Some upcoming events

As we look to new year there are some events coming up
that usually don’t get much press. As the old year goes
out, we’ll post some upcoming events for the new year
that you may or may not have heard of.

Word is that the ‘Hangoverfest’ is on for Saturday
January 1st at Cordova Dragway. The snow has been
cleared from the track but some worry remains about
the possibility of melting and freezing. To check the
latest on the event go here.

If you don’t mind traveling, the Phoenix Classic &
Exotic Car Auction will be held January 14-15, 2011, in
Phoenix, Arizona. There are over 100 cars signed up to
be in the auction and if you want to see the inventory or
find out more, go here.

Locally on January 21-23, 2011 the Rock Island Expo Center
will have an indoor car show. It’s the 28th year for this
event and it keeps getting better. For more information go
here.

If we get a cold snap around January 26-30, 2011, you could
head to Kissimmee, Florida for the Mecum auction. They claim
1750 vehicles to auctions off along with the warmer weather.
To learn more go here.

If you’re out and about on New Year’s Eve remember we will
see a 30 degree tempurature drop overnight. It may get slick
out. Happy New Years everyone.
Comments are always welcome.

Tired post

Almost a year ago Robert A. Hall did a blog post entitled
“I’m tired.” Mr. Hall is a former state senator from
Massachusetts, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and an author.
It was not written by Robert David Hall, the actor who plays
the coroner on the TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

The entire post is too long to post here,but we give a link
a link at the end to read the entire post, including updates.

Here is a portion of his post-

I’m 63. Except for one semester in college when jobs were
scarce and a six-month period when I was between jobs, but
job-hunting every day, I’ve worked hard since I was 18.
Despite some health challenges, I still put in 50-hour weeks,
and haven’t called in sick in seven or eight years. I make
a good salary, but I didn’t inherit my job or my income, and
I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, there’s no
retirement in sight, and I’m tired. Very tired.

I’m tired of being told that I have to “spread the wealth” to
people who don’t have my work ethic. I’m tired of being told
the government will take the money I earned, by force if
necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it.

I’m tired of being told that I have to pay more taxes to “keep
people in their homes.” Sure, if they lost their jobs or got
sick, I’m willing to help. But if they bought Mc Mansions at
three times the price of our paid-off, $250,000 condo, on
one-third of my salary, then let the left-wing Congress-critters
who passed Fannie and Freddie and the Community Reinvestment Act
that created the bubble help them with their own money.

I’m tired of being told how bad America is by left-wing
millionaires like Michael Moore, George Soros and Hollywood
Entertainers who live in luxury because of the opportunities
America offers. In thirty years, if they get their way, the
United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe , the freedom
of the press of China the crime and violence of Mexico , the
tolerance for Christian people of Iran , and the freedom of
speech of Venezuela .

I’m tired of being told that Islam is a “Religion of Peace”,
when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men
killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family
“honor”; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims
murdering Christian and Jews because they aren’t “believers”; of
Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage
rape victims to death for “adultery”; of Muslims mutilating the
genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the
Qur’an and Shari’a law tells them to.

I’m tired of being told that “race doesn’t matter” in the post-
racial world of Obama, when it’s all that matters in affirmative
action jobs, lower college admission and graduation standards for
minorities (harming them the most), government contract set-
asides, tolerance for the ghetto culture of violence and
fatherless children that hurts minorities more than anyone, and
in the appointment of U.S. Senators from Illinois.

I think it’s very cool that we have a black president and that a
black child is doing her homework at the desk where Lincoln wrote
the Emancipation Proclamation. I just wish the black president
was Condi Rice, or someone who believes more in freedom and the
individual and less arrogantly of an all-knowing government.

To read his post go here, to verify its authenticity go to Snopes.
Comments are always welcome.

2010 Darwin Awards

Once again the people who do so have released the top ten
inept criminals and people who do things without thinking. We
certainly hope this isn’t trend. And the winners are-

1. When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended
victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California, would-be
robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder.
He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time
it worked.

2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat
cutting machine and after a little shopping around, submitted a
claim to his insurance company. The company, expecting negligence,
sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the
machine and he also lost a finger. The chef’s claim was approved.

3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his
car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find
a woman had taken the space.. Understandably, he shot her.

4. After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus
driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be
transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to
admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and
offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the
passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the
patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The
deception wasn’t discovered for 3 days.

5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious
head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he
received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying
to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he
was hit.

6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the
counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer,
the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register,
which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the
clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount
of cash he got from the drawer…$15. [If someone points a gun at you
and gives you money, is a crime committed?]

7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided
that he’d just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window,
grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved
it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit
the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor
store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on
videotape…

8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man
grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the
woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher.
Within minutes, the police apprehended the snatcher. They put him in
the car and drove back to the store. The thief was then taken out of
the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied,
“Yes, officer, that’s her. That’s the lady I stole the purse from”

9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan at 5 A.M., flashed a gun, and
demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn’t open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren’t available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away. [*A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER]

10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street by sucking on a hose, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline, but he plugged his siphon hose into the motor home’s sewage tank by mistake. The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges saying that it was the best laugh he’d ever had.

They’re out there among us and most of them can even vote!
Comments are always welcome.

Survey says…

In our last unscientific survey of the year we noticed a
shift in the numbers. Some went down, a few stayed about
the same, and a few actually rose. In this installment we
will cite this surveys total along with last weeks average
and the new one.

Looking at the week of 12-21-10 to 12-27-10 here’s what
we found:

Assaults- 11
Burglary- 11
Disturbance- 25
Larceny from building- 11
Larceny from vehicle- 7
Shots fired- 2
Vehicle theft- 3

In our last survey the averages were:
Assaults- 16.33
Burglary- 28
Disturbance- 18.66
Larceny from building- 6.66
Larceny from vehicle- 11.33
Shots fired- 2
Vehicle theft- 5

In this survey the averages are:
Assaults- 15
Burglary- 23.75
Disturbance- 20.25
Larceny from building- 7.75
Larceny from vehicle- 10.25
Shots fired- 2
Vehicle thefts- 4.5

Assaults appear to have gone down as did burglaries, larceny
from vehicles, and vehicle thefts. During the same time frame
disturbance calls and larceny from building calls went up,
while shots fired calls and vehicle theft calls remained about the same.

We don’t know if these numbers were affected by the winter
weather or not. It could even be the criminal element caught
the Christmas spirit.
Comments are always welcome.

More noise

We heard from a reliable source that there was a shooting on West 6th street earlier tonight and someone was carted off in an ambulance.
After the shooting the area was one of the safest in town because of all the police officers in the area.

That area, along with numerous others, can become a hotspot in the blink of an eye. Around here we usually hear the shots when it’s warmer but grafitti is a year round sport.

We should have another installment in the police call survey ready
for tomorrows post. This will be the fourth in the series and we’ll once
again do an average along with the calls for the week in the survey.

After the first of the year we will keep track of every week but still
only post the results every other week. We’ll see how it works out.
Comments are always welcome

Christmas past

Christmas is in the rearview mirror and we are left with
bags of torn gift wrapping, leftovers, snow, and some fond
memories. For a while it appeared Mother Nature was on a
mission to keep us all snowbound.

I admit to starting off Christmas Day on a blue note due
to the fact this would be our first Christmas day without
mom. Shortly after I got up I looked heavenward and wished
her a very heartfelt Merry Christmas. I hope she heard.
That lifted my spirits until I read in the paper that a
friend has lost his mom this Christmas Eve.

When I called the friend to give our condolences, he told
me that he wasn’t that close to his mom and hadn’t been for
years. When we finished the call I began to wonder if this
was a rare condition or if a lot of people aren’t close to
their parents. Since the wife and I both come from families
who have always put family first we didn’t know what to make
of that.

Later we went to my dad’s house to spend some of Christmas
with him and my family. We talked a little about mom and
shared some favorite stories. It brought back memories of how their
place always seemed crowded on the holidays. When it got to
that point this year we had to leave to go to the in-laws and
spend a little time with them.

I enjoy the time we spend with the wifes clan but admit to
really enjoying the view from the kitchen. Looking out and
seeing acres of cornfield under a new snow is a sight to
behold. No tire ruts or footprints, just acres and acres of as
God left it snow. After a light meal, opening gifts, and casual
talk, it was time to cruise home.

We had our son and his wife over for snacks and another small
gift swap. I believe I’ve almost had my fill of cocktail wieners
for the year. As parents we can now say that when he asks for
something noisy we’re glad he takes it with him. He wanted an
alarm clock that looks like a tach and makes burnout noises.
After hearing it here for about an hour we wonder if he’s still
married today.

We hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas and wish all a
Happy New Year. If you make a resolution we hope you stick it
out, or at least fib about it if you don’t.

And now, since it is Christmas past, we have some straightening
up to do and a snowblower to fix. During the last snow when I
went to start it the recoil decided to take a vacation. Although
I’m probably a little healthier for it, I can honestly say I
haven’t shoveled that much snow in years.

We’ll have another installment of the police calls survey done
shortly and will post the results.
Comments are always welcome.

Some Christmas thoughts

In this politically correct world we live it seems some would
have us stop our tradition of wishing everyone we meet a Merry
Christmas. These same people tell us that Happy Holidays is a
less offensive phrase. To them we say bless your heart and
Merry Christmas.

I come from an age when we had nativity scenes not seasonal
displays, Christmas trees not holiday trees, and Christmas
wreaths on our doors not Winter wreaths. These same people who
tell us what to call everything involving Christmas so as not
to be offensive to others, never tell us who these others are.

At our house we don’t get offended when those of differing
religions celebrate their holidays, unless it involves the
blood of animals and nudity in the back yard. We don’t tell
those of other religions what to do and feel they should do
the same by us.

America is supposed to be a melting pot of numerous religions,
nationalities, languages, and customs. We are supposed to have
rights to keep us diverse and allow us our differences while
being able to speak our minds.

We fully intend to enjoy Christmas by visiting with family
and enjoying a Christmas meal. We will return to regular posting
after Christmas.
Merry Christmas.
Comments are always welcome.

Owned your car long?

A friend sent us an email that we found interesting so we thought
we’d share it with you. We imagine nobody has heard of Mr. Allen
Swift from Springfield, Ma. We hadn’t either until the email.

It seems Mr. Swift received a new 1928 Rolls-Royce Picadilly P1
Roadster from his father as a graduation gift in 1928. He drove
this car until his death at the age of 102! He was the oldest
living owner of a car since new. At the time of his death, he
had owned the car for 82 years.

He must have taken really good care of this car because it has
170,000 miles on it and is claimed to run and look like new. He
donated the vehicle to a Springfield musuem upon his death. One has
to wonder how much 82 years worth of license plates would be on a Rolls-Royce.
Comments are always welcome.

Pizza hangover

Last night our son, his friend, and myself ordered a couple pizzas and watched some DVDs about cars. I guess one could say it was a bachelor party for our sons friend, with Coca Cola instead of booze.

Godfather’s makes some good pizza and we decided on a large Taco pizza, a large sausage pizza, and some monkey bread for the three of us. I have since discovered I may be getting a little too old to eat the taco pizza, with hot sauce, just before turning in for the night.

This does have a happy ending as Matt is now a married man and everyone involved survived. We are now going to shift into Christmas mode again. Of course that means lil’ smokies in sauce and more car DVDs but I think we’ve had enough pizza for a few days anyway.

Once Christmas is behind us we will be looking forward to the indoor car show next month at the Expo Center in Rock Island. We’ll have details on that shortly after the new year. Until then, Merry Christmas.
Comments are always welcome.

Getting rid of the trash

Since Christmas is almost here we thought it time to remind
everyone about how and when to get rid of the extra garbage
and Christmas trees. This will be for people who live in
Davenport. If you live in another city it could be different.

December 27th through December 31st we can set out up to
three extra bags of garbage without stickers. The city asks
that the bags not weigh over 50 pounds apiece with one bag on
top of the garbage bin and up to two more within 4 feet of
the bin.

If you wish to dispose of your real tree, you may do so
until the yard waste collection ends for the season on
January 15, 2011. If you procrastinate and don’t get around
to it until after the 15th, you will have to take the tree
to the compost facility to drop it off. Doing this will
cost you $1.

When you put your tree out for disposal, don’t wrap it in
plastic and remove all decorations. Don’t forget to remove
the tree stand. If you have wreaths or garlands to get rid
of, they can be put in the garbage cart.

If you have any questions call Todd Jones at 563-326-7732.
We’d like to thank our friend who sent us the information
and appologize for not getting this done sooner.
Comments are always welcome.