Two unrelated, Ford-related items to pass along. (And really, where better to read about them than straight from The Ford's fingers?)

1.) I say they Rochambeau each other for the title.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006602130384
I mean, seriously. Does this really matter? Will knowing they got laid off by the "popular" company make a lick of difference to the 60,000 folks who are going to be laid off by GM and Ford? Has anyone ever bought a car because it came from "America's most popular car manufacturer"? I know when I'm dropping $25K - $40K of my hard-earned cash, I make my decision based solely on the decision of 2.5 million other people.
Now, I faced this decision a few years ago, when buying my truck. I was inclined to go with Ford, mostly out of name loyalty. (yes, I won't listen to 2.5 million people, but my dumb-ass name is nearly a deal-breaker.)
But I still compared Chevy and Ford (as well as the Nissan Frontier, which I'm still drooling over) in numerous categories, not the least of which, y'know, cost, and, y'know, comfort.
And in the end, I was a traitor to whatever tenuous genetic link I might have with THOSE Fords, and bought Chevy.
Truck's lasted 4 years and still feels brand-new to me at times. And it kept me alive -- and drove another 500 miles -- when I hit a concrete culvert at about 70 miles an hour. That's good stuff, folks.

2.) Competition!

I've long been a fan of Googling my own name to spy on the lives of other "Ryan Ford"s throughout the country, imagining that some genetic trait passed along through one's name means that I could do what they do. There's the Ryan Ford who's in the A's system, the Ryan Ford who's now editor-in-chief of The Source, and even a Ryan Ford who's a graphic designer. (I think he's better technically and I'm better and working with words and the whole package. But I'm biased.)
This is not about them.
No, I have new competition for the role of The Ford in Detroit.
Henry Ford III. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060213/BUSINESS01/602130333
Normally, I wouldn't care too much. He's one of them; I'm not. There's ALWAYS been a Henry Ford.
But this one's coming here. I might actually have to deal with him, in some far-fetched future world where our lives collide.
So, that's problem No. 1.
Problem No. 2: He's 26.
I'm 26, too. I can only imagine that we both went from twinkles in our fathers' eyes to twinkles in our mothers' wombs around the same time. Which. Freaks. Me. Out.
Before I learned of The Third's existence, I could content myself with the knowledge that while I might not be The Only Ford in town (who's up-and-coming, at least), I was probably The Only Ford of my generation. Here. Who could be considered an up-an-comer.
(Yes, it's an odd deliniation. And yet, it's one that keeps me sane while driving past the Ford Building onto the Ford Freeway, then onto Ford Road, past the Ford plant. When you encounter your name approximately 30 times a day, you can deal with it how you want.)
I sense a battle royale with cheese coming up.
Stay tuned.

(And yes, I did just link to two stories from the paper i work for. One of these days, I'll go out onto that Internet I keep hearing so much about and provide some more far-reaching links, but for today, I'll just hang out on Freep.com, thankyavurrymuch.)