The Man Who Knew Too Much....

No this is  nothing new for a Jimmy Stewart fan. I want us to remember that movie...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049470/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025452/

Classic Hitchcock!

But now time to make you remember and laugh with me Bill Murray fans..The Man Who Knew Too Little!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120483/

Good Times!

Drop back in and see us again Y'all

Take A Ride On The Pork Chop Express

Howdy Y'all tonight we remember another movie. Yep I tend to ramble on about the shows I loved as a kid but the blog is about remembering the past. This is no different. This movie was pretty awesome, and when I got to watch it...it just came out on VHS. We got our first VCR around that time, a gift from one of my favorite uncles that is no longer with us God rest his soul.

But I am curious if any of y'all ever watched this movie. It was full of action, sorcery, and monsters. I will let these links fill in the blanks but it was really something back in the day, heck it still is!

So without further ado we get to the movie and I know ole Kurt Russell was quite the actor and the tough guy persona fit him like a glove...

Big Trouble In Little China!

The next video I found showcases some of the best quotes..but if you watch the movie and think more quotes should be included...
feel free to drop us a line...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090728/

Until the next time Y'all...

One OF The Shortest Wars In U.S. History

Howdy Y'all I decided to talk about some of the shortest wars in U.S. history...they will never be forgotten and at least one we still feel the impact from...and yes war is Hell!


The Spanish-American War of 1898 lasted about 6 months

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_shortest_war_in_US_history#ixzz1z9NXrPFg

Operation Desert Storm (January and Febuary 1991) lasted about 45 days

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_shortest_war_in_US_history#ixzz1z9Njy3cz

That war is still affecting many people still today!

Let us bow our heads and have a moment of silence for our veterans and whisper a prayer for
Our fallen and the ones still suffering from wounds and mental turmoil from that war!

God bless our selfless soldiers from all our battles and may God protect the ones that are in the field to this day...you will never be forgotten and I thank you for your service!

The Great Outdoors Called And Wanted Their Lamp Back...

Howdy Y'all I know I have been M.I.A. for a few days and tonight I almost was again. Sorry About that.

So I am gonna make this short tonight. But I wanted take a few minutes and remember one of John Candy's best films, one I hope that is well known to all. The Great Outdoors

Hopefully those clips left you laughing and remembering that great show and made you...
Hungry for MORE....

Yep I couldn't finish it!

And you know what they say..no good deed ever goes unpunished!

That lamp was priceless Y'all so they'd like it back and Jody the bear would like some fur!

Killed him a bar when he was only three...

Howdy Folks! Tonight we are going to take another little trip back.... This time to the Greenest state in the land of the free as we remember a fellow pioneer that went down in history and I will type a little of his song..
Raised in the woods so he knew every tree
Killed him a b'ar when he was only three.

That's right Davy, Davy Crockett...King of the wild frontier!

But good ole Davy really opened up our country, particularly my neck of the woods.. 
But there is so many stories of his storied and fabled past. So we are also remembering good ole Fess Parker and the 1950's. How many youngsters were so enamored and caught up in his show? I couldn't even imagine the numbers of fans honestly.

And Y'all that show would still appeal to the kiddos today and well just about everyone don't you think so too?  

That clip was really pretty cool.

Now I think I will leave you this lil clip that might make you smile...

Now in closing I give you this...

Watch out for them dang ole bars Y'all

All My Rowdy Friends Came Over Tonight....

Howdy Y'all this blog is gonna be a little different tonight because well...it started out a normal day but I guess everyone is all keyed up awaiting the upcoming Fourth of July..and my birthday on the 5th so my cell started ringing and next thing i knew...

(There is a decided lack of  footage of ole Hank throwin' down on that song...)

But that's pretty much what's happened here tonight so just grab a cold one and join us if you don't have to work tomorrow, or try not to influence the kiddos okay..CHEERS!

But I was reminded that one day in the far far away future I may look back on this as my past and play a fitting tune to remind myself I ain't as young as I used to be....maybe....

Yep but I ain't about to admit when I rowdy on down Y'all...drive careful or use a designated driver when you leave this here party...

It was often nicknamed the "Kenosha Cadillac"

Howdy Y'all! Tonight we will explore the often overlooked and lamented Icons of the U.S. Auto revolution. When we think of the pioneers of automotive beginnings and when we think of American Autos what pops in our minds? The Big Three! The Detroit connection. What if most of their groundbreaking innovations that got our country rolling and still going strong today..what if I told you not to believe all you hear, or heard all your life? Maybe instantly your temperature rises and you mutter some curses under your breath or just laugh at me...that's okay just bear with me and be shocked as we dig into the world of that Kenosha Caddy!

(With the help of my research, Wikipedia, Google, and my beautiful dream girl; we find the truth!

The first use of the name Rambler for an American made automobile dates to 1897 when Thomas B. Jeffery of Chicago, Illinois and builder of theRambler bicycle, constructed his first prototype automobile.

After receiving positive reviews at the 1899 Chicago International Exhibition & Tournament and the first National Automobile Show in New York City, Jeffery decided to enter the automobile business. In 1900, he bought the old Sterling Bicycle Co. factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and set up shop.

Jeffery started commercially mass-producing automobiles in 1902 and by the end of the year had produced 1,500 motorcars, one-sixth of all existing in the USA at the time. The Thomas B. Jeffery Company was the second largest auto manufacturer at that time, (behind Oldsmobile).

Rambler experimented such early technical innovations as a steering wheel (as opposed to a tiller), but it was decided that such features were too advanced for the motoring public of the day, so the first production Ramblers were tiller-steered. Rambler innovated various design features and was the first to equip cars with a spare wheel-and-tire assembly. This allowed the driver, when experiencing a common puncture (flat tires) to exchange the spare wheel & tire for the flat one.

In 1914, Charles T. Jeffery, Thomas B. Jeffery's son, replaced the Rambler brand name with Jeffery in honor of his now deceased father.

In 1916, the Thomas B. Jeffery Company was purchased by Charles W. Nash and became Nash Motors Company in 1917. The Jeffery brand name was dropped at the time of the sale and the manufacture of Nash branded automobiles commenced. In 1937, the concern became the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation through a merger with the well-known appliance maker. ( Are you stating to see a pattern emerge? Do I have your curiosity up now? Well pay attention sports fans I'm just getting started!)

1950-1957

Nash Rambler served as the platform for the first generation Rambler American

Main article: Nash Rambler

Under the direction of Charles Nash's successor George W. Mason, Nash-Kelvinator Corporation began development of a small car that could be produced inexpensively for the post World War II economy.

However, steel shortages limited the amount of raw materials that Nash could get, so Mason turned the compact, now designated the Rambler, into a two-door sedan with a convertible top and the cars were equipped with many standard features that were typically options, to maximize profits for the company. When introduced, the Rambler was an immediate success for Nash. As steel quotas (related to the Korean War) eased, the Rambler line was broadened in both its model types (four-door sedan and station wagon) and price points, which proved to be as successful as the first generation of two-door sedan convertibles.

The first generation of modern Ramblers carried a modified version of Nash's Airflyte styling, which included closed wheel openings. Where the wheel openings of any car are a major source of wind resistance, the design was rather primarily an engineering design to increase the strength of the car for impact resistance. Many people surmised that the skirted fenders limited the turning radius of the wheels but was not an actual handicap for having a comparatively narrow front track. Ramblers continued to use this styling until 1955, when the front wheels were revealed by a periodic design update. In 1954 the Rambler offered the first industry combination heating and air conditioning unit that could be an add-on or installed at the factory for $395.00, which at that time was about the lowest cost unit available in an American car.[2]

In 1954, American Motors Corporation (AMC) was formed from the merger of Nash-Kelvinator and the Hudson Motor Car Company. Following the merger, Ramblers were badged as both Nashes and Hudsons, with no visible difference between the two. The Nash and Hudson makes were continued through 1957, after which all of AMC's offerings were marketed as Ramblers, with the exception of the imported 1958-1962 Metropolitan.

1958-1969

1958 Rambler sedan

1963 Rambler Classic 660 Cross Country station wagon

1965 Rambler Classic 660 Cross Country station wagon

Train unloading 1958 Ramblers for a car rental company in Florida.

At the start of the 1960s George Romney made a marketing decision that more fully unified the various Rambler model names under the Rambler brand. In 1962, the Ambassador, a top-trim level model, was officially brought under the Rambler name (it had previously been named the "Ambassador by Rambler"), and the former Rambler Six and Rambler Rebel V8 were renamed the Rambler Classic. (Note: while the top-line models for 1958-1961 were advertised as the "Ambassador V-8 by Rambler", on the cars themselves, the nomenclature was "Rambler Ambassador".)

Romney also put into play his plan to slash production costs, which involved more common parts sharing between the Ambassador and Classic models. Beginning in 1962, all "senior" Rambler models would share the same automobile platform with identical wheelbase and body parts, but the engines, trims, and equipment levels distinguished the Classic from the Ambassador.

In 1963, the entire Rambler line received the Motor Trend Car of the Year award. However, Romney's departure to become Michigan governor opened the door for his successor, Roy Abernethy, to redirect the company towards a strategy of competing head to head with the Big Three (General Motors,Chrysler Corporation, and Ford Motor Company) with a variety of bodies and automobile platforms. This new plan also included marketing the various models apart from the Rambler brand name, which Abernethy felt would be a hindrance in the market segments he hoped to pursue.

One of the first moves in that direction was the creation of the 1965 line of Ramblers, which split the Classic from the Ambassador visually, while still sharing a significant number of parts. Once again the Ambassador had a unique, extended wheelbase. In addition, AMC introduced the Marlin, a hardtop coupe intended to give AMC a toe-hold in the sporty fastback market.

Backed by marketing reports, Abernethy next made a persuasive argument to the AMC board that the Rambler name had not only acquired a stodgy image and was a hindrance to increasing sales, but that consumers associated it with compact cars. In what hindsight would show to be an ill-conceived decision, American Motors began to phase it out in favor of an AMC marque beginning in 1966, as it attempted to become a multiplatform automobile manufacturer. Retention of the well-known Rambler brand name and its association with compact economy models could have served AMC well in the 1970s.

By 1968, the only vehicle produced by AMC to carry the Rambler marque, was the compact Rambler American. Although designed as a no-nonsense economy car, the American spawned the audacious SC/Rambler developed with Hurst Performance.While AMC planned to produce only 500 for the 1969 model year, the Scrambler proved so popular two more groups of about 500 each were built. All featured the same 390 cu in (6.4 l) V8, four-barrel carburetor, and close-ratio four-speed transmission of the AMX, plus Hurst shifter, Twin-Grip (limited slip) differential, and cold air hood. For the final year in 1969 the models were simply called Rambler.

The last U.S. built Rambler was produced on 30 June 1969, and it was one of over 4.2 million cars to carry the Rambler name that rolled off the assembly line in Kenosha.

Now in closing I will add a few links and I must say I found many fascinating things from Wisconsin's storied past. They ain't all about cheese and Packers Football, but admit it...that rocks!

P.S. Thanks Babe ;)

From my neck of the woods Y'all...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixie_Flyer_(automobile)

Now for more of the links I promised....

http://leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=packerfootball

Okay Y'all that will do for now, just drop back in and maybe there will be a followup piece waitin' for you...

The Addams Family vs. The Munsters!!

When I paid homage to the great Boris Karloff last time I got to thinking about the two old comedic macabre shows that emerged in the 60's we all know and love. Yep the Addam's Family with Gomez, Morticia, Lurch, Fester, Pugsly, Wednesday and Mama Addams. And we can't dismiss Cousin Itt, Thing, or the House either. Their antics matched against the Munsters; Herman, Lily, Eddie, Grandpa, Marilyn (the plain..normal one) Spot and a host of other pets. And Y'all their cars were the best I must admit!

Now I give you a link addressing this epic face off and it details the opinion of the writer that I disagree with and have evidence debunking some of the claims made there in...http://www.threesorryboys.com/articles/addams_munsters_article.html

Now the question I pose to you is who wins in a faceoff? I say the Munsters!

And I have to mention...

In the article siding with the Addams Family it says that no movies came after etc etc..WRONG! And The new series I wont even go into but as for the movies?  Check this out...

So now we dig up the Addams family tree after 1 more YouTube video proving the Munster's Movie...

Okay on to the Addams Family..

Okay I love the Addams Family Too but hands down..including you Thing! I vote The Munster's!

Remember these classics and all the enjoyment derived from them Y'all but I ask which Family do you chose for the win? Think of it as a kooky, spooky, humorously macabre version of The Hatfield's and The McCoy's...pick a side..whose with me and The Munsters? And if a beauty contest we all know Marilyn! A Munster ;) even though she can't compete with my girl ;) but still in the spirit of competition let me know which family you pick... 

Until next time...

“The monster was the best friend I ever had.”

Howdy Y'all tonight we are gonna reflect upon on of the most iconic genre actors Hollywood had to offer besides my personal favorite John Wayne! And tonight we will let the Duke sit back and maybe he liked this fellow and his movies too...

Yep Mr. Boris Karloff! Yep the master of horror, the creature of the night, and a heck of an actor in any role he took...

and like many actors Boris Karloff didn't begin his life as Boris Karloff....

And don't let that shatter your image of movie creature master Boris Karloff folks. We end tonight's remembrance with a tribute and  farewell to Boris...Night night sleep tight y'all....

The title up there? Well Boris said so ;)

Taste The Difference...

Howdy again Y'all!

I had a treat this morning that really brought me back. I don't know how many will remember how it was going to a grocery store, maybe a gas station or convenience mart in the middle of summer and so parched. You could hardly wait to get to the counter and pay for your soda...or as we call it here..pop! And what was so special about it then as opposed to now? I mean everyone buys a cold drink. What am I driving at you ask? Well I found a few photos to go along with this thing and to make my point...

Probably wouldn't think much of it if you had never tasted the difference but I am telling you....the glass bottled pop of your choice, be it Dr. Pepper! Coca Cola! Pepsi! Even Sunkist..well you name it..anything tastes so much better! And honestly it is safer. Plastics, recycled plastic in particular? Not appetizing to think about really. And treated plastics..added chemicals, etc. Yep give me the old glass bottles any day!

I give you a link that might prove fascinating now... http://www.glassbottlesoda.org/index.shtml

Now how about a few other YouTube flashbacks before I wind this one up?

Okay! Okay! I admit I'm a Pepper too!  but I won't fill you up on more old pop commercials, these were great back then.

Now I pose a challenge to Y'all...

If you run into one of the 8 ounce Cokes at your local store in the glass bottle, and you got time and spare change try this, try a can of Coke, and grab you a plastic bottle of Coke too. Grand total less than $3.50.
Then try the Coke challenge with me.. I bet you agree that glass bottle makes it so much better, and colder to boot.


In closing I pose a question...beer is sold almost exclusively in glass bottles, and aluminum cans..why is that? 


IT TASTES SO MUCH BETTER! AND PRESERVES THE FLAVOR OF COURSE!

History Surrounds Us! The Markers Remind Us!

Tonight I aim to bring attention to those old plaques we see. Perhaps on the side of the highway, rest stops, a host of places maybe even in your own little town as you meander the streets, sidewalks, or local haunts.

Yep I am talking about those Historic Markers Y'all. I think they don't get the attention they deserve. Ever stopped to check one out? Lots have a bit of the back story and they make for some fascinating reading I tell you that now. And I do tend to ramble about my corner of the country...

Good ole Southwest Virginia (some mistake that as alluding to West Virginia..wrong state; no Wrong Turns for me though the movie was well disturbing too maybe because I wasn't drinking ) So I am going to give a link here from Virginia's Historic Markers... Southwestern part of Virginia I know like the back of my hand...remember the overlook or the battle marker from a previous blog if your a regular?

Here's as good a starting point as any. Have a look see and remember your areas own unique history as well Y'all... now to mine   http://www.markerhistorystore.com/volume_ix-southwest_virginia_region.aspx

It will detail events and reasons for the markers that are fascinating to a history buff like myself. Hopefully it helps inspire you to dig into yours...what you may find could excite you beyond belief.

Now I leave you with a thought. Those old markers are to mark a place in time that has long since gone so is it a gravestone or just a remembrance?

Here's another of mine that yes it's on the first site but without further ado and less searching let's see it shall we?    http://www.markerhistory.com/elk-garden-fort-marker-x-9/

Come back and see us again Y'all I think I have some more surprises for you. Oh and once again I encourage you drop us a comment and share some of your own historic past that you don't want forgotten....

Cows In The Middle Of The Road!!

Howdy Y'all and I expect after the dreaded Monday that kicks off many of y'all's work week you get home and all you want to do is relax right?

I would say YES!  So here's what we all are gonna do for tonight's visit...go ahead and pull up a chair, get comfy and hmm..grab a cold drink and a snack before you get settled in..trust me ;)

We gonna watch a movie and it ain't a new one but it is going to relax us and make you laugh....dream of a simple life and wonder how the heck some people pass their time in a small town...better than they do in the city I tell you that much..

So ready? Okay..here we go now...

Wait! First I would like to get this out ok? Now we all live this crazy busy life and rarely get a break. Makes you want to get in the truck and drive out to some old town..take mine for instance (even though it ain't quite what it used to be) a place where time has stayed slow and let nature take it's course. Lots of city folk may not get what we see down here...try it you might like it ;)

I haven't hinted on what the movie is yet I know....what's the fun in that? Now lets go to a simpler place and time. Enjoy the movie...I'm sure you will.

 I know me and my girl do ;)

Funny preview I had too Y'all...

Well darn!
If you click the YouTube link it allows you to rent it and it is the official Warner Bros site. The $1.99 tag ain't so bad and you don't even have to drive down to the store to get it.

How The West Was Won...

Howdy Y'all thanks for dropping back by. Tonight we take a trip back into the Old West...

This trip we discus one of the greatest innovations of that time. And today it still is a formidable piece of History; The Winchester Repeating Arms lever action rifle named..

The Winchester '73! It is a beautiful weapon. Responsible for protection, feeding families, and yes mass destruction!

 She's beauty ain't she!

Here's a link that is worth checking out....  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_rifle it goes into more detail and explores the history of Winchester Repeating Arms.

Now let me ramble on a bit about this legendary rifle. The 1873 Winchester is quite possibly one of the most famous rifles Winchester ever made. And it inspired the legend and earned it's place in our history for sure it deserve to be called the gun that won the west!  http://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=270

It was originally chambered for the .44-40 cartridge and never offered the standard army cartridge as the first link explained. Ever shoot a .44-40? Imagine it with the brass butt plate on the stock...solid kick for sure but not harsh. Amazing accuracy and it was light weight. The perfect saddle gun that all "real" cowboys coveted in the movies and i suspect in real life. It for sure beat the old cap and ball when spurring your horse on to chase rustlers, evade an Indian attack and of course more ammo! What more could they ask for? Howitzers were not invented then but even if they had... imagine packing that horseback!

Now we move on the the Hollywood tribute of this iconic and legendary lil saddle gun...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043137/
It is 1950 and folks all around look forward to the movies and here are a few posters you might have seen around towns or in front of the box office window...

Yes sir that's right... good ole Winchester '73! And Mr. Jimmy Stewart is as big an icon as that legendary rifle so it was the perfect pairing Y'all!

Now lets look and see what good ole YouTube has to bring that great movie back to life and show of that lever action....

The one directly above me is an original trailer.

And I post this last one that also says it has the complete movie on it so if you never saw it....check it out I give it two thumbs up!

I will see Y'all out on the range...

Keep your powder dry

Remember The Old Hang Out?

Howdy Y'all I was just inspired by a trip to the old store down the road and had to write about this. See the Super Stop formerly known as Bob's BBQ as I was growing up where my dad and his buddies would hang out at night after a few beers. Well the bunch that has it now tries to reclaim a bit of the ole nostalgia wagon. See they do bike night and car night on weekends sometimes. They prefer the old classics and tonight was no different.
 I'd have some pics and some footage for you but I left my cell phone. And the theme of tonight's adventure is remembering the old places like that maybe from the 50's...

Imagine if you will....
You're a teenager and your cool..way cool. Where do you and your gang go pal around on weekends or weeknights? Maybe the tracks, or sneaking into a bar with fake i.d.'s? Sounds like good times no doubt..

But it hit me; bobby socks and carhops...

That era had to be awesome Y'all...and yes maybe before my time but I would love to spend a Saturday night in their shoes and bring my girl along with...

I leave you with a commercial I think you will enjoy..

I'm off to have some fun so I propose a toast...
To Good Times! And Malt Shops, hot rods and enjoying the life!

An Old Family Tradition...

Howdy Y'all I have decided that tonight we will be remembering a legend of country music. He was quite an entertainer in his time and they still write songs about him and fondly remember the ole boy.

I am speaking of the late great Hank Williams, Sr., http://hankwilliams.com/

And would be remiss not to mention I grew up a fan of his son Hank Williams, Jr. Who may appear in a later story in more detail. But now to get this party started we will pull up a chair, pop a top and let ole Hank sing us a song via YouTube...

I realize his kind of music and mine ain't exactly the same and his son might agree so I will sneak in one of Hank Jr.'s just because and this particular video has Hank Jr. and Kid Rock...

That's right Y'all it's just an old...

Family Tradition!!

Hang on to the memories and treasure your family traditions too!

I leave you with one of Hank Jr.'s greatest tunes as i wind this here blog up for the night and kick back with a cold one...

Remember a Country Boy Can Survive Y'all

What Truly Inspires Me...

Tonight I will let Y'all in on a lil secret...
My most inspirational and motivating thing in my life. I searched far and wide for her. Dreamed of her since I was young. Tried everything along the way but finally I got lucky and found her! She inspires me to be better than I am, more than I was. She makes me dream and makes me happy.She is why I feel like the luckiest man ever! So little Fry this ones for you...

and I leave Y'all with
another. It is inspiring and fitting to close out the mini series of Inspiration...

And Y'all...

That's what I call Inspiration!

P.S. I really am the luckiest little Fry ;)