SHORT BLOG ON RECENT EVENTS!
On Sunday, I stopped in at my local Ford dealer and they actually had a Mustang "Bullitt" GT on hand. However it was in the Black paint job and not the Highland Green from the Steve McQueen film of the same name. Since I've owned a Mustang and have driven Shelby's and Cobra's (that I did not own), I spent many happy hours putting my own Mustang "through the ringer" to learn how to handle it in all situations. I wasn't about to waste the dealer's time, but we became involved in a very interesting discussion about the late stunt man Bud Ekins, and also the late Bill Hickman (who drove the menacing Black Dodge Charger in "Bullitt") that the dealership manager soon walked outside and joined in on our discussion of stunt driving. The manager then left and came back outside to hand me the keys to the "Bullitt" Mustang GT and said "Take her out for a spin!". Well, I didn't. But I plead guilty to starting the engine and revving it up. A splendid machine...new subject. ______
Skybus Airlines (2004-2008)
My thoughts and prayers are with those employees who lost their livelihoods when Columbus, Ohio-based low cost/low fare carrier Skybus Airlines, Indianapolis Indiana-based ATA Airlines and Honolulu, Hawaii-based Aloha Airlines filed for bankruptcy and then promptly shut down. I had just finished my Airways magazine article on ATA, North American and World Airways (the latter two are still operating). God-Speed to all of you.
ATA(1973-2008)
Aloha Airlines(1946-2008)
This tragically follows closely on the heels of my recent BLOG on cashing in frequent flier miles...new subject.
Lastly, in the Positive News Department, I was approached by The Blues Society of Western, Pennsylvania to ask my permission to reproduce my recent BLOG: What Is A Musician To Do? And of course, I granted the request. I'm very good about doing this when I am asked. It was an honor. Count your blessings if you are working and let's hope the economy improves!
_____
HAVE A GOOD DAY, ALL!
HAVE A GOOD DAY, ALL!
posted by Michael Manning @ 12:01 AM
21 comments
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21 Comments:
Hey Michael, shame about the airlines shutting down ... seems to happen alot. We have a few cut-price airlines opening her at the moment ... hope they survive.
Congratulations on the honor of having your blog post reporduced by the Blues Society ... that's pretty cool.
Hope you are well, Michael, and keeping out of mischief.
Take care, Meow
HEY, MEOW! I have missed hearing Tom Jones singing, "What's New Pussycat?" on your site!
Yes, the shut down of ATA is personally very sad for me having just covered them in Airways Magazine. I know of another carrier I covered in 1999 that has mere days left. When you get to know the people of the airlines personally, as I do, it is tragic.
lol Meow!
I imagine that was quite a rush just firing the Mustang up!
That is a shame about the closing of the airlines.
Let's hope the economy does an about face soon!
I love Mustangs. I always wanted a red one. They are just beautiful cars.
Seamus: I learned something from watching my Grade School bus driver from sitting in the front row of seats. He looked like a young Johnny Cash with slicked back hair and when he pushed in the clutch with his left foot, he'd slant his right foot across the brake and use his heel to rev up the RPM's. That's what I did! For a good idea of how this sounded, Click on "A Bulitt Ford Salue to Steve McQueen on my Blogroll.Yes, "a rush"!!!!:)
Gina! Wow, it's been so long. Nice to see you here! I picked out one for you. It was a Red convertible Shelby with black stripes. Only $47K. But I can see you in that Car! :)
cool car, love the color!
I feel for each and every person losing their job. I'm working 2 because 1 just doesn't pay the bills anymore and I'm luckier than many.
my son is becoming more and more stressed out. his company (large telecommunications co) is already setting the stage to try and take back benefits come August. he fears there may be a long strike.
and on top of that he was a first responder on 9/11 and is now experiencing the onset of some of the medical issues many other first responders have been struggling with. the paperwork and nonsense from insurance, union and gov't combined is enough to make you even sicker.
a whole lot in this country has to turn around.
hey, THAT is my dream car too!
my husband ONLY likes Chevy...grrrrr.
Glad to have you back, but the pictures your guest bloggers posted were nice too.
I would love to put our Mustang through all it's paces, but since it's really my wife's car, she won't let me.
Ohhh, Mustangs....*siigghhh*
there was something else I wanted to comment on in your posts and then promptly forgot what it was ...DANG! I think I'm just a bit exhausted..
Thanks for stopping by our Got Yog and the R's and T's blogs, Michael - appreciate the support...
Beautiful car!
Congratulations Michael! That is most definitely an honor to have someone request to reproduce your blog post. :)
Have a great week!
~xo
Lee Ann
That is very sad news about the airlines. I think of all of the families who are faced with such a challenge which probably seems impossible right about now.
V. Cool about the blog! :)
I hope the economy doesn't rev the engine for a bit before shutting down again.
I read somewhere 80,000 jobs were lost last month.
You're very right about counting my blessings since I do have a job. The new supervisor may make it unbearable at times but at least (knock on wood) I still have a steady income! Hope you had a great weekend! :)
Congrts on the blog repro request! L-O-V-E the 'stang. Had a teal 66 and mourn the day I sold it. I WILL have another one some day. Yes, I will!
And like Kat said, thanks for visiting our YOG blog.
I share your sympathy with those struggling due to job loss.
Yay for positive news!
Stacy would LOVE to have a new Mustang. We have a friend that WON ONE last year. Lucky dog! I want a Dodge Charger!
The ATA shut down is just one more hit to our local economy. They were around for sometime and their travel club is still operating.
Dianne: Yes, indeed!
barngoddess: Sit him down and watch "Bullitt". The chase will have the two of you visiting a Ford dealer to "test drive" at least a Mustang GT with a V-8!
p.m.: Hertz rents out a high performance Mustang GT. Just a slight hint! :)
Kat: (Waving)!!! :)
Angie: It's very cool to visit you all!!!
Lee Ann: They are musicians and I hope it helps bring some clarity to a decimated industry where label deals are for the very few. It's all just a mess! lol, :)
Jessica: This is sadly, just the beginning of whole companies being destroyed. It's out of control.
Heather: Like you, I don't miss radio at all! :)
Seraphine: Lou Dobbs' series on "The Outsourcing of America" says it all. We are cannibalizing our manufacturing and destroying our country.
Patti: Ah, the Charger. Well, the reason Ford went with Highland Green and Black is to pay homage to the Green 68' Ford Mustang GT Fastback Steve drove in the movie "Bullitt" and the bad guy's car, a Black Dodge Charger! :)Vroom!!!
Teresa: Yes. that would be The Ambassadors Travel Club--which ATA spun off. I was shocked to have interviewed Subodh Karnik who was the CEO of Global Aero Logistic's 3 airlines: ATA, North American and World. The employees of ATA were so dedicated. Such a sad ending. And more will follow soon!
Interesting dealership event. With such a rare car, it's a surprise they were willing to let you take it out. Dealerships around here like to hang onto those kind of cars and typically don't let anyone test drive them until they've written up a deal and even given their deposit first!
RE: the airlines, I don't think that sort of thing will ever surprise me.
Martini: I have some stunt driving background and I think after 45 minutes of discussion, they were confident that I wasn't going to trash the car. I just didn't want to waste anymore of their time, but they wanted to continue talking because business was slow. My salesman went out and bought the DVD "Bullitt" that night after he realized you can't sell the car without seeing the film. When I was in Chicago, I wanted to walk up the Marine towers where Steve chases a bad guy in a "borrowed" tow truck. The ticket girl had no idea who Steve was or "The Hunter". She did after 20 minutes with me. :) Sweet person, just very young.
It's a tough time for airlines... Nice car.
Sage: It's a VERY nice car with a tremendous amount of time spent by the designers watching "Bullitt" (for hours). It is really a car to buy, lose value after you drive it off the lot, then park it and take it out for Sunday spins as it appreciates again! And of course Carroll Shelby's Mustangs are just the epitome of a car lover's dream. The 500 hp car is so high priced that fortunately no tenager will come up with $67K to own one and crash it.
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