Got me a little SNF, but only 'cause I'm sick.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Crane Cams - a new grind...
Crane Cams says it plans to reopen after restructuring
By GREG MIGLIORE
Well-known cam shafts company Crane Cams shut down Feb. 24 for restructuring but says it plans to reopen, likely sometime in March.
All of the company’s 280 workers were laid off, though about 25 remain to work on military contracts. The closure was in response to the global economic problems, said vice president Steve Leva. He said the Daytona Beach, Fla., company planned to reopen in as soon as a week, or it may take up to 30 days.
Crane’s parts have become synonymous with performance and have been used by A. J. Foyt, the Wood Brothers, Bill Elliott, Richard Petty and many other well-known drivers.
The 56-year-old company first made a splash at the 1961 NHRA nationals, when a dragster using Crane roller cams was piloted by “Sneaky” Pete Robinson to the Top Eliminator award, breaking records and upsetting more-established competitors in the process.
Robinson’s success helped the company gain recognition throughout the 1960s as racing grew and the Detroit automakers thrived.
In late 2006, Crane was acquired by Mikronite Technologies Group Inc., and Leva said $18 million has been invested in equipment since the acquisition.
Earlier this week, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that Crane was closing, though more details were not available at that time.
By GREG MIGLIORE
Well-known cam shafts company Crane Cams shut down Feb. 24 for restructuring but says it plans to reopen, likely sometime in March.
All of the company’s 280 workers were laid off, though about 25 remain to work on military contracts. The closure was in response to the global economic problems, said vice president Steve Leva. He said the Daytona Beach, Fla., company planned to reopen in as soon as a week, or it may take up to 30 days.
Crane’s parts have become synonymous with performance and have been used by A. J. Foyt, the Wood Brothers, Bill Elliott, Richard Petty and many other well-known drivers.
The 56-year-old company first made a splash at the 1961 NHRA nationals, when a dragster using Crane roller cams was piloted by “Sneaky” Pete Robinson to the Top Eliminator award, breaking records and upsetting more-established competitors in the process.
Robinson’s success helped the company gain recognition throughout the 1960s as racing grew and the Detroit automakers thrived.
In late 2006, Crane was acquired by Mikronite Technologies Group Inc., and Leva said $18 million has been invested in equipment since the acquisition.
Earlier this week, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported that Crane was closing, though more details were not available at that time.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
More than just butt dialing...
I assume everyone has seen the Blackberry commercial about butt dialing. If not take a quick peek and then continue:
Well awhile back I posted about "cleavage makeup" and now I have witnessed yet another phenomenon only the fairer sex has to deal with. It all began as I was approached by a woman today and as our conversation started her chest began to speak to me. Now I don't mean this in some dirty old man kinda way - they literally spoke! I was kind of setback by the fact that they sounded much like Sean Connery, but no the less they spoke!
While coming to speak to me she inadvertently dialed someone on her phone. Funny thing was it had been stashed in her bra for sometime (I guess those things are like a kangaroo's pouch).
Seems that woman not only have to worry about getting cleavage makeup on their phone, but also the unintentional breast dialing...
Well awhile back I posted about "cleavage makeup" and now I have witnessed yet another phenomenon only the fairer sex has to deal with. It all began as I was approached by a woman today and as our conversation started her chest began to speak to me. Now I don't mean this in some dirty old man kinda way - they literally spoke! I was kind of setback by the fact that they sounded much like Sean Connery, but no the less they spoke!
While coming to speak to me she inadvertently dialed someone on her phone. Funny thing was it had been stashed in her bra for sometime (I guess those things are like a kangaroo's pouch).
Seems that woman not only have to worry about getting cleavage makeup on their phone, but also the unintentional breast dialing...
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Man cave...
man cave n. A dedicated area of a house, such as a basement, workshop, or garage, where a man can be alone or socialize with his friends.
This topic was recently brought up on a message board I frequent and I just had to post these pictures of one user's home. This is more than a mere cave.
The yard is awesome:
I was expecting to see Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, and Christopher Walken in these interior shots:
And of course:
This topic was recently brought up on a message board I frequent and I just had to post these pictures of one user's home. This is more than a mere cave.
The yard is awesome:
I was expecting to see Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, and Christopher Walken in these interior shots:
And of course:
Crane Cams is flat...
February 24, 2009
Crane Cams shuts down, workers laid off
By JIM WITTERS
Senior Business Writer
DAYTONA BEACH — Crane Cams, a 56-year-old auto parts manufacturer, closed its doors this week and laid off its employees, a worker said today.
The news took Volusia County’s top economic development officer by surprise. City, county and state officials were working with Crane Cams and officials from its New Jersey parent, Mikronite Technologies, to keep the company open and in the community.
“We were trying to help them through this transition,” said Rick Michael, Volusia County economic development director. “They were considering a transfer of ownership. We were not expecting any closure.”
An automated voice mail system at Crane’s plant on Fentress Boulevard announced at midday today the company was closed and suggested calling back during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A call to Mikronite’s New Jersey offices produced similar results. Six cars sat in the parking lot early this afternoon at the local plant, which employed 220 just three years ago.
Inside the lobby, a reception desk sat empty. A call from the lobby phone got an answer from Dennis Burgess, who declined to comment and said no one at the plant could provide information.
In the parking lot, 14-year employee Ronald Dorn was leaving the plant for what he believed was the last time
He said workers were told during the past week that layoffs were likely, but he didn’t expect the plant to close.
Mikronite received approval in 2006 to receive tax rebates from the state and the county amid discussion about moving its New Jersey operations here. But the company ended its contract with the state in 2008 due to nonperformance, Michael said.
“Crane has gone through a series of small layoffs recently,” he said.
Crane Cams and Crane Technologies Group were founded by Harvey J. Crane Jr. in 1953 as Crane Engineering Inc. in Hallandale. The company is well known in high-performance and racing circles for its line of camshafts and engine valve train components.
In 1979, Crane Cams became an employee-owned company. Some operations moved to Daytona Beach in 1981, with the remainder of the operation and employees relocating here in 1985.
Mikronite, an industrial technology firm, bought Crane in 2006.
In March 2007, Mikronite sold its property on Fentress to STAG Capital Partners of Boston, then signed a 10-year lease.
Crane Cams shuts down, workers laid off
By JIM WITTERS
Senior Business Writer
DAYTONA BEACH — Crane Cams, a 56-year-old auto parts manufacturer, closed its doors this week and laid off its employees, a worker said today.
The news took Volusia County’s top economic development officer by surprise. City, county and state officials were working with Crane Cams and officials from its New Jersey parent, Mikronite Technologies, to keep the company open and in the community.
“We were trying to help them through this transition,” said Rick Michael, Volusia County economic development director. “They were considering a transfer of ownership. We were not expecting any closure.”
An automated voice mail system at Crane’s plant on Fentress Boulevard announced at midday today the company was closed and suggested calling back during business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A call to Mikronite’s New Jersey offices produced similar results. Six cars sat in the parking lot early this afternoon at the local plant, which employed 220 just three years ago.
Inside the lobby, a reception desk sat empty. A call from the lobby phone got an answer from Dennis Burgess, who declined to comment and said no one at the plant could provide information.
In the parking lot, 14-year employee Ronald Dorn was leaving the plant for what he believed was the last time
He said workers were told during the past week that layoffs were likely, but he didn’t expect the plant to close.
Mikronite received approval in 2006 to receive tax rebates from the state and the county amid discussion about moving its New Jersey operations here. But the company ended its contract with the state in 2008 due to nonperformance, Michael said.
“Crane has gone through a series of small layoffs recently,” he said.
Crane Cams and Crane Technologies Group were founded by Harvey J. Crane Jr. in 1953 as Crane Engineering Inc. in Hallandale. The company is well known in high-performance and racing circles for its line of camshafts and engine valve train components.
In 1979, Crane Cams became an employee-owned company. Some operations moved to Daytona Beach in 1981, with the remainder of the operation and employees relocating here in 1985.
Mikronite, an industrial technology firm, bought Crane in 2006.
In March 2007, Mikronite sold its property on Fentress to STAG Capital Partners of Boston, then signed a 10-year lease.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The chase...
Nothing beats a good car chase movie sequence.
The Dukes of Hazzard movie:
Gone In 60 Seconds remake:
Bullit:
The Dukes of Hazzard movie:
Gone In 60 Seconds remake:
Bullit:
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Door art...
Back in the day signage on your truck door was free advertisement. Survivors are now considered a badge of honor - so to speak. New lettering on door is trendy or taboo to many of today's "traditional" rodders. Some rank it right up there with faux patina, but I really did it.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Dream car of the week...
I found this '55 Chevy while surfin' the net. The lowered & raked stance, tube grill, wide whites on black steelies, and heavily striped trunk really set this in the early 60's, but still look good decades later. What a great looking car:
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Real World...
Yeah I watch it. Been watching it since the high school days. It's not like it is quality entertainment, but more just habit. Well it has finally paid off this season. Look what I saw in their gym:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Y-blocks sound goooood...
Some may not enjoy this, but I have always liked these little motors:
And if you're interested in what they can do:
And if you're interested in what they can do:
Monday, February 16, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
A journey into the #13...
In The Great Seal of the United States, which can be found on the back of the dollar bill, the number 13 is used 13 times. The Bald Eagle was selected as a symbol for victory for two reasons: first, he is not afraid of a storm; he is strong and he is smart enough to soar above it. Secondly, he wears no material crown. We had just broken from the King of England. Also, notice the shield is unsupported. This country can now stand on it’s own. At the top of that shield you have a white bar signifying congress, a unifying factor. We were coming together as one nation. In the Eagle's beak you will read, "E PLURIBUS UNUM," meaning "one nation from many people." Above the Eagle you have thirteen stars representing the thirteen original colonies, and any clouds of misunderstanding rolling away (13 clouds around the stars). Again, we were coming together as one. Notice what the Eagle holds in his talons. He holds an olive branch and arrows. This country wants peace, but we will never be afraid to fight to preserve peace. The Eagle always wants to face the olive branch, but in time of war, his gaze turns toward the arrows. They say that the number 13 is an unlucky number. This is almost a worldwide belief. You will usually never see a room numbered 13, or any hotels or motels with a 13th floor. But, think about this:13 original colonies, 13 signers of the Declaration of Independence, 13 stripes on our flag, 13 steps on the Pyramid, 13 letters in the Latin word "Annuit Coeptus" above, 13 letters in "E Pluribus Unum", 13 stars above the Eagle, 13 clouds around the stars, 13 plumes of feathers on each span of the Eagle's wing, 13 bars on that shield, 13 leaves on the olive branch, 13 olives on the branch, and if you look closely, 13 arrows. And the number of letters (13 x 3) in the title: "The Coat of Arms of the United States of America".
On Miles Davis’s 13th birthday, his parents gave him a trumpet.
Thirteen is the death card in the Tarot deck.
The Friday the 13th club used to meet religiously in obscure places each and every Friday the 13th. The club was to self-destruct in accordance with the wishes of it founder on last Friday the 13th in October of 2000. The club was founded in 1936.
Many hotels and apartment buildings do not have a 13th Floor.
People don’t like to travel on any given Friday the 13th, and tickets are always easy to get.
13 Bloody Sunday – On January 30, 1972 (Bloody Sunday), 13 unarmed civilians were shot and killed in Belfast when British troops clashed with Roman Catholic demonstrators, causing retaliatory actions by guerrillas in Northern Ireland and demonstrations south of the border.
According to the American Mathematical Monthly, the 13th is more likely to fall on a Friday than on any other day.
In ancient times, Friday the 13th was a sacred and festive day celebrated by women before it was invalidated and condemned by the ancient patriarchy.
Thirteen was the number of lunar revolutions in a year, thus a feminine number. And Friday derived its name from Freyja, the Norse goddess of love and fertility, the Nordic Venus. Thus Friday the 13th was devoted to that goddess.
Napoleon, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin D. Roosevelt all would not dine with 13 at the table.
The most frequent explanation of the superstitions that sitting thirteen at a dinner table may prove unlucky or fatal is that it summons up the ominous memory of the story of Jesus and his twelve apostles at the Last Supper: "Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve apostles, and one of your is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot…. For he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve" (John 6:70-71)
O.J. Simpson and the number 13 – O.J. Simpson and Nicole Simpson were officially divorced on July 13, 1993. Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman each had 13 letters in their names. Their dead bodies were discovered in Brentwood on June 13, 1995.
The British Medical Journal released a study evaluating the number of hospitalizations on Friday the 13th. It found that falls, animal bites, poisonings, and car accidents were more numerous on that date. And the journal found it impossible to say whether the day itself was unlucky or that the psychological weight attached to that date made people more susceptible to those accidents. Negative prophecies, after all, are always goads for dire consequences.
Many believe that 12 is the perfect number. It is often symbolizes totality, perfection, a completion: the twelve signs of the zodiac, the twelve gods of Olympus, the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve Imams, the twelve Gates of Heaven, the twelve months of the year, the twelve hours of the day, the twelve-tone musical scale, the twelve subatomic building blocks – quarks and leptons – now believed to constitute all the material world. Into these systems, the number 13 brings a kind of instability, an element of intrusiveness, confusion, un-canniness and disorder.
In the Mo system of Tibetan divination, the number 13 is said to belong to Penden Lhomo, the Tibetan form of the Buddhist goddess Sri Devil, the fierce protectress of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan state. In this system of divination, three dice are thrown, which can result in numbers from 3 to 18. The number 12 is the unluckiest; the number 13 is the most favorable.
There are said to be 13 stages to Buddha hood consisting of ten bodhisattva stages and three additional pre-Buddhist stages.
"M" is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet and it also stands for marijuana.
The 13 House – In 1884, Sarah Winchester, the Winchester Rifle heiress, began constructing of her lifelong obsession, the 160-room Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California. Mrs. Winchester, who had lived in New Haven, Connecticut, was deeply upset by the death of her husband and daughter (he from pulmonary tuberculosis, she from marasmus one month after birth), and she consulted a medium. Supposedly the medium explained that the spirits of all those who had been killed by the rifles her manufactured had sought their revenge by taking the lives of her loved ones. Furthermore, these spirits had placed a curse on her and would haunt her forever. But the medium also stated that she could escape the curse by moving west, buying a house, and continually building on it as the spirits directed. In this way, she could escape them and perhaps find the key to eternal life. One of the most extraordinary features of the house is the role that the number 13 plays in it. A partial list of the 13’s in the house include:
o 13 cement blocks in the Carriage Entrance Hall.
o 13 Blue and amber stones in the spider web window.
o 13 bathrooms.
o 13 panels in the wall by the 13th bathroom
o 13 windows in the 13th bathroom.
o 13 steps to the 13th bathroom
o 13 windows and doors in the old sewing room.
o 13 hooks in the Séance Room.
o 13 Ever-Flow drain holes in the Italian Sink.
o 13 rails by the spy hole in the South Conservatory.
o 13 steps on the 1st flight to the fourth floor.
o 13 ceiling panels in the Entrance Hallway.
o 13 sub-panels in the ballroom ceiling panels.
o 13 glass cupolas in the greenhouse.
o 13 holes in the drain-hole cover.
o 13 gas jets on the Ballroom Chandelier
o 13 stones in the Oriental Bedroom windows.
o 13 squares on each side of the Otis Electric Elevator.
On April 13, 1984, the Winchester Mystery House officially celebrated one hundred years of Mystery, with the help of the Mountain Charlie Chapter No. 1850 of E Campus Vitus, by unveiling a special 100th Anniversary Plaque commemorating Sarah Winchester and the Winchester Mystery House for "100 years of Mystery". At 1300 hours (1:00 P.M.), the bell in Mrs.. Winchester’s bell tower was rung 13 times; and at the conclusion of the celebration, 1,300 balloons were released into the air. There are 13 parts to Sarah Winchester’s will; her signature appears in it 13 times.
Between June 1962 and January 1964, Albert H. DeSalvo, known as the Boston Strangler, killed 13 women in Boston, Massachusetts. Tried and convicted in 1967, he was murdered in his jail cell.
On the evening of Friday the 13th in January 1995, the iconoclastic artist Ray Johnson jumped from a highway bridge over Sag Harbor Cove in Long Island, New York, and was last seen by two teenage boys backstroking in the freezing waters. Several hours before his death, Johnson checked into a nearby motel and specifically asked for room #247, whose digits add up to 13, as do the digits of the time he was spotted in the water by the two boys, 7:15 p.m., and as do the digits in his age, 67. (The day before his death, Ray Johnson had phoned a friend and told him, "I have a new project, the biggest I’ve ever undertaken, the most important in my life".)
On September 13, 1993, Yasir Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin shook hands on the White House lawn in Washington D.C., after signing a declaration of agreement on interim Palestinian self-rule.
Agamemnon was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, on the 13th of Gamelion (January)
Odysseus, the 13th of his group of companions, is the only one to have escaped the devouring appetite of the Cyclops Polyphemus.
The Amazon Queen Minythyla tried to mate with Alexander the Great during a period of 13 days.
Oenomaus, the father of Hippodamia, killed 13 of her suitors before Pelops won her.
Phillip II of Macedonia was assassinated shortly after he allowed a statue of himself to be erected along with those of the 12 gods of Olympus, making 13 statues in all.
Thirteen is to be considered the age of puberty, and the first transition into "teen-hood".
That 13 brings ill-luck is mere tradition,
Yea, even more, it’s foolish superstition-
For 13, lucky number runs,
Through all our Country’s ripening suns-
‘Tis for Our Land and omen good-
For Peace-Liberty-Brotherhood!
--From Lucky13, a mini-epic written by Maurice Walter in 1919
The 13 American colonies banded together to revolt against England and formed the United States of America. 13 representatives signed the Declaration of Independence, and a flag with the 13 stars was made on January13, 1794. France announced support for the 13 colonies on June 13, 1778.
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which declares, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…shall exist within the United States." Mississippi was the last of the nine Civil War holdout-states to approve the amendment.
The ill-fated Apollo 13 mission was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 hours Central Time from Pad 39 (13 x 3), and was aborted on April 13 after the explosion of an oxygen tank serving the command ship. Three of the sleeping periods scheduled for the astronauts were supposed to start at 13 minutes past the hour, as was the possible splashdown times. The film Apollo 13 grossed $26 million (13 x 2) in its first weekend showings in the United States.
When Princess Margaret was born in Scotland’s Glamis Castle on August 21, 1930, palace officials delayed the registration of her birth for three days until another baby was born, so that the princess’s registration number wouldn’t be 13.
When Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to West Germany in 1965, the number of the platform at they Duisburg railway station, from which she was about to depart, was changed from 13 to 12A.
When Spanish princess Elena de Bourbon celebrated her marriage on March 18, 1995, to the banker Jaime de Marichalar y Saenz de Tejada, he participated in an old Castilian custom by ritually pouring 13 gold coins into the hands of his bride as a sign that their goods would be held in common. (bienes con juntos)
The French monarch Louis XIII, who declared the number 13 to be his favorite number, married Anna of Austria when she was 13 years old.
The Sun and the Moon are in almost a perfect 13 to 1 ratio. The Sun moves approximately one degree a day, while the moon moves thirteen degrees a day. All of this has made 13 a moon number (13 moons in a lunar year), and 12 a sun number (12 months to a calendar year)
The number 13 bus in London remained unharmed throughout World War II
On Miles Davis’s 13th birthday, his parents gave him a trumpet.
Thirteen is the death card in the Tarot deck.
The Friday the 13th club used to meet religiously in obscure places each and every Friday the 13th. The club was to self-destruct in accordance with the wishes of it founder on last Friday the 13th in October of 2000. The club was founded in 1936.
Many hotels and apartment buildings do not have a 13th Floor.
People don’t like to travel on any given Friday the 13th, and tickets are always easy to get.
13 Bloody Sunday – On January 30, 1972 (Bloody Sunday), 13 unarmed civilians were shot and killed in Belfast when British troops clashed with Roman Catholic demonstrators, causing retaliatory actions by guerrillas in Northern Ireland and demonstrations south of the border.
According to the American Mathematical Monthly, the 13th is more likely to fall on a Friday than on any other day.
In ancient times, Friday the 13th was a sacred and festive day celebrated by women before it was invalidated and condemned by the ancient patriarchy.
Thirteen was the number of lunar revolutions in a year, thus a feminine number. And Friday derived its name from Freyja, the Norse goddess of love and fertility, the Nordic Venus. Thus Friday the 13th was devoted to that goddess.
Napoleon, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin D. Roosevelt all would not dine with 13 at the table.
The most frequent explanation of the superstitions that sitting thirteen at a dinner table may prove unlucky or fatal is that it summons up the ominous memory of the story of Jesus and his twelve apostles at the Last Supper: "Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve apostles, and one of your is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot…. For he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve" (John 6:70-71)
O.J. Simpson and the number 13 – O.J. Simpson and Nicole Simpson were officially divorced on July 13, 1993. Nicole Simpson and Ronald Goldman each had 13 letters in their names. Their dead bodies were discovered in Brentwood on June 13, 1995.
The British Medical Journal released a study evaluating the number of hospitalizations on Friday the 13th. It found that falls, animal bites, poisonings, and car accidents were more numerous on that date. And the journal found it impossible to say whether the day itself was unlucky or that the psychological weight attached to that date made people more susceptible to those accidents. Negative prophecies, after all, are always goads for dire consequences.
Many believe that 12 is the perfect number. It is often symbolizes totality, perfection, a completion: the twelve signs of the zodiac, the twelve gods of Olympus, the twelve tribes of Israel, the twelve Imams, the twelve Gates of Heaven, the twelve months of the year, the twelve hours of the day, the twelve-tone musical scale, the twelve subatomic building blocks – quarks and leptons – now believed to constitute all the material world. Into these systems, the number 13 brings a kind of instability, an element of intrusiveness, confusion, un-canniness and disorder.
In the Mo system of Tibetan divination, the number 13 is said to belong to Penden Lhomo, the Tibetan form of the Buddhist goddess Sri Devil, the fierce protectress of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan state. In this system of divination, three dice are thrown, which can result in numbers from 3 to 18. The number 12 is the unluckiest; the number 13 is the most favorable.
There are said to be 13 stages to Buddha hood consisting of ten bodhisattva stages and three additional pre-Buddhist stages.
"M" is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet and it also stands for marijuana.
The 13 House – In 1884, Sarah Winchester, the Winchester Rifle heiress, began constructing of her lifelong obsession, the 160-room Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California. Mrs. Winchester, who had lived in New Haven, Connecticut, was deeply upset by the death of her husband and daughter (he from pulmonary tuberculosis, she from marasmus one month after birth), and she consulted a medium. Supposedly the medium explained that the spirits of all those who had been killed by the rifles her manufactured had sought their revenge by taking the lives of her loved ones. Furthermore, these spirits had placed a curse on her and would haunt her forever. But the medium also stated that she could escape the curse by moving west, buying a house, and continually building on it as the spirits directed. In this way, she could escape them and perhaps find the key to eternal life. One of the most extraordinary features of the house is the role that the number 13 plays in it. A partial list of the 13’s in the house include:
o 13 cement blocks in the Carriage Entrance Hall.
o 13 Blue and amber stones in the spider web window.
o 13 bathrooms.
o 13 panels in the wall by the 13th bathroom
o 13 windows in the 13th bathroom.
o 13 steps to the 13th bathroom
o 13 windows and doors in the old sewing room.
o 13 hooks in the Séance Room.
o 13 Ever-Flow drain holes in the Italian Sink.
o 13 rails by the spy hole in the South Conservatory.
o 13 steps on the 1st flight to the fourth floor.
o 13 ceiling panels in the Entrance Hallway.
o 13 sub-panels in the ballroom ceiling panels.
o 13 glass cupolas in the greenhouse.
o 13 holes in the drain-hole cover.
o 13 gas jets on the Ballroom Chandelier
o 13 stones in the Oriental Bedroom windows.
o 13 squares on each side of the Otis Electric Elevator.
On April 13, 1984, the Winchester Mystery House officially celebrated one hundred years of Mystery, with the help of the Mountain Charlie Chapter No. 1850 of E Campus Vitus, by unveiling a special 100th Anniversary Plaque commemorating Sarah Winchester and the Winchester Mystery House for "100 years of Mystery". At 1300 hours (1:00 P.M.), the bell in Mrs.. Winchester’s bell tower was rung 13 times; and at the conclusion of the celebration, 1,300 balloons were released into the air. There are 13 parts to Sarah Winchester’s will; her signature appears in it 13 times.
Between June 1962 and January 1964, Albert H. DeSalvo, known as the Boston Strangler, killed 13 women in Boston, Massachusetts. Tried and convicted in 1967, he was murdered in his jail cell.
On the evening of Friday the 13th in January 1995, the iconoclastic artist Ray Johnson jumped from a highway bridge over Sag Harbor Cove in Long Island, New York, and was last seen by two teenage boys backstroking in the freezing waters. Several hours before his death, Johnson checked into a nearby motel and specifically asked for room #247, whose digits add up to 13, as do the digits of the time he was spotted in the water by the two boys, 7:15 p.m., and as do the digits in his age, 67. (The day before his death, Ray Johnson had phoned a friend and told him, "I have a new project, the biggest I’ve ever undertaken, the most important in my life".)
On September 13, 1993, Yasir Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin shook hands on the White House lawn in Washington D.C., after signing a declaration of agreement on interim Palestinian self-rule.
Agamemnon was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, on the 13th of Gamelion (January)
Odysseus, the 13th of his group of companions, is the only one to have escaped the devouring appetite of the Cyclops Polyphemus.
The Amazon Queen Minythyla tried to mate with Alexander the Great during a period of 13 days.
Oenomaus, the father of Hippodamia, killed 13 of her suitors before Pelops won her.
Phillip II of Macedonia was assassinated shortly after he allowed a statue of himself to be erected along with those of the 12 gods of Olympus, making 13 statues in all.
Thirteen is to be considered the age of puberty, and the first transition into "teen-hood".
That 13 brings ill-luck is mere tradition,
Yea, even more, it’s foolish superstition-
For 13, lucky number runs,
Through all our Country’s ripening suns-
‘Tis for Our Land and omen good-
For Peace-Liberty-Brotherhood!
--From Lucky13, a mini-epic written by Maurice Walter in 1919
The 13 American colonies banded together to revolt against England and formed the United States of America. 13 representatives signed the Declaration of Independence, and a flag with the 13 stars was made on January13, 1794. France announced support for the 13 colonies on June 13, 1778.
Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which declares, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude…shall exist within the United States." Mississippi was the last of the nine Civil War holdout-states to approve the amendment.
The ill-fated Apollo 13 mission was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 hours Central Time from Pad 39 (13 x 3), and was aborted on April 13 after the explosion of an oxygen tank serving the command ship. Three of the sleeping periods scheduled for the astronauts were supposed to start at 13 minutes past the hour, as was the possible splashdown times. The film Apollo 13 grossed $26 million (13 x 2) in its first weekend showings in the United States.
When Princess Margaret was born in Scotland’s Glamis Castle on August 21, 1930, palace officials delayed the registration of her birth for three days until another baby was born, so that the princess’s registration number wouldn’t be 13.
When Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to West Germany in 1965, the number of the platform at they Duisburg railway station, from which she was about to depart, was changed from 13 to 12A.
When Spanish princess Elena de Bourbon celebrated her marriage on March 18, 1995, to the banker Jaime de Marichalar y Saenz de Tejada, he participated in an old Castilian custom by ritually pouring 13 gold coins into the hands of his bride as a sign that their goods would be held in common. (bienes con juntos)
The French monarch Louis XIII, who declared the number 13 to be his favorite number, married Anna of Austria when she was 13 years old.
The Sun and the Moon are in almost a perfect 13 to 1 ratio. The Sun moves approximately one degree a day, while the moon moves thirteen degrees a day. All of this has made 13 a moon number (13 moons in a lunar year), and 12 a sun number (12 months to a calendar year)
The number 13 bus in London remained unharmed throughout World War II
Dream car of the week...
The Tri-five chevys have always been popular among the masses. I personally don't feel that I share the fondness that a lot have for the 1955 - 1957 chevrolets. I like certain models more than others - the wagons mainly. And most in my experience refer the 1957 Bel Air hardtop, but for me I really like a plain 1955 post car.
A while back when I saw this car posted on-line my jaw hit the floor. The satin paint, blue plexi windows, moon tank, clear scoop, white fender well headers, and altered wheelbase are awesome! Check it out:
A while back when I saw this car posted on-line my jaw hit the floor. The satin paint, blue plexi windows, moon tank, clear scoop, white fender well headers, and altered wheelbase are awesome! Check it out:
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Happy Birthday sis...
Just wanted to tell my lil' sister happy 30th birthday...
Now I know this may upset you that I said you were 30 when all today you believe you are only twenty-nine, but you are the favorite out of all my siblings so I am going to let you in on something the parental units don't want to tell you. In the fall of 1979 we went to Canada for some horse thing. Mom was pregnant with you, and well, while we were there you were born. I never really named you - you were named after a little town in some French Canadian providence (seriously, Google it). Well after returning to the states it took a while to get you "papered" - that's the term they used when joking about it. Hence you Feb 12th birthday.
Wow - I feel SO much better getting that off my chest...
Why are woman so obsessed about the big three zero?
Now I know this may upset you that I said you were 30 when all today you believe you are only twenty-nine, but you are the favorite out of all my siblings so I am going to let you in on something the parental units don't want to tell you. In the fall of 1979 we went to Canada for some horse thing. Mom was pregnant with you, and well, while we were there you were born. I never really named you - you were named after a little town in some French Canadian providence (seriously, Google it). Well after returning to the states it took a while to get you "papered" - that's the term they used when joking about it. Hence you Feb 12th birthday.
Wow - I feel SO much better getting that off my chest...
Why are woman so obsessed about the big three zero?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Yenko...
If you know me you know of my fondness of the 1968 - 72 Chevy Nova, and out of those cars one model truly "has me".
Don Yenko was in the business of selling Chevrolets from his two dealerships in Pennsylvania, but he was a racer and a true performance guru at heart. Subsequently, when certain customers demanded a performance upgrade, Yenko would accommodate them right from his shop. In order to handle this end of the business, Yenko created Yenko Sports cars, which specialized in swapping powerful engines into lightweight performance cars such as the Corvair Stinger, 427-powered Camaro and Chevelle and the Yenko Nova and Deuce.
The Yenko big-block Nova was Produced in 1969 and the small-block-inspired Deuce debuted in 1970. The first-year Yenko's numbered 37, of which 28 had a 427 installed by Yenko's crew and 9 left the lot with the factory-installed 375-horse 396 powerplant. According to Yenko, the L72 427-powered Novas were the wildest cars he ever built. They were 396 cars with no SS emblems - and with the right tires and suspension setup, the finished machine was capable of reaching 60 mph in less than four seconds.
The 1970 Yenko Deuce was built, as Yenko put it, "as an insurance beater." Since legislation and the insurance industry were clamping down hard on overpowered street cars, Yenko decided to install a Corvette LT1 with 370 houses, solid-lifter cam, 12-bolt rear with 4.10:1 Positraction, F-41 suspension and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. 175 versions of the Deuce were built under COPO 9010 and offered in one of eight unique colors. Each car came stock with standard-grade black interior and a front bench seat.
And out of those Novas that rolled out of the Yenko shop that first year Nova in definitely my favorite:
Don Yenko was in the business of selling Chevrolets from his two dealerships in Pennsylvania, but he was a racer and a true performance guru at heart. Subsequently, when certain customers demanded a performance upgrade, Yenko would accommodate them right from his shop. In order to handle this end of the business, Yenko created Yenko Sports cars, which specialized in swapping powerful engines into lightweight performance cars such as the Corvair Stinger, 427-powered Camaro and Chevelle and the Yenko Nova and Deuce.
The Yenko big-block Nova was Produced in 1969 and the small-block-inspired Deuce debuted in 1970. The first-year Yenko's numbered 37, of which 28 had a 427 installed by Yenko's crew and 9 left the lot with the factory-installed 375-horse 396 powerplant. According to Yenko, the L72 427-powered Novas were the wildest cars he ever built. They were 396 cars with no SS emblems - and with the right tires and suspension setup, the finished machine was capable of reaching 60 mph in less than four seconds.
The 1970 Yenko Deuce was built, as Yenko put it, "as an insurance beater." Since legislation and the insurance industry were clamping down hard on overpowered street cars, Yenko decided to install a Corvette LT1 with 370 houses, solid-lifter cam, 12-bolt rear with 4.10:1 Positraction, F-41 suspension and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. 175 versions of the Deuce were built under COPO 9010 and offered in one of eight unique colors. Each car came stock with standard-grade black interior and a front bench seat.
And out of those Novas that rolled out of the Yenko shop that first year Nova in definitely my favorite:
Monday, February 9, 2009
He likes me, he really likes me...
I went back to the blog where a photo I had taken had been posted, and found that another one had been used. I was suprised to see another one...
Here is my post before.
Here is my post before.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Meanwhile, back on the island...
Well, this weekend was my sister-in-law's birthday. As some of you may know, and the others will soon find out, my wife's family is from HI. They moved here when my wife was 10 or so. So this year it was decided to through my sister-in-law and her friend a Hawaiian themed party.
There was a ton of delicious Hawaiian food - the sausage I am still belching up. Hawaiian dress. Hawaiian decorations. And even a Hawaiian inspired murder mystery!
The night was not only entertaining, but educational...
I learned that my wife can go head to head with me in a game of pool.
A heaping tablespoon of salt does not cure the hiccups. Sorry Megan.
My brother-in-law, Conn, can be a very convincing "Mitch".
People do not like it when you ad-lib in a well planned murder mystery. Hey I thought the clues were kinda boring.
Men doing the hula make me blush:
And last, but not least, those fire sticks are dangerous:
There was a ton of delicious Hawaiian food - the sausage I am still belching up. Hawaiian dress. Hawaiian decorations. And even a Hawaiian inspired murder mystery!
The night was not only entertaining, but educational...
I learned that my wife can go head to head with me in a game of pool.
A heaping tablespoon of salt does not cure the hiccups. Sorry Megan.
My brother-in-law, Conn, can be a very convincing "Mitch".
People do not like it when you ad-lib in a well planned murder mystery. Hey I thought the clues were kinda boring.
Men doing the hula make me blush:
And last, but not least, those fire sticks are dangerous:
Friday, February 6, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Caution...
Hackers make electronic road signs warn motorists of zombies, raptors; highway officials angry
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Hackers are messing with electronic road signs in some states, warning of zombies and raptors down the road. Traffic safety officials aren't amused. The latest breach came during Tuesday morning's rush hour near Collinsville, Ill., east of St. Louis. That's where hackers changed a sign along southbound Interstate 255 to read, "DAILY LANE CLOSURES DUE TO ZOMBIES."
Similar pranks have been pulled in recent days near Indianapolis and in Austin, Texas.
The Illinois Department of Transportation's Joe Gasaway worries that such pranks distract drivers from legitimate hazards down the road, perhaps endangering road crews.
In Illinois, tampering with an official traffic control device is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $250 fine.
COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Hackers are messing with electronic road signs in some states, warning of zombies and raptors down the road. Traffic safety officials aren't amused. The latest breach came during Tuesday morning's rush hour near Collinsville, Ill., east of St. Louis. That's where hackers changed a sign along southbound Interstate 255 to read, "DAILY LANE CLOSURES DUE TO ZOMBIES."
Similar pranks have been pulled in recent days near Indianapolis and in Austin, Texas.
The Illinois Department of Transportation's Joe Gasaway worries that such pranks distract drivers from legitimate hazards down the road, perhaps endangering road crews.
In Illinois, tampering with an official traffic control device is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $250 fine.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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