My snow day

Have you ever had one of those days when
you think you’d be better off going back
to bed and sleeping the day away?
Today has been just such a day for me.

After I woke up and worked all the kinks
out of all the places they settle in, I
began thinking of snow. I know!

Beautiful blue sky, almost 80 degrees
out and I’m thinking snow. I put it down
to all the construction in our area.

Looks like someone is running fiber
optic lines and an apartment building
down the street is being torn down.

And I’m thinking about how a fresh snow
hides all the scars mankind gives the
planet during the summer.

And how only God can a make heavy snow
appear so beautiful and calming when one’s
knees are knocking and the teeth chattering.

I was almost ready to get out a winter
coat. The wife asked what I was grinning
about and I told her snow. Since she has
known me a while I just got the look.

With breakfast done I came into the
office and opened my email only to break
out in giggles again. This got the wife
curious and she asked me what was funny.

I almost thought she was going to call
the straight-jacket brigade when I said
‘ethanol’ and kept laughing.

She left the office before I could
explain myself. I did the post on
ethanol yesterday and while checking
my email today I opened my SEMA SAN
newsletter.

The first item in the newsletter was
an article called “The Case Against
Ethanol”.

To stop laughing, and convince the
wife I hadn’t lost it completely, I
watched the following video to calm
down.

And that is how my snow day went.
Comments are always welcome.

When facts get in the way

As Americans have we become so used to
being lied to that we longer care? Or
have we be become immune?

One issue that sees a lot of lies is
the ethanol industry. The latest we
heard was from the Executive Vice
President of the American Coalition
for Ethanol.

His latest tale is that if we want
to lower gas prices we should use more
ethanol. Really?

Considering that ethanol is not a
replacement for gasoline, costs and
pollutes more than gas, and gets 8
times the government subsidies, we
fail to see it as a cost reducer.

Ethanol doesn’t burn as effectively
as gas, cannot be used in older
vehicles, and actually lowers gas
mileage. But can it lower our cost?

Oil is a global market, and even if
we stopped driving gas powered cars
tomorrow we would still be affected
by constant consumption elsewhere.

Here are some things crude oil is
used in besides gasoline: plastics,
candles, make-up, medicine, synthetic
fibers, food additives, detergent,
paint, dyes, fertilizers, and film
to name a few.

So to all the anti-Big Oil people out
there; would you be willing to give
all that up to stop the greedy oil
companies?

Here’s a news flash. Nobody can sell
us what we don’t want. If we didn’t
use oil they wouldn’t sell it.

Some are now pushing E85 which is 85%
ethanol and 15% gasoline. Currently
we have E10 which is 10% ethanol
and 90% gas.

We have never heard proponents of
E85 mention the drawbacks to using
this fuel. Like besides needing a
Flex Fuel Vehicle (FFV), the fact
that gas mileage will drop 25-30%.

Or little things like there would
be a limited availability, and that it
is much more expensive to produce.

But oh the fun we have listening to
them trying to sell us a better
mousetrap.

A friend wrote a letter to
editor in the QC Times
on the same subject.
Comments are always welcome.

Places to be

Friday is here, summer is heating up,
and the rides are coming out. We’ll
mention a few things going on now that
the floodwater has gone back down.

Starting yesterday and running through
Saturday is the Rally on the River Quad-
Cities. You may remember it as ‘Sturgis
on the River’, then the ‘Mississippi
River Motorcycle Rally.

This year the event has new management
and a new location back on the river
at Le Claire park. Hot bands, hotter
bikes, and huge crowds.

The Dwyer & Michaels Car Show will be
held Saturday, June 15 at this event.
It will run 8 am to 4 pm at Centenial
Park in Davenport, Iowa.

Saturday, June 15 is the first ‘Rollin’
In the Oldies’ cruise in at NorthPark
Mall in Davenport, Iowa.

Graciously hosted by the River Valley
Classics Car Club, the event starts at
5 pm and runs until at least 9 pm. A $2
donation is suggested for a local
charity.

And Sunday is Father’s Day. We don’t
care what else is going on, we know
where we’ll be.

Keep on truckin’
Comments are always welcome.

How much is too much?

Remember when Chrysler got a bailout
from this administration? Then how
about the Chrysler Corporation Loan
Guarantee Act of 1979?

Those in opposition to the 1979 loan
thought this line of action rewarded
failure and penalized success.

Those in favor stated that the 10th
largest manufacturer was too big to
go under. Sound familiar?

This was not a bailout but a loan
guarantee. Basically the country co-
signed a $1.5 billion loan, and Chrysler
did pay it back 4 years later.

Under Lee Iacocca the company doubled
the corporate mpg, introduced the first
front wheel drive small car, and made
a profit.

In 1998 Daimler-Benz and Chrysler made
a partnership that was supposed to be a
50-50 ownership. Daimler threw billions
into the company that was losing money.

In 2007 Daimler sold 80.1% of its holdings
in Chrysler to Cerberus Capital Management
and the company became Chrysler Holding
LLC.

In late 2008 then President Bush announced
a $13.4 billion rescue loan for automakers
including Chrysler.

Then in March 2009 President Obama gave
an additional $6 billion in support to
Chrysler pending a partnership with Fiat
by the end of April.

In May 2009 Chrysler filed bankruptcy to
terminate agreements with 789 dealerships.

In June 2009 the bankruptcy court ok’d
a plan to form the Chrysler LLC and give
55% of shares to provide health care for
retirees, 20% to Fiat, the U.S. got 8%,
and Canada received 2%.

In 2011 Fiat repaid the $7.6 billion in
loans and bought the shares held by the
U.S which gave Fiat majority ownership
of Chrysler.

So the most recent stimulus stipulated
bringing in Fiat, Fiat is now the majority
shareholder, and Plymouth is gone.

Depending on which side of the fence you
stand on you could either say that Chrysler
is a foreign company doing business in
America, or an American Company with
foreign ties.

It does make us wonder at what point
does the government let the company be
responsible for its own actions though.

Comments are always welcome.

Rainy days

The rains have had us busy keeping
the basement dry and the weeds at
bay.

It also seems like the grass grows
an inch a day and chores usually
done in dry weather have to be put
aside.

But it is the time of year that
harkens cruise-ins and car shows too,
so here are a few local events.

Friday, June 7 is the Dick-N-Sons
Lumber and Flower Shop car display
at 235 Oak Lane, highway 61 exit 107,
Blue Grass, Iowa.

Things get started around 6 pm. Call
563-380-3220 for more information.

Saturday, June 8 is the Quad Cities
Cruisers Open Run XXXI held at South
Park Mall in Moline, Illinois from
4-9 pm.

Saturday, June 8 is also the day for
the Scrap Drive 7 Rod & Custom Show
& Swap Meet at the Boone County fair-
grounds in Belvidere, Illinois.

Event runs from 6am to 4 pm. Call
563-505-6965 to learn more.

Wednesday, June 12 is the Ducky’s
Lagoon Cruise In at 13515 78th Avenue
West, Taylor Ridge, Illinois from
6-9 pm.

Saturday June 15 is the Dwyer &
Michaels Classic Car Show at
Centennial Park in Davenport, Iowa.

Things start at 7 am and it must not
end because we have no information
on the end.

Later Saturday June 15 is the first
NorthPark “Rolling In The Oldies 2013
Cruise In” held at NorthPark Mall in
Davenport, Iowa.

Things kick off at 5 pm and runs until
everybody leaves.

Even if you can’t get out to enjoy
some rolling art, we hope you enjoy
the weekend.
Comments are always welcome.

The accident

If you’re having a rough day this might
help. We started laughing about half way
through and couldn’t stop.

So kick back, take a listen, and you’ll
be smiling in no time. We don’t want to
give too much away, but it involves a
car crash and some little old ladies.

A friend shared it with us and now we’re
sharing it with you. We hope you enjoy
it as much as we did.
Comments are always welcome.

Of concept cars, ideas, and remembering when…

Predictions of future inventions and
concept cars that never made production
remind us that sometimes good ideas
don’t get put to use.

And sometimes just the cruise down
memory lane for a look at how we used
to live is good for a day long smile.

For instance, this video of the 1954
GM Motorama has some concept cars that
looked years ahead of what was being
sold.

Speaking of the Motorama, around 4 years
after the above video was shot, something
happened that made an interesting story.

So interesting that it made the May 2013
issue of Car and Driver
magazine.

One could cruise this site to see how
cars and beauty queens looked back in
the day. Just go here.

For those who remember Joey Chitwood,
this video should bring back memories.

If you know what a Doodlebug is, or just
want to find out, go here.

Been wondering what the pace car was
in the 1955 Indianapolis 500 or who
was driving? The answer is here.

Here is a short trailer for “Under the
Dome”.

And for music here is something from
the Doors.

Comments are always welcome.

Chevy commercial

I don’t believe there would be many
people with first hand experience
who would claim the 1957 Chevy was
a sports car.

The 57′ was an eyecatcher on the
showroom floor, had plenty of power
for the day, and like most of the
era would eventually stop.

If you’re wondering what we’re going
on about just watch this commercial
and draw your own conclusions.

Comments are always welcome.

Clear weekend event update

Yesterday we could have gone windsurfing
in the back yard. Our area got hit with
sustained winds of around 60 mph with
more heavy rain.

The forecast is for rain today but clear
for the rest of the weekend. Since our
basement is almost dry that makes us
think of upcoming car events.

Saturday, June 1 is the Mississippi
Valley Mustang Roundup Cruise In at
the HyVee, 201 West 10th Avenue in
Milan, Illinois.

Saturday, June 1 is the Back to the
50′s & 60′s Car Show & Cruise In at
the Crawfordsville Ball Park in
Crawfordsville, Iowa.

Show runs from 10 am to 2:15 pm.
You can call 319-863-3268 for more
information.

Sounds like things have changed since
we sat at the gas station drinking
nickel Cokes while watching the Feed
Store across the road.

Sunday, June 1 is also the start of
Hot Rod Power Tour in Arlington, Texas.

Sunday, June 2 is the Rail Town Rumble
Lakestorey Cruise-In held at pavilion
4, 1572 Machen Drive, Galesburg,
Illinois. Runs from 9 am to 4 pm.

Sunday, June 2 is the Quad Cities
Gearhead’ Sunday Cruise In at Hero’s
Pub & Grill, 3811 Harrison, Davenport,
Iowa.

Sunday, June 2 is also the 3rd Annual
Cruisin’ For A Cure Car Show in Dubuque,
Iowa. Call 563-542-2977 for information.

Friday, June 7 is the Dick-N-Sons
Car Display at 235 Oak Lane in Blue
Grass, Iowa. Just off Highway 61 at
exit 107. Starts around 6 pm.

Drive between the raindrops, keep the
shiny side up, and enjoy the photo of
a 1937 Sharknose Graham.
Comments are always welcome.

Foul weather diversions

We made it through most of the day without
rain today and while the sky was cloudy, it
was bright outside.

Then in the afternoon, the sky took on a
leaden look that cast a silver sheen over
everything. The grass looked bright enough
to be a neon light and the trees became a
much darker green.

Shortly after sundown the thunder roared,
the lightning lit up the sky like a
searchlight, and the rain began. We don’t
believe we’ll get much rain, but things
like this always make us think about
watching neat rides.

So if you’re having some rough weather,
here are some video diversions.

This one is about some guys in Idaho who
put together some neat rides.

Here are show vehicles leaving an indoor
show.

Some footage from an Ocean City,
Maryland show complete with burnouts.

How they do pinstriping, sliverleaf,
and more from Germany.

A diversion post wouldn’t be complete
with a little music, so here is “Little
Duece Coupe”.

If you’re having bad weather, and if I
were a doctor, I’d say watch these
videos until you forget about it.

You can comment in the morning if you
don’t feel better.
Comments are always welcome.