Commercial Auto Dealers

If you’re like me, you’re angry every time you need to stop at the gas station. It seems like the price goes up a penny or two every day. I can get mad at the oil companies, but are they the real culprit? We can blame the oil companies, but they could be the victim of the media. I didn’t think that way until I read this article written by Ben Stein in the New York Times.

The article was in response to a speech made by one of the presidential candidates. In an effort to appear impartial, I won’t name any names. But the target of one section of the speech was Exxon Mobil because that company had profits exceeding $12 billion in one quarter. It was also obvious that the words were directed at the oil industry as a whole.

During this campaign, politicians have tried to create an impression that there’s one person or a very small group of people at the top of the oil companies that take home billions of dollars every year. But Ben Stein sheds some light on the situation. Instead of a small group of people, almost all (if not all) of the nation’s oil companies are owned by ordinary Americans. As an example, through stocks, mutual funds and pension funds, normal everyday people own about 52 percent of Exxon. There are around two million individual shareholders own the rest.

Did you know that the “big wigs” at the company actually own less than one percent of the company and its profits? I’m not saying they’re not making large amounts of money, but when did that become a crime in America?

Why do I mention this? Because some people are growing bitter against the oil companies and choosing to buy vehicles that are more fuel-efficient. That’s great! But don’t have disdain for local GMC truck dealer facilities and other places that sell large vehicles to those who don’t mind paying the high gas prices.

There’s more to this article. Come back tomorrow to see what else Ben Stein and I have to say about this problem.

The back story behind the creation of Disneyland’s original Haunted Mansion attraction and its cousins that followed at the later Disney parks is long and complicated. The attraction went through years of story development and extensive reworking before it finally opened in 1969. The Haunted Mansion was an immediate success, however, and has remained so popular that it was turned into a film of the same name in 2003. Throughout the many incarnations, one thing has remained the same: the importance of a welcoming hearse outside. Here we will discuss the Disneyland attraction and its infamous hearse.

The History
The full and fascinating history of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion has been detailed in an official book and several unofficial fan websites, and is definitely worth a read. In brief, however, the building was erected six years before the attraction finally opened. There were ongoing disagreements among the Imagineers (Disney designers) on exactly what sort of attraction it should be.

Six years is a long time for any attraction to sit un-built in a major theme park, particularly when such an inviting show building is located in a prominent area of the park. Signage on the attractions gates went up very early on, and seemed to indicate that the attractions opening would be happening soon. As months turned into years, the rumors began to fly.

Legend had it that in test runs, the Haunted Mansion had proved to be so terrifying that it caused several heart attacks. Some rumors involved pits of live snakes and guests narrowly escaping (or not). There were rumors that the entire ride had to be redone in order to prevent lawsuits. The fact that none of these rumors held even a hint of truth did not dissuade those who spread them.

The Hearse
By the time the Haunted Mansion finally opened at Disneyland in 1969, its audience was in a rumor-fueled near frenzy. They were ready to believe anything and everything.

The new attraction featured a beautiful antique hearse. It was a horse-drawn style, hitched to a team of invisible horses. Most strikingly, the hearse was painted white rather than the traditional black. Somehow, the rumor was started that this was the actual hearse used in the funeral of Mormon pioneer Brigham Young.

The historians of the Mormon Church have categorically denied the possibility that this is the case, but to this day the rumor continues to spread. Instead, it appears that the carriage is probably a piece dating to the same era and general location. The rumor likely became entrenched during the frenzy surrounding the Mansion’s extremely delayed opening.

Nonetheless, Disney did use a famous horse-drawn hearse in the Haunted Mansion’s next incarnation. Check with us on Friday to find out more. In the meantime, if you are in the market for a newer hearse, why not visit our convenient funeral car dealership? We can help you find the vehicle that is right for you.