Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year, Folks!

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You may have read this quote by Bill Vaughn in magazines or on the internet, but it bears repeating ---

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”

May the New Year bring you good health, prosperity and new friends. And may all your problems leave with the old year.

Bill

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Saturday, December 25, 2010

WOW!

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What a Christmas THIS was! My loving wife gave me a - hold on to your hats - a new Chevelle! Check it out here...

Merry Christmas, all! Hope you made out as well.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Merry Christmas - My Gift To You

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I wanted to give all of you a special gift for Christmas, and after much thought I decided to offer you this wonderful classic. I hope you find the peace that I enjoy whenever I hear this. I play this every day, especially when I need to de-stress. Try it.

May your Christmas be joyful, warm and full of good friends and family, and may the New Year be prosperous and find you in good health.

Bill, Robin & Criss

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Monday, December 20, 2010

WANTED

No, not by Homeland Security...

Folks, I am in need of a small piece of thick leather, the heavy stuff used for belts, holsters etc. I need to make a new binding for one of our snowshoes.

The piece needs to be at least 11" long and about 4" wide, preferably tan, but will take anything that will do the trick.

Willing to pay and to have it sent.

If you have any scrap piece that fits the description, please let me know at ptwoodycrew@aol.com

Merry Christmas, all!

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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Just Wondering...

I read in the paper today that the Auburn City offices will open later and close earlier each day, cutting 10 hours a week off the schedules.

I'm bettin' that the folks who work in those offices aren't cutting their pay accordingly because they are probably on salary...a sneaky way to get a raise for working less :o)

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Friday, December 17, 2010

Good Reading for Those Long Winter Months

I received the following email from Dale Chasse. Some of you may be interested in this. If so, you can contact Dale at drchasse@maine.rr.com...

"Say Bill, Through the years of building and remodeling I've come across and saved a few items I thought shouldn't end up in the dumpster. Here's a list,,,,,,,
You know of anyplace or anyone who might be interested in these rags.... Thanks, Dale

Popular Mechanics oct 65
aug 67
nov 67
feb 68
june 68
july 68
nov 68
dec 68
jan 69
may 69
june 69
july 69
aug 69
sept 69
dec 69
jan 70
june 70
dec 70
march 71
may 73
nov 73
march 74
april 74
dec 74

Mechanix Illustrated oct 68
jan 69
march 69

Popular Science july 68
dec 68

Sunshine Magazine july 74
sept 74
march 75

Street Machine jan 77
april 77
june 77

Super Stock sept 70
april 74
april 77

Car Craft dec 75
feb 78

Car and Driver nov 71
jan 72
march 72
june 72
sept 94
oct 94
nov 94
dec 94
jan 95
feb 95
april 95

Readers Digest july 74
Hot Rod oct 72
may 73
sept 73
nov 73
feb 75
june 75
nov 75
oct 77
nov 77
may 78
april 89
may 89
june 89
july 89
aug 89
sept 89
dec 89
jan 90
march 90
feb 93

Motor Trend may 89
aug 89
oct 89
dec 89

Motor Trends Guide to Chrysler/Plymouth 1990

Hi-Performance Cars april 73

Auto Buff sept 84
oct 84
march 85

American How-To nov/dec 94
jan/feb 95

Calenders Darlings Auto Parts 1993 and 94
Big A Auto Parts 1993

Joie Chitwood Flyer 1988

L C Andrews Building Supply Catalog 1961
and 1966

Northern Aroostook County Maine Phonebook for 1968

Showroom Brochures
1967 Chevy Impala
1967 Chevelle
Pontiac Lineup for 1971

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Thursday, December 16, 2010

How Cold Was It?

It was pretty darned cold this morning.

How cold was it?

I saw a politician with his hands in his OWN pockets...

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Snowy Boots & Sugar Cookies

(Reprinted by request)

As I sat alone in front of our Christmas tree in my living room (my wife and daughter had gone to an Evanescence concert), I decided to play some of the old Bing Crosby Christmas songs I had listened to as a child of the '50's. I closed my eyes, and a flood of sweet and bittersweet memories swept like butterflies across the meadows of my mind.

I could almost smell the balsam "Christmas tree" smell, and feel the dry warmth of the wood stove crackling in the night silence. The colorful lights that actually "bubbled", and "icicles" made of leaded tin and pewter. Mom had baked sugar cookies earlier, and the smell still lingered throughout the small rooms of the tiny house we called home.

Visions of Bing, Danny Kaye & Rosemary Clooney, dancing and singing at the Vermont inn, in "White Christmas". Dad carrying in wood for the stove, shaking off snow throughout his trip through the kitchen, and Mom none too happy with the mess.

And at 4 am Christmas morning, my older brother Eddie would awaken my kid brother Bobby and myself, and we would sneak out and get our ragged, long woolen stockings hanging from the bannister. Now stuffed with what in retrospect might today be called junk, each penny item was a true treasure. For the next three hours we would pore over the goodies, eat the candy, peel the orange, all the time yawning from precious little sleep the night before, as we held our ears to the vent in the floor, to hear if Santa was there yet.

My reverie was lost when the girls stomped in, shaking the snow off their own boots. And for a fleeting moment, I wished...I wished that if I could leave my daughter anything at all, I would leave her those very same, precious, bittersweet memories of a simpler time, a harder time, and a much, much treasured time. A time when the simplest things were the things that mattered most. And remembered longest!

And I smile to myself as the smell of sugar cookies waft through our home, the fire crackling in the parlor stove and the leaded icicles and bubbling lights on the balsam tree all tell me it was worth the effort to have the real thing. She may not understand it now. But someday, when she sits alone in front of her own tree, perhaps she, too, will be overcome with sweet thoughts of a simpler time, when the littlest things were the most memorable.

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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Smart Meters - CMP

As many of you know, CMP has begun installing "smart meters" on homes to which they provide power. Currently, they are doing it whether you want it or not, like it or not. They apparently have no respect for your property being yours, not theirs.

But here is the real issue --- while they claim the smart meters are used to make your electrical usage "more efficient", that is nothing more than a slick way of saying they will now be able to limit the amount of power that goes to your home, if they or the government feel you are using too much. Electricity police.

The government under Obama/Pelosi/Reid already passed a bill in the "stimulus bill" that allows them to do just that. They now have the power to decide for you just how much electricity you need, and when you may access it. That was the ONLY purpose behind Obama's "smart grid". It has nothing to do with efficiency - it has everything to do with regulation and control; an integral part of his Cap & Trade dream.

Residents of Maine need to stand and tell the PUC to give residents the choice of opting out of a smart meter. And CMP should be forced, by injunction if necessary, to halt installations until such time as the PUC makes a determination and, if necessary, the people appeal to the courts.

For the moment, this is still America, which is supposed to be a free country. But every time the government or some bureaucratic agency takes a breath, we lose freedoms.

The Constitution was written to help us protect our rights and freedoms by insuring that the people control government, not vice versa. But as of today, government now controls insurance companies, auto manufacturers, our health care, much of our food supply, our schools, and now our electricity usage (and on December 20th the FCC plans to take control of the internet). So, tell me - what freedoms DO we still have left? In what manner do we control the government? And don't say "voting", because many of the agencies passing these regulations such as the EPA, FCC, FDA etc. are not even elected to office - they are dictatorial and can even bypass Congress.

Something needs to change. We need to draw a line in the sand. And in Maine, I think this is that line.

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Thursday, November 25, 2010

A Day To Give Thanks

From our house to yours, we wish you a life with much to be thankful for. And somewhere amongst the din of family, turkey & gravy, apple pie and football, please take a few moments to think about all that you do have to be thankful for.

Around our table each person is asked to relate those things for which we are most grateful.

As for myself, I am thankful for everything - even the bad things that allow me to appreciate the good all the more. After all, would spring seem so sweet if we did not have to suffer through a winter to get there?

So, I am thankful for the hard times that plague our nation, as it will make us stronger, and teach us to be humble. I am even thankful for my COPD, as it has taught me to live every day as if it might end sooner than expected.

Yes, let us be thankful even for the "blessings in disguise" - those trials and tribulations that, without them, we would be much less than we are.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

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Friday, November 19, 2010

The "789" Chevy

Thought y'all would enjoy this, courtesy of Norm Walker -

This car was built by N2A motors (No Two Alike). The company is planning a production run Of about 100 vehicles. It sits on a Corvette C6 chassis, Front styled like a '57 Chevy, side like a '58, rear like a '59. Hence the designation "789". See it here

Thanx, Norm

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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Remembering Glen

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It is with great sorrow that I report Glenn Thurlow lost his fight with Cancer 11/9/2010

Glen was well-loved, and well-respected by all who knew him. He will be sorely missed.

I am sorry I do not have any details to report on any services. If anyone has that info, please let folks know by posting a comment below.

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Monday, November 8, 2010

Birthdays and Time Travel

Last Saturday we attended Dale Chasse's 50th Birthday party at the Captain's Galley in Old Orchard. Everyone had a lot of fun - Dale is just a great guy, with lots of friends.

It came to pass during the evening that mention was made of an apparent "time traveler" spotted in a 1928 Charlie Chaplin film, "The Circus". In it, someone in the public crowd was caught walking past the camera, apparently talking into a cellphone.

The film is real, and has been authenticated. For those of you who expressed interest in seeing it, you can view it here...

A note here - the cellphone would be 70 years away. The transistor radio 20 years into the future. Walkie-talkies - 10 years into the future. And hand-held tape recorders were 40 years away.

Watch closely, not only the slo-mo and close-ups, but also the feet of the individual. And note that the person does seem to be trying to hide themselves by dressing in rather strange and heavy clothing - considering everyone else in the film is dressed in summer attire.

I'm not saying I'm convinced - but it certainly does raise questions!

And no, it is not Sarah Palin reading crib notes on her hand :o)

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More Slides

I have posted a couple more slideshows - you're really going to love the one about Garage Doors. Pix were provided by Bill Gribizis (thanx, Billy-Boy).

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Sunday, November 7, 2010

Thought I Would Share This

A lot of folks - especially older folks (and many car buffs are) - find themselves afflicted with joint pain. Personally, I have been fortunate enough to escape that, but my dear wife has suffered for over 15 years. We tried everything the doctor could toss at us - no help.

Then as I studied the issue, I discovered that yucca is a natural and outstanding, safe supplement that is thought to promote symptom relief similar to steroid medications with none of the side effects and has many uses including for the joints, skin, and digestion. Yucca is given internally for joint health and digestion but must be diluted before being administered because it is quite bitter.

I thought we would try it. I surfed around and found the strongest I could find - an extract called YUCCA INTENSIVE. But it was $15 for a 2 oz bottle (with eyedropper - one drop per 10-12 pounds of body weight). Then I found out that the exact same product, made by the same folks is also packaged for pets, and sold at 1800petmeds. I checked it out and, though it was still $15, Petmeds offers a $5 off instant online coupon - just type WEBC5 in the coupon box.

Anyway, to make a long story still long, we tried it. Robin puts 12 drops a day in her coffee. And within 5 days the pain was gone for the first time in years. As a side note, she doesn't get indigestion anymore, either.

So, I though I would pass this along. I can't guarantee it will work for everyone, but it worked for Robin. If you do try it, I would be interested in hearing the results you have.

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Friday, November 5, 2010

HotKarz Slideshows

As you know, I have begun adding slideshows to HotKarz. The first was mentioned in the previous post. Since then I have created a special page dedicated to car-buff slideshows. It can be accessed from the HotKarz home page, or you can simply go here and bookmark the page.

I have added another slideshow of KOOL KARZ you are not likely to ever see in maine. Some are funny, some strange - all are great!

Enjoy! I'll be adding more soon - cars, shows, garages, the folks and more. Check the slideshow page periodically to see what's new.

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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Gallery Slideshow - Fords

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Hey there, car buffs, it's rainin' out so I decided to sit and put together this little slideshow of great Fords for y'all. Enjoy!

As the winter weather gets rough for this old duff, expect to see more slideshows posted here - some will be new pix from other parts of the country, while others will be assorted pix chosen from Maine shows and cruises of the past few years. Still others may be pix of unusual or funny cars.

Lemme know if you like the idea...

Bill

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Monday, November 1, 2010

Bye Bye, Pontiac

After 84 years, the Pontiac brand is dead. Another American brand bites the road dust.

In its lifetime, it produced iconic muscle cars like the GTO and starred in movies such as Smokey and the Bandit. In the final stages of its existence, the brand suffered from a lack of customer interest and its position within a troubled General Motors.

Many who remember will mourn its passing.

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Monday, October 25, 2010

You Have A Right To Know

Normally I keep politics off HotKarz, but this particular issue is so dramatic and pertains specifically to Maine.

On November 2nd, election day, the ballots in Portland Maine will include an initiative to give non-citizens the right to vote in Portland elections, for local and school board offices.

So, let me get this straight - it is against federal law to allow foreign interests to provide funds to influence elections, but Portland thinks it's OK for those same foreigners to actually VOTE, and influence elections more directly.

Portland already has a large Somali community. In fact, there are over 7,000 foreign nationals, mostly from the Sudan and Somalia - that live in Portland. It is entirely possible - even likely - that eventually there are enough to sway local elections and get them into local offices, and running the schools.

Bear in mind - these people not only are not citizens, they have a foreign passport and have sworn allegiance to their home country, not America. It is unimagineable that anyone would allow such a transgression. Unlike immigrants who have become naturalized, foreign nationals have allegiance to their country, not America. They have never passed a background check. They have not been required to understand our system of government.

But is this really a threat? Consider...

In 1960, Belmont MA was a nice "Leave it To Beaver" community. By 1990 it was predominantly Asian - mostly from Viet Nam and Thailand. If they had voting rights, people whose allegiance is to Asian nations would be running Belmont. The same thing happened in Hollywood CA. And in many communities across the nation, Latinos outnumber Americans already.

Are we going to cede America to foreign interests?

Will the good people of Portland quietly sit back and let this dangerous idea become law, simply because they did not think they had the time to vote?

I, for one, appreciate the contribution legal immigrants have brought to our shores. But I would never, ever want to cede one square inch of America to any foreign nations.

Muslims, for example, have long stated their objective is to infiltrate infidel nations and quietly take over from within - they are doing that in Germany, France, the Netherlands and England already. Imagine when they discover they can easily take over an entire American city, legally, just by flooding the city with muslims. Before you know it, Sharia Law will invade Portland - legally. They would start with little things, designed to convince locals it is easier to comply, or just move out of Portand (that is how Belmont got overtaken - I know, I was raised there). Eventually there would not be enough Americans left in Portland to stop them from taking over completely.

No, I am not a "sky is falling" rube. I have seen examples of this before, even without giving them voting rights. But giving them voting rights just makes it easier, faster and LEGAL.

Portland, don't sit on your butts November 2nd. Get out and vote, and save your city.

Before you leave, if you think it cannot happen, take a look at these pictures, taken in various areas throughout New York City.

Is this going to be Portland?

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Monday, October 18, 2010

Something Different

Every year winter comes, and many of us tend to get a bit flabby. Then we have to bust our hump trying to look good in the spring.

There is an alternative to this cycle, and keep healthy and fit throughout the winter. Unfortunately for me, my COPD no longer allows me the pleasure of working out on my Bowflex Xtreme2 Complete Home Gym. Haven't been able to use it much since I got it. My loss is your gain - maybe someone out there in car buff land would like the opportunity to get this excellent piece of fitness equipment. This is what it looks like...

Ladies, don't let hubby get fat over the winter - a great Christmas gift for the man who has (almost) everything.

It has a small footprint of only 4' x 5' - fits almost anywhere. The Bowflex Xtreme 2 sells $1,599 new. Used ones go for $1,139 at Overstock.com. You can have this one for $800 or will consider partial or full trade for guns.

Getting older does not have to mean you cannot get better!

The Bowflex Xtreme 2 features a two-position lat tower and a longer squat frame to let you perform over 75 exercises. Features include:

  • Lat tower features two adjustable positions with angled lat bar to build back and shoulder muscles quickly

  • Four position-adjustable lower pulleys with longer squat station to build your glutes, hamstrings, and quads

  • Leg extension attachment to develop strong, muscular legs

  • No cable changes needed between exercises and stations

  • Commercial gym-style upright design

  • Adjustable, quick-release seat with polyurethane cushion

  • Contoured, extra wide seat back for added stability and support during Lat exercises

  • Reinforced X-shaped base for maximum stability

  • Compact size for smaller workout spaces

  • Triple function hand-grip/ankle cuffs


Picture is from the Bowflex promo, but represents mine perfectly.

If interested. email me at ptwoodycrew@aol.com

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Sunday, October 17, 2010

Garage Party

Today we were pleased to attend the annual garage party hosted by the Wild Albanian (Bill Grabizis). Or maybe he's Greek - what's the dif?

Anyway, everyone seemed to have a good time. For many it would be the last time we would see each other until next season, but I'm sure several will get together here and there over the long winter months.

After stuffin' our faces a horde of cash was given away in a raffle. Can anyone guess who the winners were? C'mon, give it a try. Would you believe Al Lappin won twice? And Tom Watson, of course. Who else? Gavin also won twice, as did Gribizis' mom-in-law, who was tickled pink.

A nice day. Good people. Good food. Good fun. What more could anyone ask?

Thank you Bill & Rudina for being such hospitable hosts and for sharing. Much appreciated.

Oh, and Polly, I will be sending you the pix of you in the rail first thing in the morning :o)

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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ethanol Going to 15%

Below is an article received from several sources. Please note as you read it that all studies have proved that ethanol is inefficient, is not green, and is almost twice as expensive to produce than gasoline. Note, too, that the EPA are not elected officials - they are liberal bureaucrats who do not care if it is good or not - they get their marching orders (as stated in the article) from ETHANOL PRODUCERS! Talk about conflict of interest.

One more point - while the article points out this is not a "mandate", it is only a matter of time. The 10% thing was not a mandate at first, either. And every time petroleum refiners have to meet new federal mandates, the price of gas rises dramatically. Say "Hello" to more rising prices.

No other agency has done more to harm America than the EPA. And they just keep on proving that.


EPA APPROVES VERY RESTRICTED USE OF E-15

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 - Over the past few months, PMAA has frequently reported on the likely EPA approval of E-15 for 2007 and newer vehicles. While EPA issued the approval today, PMAA believes the preponderance of U.S. retailers will not offer the fuel until legal and regulatory issues are resolved. The decision issued today announced a partial decision in a waiver petition filed by the nation's largest ethanol producers to permit the use of E-15 gasoline blends in conventional fueled vehicles. As expected, the EPA approved the use of E-15 gasoline blends in model year 2007 and newer vehicles. The E-15 waiver might extend to model year 2001 and newer vehicles by the end of the year according to the agency.
The waiver petition was filed in March 2009 by Growth Energy, Inc., a consortium of ethanol producers. The waiver decision represents a mixed bag for petroleum marketers. While marketers generally support the increased use of mid- level ethanol blends, uncertainty remains over whether E-15 is compatible with existing petroleum storage and dispensing equipment which is only certified for blends up to a maximum 10 percent ethanol. The lingering uncertainty over compatibility raises liability concerns for petroleum marketers due to potential releases from existing storage tanks and dispensing equipment.
Liability for consumer misfueling is also a major concern for marketers since the EPA decision limits the use of E-15 blends to only a fraction of existing conventional fueled vehicles. This risk of intentional consumer misfueling is also expected to increase since E-15 is expected to cost less than existing E-10 blended gasoline. The EPA hopes to reduce incidents of consumer misfueling with new dispenser labels that are part of a proposed rule that accompanied today's announcement.
Petroleum marketers will likely see no immediate effect as a result of the EPA's E-15 approval. The decision does not create a mandate but simply gives marketers the option to sell E-15 product. Few refiners, suppliers or marketers are expected to jump on the E-15 bandwagon until liability concerns are fully addressed and the number of E-15 compatible vehicles grows significantly.
PMAA will continue to work with both the EPA and Congress to limit marketers risk of liability for E-15 use. [Ed. note: in plain English, they fear this will cause damage and they want to be immune from lawsuits]
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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Ya GOTTA See This

Dale Chasse was kind enough to send me an item that shows how pumpkin pies are made. If nothing else, this is quite educational...

Happy Hallowe'en, folks!

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Monday, October 4, 2010

A Superior Vehicle

Just wanted to pass this on, in case some savvy person sees the value in a really superior quality vehicle.

Many of you know Larry Cote, and know he is fanatical about his vehicles. And he is offering up a really sweet 6-speed Roadmaster. Not counting the cost of the car, he has $30,000 in receipts from the last few months, so his asking price of $13K is a really good deal.

Check it out here...

Someone is going to be a very lucky person...

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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Winners - Windham Carshow 2010

We finally have the gallery up for the winners of the Windham Carshow 2010 held at Charlie Beigg's in Windham. You can check 'em out here...

Enjoy!

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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

The Show At Bieggs

I have posted pix of the Charlie Bieggs Carshow 2010. These pix were submitted by Ken Matthews. I will be getting up pix of the winners shortly.

The following was also submitted by Ken:

"To ALL

I would like to say "THANK YOU" to everyone that displayed their vehicles at "CARSHOW 2010" the official count is 174 vehicles.

There were many volunteers to thank for donating their time before, during, and after the show, it is their efforts that make it possible to be successful and have a good time while enjoying new and old friends gathered together for a good cause.

I want to thank all of the class sponsors and the many businesses that donated items for the raffle table and the silent auction.Of course, this show wouldn't have happened without the fine facilities and food provided by the Landing Restaurant and Charlie Beiggs Restaurant. When you patronize these establishments, mention the car show and thank them for hosting Carshow 2010.

It is a pleasure for me to be associated with so many nice people, Thank You everyone."

Ken Matthews"

[Editor's Note: I do have to say, however, that I did get some rumblings about the classes, particularly the Tri 5's, which is normally Chevys, but included all makes and models. Some found it hard to swallow that '57 Chevys would have to compete with '57 T-Birds etc.

In any case, the vast majority of the feedback has been positive. ]

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Friday, September 24, 2010

So, You Like Cars, Eh?

This little ditty was sent in by Dale Chasse. I gotta say, this is really different...

http://sites.google.com/site/cruisincaskets/

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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Kiwanis - Standish

The weather could not have been better for a car show today. We attended the Kiwanis show. While it does still have a few kinks, the show is improving, despite a rocky start this year, having to reschedule on short notice.

The free coffee upon registration was VERY welcome!

It was only one ballot per vehicle, and no bicycles won trophies ;o) It was a perfect day for the remote control ski-planes as they flew aerobatics over the lake. There was even a remote airboat with Woody (of Toy Story fame) in the driver's seat. Unfortunately, Woody took a nosedive into the water and had to be rescued by boat. Chants of "Breathe, Woody, breathe" were heard across the beach. The owner gave Woody CPR - by squeezing his head, water squirted out his ears.

The Bonny Eagle Pep Band showed up late in the day and played for us. Not bad!

The major complaint was the classing structure, which was a bit strange and inadequate. But I have been assured that will be fixed next year.

All in all it was a laid-back, relaxing day and it seemed everyone had a good time.

Next weekend don't forget the show at Charlie Beigg's in Windham. This is the show that was at WalMart last year. And on Sunday I believe is the always great New Durham show.

The season is winding down, the weather is beginning to chill and once again I must soon begin wrestling with those Christmas lights...but first, I have to put the garden to bed for the season. This year we gave away over 500 cukes, 75 pounds of tomatoes and lots of green beans. The only things left in the garden are pumpkins, squash and about 50 pounds more of tomatoes.

Hope to see our friends again before the season is over. I have been asked to take photos at the Charlie Beigg show, and will post all the winners. Good luck!

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Friday, September 17, 2010

OOB Cruise Pt 2

Kool.

It seems everyone had a great time at the 17th Annual OOB cruise, as usual. A tremendous number of great rides.

The high point of the afternoon was finally catching a glimpse of the famous "Little 'Ol Lady From Pasadena"...

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Thursday, September 16, 2010

OOB Cruise-In

I have been watching the weather and it appears that the weather will be nice, but cool, for the OOB cruise tomorrow night. We really enjoy the cruise - so much fabulous metal (and fiberglass :o).

On Saturday folks have a choice, depending on their preferences and the reasons they go to shows. On the one hand you have the OOB show - and it is big. Not particularly well run, as was painfully demonstrated last year, but big, nonetheless with a lot of great cars.

On the other hand you have the option of a smaller show in Standish - the Kiwanis Beach show, with entertainment. They, too did not demonstrate an ability to run things smoothly last year. However, of the two shows, the organizers of the Standish show were the only ones to say they were working to fix the problems and have a better show. OOB made no such overture, and there is no reason to expect it to be better this year.

For my money, I'll be going to the Kiwanis show, for two reasons:

1) They at least are making a stab at fixing problems, and

2) the cause they are raising money for is more charitable and not self-serving.

So, most of you I will see Friday nite at the cruise. And some of you, at least, we hope to see on Saturday. But whichever you choose, have fun, and good luck.

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Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Maine Cars Are Great - The Gals Are Better

Courtesy of Dale Chasse...

THE DIFFERENCE IF YOU MARRY A Maine GIRL

The first man married a woman from North Carolina. He told her she was to do the dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple of days, but on the third day, he came home to see a clean house and dishes washed and put away.

The second man married a woman from Florida. He gave his wife orders she was to do all the cleaning, dishes and the cooking. The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done and there was a huge dinner on the table.

The third man married a girl from Maine. He ordered her to keep the house clean, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed, and hot food on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the third day, some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye, and his arm was healed enough that he could fix himself a sandwich and load the dishwasher. He still has some difficulty when he pees.

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Saturday, September 4, 2010

Lewiston Vineyard Church Show

This letter came in from someone who attended:

Hi,

First off I want to say that the show was a great show. The food was really good and very reasonably priced. Restrooms were open in the school with a convenient location. The judges were very fair and took the time to look over the vehicles completely. I was impressed.

However, there was one major issue I, along with many others noticed. The flier on the event specifically stated rain or shine event. On the same flier, it says that the registration is between 8am and 10am. I drove about 45 minutes from my home in Portland to attend this event. I left at about 7 this morning in order to arrive at the show by 8am to ensure I had plenty of time to get to the show and CLEAN my car due to wet roads. I got to the show and yes my car was soaked, dirty, and also placed on the mud at the show, no big deal; I cleaned it. My dispute, along with many others was after seeing vehicles enter after 11am, which was after the judges began to jugde the vehicles. In my class alone, the judges started on my car and were just finshing up after a great inspection of my vehicle, moving on to the next. Just then two vehicles came in one right after the next and entered in the 90's and up class, and to my utmost surprise were able to register to be judged. Not to mention one vehicle didn't have an open hood or trunk. The other three of us were there all day and cleaned to prepare for judging. Myself and a few other participants brought it to the attention of the car show organizers bringing the flier for proof. The response we recieved was them saying that they "extended" the registration due to the weather. I responded saying I understand that but the flier specifically states rain or shine. I took my chances driving to the show with wet roads and the chance of rain along the way, but knew registration ended at 10 and wanted time to clean my car before judging. These same two vehicles took first and second place in the class and did not need to clean their vehicles. By the time they left for the show, the streets were dry and there was nothing to clean. If I had known that I would have waited until streets were dry as well so I didn't have to do the work at the show, but that is not why I go to shows. I go to shows for my interests and in order to deserve a trophy I clean my vehicle, as many others do and will drive to the show in rain or shine.

I am not one to start problems at the shows, I just feel cheated and it was unfair for these late entrants to enter way after registration was supposed to end. I hope that this concern reaches the organizers for a possible change in the future because otherwise it was a great show.

-Brianna DiDonato

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Jordan Small School Show

What a great day for a show!

First, I will dispense with the situation concerning the problems with the classing - had the classes been better thought out I believe the show would have attracted twice as many cars (I have heard from many who chose not to go because of the classing structure).

Despite that, there really were no other problems (except the burgers were nothing to write home about). But the chili was quite good. Prices were more than reasonable. The music was fine, though not loud enough to be heard in some areas, as the classes were spread out into different parking lots around the school.

The short take: Roxanne and Serena & company did a very nice job, particularly for their first show. No one seemed to have any complaints that I heard. And as I moved about it seemed everyone was having just a great ol' time.

Among the winners were Ken's Great-48, Cheryl's "Green Machine" Camaro, Sid's Impala, Stan's Camaro, Mike Lowell's '49 Chevy truck, Steve Flynn's 'Vette, Steve Thompson's coupe, Paul's Nova, Dale Chasse's Low-Bird, Vonn Estabrook's cool ride and (2) of Glen Thurlow's fine rides - both his car and his Triumph.

A final note - the trophies were beautiful! Almost makes me wish we had registered (we don't do that very often anymore).

Excellent little show, Roxy! Thank you.

Just an observation - Dale Chasse hangs with Bob Sanborn. Chasse and Sanborn. GOOD coffee!

/

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Grasping the Concept

While most folks understand how business works, some are still having difficulty understanding it. And anything that is designed to make a profit is a business. That includes a car show. As such, if organizers want to make the most money they can, they need to put on a show that attracts the most cars. And that means putting on a good show.

It does not - I repeat, does NOT matter - what the "good cause" is. Every show benefits a good cause. And while the "cause" may be the reason the organizers have a show, they cannot expect the "cause", alone, to be a driving factor in getting folks to attend. Because good causes abound. They are everywhere, and each is trying to get money from the folks. And frankly, the folks simply cannot afford to give to every cause. So, they tend to give to those causes that provide them with the most benefit.

But first, understand this - the definition and purpose of any show is a competition, whether a dog show, art show or car show. Most of the people who attend will do so for the competition. Take pro golf - they have tours to benefit charities. But do you really think they would attract Tiger Woods if they did not have a $100,000 purse? Not a chance. And if they can't attract Tiger and the rest, what kind of tour would it be? How much would they make for charity? Not much!

The competition is what attracts the players and the customers. And that is where the money is made. Take away the competition and you no longer attract the players or spectators, and you make nothing. A car show is no different. You can SAY trophies don't matter, but trophies or not, the competition most certainly does matter.

If the only thing the organizers are interested in is their good cause and they fail to provide a good product, they will not make anywhere near what they could have. People are competitive by nature - even earliest Man had to compete for food, shelter and mating priviledges. Competition is the key to survival. It is a good thing, not a bad thing.

But the competition must be fair if it is to attract the players - regardless of what your "good cause" is. Otherwise, you may just as well go door-to-door asking for donations.

Let us look at what we would have without the competition. Cars come, and the driver pays for the "priviledge" of hanging out all day with friends (something they could do for free at home). There are no classes; no awards. No competition. So, what do you have? A show? No - you only have a day long cruise-in. And there are FREE cruise-ins every day of the week.

If you want to host a cruise-in, then call it that. But if you want to host a show, then make it a SHOW. And a show is a fair competition, or it simply is not a show. It's just a "gimme money for my cause and to heck with you."

So, you want to host a car show to make money. Fine. But to make money in ANY venture you must offer the paying customer something of value. That comes FIRST, not LAST, because if you do not offer value, you will not get the customer. Just like any other business.

If you don't believe it, ask yourself: if you have a choice between two shows, and one is a great show and the other is crappy, which one would you attend? And just how much do the "good causes" they raise funds for play a part in your decision?

If you said "The cause is the deciding factor", then I will expect to see you at the Standish show instead of Old Orchard. Old Orchard raises money for themselves. Standish Kiwanis raises money for college scholarships for deserving students.

The point is, the first consideration for any show organizer should be "How do I attract the most cars to make the most money for our good cause?" If that is not the first consideration, then you have no business running a car show. And if that is your first consideration, it will lead you to the things that attract car buffs - awards, adequate & fair classes, adequate space, availability of food and drink, entertainment, and perhaps other interesting events.

If you short the players on the above, you can expect to come up short in your fundraising - and deservedly so. If you want to make the most money for a cause, forget about the money and concentrate on that which PRODUCES the money - the SHOW. Put on a good show and you will make good money.

/

Friday, August 27, 2010

Raymond

Tomorrow we plan on going to the show in Raymond. However, I am not too entusiastic about some things.

The history of cars goes back roughly 120 years. The Raymond show is putting more than half of all cars ever manufactured into one class - Earliest through '50's. Therefore, antiques, street rods, '50's etc. will all be in one class, which is unheard of - and terribly unfair to those with vehicles pre-1960. Especially with only two awards per class.

Because of this, I suspect a lot of pre-'60 vehicles will not be showing up. I could be wrong, but history indicates many folks will not attend if there is virtually no chance for them to be competitive and have a chance to win.

Meanwhile, with the exception of '90-Present, all other classes only include one decade. While that sounds fair, consider that a stock vehicle will be competing with customs and muscle cars from the same decade.

Now, the reason I am writing this in advance is for the purpose of defusing the many complaints that might come from this classing system. You now know, up front, what to expect. If you find other things worthy of criticism, fine - let me know and I will publish it. But I have no desire to publish 100 complaints about the classing.

/

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Maine Oxy Update

The following info was submitted as an update to the Maine Oxy Show in Auburn, on October 9th:

5th Annual New England School of Metalwork Car Show to benefit Pine Tree Camp Saturday
October 9th 7 Albiston Way, Auburn, ME
Registration opens at 8am with voting at 11am - $10 to show per car entered
OPEN CLASS FORMAT with awards for Top 20, Including Best in Show and Speciality Awards
All profits benefit Pine Tree Camp and the Pine Tree Society 50/50, Door Prizes, Concessions, Silent Auction
Live Welding, Cutting and Grinding Demonstrations along with several surprises
Admission free to all spectators (donations accepted)
This is an alcohol and tobacco/smoke free event
For more information call: 784-5788

/

Monday, August 16, 2010

Glenn Thurlow Benefit

From Uptown Cruizahs:

Glenn is a custom car builder and body man, as well as a custom motorcylce builder, from Norway. He has cancer and at this point is having great difficulty working on any regular basis.

A benefit for Glenn is being held. See details here...

Hope you can all attend and support Glenn in these very trying times.

/

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Update - Kiwanis (Standish)

This from Scott Callghan:

"At the Kiwanis Beach Car Show on September 18 we will possibly have the Bonny Eagle Pep Band in the afternoon, and there will also be the propsnappers float fly in at the beach ( a remote control float plane club). This will at least give an option to some folks for another show (Editor's note: alternative to Old Orchard)"

Over the last few years I have heard so many people complain about how the Old Orchard show is for out-of-staters, and how they do not even understand that Street Rods end with 1948. Well, this is an opportunity to enjoy a different show, relaxing at the beach in Standish.

/

Thursday, July 29, 2010

New Date - Standish Kiwanis Show

From Scott Callaghan:

"Hi Bill,
We have a new date - Saturday September 18th at the Kiwanis Beach, Standish, ME (rte 25). 16 classes, 3 trophies per class, Food, Enjoy the free beach, and more, will update you as we confirm other activities.

Thank You, Scott Callaghan
Kiwanis of Standish
207-899-7590"

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Plea For Help - Toys For Tots

From Cheryl Page, concerning the annual Toys For Tots event:

"I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD PUT ON YOUR BLOG THAT WE NEED HELP FOR THE MULTI CAR CLUB TOYS FOR TOTS . WE NEED HELP FINANCIALLY TO GET A PORTA POTTI SO MAYBE A CLUB CAN HELP US WITH A DONATION .

"WE ARE HOPING THAT THE STREET ROD CLUB DOWNEAST WILL COOK AGAIN FOR US TOO . ANYTHING ANYONE CAN DO FOR US WOULD HELP . PLEASE PUT THIS OUT THERE , THANKS"

Folks, this is a very worthwhile event that provides not only a lot for the underprivileged, but also a good time for us car folks. So if there is anything you can do or contribute, please contact Cheryl at cherylpage65@gmail.com

/

Monday, July 19, 2010

Interesting Cruise

From Ron Hayes (MWVOCC):

"We are having a cruise night Saturday July 24th at the Church by the river on 302 in Center Conway across from McSherry’s. It will run from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. It is a fundraiser for the church. They will be cooking hotdogs and Hamburg ’s to sell and will have a 50/50. If you could pass this on to your members it would be great!!!"

Consider it passed on, Ron

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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Richmond Days & Saco

From Michelle Snowden, Co-Chairperson for Richmond Days 2010 in Richmond, Maine.

"We are having our annual parade on Saturday, July 24th at 10:00 a.m. in Richmond beginning on Main St. and I would like to have some classic cars participate. I was hoping that you could help me contact some vintage car owners. We have a facebook page (Richmond Days 2010) and the Richmond Days brochure is located on our website at www.RichmondDays.com. I would appreciate any help and/or information that you could give me.

My email is Snowden1030@hotmail.com or I may be easily reached via my cell at 207-620-2542. Thank you very much! I hope to see some of your cars in our parade!"

Michelle Snowden

Well, folks, if you are in the area on the 24th and looking for something new, this might do the trick. Otherwise, if Saco is closer to home, you may want to check out this new show on the 24th...

/

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Important Update - Kora Shriner Show (Twitchell Airport)

Provided courtesy of Roxanne Gerry

There are some changes to the schedule of events of the Car Show this weekend due to the expectation of some severe weather conditions. Below are listed those changes.

Please take note of these changes and pass the information along to those who don’t have email. Time is short and email is about the only way to communicate these changes.

Set up for the field will occur as originally scheduled on Saturday morning July 10th. If you are one of those who helps set up the field with barriers and stakes, please plan to be at Twitchell’s Airport by 8am Saturday.

Set up for the cooking tents and car registration will NOT be done on Saturday, but will be done at 6am on Sunday.

Car Cruise and Chicken BBQ for Saturday Night has been canceled.

Sunday morning breakfast has been canceled.

Food sales on Sunday will begin after tents and equipment have been set up on Sunday morning.
Car Show and trophy awards are a “rain or shine” event and WILL be held on Sunday as originally scheduled.

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Monday, July 5, 2010

Wiscasset

Sunday was a beautiful day - a bit warm, but breezy enough. Thank goodness it was not as hot as today - 102 degrees at the house, in the shade.

A long ride for us, but worthwhile - the 1st Annual Wiscasset show was very nicely done. Everyone was classed at the gate, and all appeared to be classed correctly. The crew that hosted the show were very nice and helpful. This was a great little show. But not perfect, as no show is perfect. Here are some issues noted, none of which are bigg issues, or "bad" in any way.

The show was held on July 4th weekend. Anyone with a life was somewhere else, with family, at the beach or having cookouts. Many were in parades in their communities. This resulted in fewer than 100 vehicles attending the show.

The show was advertised as "split balloting", but that did not happen. It would have been very helpful in preventing some serious bloc voting that took place. Maybe next year...

Because of the limited number of vehicles, several classes found themselves lonely, parked out back of Ames Supply. Had it been known that the attendance would be less than 100, they could all have been up front, as there is plenty of room at this location.

More music would have been a big plus - it was a guitarist who did not start until nearly 11, and did not play much.

The award ceremony was as fast and organized as I have seen in a long time. Kudos for that, especially since shady spots in the hot sun were scarce.

Connie Peacock's '67 Stang made its debut. A beautiful car! Love the black & purple color duo. And for those who may not have noticed, the typical MUSTANG lettering on the trunk reads RUSTANG. Cute!

It was a great time, and it was refreshing to see such a well-organized show, particularly for their first time. They did a fine job.

/

Monday, June 28, 2010

T's

I was going through a buncha boxes in the spare room and found a box of brand new HOTKARZ T-shirts. I had thought they were all gone, but I guess we missed these.

We will be bringing them with us to Wiscassett next weekend. If you would like one (limited quantities left of each size), you can pick 'em up for just $5 each. They are quality, heavy duty "BEEFY" T's by Hanes. So this is a real bargain for shirts.

We will not be ordering any more - when these are gone, that will be it. So get yours this weekend, if only as a collector item.

If you can't make it to Wiscassett, but still want a shirt, just email me at ptwoodycrew@aol.com and tell me how many of which size(s) and I will hold them out for you, while supplies last. First come, first served.

/

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Harrison

Gotta say, we had a great time at the Harrison show, and they did a phenomenal job of getting everyone parked in such a small area. The weather held, and we spent time with many old friends.

The Peacocks were unable to bring their famed Satellite, but that did not seem to matter - they still took "Best of Show" with Ol' Blue.

I must say I was puzzled and disappointed in the vehicles they placed into Special Interest - it appears they do not know the definition of the class. There were two antiques, a foreign car, a fairly stock trike and a normal daily driver vehicle. The only vehicle that was Special Interest that won (2nd Place) was the fire truck. The foreign car (there was a foreign class) took 3rd, and the trike took 1st. Neither is Special Interest no matter how one might want to stretch the definition.

Maybe someday the show organizers will take the time to actually learn class definitions and adhere to them. I recall a lot of Street Rodders complaining at Old Orchard last year about a 1950 vehicle in their class, which is just wrong, since the definition by NSRA AND the state of Maine has a cut-off date of 1948. When something is wrong, it is wrong. No two ways about it.

All that said, the Harrison show was, by and large, an excellent show. I suspect they will soon outgrow that small area at Crystal Lake Park. They had 180 cars, and they were packed. Next year they may very well draw more vehicles, so I hope they consider a larger venue or find a way to make more area available at the park.

Next week we are looking forward to the first Wiscasset show. Hope to see y'all there!

/

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Sunday

Looks like it is going to be a fine day for the Harrison Show on Sunday. That will likely be one of the few we will attend this year. Did not get to it last year.

The following weekend, weather permitting, we plan on buzzin' up to Wiscasset for their first show. I suspect it will be pretty good.

Well, we gave away over 120 perennials over the last two weeks. Those of you who got them, I hope they do well for you. Later in the season we expect to have hundreds of cukes and tomatoes to give away, as well as green beans. That is, if we can break away long enough to get to some cruise-ins.

As you may know, I planted 600 trees less than a month ago in one of my fields. So far, they are growing like weeds. When fall comes, I'll post pix of before and after, as I think some of you will be interested in their rapid growth - you can grow a "forever" supply of fuel on just a couple acres. The trees mature to "stove size" in as little as four years, and once cut, they regrow bigger the second time. They will regrow over and over, until the root dies in 30-40 years.

My mechanic and inspection guy has disappeared. His phone rings but never gets answered, and his garage is gated closed. Hope he is still above ground. Gonna have to find a new guy, I guess.

Well, it's official - we have both a fisher and a bobcat prowling our spread. I guess that means the neighbor's cats are in trouble, and fewer rabbits population will dine on my gardens. The porcupines are all but extinct around here because of the fisher.

Has anyone noticed that all those flocks of turkeys have all but vanished? Used to see them all over the place, every day. Now it is rare to spot any. Poachers, maybe?

Well, it's late. Hope to catch some of you on Sunday...

/

Monday, June 21, 2010

Windham & Hodgman's

Received the following:

"I was really overwhelmed, Sunday at Hodgmans, when I had trouble with my truck and so many great people, came to help me (most I did not know at all). Some were willing to take me to their garages, or lend me a tire to go home on. Man what a feeling! If they ever need anything and I can help, call me anytime (Bill Gribizis 756-1830). Thanks again.

"The Windham show judging was the worst I have seen. Stan and Cheryl did a great job with the show. When you have the caliber of cars that were there, you need judges not amateurs."

Bill G.

Thanx, Bill.

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

Monday

Hey, folks, are ya lookin' for somethin' to do on Mondays? If you haven't tried it yet, you may want to check out Sebago Lake Brewing Cruise-in, every Monday through August.

29 Elm St. Gorham Maine 04062
(207) 839-2337

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Duane Clark Memorial Show

"Cheryl and Stan Page are to be congratulated for putting on a first class car show in Windham today for the Duane Clark Memorial fund. Classes were well organized with no class jumping allowed (one was actually asked to move to their correct class.)

"Judging was as fair as I have ever seen by amateur judges. Trophies were presented on time without any mix up. A super job from start to finish.Duane Clark graduated with the Windham High School class of 1963 and tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident several years later. A scholarship in his name is presented annually to a deserving Windham graduate.

"Personally, Duane was an employee of mine and a dear friend. Many of his classmates, including his sister Ginger from Arizona, were present today to remember and honor his memory.

"I was honored and humbled receiving the Duane Clark Memorial Cup. A sincere thank you to Cheryl and Stan and all the volunteers for a day that I will cherish for ever."

Bob Norwood

Worth Repeating

At a time when our president and other politicians tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country.

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible

Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"
DeGaulle did not respond.

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."

You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?"

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"

You could have heard a pin drop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks, but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?"

Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND
THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE ...

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry-on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.

Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.

"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready." The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it." "Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !"

The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."

You could have heard a pin drop.

Mr. Obama and the rest of you liberals, please stop apologizing for America. We have nothing to apologize for. We may not be perfect, but we come closer than any other nation in the history of the world.

/

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Bayley's Campground Car Show

UPDATE:

Just an update on the Father's Day Weekend Car show at Bayley's Campground & Resort in Scarborough. They always put on a nice family event.

1. Registration: Free for 2 people with each Show Car
2. Registration time:11:00am - Noon
3. Show Hours: 11am - 4:00pm
4. Awards at 3:00pm (Time approximate)
5. Cruise through Old Orchard Beach: 3:30pm
6. General Public Admission for People not camping: Adults $5/Kids 3-17 $3
7. 12 Classes plus Campers Choice.
8. Best of Class Trophies and Cash prizes in all Classes.
9. Dash Plaques for 1st 125 cars.
10. Evening entertainment, pools, hot tubs.

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Saturday, June 5, 2010

Schedule Change

Hey, folks, there has been a short notice change in the schedule for the MOAL show at Shawnee Peak, Bridgeton. Previously scheduled for tomorrow, June 6, the date has been changed to June 13.

Bill

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Friday, May 21, 2010

Shows Added

There are a few more shows added to our lineup, with more to come by tomorrow.

The most recent additions are on August 7th (2 new shows) and August 14th.

August 7th is also the date for two of the most popular shows - Andover and ParSem - so I wish the other shows scheduled for that day all the luck.

The first cruise-in for the season at C.H.O.P. is scheduled for Tuesday, June 1st. Don't miss it - one of the best cruises in the state.

See ya!

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Date of the All VW Show

Just to let everyone know, HotKarz has the date of the All VW Car Show in Acton as August 1st while the Cruise Maine booklet shows August 6-8.

Please note that August 1st is the correct date, according to the organizer, Lou Twohearts.

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Interesting New Business

This is a "head's up" on a new business that may interest some of you car nuts. It is called Photoefxxx.com and this fellow, Tom Jarvais, of Portland ME takes a pic of your vehicle and transfers it to a metal license plate.

If you would like to check it out, his website is www.photoefxxx.com.

/

Monday, May 17, 2010

Follow-up

Judging from the emails, it seems most agree that Bonny Eagle needs to at least attempt to put on a good show. But for those few who just don't see a problem, allow me to explain...

A car show, whether anyone likes it or not, is a competition. When organizers charge us money to enter a competition, they have an OBLIGATION to make the competition fair to all. When they put on a crappy show like Bonny did this year, the last thing that was present was anything resembling "fair competition".

If organizers are either unable or unwilling to put on a FAIR and HONEST show, then they have no business charging money to attend it.

If you pay $100 for tickets to a Rolling Stones concert, and you get there and are told, "Well, the Stones won't be showing up, but we have this really good local group for ya." Don't anyone try to tell me you would just accept that without complaint - anyone who would is an idiot.

Well, we don't mind paying to enter shows and compete. And we like supporting their "causes". But they, too, have an obligation to provide something in exchange - an honest and fair show. It's supposed to be a two-way street. Bonny Eagle did not even make any attempt at that.

And don't give anyone that old BS line about "Well, it's a chance to meet with friends," because you can meet with friends elsewhere for free. Have a cookout, or a garage party. If you need to pay money to spend time with friends, then maybe you need better friends.

Show organizers, here's the deal - we'll spend money on gas; we'll place our expensive rides at risk; we'll pay your entry fee and spend too much on food. In return, YOU need to put on a decent show that is honest and fair, and reasonably well-organized. If you want us to do our part - support you - then you need to do your part - support us.

/

Sunday, May 16, 2010

31 Years Experience? Not!

Well, I have to hand it to the folks who ran (I will not say "organized") the Bonny Eagle show. In spite of putting zero effort into organizing the show, and in spite of the mish-mash of classing, they somehow still managed to pull in several hundred great cars.

It has been a long while since I have seen so much great and beautiful metal in one place. And it was really wonderful seeing old friends again. And the weather could not be beat.

But the show organizers get a great, big fat "F" - and if there were a worse grade, they would well deserve it.

After 31 years of putting on car shows there is NO excuse for putting on such a shoddy exhibition. The 60's class was spread out over 3 acres, some here, some there, and even some in with the tuners. Mustangs were all over the place, as if they did not even have a class. And when we pulled in, we were told "this is 90's and Special Interest - park wherever you wish", and for sure, both classes were mixed, making it almost impossible to determine what vehicle was in what class. And since when does a Mitsubishi Eclipse "tuner" belong in Special Interest? NEVER! Ditto with more than half the cars that entered the class. They should be ashamed of themselves for entering a class they do not qualify for, and Bonny Eagle should be even more ashamed of themselves for allowing it. Gee, maybe I should enter the TUNER class in the next show and siphon off votes from those who actually deserve them. Whattaya wanna bet they would scream bloody murder.

There were no fewer than 40 people who complained to me about the haphazard way the show was so unorganized, almost as if someone had to work hard to purposely destroy any semblance of sanity. And to think I thought Sanford was bad! Bonny Eagle has managed to beat them hands down when it comes to being disheveled.

Yes, the cars were fine, the people were great and the weather was gorgeous. No thanks to the people who ran this travesty that is laughingly referred to as a car show.

Hey, Bonny Eagle, here's a wild thought - next year, why not find someone to actually spend a few minutes ORGANIZING the show? Or maybe hire a chimpanzee - he could probably do a better job.

My Dad always used to say, "If you are going to take the time to do something, take the time to do it RIGHT!"

Yes, the show is for a good cause. But that is no excuse to put on such a disgraceful exhibition. Bonny Eagle wants money for their cause. Fine. And the people who PROVIDE that money would like a decent show. Seems to me this one is one-sided - Bonny Eagle takes the money and gives precious little in return. They certainly do not give the car folks any respect!

Look, Bonny Eagle - we put our expensive cars at great risk so you can make money. We spend money on gas and food to attend your shows. We give up an entire day for your benefit. The least you can do is insure each class is organized, and every vehicle is in the right class. If you can't even do that little bit, you have no business running a show and taking our money.

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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Bonny Eagle

It seems Bonny Eagle, very slow to learn, is learning a LITTLE.

On the plus side, it seems they listened to our complaint that the Tuners were being treated unfairly by parking them out at the bus barn. They have been moved and will now be part of the show. Good for you, Bonny Eagle.

But Bonny Eagle STILL has learned very little. There are (4) tuner classes for so few vehicles, which indicates a lack of thought in classing. Looks like every tuner should get a trophy, with a couple of trophies left over. Also, only (3) truck classes, and NOWHERE is there room for any truck 1950-1954 unless it is 4WD.

And now they have a new class that appears to be a case where someone is "buying" the 1st place trophy - the class is NEW FACTORY MUSCLE 2009+.

WOW! An entire class for 18 months worth of cars! I cannot help but think this class was added strictly to benefit just one or two "special friends" of whoever is organizing this show. There is no other valid reason for such a specific and small class. Stinks of cronyism.

Still, we expect to be there, but only because Bonny Eagle is Criss' Alma Mater, and the Woody is her car. If not for that, I am not sure we would bother, simply because Bonny Eagle just can't seem to get it right - even after 30 years.

They probably think they have 30 years experience. I think they have one year experience, repeated 30 times.

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Monday, May 3, 2010

Request From A Reader

Hey, folks, dunno if any of you can help with this, but I received this request:

"Hi my name is Katie and Bill Kelly gave me your name. I'm getting married May 22nd in Casco, ME and it's a roaring 1920's themed wedding. I'm looking for a 1920's-1930's car to rent for pictures. Do you know of any or who I could contact if you don't? "Please let me know at satieo@hotmail.com"

OK, folks, let's see if someone can step up to the plate.

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Saturday, May 1, 2010

Roadside Assistance

Received this interesting email. Thought I would pass it on. Forewarned is forearmed.

**********************

WHAT A JOKE 24 hour roadside assistance, does that mean I will hear from you within 24 hours of my call?????

I have been a Hagerty customer since 2006 my member ID is ******. I am responsible for at least 12 of my fellow car enthusiast purchasing insurance from Hagerty. I have always spoken very highly of your company. Now I find myself in a situation that has me wondering where I will now insure my antique automobile.

Here is my story; Saturday May 1, 2010 at 6:47AM I called 1-800-922-4950 option #3 to request roadside assistance as my 1948 Chevrolet quit running on a somewhat busy Maine State Highway. I left a voice mail message(my mistake to begin with) requesting a flatbed hauler to remove my vehicle and transport it less then 5-miles back to my residence/garage so I could start the repairs. It is now 5:00PM Saturday May 1, 2010 and I still have not been contacted by anyone from Hagerty Roadside Assistance.

Don't worry though, I had the presence of mind to call a reputable towing company with a real person that answers the emergency line and I had a tow truck on scene in a flash and had my vehicle back in my garage @ 7:52 AM. Now that is service that I will gladly pay for as the need arises.

I don't need some fancy insurance company selling me something that does not work. Our absence at the car show today was noticed by many and I will not hesitate to tell them about the day I have had and my disappointments with Hagerty's roadside assistance program. I am sure someone will call me from Hagerty, like today though, I can't wait to see how long that takes.

Your Greatly Disappointed Member,

Ken Matthews
Propane Consultants
www.propaneconsultant.com
207-272-4491
Fax. 207-655-3571
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Friday, April 30, 2010

In Memoriam

"Old Bill" Pierce's obituary was in Wednesday's Press Herald. Falmouth, Maine; William H. Pierce "77" died April 26 at his residence in Falmouth.

He will be missed by all of his car friends for sure. Rest in Peace as "The Cruiser of the Year 2009".

Bill was a fine fellow. I will always remember him wearing his "Krispy Kreme" hat...

Good-bye, old friend. I hear the old cars in Heaven never rust or run out of gas.

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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Amazing

As we travel through life, every now and again we run into something amazing. But this goes beyond being merely amazing. You really should watch this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=rmm-0-Rdxo8

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Update

Received the following concerning the new location for the Gorham Lion's Club Show, July 24th:

"Good afternoon Bill.

"As mention to you a while back we have to move the show to a new location due to pending road construction at our old spot.

"We will be moving to the new middle school which is of the Weeks road just South of the village going towards Scarborough.

"Directions go out South street to first set of lights,turn right and follow road to end and into school location..Its a much bigger location and will provide us with space for about 300 cars plus the public.

"We will be providing extra folks for direction plus somebody at old spot till about 9am to get people turned around

"Lots of new signs should be all right."

Norm Wedge

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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

5th Annual Old Car Tour

Hey, folks, this just in from Bob Hatch - if interested in participating, contact him directly (and soon :o)

5th Annual Old Car Tour, MT. Washington Valley Old Car Club

Hi I have some spots left for the Old Car Tour on June 19 & 20, 2010. If you would like to go e-mail me back it is $300.00 per couple. Thanks Bob
We will be leaving the Ossipee Valley fairgrounds, in Hiram, at 9:30 am. on June 19 th. The motorcycle escort will be meeting with the tour participants to discuss details of the trip. This meeting begins promptly at 9:15 am, please plan to attend.
Our planned route for this year will take us from South Hiram to Cornish, to Baldwin, Hiram, Sebago, Naples, Raymond, and into Windham. In Windham, we will take a brief rest stop. From there we will continue on to Standish, and into Hollis Center, where we will be having lunch, catered by the Hollis Lion's Club.
After lunch, we will then continue on to the Nonantum Resort, in Kennebunkport, Maine. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. After, for those interested, you can visit the attractions of downtown Kennebunkport, which are walking distance from our accommodations.
In the morning, there will be a buffet breakfast, which is included in the tour fee. Breakfast will be available from 7:30 am. until 9:00 am. At 9:30 am, we will be leaving for the Trolley Museum. After visiting the museum, we will travel to Shaw's Ridge in Sanford, for lunch, where we will conclude this year's tour.
To sign up, contact Bob
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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Reminder

Just a little reminder that the final "off-season gathering of car nuts" will be held at C.H.O.P. in Cumberland (Rte 100) somewhere around 5:00pm until whenever. It's been a long, though not so unpleasant winter, and we will soon be haulin' our butts to the many fine Cruise-Ins.

Later!

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Friday, April 9, 2010

Funny Craigs List ad

You gotta check out this ad on Craigslist. This link was provided by Dale (who else?)

http://semo.craigslist.org/cto/1672654758.html

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Saturday, April 3, 2010

Too Funny

I do not normally include political stuff here, but this was just too funny to not share it. Sent in by Bob the Iceman:

No matter what side of the aisle you're on, this is funny and very telling!

It just all depends on how you look at some things...Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California , was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Congressman Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor. The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory, as seen here.

On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: 'Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.'

So Judy recently e-mailed Congressman Harry Reid for information about their great-great uncle.

Believe it or not, Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

"Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory . His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed..."

NOW THAT's how it's done, Folks!
That's real POLITICAL SPIN

[This author of this blog has researched this and it is standard internet political jibe. The photo is actually of the train-robbing outlaw, Tom "Black Jack" Ketchum. But political humor or not, it does seem to be the way things are spun in Washington.]

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Thursday, April 1, 2010

April Fool

Just thought I would share some of the April 1st shenanigans at our house today.

5:30 in the morning, and Robin is barely awake. She makes her groggy dash for the coffee pot to pour her cuppa wakemeup. She grabs the handle - the pot will not come out of the coffee maker. Some big dope taped the pot to the machine.

At this time I would like to report that Robin is not a morning person, and April 1st is not her favorite day.

When Robin returned home this afternoon, she decided to spend some quality time on her computer. But, alas - she tried clicking on the desktop icons to open programs and nothing happened. Could not open anything. Poor gal thought she had a virus.

It seems our devious little daughter, Criss, created a screenshot of the desktop, then set that image up as the display background. You could SEE the icons, but they were only an image file. Meanwhile, all the real icons had been hidden in the UNUSED ICONS folder. And voila - a desktop that doesn't work.

Pure genius. Robin was not so inclined to use that same word, however. Lucky for Criss, she left for a three day vacation in New Hampshire just before her mother got home. I hope three days is long enough...

Well, have a great week, folks!

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Tuesday, March 30, 2010

C.H.O.P.

Scuttlebutt has it that there will be one final "car nut" gathering at C.H.O.P. in Cumberland Tuesday, April 13th. If you think you will have enough left after filing your taxes, why not stop in and chat? Hope to see ya there.

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Friday, March 26, 2010

Schedule Change

The Sons of the American Legion have changed the date of their show (Naples, ME) from May 22 to the new date of May 23.

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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Gorham Lion's Show

Due to construction, the Gorhan Lion's Show will be moved to the new Middle School on Weeks Road. The organizer, Norm Wedge, would like to get in contact with the various clubs he worked with last year. Please contact him at nwedge@maine.rr.com at your earliest convenience.

Thank you

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

ATTN: SHOW ORGANIZERS

HotKarz currently has 35 Maine shows posted for 2010. We ask that you check the info on your show to insure its accuracy. If you would like to add something, just email the info to ptwoodycrew@aol.com.

If you are organizing a show that is not yet posted, you may send all pertinent info to the above email address and I will get your show posted. Please submit early - a lot of folks set up their calendar early and you don't want them missing out on your show.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

2010 Calendar

I have begun the calendar/events page for 2010. Currently, I have (10) shows listed with many more coming.

If you are hosting or know of shows or cruises not yet posted, please send the info to ptwoodycrew@aol.com as early as possible so I can get it online.

Bill

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Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Too Much

OK, so this is not really about cars. But I gotta ask - could YOU play on this...?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLu70Zcejxk

I find it far too distracting - especially the one near the end of the vid.

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Sunday, March 7, 2010

Garage Party

Today we had the distinct pleasure of attending the garge party hosted by Paul White, Back Bay Customs. And I gotta tell ya, that guy knows how to throw a party! He had enough pizzas and 10 foot subs brought in to feed a small African nation for a month.

Paul has several vehicles in progress, and the man certainly knows his stuff. Some My-T-Fine iron in his shop.

Unfortunately, Seldon and Polly could not make it - they had gone snowmobiling up in the hills. Judging from reports, it was more like grassmobiling, as snow is getting scarce, even in the mountains.

As much as we enjoy Billy-Boy Gribizis' company, I would have enjoyed it more if his lovely wife, Rudina, had been able to appear. She is always so bubbly and upbeat - a lot like that Progressive Insurance gal on TV.

Met some interesting folks, many of whom had a lot of great stories to tell. We hope to see more of them.

Of course, Tom Watson was there - he is a treasured fixture at these shindigs.

Well, folks, there is a gathering at CHOP on Tuesday. Not sure I can make it, but I hope if you do, that you have a good time.

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Tuesday, March 2, 2010

C.H.O.P.

I have just received confirmation from Cheryl Page that there will be another monthly "gathering of the car buffs" next Tuesday at Cumberland House of Pizza. Usually starts around 5 - most get there around 5;45. Limited seating, as you know, so plan accordingly.

I'd like to take this time to tell everyone that there will be major changes in HotKarz this year, due to time constraints and other considerations. I still plan on having the Calendar and Events pages, listing the cruises and shows, and there will be some galleries. But the Winner's Circle will no longer be available, and there will be fewer pix from fewer shows. I will attempt to keep the Funnies Page, but many other pages are being axed.

I apologize for the "weak" blog lately, but again, things have come up that rob me of a lot of my time and concentration. With luck, it should be irritating the Hell out of the "old boy's bunch" again by the time the season gets under way. And, with any luck, those boys will reconsider their childish stunts and BS from last year and be mature enough not to repeat them this year. They embarrassed us all.

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Friday, February 5, 2010

Gathering

Last month a bunch of us gathered at C.H.O.P. in Cumberland. We all had a good time - enough so it was decided to do it again this month. As far as I know at this time, the plan is to gather at C.H.O.P. around 5-7 next Tuesday, the 9th.

And if Al Lappin comes, HE'S BUYING!

Hope to see y'all there!

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Some Folks Just Never Win

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But this is not one of those folks...

Congrats, Al & Dottie.

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Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The Doctor Is In

Love This Doctor

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?

A: Your heart only good for so many beats, and that it--don't waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiency. What does cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So steak is nothing more than efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef also good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And pork chop can give you 100% of recommended daily allowance of vegetable product.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain. Bottom up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have body and you have fat, your ratio one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can't think of single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No pain---.good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU NOT LISTENING! Food are fried these day in vegetable oil. In fact, they permeated by it. How could getting more vegetable be bad for you?!?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise muscle, it get bigger. You should only be doing sit-up if you want bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy?!? HEL-LO-O!! Cocoa bean! Another vegetable! It best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming good for your figure, explain whale to me.

Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember: Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a ride!!"

AND--For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Group Trip - Atlantic City Classic Car Show & Auction

A group bus trip to the Atlantic City (NJ) Classic Car Show & Auction is being set up as I type this. Scheduled for February 26-28th, the group would depart from Copp Motors (Rte 100, Cumberland, across from C.H.O.P.) that Friday morning and return Sunday evening.

Participants would be staying at Bally's Resort & Casino on the Boardwalk.

There is room for 52 people on the bus, so claim your seats early by calling Madelyn Meier at 838-2334.

Depending on the type of accommodations (either single king or 2 double beds), cost of the bus and accommodations will run about $445-$520 per couple. A third or fourth person in your room is $20 extra (each).

Ron & Madelyn are trying to get the group rates set, so if interested, please call Madelyn and reserve your seats by this weekend, if possible. First come, first serve, 52 person limit.

Call Madelyn (cell): 838-2334

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Monday, January 11, 2010

Old Car Tour 2009

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Last spring the MWVOCC went on their annual road tour, this time to Rangely, Maine. Bob Hatch was good enough to submit pix, as seen here. Enjoy! Thanx, Bob.

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Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Heads Up

The next gathering at Two Trails Diner in Standish will be held this Saturday, the 9th, at 1:00 pm. Once again there will be a Yankee Swap, since it was so much fun last month.

Next Tuesday, the 12th, I believe there is a similar gathering at C.H.O.P in Cumberland. If you have questions on this one, please contact Stan & Cheryl Page.

It may be of interest to some that more than 70 car clubs and organizations around the nation have picked up copies of "The Complete Car Show" just in the last few weeks. The most recent is the famous LEGENDS CAR CLUB in Canada. And the feedback has been phenomenal. It seems each club that gets the book talks it up to other clubs.

The National Car Show Association is still attempting to buy the rights to it, but I am still holding out until I am satisfied every Maine show that wants one, gets one. So if you run a show in Maine, and would like a FREE copy, let me know soon, because the offer from NCSA is tempting, and I'm weakening. Once NCSA owns the rights, it will no longer be free to anyone.

Gotta get back to work on my latest book. Publisher wants it to be at least 180 pages, and I only have half that. It's slow going, as this is the first full book I have written after a four year hiatus (I actually thought I was frickin' retired). Some days I can write 50 pages; other days I can't write 50 words. Oh well. It's one of the reasons I haven't been doing so much on the blogs lately - sorry!

Hope to see ya either Saturday or Tuesday.

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