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Momma and I decided to go out for breakfast this morning and upon arriving at Nick's Restaurant we discovered a grand old lady in the parking lot out front...
It is a 1939 Cadillac LaSalle with a unique two-tone paint job. It is owned by a woman and she told us the car is powered by a 409 cubic inch Chevrolet engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The entire running gear of the car has been taken from the donor Chevy and the interior is re-done in a horsehair type material similar to the original stuff.
The owner also told us she has the original bumpers, but while they were being chromed she became accustomed to this look and simply left them off. Sure fire clue to it being a woman's car is Betty Boop on the trunk lid. Really a clean car and I would expect to see it in the car show in downtown Denison tomorrow ( Saturday September 7th).
On the way home we had to make a stop at the local pharmacy to pick-up a prescription and look what we found in their parking lot..
This is a 1954 Oldsmobile 98 four-door sedan. Among the General Motors family Cadillac held on to its straight-eight cylinder engine for the longest and Chevrolet clung to its six-cylinder blue-flame engine until 1955. It was up to Buick and Oldsmobile to showcase the V8 engine and they did so with gusto. Growing up, my next door neighbor had a 1951 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 with glass-pak mufflers and it sounded so sweet when he cranked that jewel up in the mornings.
Oldsmobile was America's oldest car maker for the longest time, but all good things must come to an end, and so it was for Olds just after the turn of the century. General Motors, having eliminated Pontiac and Oldsmobile, is trying to market Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC Trucks for the foreseeable future.
The Olds 98 pictured above looks to be a daily driver and shows some of its 59 years of age on close inspection. I especially like the original 1954 license plate. In Texas if you can find a vintage license plate the same year as your car you don't have to pay a licensing fee,...but you do have to have a yearly safety inspection sticker.
In this day and age of aerodynamic cars that all look alike...it is good to see a couple of older models to show how cars used to have personalities of their own.
Let me begin by saying I am a diehard Dallas Cowboy fan. I date back to their very first season in 1960 when they did not win a single game, finishing at 0-11-1. Only a tie in the last game of the year against the New York Giants prevented the team from finishing winless....BUT I loved them...then and now. They were my team..and my way of sticking it to the elitist teams from both the East and West Coast.
The last couple of seasons has seen my Boys failing to make the playoffs while finishing at eight wins and eight losses each season. 2013 has them at a fork in the road,..and some careers also are at that fork. I correctly predicted that 8-8 year in 2012 and I haven't seen enough improvement in the off-season to change that prediction. Only because of my love for the silver and blue am I going to up last years prediction by a single game...9-7 at best. Why?
While most of the everyday fans will be screaming for the scalp of quarterback Tony Romo, I know it is the big boys up front that make the offense move the ball. Last season's offensive line had more holes in it than a slice of Swiss cheese. Let's start there with our forecast for 2013. Dallas was in such dire straits for offensive line help they wasted a number one draft pick on a player other teams rated as a second round selection at best.
Travis Frederick will anchor the Cowboys center position for years to come,...BUT how will a rookie hold up in his first year against seasoned NFL opposition? Coaches say he has a lot of swagger and has already taken over at calling for changes at the line of scrimmage. His back-up at center will be Phil Costa, the starter for Dallas last year, so we know how good he is. Ronald Leary is the starting left guard, and he will line-up beside Tyrone Smith, the left tackle... Pretty good so far... The right guard will be Mackenzy Bernadeau with newly acquired Brian Waters backing him up. Right tackle has Doug Free penciled in as the starter.
Free has one of those multi-million dollar contracts and Dallas tried to move him to another team without success during the off season. He is backed up by Jeremy Parnell, both holdovers from 2012. The right side of the offensive line is suspect at best, and definitely shaky to be truthful. The Cowboys may need to keep the tight end in to help with the blocking on the right side.
If indeed that is the case, Dallas will go into the 2013 season with four (4) tight ends on the team. Topping the list of course is veteran Jason Witten...
No one ever accused number 82 of not giving his all each time he stepped on the field (remember he started the 2012 season with a ruptured spleen)....But Witten's numbers have fallen off radically the last couple of seasons. I think it is mainly due to the quarterback not having time to develop a play fully before having to run for his life and make a bad decision. The other three tight ends are James Hanna, 2nd round pick Gavin Escobar, and Andre Smith. Look for one of those to line up alongside Doug Free to lend a hand with the blocking.
The running game should be interesting behind this line.. DeMarco Murray will be the starting tailback and he is coming off an injury-plagued season in 2012. Lance Dunbar from North Texas State will be his back-up,..but look for Phillip Tanner and Joseph Randle to get plenty of playing time. As physical as the NFL is, it is hard to go through an entire season without injuries, especially to ball carriers.
Now let's move over to the defensive side of the ball..
Dallas will be switching to a 4-3 defense this season under defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin. That means All-Pro DeMarcus Ware moves from linebacker to a defensive end. It sounds simple at first but there is a lot of changes in techniques that mystify people like me. Suffice to say, there are now four defensive linemen and three linebackers. In the 1960's and 1970's Coach Tom Landry use to tell us the 4-3 is designed to funnel the ball-carrier to the middle linebacker. If that is true, the Cowboys have a good one in Sean Lee..
Lee missed most of 2012 with an injury, but signed a high-dollar contract during the off-season and he is anxious to show he is worth every cent. Coach Bear Bryant at Alabama used to say about former Cowboy LeeRoy Jordan,.."If the ball carrier stays on the field, LeeRoy will get him." That is the way I think of Sean Lee. He came from Penn State, a school well known for turning out great linebackers. Lee will have Justin Durant on his left, or whichever side the opponent's tight end lines up, and Bruce Carter will be the weak-side linebacker.
The defensive secondary was as porous as a screen door last year and hopefully it will be better in 2013. Brandon Carr is the left corner and he played the 4-3 defense at Kansas City so he is familiar with it. Last year's number one draft pick, Morris Claiborne, is on the right corner and look for him to be drastically better with a years experience under his belt. The safeties could be the Achilles heel for the defense. Barry Church will be the free safety and Will Allen the strong safety. Last year the Cowboys could NOT exert enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks and the safeties were the least happy players on the homeward plane.
Everyone knows who the quarterback of the Cowboys is... I have always thought the quarterback got too much credit...and too much blame. Tony Romo signed a huge new contract in the off-season and that brought howls of protest from the media and front office personnel from other teams. He has been the quarterback for Dallas since 2006 but never achieved the success of former Cowboys Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach...BUT he does hold most of the Dallas team records for passing the football. I would rank Romo among the top five QBs in the NFL, and if he ever gets a quality offensive line in front of him maybe the Cowboys will return to the glory years...but not in 2013.
Also feeling the heat this season will be Head Coach Jason Garrett...He took over the team in January 2011 and two seasons of 8 and 8 are not going to be enough to retain his job if 2013 is anywhere similar. Team owner Jerry Jones has already taken the play-calling responsibilities away from Garrett so he can concentrate more on game management.
As I said in the beginning,.. I love the Cowboys and always will..but I don't see enough improvement to rate them better than 9-7. Win, lose, or draw,...they are my team but I see 2013 as another step in the rebuilding process..
2013 Cowboys Season
Sept 8 Dallas 36 New York Giants 31 (1-0)
Sept 15 Dallas 16 Kansas City Chiefs 17 (1-1)
Sept 22 Dallas 31 St Louis Rams 7 (2-1)
Sept 29 Dallas 21 San Diego Chargers 30 (2-2)
Oct 6 Dallas 48 Denver Broncos 51 (2-3)
Oct 13 Dallas 31 Washington 16 (3-3)
Oct 20 Dallas 17 Philadelphia 3 (4-3)
Oct 27 Dallas 30 Detroit 31 (4-4)
Nov 3 Dallas 27 Minnesota 23 (5-4)
Nov 10 Dallas 17 New Orleans 49 (5-5)
Nov 17 Open Date (No Game)
Nov 24 Dallas 24 NY Giants 21 (6-5)
Nov 28 Dallas 31 Oakland 24 (7-5)
Dec 9 Dallas 28 Chicago 45 (7-6)
Dec 15 Dallas 36 Green Bay 37 (7-7)
Dec 22 Dallas 24 Washington 23 (8-7)
Dec 29 Dallas 22 Philadelphia 24 (8-8)
8-8 for the third year in a row and no playoffs for the Boys!
Each month the management at Texoma Harley-Davidson tries to schedule a shindig to make one weekend more special than the others. That weekend happened yesterday and today at the Sherman dealership. Since all riders have one thing in common, let's start there. The food was again something to write home about. Ringtail Bar-B-Que of Pottsboro, Texas agreed to take on the task of feeding a bunch of hungry bikers...and they succeeded.
They showed up early with a major league cooker and the great smell was driving everyone crazy by ten o'clock. That's J.B. Morris manning the cooking chores and he said he prefers to do cookouts rather than working at the restaurant. They do a lot of catering for churches, weddings, and special events. (phone # 817-233-2750)
The event was labeled as a chance for everyone to see the 2014 model Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but it was also a chance for everyone to socialize and get out of the heat as the temperature was again around the one hundred degree mark.
Most of the 2014's were on display this weekend and except for the touring bikes, I couldn't tell much difference. A salesman told me most of the changes were in the electronics of the bike. I did notice a lot of 103 and 110 engines among the bikes on the floor...maybe the 88 cubic inch bike is becoming a thing of the past.
One new attraction today that we haven't featured in previous shindigs was the dunking tank. Texoma HD general manager Chris Houston proved to be a good sport as he was the subject of the first round of dunking. As you can see, he went into the tank early and often as riders (and employees) showed off accurate throwing arms. The 3-tosses for ten dollars went to a good cause as ALL the money went to charity. With the hot temperatures, maybe Chris was the smart one all along.
Other vendors also took part in the activities..There were knife sharpeners, palm readers, bike washers, a live band, and of course a good looking woman to sew patches on your jacket or vest (my wife). Above she plays the part of a magician and turns a long-sleeved Harley shirt into a short-sleeved Harley shirt. Some would say she performs this trick with mirrors,...but I have it on good authority that scissors play a key role.
Among the pre-owned bikes for sale,..I have two I would like to showcase for you.. Above is a 2002 Indian Scout that was taken in on trade for a Harley and is now available at Texoma HD. Really a clean bike and you know an Indian is almost as reliable as the setting sun.. The other is a Victory touring bike.
I was just reading today that Victory has recalled some models of their line from 2009 to 2012 years, so this bike would probably fall into that group. I forget the reason for the recall, but it was minute and it would require a visit to a Victory dealer for a no-cost update. The bike pictured above really looked good in its sun-gold paint job and blacked out engine. I fired it up and it sounded top shelf.
The rear end of the Victory was extremely clean and I kinda like the way the saddlebags open. Nice bike!
It was a good day and we had a good turnout until the hot temperatures of the day took their toll and chased everyone in pursuit of air conditioning. Texoma HD has one of these 'special' weekends once a month and you can find out more about the September shindig by going to the dealership website at TexomaHD.com...
Hopefully this is the day that my photographic skills took on a whole new and different aspect. I visited the 'Youtube Website' and checked the videos of people skiing, racing, and air-gliding with a GoPro camera strapped to their bodies for some truly remarkable footage. I fell victim to the propaganda and ordered one for myself.
Currently they market a Hero3 camera, and it comes in three levels,..a white, silver, and black models. I checked the aspects of all three and discovered the last generation of Hero cameras was basically the same as the silver model of the new generation...and it took full size SD cards instead of the mini cards.... BUT getting to the story,...my Hero2 arrived today.
Best Buy, Wal-Mart, and Circuit City were all displaying the Hero3 models and told me they would NOT be receiving any more Hero2 cameras... That left me with Ebay and I found a new one at a camera dealer in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Hero2 comes in three different versions,..the Motorsports, the Outdoors, and the Surfing models. The camera is the same in all three versions, but the accessories are different. I wanted the Motorsports model for the suction mount, but I found one of those on Ebay for less than five dollars (Hong Kong) with free shipping. My camera is the Outdoors model and it also comes with a vast selection of accessories.
There is a headband attachment that I have around the box.. the long strap attachment is for weaving thru a bicycle helmet.. the 3-way mounting attachment is below the strap.. The whitish item is the battery, and it is the same as the first generation Hero camera battery, BUT different from the Hero3 battery. The camera is in its waterproof case atop the clear box it came in from the factory. Below it you can see the USB cord for charging the battery from the computer and four mounting plates (two flat & two curved). The little white thing-a-ma-jig is to fill spaces in the mounting plates for a supremely tight fit. GoPro also includes three stickers promoting their name with the hope that users will display them during their shooting adventures.
I immediately applied one of the curved mounting plates to an old helmet that I seldom use anymore. The adhesive on the plates is made by 3M and is suppose to be almost permanent if held in place for thirty seconds. I still had my doubts, so I also applied some 'super glue' around the mounting plate.
Here is the way the camera will look when I take it out on the motorcycle. I tried using a handlebar mount with my other camera and it came out so shaky that I alerted Japan for a possible tsunami headed their way. In the above configuration I will be able to record everything that I see without taking my hands off the controls of the bike. That should come as a relief to my oldest daughter, who thinks motorcycles should be on the same echelon as cancer and scarlet fever.
I will attempt to post a video of my rides soon... but I just wanted to tell you about the arrival of the camera and to also give you some advance warning about what is to come in the future.
I am NOT the most geeky high-tech individual around,.. and another thing I liked about the Hero2 is the functions of the camera are easily displayed in a small window. I can understand that! The camera is very versatile...it will take video or still photos and so much more. A photo burst feature will take ten photos in less than a second so you can pick out the best one. A time-lapse feature will take photos anywhere from a half-second apart to a full minute apart. A self-timer can be set and it allows a full ten seconds before the shutter goes off, allowing the photographer to be a part of the picture. Best of all, the Hero2 has a slow-motion mode AND a super slow-motion mode.
The newest generation cameras from GoPro might be the thing for professionals and serious photo buffs, but I think I have made the correct choice in the Hero2. I look forward to a lot of fun with this model.
Being a World War II baby, I grew up in an era of propeller-driven airplanes, and have never adjusted to the jet age. My father and seven uncles fought in WWII and I was subjected to all of their stories when they came home from the war. While most of my friends were fans of the American P-51 Mustang,..or the British Super Marine Spitefire,.. I have always thought the German Messerschmidt Bf109 was the most awesome fighter of the times, and for good reason.
Designed by Willy Messerschmidt and Robert Lusser in the mid 1930's, the 109 was truly ahead of its time. While most of the world's air forces were still fielding two-wing bi-planes with canvas coverings, Messerschmidt had other ideas..
The Bf109 was the very first modern era fighter plane...altho it was used as a bomber, surveillance, and trainer too. It feature a monoplane design (single wing), was all-metal constructed, had a closed canopy, retractable landing gear, and a liquid-cooled fuel-injected 700 horsepower Junkers Jumo V-12 engine. The 109 also brought a punch almost unequaled by the Allies until late in the war. The Messerschmidt had a 20 millimeter cannon that fired through the center hub of the propeller for easy aiming by the pilots, and also two wing-mounted 7.92 millimeter machine guns.
To say the Bf109 is my favorite plane would be an understatement....I have five of them gracing my office. The photos above are of one of my models and I am really proud of it. You can even see 'ol Adolph in the pilots seat. He came out of the plane so he could be painted independently. If you look close you can see the clear nylon line on the plane. I use it to suspend the plane from the ceiling of my office.
The markings on the plane are fairly accurate, but in these days of political correctness, the model maker has conveniently left out the swastika decal that would have been applied to the top of the tail rudder that is not yellow. This particular model is a Bf109e, meaning it was built in 1942, and thus it also has two wing-mounted 20 millimeter cannons and the 7.92 machine guns have been moved to the cowling in front of the pilot. They are synchronized to fire through the propeller.
The Foch-Wolfe 190 came into production in 1941 and was a heavier and more armed fighter plane than the Bf109, but most of Germany's top aces preferred to stay with the 109 instead of flying the Foch-Wolfe.
The Messerschmidt Bf109 was the most produced airplane in history, not just during the war, but in all of history. From 1936 through April of 1945, thirty-three thousand, nine-hundred and eighty-four Bf109's were built. I am sad to report that less than fifty are still flying today. It was really a great plane and always my favorite.
Fox Terriers originated in England for the purpose of chasing down foxes...duh! The breed comes in two variations..the smooth coated dogs and the rough coat, more commonly referred to as Wire Haired Fox Terriers. The breed really escalated in the 1930's, mainly due to the fact that Queen Victoria had them as her personal pets,..and her heir King Edward VII also was a fancier of Wires.
Wire Haired Fox Terriers are a breed of dog considered by many to be the cream of the crop...just ask my wife. We have had a couple of Wires, but mostly to satisfy her wishes. As previous posts will attest, I am a dyed in the wool Schnauzer fan.
Our first Wire was Tinkerbelle..and she was a joy to be around. Wide awake and ready to play as soon as the sun made its way into the heavens..
That's me and Tink during a snowstorm in 2011. As you can tell, she loved the snow and would run through it until her paws got cold. Then it was inside to warm up before she was ready to go out again. I also have a summertime photo of Tink where she took advantage of a water sprinker on a day of 102 degree temperatures.
My favorite photo of the old girl was this one taken after she had been pampered at the local dog parlor and was all gussied up for this shot.
Tink was a show dog in her early years and lived until she was twelve years of age, dieing overnight in her sleep. We were devastated and did not have a dog for a while, but both my wife and I have always had dogs in our families growing up.
Cosmo, my miniature Schnauzer, came to live with us when he was eight weeks old, and has become a solid member of the household. He is always within reach of me throughout the day, but Momma sold me on a weak theory of him being lonesome and in need of canine companionship. I ask you,..does this look like the face of a lonesome dog??
Earlier this year we got a call from a good friend, telling us about a Wire Haired Fox Terrier that was in need of a home. She had been born in Bonham, but sold to a couple up North. Cutting to the chase, the dog was abused and kept in a small kennel all day. The original breeder had the dog returned to Bonham and needed a home for her... and that is how Lillie came to live with us.
Originally we were just going over to take a look at the dog, but the attraction was instant and mutual so we ended up coming home with her. Wires are most distinctive by their basic white color, with brown around their face and ears, and also a patch (sometimes called a saddle) of black around their mid-sections. Lillie looks like she posed for that description.
Lillie's father was the Westminister National Champion four years ago and he lives in Pearland, Texas. Wires have won more 'Best In Show' titles (13) than any other breed of dog. We had a bit of concern on how Lillie and Cosmo were going to react when they met as Terriers can be very temperamental sometimes.
They gave each other the sniff test for about thirty seconds and then the party was on. They have been rough-housing together ever since. Lillie was not housebroken when we got her, but she learned quickly from Cosmo and now is pretty reliable. Cosmo is as regular as the sunrise. He likes to go to bed at ten o'clock and wakes me up at six-thirty ready to go outside to do his business.
Best of all,..Momma is a happy camper once again. When Tink died my wife was in the hospital and I kept the bad news from her until she was ready to come home. I don't know what hurt the most,...her operation...or the loss of her dog. But now thanks to Lillie she is back on cloud nine again.. and all it took was the love of a little twelve pound dog.. Thanks Lillie..and welcome home!
Editor's Note:
Congratulations are in order for 'Sky'...A Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, who won the Westminster Kennel Club's 'Best In Show' title on February 11th, 2014 in New York City.. An update to the above story means there have now been 14 'Best In Show' winners for the Wire-Haired Fox Terrier breed. This is Sky just moments after winning it all in the biggest dog show in the world..
Right off the bat let me say that I am NOT a fan of Texas A&M and I am not related to Johnny Manziel. The internet and sports channels are rampant with news about the Aggie's quarterback in trouble for signing autographs and receiving thousands of dollars in exchange for that service.
Before I delve into that financial squabble, let's refresh some memories from last season.
After winning the Southeastern Conference Championship over Alabama and then a bowl win, Johnny Manziel became the first freshman in history to: (1) pass for three thousand yards in a single season, (2) run the football for over one thousand yards in a single season, and (3) to win the Heisman Trophy, emblematic of the best college football player in the land....and if you watched the Bama game you had no doubt about this.
Johnny Football (his nickname has been patented by Texas A&M) is no flash in the pan. He had crowds standing and cheering when he took over the quarterback position in his sophomore year at Kerrville Tivy High School. Now experts are down on him for some mistakes he has made since winning the Heisman. He is a twenty-year old college kid,..come on! He got caught drinking beer and then another time got into a fight. Everyone reading this that has been involved in one of those incidents raise your hand. See,..I rest my case.
Now,..ESPN says they have been notified that Manziel signed hundreds of jerseys and helmets in exchange for ten-thousand dollars from a guy in Florida. The Floridian told Manziel he plans to sell the items on Ebay. Here is the fly in the ointment for the NCAA, who is investigating the incident. Manziel admits to signing the items (there are photos of him signing them) but does not admit to taking any money. Johnny's father is a successful businessman and the family is described as 'affluent.' If so, why would Johnny take a paltry ten-thousand when millions are awaiting him when he finishes his A&M playing days? His Dad did voice concern lately over some of the decisions his son has made involving the attention he has received.
Since winning the Heisman, Manziel has been hassled by the media and fans alike. Everyone is demanding some time with the talented young man. Texas A&M is ready to start drills in preparation for the 2013 season and now this latest scandal is hanging over the entire team......BUT the NCAA rule reads: An athlete can not receive money or any merchandise, now or in the future, in exchange for their autograph. The NCAA has photos of Manziel signing autographs, but none of him accepting any money, and as of the writing of this blog, their informant is back-tracking on his story of Manziel taking money.
The NCAA needs to join the 21st Century and follow the example of the Olympic Committee in allowing athletes to control their own names. The IOC (International Olympic Committee) could not control amateur athletes from third-world countries so they eliminated their rule in the 1980's, but the NCAA continues their strangle hold on college athletes. College football and basketball players bring in millions of dollars for the NCAA and they want to control who gets those funds. It is time to allow the individual athlete to be able to control his own name. If someone wants to pay him to sign a cap or tee-shirt, I say let them do it. Scholarship athletes have their books, rooms, meals, and schooling paid for, but they still must exist from month to month. Some athletes are forced to sell jerseys, shoes, and school rings just to have some 'walking around' money.
Since they have NO evidence on Johnny Manziel, this case might be just the thing to bring the NCAA into the light of justice, and then maybe a rule change might be happening.
UPDATE: As of today (Friday, August 9, 2013) the NCAA admitted they are NOT 'actively investigating' the case of Johnny Manziel. The NCAA also said the organization will NO LONGER sell individual football jersey numbers on it's national website. The NCAA spokesman admitted to a hypocrisy in its sales department and rules against individual players.
