The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (known as "nitsah") is recalling 3,100 Ferrari 458's because .....

These are rear engine cars designed for going very fast very quickly, both in a straight line and around corners of all radii. Nobody takes a Ferrari 458 on vacation, or to get the week's groceries; they were designed for performance driving. Accordingly, the Luigi's and Guido's at Maranello made the "trunk" up front just a bit smaller than a 3rd grader's lunch box. Not deterred by that detail, NHTSA is recalling every  Ferrari 458 imported into the U.S. because the latch for that front trunk doesn't have an inside release, meaning that anyone trapped inside with the lid closed could not get out, and might die as a result.
What has been the favorite vehicle for kidnapping of Italian little people has just had its primary advantage ruined by the watchful eye of the federal govt.

At this end of the automotive world the truck's engine is now sitting on a dolly I fabricated starting with a frame from Harbor Freight, some 3/4" plywood, a 1x4, and some 3/4" x 6" bolts. The engine stand has been disassembled and moved to the back patio (I made sure the neighbors can't see it), creating more space in the garage. The distributor is installed and wired in, and the alternator is on and belted (conversion from a generator). Tomorrow I'll start installing the intake and exhaust manifolds, the bell housing, and the flywheel. Then a carb rebuild & installation and the engine will be as complete as it can be until time for placement in the frame.
Pics when I reach that milestone.

The McCures are at $15,900, very close to the $17,500 they need to get the service dog for Evan. They are, we all are, thrilled at the progress. And Evan is excited!
The only problem: Nichole says they probably won't do the garage sale they'd talked about. That means we've got to come up with another way to get rid of the pile of stuff I step around/over every time I go into the laundry room.

I learned while listening to our local classical station that the Rossini opera, "The Thieving Magpie" was based on a true story. A servant girl was accused of stealing silver service from her employer, tried and hung for the crime. Only after her execution was it discovered a magpie had been entering an open scullery window and stealing the items, hiding them in a nearby church bell tower. Rossini lightened it up a bit; nobody gets hung and all ends happily ever after.

The Cardinals are 3-0 and just beat the SF 49ers, picked to be at or near the top of our division. This is Arizona, where pro teams have made a habit of starting strong and then, after raising hopes, collapsing into mediocrity. So while we're one of only three teams with a perfect record three weeks into the season, nobody here is getting cocky.

People came from all over to join the 4,000 who marched in NYC urging action on climate change. People who left behind mountains of trash when they got in the SUV's to drive home.