The Round of My Life... (so far)

Hey, greetings again!

Well, as promised, the round of my life!

The Venue:



Before you get all excited, keep in mind this is an "Executive" Golf Course... There is 10 par 3's, 8 par 4's, and no par 5's. So, while not long, it's tricky, and there's a lotta water. So, the premium is on ACCURACY, not distance. Which is good for me.

Also, as I've said for 20 years, it's a HUGE plus to play a place over and over... and to be fair, I've played this place at least 25 times.

The Front Nine:



Hole #1 is a straightaway par 3, around 170 today, per my bushnell laser rangefinder. That's a bad distance for me, and I had decided I wasn't going to hit anything "hard" today, after two previously very humbling rounds... Okay. I considered a light 4 iron, rethought, hit like a "normal" very controlled 5-iron. I was trying to get off to a good start, after starting off 6 and 6 the previous 2 attempts here. I hit the 5, Takes off really nice, flying, dead straight, no real draw or fade, and it is RIGHT AT IT. Lands short, right on line. I was kinda disappointed, but when we drove up, this green is really small, and the ball is actually only a couple yards short. Hit a low running chip too hard, rolled past. Putt back down, missed left, a two-footer goes down for bogey. A good start. Waaay better than a 6.

Hole #2 is a par 3, playing 113 today, plays completely across a pond. In my prime, this is a PW. I decide on a smooth 8. The wind is really calm today, almost dead, very unusual for Florida. It's always blowing down there. Another real nice shot, explodes off the clubface. Shot is pin high, lost it to the right a little. Hit a dandy little PW chip shot to 3 feet, drano for par. Wow. Bogey-par start. I've already shaved 4 shots from yesterday's round, heh heh!

Hole #3 is a medium par 4, tee shot across a decent pond, then dogleg right, to a green. The play here is to hit your tee shot right, and fly the pond and the woods if you can, and cut the corner. The previous rounds, my driver-type shots were leaking right, so I took my Tommy Armour 855 Silver Scot Senior Driver, aimed kind of left, and just tried to swing easy. Shot went exactly where I was aiming it, and if anything, it was drawing back a touch at the end. Okay, so I didn't cut the corner, but the ball is dry, not in the pond, not in the woods. Anytime I can find it and hit it again, hey, that's good. Small doggies love that. I have maybe 150 to the green. I hit a smooth 6, which draws left a little, and comes up a little short. After a fairly poor chip, I two-putt for bogey. Oh well...

Hole #4 is a straightforward par 3, 120 or so today... 7 Iron flies right, but is pin high. A woeful short chip leaves another chip. The second chip is great, rolls down and cozies up to the hole. Tap it in for bogey. The way I typically play, I'll take bogeys. And actually, that second chip left me with a real good feeling... And actually, when I start drawing the ball a little, that's generally a good sign.

Hole #5 is a very tricky par 4. Tee shot must carry a pond, pond is all down the right, and crosses back over the fairway around 200-220 away, framing a landing area that is from around 130 to 220, depending on the line. The second shot then is dogleg right, back across the pond, to a green fronted by the pond. I know people who could drive this, but not me. I decide to choke down the 855 driver and just poke it out there. My right hand is down on the shaft, this is totally choked, and I barely take more than a 3/4 swing. Shot comes off low and hot. Lands in the middle of the landing area and rolls forever, disappears near the far bank. The Fireplug is scared. Not to worry, drive out there... if you wanted to pick a spot to place your ball, this is it. Really lucky. Perfect. 68 yards to the flag. I am literally in the last 3 feet of fairway. I hit a lovely 3/4 sand wedge than lands about 12 feet right, pin high, on a small green. Putt is the perfect distance, leaks left at the end. A 1-foot tap-in for par. I've taken so many 6's and 7's on this hole, a routine par feels like Eagle.

Hole #6 is a tough par 3, about 170, must carry the water all the way, and water all down the right, slightly elevated green that slopes hard towards the lake. Not good. I have drowned my previous two attempts here and taken big numbers. I decide to hit 4-iron, smooth, aimed well left... My goal is to stay dry at all costs. I hit the 4, smooth, feels like too much. Ball is left, heading for a monster bunker. Ball starts to fade right, lands between the bunker and the green. Well, it's dry. Roll up in the cart, and I see it actually is on the green. Well above the hole. Putt is down hill and side-hill, straight down towards the lake. Bad visual putt, frightening. I pick a line maybe 15 feet left of the hole, it's going to be a huge breaker, and stroke it. Putt starts rolling... it is turning... break looks real good... putt is picking up speed, this could be ugly...putt tracks into the hole and goes in doing about 20 miles an hour. Crazy lucky. Insane. A birdie on the brutal 6th.

The incredible 5th and 6th, par-birdie. I am in shock.

The 7th is a pretty normal par 3, plays 135 today, dead straight. Tee shot is short right. A nice chip to about 8 feet, and ka-boom!, he makes another putt. Par. This is like an out of body experience. I'm tempted to pinch myself. Par-birdie-par. My putter, the true weakness of my game my whole life, showing signs of performing...

The 8th is a par 3, real tricky heavily bunkered green with 3 tiers... I saw one of my Dad's neighbor's ace this once. My tee shot is okay, but turns into a 3-putt on the tricky goony-golf green.

The 9th is a par 3 that is the shortest 105 yards on the planet. Heavy gator-filled woods & swamp behind, so long is quite literally dead. I've wondered over the years if this thing is around 75 yards, but my Bushnell laser range thing keeps saying 105, 103, depending on the flag. I choke way down on a PW, and swing away. For once, the shot is pin high. About a 20 footer, sidehill. I hit the putt... it is tracking, speed is really good... it stops on the edge... sits...sits...and like the Caddyshack Putt, drops in. Whoa. Birdie on 9. Crazy.

The Back Nine:



The back is longer... we gird ourselves for the challenge. If Fireplug was wearing pants, he'd hitch them up right now, just like Arnie, the King of Golf.

#10 is a long straight par 4, heavy mounds right, Houses and big trees tight on the left. I crush the 855 Silver Scot down the right hand side... ball draws back at the end, finishes right center of the fairway, perfect. I have 41 yards left, so that ball was a good 250-260, which for me is monstrous. After having a bunch of back and neck issues, the length is gone, sorry to say. I hit a half a sandwedge, it's truly a beauty, attacking the flagstick...Hits and stops like 6 feet. With heart palpitations, I approach the putt. This is the worst kind of putt for me, a putt I think I oughta be able to make. Boom goes the dynamite, it's in for a 3. Another ridiculous birdie. The belly putter I have really helps at least on the line of these kind of treacherous putts. I've taken so many 6's on this hole, it's not even funny...3 feels like I'm playing the wrong hole by accident.

#11 is a long long crazy par 4 that has truly been the scene of the crime on many occasions. Lotsa 7's and 8's here. Long tee shot into a landing area. From there, it's a good 160-170 to a green surrounded by big deep water on 3 sides (front, right, and back) and heavy deep bunkers left. My tee shot is snapped left a little, hits a tree. Not good. I decide to try a hero shot from here, it's 200-ish. 5 wood, takes off pretty good, starts leaking right, and is short. Ugh. Seems to go in a moderate bunker front right. Oh well. Roll up there, it's short of the bunker, I have a chip. I hit a decent chip, it's maybe 7 feet. With cardiac arrest imminent, I hit the putt... it does a complete 360 around the hole, teeters out, then teeters back in for a par, only the second par of my life on this infernal piece of real estate. Okay, I take that back, my Dad lives on this hole...

#12 is another long par 4, with just a lagoon right of the green, but not really in play. This is a heavily sloped green though, guarded by a large mature tree in front. Tee shot is huge, straight, right center. 2nd shot is high, flies straight over the tree, lands behind the flag. My nerves are totally shot, as I proceed to do a more routine 3-putt, the 3rd putt being a 6-footer that nearly missed. I feel lucky to save bogey.

#13 is a long par 3, water all down tight on the right, lotta houses left, definitely in play on a shot this long, like 200. I hit the 5 wood, it is good, at the end it draws left and ends up behind some trees, short and left. In a miracle development, I have a shot thru the opening in the trees. My chip is waaaay too hot, sizzles past the hole a good 25 feet. 2 putt from there for a bogey. I'm okay with that, this hole can turn into a 7 real fast.... I'm speaking from experience on that. (Fireplug nods head soberly...)

#14 is a tricky par 3, like 140 today, but the green is heavily mounded all around it, so you can see the flag, but not the green itself. I hit a nice shot into this, hard to tell. Drive up, it's on the green, kinda straight up a slight hill, 25 feet. I hit a firm putt, trying to lag it close, and it goes in, just like the PGA Pros woulda done it. Insane, another birdie. I realize I'm doing waaay better on the longer putts that I'm really not thinking about making at all... So many have gone in, it's getting ridiculous...

#15 is a short par 3, carry over water all the way, onto a fairly flat open green. Tee shot is yet another good one, I'm really getting off the tee today, whew. Approach putt is the perfect distance, tails left at the hole. Inside the leather tap in for par. Made it look so easy....

#16 is a kinda normal par 4, sorta long, well defended by trees right. Tee shot is really good, another explosion off the face of the 855. Tracks down the right hand side, draws back to the middle, textbook. The easier I swing this thing, the longer I'm crushing it. I have 38 yards left, so again, this is 240-ish... a monster for a puppy like me. I hit a half a sand wedge, flies up in good shape. Routine 2 putt. Another par. Whoa.

#17 is a tricky par 4. Not that far, but it curves left all the way, and is well defended by mature trees the whole way. Tee shot is a 4-wood, a little Goldwin Golf AVDP milled 4 wood I'm particularly fond of. I thought I could draw it, but the shot is dead straight, thru the fairway, into the rough, right of the green. 63 yards or so. I hit another 3/4 sand wedge, and it's a beauty. Ten feet. Putt is choked, woefully short, leaving a brutal 3 footer that miraculously goes in for par, as The Frankster readies the defibrillator....

#18. is a brutal finishing par 4. Big lake all the way down the right side of the fairway, to a landing area, then a dogleg left, across a rocky creek, to a small green surrounded by gator-filled woods. This has been the scene of some reeeeely big numbers in the past. I am strangely calm. The Frankster has been writing down the scores, so I really have no clue that something special is happening. If you had asked me at that moment, I'd have said I made some miracle birdies, but otherwise it's been an okay round. In retrospect, I have got off the tee fabulously all day, and my chips have really been solid, and I've avoided big trouble when it could have grabbed me and dragged me into the swamp. I fire away with the 855 Silver Scot, the shot is big, long, towering... skying a little down the right, it draws back to the middle. Roll out there in the cart, and much like the 5th hole, if you drove out there in the cart, and picked a spot to PLACE a perfect ball, this was it. Perfect. 80 yards to the hole. This might be the perfect full sand wedge. Much discussion ensues with The Frankster, who over the years has gotten a real keen eye to my game, and the sorta shot I'm good at. He doesn't play, but he has a knack for games and sports, and knows what he's looking at. He doesn't like it, he wants a 3/4 PW. I'm kinda talking myself into the sand wedge. The sand wedge has been knocking down flags all day, I'm feeling it. I go ahead and hit it. Ball goes a mile in the air... It's so high, we're literally discussing, it's got so much hang time. Ball falls out of the sky, boom, one hop, sits down tight to the stick, maybe 5 feet.



That's the ball, right there, on 18. Best approach of the day, it had to be. Again, I need a nitroglycerin tablet, before I can contemplate this putt. Firm left center, boom, it goes down for my insane 5th birdie of the day.

Crazy. One over for 18 holes. One UNDER on the brutal back Nine.

What can I say. The round of my life. On December 5th, 2008, my 45th birthday, no less. After a year of some brutal back pain and literally no practice whatsoever...

There you have it. Witnessed and everything.

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did.

Until next time...

The trip home...

Well, certainly a sad story, but we had to leave....



Take a good look, little buddy... Next time the sun comes up, we'll be freezing our little butts off in Wisconsin...

Trip started off fairly nice... Nice 75 degree sunny day as we departed....



Sun setting near the Georgia Florida state line... very pleasant evening... Seems like a shame to go home, really.



A little gas stop in Northern Georgia... Once you're past Atlanta, it's usually smooth sailing....

Then we hit an ice storm in southern Illinois. Freeway closed, wrecks everywhere... Got to take a thrilling detour on Illinois 37, up to a town called Farina, and then back to I-57... Lotta Ice. Ice, ice, and more ice. A smooth, perfect coating of the frozen death...



Saw a lotta these... at least 50 or 60, as the sun came up. Some bad bad accidents. Not a good situation.



Back in Wisconsin, maybe 50 miles from home. Already afternoon the next day. Puttering through the ice storms killed our trip time, and put us in a sparkling mood, to be sure....



As you can see, 30 hours ago, my truck was waxed and wonderful.... Now, it's rain & salt bombed... Nice. So great to be home...



Okay, I guess it's good to be home. My Girlfriend, "The Doc", left me a nice surprise... Cookies, Blueberry Pie, and my birthday gift. Very nice. How can I complain about that.... I can't. I guess it's good to be home after all....

Overall, 3300 miles was covered. I give the Escalade high marks overall. This thing was born to cruise the freeway.

And it bad conditions, it inspires a lot of confidence. On ice, when it starts to get loose, the AWD pulls you back in line quickly. When you're faced with that low-speed icy bridge uphill approach, while others falter to the side of the road, you will proceed up the hill with no drama.

So, note to self: if I ever get another Cadillac Car, it will be an STS-4, not a rear-wheel drive. The weather up here is just absurd. And it's one thing to say "Ohh, I'll be okay." Yeah. When you're stuck, 70 miles from any sort of town of any significance, in a mess, at night, it's no joke. I'm too old to sit in my car for 6 hours waiting for a tow truck. You drive though something like that, looking at the people huddled in their wiped out car... it's no joke. And it must be avoided.

The trip statistics were a waste, with the sitting for hours, idling at 5 mph for hours, detours, etc. So that was rendered irrelevant.

So much for the trip!!

Next time, we will review... "The Round Of My Life". We're talking about golf. Stay tuned.

Hit That Ball!

Hey, greetings, Fireplug here again...

Did a little golfing today...



The Frankster, Professional Cart Driver... Very nice.



The epic 6th tee... a carry over water all the way. Sadly, a golf ball was lost during the filming of this episode....



The Eleventh!!! A treacherous par 4. You might remember we finally par'ed this hole last year, and the celebration lasted well into the night.... A bogey this year, not bad. a heroic 5-wood second shot saved the day. You might also remember, Frank's house is here....



Relaxing with Marvin The Martian after the round....

The Illudium Peuh-36 Explosive Space Modulator?? That earth doggie has stolen it!!!!

Delays, delays...

Small Dog Days in the Sun...

Hey, greetings!!

I never really posted this officially, but it will soon become apparent that I now have an Escalade..

Well, my annual Escape From Reality trip to Florida... Here we go!!!



Here we go, heading out from Pewaukee... Already dark out. Traffic was super light at night... almost nonexistent..



A little gas stop in Champaign Illinois... Heh heh, actually, there aren't very many "little" gas stops in an Escalade...



Dawn in Tennessee... Nice day. These mountains are very scenic. Definitely get a second wind when the sun comes up...



Another gas stop in Georgia... Getting closer.... closer...Heh heh heh!!

Well, A small Doggie crosses into Florida, at long last!!! I thought this was the Sunshine State!!?!?! Raining pretty hard here, this picture is pretty worthless...



After pizza and beers and a few laughs, and a nice 10 hour nap, Fireplug, The Celebrity Puppy, awakes in the Florida Sunshine.....



Ahhhhh... how sweet it is!

Okay, let's have the trip report, from the Cadillac Driver's Information Center:

Miles: 1443.0
88.4 Gallons
Mileage 16.3 (It's better than that at 75... A lot of this drive was in the 80-83 range though, and that will take you down quickly from mid 17's to the low 16's...)
69 Average Miles per hour (not bad for such a long trip.)

Trip overall was sweet. Almost hit a deer in the dark south of Champaign, but aside from that, there was no drama. I give the Escalade high marks for a long trip. It was born to cruise the freeway, has great sight lines, predictable handling, and it's intimidating front end WILL get people to move out of the left lane when they see you coming....

Gas Prices: Oddly enough, again the "Gas Price" Title will not go to Wisconsin, for the second year in a row... All prices are for premium unleaded...

Pewaukee $2.03
Champaign IL $1.89
Paducah KY $1.71 (no, I'm not kidding... Kentucky also had Marlboros for $24 a carton)
Oak Grove KY $1.81
Dalton GA $1.84
Tifton GA $1.94
Bradenton FL $2.15 (Your winner for the Highest Gas Prices!!! Sad.)

Alright Kids, stay tuned for more Adventures of Fireplug!!

What's that sound?? The 105th???

Wow... Been Awhile!!!

Yeah, I know. Between customizing the new Bike, and Riding the New Bike, there has been NO TIME to blog...

But, the 105th Anniversary of Harley Davidson is just wrapping up here, and many festivities were enjoyed....

Here again is my new Ride, a 2007 Road King Classic.... many accessories have been added. Harley P&A reps are very proud, to be sure. Special thanks to TTT, the Triple Threat, for all his assistance in getting those Harley Parts for me. Thanks man!


Yep.

One of the most fun things we did was the Parade!! Yes, THE Parade into Milwaukee... super fun.

Here I am, ready to go!!




Was Awesome. Lotta people lining the streets... really a blast.

Thanks again to TTT, the Triple Threat, for setting that up.... THE MAN!!!



Whew!! Not that I wanna be a homebody, but sometimes it's nice to get home, take the headband off, and just relax for a minute.

Thanks again to TTT, the Triple Threat, for getting those passes, and for everything during the 105th... I literally had the time of my freaking life.

Until Next Time!!

PS feel free to check out my football thoughts at
http://www.cadillacpats.blogspot.com

Slo's Pub!!

Hey, what's up!!!

Well, spring WAS making a big move here... right now, it's blizzarding here, and it's no joke.... this is a frickin blizzard....

So, under my "just in time" file, I went and got my new motorcycle... yesterday, before the snow...



Yes, another adventure in Motoring....

To remind our viewers, this is the New Road King Classic:



Yes, very nice indeed.... I've been making all these payments, I finally took possession... About time.

But while I was there, we stopped at Slo's Pub!! Yes indeedy. Take 51 north... You pass through Minocqua, and at the north end of town, you will see 70 East... take 70 east for a little bit, you'll see a sign for Big Arbor Vitae Drive, to the left... take that left. Follow that for a ways, couple miles maybe, and when you see the lake on the left, look to the right, and you'll see Slo's Pub!!

Nice. Great view of the lake. Amazing.

Here are a couple of "Slo's Girls"...



And here's Greg and Sue, your hosts at Slo's Pub. Very nice. Special thanks to them for their hospitality... we had a great time!



Thanks again, it was great!! Greg retired from where I work... and it's truly heatwarming to see somebody enjoying their retirement...

So, now I sit inside, hiding from the deep snow outside....

Until next time!!

Stowaway!!

Hey, welcome to March!!

I never thought we'd make it... what a winter. I have 55 on my outdoor temp guage right now. Seriously. And the sun is not shining on it. After February, I'll take it...

I stowed away to the Milwaukee Auto Show!!



Yep, that's me... what, you think I wanna stay home?? Think again...



That's the New Audi R8.. very impressive...



The inside of a Lincoln Navigator.... super sweet. I know, it's not a Cadillac, but... it's pretty nice.



New Mustang... also a nice car.



And best of all, here I am at the Miller Time Pub afterwards!!!

Lotta walking at the show.... felt good to take a load off.... And even better to get my paws on a nice Bacon Cheeseburger....

Westminster!

Hey, how are ya??

Just got done watching the Westminster Dog Show on Universal HD... really nice. Better than being there, probably. Amazing.

In our favorite, the Toy Group, a Toy Poodle was your best in class... nice. Fritz is proud.

Prior to the running of the Toy Group, though, they had a great little feature about Smoky, a Yorkshire Terrier who was found in a foxhole in the Pacific Theater. He stayed with Bill, his new owner, surviving several attacks and performing heroic deeds, and after the war, was a well known service dog, visiting vets in hospitals.



His most famous picture, shortly after his discovery... sitting in a helmet, sharing rations with the soldiers...



So you think little Yorkies can't be war heroes?? Sure they can. This was at an airport, being bombed daily. They needed a telephone line across a runway. It would have been suicide to tear up the runway and run the line, as it would have grounded all the airplanes.

They discovered this small culvert pipe, running under the runway. Look closely at that picture, that's Smoky, in the mouth of the pipe, with a line tied to him. Bill called him from the other end of the pipe, and he ran seventy feet through the pipe, with the line, emerging muddy and dusty at the other end, but otherwise in fine shape. Obviously, no person could get in a pipe this small. Mission Successful!

(I will admit I have mixed feelings about this... if he gets stuck in the pipe, and dies, it's cruelty... but because he made it, its heroism.... but at the very least, he was a very brave little dog to try it...)



This is a "hairamic" replica of Smoky... a cermaic body, carefully covered with Yorkshire Terrier hair clippings gathered from dozens of show dogs... This replica is on permanent display at a veterinary college.

During the special that ran during Westminster, apparently there is also a new memorial to Smoky and all War Dogs, featuring a bronze sculpture of Smoky, in the helmet... very nice.

You can find out lots more at smokywardog.com, or do a search, there are many links to his history, and to the many memorials there are in his (and all service dogs)honor around the country...

The Beatings Continue...

Hey, good day.

Yes, Winter continues to beat down on the small doggie.... brutal. It is so wrong to kick a dog, period.... so, kicking him when he's down is doubly wrong.

So, old man winter.... You can stop now.

Went to the Mitchell Park Domes, they had their Garden Scale G-Scale model railroad set up. Really nice.

Saw a movie, "The Brave One", with Jodie Foster. Very nice, I liked it. Slightly different take on the whole "Death Wish" revenge movie genre... but very well done.

The premise is lifted straight out of the Charles Bronson Classics "Death Wish" and "Death Wish 2", but Jodie Foster brings a strong presence, and really turns in a great performance, as usual. More of an emotional component in this film... I liked it. Definitely worth your time.

Not much else going on.... Just working my crazy job, and trying to hang tough until spring....

In Memoriam....

Fritz, AKA Fritzie, The Fritz
1989 - February 4, 2005

There's not much to say... If there's a Dog Hall of Fame, he's in it.

Nobody who knew him will ever forget him...

February is the Cruelest Month...

Or is it April?? I keep forgetting.... With apologies to TS Eliott... and if you don't get the TS Eliott reference, what can I tell ya???





Yes, Lara Croft is back!!

Well, okay, there is a newer game yet....

But right now, this one can be picked up used in game stores everywhere for under $20... and it is a great value at that.

Very nice game. Visually stunning. Very watchable, like a movie almost.

The controls are actually do-able, even for a small doggie like me.

Now, I will also direct you to a pretty decent walk-thru, done by ipino, which is available on gamespot.com, and gamefaqs.com... nice job. It has some holes in it, but overall, it will get you going. Since it's been years since I played the old Tomb Raider games on PC, I had no clue... so this at least got me started.

Like I say, in the doldrums of February, when we just hide out in our houses and wait for spring, this game will be a great diversion for you.

Lush tropical environments?? Check.

Nice weapons? Check. The combat actually isn't the worst. Obviously it's simpler than your first person shooters like Halo... This game is more about puzzles, and manuevering around, and solving problems. After working thru Halo 3 a couple times, I was ready for a break. The legendary pistols are nice, and the "RC650" is basically an M4, or CAR-15 variant, the collapsible AR-15/M-4 variant. The RC650 is slick.

Dialogue and voice overs? Check. Pretty good voice work.

Cutscenes? Decent. Well done. Generally lend some atmosphere to the story. Generally plausible and well written. There are also some "interactive" cutscenes that are kind of fun, and refreshing, so stay alert if it starts to indicate a button press, or some action...

Vehicles? Yeah, there are some decent vehicles you get to play with. Notably the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Edition, and the Ducati sportbikes that were both featured in the second movie, IIRC.

So, check that out. Well worth your $20. and enjoy. Just because it's an old game, don't let that stop you.

Also, go into "calibration" in the extras section, and make sure the brightness on your tv is set correctly. It's hard to see some of the stuff if you are too dim on your epic big screen....

And if you don't have an epic big screen.... well, what are you waiting for?? Super Bowl is tomorrow!!!

And now, for a bacon cheeseburger.... running around shooting bad guys and pillaging treasure is hard work.... tuckers a doggie out....

Is That Gold?!?!?

Hey, how are ya??

Well, maybe not in this blog, but I've said it from time to time, we'll know gold is starting to get noticed when the cover of some financial magazine has a stack of kruggerrands on it...

Well, they're not K-Rands, but...

Yep... Those are United States Gold Eagles... 1 troy ounce pure gold coins... an excellent investment.

It's okay though, the article inside completely poo-poo'ed all over gold, and acted like the amazing 4 year run up is "over", and it could take "a big fall"...

For the record, I don't see how, as the Fed is busy day and night debasing our currency, and foreigners now seem determined to "co-inflate", to protect their home industries, and their beautiful trade surpluses... ahem, as if their tariffs weren't enough. Do you ever get tired of living in the last country on earth that doesn't have their borders closed, and firm import tariffs in place?? Just wondering...

Speaking of gold...

Not bad... Only a couple months ago, I pointed out that gold hit a 16 month high in the low $700/ounce range... these are all time records, kids.

Anyways, it's been bitter cold here. I picked up a couple used games for the XBox 360, at bargain prices. Full reviews will follow. But for now:

Lara Croft:Tomb Raider Legend. Visually very nice, a beautiful game. Fairly easy learning mode to ramp up. Abilities seem intuitive to grasp. I really struggled with Prince of Persia... this is easier. I'm just getting started... but so far, I like.

The Darkness. Very creepy gothic horror adventure thing. So far, nice. Not that easy to learn. The "darkness" powers of your undead main character are original, but also strange, and sometimes clumsy & difficult to grasp, even with a game guide, which I would say is a must for this one.

No Football this weekend. Seems strange... what did we used to do before football season?? Oh yeah, we rode Harleys, and waxed cars, and sat in the sun and read books... right. Hmm, it's so effing cold out right now, maybe that's the problem.

You like the Patriots?? I do. I think we see a monster Super Bowl Blowout on the way to 19-0. Thanks to Tedly Thompson, who, in his brilliance has built a warm weather team in Green Bay Wisconsin, the very weak Giants have been delivered to the Super Bowl. Good thinking Ted.... that's why they pay you the big bucks....

Saw a good movie... I rented "The Kingdom". Real good. The politics is more of a backdrop, it's really just a decent adventure suspense FBI type of thing... starts off slowly, but builds up nicely. Great performances by Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, and Chris Cooper. Real nice. This cast has some real chemistry, and it's very nicely shot. I can't really give a plot synopsis without giving it away, and there are some surprises, so, you'll just have to take my word...

Everyone's gotta believe in something.... I believe I'll find a snack...

Buying opportunities...

Hey, how are ya??

Got my truck back. Looks good. It's frozen right now, but it's nicely repaired...

Well, the markets are down... And do you know what that means?? That means the stuff you want is ON SALE!!!

THIS is when you buy!!!

Look, lets say I looked at a Harley, and they wanted $13,000 for it... And I said "Naaah" and went home. They call me the following week and say "Hey, how about $11,800??"

It's the same bike. In the same place. Same. Just cheaper.

Maybe you like Microsoft. Maybe you like The Amex Gold Bugs Index. Maybe you like Gold and Silver coins, and oil stocks (and if you do, I like how you think...)

Maybe you like Mobil. Whatever. Look, in these "general market corrections", Mobil may go down, but again, Mobil hasn't changed! It's the same Company, with the same properties, same wells, same fleet of trucks.... same. Just like that Harley that went on sale. Same company. Just cheaper. You're always trying to buy food, clothes, computers, big screen TV's, and cars when they're on sale.... why not your stocks??

Do you know what the HUI INdex is?? Better known as the AMEX Gold Bugs Index... a basket of decent gold mining stocks.



As you can see, this thing goes up and down, especially lately. Now, back in August, it was down to below 300 briefly. That was clearly the time to buy. When this thing is downtrodden, and everyone hates it, jump in. There was another point there in December at 380.... that would have been a decent entry point too.

Look, usual disclaimer: I'm a small doggie. Do not take any advice from a small doggie. My primary advice is to get a bacon cheeseburger and give it to me!!! I am not a financial analyst. I hate suits, and I hate double talk. I'm just throwing out ideas. But I would urge everyone to examine your beliefs, read, read some more... subscribe to a newsletter! Whatever! But do SOMETHING, find something YOU believe in, and don't be afraid to be a little bit of a contrarian...

These dips in the market, these are your buying opportunities....

If you wanna watch "Mad Money" on CNBC, go ahead. But keep in mind, that's a cross between entertainment television, and sports gambling "Tout" services, selling their football picks on a 900 line.... Cramer is no different than "Joe Diamond's Ten Star lock of the year".... use caution.

Also, the Internet is really a great tool.... back when I was at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm School of Business, it was really really hard (and expensive) to get your hands on the data... nowadays, any one of a dozen websites has charts, moving averages, whatever. It's all out there. It's free and easy. Read! When you're done, read some more!! We could only DREAM of access & info like this back in the day.... I found that chart in 2 seconds. Uploaded it in 30 seconds. Boom. Just like that.

So, good luck. Many of these companies & Commodities are the buy of a generation right now....

Crash! Boom! Bang!

Hey, good day...

Well, as you may or may not know, some kamikaze pilot driver cracked into the Envoy, so that's back at the body shop.... nice.


So, I get a rental car... they show up en masse from Mayfair Rent a Car, this body shop is so busy.... and the way people are driving, I'm not surprised... gives new meaning to the term "reckless disregard". So look idiots, if you're gonna strap on the white headband with the rising sun on it, pleeeze stay the f*** away from me on the road, okay?? But anyway, they show up with a Neon, some minivan pos, and a Chrysler 300. So, in a very odd, almost out of body experience, I'm sitting there HOPING the Chrysler 300 IS FOR ME?!?!? Yes, I kid you not. And it was! lol!






Yeah, so, let's run down the Chrysler 300:

Thumbs Up: 1. Decent looking sedan, for a 4 door.
2. Drives nice, and actually isn't a complete death machine in the snow, despite being rear wheel drive.
3. Seat has a humongous range of adjustment... if you can't get this thing set comfortably, start taking the bus... could use seat memory though.
4. Lights and wipers work reasonably nice.

Thumbs down: 1. I've heard it said that Chrysler wants to move upscale, to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln, and this is the flagship. Uhhh, you're not there yet. This 2007 300 falls well short of a 1997 Eldorado Touring Coupe in many areas.
2. This complicated gate deal on the automatic transmission, is that necessary?? Is that supposed to seem sporty?? It seems like I gotta look at it and play with it a lot to find the gear I want, to be honest...
3. A 2.7 Liter V6?? Utterly inadequate. At WOT, it gets louder, but not much happens. When you floor a Northstar-powered Cadillac, you better have a LOT of open road ahead of you, because you will be going 100 real soon...
4. You go to rear-wheel drive, and then you make the numbest steering setup I've ever seen. May as well have a joystick in it... zero road feel. If you're gonna have zero road feel, you may as well have front wheel drive...
5. Complex hood opening... and the owners manual is full of helpful tidbits like "If you have any problems, take it to the dealer." I'm real annoyed with that whole thing, from car makers... do you mind if I check the oil?? Battery is nowhere in sight. Basic stuff like oil changes, battery, air filter... that stuff should be accessible so that the owner can do it... That's part of good engineering, that has been totally ripped out of the process by accountants, dealer people, marketing, whoever.... make the damn thing so I can do the basics myself. Would that kill ya??
6. Touchiest brakes I have ever experienced, ever. Ultra touchy. I mean, I thought my C5 Corvette with a complete West Coast Corvettes caliper and rotor set on it was touchy... and it was... but it was nothing compared to this thing. You breathe on the brake pedal, and the sensation is just like, if you chained the car to a building, and the slack ran out, and the car just snapped to a stop...

Summary: it's actually not that far away from being an okay car. In a way, I wonder if I might be happy with a DeVille... this 4-door doesn't seem that bad. Now, with a V8, and loaded with amenities, it might be nice. I suppose this thing is a stripped rental deal, to be fair. Loaded up, it might have merit, in some ways.

So, I pick this thing up yesterday, and head off to work. On the way there, 2 idiots almost crack into me big time, in the snow... I tell ya, I'm on a roll.

More playoff action tomorrow. I'm psyched. I'm plotting the huge bacon cheeseburger I'm gonna put away during the game.... ahhh! The Doc made me chocolate chip cookies, too... nice.

Happy New Year!!!

Hey, Happy New Year. Wow. 2008. I'm speechless. I may need a bacon cheeseburger, to regain my composure...

Well, I hope you all got what you wanted for Xmas. Try not to be too disappointed by those $25 Home Depot cards I got you.... if I made money like our pal Lloyd, I swear, I would have bought you a Corvette Convertible. I swear!! If you think I'm lying, go ahead and get me $70 million, and I'll prove you wrong.

And if you have no clue what I'm talking about, review December's entries....

Well, I put my new Harley License plate frame on the truck... and my new super slick lighted trailer hitch cover!! Yeah, I know, slick, hey??



Very nice. Special thanks to TT, for getting me that stuff... thanks man.

He also got me this, the narrow thing in the upper part of the picture:



Kind of a shadowbox, with 5 pewter Harleys in it... fits that little narrow wall I have very nicely. TT set that up too, I traded my extra tire for that.... a decent deal... for me at least.



Just rented "Resident Evil: Extinction". If this were a videogame, I suppose the rating would be "Fanboys only"...

If you haven't seen the original "Resident Evil" and "Resident Evil: Apocalypse", don't bother, you'll have no clue what's going on....

If you saw them, and did not like them, don't bother.

However, if you did like them, this is a worthly addition to the series. Ali Larter gets a nice supporting role, you might remember her as the blonde in "Heroes" with a split personality, and a classic Cadillac, and a real nice Sniper Rifle... and some familiar faces are back, along with Milla Jovovich, who, if anything, has really grown into the role, and looks better than ever, and gives a well above average performance by horror movie standards.

Again, you directors out there, again this time, the deleted scenes held key plot points that would have been best left in the movie... I mean, really, is there a big difference between a 93 minute movie and a 97 minute movie?? Really?? Is there?? I don't think so. Espcially when critical points that make the whole story are left out....

Nice movie though. Let's go to the checklist:

Extreme zombie violence?? Check.

Extreme "Man's inhumanity to man" violence and themes? Check.

Milla Jovovich clearing a room with a .45 automatic in each hand?? Check.

Jovovich riding the motorcycle through the post-apocalyptic desert?? Check.

Post apocalypse Las Vegas?? Check.

Juicy Sequel Possibilities? Half a check. Allegedly, the sequel will be an animated film, which would really suck, because we've reached a point in the story where it looks like Alice just might get revenge on the Umbrella Corporation, on behalf of all mankind....

Anyway, it's lunchtime, and I need a bacon cheeseburger....