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5.0 Mustang & Super FordsFeatured Vehicles
2015 Ford Mustang Overview - World Star
Ford re-imagines the Mustang for the modern world
Horse Sense: Our time researching this story took place at an early media viewing, so many of the specifics about the car were in flux. As such, it's quite possible some things have changed since we went to press.
Press events are typically boring in their predictability, but not the 2015 Mustang preview. Other than the rumors we knew little more than the next Mustang enthusiast as we walked into Ford's Product Development Center, and, frankly, we were more than curious.
New Mustangs are a rarity and certainly something to celebrate, but there's always a chance the car has moved laterally rather than forward. We only had to recall the '94 Mustang was a tepid refinement of the honest fun that had been the Fox, something that became more difficult to ignore the harder we wrung out those cars during their press event.
Still, Ford put things right in 1999, and has built nothing but increasingly better Mustangs since. Now, after the successes in 2005, 2010, and 2011 did Ford have the stuff to do it again? Could they identify and steer through the cultural narrows an all-new Mustang must pass on its way to universal appeal? With its incredible 50 years of history and its legendary wide draw, the Mustang is also more hemmed in by its own design cues and customer expectations than other nameplates, and did Ford have the understanding of their own design to walk the tightrope spanning the gulf between historical slavishness on one side and the future on the other?
Furthermore, what has Ford meant when saying the Mustang is now a world car to be sold around the globe? Did this mean hardware designed for European or Asian sensibilities rolling onto Woodward Avenue?
So it was something of a long, anticipatory walk down the wide corridors inside the Development Center and into a design studio. And there, in a temporary alley of signboards filled with 50 years of Mustang cultural highlights, were one of each—a '65, '67, and '69 Mustang. A squad of Ford luminaries stood out while their adjutants stood by quietly on point.
There was no music, no mood lighting. This was a press briefing in the real world, and we sensed our pent curiosity and background apprehension was mixed with equal anticipation by the Ford team. After three years of secretive work, they were finally able to acknowledge their creation—and at the same time, lay it open for criticism. This was an important first impression that was a long time in the making.
We know what Mustang is supposed to be. we have an intuitive feel of where we're taking Mustang for the loyal customer as well as that broader appeal...
Jim Farley, Ford Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Sales, and Service began to speak...
Now, Jim is an outlier in the catalog of Sanforized corporate personalities. His visual youth and off-the-cuff patterns can seem more like a recent college grad at his first job than the marketing power that launched Scion at Toyota and was hand-picked by Ford CEO Alan Mullay to bend Ford at its waist if necessary to bring it to its customers around the globe. But that's what makes his delivery so sincere. Jim is a headlong futurist and besotted by enthusiast driving—he has a garage full of big-block Cobra roadsters, a Shelby GT350 and Flathead street rod he drives to work. Jim packs the power of conviction, a belief in the good things to come, and the inevitability of great social change in our age, and this infuses his quietly delivered, seemingly conversational remarks with an odd, softly spoken tent-revival urgency that's rarely found in the structured corporate world.
"At the beginning of this project, Raj's team and my team, we really had to take a step back to really think: 'What is Mustang?' In the end, of course it's a car and it's an icon in our industry—50 years of continuous on-sale, which in itself is an unusual thing. And what we discovered when we talked to people everywhere... was that Mustang has turned into a product that people visualize their unfettered self in," Jim said. "And that idea is not just going fast. It is not just performance. The dream is much more universal than that. It can be commuting. It can be one turn. It can be a lifetime trip up the coast. The car has a much more universal dream usage than a lot of sports cars. And yes, it's a sports car, it's incredibly fun to drive, but what is appealing about it is much more essential."
Jim went on to document Mustang's incredible reach. It's 5-million-plus likes on Facebook, 200 marque clubs, and over 3,000 movie appearances—and if anything, the weight of meeting all those customer's expectations only seemed heavier.
"The last thing I want to say," Jim continued, "is surprisingly Mustang is on the Top 10 list of products that are connected to the (Ford) brand, and in places like Germany and Brazil, places where we don't even sell Mustangs. So, for whatever reason, customers have figured out how the Mustang connects to the brand without any advertising or even making the vehicle for sale. And it was with that the team pursued the idea of the 50th version of Mustang, with humbleness and insight from all of those customers."
"Frankly speaking, from a brand guy, this car is so much more than just 100,000 units or 70,000 units," he added. "It is really the essence of Ford on a good day. Which is visualizing yourself in your most relaxed and aspirational way. And isn't that what cars should be?"
It was vintage Jim Farley. Atmospheric and emotional, yet straight to the core. And reassuring, too, in that while we each individually have taken possession of Mustang, here was someone at the highest reaches of Ford showing the people in charge get it too. They've been listening—rather carefully, it turns out—to the customer.
Raj Nair, Group Vice President of Global Product Development, and an even more mad-keen redline artist than Jim, expanded the briefing by addressing the Mustang's newly assigned global outlook. Raj is the man tasked with hammering out the hardware that makes material Jim's lofty aspirations, and he also echoed the emphasis on listening carefully to what the Mustang customer wanted.
"We are moving it on," Raj said. "As we did the research of how to move it on, one aspect that really hit was this universal appeal. Not just in the U.S. but in the rest of the world…"
"Obviously, one of the bigger news (items) is that as we did the work on the universal appeal of the Mustang, we saw this opportunity to take this vehicle forward," he added. "In many respects, the Mustang customer was ready for this before we were. And now that we really are at a One Ford execution of product development, a One Ford execution of marketing and sales through Jim's [Farley] leadership, we're ready to take that step and broaden the appeal of the Mustang."
"But a key aspect of that is, and I get this question internally and I imagine I'll get it externally is, 'Now that you're taking it global, did you have to change anything?' Raj said. "And the resounding answer is no. We know what Mustang is supposed to be. We have an intuitive feel of where we're taking Mustang for the loyal customer as well as that broader appeal that's available to us."
And there it was, the no we had been praying for. The negative that was a positive, a no to corporate hubris and a yes to populist sensibilities. We started to relax.
But first Steve Ling, Ford's Car Marketing Manager, had his say. He's the voice of the customer inside in the Blue Oval, the person charged with carrying out the market research Jim and Raj had cited. Steve gave the most sophisticated interpretation of we Mustang owners, and more importantly, Mustang intenders, yet.
"What is it that customers love about Mustang, and what is it that they want to see in a next-generation car?" Steve asked. "...When we looked at what our current Mustang covers—and sometimes we talk about those customers as Mustang lovers—and what other people that we thought could be enticed with this (car), those needs and wants were largely the same. And we're not just talking about a place like here in the U.S.—I'm talking about around the world."
"...People from all walks of life and all stages of life are into Mustang. But what we found was the thread, the thread that really pulled everyone together, was the emotions, the values. What is it they really value? And what is the feeling that they want to have when they look at a car like this and drive a car like this?" Steve continued. "So, let me jump to the chase... first and foremost the word freedom kept coming up. And freedom is one of those big, ambiguous words in some ways, and people have a little different meaning, but it was basically to say, 'Let me do what I want to do,' and that was something that came true with everyone."
It is really the essence of Ford on a good day… And isn't that what cars should be?
"Now, secondly, we found there were a lot of independent people who like to think of themselves as independent, competent people, but interestingly, they like to hang out with other people just like that. We found a lot of people that were confident, they like to put their personal snap on things, things that they own, things that they like to do," he said. "…Oftentimes they would tell us they define success by the experiences that they have in life and not necessarily by what they own—outside of their Mustang, by the way, but also what they get to do with it, who are the people they get to meet, what are the things they get to do. And... that was the case when we were talking to people in North America, people in Asia, Europe, down in South America. It was unbelievable how common that was..."
"...How does it make them feel when they are driving the car? Well, again, probably no big surprise where freedom came up, independence [did too]. The fact that they felt independent when they get a chance to drive it, right?" Steve added. "I must get 50 emails a day from various customers coming back, but one of the reoccurring, common themes is something like, 'I had a really crummy day [then] I went down to the parking lot. I started my Mustang, and it's like it all went away. It was like an instant vacation.' That doesn't happen with every car. That happens with Mustang."
"Again, (it's) similar around the world, putting on that personal stamp, the fact that they could customize it is something the really loved," he said.
"Another thing that was really great was a recognition by a lot of people of what the team has been doing the last few years—always pushing it, always moving on to greater capabilities. They really encouraged us to stay on that trajectory," and here Steve says the customers cited the '08 Bullitt, the Boss 302, and the Shelbys.
"What are the potential differences between those people who love Mustangs and those we hope to entice? ...What we saw was maybe a little more female, a little bit younger, but not much difference. The big thing they brought up was they just want the latest design and technology. And the biggest opportunity that we identified was, although we've made a lot of improvements, there were certain people who... didn't see how the car had progressed since '05," Steve explained. "So the people who were knowledgeable about Mustang love what's been going on (and) saw all these dramatic changes, but there were a lot of people who didn't because in their viewpoint, the car hadn't changed enough. And, they weren't investigating it. So that was a good moment for us to really appreciate that, and there's nothing like a new, shiny penny in a car to change that vision."
"You'll appreciate there's a lot more to Mustang, all the physical aspects... the racing, the featured marques... whether it was a Bullitt or Boss, SVO or Mach 1, you name it, all of that has been part of the secret sauce that people have really liked... pull it all together, we were pretty lucky. Here we have a brand that globally people were aware of it, they understood what it meant, and they found it really favorable," Steve said. "Two, they liked what they saw in terms of what was happening, and they encouraged us to continue on an evolution of Mustang. A lot of people said, 'We know you know what this car is, and you've kept true to that. Keep it going, just keep pushing the capability like you are...'"
"The final piece I want to bring up... [and] is so important, is most people know this car is important to Ford Motor Company. You know, we had a lot of engineers who said, 'I came to Ford because I wanted to work on this program. I wanted to work on this car.' Whether it's Bill Ford all the way through our dealers, it really lives in their hearts and souls, and people know that," Steve concluded. "And the fact that they know how important that is—and that the people who work on Mustang are the people who drive it, and race it, and show it, and just enjoy it fully—it means a lot. It's one of the key reasons Mustang is as good as it is, and has been over the years. And the fact that they acknowledged that tells us quite a bit."
And with that, we were ushered outside to see the '15 unveiled. As we made the short walk into the private courtyard reserved for such private viewings, we were reassured. We hadn't even seen the new car yet, but it was clear Ford had been thinking long and hard about what Mustang customers wanted and how they could deliver.
Mechanically Speaking
So, what sort of Mustang did Ford build after polling the Mustang universe? The short answer is they modified the existing car until nothing old was left. As such the '15 Mustang, while still clearly referencing the '05-'14 Mustang architecture, is an all-new device.
Addressing this more thoroughly is Dave Pericak, Chief Nameplate Engineer and a man we'll be hearing much from as he's the highest-ranking person dedicated to the Mustang inside Ford: "…This is a clean sheet of paper. Of course, we had a basis to learn and launch from, but as we have evolved there is nothing carryover on this car. It is as clean as a clean sheet gets. All the parts are brand new."
Not one to quibble with the man who birthed it, but if you search long enough in the powertrain, there has to be a bolt, bearing, or crankshaft making the trip to the '15 Mustang unchanged. So let's give Dave his deserved poetic license, as he explains.
"We used a lot of the known basis of the S197. There is a lot of goodness in that car, and we've continued to tweak and evolve it over the years. We used that to launch the new designs and get where we are today."
"The car is so much more capable, and so much more precise," he said. "It is really going to shock you in a good way as to how much we have raised the bar in a good way through the design."
At this early stage Ford has not let loose with all the fundamentals, specifically weight and cost, but what can be seen says much about what remains hidden. Most fundamentally, the '15 Mustang retains the existing 107-inch wheelbase, has wider front and rear tracks, and as Ford confirmed, employs an independent rear suspension. That means a larger footprint than the today's car, which, barring exotic materials (extremely unlikely and none seen so far) or aggressive component design and machining (possible in places), means increased weight. An IRS suspension is traditionally heavier in this class of car than the out-going live rear axle, and so we're not counting on a lighter car.
Balancing that is a touch more horsepower, and when queried on weight, Mustang honcho Dave Pericak responded enthusiastically that the development team had met all performance goals and was "extremely enthusiastic" with the new car's performance—and thought we would be too. But he didn't say anything about weight.
That said, check out the '15 Mustang GT performance goal—beat the Boss 302! If that doesn't get your attention, we don't know what will. And that's not to match it only in raw stopwatch tests, but including the more subtle benefits such as precision and balance. In fact, the fleet of aspirational vehicles taken along on every Mustang development drive included the Porsche 911 and BMW M3, as well as the Boss 302. This is indeed aiming high, and given the engineer's happy faces and eagerness to spill all that the marketing folks would allow, it appears the target has been hit, or looks like it's going to be hit.
To meet these lofty goals the Mustang structure is more rigid with increased use of high-strength steel, increased gusseting (especially around the radiator support), and wears a stronger, stiffer, and lighter front crossmember. Greater precision and world-class handling were clearly on the agenda, and the chassis was made all new accordingly. Of course, the new chassis is stressed and packaged to work with the all-new IRS. Such provisions go deep, as the IRS packages completely differently than the outgoing live axle. It uses a subframe mounting system for the differential, which is based off of the familiar 8.8, and it feeds loads into the unibody at much different points than the live axle.
Just to be clear about it, there is no provision for a live axle anywhere in the '15 Mustang lineup, and for better or worse, we've doubtlessly seen the last live-axle Mustang from Ford. Insiders say retrofitting a live axle to the 2015 will not be easy. All but dedicated, mega-power drag racers will likely learn to live with the IRS.
Asked why Ford dropped the live axle, Dave replied with a little laugh, then said, "It's just time. I think it is really important as you decide to take the vehicle global, I think that's something important to that strategy.
"We've done a lot with the solid axle, we've taken it a lot farther than most people ever thought you could, we love where we've been and what we've done, but looking forward and taking the car global, I think that's key to the strategy, to have the independent rear suspension. And, you know, when we decided to do it, we did it right. I mean, this independent rear suspension is a world-class suspension, and we're pleased with how it's performing."
Performance Packs
Ford is offering a pair of Performance Packs for the new Mustang, the better for performance duty and the hardcore crowd. These promise eye-opening performance; the GT Performance Pack is said to definitely out-lap the Boss 302 on track and a Performance Pack 2.3 Ecoboost promises to combine exquisite balance with pleasingly torquey street oomph.
GT Performance Pack
• Torsen differential
• 15-inch, six-piston front brakes
• Cross-axis ball joints in IRS
• Monotube shocks
• Staggered fit tires: 255 front, 275 rear
• 19-inch wheels
• Front-end stiffening: K-brace, stut-tower brace, grille-opening reinforcement brace, cross-axis joint on lateral link
• Brake cooling via undercar diverter (not ducting)
• Larger radiator
• More aggressive spring, shocks, and sway bars
2.3 Ecoboost Performance Pack
• Larger radiator
• 14-inch rotor, four-piston front brakes
• Upgraded axle (no Torsen)
• Summer tires, 255 all around
• Chassis stiffening
• 145-mph top speed
• More aggressive spring, shocks, and sway bars
Of all major systems, the '15 Mustang's powertrain is the most familiar to we enthusiasts, but there is still plenty new. Ford's overall statement on the '15 underhood family came from Dave, who said he was, "happy to say we have the most powerful, fuel-efficient engine lineup in the history of Mustang."
Entry-level Mustangs retain the familiar 3.7- liter V-6 with some, as yet unspecified, detail improvements. Ford would not talk specifics, but the V-6 is the least changed engine and clocks in at a preliminary spec of 300 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 270 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm.
Next is the first rear-drive application of an Ecoboosted four- cylinder at Ford, an all-new 2.3-liter Ecoboost four-banger. The new 2.3 is also rumored to appear in a new Focus RS in Europe, but Dave noted this Ecoboost 2.3 is specifically designed for "Mustang performance," and itwas confirmed by him to make more power than the V-6 at a preliminary 305 horspower at 5,500 rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque from 2,500 to 4,500. No matter the final rating the 2.3 will play the expected Ecoboost dual role of performance upgrade from the base V-6 combined with a fuel economy boost compared to the 5.0-liter V-8. In fact, it's said to offer a "substantial" fuel-economy improvement over the outgoing 3.7-liter V-6.
Could this be the first Mustang engine to exceed the old 5.0 H.O.'s pushrod thrust while doubling its mileage?
In any case, the hardware confirmed by Ford is enticing. A stout steel crankshaft is on board, signifying a need to contain meaningful power, along with a high-flow, three-port cylinder head designed to gather and pulse the exhaust stream to the twin-scroll turbocharger for quicker spooling (think of an impact gun compared to a breaker bar energizing the turbine). This is done by branching the exhaust from cylinders two and three together while letting cylinders one and four exhaust independently. Keeping with modern practice this is done completely within the cylinder head casting. There is no exhaust manifold in the traditional sense, with the turbocharger simply bolting to the extended side of the cylinder head. Ford calls this an Integrated Exhaust Manifold and says it reduces turbo lag, and allows for longer exhaust valve timing for increased performance because there is less reversion (back flow) from other cylinders.
Perhaps more telling, the integrated exhaust plays an important role in quickly spooling the 2.3's big turbocharger. Sized larger than normal Ecoboost practice to make good top-end power, Ford found the IEM key in reducing the big unit's turbo lag.
Of course, the major attraction to a four- cylinder turbo in a performance car is not hitting the extremes in any one area but in tossing all the darts relatively close to the bulls eye. Thus, a favorable power-to-weight ratio, contained cost, good fuel economy, and excellent weight distribution are all factors in considering how the 2.3-liter Ecoboost Mustang will perform. A flat and distinctly muscular torque curve is also a given with an Ecoboost engine. Dave said the 2.3 "is extremely rewarding and well-balanced. It will definitely put a smile on your face. It is absolutely worthy of wearing the Mustang badge; we're really proud of this engine... it's going to be a great addition to our lineup."
While his boss, Raj Nair, was more specific, saying, "At the highest level, my favorite Mustang to drive is the Boss 302. So the target for the team was to get that level of balance that we have with the 302 across the total lineup.
"The 2.3 in particular, as well the 3.7- and 5.0-liter, not only achieve that level of balance, but the window that you have between steering control, throttle control, managing the weight and rotating the vehicle in the 302, I wouldn't say it's narrow, but you have to be on your game at 10/10 (driving at the limit). What we have now with the [2.3] is the window... is much wider. It is easier to drive the vehicle and enjoy the vehicle." Or, as Raj summed it up, "Flatter the novice and reward the expert."
We can only think the 2.3 Ecoboost Mustang will have the dynamic range to deliver on the unrequited promise of the mid-'80s SVO Mustang, a car that showed fleeting glimpses of glory but couldn't deliver the needed refinement or performance at both ends of the tach. Certainly it has been performance tuned and will serve as the desirable option for a newer generation fans who don't necessarily like or want a V-8.
Most exciting of all, the Coyote is evolving using parts and experience from the Boss 302's vaunted Roadrunner engine. Again, Dave laid out the highlights: "Of course, the 5.0-liter, the engine that's at the top of our lineup, we are not leaving that alone. We are improving its fuel performance, and overall power. "
"We taking learnings from the Boss 302, and even, in some cases, some components out of the Boss 302. We're making the engine breath better," he said. "Larger intake and exhaust valves is one improvement... Revised camshafts with higher valve lift and a new cylinder head with improve port flow [is another improvement]. All that we learned from the Boss 302."
"Now, some of the components we're using are the Boss 302 valve-springs and connecting rods..." he added. "We're also adding a standard air-to-oil cooler because the top speed across the entire lineup on Mustang is being increased, with the V-8 hitting 155 mph."
"So, you've seen us take the 5.0-liter from 412 to 420 horsepower, now we're going to take yet another step forward. We always put the and solution out there, so we're improving the fuel as well," he explained. "And how are we doing that? We have a new intake manifold with remote control valves... That allows us to control the combustion chamber and optimize it to give it more stability at idle and it will improve our total emissions and fuel economy. And then we have mid-lock variable cam timing phasers as well that allow us to more... precisely control the airflow."
More specifically Dave confirmed the new 5.0 cylinder head is not the fully CNC-ported Boss 302 head, which is impossible to build in Mustang GT volumes. Rather it's a new casting incorporating lessons learned from those heads. That said, at press time the projected specs on the revised 5.0 are an obviously conservative 420 horsepower at 6,500 and 396 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.
All of these engines are married to the same six-speed transmissions in use today, but with significant improvements. The Getrag manual gains improved internals for smoother shifting and improved shifter plane spacing. It is "rewarding and precise," states Dave.
The automatic is re-engineered to reduce parasitic losses and withstand great power and torque. Furthermore, every automatic, with all engines, offers paddle shifting with rev-matched downshifts. These shifts are tuned by the new driving mode selector so Sport gives quicker, more aggressive shifts, and we presume Snow/Wet gives less shocking gear changes.
To make the worst kept Mustang secret official, Dave confirmed the '15 uses an independent rear suspension. He described it as a "world-class, integral-link suspension designed specifically for Mustang... it improves stiffness and reduces compliance for more precision." Few details are available other than the IRS geometry has double the anti-lift under braking and two times the anti-squat during acceleration than the outgoing suspension for flatter handling. Also, it is based on the 8.8-inch differential, and expect to see all the good options available for the Boss 302 to reappear in the '15 Mustang GT—such as the Torsen limited slip. Furthermore, Ford is fine-tuning differential construction so the V-6 car's diff will be lighter and the V-8's stronger but heavier. Dave confirmed the GT gets monotube shocks at the rear as well.
A major part of the Mustang chassis story is that after the IRS was designed, the design team concluded they absolutely needed to widen the rear track 70mm. The front suspension had been widened by 15mm early in the program for performance reasons, and after much discussion, was not widened again when the rear was. This decision to widen the rear track was driven strictly by styling concerns says Dave (his chassis team met all of the handling objectives without the wider track), but it did mean a major effort revising the already designed IRS and everything it influences outward late in the program. The commitment to make this work for the better of the car shows the dedication of the whole Mustang team to the cause.
A MacPherson strut front end was retained for the new Mustang, but it is absolutely all new, including the front subframe (K-member) which is stiffer, lighter, and stronger. This allows for smaller diameter, better-riding sway bars because the front end twists less. Overall, the chassis is stiffer by an unspecified amount as well.
An exciting front suspension development is double-ball-joint geometry at the outer end of the lower control arm. This is a definite step up in suspension design from previous Mustang practice—it's more of a BMW trick—and it delivers increased precision through reduced wheel load lever arm, improved road feel, and wheel-rate stiffness. Not without its challenges such as cost and increased steering friction that demand careful engineering to reduce, this was still one of those improvements everyone wanted but management thought too pricey until a blind back-to-back test was arranged. The double ball-joint was approved immediately.
Put together, the front and rear suspensions yield "an extremely well-balanced vehicle," Dave said. He stopped short of stating the new GT will out-lap the Boss 302, instead saying he wasn't "making a promise, but [the development team] are on track to do that." To our ears, the message was Ford is emphasizing handling on the new Mustang, a most welcome development.
Another double-ball-joint advantage is increased room to package larger brakes—a definite need on the '15 as the stoppers range all the way up to 15-inch discs. In fact, Dave's enthusiasm peaked when describing the brakes. "All this hardware combined with the booster improvements and the pedal-ratio improvements gives us a braking system that we have just never had on Mustang before. It is absolutely phenomenal and confidence inspiring. It is really, really exciting."
So far, only the basic specifications for the front brakes are known, but they do point to a quantum leap in braking performance, especially when factoring the gains from the flatter-reacting suspension.
Entry level in the V-6 and 2.3 Ecoboost models is a two-piston floating caliper atop a 12.5-inch rotor. All Mustang GTs and 2.3 Ecoboost with the Performance Pack sport 14-inch rotors under fixed four-piston calipers that Dave characterized as similar to but more capable than today's Brembo package. He said the calipers are larger, stiffer, and generate more torque than today's four-piston units, and the whispered word is this is actually the best performing brake package.
Of course, there's more. Mustang GTs with the Performance Pack move to those pizza-pan, 15-inch rotors with fixed six-piston Brembo calipers. Again these calipers are larger, stiffer, and boast 15 percent more pad surface area than today's Shelby GT500.
Also mentioned, all Mustang calipers are aluminum, and the rear brakes have been increased in overall size and thermal capacity. Up front, the large brakes on the Performance Packages are cooled by under-car air diverters as well. These are similar to brake cooling ducts, but use fixed panels to scoop and flip air to the front brakes. There are no brake-cooling ducts in the front bodywork.
The tire manufacturers, compounds, and other details were not finalized at press time, but tire sizes were. Base 17-inch and 18-inch fitments wear 235 tires; 19-inch wheels get 255 tires; the 20-inch option comes with 265 rubber. All tire fitments are square—the same size at all four corners, except for the 5.0-liter Performance Package, which gets 275s at the rear on 19-inch rims.
When Can You Buy One?
Ford spokespeople were adamant Mustang will be sold world-wide unchanged from U.S. specification unless local regulations demand otherwise. The sequential taillights are banned in some countries, for example, rear foglamps can be required, and there will be righthand-drive models (late availability).
Because Mustangs are a rare, premium sports car overseas, Ford can charge more for them there. Asked if this was a significant financial gain, and thus helpful in getting some of the high-specification hardware through the approval process, Ford said no.
While there may have once been a plan to offer the '15 Mustang on the car's exact on-sale 50th anniversary—April 17, 2014—that is not the case. First deliveries are now planned for the last quarter of 2014, although orders could possibly be placed by the time you read this. Coupes will appear first, with the convertibles slightly delayed, perhaps two months.
All Mustangs will be built at the usual Flat Rock, Michigan plant. Expect fewer standalone options—Ford says that even with the additional engine, the ordering process will be less complex than with the current car.
Pricing, of course, will be the last '15 fact released. We feared Ford would make the car so capable and urbane that it would migrate above its populist roots, a well-anticipated question by the Ford team. Dave's response: "(We're) not ready to share the price, but we are happy where we ended up." Keeping the Mustang affordable was mentioned as a key goal by more than one team member.
Ultimately, even after our limited exposure to it, we are more sure about this new Mustang than any other in our 26 years of professional experience with the marque. Normally it takes us months to warm to a new design, but we've been excited by the '15 from the instant they slid the sheet off it in the design studio courtyard—when we felt a bit guilty for having doubted if Ford knew their car well enough to "get it."
Well, Ford definitely gets it. The personality looks spot-on with performance we didn't dare dream of.
We can't wait to bring it to you in all its variations.
Coming Clean
Think you've been anxious for your first look at the '15 Mustang? Consider the guys who are building it. During the first press preview, Ford management, marketers and engineers were all but bursting to talk about their new baby.
Like school kids at their first dance, the press and Ford people were awkwardly shy for the first moment, then fairly gushing once it sank in that, yes, they really could talk about the new Mustang to people outside their work group. There was so much to tell, so much held back that the exchanges came in bursts, the subject pinging from the minutiae of the alloy in the brake calipers to macro demographics in 30 seconds.
And don't think there aren't serious sanctions against speaking before the official release. More than once at the reveal a Ford employee would slow in mid-sentence, tensely searching for the right words, then suddenly relax, saying, "Oh, that's right, we can talk about this now."
We're all used to the odd diplomatic dance that takes place before a car is announced. The press probes, the engineers and marketers mince words, all but speaking in tongues to say something without revealing anything. But when the dam finally breaks on a car as significant and as anticipated as a new Mustang, the relief is real enough to carry in a backpack. One that you can take off, that is.
Ultimately, even after our limited exposure to it, we are more sure about this new Mustang than any other in our 26 years of professional experience with the marque.
New Rivals
Ford has apparently declined magazine requests to supply '15 GTs for Mustang vs. Camaro stories (don't worry, such stories will end when the sun quits rising in the east), and David Pericak was queried as to why.
"Camaro has their car, they tune it and develop it the way that they do and... their customers love it and there's nothing wrong with that. But if you want to better yourself... that's why we took Porsche 911s and, you know, we had some pretty high aspirational vehicles along with us on the development— because, as Raj and the rest of us say, we want to raise the chinning bar. It's not that we discount them... we believe we need to look beyond that [the Camaro] to make ourselves better.
Tech Specs: 2015 Mustang
Engine and DrivetrainBlock
Forged steel
Bore x Stroke
3.7: 3.76 x 3.41-in/95.5 x 86.7mm
2.3: 3.45 x 3.7-in/87.55 x 94mm
5.0: 3.63 x 3.65-in/92.2 x 92.7mm
3.7: 227ci/3,727cc
2.3: 140ci/2,300cc
5.0: 302ci/4,951cc
Cast aluminum
DOHC w/ four valves per cylinder, and twin independent variable camshaft timing
Cylinder heads
Aluminum w/
3.7: Intake 37mm/10mm, exhaust 31mm/9.7mm valves
2.3: Intake 31mm/8.31mm, exhaust 30mm/7.42mm valves,
5.0: Intake 37.3 mm/13mm, exhaust 31.8mm/13mm valves
Intake manifold
Composite shell-welded with runner pack (5.0: charge motion control valves)
Fuel system
3.7: Sequential multiport electronic
2.3: Direct injection
5.0: Sequential multiport electronic
3.7: Cast-iron
2.3: Three-port integrated into aluminum head
5.0: Stainless-steel tubular headers
• Six-speed manual w/ Hill Start Assist
|Gear ratios
|Gear ratios
Independent 8.8
Gear ratios
3.7: 3.15:1, 3.55:1 (optional)
2.3: 3.15:1, 3.31:1 (optional), 3.55:1 (Performance Package)
5.0: 3.15:1, 3.55:1 (optional)
Suspension and ChassisFront Suspension
Double-ball-joint independent MacPherson strut and tubular stabilizer bar
3.7: 320 (12.6 in.) x 30mm vented discs, twin-piston 43mm floating aluminum calipers
2.3: 320 (12.6-in) x 30mm vented discs, twin-piston 43mm floating aluminum calipers
Performance Package: 352 (13.9-in) x 32mm vented discs, four-piston 46mm fixed aluminum calipers
5.0: 352 (13.9-in) x 32mm vented discs, four-piston 46mm fixed aluminum calipers
Performance Package: 380 (15.0-in) x 34mm vented discs, Brembo six-piston 36mm fixed aluminum calipers
Wheels & Tires
3.7: 17x7.5-in 235/55R H A/S, 18x8-in 235/50R W A/S
2.3: 17x7.5-in 235/55R H A/S, 18x8-in 235/50R W A/S, 19x8.5-in 255/40R W A/S, 20x9-in 265/35R W summer; Performance Package: 19x9-in 255/40R Y summer
5.0: 18x8-in 235/50R W A/S, 19x8.5-in 255/40R W A/S, 20x9-in 265/35R W summer; Performance Package: front, 19x9-in 255/40R
Rear Suspension
Integral-link independent with coilsprings, solid stabilizer bar, and twin- or mono-tube dampers (application-specific)
3.7: 320 (12.6-in) x 12mm solid discs, single-piston 45mm floating aluminum calipers, integral parking brake
2.3: 320 (12.6-in) x 12mm solid discs, single-piston 45mm floating aluminum calipers, integral parking brake; Performance Package: 330 (13.0-in) x 25mm vented discs, s prism:class="box"ingle-piston 45mm floating iron calipers, integral parking brake
5.0: 330 (13.0-in) x 25mm vented discs, single-piston 45mm floating iron calipers, integral parking brake; Performance Package: 330 (13.0-in) x 25mm vented discs, single-p prism:class="box"iston 45mm floating iron calipers, integral parking brake
Wheels & Tires
3.7: 17x7.5-in 235/55R H A/S 18x8-in 235/50R W A/S
2.3: 17x7.5-in 235/55R H A/S, 18x8-in 235/50R W A/S, 19x8.5-in 255/40R W A/S, 20x9-in 265/35R W summer; Performance Package: 19x9-in 255/40R Y summer
5.0: 18x8-in 235/50R W A/S, 19x8.5-in 255/40R W A/S, 20x9-in 265/35R W summer; Performance Package: 19x9.5-in 275/40R Y summer


text:
Walter E. Williams, of the Laurel Leader-Call issues the following challenge:
"I challenge anyone to show me people dying on the streets because they don't have health insurance."
(via Kevin, MD)
I accept your challenge, Mr Williams, and will run a series of real stories, anonymized of course, which will illustrate the real, undeniable, human tragedies which are the result of the crisis in access to health insurance and health care.
I will start with a recent case, because it was memorable and so aptly illustrates Mr Williams' utter disconnect from the reality of America's "Greatest Health Care in the World" [tm].
Mr Jones was an African-American in his mid-fifties. He worked as a framer, was married, and had three children in their early teens. African-Americans are statistically more likely to be without health insurance, and he was indeed uninsured. He made too much as a framer to qualify for Medicaid, and his employers did not offer insurance. In our state, individual policies are very expensive; almost prohibitively so, and Mr Jones had a history of high blood pressure, which would probably have drastically increased the cost or excluded him altogether. I do not know whether he "chose" to go without insurance or whether he tried and failed to obtain it, but it doesn't really matter. He had tried to be seen at the local charity clinic for blood pressure medications, but had given up because the clinic was overbooked and he could never get an appointment that didn't conflict with his work schedule.
I never found out what sort of person he was -- whether he was a pleasant, good hard-working family man, or whether he was a grumpy old cuss, whether he tried to take care of himself or whether he ignored his health and smoked and drank and ate fatty foods. I do know that his family thought the world of him and he was apparently dedicated to them, and that he collapsed in front of them on a Saturday morning.
When he was brought to me his blood pressure was 240/125, and he was deeply comatose. The paramedics had put in a breathing tube and he was not responding even to painful stimuli. I gave him medicine to bring down his blood pressure and obtained a CT scan of his brain. It looked something like this:This is not his scan -- I didn't happen to save the image, but it's pretty close. There is a large amount of blood in the brain tissue and the ventricles. This is typical of a hemorrhage caused by longstanding high blood pressure which weakens the arteries in the brain until one of them bursts.
I admitted him to the ICU under the care of a neurosurgeon, but there was really nothing anyone could do, and he died the next morning.
In one respect, the estimable Mr Williams is right -- this patient didn't die in the street. He died in the hospital. Maybe he would have died anyway, even had he been on medication. Maybe he had self-destructive tendencies and habits which contributed to his demise. We'll never know. But he had access to the health care system only for the last sixteen hours of his life. Had he been under the care of a doctor and prescribed even very inexpensive medicines, he might well be alive today.
And this is our national shame.
17 February 2007
Challenge Accepted
Walter E. Williams, of the Laurel Leader-Call issues the following challenge:
Posted by shadowfax at 3:22 PM
17 comments:
He didn't need insurance. He could have gone to see a doctor and gotten clonidine or HCTZ for pennies. He chose not to, or didn't realize the danger of not doing so.ReplyDelete
In our part of the country, he could have gone to any one of these places:
- James2/17/2007 11:49 PM
Scalpel, perhaps you didn't look that carefully, but on the site you link to, there is this notice front and center:ReplyDelete
"Health Care Provided To the Uninsured at Risk.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed regulation that will dramatically reduce Medicaid funding to the Harris County Hospital District — threatening access to care and needed services for low-income residents of Harris County. The proposed cuts specifically target the hospital district, which serves as the primary safety net for the community's uninsured population."
I find it disturbing that some automatically "blame" the uninsured for their health problems, yet "forgive" those wealthy enough to pay for care.ReplyDelete
We're ALL guilty of non-ideal health behaviour - be it smoking, drinking, diet, exercise, working hours/stress management, getting age related screening, always driving safely etc etc etc.
The point is that none of the local private docs will see an uninsured patient at all (or, to be fair, the local privates have a certain number of slots available for the uninsured, all of which are full). And the "charity clinic" is overwhelmed. And he had a mortgage, so he didn't want to incur bills he couldn't pay.
So the great irony is that very inexpensive meds could indeed have treated him, but the avenues of access to care were closed or severely obstructed.
And he had a mortgage, so he didn't want to incur bills he couldn't pay.ReplyDelete
Sounds like another case of simple prioritizing to me. He had a job, and money, but if he preferred to spend the cash on a mortgage, piano lessons, or gin it was his choice. To say his demise was the direct result of his lack of insurance is a stretch.
"The point is that none of the local private docs will see an uninsured patient at all... And the "charity clinic" is overwhelmed."ReplyDelete
Wow, and I thought the PNW was full of kind-hearted generous liberals who championed the downtrodden, while Texas was supposed to be full of greedy conservatives who only cared about themselves.
I guess you can't believe everything you hear. LOL.
Yeah, that frivolous twit prioritized food and housing before insurance -- silly bastard deserved what he got. I bet he even had a car, too! Clearly it was his own choice, then. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
The working poor generally are living hand-to-mouth. It's not easy to find an extra $11,000 in the budget for insurance when your gross take-home is <$50,000. When the "choice" is a matter of prioritizing basic necessities like housing and food versus health, it's a false choice -- not a real option. It's pretty glib to imply that he was choosing "gin and piano lessons" when he was more at the subsistence level.
- Anonymous2/18/2007 9:12 AM
In our county, someone at that income level would pay $5 for a clinic visit, $5 for each prescription, and $25 for an ER visit. No insurance needed.ReplyDelete
Yeah, thay have to wait longer to be seen. But nobody said life was perfect, and no matter how much your heart bleeds for the underpriviliged, you can't be everyone's nanny. At some point personal responsibility has to come into play.
here's what the republicans on this thread and in society are afraid to say, so i'll say it for them.ReplyDelete
poor people have done nothing to deserve proper healthcare treatment. at least they don't deserve treatment that in any way resembles what i receive or what anybody who makes a decent living gets. why should my hard work subsidize someone who probably sucked in school and didn't think about their future when they should have been, and now is a drain on society? you messed up, you made the wrong choices... so now, when you're sick and can't care for yourself and need a caring hand... don't come crying and bitching to me. you lose. you're a loser.
i don't care if you had a terrible childhood, i don't care if you have a chronic illness or injury, i don't care if you have a mental illness, i don't care if you struggle with addiction... or anything else that would prevent you from working and making enough money to provide all of life's amenities... you LOSE.
i win, because i had the dice roll my way.
there, it's all so much clearer now, isn't it?
Liberals are really compassionate when it comes to spending other peoples' money. And really good at building strawmen.ReplyDelete
Does anyone question whether this man would have been more likely to get a check up if he had insurance? If you're talking about how society works, surely you have to talk about forces that push in one direction or another. On the one hand there is the cost of insuring the other fifth of our population that is uninsured, and on the other is the cost of having citizens suffer and die from treatable illnesses.ReplyDelete
To say, "He didn't need insurance," or that it is a "case of simple prioritizing," is shocking. If your political views drive you do analyze this problem in this way, you need to do some deep questioning. What kind of person have you let yourself become? Is this the kind of person you want to be?
Seriously, read the Dhamapada, the sermon on the mount, JFK's inaugural address--something. There is sickness other than physical sickness.
Shadow - many of us appreciate your looking at this side of this extremely "hot" issue.ReplyDelete
I won't go into details, anyone who "knows" me knows already, but my husband will soon be uninsured.
We do not qualify for assistance with his medications because of our HUGE combined income. We attempted to purchase private insurance and they REFUSED - several companies not just one or two.
So, do we buy these medications, or do we pay to keep a roof over our heads? They come to about $1300 a month. Does not include doctor visits or lab tests or anything other than prescription medications.
We live very simply - not beyond our means at all. Drive two old, paid for cars, and have a simple small house with a payment that is no more than the average rent in our county.
The uninsured aspect is not his fault -nor can his illness' be chalked up to having "brought it all on himself" - nor am I sure it would matter if he had.
He worked his way through college from 18 until he was 23 or so while paying off his mom's home because his dad died young. Worked all his life and did everything right by the book (according to the commentors here)but still wound up in this predicament.
Some folks have no compassion - no empathy - and for whatever reason are just plain bitter. Whether it be because they have never had to struggle with adversity, or just simply because they have a 'big head' and think it could never happen to them, there is no reasoning with folk like that.
And in case anyone wonders - I am about as non-liberal as they come down here in my little southern world. I'm not even sure I am proud to say I have been a republican most of my life, because it seems to me now, that the very party I have supported is the very one willing to let us fall between those cracks some of you refuse to admit exist.
What is so hard to understand? Look at the website I linked in the first comment. Plug in your financial data.ReplyDelete
A family of 4 earning 36,000 a year pays $5 for office visit and $5 per prescription. No insurance required. Some people earning less than that pay nothing. I have done more for people in need than the whiny commenters here ever will, so how dare anyone accuse me (even indirectly) of not having compassion or empathy.
Healthcare can be provided to the lower-income population on the state and local level. We don't need more national healthcare bureaucracy.
Since you seem to like anecdotal case studies, I offer this one:ReplyDelete
I admitted a 50 year old man last week who had better insurance than I do. He'd had multiple ER visits over the last few years for various issues, and his blood pressure was always in the 180/100 range. It was always noted on the triage note that he had been "out of his meds" or "not taking meds" for two months, and he was always prescribed BP meds and encouraged to follow up.
When he came to see me, his BP was 260/130, but he was without any evidence of injury. I admitted him for BP control, just as I would have done had he not had insurance, and I warned him to start taking his condition more seriously.
Plenty of people with insurance don't take care of themselves either.
- Anonymous2/19/2007 6:46 PM
Just a lurker....son was in auto accident recently -- lucky: broken nose & 2 lost teeth. Air lifted to Phila. when local hospital was 5 mi. away. 3 days (2 nites) total of over $130,OOO. Tests, tests, tests....get the legal system off the hospital and doctors' backs! Let them use their common sense! Luckily, he works for school district---insurance paid all but $8,000.ReplyDelete
- policy wonk3/02/2007 12:33 PM
Here's a story from the Washington Post that (kind of) fits the bill:ReplyDelete
For Want of a Dentist
Many of the problems that the uninsured and underinsured face are the difficulty of gaining access to care. EMTALA has made it much easier to go to an emergency room than it is for most of the un/underinsured to enroll in public insurance programs or go to a PCP. Until some of the disincentives (bureaucratic for the patients, financial for the doctors) are addressed, cases like these will persist.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Years ago, I wrote a column about "whom" and the dangers of using it wrong. What happened next remains one of the weirdest moments in my writing career.
A reader sent an email to scold me, but not for anything to do with the word "whom." The word he objected to was "wrong." I was, without a doubt, an idiot for using the adjective "wrong" to modify the verb "use" instead of the adverb "wrongly."
Then, the next day, another reader did the same.
A lone hothead in such a mad rush to criticize that he couldn't be bothered to open a dictionary I could shrug off. But two? Two people who not only would have us say "Don't use it wrongly," but who would condemn the alternative without taking even a minute to check their facts?
Adverbs, especially "manner adverbs," can bring out the worst in some people. Manner adverbs describe the manner in which an action occurs. The man walks slowly. The woman speaks quickly. The child did poorly on the test.
They often end in "ly" and have adjective equivalents without the "ly." That is, the adverb "slowly" has the corresponding adjective "slow." The adverb "quickly" has the adjective form "quick" and the adverb "poorly" has "poor."
In fact, if there's one grammar lesson we remember best from school, it's probably that adverbs like "quickly" modify verbs, while adjectives like "quick" modify nouns.
But, as with most things in life and language, it's not that simple. Not all manner adverbs end in "ly." And many words that have both an adverb form and an adjective form don't divvy up their tasks according to the simple rule.
Often, the one without the "ly" can function as an adverb just as correctly as the one with the "ly." Look at these sentences.
The man walks quick.
The woman speaks slow.
Drive safe.
Go easy on him.
Don't use "whom" wrong.
Those examples are all correct. Slow, quick, safe, easy and wrong are called "flat adverbs."
"A flat adverb," "Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage" says, "is an adverb that has the same form as its related adjective: 'fast' in "drive fast," 'slow' in 'go slow,' 'sure' in 'you sure fooled me.'"
Some flat adverbs have corresponding "ly" forms, like "slow" and "slowly." Some, like "fast," do not. Either way, the point is that a word modifying a verb doesn't necessarily have to end in "ly."
Some people think usages like "Drive safe" are a tragic deterioration of the English language. On the contrary: there used to be more flat adverbs. They were favorite tools not just of Huck Finn types drawling that a day was "powerful hot," but also of distinguished writers like Samuel Pepys, who in his 1667 diary wrote that he was "horrid angry," and Jonathan Swift, who in the 1712 "Journal to Stella," wrote, "the five lades were monstrous fine."
For people who object to "go slow" or "drive fast," Washington Post Business Desk copy chief Bill Walsh has some straight talk: "You're stuck in Adverb Amateur Hour," he writes in "The Elephants of Style." "Stop humming the 'Lolly, Lolly, Lolly' song from 'Schoolhouse Rock' for a moment and pick up a dictionary … 'fast' and 'slow' are adverbs as well as adjectives."
And remember, just because a descriptor comes after a verb doesn't mean it's modifying the action in the verb. Sit pretty. Slice the meat thin. In these, the descriptor doesn't apply to an action as much as it does to a noun. In "Think pink," the descriptive word is functioning as a noun.
The bottom line is that whenever an "ly" form seems unnatural or forced, it's probably the wrong choice.
JUNE CASAGRANDE is the author of "It Was the Best of Sentences, It Was the Worst of Sentences." She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
An Overlanding Frame Of MindPosted in Events on October 1, 2012
There are many types of four-wheeling, but one that is less common is overland travel. Lots of people think overlanding is just buying a bunch of neat bolt-on widgets for their 4x4, but we describe this trend as getting away from home for multiple days and exploring and living out of your 4x4. It may be a long weekend in your local woods or a trip to the farthest reaches of the world. You may be going overlanding when you're camping or exploring for a holiday vacation. Or you may be selling the house, packing the family in your 4x4, and taking them all on the adventure of a lifetime.
Where rockcrawling is more about surmounting a boulder-strewn trail and mud bogging is playing in a muddy field, overland travel is often less extreme on the trail obstacles but more extreme in the distance from home and civilization. In fact, you may need to mud bog or rockcrawl to finish your overland trip.
In Alaska you may go overlanding (and call it camping or moose hunting) and never leave the state. In the lower 48 maybe you could be overlanding if you're taking dirt roads from Mexico to Canada, or as many logging roads as you can from Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean.
The idea is actually pretty simple—it's an adventure—but defining it will be different for everyone. We know people who have gone on these trips in old Jeeps, cars, motorcycles, and built-to-the-hilt 4x4 or 6x6 campers. It doesn't really matter what you take or how you outfit it; you can still have an adventure. You just have to go.
Set a Departure Date
If you don't set a date to leave you may never leave. It's easy to say you will, but easier still to find excuses not to. Set a date and work toward it. Then on that date, leave.
Ignore Naysayers
Tell your friends that you're going to drive around the world in the '50 Dodge Power Wagon you just drug home from a junkyard, and some of them will tell you you're crazy, you're going to die, and you'll never make it out of the county. They may be right, but negative people will not help you get through your trip. You need a can-do attitude to accomplish stuff that hasn't been done before. If people tell you it can't be done, ask if they have actually tried. They may just be scared and figure you should be scared too. You shouldn't be scared; you should be smart.
Meet With Likeminded People
There are forums online all about world travel and expedition adventures, such as www.expeditionportal.com. The Overland Expo ("Wanderer's Weekend," page 30) is a great meeting of adventurous folks. Plus, if you look around you may find individuals in your hometown who have gone on wild and crazy trips. Experienced people will help feed the fire and can give you realistic advice. Is Mexico really a dangerous place to visit? We know people who go there all the time, while others will tell you you're going to be shot just crossing the border by gun-toting drug smugglers, but they've never actually been there.
Don't Read the Newspaper or Watch TV
A lot of the daily news is about looking for a sensational story to gain viewers. The news media can make you want to crawl under your bed in fear of serial killers, blood-thirsty terrorists, and evil border guards. The facts are simple: Millions of people die every year, and millions of people travel every year, but that doesn't mean traveling will kill you. Ignore the hype. Plus, TV can be a huge time sink when you could be in the garage, shop, or barn fixing up your travel truck.
Do a Test Run With Your Packed Vehicle
No matter what you are taking on your adventure—car, truck, bike, horse—it's a good idea to go for a test run, maybe around the neighborhood, maybe across town, maybe across the state. If you have too much stuff and can't travel safely, you'll figure it out quick. The vehicle may sway and drive poorly from items packed too high on a roof rack or from overloaded brakes and frame.
Also spend time learning your equipment. Do you know how to use your winch and other recovery gear if need be? Can you dig out your spare tire? What if you're stuck in the mud and need to change a tire? Do you know how to start your camp stove or use your water filter or set up your tent? Get to know your vehicle and gear at least a little before you head off.
Read Books & Watch Movies That Inspire You
Lois Pryce is an Englishwoman who has traveled much of the world on a motorcycle, and many of these tips and pointers come from her. Check out her book Lois on the Loose about how she bought a motorcycle, quit her job, flew to Alaska, and drove the length of North and South America by herself much of the way. She lived to tell the tale and has since traveled across Africa and many other places. Find adventure travel books and get excited about your trip, wherever it may go.
Prepare but Don't Overprepare
There is lots of stuff you can buy to take on your trip: fancy tents, amazing electronic widgets to keep you from getting lost or starving, waterproof clothes, and high-zoot recovery gear. But everything you buy is money you could spend on fuel to be out there exploring. Plus, a wise man once said that the less prepared you are the more of an adventure you'll have. You can be ready for anything by taking way too much stuff and tools and parts and so on, or you can wing it and just take your sense of adventure. You'll likely figure out any problems you come across.
Don't Be Scared of People
People all over the world are not really that different from those in your hometown. They're usually willing to help you or point you the direction you want to go. Plus, a friendly attitude goes further than a scared, skeptical, or nervous nature. Yes, there are evil people out there, but there are also grizzly bears, rattlesnakes, lightning, killer whales, wild albino zebras, and falling trees. If you're petrified to leave your house because of what might get you, then you'll likely have no adventures in your lifetime. That's sad. No adventures means lousy stories to tell your grandkids someday. Everyone has a comfort zone, but how do you know where yours ends if you don't go to its edge?
Don't Worry About Any of This Stuff—Just Go!
Who's going to water the flowers while I'm away? If I quit my job to go see the world, will I ever get another one? Do I have enough money? Did I pack enough suntan lotion, toilet paper, and gear oil? Is my 4x4 going to get stuck, break down, roll over, crash, burn, and explode? What if I'm asleep in my rooftop tent in the bush country of eastern Russia and I hear a funny noise in the woods? Where am I going to poop? What if an asteroid crashes into the planet while I'm away from home and I don't get to watch the complete season of American Idol because I was out exploring?
At some point you have to just assume you've done what you need to do, pack the stuff you need, and that the rest of the world will be fine without you while you're doing something fun. At that point you'll shift your rig into gear, back out of the driveway, and go start your adventure.


text:
Saying he wants to ensure emergency assistance bills only help those with emergencies, Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas, introduced legislation that would limit how Congress responds to natural disasters.
Neugebauer's legislation, the Responsible Emergency Appropriation Limits Supplemental Act, H.R. 6176, would change House rules so that an emergency supplemental appropriations bill can only provide for a single emergency, contain only emergency spending, and must be free of earmarks.
"The practice of loading up emergency bills with pork and other non-emergency items needs to come to an end," Neugebauer said. "Too often, good bills that address real emergencies turn into bad bills and taxpayers are left to foot the bill."
Neugebauer cited a recent emergency appropriations bill as an example of legislation that became a spending magnet. Soon after President Bush submitted his request for funding the war in Iraq and Afghanistan in February 2006, a separate bill to fund Gulf Coast recovery was added to his request.
In addition, unrelated, non-emergency items to fund projects in California, Hawaii and Illinois, among others, were included that increased the cost of the bill. Although the president's initial request totaled $72.4 billion, the final price tag came to $94.5 billion.
"If it hadn't been for the efforts of House conservatives and House leadership, taxpayers would have had to pay for billions of dollars in additional spending," Neugebauer said. "By eliminating earmarks and allowing each emergency to be considered on its own merits, my bill would ensure that we respond quickly to emergencies as well as spend taxpayer dollars wisely and responsibly."
Neugebauer's REAL Supplemental Act has attracted 26 original cosponsors and garnered support from such fiscal watchdogs as the Americans for Tax Reform and the National Taxpayers Union.


text: A southeast Iowa State Senator says personal responsibility is the core of traffic safety, and new laws that reinforce that idea takes place July 1st. State Senator Becky Schmitz from Fairfield says penalties will be increased for people who kill or injure someone while running a red light. Schmitz says it will be illegal for teenage drivers to use any electronic communications or entertainment devices while driving as well. It will also be illegal for all drivers to text while behind the wheel. Schmitz says officers will give out warnings for the first year. She says these new laws will help prevent accidents, but the most important way to stay safe is to focus on driving responsibly every time you're behind the wheel.


text:
Military-led Egypt intensified its crackdown on dissidents Monday, with courts upholding hundreds of death sentences for Islamists and banning a youth group that was at the forefront of the 2011 uprising that brought down U.S.-backed strongman Hosni Mubarak.
The decisions against members of the Muslim Brotherhood and the April 6 Youth Movement come while Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy is in Washington for a high-profile visit amid signs of a
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in recently frosty U.S.-Egyptian relations. Last week, the Obama administration signaled that it was ready to restore a billion-dollar aid package for Egypt, though officials expressed concern that Cairo was backtracking on promises to move toward democratic reform.
Monday's developments in Cairo mean that foreign minister Fahmy is sure to face some tough questions at an appearance in Washington. The event will be livestreamed
Here's the Cairo-based
Ahram Online
news site with more on the rulings:
A court in Minya has passed death sentences on 683 supporters of former president Mohamed Morsi, including leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Islamist group's Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie was among the defendants found guilty of attacking Adawa police station and killing a police officer, Mamdouh Kotb Mohamed Kotb, on 14 August 2013 -- following the dispersal of pro-Morsi sit-ins at Rabaa and Nahda squares. They were also found guilty of committing violence, rioting, destroying public and private property, attacking police officers, and inciting violence.
The verdicts must be ratified by the grand mufti before they can be carried out. The court has set 21 June for the final verdict to be passed, after the grand mufti has made his assessment. The law allows the verdicts to be appealed.
The same judge sentenced 529 people to death in March. On Monday, he confirmed 37 of the death sentences and commuted 492 others to life imprisonment upon the instructions of the grand mufti.
And here's Ahram Online with
from the April 6 Youth Movement:
In a statement released after the court order, April 6 said that it wasn't "just a movement, but an idea" and "an important aspect of this generation's voice and dream."
"We will keep going with our activities and views the way we want," the statement added.
In their statement, April 6 affirmed that their movement has been committed to peaceful activism and means of expression, stressing that they have been reluctant to request permits for their recent protests out of the belief that "it is the right for any human being to express his views as long as it's being done peacefully".
April 6 along with other political forces have recently mobilised against a controversial protest law that has sent many non-Islamist activists behind bars, including the movement's founders Ahmed Maher and Mohamed Adel.
"The group's main goal is to oppose any action made by the ruling regime which sabotages the state," said the statement.


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by Casey Cappello
Residents of Chestnut Hill may have noticed a twelve-foot, inflatable rat located near the SEPTA Chestnut Hill bus loop at the intersection of Germantown Ave. and Bethlehem Pike. The inflatable rodent is part of a protest by IBEW Local Union 98 that began on Wednesday Feb. 22
The reason? The use, IBEW says, of nonunion electrical workers in work being done at the former Borders building, 8701 Germantown Ave. The site at 8701 Germantown Ave. is being renovated for Children of America, a daycare center scheduled to open in June
Local 98 members are targeting the site because of nonunion work being done by ESI: Energy Systems and Installation. ESI specializes in the installation of large-scale solar panels.
Local 98 workers who are picketing the site Friday, declined to comment on the protest without the presence of a union agent.


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Friday, January 8, 2010
Thief flying across mountain
I will jump ahead several scenes to the last scene of the flying sequence that I animated. I've recently found some slides that I just scanned in and which I would like to share.
In the scenes leading up to this one I had animated the Thief doing all sorts of air acrobatics. For the grand finale Dick had asked me to animate the Thief flying across the witch mountain. I remember that I really enjoyed drawing the background layout for this one. Dick had the idea of using Roy's strobing trick again.In this scene with the Cobbler Roy had spaced the round spiral elements corresponding to the spacing of the BG pan and then rotated the spirals so that they appeared to move. Dick wanted the hands to appear moving, as if they were trying to grab the Thief as he was flying by. So preparing for the layout - the first thing I did was to animate a hand doing a grabbing motion. I put registration marks on these animation drawings and xeroxed them several times, increasing and then decreasing in size to create the illusion of a round mountain. I had animated the Thief already and line-tested him with a BG-pan that consisted just of rough wiggly lines to determine how long the drawing for the pan would have to be. It turned out that it would be one of the longest pans used in the film. Then I started placing the hands on the layout corresponding to the spacing of the pan increments, just as Roy had done it, but with one difference. Dick didn't want the effect to be as exact as in the Cobbler scene, so I worked out a stagger pattern, so that the hands appeared to be shaking a bit.
Inga Davelouse turned my layout drawing into the final BG painting that you see below. She painted it in sections that were then taped together.
Here are the people from the checking department shooting the scene for a video test.
13 comments:
the background's awesome! Must have been hard to work with, it being to long. :)
- January 8, 2010 at 8:48 PM
I've missed seeing regular postings here. It's good to see it active again.
- January 11, 2010 at 11:16 PM
- January 11, 2010 at 11:36 PM
- Fuzzy Duck said...
Fascinating stuff. Good to see more entries on this outstanding blog.
- January 12, 2010 at 11:54 AM
- aaron said...
Great post! Did you create the stagger in the hands by varying the height of the hands or did you play with the spacing across the pan?
- January 16, 2010 at 9:33 AM
- Holger said...
Aaron, I did both - displacing the hands slightly up, down, right and left in an irregular pattern.
- January 16, 2010 at 4:34 PM
- Will Finn said...
Hi Holger. These scenes fascinate me and are major highlights of the movie IMO.
At the risk of sounding lazy: why couldn't this have been (at least in part) some sort of repeat pan?
(and yes, it does sound lazy, even to me...!)
- January 24, 2010 at 7:09 PM
- Holger said...
Thanks for the kind words Will - and good question. Roy Naisbitt, who was everybody's mentor in regards to layout, liked a pan to have calibrations that were never completely evenly spaced. He preferred to have either a very subtle increase or decrease in speed. In this scene the hands are spaced in relation to the pan calibrations and this might have made it impossible to use a repeat pan. Dick also would not have liked a repeat on principle. In this film he went out of his way to avoid any kind of cycle.
In this scene the camera also seems to zoom in and out again. That was actually done with the BG and the animation, not by any change in field size. If you doubleclick on the photo with the painting on the floor (to get the bigger image) you might be able to see that the hands increase in size in the middle of the BG. The hands also animate, so the BG only looks repetitive but it's really constantly changing.
- January 25, 2010 at 9:49 AM
- February 23, 2010 at 10:48 AM
- Dougie said...
I can remember Inge painting some of the huge long backgrounds that Dick wanted for his fast camera pans - often requiring incredible detail for these very swift camera moves!
- March 8, 2010 at 12:19 PM
- Claire Elizabeth said...
Hi Holge!!.....Claire Wright here! 19ish yrs then, since this scene was worked on..
you may not know, but it was me who had the 'honour' of painting the long shot of those damn hands...I think Inge did lots of the earlier hand mountain shots, and then when I started workig for the studio, I mostly painted the hands, for one and a half years!..(what took the time was the stripey brown shading, which naturally, did not even show on these panning shots)... and those funny little bushes in bright colours...(Paul Dilworth just sent me the link to this little treasure trove of happy memories) so many many thanks.. I hope Dick appreciates it all!!....I rescued an old bg of Errol Le Cain"s btw... it's been in the back of my plans chest here for ... A long time.
- April 14, 2010 at 1:46 PM
- Holger said...
Good to hear from you Claire. Sorry for the mix up, but it has been a long time. I guess Inge did the BGs for the scenes with the Thief climbing up the mountain and I must have merged the memories. I like how mistakes on the blog sooner or later get fixed. Thank you! - and thanks to Paul for sending you the link.
- April 14, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Can you upload pictures of the cut scene where the thief is leaving the mountain and a stone hand with the "finger" falls down?
- March 5, 2011 at 11:29 AM


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Recently I had the pleasure of joining the Alcatraz Swimming Society (ASS) for one of their weekly swims. The ASSes are a few South Enders who really, really like to swim to (and from) Alcatraz. The day I swam, it was co-founder Gary Emich's 985th Alcatraz crossing (!). Gary and Stevie Ray Hurwitz (also in the water) are in a heated but friendly race to 1,000 crossings.
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The video's a little bumpy (but so was the ocean):
Swimming to Alcatraz in March from MSF on Vimeo.
The crossing took a bit more than 35 minutes. According to Gary and Stevie Ray, it's usually a ~25 minute swim, but we overestimated the ebb tide and started too far east.
Two years ago, the idea that I could swim year-round in San Francisco Bay would have been unfathomable to me. All it takes is a little practice. Seriously - anyone can do this! The toughest part of this swim was actually the ride back to SERC on the zodiac boat. The wind was brutal.
Thanks to Gary, Stevie Ray, Dianna, and Suzanne for having me along for the ride!
Postscript: I was interviewed about this swim by Tiffany at AlcatrazFavorites.com.


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Fever Ray – Live At Webster Hall
All photos by G.
I had no idea what to expect when I went to the first of 2 sold out shows by Fever Ray at Manhattan's Webster Hall on September 28, 2009. I know that lead singer Karin Dreijer Andersson was formerly in The Knife and I know that she's pretty well known for dressing up in strange costumes on stage. As far as the rest of it, I decided to let the band do their job and turn a complete stranger into a fan. Mission accomplished!
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See some of the amazing lighting after the jump.


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Taylor Swift Still Not Confirmed to Play Joni Mitchell in Biopic
While the movie adaptation of 'Girls Like Us' is in development, Taylor Swift says she is still not confirmed to play Joni Mitchell in the forthcoming film.
According to Taste of Country, Variety had implied that Swift's role was a done deal, but the country star herself said she has not signed on the dotted line. Swift opened up about the potential gig in recent interview with Country Weekly.
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Watch the Taylor Swift 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together' Video


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Thanks Tiamat. Sorry about putting it in the other thread.Tiamat wrote:I am answerin the question about whether you'll see a higher tier of metaltype. The answer is that you'll see iron as the highest tier for now. I still need to implement the iron craft.
Is 'iron, just going to be like..doubly refined bog iron, or something separate? Like, 2 pitted ingots = 1 normal bog iron and then 2 normal bog iron = 1 iron?
I do not play a crafter, but I am curious, thanks.


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The Lions have parted ways with a couple of notable veteran defensive backs.
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A third-round pick of the Lions in 2010, Spievey was a 26-game starter for Detroit in three seasons. He appeared in five games in 2012 but was placed on injured reserve in November after suffering a concussion. Moreover, he dealt with concussion symptoms in the 2012 offseason, too.


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by Sue Ann Rybak
Through sweltering heat and pelting rain, Peggy Hendrie stood at the corner of Germantown and Chestnut Hill avenues for 34 years, crossing children safely to the other side of the street. Hendrie was more than a crossing guard to students, parents and staff of Our Mother of Consolation Parish School, 17 E. Chestnut Hill Ave. – she was a guardian angel.
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