Weekend wrapup

The weekend is here and the weather looks like it is going to be dry. So before we set out to finish some things we have started, here is a recap of a few local things.

By now we’ve all heard from our Mayor on how he feels he deserves a hefty raise. We still believe it a dumb idea and if the raises passes before we vote, we will write in someone else’s name under Mayor.

A poster commented on speaking at a City Council meeting. We have done it twice in our life and won’t waste our breath again. The Council claims they want the input, but when you start talking they make out their grocery list, make faces, or try to look intimidating. We believe they should grow up.

Thursday, we had the 5th Ward candidate debate at United Neighbors. We couldn’t make it but heard that 3 candidates showed up to debate. Sheila Burrage, Jane Duax, and Jordan Schneider are the candidates who showed up. Rodney Abbott and Kevin Spriet didn’t show. Mr. Abbott did call to say he couldn’t make it.

Schneider is the newcomer, being here about four and half years, while Burrage and Duax are longtime citizens of our city. Since they are all running for office, all claimed they are against raises for the City Council and Mayor.

Asked what the most important issue in Davenport is; Burrage thought business expansion, Duax thought quality of life, and Schneider though it was fiscal circumstances.

We agree with a friend who was there. He emailed us stating that after the primary, Burrage and Schneider will be left. Unless things change dramatically, we like Jordan Schneider for the job.

This is our opinion and not based on polls are any known facts. Once again we will ask that you vote for the person you feel is most qualified for the job.
Comments are always welcome.

Some things to do

It’s almost Friday, we are just about caught up again, and there are a few things going on in our area. We’ve added the Polar Bear Regatta and Haunted Junk Yard to the events.

Friday, September 30th, is the Advance Auto Friday Nite Cruise In held at 3813 18th Ave., Rock Island, Ill. Should start at 6 pm, and will be a frills free event; no catered food or prizes.

Friday, September 30th, is the Classy Chassis Cruisers Cruise held at the Sycamore Mall in Iowa City, Ia. Should run from 6-9 pm. For more information call 319-354-5830.

Every Friday and Saturday in October, from 7 pm to
midnight will be the Haunted Junk Yard at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island, Ill. General admission is $10 and kids 6-12 are $5 with a paid adult. Not recommended for those 6 years old or younger. For more info call: 309-788-5912 or 309-799-7469.

Oct. 1-2
Lake Davenport Sailing is celebrating its 76th Anniversary and the 50th Polar Bear Regatta.
This year we are giving a trophy to the “vintage winner” of each Class (First Boat to place, built prior to the year 2000, not otherwise getting a trophy)
AGENDA
We plan to have 3 races on Saturday and 2 before noon on Sunday. Free beer during the entire weekend – sailors, and News people-Thanks!
Friday Night Cocktail/Hors D’oeuvres and Welcoming Party.
Free Breakfast Saturday and Sunday mornings for sailors. Lunches will be served both days.
Saturday Evening Dinner at the club followed by
live entertainment by the Fabulous FRY DADDIES and tremendous raffle.
Trophy Presentation following last race on Sunday.
We drysail from 5 cranes, bring your bridle.
We have housing available on first come first serve basis.
contact Kathy Anderson (563) 505-5005
Call Don Wagner (563) 322-8713 or
Mark McElhiney (563) 340-5929 for more information.

Sunday, October 2nd, is the Cruise to the Woods held at the Webster County Fairgrounds in Fort Dodge, Ia. It will run from 8 am to 3 pm.

Thursday, October 6th, Culver’s Thursday Night Cruise in held at 3400 W Kimberly Road in Davenport.
Runs from 5-9 pm.

Friday, October 7th, is the Advance Auto Grand Opening Cruise In at 902 W Kimberly Road, Davenport, from 508 pm.

Saturday, october 8th, is the Quad Cities Cruisers Cruise In at SouthPark Mall, 4600 27th St., Moline, Illinois. It will run from 6-9 pm.

Sunday, October 9th, is the Quad Cities Mustang Club & Dahl Ford Fall Cruise In held at Dahl Ford, 1310 E Kimberly Road in Davenport from 11 am to 3 pm.
Comments are always welcome.

Of Mayors, candidates, and other things

We’ve heard the City Council voted down a raise for themselves, but approved a cost of living raise for the Mayor. It doesn’t make sense to us, but we haven’t watched the news to learn more. We do wonder if the cost of living will equal 46% though.

We did see the news earlier today when the Mayor was saying he was for the raise because his bills have been going up just like ours. If he needs more money, perhaps he should look for a full-time job.

On another note, tomorrow, Thursday, September 29th, there will be a Davenport 5th Ward Debate at United Neighbors, 808 N. Harrison Street from 6-8pm.
We aren’t sure how many candidates will be there but assuming there will be more than one.

On Friday we will once again list some upcoming events. We are working on that, but have an event that we don’t know how to categorize. If you know anything about the Haunted Junk Yard that will be held on weekends in October at the QCCA Expo Center, please fill us in.
Comments are always welcome.

Interesting times

Wednesday is going to be a momentous day in Davenport politics. At the City Council meeting, our City Leaders will look into giving themself a pay raise at the suggestion of a panel that looked into the issue. This group of people decided that our designated part-time Mayor needs a 46% increase in his salary, and the Aldermen a 40% raise.

Some will say they all work full-time and deserve such a raise, to which we say; then work to change the designation. If said jobs can’t be done on a part-time basis, what has changed?

Our Mayor, the poster boy for our city all over China, is not much more than a figurehead who cuts ribbons, gives speeches, and reminds us of all he has done on a regular basis.

When the issue first came up, the salaries of Mayors in cities in other states were used as examples of why the current salary isn’t enough. It was not mentioned if these other cities have the same form of city government as Davenport.

Our Mayor already has a salary $15,000 higher than the Mayor of Cedar Rapids and they have 26,000 more citizens.

The fact that this idea was announced after nobody could file a petition to challenge the current Council members is an odd coincidence at best. Since we don’t believe in coincidences, it must have been planned this way.

If this goes through, we have every intention of writing someone in for Mayor and Aldermen at Large.
Comments are always welcome.

A couple of things

We watched most of the Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction last weekend, and were watching last Saturday when a very special car came up on the block.

Barrett-Jackson president Steve Davis put his 1964 Ford Fairlane 500 up for sale with all the monies going to the Armed Forces Foundation. The crowd went wild, the flags were waving, service members were standing at attention, and the car brought $700,000!

Soon we will be able to help our veterans here. Starting October 1st and running through November 5th is the 3rd Annual Help Our QC Vets online silent auction. It is open to the public and coordinated by the V.F.W., American Legions, Vietnam Veterans of America, Marine Corps League, Mexican American Veterans Association, and the Patriot Guard Riders.

Proceeds will help fund things like the Honor Flight of the Quad Cities, the Bi-Annual Stand Down for Homeless Veterans, Veterans Scholarship Funds, the Wounded Warrior Program, Marines Helping Marines, and more veterans groups. If you would like to bid, or just look over the site, these groups would really appreciate it.
Comments are always welcome.

We hear the talking….

Since beating his “its Bush’s fault” mantra to death and kicking it to the curb, our president now blames everything on the “do nothing” Congress. As we know, Congress is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

According to Obama, the problem lies mostly with the House of Representatives and its Republican majority, and not with the Senate and it Democrat majority. We’ve all heard how the Republican members of the House are obstructionists, and not doing anything to help with job creation or passing a budget.

But how much of these statements are based in fact and how many are science fiction? On September 15th, the House had been in session for 120 days and the Senate for 115 days. Lets take a look at what did get done in both political hotbeds.

In those 120 days the Republican Obstructionist House voted 711 times, while in 115 days the Democrat majority Senate voted 137 times. Looks like somebody has been laying down on the job.

The House passed more than a dozen pro-growth jobs bills like the one to reduce anti-business regulations, and another to hurry the Keystone XL pipeline along, to create around 20,000 jobs. They also passed a budget on April 15th.

The Senate couldn’t even pass the president’s newest stimulus package, also known as his “jobs” bill. We haven’t heard if they’ve brought up the pipeline bill yet. And the Senate wouldn’t pass the April budget from the House. Who seems the obstructionist now? Doesn’t this inaction violate the U.S. Congressional Budget Act?

Since this president couldn’t lead a thirsty horse to water, we believe the blame lies elsewhere. He has proven he’s a talker and not a walker.
Comments are always welcome.

Tool gnomes

If you aren’t a gearhead the following may sound like gibberish. We assure you it is true, it happened, and it happens more than you believe. If you are a gearhead, you probably had a similar experience.

While out in the garage the other day I dropped a wrench. No problem, just reach under the workbench and grab it. This is where the problems began. It seems the garage is inhabited by a psychotic group of tool gnomes.

These are the critters that hide your tools when they fall on the floor, or you turn your back. While related to the garden gnomes, their disposition is a lot meaner. And this gearhead believes they carry weapons.

Down on my hands and knees to find the wayward wrench, one of these mutants jabbed me with a sharp object! We know, it could have a been a stray scrap of sheet metal laying in a dark corner. But they put it there.

If your workbench is like ours there are several things underneath it. Power tools, tool boxes, parts, solvents, tech manuals, and who knows what. Because of this a simple retrieval turned into a half-hour hunt for the box end/open end.

We finally found it under the other end of the bench behind a grinder. Mother nature could not have pitched it that far, hence the tool gnomes.

We now have the tools back in the box, the garage locked, and the cut washed. We will be more alert next time. It is the time of year that the tool gnomes will be looking for a warmer residence, so keep a sharp eye out for them.
Comments are always welcome.

Take a break

A recent find while cruisin’ the internet got us to thinking. There are times in our lives when little things set us off like chinese firecrackers, and other times where the little things mean more than words can ever express.

With all the turmoil between the political parties, the inability of our politicians to get anything done, and all the little cluster groups of closet radicals who hate us, its nice sometimes to take a break. Things aren’t prefect, but they can be fixed.

Take a deep breath and think about all we do have. We can go just about anywhere we want, do pretty much whatever we can afford to do, worship the religion of our choice or not at all, and if so inclined donate to the charity of our choice. We have freedoms that cause people to illegally cross our borders to share them, a potential for wealth that is the envy of many, and an ironclad bond of patriotism.

What we found was a poem by Charlie Daniels that brought forth visions of a very beautiful place. A place with majestic mountains, snowy plains, and deserts painted by God. We showed the poem to our son who then set out to find out if it was on video. It was.

The video of the band performing the
poem took the visions we had from the poem and brought them to life. We shared it with family and a few friends, and now, we’re sharing it with you.

The video isn’t political, racist, sexist, or prejudice but we believe the video says it all in three and half minutes.
Comments are always welcome.

Raindrops

We made it out to the Toys For Tots Cruise just in time to get soaked. We did manage to get a few pictures before the camera got waterlogged and our glasses too wet to see.

The rain was enough to drive us back to our car and we decided to grab a bite to eat instead of stand in the rain looking at wet cars. The rain did let up, about the time we got home and got our wet clothes changed. We hope more people showed up after the rain stopped because it is a good cause.
Comments are always welcome.

Just so you know….

Late tonight, or sometime tomorrow, remnants of the NASA satellite are going to fall to earth. The media have been assuring us that we would have a better chance of winning the lottery than getting hit by debris.

After a little research, we have learned that the satellite is property of the U.S. government. So even if it destroys your property, they might want it back. Then again, they don’t always claim the wreckage. But we wonder what one would do with a huge chunk of flaming satellite.

We have also found out that if said satellite hits your house, garage, or yourself, NASA is liable for damages. This is regulated by the 1972 Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects.

So, if a 2 ton piece of the satellite hits your home in a fireball at 90,000 mph, don’t worry, you’re covered!
Comments are always welcome.