Family

As I sit at my desk late at night, I was wondering how and why a "loner" like myself gets so involved in these cruises and shows. I have always disliked crowds, parties and the like. I have just returned from a cruise in Westbrook, and I feel richer for having gone (even though I didn't win the 50/50). And it perplexed me as to why this "car thing" is so different. Why do I feel good about it, when I dislike most other group activities?

And I know the answer - the people I meet at cruises and shows are a very special breed of folks. They seem more like family than friends, and for someone like myself who no longer has blood family other than my daughter, that is important. They are comfortable to be around. They are the "cream" of the crop, good people, all.

And when I say "they", I am saying YOU!

And I am also saying "Thank You." Thanks for being so much fun. Thanks for welcoming my little family. And a special thanks for enriching my little corner of the world.

Bill

Who Is This Clown?

That's what some folks wonder when they come to HotKarz. And I realize that many of you do not know much about me. And that's a good thing.

Still, perhaps I should give a brief accounting of who the Hell Bill Vaughn is.

I was born when I was very young. My mom was there, so she could attest to that. Always a runt, and always a loner, I preferred hunting, fishing and camping over intramural sports. I guess it was because I could eat the fish and the venison, but I couldn't eat a basketball.

Although I maintained straight A's in high school, I kept getting suspended because I refused to cut my hair and shave my beard. Honest! They would not let me attend my graduation with a beard, so they mailed my diploma.

Married once. She passed away in a fire one night at the age of 19, while I was working 3rd shift. Got depressed for awhile.

Wasted seven years in colleges and universities. Seven years and $80,000 later, all I had was two pieces of paper that said I blew $80,000 in seven years getting a great education I would likely never use (and that turned out to be correct).

Married again. Betty. Lasted 9 months before she decided to live with someone of the same sex. I figured that I was lucky not to have wasted more than 9 months. She was a great guy!

Worked as a machinist during the week, and played steel guitar in a band on weekends. So much for that education - not much need for Voltare or Einstein's Theory.

Married #3. Lasted almost 10 years. A great gal - too bad others thought she was a great gal, too, which is how the trouble started.

While married to #3, and having two great kids, I was at K-Mart one day and a guy came up to me, called me by name, asked how my family was doing. Couldn't place the guy - had no idea who the heck he was, but I was polite and acted like we were old friends. I said goodbye as wife #3 approached. As we walked off, I told wife #3 I had no idea who that was - did she know him?

She said, "Yes - but it's not a 'him'. It's your ex-wife, Betty." Who woulda guessed?

After #3, I decided to make a U-Turn in my life, and rebuild myself. Though I was a successful builder and real estate investor at the time, I tossed it all and hitched to Florida with only a backpack with everything I still owned. Spent several months getting to know me better. The things I did not like about me I tried to change.

I was homeless, living in shelters, eating in soup kitchens. Not being the brightest bulb in the package, I decided to return to New England - in February! Gee, what a great place to be homeless in February.

Met current wife #4 (Robin) at the shelter in Manchester NH in 1990. Married in '92. No job. No bucks. No car. No nuthin'. But I was determined to make good for my new family. Learned computers. Learned how to build websites, and write software. Sold the software from my website on the Internet. Being one of the first 500 commercial sites in the early years, business was less than brisk. I think I made about $30 a week. But I stuck with it. Eventually, we were doing MUCH better, as folks got on the Internet and the business took off.

Started investing in real estate again, from the excess profits. Wrote some books, and sold 'em on the Internet.

Been doing that ever since. Gotta "work" about an hour a day, which left a lot of time to bore myself. And man, am I good at boring myself (and others). So, I took on a hobby - building the PT Woody. Then building this HotKarz site. I have three or four different blogs going - this one is rather benign and harmless. A couple of the others piss a lot of people off (they are political and common sensical).

I finally found my niche - something I'm good at. I can piss people off, easily. Maybe that's why I have been married 4 times.

I eat meat & taters. Rarely eat veggies. Don't drink. Don't smoke (quit after 41 years at 2-3 packs a day). Can't tolerate intolerant people. Tried pot a few times in my 20's - wasn't impressed. Hated being out of control. Which is also why I don't drink. A bit of a control freak, but the control issues are pretty much limited to self. I don't care to control others.

My primary goal is to leave this world none the worse for my having been here, and hopefully a little better than when I came into it. Not sure that's workin' out. May have to change my goal to not being the primary cause of a mass extinction. I think I can pull that one off, since I don't have access to nuclear weapons. Looking at the rest of the world, I wonder if I am the only one who DOESN'T have nuclear weapons.

I don't like Obama - he strikes me as a snake-oil salesman. Empty suit. Don't care much for McCain, either. Too arrogant, and too liberal. Thinks he's smarter than me. Maybe he is, but I don't like him rubbing it in. Maybe if he owned a classic car I could tolerate him better. But I doubt it. It would have to be one helluva car! I would vote for Newt Gingrich in a flash, but he's not running. He seems to be the only one interested in actually finding solutions to issues.

Favorite Presidents were Teddy Roosevelt and Ronnie Reagan. JFK was fine, but left the party too early. Have no use for his bother, Teddy. When Jackie passed away, and Ethel told Rose Kennedy about it, Rose is reported to have said, "Was Teddy driving the car?"

Love my family. Love my God, my country, my dogs and my friends. Love gardening, building, traveling, canoeing. I love being independent. I think I love sex, but can't really remember. I know I love women, but sometimes wonder why.

I hate nothing. But I do have strong dislikes. I dislike hypocrisy, and deception. I dislike bigotry. I dislike judges who think it is their job to do social engineering to serve an agenda. I dislike pettiness. I dislike rain on a car show day. I dislike those who think they are qualified to run my life, or make choices for me.

The only thing I fear is Alzheimers. But I forget why.

I try to find humor in everything. I even joke about my own death. Of course, I won't think it's so damned funny when it happens.

I keep an open mind about things like UFO's, aliens, ghosts and Sean Hannity.

I do not believe there is any such thing as a moderate Muslim. They may not all be willing to destroy us, but they are all willing to let the radicals try.

I would fight to protect our Constitutional rights, but I deplore those who ABUSE those rights and claim protection under the Constitution.

Oh, and I get long-winded.

I hope the weather lets me get to the Verticle Outlaws show this coming Sunday.

G'Night

Bill

Father's Day & Funnies

HotKarz has created an entirely new page called FUNNIES. That is where you will find all the funny and corny pix with captions. Check it out - there are several new ones. I particularly like the one featuring Tom Penney... As a side note, feel free to submit your own pix and captions. As long as no one is nekked, I'll post 'em.

The Father's Day Meet at Shapleigh Corner Store went quite well, considering the weather kept a lot of folks home. Still had a great crowd, as you can see from the pix in the gallery.

Don't forget it's an important cruise at Two Trails Fabulous '50's Diner on Rt 25 in Standish this Wednesday (6/18). We will be holding balloting for the Super Cruise trophies, rain or shine (because we can all go inside if we need to). This cruise is important because it is a small cruise and there are several vehicles running neck 'n' neck in the quest to win, and those that do not show up cannot pull ahead. So far, having balloted in just 4 places to date, 117 ballots have been cast. If you want to be in the running for these beautiful trophies, be there tomorrow evening, 6-8.

For those of you unfamiliar with the area (Jim? Dick?), it's about 2-3 miles north of the rte 25 & 35 intersection in Standish, right on rte 25, on the right.

See ya there...

Bill

New Look

HotKarz is changing the look of the Daily Calendar, beginning July 17. Each day will now feature a different photo from our galleries, so keep a sharp eye out - you and/or your vehicle may be found lurking there. For example, Dick's gold Chevy is featured on July 1 and Jim's Ol Blue on July 31.

Just trying to add a little color, with a personal touch. Let me know if y'all like it or not.

Bill

South Mountain Showdown

We and a few other Mainiacs are planning to make a Friday cruise over to Lincoln NH on July 18th, for the South Mountain Showdown Car Show on July 19th, and all Maine HotKarz readers are welcome to join us - the more, the merrier.

We are thinking of having a Friday Morning Cruise over the Kancamagus Highway through the White Mountains, then perhaps take a ride on the Hobo Railroad or visit one of the other many attractions. The Hobo Railroad is $12.00/person ($9.00 for children).

There are several places close to the show that offer accommodations. The best seem to be Comfort Inn, Kancamagus Motor Lodge and Profiles Motel & Cabins. You must book early, as summer accommodations in Lincoln go fast.

If you plan on going with us as a cruise, please let me know not later than July 1 by emailing me. HotKarz will pick up the $10 admission cost to the car show for the first 20 vehicles signed up.

This cruise will not be a formal, over-organized affair. Those who want to participate would all meet at Call's Shopping Plaza in Cornish at 9:00 and we would leave from there. We will stay together as best we can, pulling over periodically to allow folks to catch up if they get separated. We would arrive in Lincoln before noon, for lunch. We would then sign in to our respective accommodations, then we could form groups to go to the attractions of choice (Hobo Railroad, The Flume, Lost River, Clark's Trading Post & Trained Bears). Afterward, everyone would make their own way, their own plans, or "group up" for things like dinner. I will make an effort to arrange a place for dinner that might offer us a group rate in exchange for having our cars draw customers for them.

The Car Show starts registration at 8:00am on Saturday.

If you want to participate, please email me not later than July 1. But accommodations go fast in Lincoln, so you may want to make arrangements as soon as possible.

Bill

Bayley's

Went to the mini-show at Bayley's Campground in Scarborough today. What a great little place to spend a beautiful day! Everything was relaxed, the hosts were pleasant, and everything you could possibly want - a playground and in-ground pool for the kids, a restaurant, store...

I discovered why Bayley's does not really advertise this show - they only have room for about 50-60 cars, and they got about 40+, so they really don't have room for a big show. But I won't miss this one next year! It was really nice.

Certainly, there wasn't much in the way of trophies - 10 in all - but they more than make up for that in other ways. For example, the top 4 winners not only received a trophy, but cash, as well. First place got $200.

Tomorrow, if it is not raining when I get up, I'll head up to Hodgman's Frozen Custard in New Gloucester. I hear the Knucklebusters put on a good show. If it starts to rain later, we will then decide if we will stay. Later, after Hodgman's, we hope to make it over to Shapleigh Corner Store for the annual Father's Day Meet, which (technically) begins at 4:00 (though many start arriving by noon). They expect to be giving away (50) $100 bills this year.

Regardless of tomorrow's weather, today's outing at Bayley's made this weekend a winner!

On a Serious Note

I prefer not to get political in this blog, but in this case, it concerns the cost of gas and oil, for which we all have a strong need.

Ever notice that for some politicians, their first and only "solution" to any problem is to increase taxes? And after 100 years of that, they still have not learned that higher taxes is never a good, permanent solution to anything. Government can never use our money as wisely as we can, and when they take it from us, we have less to invest in the future, in business, and in our families.

Take the bill in the Senate that would have put a Windfall Profits Tax on oil company profits. Sure, to the short-sighted, that sounds great - the oil companies can afford it, and they deserve it. But the thinking man first remembers that every Windfall Profits Tax of the past has failed miserably. We did it in the '70's, under Carter, and it resulted in shorter supplies and higher prices. Is that really a solution? Is that what we really want?

The reason WF Taxes don't work is simple economics. If you place more taxes on business, the business will simply increase the price to the consumer, to cover the tax. And they will not invest as much into research, or refining. The tobacco companies did that sort of thing when they got sued and had to pay out many millions. They simply passed the cost onto you and me (well, not me - I don't smoke).

It never ceases to amaze me that so many good folks simply cannot grasp this simple concept and truth: if you increase the cost of doing business, it must result in an increase in the cost of products and services. Even a child running a lemonade stand knows that - if the cost of lemons goes up, he has to charge more for his lemonade. If Dad takes 20 percent of every dollar, the kid must charge 20 percent more to make up those losses.

More taxes are not the solution. The solution is four-fold: first, the governments - state and federal - must be made to stop taxing fuel by the dollar, and tax it by the gallon, instead. As it is, every time the cost goes up, the amount we pay in tax also goes up. But if the tax was per gallon, it would not increase just because the price goes up. The ones who are earning a "profit windfall" are the governments.

Second, oil must be removed from the commodities market, and regulated as any other necessary utility. If day traders cannot keep bidding up the futures prices, the cost per barrel will drop like a rock.

Third, the government should pass legislation that would permit us to tap our own natural resources, as a temporary measure, until a new energy source can be found or created. Many people simply do not realize that in the last few years, China and India - both with populations that far exceed our own - have begun using oil in the same quantities (or greater) than America does. This has tripled demand - while supply has remained stagnant. The simple law of "supply and demand" dictates the price increases accordingly. If we cannot decrease demand, then we absolutely must increase supply.

Finally, the government should offer a $100 million dollar reward to any person or company that develops a viable, sustainable source of energy that can replace oil, and is either carbon neutral, or at least greener than fossil fuels. That reward is small compared to what it will cost us if such a source is not developed. The reward would spur ingenuity, and get companies investing in a renewable source. As an example, when a $10 million dollar prize was offered to the first person to put a man into space and land him safely, it spurred many into finding ways to do it, and it was accomplished within 2 years.

But the politicians who see taxation as the only solution are bad for us, bad for our economy, and do not offer any viable answers. It's time to replace them with people who can see beyond their noses. The republicans who shot down that dangerous "band-aid" solution did a fine and courageous thing. Courageous because many people will not see them as visionaries, but as obstructionists. But it's like the Bible says - the righteous will always be persecuted.

Not that those republican Senators are righteous. But in this case, they did manage to do the right thing, for the right reasons. And, since the bill would have forced all businesses to pay a total of an extra trillion a year to buy "carbon credits", they also prevented having businesses pull up stakes and move to China and India, where there are no such restrictions. If you owned a big business and were told to pay a huge amount for credits, and you realized you could save billions by moving to China, you'd be gone in a flash - and take all those American jobs with you. Not good! So, though it looks like obstructionism, in this case the Republicans did a very good and sane thing.

Now if only Congress will do the four things listed above, we could all rest a lot easier.
I really do not care if Republicans or Democrats hold Congress. I only care that whoever we elect, that they actually have some intelligence, and remember that they work for us, and not vice versa. They need to accomplish the tasks the people want them to deal with - immigration, health, jobs, national security etc. But in the 2 years the Democrats have held BOTH HOUSES of Congress, they have not accomplished anything at all. And the Republicans before them were not that much better (though they did get SOME things done).

It is time we sent politicians a message - do the job, or get replaced.

If you are interested in discovering actual solutions, so you can elect people who will pursue them, check out www.americansolutions.com and look over their platform, formulated by asking average Americans what they want our leaders to do. If you agree with more than half of the platform, consider "signing" their petition to have it presented at both national conventions this year.

It's a start.