Double Bass Origin of the term Mexico

[Pietsch]

The term Mexico derives from Mexica, the Nahuatl name for the Aztec people.

Early Spanish explorers used several names for the gulf: Gulf of Florida, Gulf of Cortés, Seno Mexicano

 

[GretschWretch]

When I was a kid many, many street corners in my home town had Gulf of gasoline stations.

 

[Pietsch]

When I was a kid many, many street corners in my home town had Gulf of gasoline stations.

 

[GretschWretch]

View attachment 7417124

Ah, but this is a Gulf franchise convenience store. What I'm talking about were independently owned full service stations, where they would pump your gas, check your tires, clean your windshield, everything. We got to know those people. They became friends, neighbors.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

When I was a kid many, many street corners in my home town had Gulf of gasoline stations.

And pretty racecars! Google Image Result for https://gtspirit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Ford-GT40-1.jpg

 

[Iristone]

So it's basically "United Aztec States". Cool name!
I've heard that the Mexico country is named after the Mexico City, in a similar manner to ancient Rome. Doubly cool name!

 

[Pietsch]

Ah, but this is a Gulf franchise convenience store. What I'm talking about were independently owned full service stations, where they would pump your gas, check your tires, clean your windshield, everything. We got to know those people. They became friends, neighbors.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, I remember Sinclair like this, where you'd get to know them. Gulf seemed bigger like a chain, like Shell...not like getting to know Goober on the Andy Giffith Show.

 

[Flatwound]

Gulf, Sunoco, Esso, Enco, Ashland, Sinclair, and many more were a part of my childhood. I remember asking my dad why he didn't go to a particular gas station near us, and his somewhat huffy answer: "I'm not paying 29 cents a gallon!"

Anyway, living in a border town, I have daily interaction with muchos Mexicanos. I see some who really look "Indian" - Asian looking eyes, short, compact stature, dark, somewhat reddish skin, and usually short little fingers. I've been working for some years on learning Spanish, and I'm getting closer all the time. I can converse a little, but I often have to ask, "¿Como se dice in Ingles?" And, of course, I'm learning Mexican border slang, where we use words like parkiar instead of estacionar.

 

[J Wilson]

I grew up near Pt Arthur, TX, which was home to Gulf Oil and Texaco's largest US refineries. Over the many years, both companies folded and Gulf and Texaco are now just branding names owned by the buyers of what was left.

You have to remember that up until The Arab Oil Embargo, an idiot could run an oil company: Barrels were only a few dollars, and the refined products, from fuels, to natural gas, to the various petrochemical feed stocks from those barrels returned a huge net margin. After the Embargo, you suddenly had similar margins and policies similar to any large business to operate successfully, especially as it's a commodity-based business. One quarter you can make a killing, then guess your long term commodity prices wrong and Wall St and the shareholders want to kill you next quarter.

 

[GretschWretch]

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, I remember Sinclair like this, where you'd get to know them. Gulf seemed bigger like a chain, like Shell...not like getting to know Goober on the Andy Giffith Show.

View attachment 7417418

Yeah. Sinclair had the dinosaur and Mobil their Flying Red Horse. For awhile Esso (pre-Exxon) was considering having a flying, stinging insect as their "mascot," until someone pointed it it likely would become known as the "Esso Bee."

 

[Ostie]

When I first started driving in the early 1970s, gas was like 29.9 cents per gallon. We used to cruise all nite long on the change in our pockets. Then the Arab oil embargo changed everything. I remember when the price went up to over $1.00 per gallon and the gas pumps were not set up to register over $1.00 and we had to pay 2x the price shown at the pump. Then came the 55mph speed limit. I drove from Michigan to Florida for spring break and I thought we’d never get there.

 

[logdrum]

Then came the 55mph speed limit

I remembered when they took out the limit and it was up to the individual sates, Kansas had a sting operation on I-70 the week before, We got stopped and ticketed for going 56, On our way to Denver from MO, Then I had to go back to WA 2 months later and there was no speed limit in Montana. Woohoo, I had a Subaru wagon with a turbo and that was fun for a minute but I think I finally settled at 80/75

 

[definenredefine]

Yeah. Sinclair had the dinosaur and Mobil their Flying Red Horse. For awhile Esso (pre-Exxon) was considering having a flying, stinging insect as their "mascot," until someone pointed it it likely would become known as the "Esso Bee."

Great, now I want an Esso bee. Guess I'll have to settle for that Hess truck I had when I was a kid...

 

[Roger Davis]

Haven’t seen much humour here lately. I would have thought that there’s a lot to laugh at in US right now. If you’re short go onto the BassChat site over here and have one on us.

Keep smilin’

 

[JazznFunk]

Haven’t seen much humour here lately. I would have thought that there’s a lot to laugh at in US right now. If you’re short go onto the BassChat site over here and have one on us.

Keep smilin’

There's nothing to laugh at in the US at all right now. Nothing.

 

[Pietsch]

I remembered when they took out the limit and it was up to the individual sates, Kansas had a sting operation on I-70 the week before, We got stopped and ticketed for going 56, On our way to Denver from MO, Then I had to go back to WA 2 months later and there was no speed limit in Montana. Woohoo, I had a Subaru wagon with a turbo and that was fun for a minute but I think I finally settled at 80/75

No speed limit in Montana in the 1970s. We drove from Great Falls to Glacier National Park as fast as our car could go.

 

[logdrum]

No speed limit in Montana in the 1970s. We drove from Great Falls to Glacier National Park as fast as our car could go.

With the Subaru, there was a section where there was no gas station for 120 miles and I was not gonna chabe it drving 140 plus I was not sure the tires would hold or the brakes will stop in time. Before the feds repealed the no speed limit, I drove it again with my buddy with his fancy Audi and yeah, it was north of 160 at times and probably the top speed. It was gulping gas though. Even today they won't stop you at 90.

 

[Pietsch]

There's nothing to laugh at in the US at all right now. Nothing.