Sunday, October 31, 2010

Undone by poor strategy and changing tastes, General Motors ends Pontiac after 84 years

Sun Oct 31, 4:18 PM

Pontiac Solstice

In this photo taken Oct. 14, 2010, a 2009 Pontiac Solstice convertible sits in the showroom of the Anthony Pontiac GMC Buick dealership in Gurnee, Ill. Pontiac, whose GTO and Firebird muscle cars defined fast rides, drive-ins and cruising for a generation of teenage boys, is going out of business.  (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

By Tom Krisher, The Associated Press

DETROIT - Pontiac, whose muscle cars drag-raced down boulevards, parked at drive-ins and roared across movie screens, is going out of business on Sunday.

The 84-year-old brand, moribund since General Motors decided to kill it last year as it collapsed into bankruptcy, had been in decline for years. It was undone by a combination of poor corporate strategy and changing driver tastes. On Oct. 31, GM's agreements with Pontiac dealers expire.

Read More…..

Mozart ..sort of!!!

 

Snow covers Wasaga Sands Golf course today so what do we do? Listen to Mozart…sort of!!

Wasaga Marine Post Card..long before “new” Bridge

Have a look at Wasaga Marine... long before "the New Bridge"... and homes built on the other side of the river.

Wasaga Marine (1)

Wasaga Marine2

Happy Halloween

Friday, October 29, 2010

Wasaga Beach Bench Advertiser of the Week 110810

Bench Drawing

 

Bench Advertising Beautifully Displayed at

My Computer People bus bench

 Click on image to link to My Computer People

Battery Face

 

By Monte Wolverton | October 27th, 2010 | PERMALINK

1948 Hudson Commodore

When I was about 3 or 4, our family car was a 1948 Hudson — a Commodore 4-door sedan. It was a humongous, streamlined expression of art-deco-ness, powered by a massive straight-eight engine. We felt invulnerable in our Hudson — even when streaking through the desert at 90 mph. We didn’t know what seat belts were, much less child restraints. I customarily sat on the center armrest in the back seat, affording a great view of the road.

In the back seat, just behind each side window, was a triangularly-shaped light with a switch that I liked to operate. My father warned me that if I turned the light on too much while the motor wasn’t running it would run down the battery. I had no idea what a battery was — so I concluded that these lights were themselves batteries. For some reason, I was fascinated with the shape of the lights. I thought they were kind of scary — like a little shining mouth in a screaming rictus of terror.

Hudson interior light, from memory

Hudson interior light, from memory

Of course toddlers emulate behavior, and I wanted to emulate the little battery-lights, so I developed what I called a “battery-face” — a diagonally skewed gape that caused my parents no end of amusement — which encouraged me to try my battery face on anyone and everyone. “What’s wrong with that child? He’s scaring me!” people at the store were heard to whisper, as I gawked my battery-face at them.

Fortunately, I outgrew this before I started school.

Now, at 62, I wonder if I should resurrect the battery-face. It would be useful in many situations.

Like just today, when a guy wouldn’t  move his car so I could hook up jumper cables between my two cars to resurrect my dead battery (there could be some irony there, but you’d have to be on some controlled substance to get it).

Or for the next retail clerk who asks you if you have one of those obnoxious little club cards so they can track your spending habits to better exploit you.

Or when you can’t get served in a restaurant. Snapping your fingers at a server is insulting and demeaning. A good battery-face will get you instant attention — or expulsion.

Author demonstrating Battery Face

Author demonstrating Battery Face

A battery-face is appropriate when you’re machine-gunning commies — I saw Rambo do it several times.

A battery-face is far more civil and more effective than flipping someone off in traffic.

In a long line at the bank or post office? A good, sustained battery-face will disperse any group of people quickly and efficiently.

And these are just examples of solo battery-faces.

Imagine how effective a group battery-face could be. For example, in a classroom, a good group battery-face might frighten a teacher out of giving that annoying semester final.

A church congregation might employ a group battery-face when a preacher flaps on like a loose overcoat sleeve in a 50 mph gale (this applies to pretty much any sermon).

But the best application of the battery-face would be to graphically express to politicians how sick and tired we are of their endless blathering as we near the end of this endless election season. A well-planned group battery-face at a political rally might make the most calloused politician wet his or her pants — or more! Unfortunately, politicians routinely screen attendees at these events, so this kind of thing won’t happen. The result is that the battery-face of the people is repressed.

That’s just wrong. I’m pretty sure battery-faces are protected by the First Amendment. Or the Ninth Amendment, which protects rights not specifically enumerated in the Constitution — of which battery-faces are probably one, since modern batteries, Hudsons and scary triangular interior car lights had not been invented yet.

But Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson had, in fact, probably thought of them — and that’s why we should all put on our best battery-faces in this last week before the election — whenever we see, hear, or meet a politician, and of course as we vote.

Then after the election — it will be time for the Edsel-face

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Wasaga Beach Lions ..Oktoberfest this Saturday

Oktoberfest Ad cropped

The Adventures of Randy and Kathy on their Harley (2)

 

Randy Ray who is a Greens Keeper at Wasaga Sands Golf Club and his wife Kathy started a journey on Monday from Georgian Bay to Arizona on their Harley. That’s a long way!  For most of us the thought of the freedom of the open road and getting away from it all, is a dream come true, but early in this life-changing adventure Mother Nature came calling.  The horrific weather that is occurring is making everyone nervous about their safety and whereabouts.

 Randy Kathy

Message received today

Randy Kathy Ray Have internet access at the hotel. Made it to Clinton OK. It warmed up today and we rode in sunshine. Quite cool tonight. Off to Texas and Santa Rosa New Mexico.We now know where all of the starlings go when they leave Ontario. They go to Oklahoma City. There were 1000's!!!! We didn't get pooped on!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

The Adventures of Randy and Kathy on their Harley

Randy Kathy

Randy Ray who is a Greens Keeper at Wasaga Sands Golf Club and his wife Kathy started a journey on Monday from Georgian Bay to Arizona on their Harley. That’s a long way!  For most of us the thought of the freedom of the open road and getting away from it all, is a dream come true, but early in this life-changing adventure Mother Nature came calling.  The horrific weather that is occurring is making everyone nervous about their safety and whereabouts.  Thankfully, we received an update from them on Facebook this morning:

Randy Kathy Ray worst storm in 70 years hits Indiana and we are going through on a motorcycle!!!!! Tornados, hurricane force winds,driving rain. Thank you Indiana rest stop for supplying shellter from the storm. Now in Cuba, Missouri about to leave for Oklahoma. Having a great time!!! WE ARE CANADIAN!!!
about an hour ago · Comment · Like
    • Randy Kathy Ray hard to take pictures traveling down the interstate on the bike.

      56 minutes ago · Like

Friday, October 22, 2010

Wasaga Beach ….Bench Advertiser of the Week 102210

Bench Drawing                                                                                   Bench Advertising Beautifully Displayed on Mosley at 45th in front of Home Hardware Beach Builders

apple auto glass reduced size.png

Click on image to link to Apple Auto Glass Collingwood Website

Be a Beach Booster…..

Call Joe 705-716-1670 for information on Bench Advertising

What’s With This? Snow in Wasaga Beach so soon?

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Wasaga Beach Memories ..As We Were!

Here are just a few pix that may be of interest.

They include, a pic I took of some of "the gang" during one of our many weekends here in The Beach during the 70's. You may recognize Doug Adams and Doug Rowbotham standing beside Mrs. Timlock... who used to own the good ole Dardanella.

Also:

The Giant Slide

Bowling Alley in The Dardanella (note the ads over the lanes)

The El Morocco (where the Villa Nova Motel is now, next to Pedro's. It was owned by Jack Prezio's Mom and Dad. Jack worked there as a kid and met his wife there)

Mighty Pope poster from The Windjammer Room (Capstan Hotel) Earle (The Mighty Pope) performed at this year's Wasaga Beach Fest!

Main Street and Midway

AND... a "Then and Now" group that I put together showing us snowmobiling in the parking lot of the Bon Air Motel. (one of our regular winter spots)  I'm on one of the Yamaha's in the group photo. Note the good ole Normandy Hotel across the street... exactly where our Boston Pizza is now!

Cool eh?

Talk soon.

Joe Bickerstaff

Then and Now

How to Do Your Best Work…Robin Sharma

 

Almost thirteen minutes long but well worth the time to watch and listen and absorb. You might want to watch it again and again.

Look What’s Coming Soon …

click on image for a better view then on the next image as well for full screen viewing 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Are you kidding? Golf course smoking bans?!

bloomberg New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is adamant in his desire to eliminate exposure to second-hand smoke in New York, and, after banning indoor smoking, he's now attacking outdoor venues, city-owned golf courses among them.
Where do you stand on this issue?

Monday, October 18, 2010

Mountain on Fire

 IMG_1545 IMG_1544

Could not resist taking these pix as the sun disappeared behind the mountain... and the sky lit up as if where on fire!

You gotta love our Georgian Bay sunsets eh??

Joe Bickerstaff

Saturday, October 16, 2010

The Leafs are 4 and 0 ..Let’s Have a Parade

Wow! What a great start..we hope it keeps on going.  But let’s go back to 1962 when Punch Imlach was the General Manager of the Leafs.  A letter from Punch to the Leaf’s Jim Pappin came to us by email this week and makes very interesting reading.

Jim Pappin Workout Letter (1).jpg

Friday, October 15, 2010

Wasaga Beach…. Bench Advertiser of the Week

Bench DrawingWasaga Beach Bench Advertising Beautifully Displayed on Mosley at Giant Tiger

suzanne mcgugan BEACH BOOSTER2cropped

Click on image to link to Suzanne’s Website

Be a Beach Booster…..

Call Joe 705-716-1670 for information on Bench Advertising