Plymouth

DaimlerChrysler confirmed Wednesday that it plans to phase out the Plymouth brand at the end of the 2001 model year, in an effort to eliminate overlap with other Chrysler models. 'Chrysler has great momentum right now that we intend to keep going. As we move forward with our global growth strategy, Plymouth, as a U.S. brand only, did not contribute to that growth,' Chrysler President Jim Holden said in a statement.

My wife, Posh, is part Pilgrim. She's got all these funny ideas about religion and sex and is even pretty puritanical when it comes to what to stuff the turkey with. "No oysters!" she's always shouting. "Why not?" "No oysters!" she shouts again, like the zealot she is. Immediately, she goes back to stirring sauces and thwopping big metal pans with wooden spoons, which is what Pilgrim wives do for kicks. "Loosen up, woman," I say. "Yeah, loosen up, woman," say her sons, which always goes over very well.

Manufacturers' Records Years with most NASCAR wins: CHEVROLET: 17 seasons FORD: 13 seasons OLDSMOBILE: 4 seasons HUDSON, PLYMOUTH and PONTIAC: 3 seasons BUICK, CHRYSLER and DODGE: 2 seasons MERCURY: 1 season * NOTE: Chevrolet leads this year through Aug. 16 with 11 wins; Ford and Chevy tied in 1985. Source: World Features Syndicate

R.E. Humbertson, wherever you are, you are the winner of "Miss Belvedere," the rusty 1957 Plymouth hauled from its leaky vault last week after being buried for half a century. Humbertson, born in July 1921, or his or her closest living relative, has five years to claim the two-door hardtop, organizers announced. When the car was buried in 1957, hundreds submitted guesses as to what Tulsa's population would be in 2007. Humbertson's guess of 384,743 was only slightly off the official U.S.

Alice Marie Francis believes it's important to have health insurance, but finding a plan that fit her budget was no easy task. "Money is tight," says the 50-year-old Burbank mother of two, whose children are insured by their father's work-based policy. To make sure she had coverage that didn't break the bank, she opted for a high-deductible health plan - an increasingly popular option with lower monthly premiums but high upfront costs before most insurance payments kick in. High-deductible plans are typically recommended for younger policyholders who are in good health and have less need for doctor visits and prescription drugs, and for people with incomes high enough to cover the cost of routine medical care.

In 1620, a group of Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower seeking religious freedom. They came upon a land new to them but which had been home to the Wampanoag tribe for more than 10,000 years. To the Pilgrims' surprise, some of these Native Americans already knew some English, and they taught the Pilgrims how to adapt to this new environment.

A free pocket-size brochure lists attractions and activities in Plymouth County. The 64-page guide includes historical facts and gives information about campgrounds, beaches, motels and special events. A "Dining Out" section lists more than three dozen restaurants.

Finally, it was time to celebrate. The first harvest was a success, Samuel Fuller told us, and after such a long, bitter winter--only half of the founding group had survived--the new community was ready for a big party. They wanted to thank God and share their good fortune with their American Indian neighbors. Without the Indians' help and the corn an Indian had taught them to plant, the Pilgrims knew they would not have made it at all.

"Thanksgiving?" The dark-eyed girl in a white cotton bonnet and layers of heavy wool skirts seemed puzzled as she looked up from the vegetable garden. "We do not have a thanksgiving that we celebrate every year. We declare a day of thanksgiving when we have something to be grateful for--when a drought is ended, say. Those days are spent in fasting and prayers." She returned to her digging, refusing to be coaxed into the 20th Century. Fasting and prayer.

The following was excerpted from government archives recently discovered by a historian: Minutes of the Community Council APRIL MEETING The issue of the boat people living at the harbor was raised. It was suggested that from a humanitarian standpoint, we should consider an assistance program, inasmuch as these people are essentially homeless and a lot of them died from exposure and malnutrition during the winter.

It's tempting to want to proclaim the official end of Carl Karcher's business life -- which came when he quietly retired recently -- as ending an era in Orange County. Because the burger king is such a seminal figure in local lore, the urge is to say that we won't see his like again. We may not. However, beware of sweeping statements.

An ancient, icy Atlantic wind churns Plymouth Harbor, the sky spreads a slate gloom, and some teenagers stare solemnly at a boulder caged in a sand pit, like a circus act. The year "1620" is carved in its flank. A fat seam of mortar fills a diagonal crack. A marker for modern pilgrims identifies this pale, plump chunk of granite--just six feet across--as Plymouth Rock.

Honda Motor Co.'s Civic car had the highest number of thefts among 2000-model cars and trucks during that year and DaimlerChrysler's Plymouth Breeze sedan had the worst rate, a U.S. agency said. The theft rate for all 2000 models was 2.89 per 1,000 vehicles, unchanged from the figure for the previous year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. It ranked 206 models, based on FBI data. DaimlerChrysler had six of the top 10 vehicles by rate.

Surfing evolved from sport to lifestyle in Hawaii, California and Australia. In chilly southwest England, it morphed into science. Two years ago, the University of Plymouth rolled out a new four-year degree--surf science and technology. Initially greeted with snickers and sneers about lightweight education, the program is now viewed as an innovation that may become a model for other unconventional degrees.

Surfing evolved from sport to lifestyle in Hawaii, California and Australia. In chilly southwest England, it morphed into science. Two years ago, the University of Plymouth rolled out a new four-year degree--surf science and technology. Initially greeted with snickers and sneers about lightweight education, the program is now viewed as an innovation that may become a model for other unconventional degrees.

In 1620, a group of Pilgrims crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the Mayflower seeking religious freedom. They came upon a land new to them but which had been home to the Wampanoag tribe for more than 10,000 years. To the Pilgrims' surprise, some of these Native Americans already knew some English, and they taught the Pilgrims how to adapt to this new environment.

The chirping of birds and the whoops of children frolicking in the grassy hollow give the hilltop a sense of serenity now. It was different 40 years ago. There was a gurgling sound, a warning scream and finally a whooshing roar as death and destruction swept down a ridge into a Los Angeles neighborhood. The Baldwin Hills Dam collapsed with the fury of a thousand cloudbursts, sending a 50-foot wall of water down Cloverdale Avenue and slamming into homes and cars on Dec. 14, 1963.

DaimlerChrysler confirmed Wednesday that it plans to phase out the Plymouth brand at the end of the 2001 model year. "Chrysler has great momentum right now that we intend to keep going. As we move forward with our global growth strategy, Plymouth, as a U.S. brand only, did not contribute to that growth," Chrysler President Jim Holden said in a statement. "This was an emotional decision because Plymouth will always be an important part of our heritage." The move had been expected for months.

DaimlerChrysler confirmed Wednesday that it plans to phase out the Plymouth brand at the end of the 2001 model year, in an effort to eliminate overlap with other Chrysler models. 'Chrysler has great momentum right now that we intend to keep going. As we move forward with our global growth strategy, Plymouth, as a U.S. brand only, did not contribute to that growth,' Chrysler President Jim Holden said in a statement.