Mustangs – Old and New

OK – I grew up in the age of the monster cars, coming out of the box with 400 and even 500 horsepower under the hood. My first Japanese built pocket rocket firmly convinced me that cubic inches was not necessarily the sole solution to going fast.

To anyone who has been asleep the last several years, the “Pony” wars are back. American steel on American streets – Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger duking it out for local bragging rights. Like most marketing epiphanies to the American car manufacturers – mindlessly undeterred by the burgeoning market in souped up VTEC Hondas, Subaru WRX’s, and other venerable street warriors, after years of trashing their marquee name – Ford fell into this one by accident. Hoping to capitalize on nostalgia for everyone’s first sporty car – they quit screwing around and actually produced a Mustang which looked like a sporty car – a MUSTANG.

Back to the future, indeed.

And just in case you think the success of the Mustang might have provided a 60″ LCD GPS Map for American Car Manufacturers – a group never bent on allowing success to smack them in the face… There was the Pontiac GTO. Note to GM – “I don’t care if it runs like a bat out of hell. It’s MY nostalgia – and it don’t look like a Goat!”

So – looking at the specs for the 2011 Mustang, I was interested in how close they were to the 1969 Boss 302 Mustang. Imagine my surprise when I found the new Mustangs are actually 200 lbs heavier than their venerable counterparts! And, for this old engineer who has always equated weight with fuel consumption…

Check out those mileage numbers.

2011 Ford Mustang... 6 Cylinder

Specs for 2011 3.7 Liter 6 Cylinder Mustang

TOP SPEED –                                 130 mph
0-60 mph (0-96 KM/H)         5.2  sec (est)
ENGINE TYPE                            V6
DISPLACEMENT                       225 ci (3,700 cc)
TRANSMISSION                       6-speed auto/manual
MAXIMUM POWER                 305 bhp @ 7,000 rpm
MAXIMUM TORQUE               280 lb ft @ 3,500 rpm
WEIGHT                                       3,454 lb
ECONOMY                                  19/30 mpg

1969 Boss 302

Specs for a 1969/70 FORD MUSTANG BOSS 302

TOP SPEED –                                 128 mph
0-60 mph (0-96 KM/H)         6.5 sec
ENGINE TYPE                            V8
DISPLACEMENT                       302 ci (4,948 cc)
TRANSMISSION                       4-speed manual
MAXIMUM POWER                 290 bhp (216 kW) @ 5,800 rpm (actually 350-380hp)
MAXIMUM TORQUE               290 lb ft (393 Nm) @ 4,300 rpm
WEIGHT                                       3,227 lb (1,466 kg)
ECONOMY                                  14 mpg

 

Not Just Another Pretty Uniform

Heisman Winner Charles Woodson - A Winner In More Ways than Just On-Field

Charles Woodson wants to be known as more than a football player.

Donating $2 million to the new University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital gives him a chance to do that.

The school announced Woodson’s gift on Thanksgiving before he played for the Green Bay Packers against the Detroit Lions.

Then, he intercepted two passes — returning one for a score — forced a fumble, recovered it and had a sack.

“It was a good day,” Woodson said after Green Bay’s 34-12 win in Detroit.

His donation will support pediatric research by The Charles Woodson Clinical Research Fund in the $754-million, 1.1-million square foot hospital scheduled to open in 2012.

“He’s really studied and tried to understand what the issues are in doing research in pediatrics,” Dr. Valerie Castle said. “What most people don’t know is that less than 10 percent of the National Institute of Health budget goes toward research in pediatric disease.

“When you study those patients, you often times get clues to adult diseases.”

Woodson hopes to attract the world’s best researchers who want to help children with cancer, heart disease, kidney disorders and autism.

“I want to be part of that symbol of hope,” Woodson said. “So that they can say, ‘I know I can beat this thing and there’s people out there who will help me beat it.’”

Woodson said during a visit to Ann Arbor earlier this month that becoming a father in January motivated him to make the gift, altering his outlook on life.
“It can change a lot,” he said.

Lloyd Carr, his coach at Michigan, hopes Woodson’s gift pushes his peers to also give back.

“I think it’s going to have a significant influence across the athletic world that he decided to do this,” Carr said.

 

And the Winner Is…

Speaking of Polls – the December edition of the 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair Poll is out with some surprising, and not so surprising results –

18% of the polled Americans believe that Obama’s likeness should be added to Mt. Rushmore – a bit surprise considering Obama hasn’t been President for a year yet.

Least surprising is that Drugbo (AKA Rush Limbaugh) is seen as the most important conservative figure in America…

Pretty freaking sad when a self described comedian is the top conservative in the whole country.

 

Spin Those Numbers – Rove and “White Flight”

KKKarl Rove, the architect of our national disaster the last 8 years, not surprisingly is a fixture on Faux News. Republicans suddenly believe approval numbers are the gold standard, which is interesting since the same polls gave Rove’s boss the lowest approval ratings ever recorded for an American President.

One would assume in the face of approval ratings in the upper 20’s, Rove was standing steadily behind the Bushit, sword in hand …

Ready to serve as second, in the most noble, and belated act of political seppuku.

Sure he was.

If the polls are to be believed, President Obama is now down to the numbers which won him the Presidency – about 35% of white voters, 95% of black voters and 85% of other minority voters…

Ergo the mix that won the election for him.

Conversely – there isn’t any indication that a drop in Obama popularity has resulted in an upswing in Republican popularity.

What is interesting about this is the blatant attempt to play the race card by Faux News and KKKarl…

“white flight”?

Indeed.

 

Rooting For the Home Team

The Obama family quietly escaped the White House to attend a basketball game Saturday to watch Michelle Obama’s brother, Craig Robinson, coach his Oregon State team against George Washington –

Seth Tarver scored 18 points and the Beavers beat George Washington 64-57 on Saturday, with President Barack Obama and his family watching from courtside in the half-full Smith Center.

Brother-in-law Craig Robinson is the Oregon State coach, and the president brought along first lady Michelle Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha, and mother-in-law Marian Robinson.

The coach said he enjoyed having his family at the game.

“He’s a huge basketball fan,” Robinson said of the president. “He pays close attention and he’s always followed us.”

Oregon State (2-3) led 14-0 before George Washington realized the game had started, but the Colonials (4-1) managed to narrow the deficit to 10 with a run late in the first half.

The first Pac-10 team to play in the Smith Center kept up its fast-paced offense, though, and the Beavers held on in the second half.

Obama received a basketball signed by George Washington players and coaches, along with a jersey and shorts. Coach Karl Hobbs thanked Obama and his family for attending the game.

“Students, this is why you come to GW,” Hobbs said.

Lasan Kromah scored 21 points to lead George Washington.

 

Alicia Keys Changing Lives In Africa (Helping Families Dealing With Aids & More)

Alicia Keys making a difference.

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Tiger Gets the 9 Iron Treatment!

Hmmmmm…

Now TMZ and the gossip rags have already jumped in with stories of another honey on the side, resulting in our boy Tiger getting the 9 Iron treatment from wife Elin Nordegren. A few places such as SF City Lights have even managed to publish a picture of said dalliance, Rachel Uchitel –

Yup… Looks like a 2 Wood…

Followed by a 9 Iron to me…

 

New Haven Firefighters Ordered Promoted by Federal Judge

The 5 Thugs in Black Sheets conservative majority of the Xtreme Court gets their wish –

Essentially by stong-arming a lower court judge.

Now, this may indeed be fair – but I have to figure, if I’m a New Haven Firefighter…

I’m not going into a burning building without color checking who has got my back for a while.

 

America’s Dirty White Underwear

The part of America that, if seen at all on television – is on one of those “Cops” dashboard cam shows, falling over trying to walk a straight line…

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Public Enemy – Flavor Flav Tour For Homeless Children Rolls Through DC

Favor Flav and Public Enemy in support of the Sasha Bruce House – which has become, since it’s inception 30 years ago, the largest organization dealing with at risk and homeless youth in the DC region.

Sorry to be so light on new blog material the last week or so – but first it was wading though hurricanes…

Now it’ s suffering through the flu.

 

 

KKK Rally at Ol’ Miss

Hard to believe in this year and time, the fossils still gather. Nor can I believe they get much support from the kids…

Think the one in the red dress is Mississippi’s Republican Governor, Haley Barbour.

 

Martha Stewart Announces There Will Be No Palin Pattern in the Fall Collection

Guess there won’t be any Caribou doily thingies to go with the Moose shaped candlestick whatchamacallits… Huh?

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Flavor Flav on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Trial in NYC: ‘Hey Check This Out – That’s Where He Need to Be Tried At’

Try KSM in Gitmo?

Yo – Bring his behind on down to Brooklyn!

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Why is it that all of these Republicans …

From places conservatism has made into somewhere where no terrorist would dream attack…

Because no one would notice or care (beyond the possible loss of pond scum spotted tree frog habitat)…

Suddenly believe that New Yorkers are as chickenshit…

As they are?

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Who’s in Charge?

Categorized under “You may run the world, buddy – but in this house Momma rules”…

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President Obama Joint Press Conference Chinese President Jintao

Was rolling on the floor watching this one!