Quality Weenie

Hurricane Blogging - Who'd Thunk It

See that picture (above), see where Ernesto goes back on shore in SC? That is exactly where MIL lives.

So if this Tropical Storm decides to increase in strength while out in the Atlantic she's in for a world of hurt. She doesn't prepare at all for Hurricanes.

So does anyone know if Ernesto has a chance of increasing over the Atlantic?

Today in Automotive History

1899: Stanley Steamer reaches Mt. Washington summit

A Stanley Steamer, driven by F.O. Stanley, became the first car to reach the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire. F.O. Stanley was one of the Stanley twins, founders of the Stanley Motor Company, which specialized in steam-driven automobiles. The steamers not only climbed mountains, but often beat larger, gasoline-powered cars in races. In 1906, a Stanley Steamer would break the world record for the fastest mile when it reached 127mph.

College Foooooootball

Fooootball season opens saturday and my boys be playing.

They are ranked #14 and will be taking on Vanderbilt at the Big House.

Now, if you all have been over to some Redneck, Nut lover site you might have read about a feud going on between him and me.

That's right, a feud within the Bad Example clan is raging right now, sides are being chosen, names are being hurled at each other and blogs are being put on the line.

See, the Redneck nut lover is a *shudder* Ohio State Nut fan.

Nuts and Wolverines just don't get along, it's aganist nature for that to happen.

So the Redneck Nut lover was trash talking about how great his Nuts are and I couldn't stand for that. Much trash talking ensued and a bet was made.

The bet was whom evers team won the "Big game" (that's when the Wolverines take on the Nuts) the winner got to trash the others blog for day equal to the number of games won by their team during the season.

This game is the last game on each teams schedule for the year, always has been, since time began.

The game takes place on November 18th at the Nuts stadium.

Come on, a nut for a mascot? Looking at the mascots who do you think is going to win?

The Buckeye (a Nut)

Or a Wolverine

The Redneck is going to have lots of time to sweat with taunts from me, the eventual winner, about the havoc I am going to wreak over at his place. A threat of tampon blogging has already been made, that's just the beginning. I think the Redneck's blog will look mighty purty in pink, bright bubblegum pink.

Today in Automotive History

1980: "On the Road Again" hits the charts

Willie Nelson's classic "On the Road Again" entered the charts on this day. The song would eventually reach number one and become an American classic. Restless spirits everywhere lived by Nelson's lyrics: "...goin' places that I've never been, seein' things that I may never see again, and I can't wait to get on the road again."

Today in Automotive History

1921 Paragon factory breaks ground

Construction of the Paragon Motor Company factory began in Cumberland, Maryland. The company's production was limited to only four prototypes, and the factory was never completed.

Friday Doggie Blogging

Got some great pictures of the babies today.

This is their attempt at staring in a Petsmart commerical. They are playing tug-of-war with their luffa dog

This is Maggie laying like the Spinx

Lance being backlite by the meager sun we have today.

Toyota Cutting New Models

The Car Connection said:

Toyota may be slowing down the number of new products it is developing in response to an increased number of recalls, the Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition Thursday. The report says the slowdown might only equal six months or so in the company's product cycle, but would be a major acknowledgement that even the world's richest car company may be expanding too fast. The paper cites several major, recent recalls including those on Tundra pickups and the Prius hybrid as influencing the discussion at Toyota. Vehicle lines that could be affected include the Sienna minivan, Avalon sedan and Camry Solara coupe. Last year, Toyota recalled 2.38 million vehicles in the U.S., or about 120,000 more than it sold in the year.

Another sign of Toyota's impending downfall. You can not cut new models to the customer, that is the main reason people buy your vehicles, because they change.

Ford is in the predicement it is in now soley because it hasn't brought new models to market in years and decades in some cases. The Town Car, Ranger, Grand Marquis/Crown Vic designs are at least a decade old. The LS and Focus haven't changed since their introduction (there were minor changes).

People don't want to buy an old looking vehicle, they want something new and fresh like the Charger and Magnum.

This decision will prove to be a big mistake for Toyota within the next 5 years.

Today in Automotive History

1954 USPS issues car stamps

The United States Postal Service began issuing a Classic Cars booklet of stamps on this day. The special edition stamps, designed by Ken Dallison, featured five different designs: a 1928 Locomobile, a 1929 Pierce-Arrow, a 1931 Cord, a 1932 Packard, and a 1935 Dusenberg.

Today in Automotive History

1945 Last Cadillac tank is produced

The last Cadillac-built M-24 tank was produced on this day, ending the company's World War II effort. Civilian auto production virtually ceased after the attack on Pearl Harbor, as the U.S. automotive industry turned to war production. Between 1940 and 1945, automotive firms made almost $29 billion worth of military materials, including jeeps, trucks, machine guns, carbines, tanks, helmets, and aerial bombs.

No Surprises Here

Found this over at blogmomma Tammis place.

It's not surprise to me.

You Are 76% Control Freak

You are a pretty major control freak, though you may not know it. While your confidence is inspiring, your bossy ways tend to scare people off.

Low Point #1

Here I am, in my 3rd week of unemployment.

I've had exactly 3 contract firms call about jobs. Great you say, but all 3 called about the same job.

Which is lower than what I am was making. In looking at the jobs out there and what they are paying it looks like I will have to take a paycut of at least $5k if I want a job anytime soon.

The monotony of each day is killing me. I can't remember what day it is and I gotten to the point that I can't see any sense in showering or doing my hair daily.

I have cleaned and sorted through everything in our house which could be cleaned or sorted through. The house is too clean.

You can only walk the puppies and exercise so much everyday.

*sigh*

And to make matters even worse? I am having a huge flare-up with my arthritis and am in unspeakable pain.

Republicans to American Auto Companies: Drop Dead

And here I thought it was jus the media that was biased against the American Auto Companies, now I find out that the Republicans are snubbing American Auto Companies for the Japs.

Now (it's) any company that makes a substantial number of cars and trucks in the U.S. and has a big payroll here, pays big taxes here and buys supplies here."

To bad that Senator Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn doesn't know that the Japs have very few suppliers here in the US, they buy most of their parts from Jap suppliers in Japan and also huge, huge tax breaks are given to the Jap companies to build their plants in states.

The president won't meet with the bosses of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and the Chrysler Group. But he'll sit astride a Harley, visit a Nissan truck plant, herald the Toyota engine that won the Indy 500, campaign for Republicans and then have his press secretary swear there's no snub of Detroit.

Nope, no snub.

In any other major auto-producing nation, politicians don't ignore the concerns of their auto industry. Not in France and Germany, where nationalism infuses economic policy. And not in Japan or South Korea, where manipulating currencies and erecting trade barriers is acceptable to help the home team -- and Detroit isn't asking for either one.

All American Auto makers are asking for is fair trade and equal taxes on imports. But everytime our government tries that and Japan says they are going to stop allowing imports we piss our pants and back down.

Japan imposes strict trade barriers, limiting the amount of vehicles that can be sent in, huge taxes on the imported vehicles, subsidize the auto companies at home and abroad, subsidize their steel industry and subsidizes peoples pensions.

The American auto companies can not compete with peope who cheat and that is what the Japanese Auto companies are doing.

Added Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama: "The way (Detroit automakers) do business has to change or they won't be around. The competition has been brought to our shores. There is a lot that our automobile manufacturers can learn in the world."

There's also a lot that Red State Republicans could learn about the Detroit automakers and their legacy commitments to retirees and active employees, namely that they're not easily shed this side of bankruptcy.

But it's easier to ignore context, demonize unions, embrace the new guys from overseas who don't carry the same baggage and then give Detroit a condescending geography lesson -- as if the No. 1 player in China, GM, doesn't know the business is global.

Hattip: The Detroit News article

Today in Automotive History

1922 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang wins Speed Carnival

A 23-litre car named "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" won the first Southsea (England) Speed Carnival in 1922, driven by Count Louis Zborowski at 73.1mph. The name "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" reappeared in Ian Fleming's book about a magical car, and again in the 1968 movie of the same name starring Dick Van Dyke.

Long Term Quality Up For American Vehicles

The JD Power long term quality survey results came out and while the Japanese overall still rank better than the American's, the gap is closing fast.

The survey was for owners of 2003 vehicles.

Dig a little deeper, however, and some findings emerge that should give heart to Motown boosters. Firstly it should be noted that the survey applies to owner reported problems with 2003 vehicles. Though its hardly an excuse for Detroit automakers, the fact is that some of their most promising models have been introduced since 2003. Consequently, executives at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Group can hope that they will score better overall results in the three-year quality studies to come over the next couple of years.

Even the press was nice to the American Auto companies.

Even with that proviso, there is cause for optimism in Detroit. While Toyota and Honda are highly ranked overall and comfortably outperform other high volume brands, certain US brands are making impressive progress. Ford's Mercury nameplate, which sold close to 200,000 vehicles last year, is second overall, behind Lexus. Close on Mercury's tail is Buick and then Cadillac; combined these two GM brands sales topped 517,000 vehicles in 2005.

A segment of special interest is midsize cars, where one would expect the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord to feature prominently. Instead, the Buick Century, Buick Regal and Mercury Sable take the honors.

So the almighty Camry has fallen from it's castle. It's only a matter of time until Toyota falls off it's pedestile.

So, behind the appearance of overall Asian superiority in quality revealed in the J.D. Power study, there are some signs of progress for Detroit brands. Going forward, the big concern must be that Motown automakers production quality will keep pace with the evident improvements in the design and engineering of newer models.

As I keep saying, Toyota and Honda's days are numbered. Within 5 years the Americans will be where Toyota is and Toyota will be where the American's are right now.

Today in Automotive History

1902 Theodore Roosevelt takes a ride

On this day, President Theodore Roosevelt became the first U.S. chief executive to ride in an automobile. His first drive took place in Hartford, Connecticut, adding yet another first to Roosevelt's presidential accomplishments. He was also the first president to entertain an African-American in the White House. With a reputation for aggressiveness, righteousness, and pride, Roosevelt was not the kind of man to fear uncharted waters; he also wrote almost 40 books, cleared the building of the Panama Canal, and won a Nobel Peace Prize for his contributions toward the resolution of the Russo-Japanese War.

Geneva Convention Doesn't Apply To US?

I was watching a History Channel show this afternoon and it mentioned that the US didn't sign the Geneva Convention.

I thought, that can't be. So I did some yahooing and found this:

Additional protocols have been issued including two in 1977 extending the 1949 articles to cover guerrilla combatants and to soldiers in wars of "self-determination." The United States signed the 1977 Protocols, but Congress refused to ratify them.

So if we didn't sign the 1977 Geneva protocols that cover gurerrila combatants and soliders in wars of "self-determination" they why is everyone getting their liberals panites in a bunch about treating gurerrilas (Guntanemo prisoners) according to the Geneva protocols?

We never signed up for those so why do we have to go by them?

Winds Of Change?

Could it be true?

Could my luck be changing?

For the good?

I'm sure everyone has been over the Basil's and has read about his champaign to get a Catfish Fan Appreciation Night named after him (if you haven't go here). He said that if you wrote to the Catfish extrolling his virtues he would enter your name into a drawing for a Catfish T-Shirt, Signed Baseball or DVD.

Well I'll be damned if I didn't get an email from Basil this morning saying I was the 3rd winner and won a DVD of my choice.

I won something!
That's lucky!

Luck changing?

*crossing fingers*

Oh, I chose the DVD "Ren & Stimpy's Lost Episodes".

Friday Doggie Blogging

It's Friday, that means sweetness all around. Even though the puppies have been anything but sweet this week.

Right now they are in the corner, wispering and glacing at me once in a while. They are conspiring to drive me insane.

First up, Lance looking sweet and quite

Here we have Maggie in her new pearl necklance that her mommy made for her. (I will beat anyone up who says anything about my baby and her pearl necklace)

And here are pictures of Lance and then Maggie inside while I was sitting outside.

Today in Automotive History

1905 Trademark filed for Cadillac crest

Newell S. Wright, an attorney, filed to register the Cadillac crest as a trademark. The insignia has adorned Cadillac's luxury car for almost a century.

Worse Luck Than T1G?

Continuing on my saga of bad luck being the only luck I have lately ...

Dropped Mr Weenie off at his friends house just now (it's the annual Father/Son Tiger Baseball game tonight and he is driving wih a friend and then being dropped off at home).

We thought we would take the puppies with us just to get them out of the house for awhile.

On the way home?

Yep ... one of the puppies threw up in the back seat. Not once but twice.

Thank-god I have leather seats, the clean up wasn't too bad.

Bad Luck = Only Luck

Great, I am having just one hell of a time here.

Have an appointment on saturday, picked up my PDA to see what time it is. This is the first time in 2 weeks I've turned it on.

Dead

Deader than my job prospects right now.

Great

Plug it in and everything is gone. Lost, never to be seen again.

Hey, I back up on a card. Get card out, restore my data. Find out I haven't backed up since May 2nd.

Great, the past 3 months of stuff are gone. Forever.

Guess my lesson learned is to back up more frequently now.

Today in Automotive History

1909 McNally, of Rand McNally, is born

Andrew McNally III, an executive with Rand McNally & Co., was born in Chicago on this day. Rand McNally & Co. is the oldest map publisher in the country. Aside from atlases, reference guides, and textbooks, Rand McNally also published the first road guide for the automobile. At the turn of the century, many roads were unmarked and hard to follow, but the road map and highway system changed all that.

P.S. - I have actually spent the weekend in the Rand McNally house in Chicago. A friend of mine at college had a friend who was staying with the McNally's during their college term and that friend invited us to stay with them for a weekend. A very big, old house.

Today in Automotive History

1937 Harvard introduces traffic engineering

Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, became the first school to institute graduate study courses in traffic engineering and administration.

Blowing Up Bridges

I am sure everyone has heard about the arrests of 3 "arab" descent men found with 1000 cell phones and pictures of the Mackinac Bridge.

It's been all over the news here, but I heard that they (Michigan's Homeland Security) are saying there is nothing nefarious about the pictures now.

The Mackinac (pronoucned Mackinaw) Bridge is a suspension bridge connecting the Upper Pennisula of Michigan to the Lower Pennisula of Michigan. It is the only way to get from one to the other without going around Lake Michigan (through Chicago, well ok there is a ferry in Ludington but I digress).

Blowing up that bridge would bring more destruction to Michigans economy, boats go through that area bringing commerce from the Ocean to the Chicago area and vise verse. If the bridge was blown up it would block that traffic, not to mention the truck traffic across the bridge bringing goods.

429,061 vehicles crossed the Mackinac Bridge during the month of June.

Facts about the Bridge

But what I have never heard mention in any of the local or national news reports about the bridge is that on September 4th, Labor Day, is the yearly Mackinac Bridge Walk. The Governor leads people across the bridge on Labor Day. This draws lots of people, last year 50,000 people walked the bridge.

This would be of great interest to someone who wanted to blow up the bridge.

Groundhog Day

The monotony is killing me here.

I can't remember what day it is anymore, everyday I think it's Sunday (because I had the day before off).

This is everyday for me, day after day after day .....

I get up early, exercise (benefit of being off, time to exercise), shower, walk the puppies, hit the job websites, take the puppies out, surf, watch TV, take the puppies out, surf, watch more TV, take the puppie out, surf some more, make dinner, feed the puppies, take the puppies out, surf, watch more TV, take the puppies out, go to bed.

I have completed all those projects on my list, I can't even invent things to do.

Gah, I need a job soon, my brain matter is wasting away to nothing.

Today in Automotive History

1945 Gas rationing ends

World War II gasoline rationing in America ended on this day. Rationing was just one of the special measures taken in the U.S. during wartime. Civilian auto production virtually ceased after the attack on Pearl Harbor, as the U.S. automotive industry turned to war production. Automotive firms made almost $29 billion worth of military materials between 1940 and 1945, including jeeps, trucks, machine guns, carbines, tanks, helmets, and aerial bombs. After the war, rationing ended and the auto industry boomed.

Today in Automotive History

1893 Paris issues first license plates

On this day, the world's first automobile license plates were issued in Paris, France. However, plates were not issued in the United States for a few more years, when they were finally instituted as a safety measure. The city of Boston was the first to require its motorists to hold a license and register their vehicle--the owner would make his own plate with the corresponding registration numbers. The rest of Massachusetts soon followed the trend and began issuing registration plates made of iron and covered with a porcelain enamel.

Today in Automotive History

1966 The Camaro makes its debut

The first Chevy Camaro drove out of the manufacturing plant in Norwood, Ohio, on this day in 1966. The 1967 Camaro coupe was named just weeks before production; General Manager Elliot Estes, when publicly announcing the name, quipped, "I went into a closet, shut the door and came out with the name." Camaro is actually French for "comrade, pal, or chum." The Camaro was a hit with the public, sporting a base price of only $2,466 for a six-cylinder engine and three-speed manual transmission.

And They Sleep!

Finally, peace and quite!

After doing the treadmill and showering this morning I took the puppies for a walk. Well, ok, it was more like they took me for a walk until about half way through and by the time we got home they were dragging their small little doggie butts.

The last few days it's as if they have had a huge cup of coffee every morning. Creating terror and havoc all.day.long.

And they are driving me insane, not a moments rest.

But I wore them out, finally. They are curled up sleeping. I will have to remember to do that tomorrow also!

Today in Automotive History

1897 Oldest auto club is founded

The Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland, later known as the Royal Automobile Club, was founded on this day by C. Harrington Moore and Frederick R. Simms. Automobile clubs began as social clubs for people with an interest in motoring and motor racing, born in a time when cars were mainly for the rich. They later evolved into service clubs that could provide emergency road service, travel planning, and insurance. Many auto clubs still exist today and continue to sponsor motor-sport competitions.

Strike One

Before I was out of work I had been applying for a new job. I had an interview a week and half ago. A great interview. It was with a former employeer for a job that I had always wanted when I was with them but at the time didn't have the experience or knowledge.

I was very excited when they called, very excited after the interview. So I waited, and waited and waited.

Got an email yesterday ...

They cancelled the position.

I was the lead candidate.

Could life suck anymore?

Today in Automotive History

1962 Chrysler announces warranty

The Chrysler Corporation set an industry milestone by announcing for 1963 a five-year, 50,000-mile warranty covering all of its cars and trucks.

Today in Automotive History

1991 Lunar Driver Dies

James B. Irwin, pilot of the Lunar Roving Vehicle, died on this day. Irwin visited the surface of the moon during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971, during which he spent almost three days on the moon's surface investigating the Hadley-Apennine site, 462 miles north of the lunar equator. The Lunar Rover was a specially designed vehicle used to transport Irwin and David Scott around the moon's surface while collecting rocks and core samples. Irwin died at the age of 61.

The Puppies Will Enjoy It

Well, as of this morning I am amoung the land of the unemployeed.

Guess they lied when they said they were doing good finacially and wouldn't need to lay anyone off.

It's not been a good year for me, so if you will excuse me I am going to go drown my sorrows, curl into a little ball and cry until I fall asleep.

Life sucks, it really does.

Friday Doggie Blogging

It's Friday! That means cuteness abound!

Here we have Lance endulging in his favorite past time, sleeping in the sun

And here we have Maggie, lounging in her crate

Today In Automotive History

1898 Packard goes for a test drive

On a visit to the Winton plant with his brother James, William D. Packard was taken for a test-drive in one of the company's vehicles, accompanied by George L. Weiss, a Winton executive. Packard ended up purchasing the Winton, to his later regret. The Packards' disappointing experience with the Winton prompted them to build their own car and establish the Ohio Automobile Company in 1900, which would later become the Packard Motor Company.

Hizballah In Michigan

At times like these I don't know if its good or bad to live 20 minutes from the largest Arab population outside of the Middle East

With Hizballah in its biggest fight in years, federal agents said this week they're keeping close tabs on its presence in metro Detroit, where support for the militant, Lebanon-based group runs high among some Muslims and Arab Americans and there are concerns terrorist cells could be activated.

And people wonder why I want to get my CCW.

Road Rage

It would be a good thing not to let me out on the roads during the bitchy PMS days. Or better yet, don't let old people out on the roads during my bitchy PMS days.

Today In Automotive History

1941 Gas rationing begins in eastern U.S.

Although the U.S. had not yet entered World War II at this time, gasoline rationing began in parts of the eastern United States on this day in 1941. The rationing would spread to the rest of the country as soon as the U.S. joined the Allied forces, and the production of cars for private use halted completely in 1942. Measures of a similar sort had already taken place in most European countries.

Lawyers In The Drivers Seat

I was reading an article in the Detroit News about how they feel Lawyers need to get out of the Drivers seat.

They are refering to the disclaimers, warnings, and stickers plastered all over vehicles that warn about this and that.

When a 2007 GMC Yukon Denali was dropped in our driveway in late July, the 78-word warning that popped up on the navigation system screen was so preachy, it sounded like something written by a Buddhist monk obsessed with the concept of "mindfulness."

"Caution: Remember, if you are distracted while driving, you could cause a crash and you or others could be injured or killed. Before using this system while driving, read the owner's manual and learn how the system operates. Always concentrate on your driving first by keeping your eyes and mind on the road, and your hands on the wheel. Some functions of this system will not operate when the car is moving. See owner's manual for more information."

If people weren't so stupid then we wouldn't need these warnings, because you know there are a lot of people out there fooling around with their navigation systems, radios, cell phone, eating, etc instead of doing what your suppose to be doing in the vehicle.

But I have a bone to pick with the writer of this article. He claims that the companies and their lawyers are forcing these warnings into the vehicles.

WRONG

All those seat belt / airbags warnings on your visors, those are MANDATED by the Goberment. Lawyers and Auto Companies have nothing to do with putting them there. In fact, if the warning labels are wrong, missing or unreadable the Goberment will demand a recall of that vehicle and the visors replaced with correct labels.

My last company made sunvisors, that is how I know all that information. And let me tell you, we were very picky about those labels because you don't want the Goberment looking around in your business, which they will do if you screw up those labels.

Today In Automotive History

1950 Ford creates defense department

The Ford Motor Company created the Defense Products Division in order to handle the large number of government contracts related to the Korean War. The conversion from automobile manufacture to weapons production had already been made several times in history, including during World War II, when civilian automobile production in the U.S. virtually ceased as manufacturers began turning out tanks instead.

Celebrities Living In Weenieville

We went out to breakfast Sunday morning as we usually do but instead of going to our usual coney place we went to Bob Evans (change of pace). As we were walking in, he was walking out.

Mr Weenie "Isn't that Gettelfinger"
QW "It sure looks like him"
Mr Weenie "I am positive it's him"
Mr Weenie "I had heard he lives around here"
QW "Well lets check Weenievilles website when we get home"

Weenieville has tax assessments on their website, which means you can look up anyone by address or name that has bought a house in Weenieville.

So we get home and I go onto the website and look up his name, and not only goes Gettelfinger live in Weeniville he lives in our hood. Just around the corner from us, huh, who knew that the top guy at the UAW lives just around the corner from us.

Mr Weenie has been warned not to go over and give Gettelfinger his "ideas".

On another "celebrity" siting note, this Detroit Tigers Pitcher, Nate Robertson, lives 4 houses down from my FIL. FIL lives in the hood next to our hood here in Weenieville.

Weenieville is just the hot spot for minor celebrities it seems!

Today In Automotive History

1941 The Jeep is born

Parade magazine called it "...the Army's most intriguing new gadget...a tiny truck which can do practically everything." During World War I, the U.S. Army began looking for a fast, lightweight all-terrain vehicle, but the search did not grow urgent until early 1940. At this time, the Axis powers had begun to score victories in Europe and Northern Africa, intensifying the Allies' need for an all-terrain vehicle. The U.S. Army issued a challenge to automotive companies, requesting a working prototype, fit to army specifications, in just 49 days. Willy's Truck Company was the first to successfully answer the Army's call, and the new little truck was christened "the Jeep." General Dwight D. Eisenhower said that America could not have won World War II without it. Parade was so enthusiastic about the Jeep, that, on this day, it devoted three full pages to a feature on the vehicle.