Asleep at the wheel rant

We were all set to rant about our
prevaricator in chief and then he
went and changed the day of his
speech! If he was Pinocchio, he
would have to back into a room
and leave the door open.

We also admit to being slightly
confused over the Dick Durbin
statement that “the number and cost
of disasters have grown dramatically
over the past few years”.

Wasn’t this the first hurricane in
3 years? Have we been asleep while
all these disasters were going on?
Was the media too busy following
Obama to cover these numerous natural
disasters?

We believe the cost is going up, but
only because the government is giving
away money like a drug dealer gives out
‘samples’.

Then the announcement that this bunch
of mental giants want to empower the
EPA to heavily fine coal-fired power
plants and the like. Give us a break.
We do not want our utility bill to
triple.

And the nuts protesting the proposed
oil pipeline from Canada to Texas. For
God sakes, build it. At least Canada
isn’t trying to kill us.

Obama should stop his history editing
and just admit he doesn’t have a clue
on how to fix it. The economy is not
better now than before he took office,
we do not have more people working, and
we definitely have more poor people.
Just Eliminate the Lies.
Comments are always welcome.

What we don’t know about the 5th Ward race

With the deadline tomorrow for filing
tomorrow at 5 pm, we thought it time
to do a post on the 5th Ward candidates.

Last we heard, there are four; Sheilia
Burrage, Rodney Abbott, Jordan Schneider,
and Kevin Spriet. It has been a pretty
quiet campaign so far, but here is what
we know.

Sheilia Burrage is a liberal who
works for AT&T, is a union member, and
is the only candidate who has an actual
website up and running.

Rodney Abbott doesn’t have
much information online that we could find.
We don’t know his party affiliation or platform.

Jordan Schneider doesn’t have
a lot of information online either, but we believe
she is an Independent. She does have a facebook page that might have
more information.

Kevin Spriet doesn’t list
party, or a website either. We don’t know what he
is campaigning on because we haven’t met.

Now you know what we do, which isn’t much. When
more information comes our way we’ll pass it on.
As it is, we feel like a mushroom.
Comments are always welcome.

Maybach

When we think of the Maybach, we think of lifestyles
of the rich and famous. What you think of when money
is no object and only the best will do. Thus begins
the story of Wilhelm and Karl Maybach.

Father, Wilhelm, born February 9, 1846 in Hellbronn,
Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, developed the first
Mercedes auto in 1900. Wilhelm came up with belt
drive system, the fan-cooled radiator, and the
first 4-cylinder engine.

Son, Karl born July 6, 1879 in Cologne-Deutz, Germany,
was known for producing the Maybach V12 Zepplin,
developed a 6-cylinder engine in 1906, and the two V12
engines that powered the “Flying Hamburger” high
speed train.

In 1885, Wilhelm Maybach and Gottlieb Daimler,
developed a new four-stroke internal combustion engine.
The engine was a one-cylinder, air-cooled, 100 cc
displacement, 1 horsepower beast that could rev to
600 rpm.

They attached said engine to a bicycle to create
the first motorcycle. The pair also attached the
engine to boats.

They progressed to a carriage and in 1890, with some
partners, founded Daimler Motoren Galleschaft to build
engines and automobiles.

Maybach left the company in 1907 and started
Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH.

Father and son teamed up in 1909 to produce engines for
airships built by Graf Ferdinand von Zeppelin.

Wilhelm and his son Karl later started their own
car company and debuted their first car, the Maybach
Type w3, at the Berlin Auto Show in 1921.

The Type w3 had a 6 cylinder engine, 4-wheel brakes,
and new transmission, and a maximum speed of 65 mph.
It sold until 1928, and in 1929 the Maybach had a
12 cylinder engine with an aluminum block and
alloy pistons that produced 150 hp.

In the 20s and 30s the Maybach had a reputation
for powerful, technologically superior, custom-built
vehicles for the wealthy. The top of the line model
was the V12 Zeppelin.

Their only competition was the Horch. But when
a car cost 29,500 Reichsmarks in 1930, enough
to buy five family homes or 33 Opals, less
than 200 Type w3s were sold.

The Maybach was produced until World War II when
the plant started making engines for German military
vehicles. Production never restarted after the war,
but the company made engines for several companies.
Maybach eventually became part of Daimler-Benz.

Daimler-Benz resumed production of the Maybach in
the early twenty-first century, with the Maybach 57
and the Maybach 62. The hand-built cars have a
starting price of six figures, and are known for
their power and optional luxury extras. These could
include voice-activated controls, entertainment
centers, lambswool carpeting, and perfume-atomizing
systems to name a few.
Comments are always welcome.

Gone, red lights, taxes, and a hurricane

We cruised out to get some line for our
weed whacker today and noticed the old
V.J. Neu building is no longer there. We
realize that more parking was needed for
the stadium, but can’t get used to the
idea of an empty lot on that spot.

We also noticed there are drivers out
there who don’t know what a red light
means. It used to be that people would
stop when the light turned yellow, but
now it seems like a red light means you
can still turn in front of oncoming
traffic.

And we don’t know what happened with
our property taxes, but if assessed
value is this high in our current economic
climate we can’t afford to live here when
things start booming again.

We didn’t post on Sunday as we were too
busy watching Hurricane Irene on TV. We
have experienced such weather at sea, but
never on land. To the nutbars out surfing
and swimming during the storm we can only
say, God looks after drunks and idiots.
Our condolences to those who lost loved
ones.
Comments are always welcome.

Oops……….

In our haste to get a Friday post out
we failed to mention a few more events.
This was not on purpose and we’ll list
them today.

The World Series of Drag Racing
will be going on all weekend at Cordova
Dragway. Now in its’ 58th year, the World
Series is sure to have big name racers
and plenty of noise.

Arnie “the Farmer” Beswick is celebrating
60 years as a professional racer at the
event and the biggest Nitro Funny Car
show in years will go on today. Cars
include; Man-O-War, Twin Town Shaker,
Showtime, Chi Town Hustler, Candies &
Hughes, and the Blue Max to name a few.

Grand Marshall is “Big Daddy” Don
Garlits, and he’ll have one of his Swamp
Rat dragsters at the event.

Then starting Thursday, September 1, and
running through Sunday September 4, is
the 34th Annual Motorcycle Swap Meet at
the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds. It is
sponsored by the Chief Blackhawk Chapter
of the Antique Motorcycle Club of America.

Events will include technical seminars,
a ladies tour and craft fair, a field meet
and games, a banquet, an antique motorcycle
show, and more. So if you go, you might
just see a 1935 Scott Flying Squirrel, a
1917 Indian B-17, or something equally as
rare.

For a schedule, go here.
Now we’re going to get busy and hopefully
get some things done.
Comments are always welcome.

Events

We’re going to list a few car events but
feel the need to mention one of a different
nature first. Cars are important to us, but
so is the duty we have to remember those
who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

The Healing Field of the Quad Cities
is going to hold a memorial “Tribute to Our Fallen”
starting tonight at 7:30 pm and running
through Sunday when closing Ceremonies will
be begin at 4 pm.

This year the victims of 9/11 are also being
remembered. Once it opens, this memorial will
stay open 24 hours a day until the closing
ceremonies. Radio talk show host Jim Fisher
will be one the speakers which will include
military, veterans’ organizations, and more.

Later today is the Advance Auto Parts Grand
Opening Cruise In held at their store, 902 W.
Kimberly Road, Village Shopping Center, from
5-8 pm.

Saturday, August 27, is the Jesus Built My
Hot Rod Car Show, held at the New Life
Assembly of God Church, 2416 N Wright Rd in
Janesville, Wisconsin from 9 am to 4 pm.

Saturday, August 27 is the 2nd Annual
Knucklebusters Car Show held in downtown
Aledo, Ill from 8 am to 2 pm.

Saturday, August 27 is the Moonlight Cruise
In at Franks Pizza, 711 First Ave, Silvis, Ill
from 4-9 pm.

Comments are always welcome.

No respect

We usually do a rant on Thursday, but
feel we have vented enough for a while.
Instead, we’ll take a little look at life.

This morning while reading the paper
over a cup of coffee I was explaining an
upcoming event I found interesting.

The wife asked how much it cost and I
responded that it depended. I then said
that there was a discount for children
and middle age people.

The wife asked “when?”

Starts Friday I replied.

When does the middle age discount
start? At what age.

60, I said.

That is a senior citizen discount, replied
the wife.

Nope, I ventured, I’m a junior so it
has to be a middle age discount.

She insisted it was a senior citizen
discount so I asked “what would you call
me?”

Old, was her reply.

Funny, I was feeling pretty good until we
had that conversation.
Comments are always welcome.

The non-issue

We thought that living in Iowa we would
be away from the nonsense of the politically
correct. It appears that some of our
neighbors have drunk the koolaid.

All the fuss over the Cy-Hawk trophy design
is proof positive the madness has hit our
state. We are in the minority and happen to
like the trophy. Others are not so kind.

It seems that those living in the tall corn
state take offense to a farm family being
depicted on a trophy, and call it “corny”.

Others find the family depiction offensive;
and claim a husband, wife, and two children,
a boy and a girl, isn’t a typical family.

Still others call it odd or peculiar as a
choice for a trophy, and still others claim
we already have a corn trophy for the track
at Newton.

Iowa is an agricultural state, even if not
as many people are involved as were in our past.
If Iowa wants to distance itself from corn,
it should stop making ethanol.

We feel a farm family is the perfect match
to college football. Farm families have an
unequaled work ethic and problem solving
skills. If a man and woman with a couple
kids isn’t the average Iowa family; what is?

Then we have to wonder what a standard foot-
ball trophy should look like. After all, in
our area we have a telephone, iron skillet,
old oaken bucket, Paul Bunyan axe, and Paul
Bunyon trophies now.

We will await the replacement before we
comment on the subject again.
Comments are always welcome.

Selective memory

We are probably going to step on some
toes with this post, but felt the need
to do it. With the elections around the
corner we are sure that George W. Bush
is once again going to get tongue-lashed
to within an inch of his reputation at
the expense of altered history.

There are those among us who believe
that Clinton is almost deserving of
sainthood for his actions during his
presidency. We feel differently. How
quickly we forget Chinagate, Monicagate,
and the other trouble he got into.

Before Clinton took office, China’s missile
capability was a joke. There was absolutely
no threat of them launching a missile that
could strike our country.

Yes, now China can hit any target within
our borders with pin-point accuracy with
multiple-warhead, solid-fuel missiles with
computerized guidance systems, and designed
by us!

Some of us remember having to explain
“oral sex” to our young children because
of news coverage of his little sexcapades.

Then there is the surplus that never was.
Actually, the long-range plan was to pay off
the debt and amass $2.3 trillion in savings
by 2011. It was projected surplus.

He did not erase the national debt during
his two terms, but he did spend less than
other presidents. At the end of his presidency,
the national debt was at $5.7 trillion. So
please stop telling us he had a surplus.

And if you say the surplus has nothing to do
with the debt, and instead involves the deficit,
Clinton ended his last term with a $133.29
billion deficit. So please stop telling us he had
a surplus.

Here is the
webpage that contains the numbers on table 7.1.
We believe you might trust this site because it
is the White House webpage.
Comments are always welcome.

Ford

We are doing a quick recap on the history of the
man behind Ford Motor Co. We thought he should be
added to the series before we get too exotic.

Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863 in Dearborn,
Michigan. He left the family farm at 16 to work
in machine shops, and at 25 married Clara Bryant
and moved to an 80 acre farm.

Ford worked as a machinist for the Detroit Edison
Company. He then went on to help run the Detroit
Automobile Company in 1899.

Thought daft for his idea of an assembly
line, and standardized parts, he left the
company to race cars he built. He then started
the Ford Motor Company in 1903.

He had a few failures before getting the company
started. His first try ended after he spent around
$86,000 of investors money without a single car to
show for it. Then he organized the Henry Ford Company in
1901 but resigned over arguments with bankers and
the Company became the Cadillac Motor Car Co., in 1902.

The first car to roll off the assembly line in
1903 was actually called the Model A. Ford didn’t begin
producing the Model T until 1908.

Before Henry Ford gave the world its first affordable
car, the Model T, automobiles were playthings for
the wealthy. The Model T changed that. Fifteen million
were built from 1908 to 1927. Prices dropped from $850
in 1909 to $290 in 1924.

Building a chassis took 728 minutes before
Ford came up with the moving assembly line.
Once completed this assembly line could produce
a finished car every 93 minutes.

Production efficiency would eventually
allow a Model T to roll off the assembly
line every 24 seconds. When production
ended on May 27, 1927, over 15 million
Model Ts had been produced.

In 1914 Ford paid workers $5 a day which
was almost double what other carmakers
were paying. He also shortened the workday
from 9 hours to 8 hours which allowed him
to run 3 shifts a day.

A little known fact is that on January 27,
1942, Henry Ford received a patent for a
plastic-bodied car. It was said this car
would be 30% lighter than the all metal cars.

He was a pacifist, an anti-Semite, a conservationists,
tried, and failed, to get elected to Congress once,
raced cars, and was an early backer of the
Indianapolis 500.

Ford died April 7, 1947 in Dearborn, Michigan
at the age of 93.
Comments are always welcome.

“There is one rule for the industrialist and
that is: Make the best quality of goods
possible at the lowest cost possible, paying
the highest wages possible.”
Henry Ford