Music Track - Spell

Here is the old Screamin' Jay Hawkins favorite, see which you prefer - Alan Price http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ4ZGGt-1rs  or Nina Simone http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua2k52n_Bvw&feature=related  Two for the price (no pun intended) of one!
Of course, if you'd like to sample the original artist (!) then here he is.  Good luck!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9amfVSFno0&feature=related

If I won the Lottery - three

I think I would like to take up flying.  When I was working I had neither the time nor the cash.  Today, I've certainly got the time.  I don't think I would want anything really flash just a small monoplane like the Beachcraft Bonanza. 

Not a Bonanza but probably a Cessna of some type

Incidentally I wonder if you know that in the flying community the Beechcraft Bonanza is called The Doctor Killer.  Apparantly it's difficult to fly and lots of doctors bought them in the 60's and 70's and were killed.  It's easy to spot with its vee tail and no fin, unlike the one here which is probably a Cessna - they usually seem to be.

New Sponsors

We welcome two new sponsors.  You can see their logos on the right.  Wolf Total Fitness which is the best gym in the area by far.  Also Bikernet, which covers all aspects of the motorcyling world.  Visit both of them by clicking on the logos.

Interesting Facts - two

The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% of the world's oxygen supply.

The Amazon River pushes so much water into the Atlantic Ocean that, more than one hundred miles at sea off the mouth of the river, one can dip fresh water out of the ocean. The volume of water in the Amazon river is greater than the next eight largest rivers in the world combined and three times the flow of all rivers in the United States .

Endeavor's new livery

Recently we had the space shuttle Endeavour arrive in Los Angeles at LAX.  It stayed there until they could remove enough trees and lamposts to tow it to the Science Center in South L.A.  It travelled at two miles per hour overnight, and was slow enough for some additional decorations.  It did after all go through "the hood!"  Thanks to Kevin for sending me this funny picture.

Video - Forklift

I'm grateful to my friend Keith for sending this to me - it takes about two minutes and shows how to operate a forklift truck with dexterity! http://biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=34305

Sunday's Column - Camping

I remember my father's oft quoted words when I was just starting out in life: "Trevor, remember, no one in industry is indispensible!"  Well, sadly I have found out that one young lady's presence at The Sun is indespensible in getting my weekly column on their Web site.  This young lady has been on vacation and it seems she's the only one who knows how to do it. 

This was one of the places we stopped - Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe.

It appears that she has returned and so you can read the column at http://www.sbsun.com/trevorstravels/ci_22061612/motorcycle-camping-is-roughing-it-real

Tirade - Texting

The other evening at our favorite watering hole there were three young men with three girls.  The girls were sitting together as were the men.  All the girls were texting on their cell phones, and ignoring their dates.  We got talking to one of the young man and mentioned it.  He said it was quite normal behavior these days.  In fact he was on a first date with some girl and she sat in front of him and texted all the time she wasn't ordering from the waiter.  The result was he excused himself and left the table never to return.  Later she asked him why he'd left her - by text of course.  I'm not sure what his response was.  Mine would have been pretty tough.
So now do we have to teach a new rule of etiquette - is this a date with cell phones or without cell phones?  Come on People!

Right Track - Thanksgiving

Part of Thanksgiving that is not taught in schools is that the pilgrims on the Mayflower formed the Compact, which originated from the bible.  William Bradford's account shows that the 40 pilgrims intended to equally share the common store with equal shares for all.  In other words socialism!
During their first winter many died and the colony was almost ruined.  The ablest bodied saw no reason to extend any further efforts than the laziest.  In other words long before Marx, America's first settlers tried out socialism.
As a result of this failed experiment, William Bradford, who became the first governor, allocated one plot of land to each settler, thereby releasing the power of the free market.
Bradford wrote of the first experiment: "The experience that was had in this common course, and condition, tried sundry years...that by taking away property, and bringing community into a common wealth, would make them happy and flourishing - as if they were wiser than God.
"For this community was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort.  For young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work other men's wives and children without any recompense...that was thought injustice."

Music Track - Piaf

Last week I put a classic track up of Marlene Dietrich.  This week another artist from the same time but from France and not Germany.  Edith Piaf was known in her own land as The Sparrow.  She was tiny and learned her skill as a child singing in the alleyways of Paris for pennies (sous) to be thrown down to her.  In this track it is her voice but the clip is from the movie called "Piaf."  "I regret nothing," is the translation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Hqc-NWlNJQ&feature=related

Thanksgiving

A very happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Americans.



If I won the lottery - two.

I used to play a game with young people with this question: What would you do if I gave you a couple of million dollars?  They would always say things like "I'd buy a big house."  I then would say; well I've thrown that in with the money.  Then they would say "Oh, I'd buy a Ferrari," and I say I'd thrown that in as well.  Down the list we would go and it always used to stump them once all their material wishes had been granted.  I think it is an age thing.  But I have to say that there is perhaps one little - or should I say big - thing I would buy if I won the lottery.

Some time back I listed some of my favorite cars and this was among them.  Mine was the hard top version.  I would dearly love to own one again.  But more importantly have the room to store it and also maintain it, as I have no idea - only how to drive it! Oh, it's a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado, by the way.  Magnificent example of American automotive engineering. What a beauty!

Interesting facts

My friend Kevin sent me an email the other day with a lot of interesting facts.  Unfortunately with these types of things, one tends to read it quickly and move on.  But some of the facts were quite new to me.  Here is the first one.

Did you know that Alaska has more shoreline than the rest of the USA put together?  But does that include Hawaii, I wonder?

Video - Flagman

Some people think that patriotism's bad and some people think that patriotism is dead.  My friend Kevin sent me this video which in this case certainly proves both thoughts wrong.  It takes about 2 1/2 minutes to find out why.  http://www.youtube.com/embed/TNJ9umv10EM?feature=player_detailpage