bicycle Retailer reports the collaborative operation led the efforts to seize $1.1 million of counterfeit Specialized Tarmac SL8 road racing frames, Roval handlebars and wheels, as well as seatposts, forks and 9,500 sticker sets. The operation also seized fake items from Pinarello, Cannondale, Cervelo, and Trek.
The joint operation, carried out in March, collected over $1.6 million in counterfeit bicycle carbon fibre goods and saw the arrest and prosecution of seven individuals.
Waymo announced a voluntary recall after videos showing the robotaxis illegally driving past stopped school buses in Austin popped up. Like I said only yesterday, robot cars? Not ready for emergencies, or unusual circumstances
https://abc7news.com/amp/post/waymo-issues-voluntary-recall-recorded-texas-vehicles-will-remain-roads/18256309
some combination of stupid, tired, suicidal and needed the insurance money are my only guesses why all these vehicles, big and small, were on the train tracks at the exact moment they could be smashed by a train.
the train wins every single time.
What is odd, is that each video has one big fire engine that was waiting to get hit.
What is odd, is that each video has one big fire engine that was waiting to get hit.
Since 1968, Ohio Penal Industries (OPI) and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) have partnered to produce snow plows, and 175 prisoners have carried the load and done the work. It's not like I'm going to give the credit to the prisons or state. They happen to have a lot of innocent people incarcerated too, lets remember.
According to OPI, about 12-14 trucks are assembled and shipped out each month from Chillicothe. Each vehicle is customized to the needs of the area where it will hit the road.
Thank you Marc B
Sunday, December 07, 2025
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