Funkengroovin - News

VB has been busy with the invasion of the flying red ants, the electricity going out constantly, five kittens born on her windowsill, and some sort of strange illness. VB thinks it's called, "I'm sick of stinking bug spray, dirty air, hot weather, no electricity, and can't fucking wait to get out of Dodge blues." No she does not have a fever! Is she pissed (as in angry for you Brits out there)? Yes!!!!!! Someone explain to VB why the electricity needs to go off more than seven times a day?! Subsequently fucking up all connections - some including air conditioners, the Internet (glaciers move faster!), the Vonage phone (which operates through the Internet), the oven, blah, blah, blah, the fucking satellite TeeVee! Does the person in charge not realize that VB's life is based totally on electrical availability?! Rant over.

Today is mainly a news day since VB has been remiss at adding it on to the posts. Some old, some new, and two brand new music videos featuring VW Buses. Make sure you check those out. Both are very folksy - let's just say they're not the usual music videos VB features for Funkengroovin Wednesdays, but they do have VW Buses in them. The news articles are all interesting, and most have photos. Yes, some might be a bit oldish, but still newsworthy.

Here's your complimentary photo for the day (Thanks be to God for the most exquisitely allotted amount of electricity, which provides Internet, to download this totally worthless photo).

NEWS:

VW Related:

Touring Europe's Best Auto Museums
"Volkswagen's Autostadt, located directly adjacent to the sprawling factory that churns out Golf sedans, may be the most ambitious. In addition to a museum devoted to the history of the Beetle and other company products, the Autostadt (German for "auto city") features 11 restaurants, a Ritz-Carlton (MAR) hotel, and outdoor attractions such as an obstacle course where adults can muddy up VW's Touareg SUV. There's even a course where kids can learn driving basics in miniature Beetles."

You Will Respect This VW
"Count your blessings this thing isn’t running around your town, because the embarrassment of being shut down by a ‘53 VW van might be too much to bear." 1953 VW Bus Sets World Record on Dragstrip With 12-Sec Quarter Mile Run

Propane Conversion: How to Make LPG Cars
"It works. New York, Maine, Tennessee, Florida, Arkansas, Texas, Utah, California . . . I've traveled miles and miles and miles in a VW bus converted to run on LP (liquid propane) and the easy-to-install system really does result in lower operating and maintenance costs, much longer engine life AND 70% less air pollution."


Karmann Fixes Its Own Roof
"A subsidiary of the German company that made the Karmann Ghia with Volkswagen has begun an aftermarket business to restore convertible tops."

"Replacing the original fabric, steel supports and even wooden components that make up the relatively primitive convertible tops takes skill and attention. Restoration jobs are expected to cost from $1,000 to $3,000, the company said.

“When you do convertible tops, you have to know also the body and the engineering of the vehicle,” Mr. Roeren said.

Mr. Roeren said the company will be able to work on only two vehicles at a time and each restoration will take two days.

The company said it expected to open up to five such restoration centers in the next five years, including in California and Florida, and to reach about $5 million in gross sales.

Wilhelm Karmann filed for the German version of bankruptcy in April, but Karmann U.S.A officials said the filing will not affect the American unit."

Ten dangerous vehicles (or are they?), part two

(From Ottawa, Canada) Beker’s favourite Bug

Temple man's VW affection started 25 years ago

I’m Ready To Give This Deadhead Thing a Try

Thornbury couple's camper van business is riding the recession
"Their rental business, Campers Away, has seen a huge increase in demand as the credit crunch is stopping more and more families from travelling abroad and encouraging us all to explore the great outdoors."

Unlocking The Mystery Of The Mystery Machine On The Movie Awards Set


Teen finally gets to drive his vintage cars "Dylan Tischer has seven Volkswagens"

The Perfect Beetle "Paul Amicone's Dream for a Rust-Free VW Comes True"

VW Bug Out fun with the people's car (Slideshow)

Super Project '71 "Part One: Introduction to the Subject, a 1971 "1302" Super Beetle"

Students take spin into the future
"TRENTON - At first, the vehicle circling the bus loop behind Trenton High School appears to be just a relic of the past. After all, it is a 1968 Volkswagen SandRail dune buggy."

Editor's Note: It's a Small Show After All
"So next time you catch yourself saying, "I don't want to go to that show because it is too small," remember, every big show out there, from the Classic to the Florida BugJam to Bad Camberg, started life as a small get together with people who share a common bond, these little cars. Support your local shows."


Groundbreaking Works by Artists with Cultural Ties to Mexico and Latin America To Be On View
"PHOENIX, AZ.- Phantom Sightings: Art after the Chicano Movement, opening July 12, 2009, at Phoenix Art Museum, is the first comprehensive consideration of the legacy of Chicano art in two decades and the largest exhibition of cutting-edge Chicano art ever presented at Phoenix Art Museum."

I can't believe someone makes... Snail Art Cars (video at the link)


(Great photo) - Reindeer Sausage Van in Alaska, Not Yet on Twitter
"...The guy parks on West 4th Avenue and F Street (map), serving up reindeer dogs from the blue Volkswagen van..."

VW Owner Shifts Gears, Goes From Gas to Electric

Volkswagen's Newest Twist On Camping: The 2009 Volkswagen California Black Edition
"All this coolness doesn't come cheap though. Pricing for this sleek people mover is 77,736.75 euro, or around $109,921 in Yankee money. Of course, that's if you could buy one here -- which, ironically, you can't. At least we get the actual state as a consolation prize."

Need an escape? Author Gordon Hempton listens for the sound of silence in new book
"Hempton takes his quest for quiet on the road, crossing the country in his¤¤'64 VW van, listening to a landscape and a people, putting together a "sonic EKG" of the country. He originally intended to make this trip with his daughter, who begged off, unable to engage with his quest, unable to detach from -- you guessed it! -- her iPod."

Meals On Wheels: Ten Great Mobile Eateries
"Sénor Tacombi
Located in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, the Sénor has combined two great Mexican products: the taco and the VW Combi, which was produced in Mexico until the mid-1990s. The story of Sénor Tacombi is one of a wandering soul/wrestler who marched across the Andes with Che, partied at Studio 54 with Freddy Mercury, and chilled with Gandhi in India. Today, he mostly served tacos to college kids who are looking to carb-up after a night on the town."

General:

Earth to California: Learn how to drive!
"GMAC surveyed more than 5,000 licensed drivers throughout the country, asking them to answer 20 questions gleaned from actual state drivers license exams. Based on the results of the survey, the insurer concluded that 20% of the licensed drivers in the U.S. — or about 40 million people — wouldn’t pass a written test if they had to take one today."

100 year anniversary of first woman to drive across America

Commute Driving You Crazy? Read On
"Commuting sucks. There’s no two ways about it. Our roads are clogged with half-aware nitwits less concerned with driving than with applying makeup or taking that call from Ed in accounting. If it isn’t brain-dead morons trying to kill you, it’s the potholes, congestion and countless other nightmares awaiting you every time you get in the car.

We feel your pain. So do the guys at Transportation for America. They’ve launched a website called, appropriately, My Commute Sucks, where you can spout off and tell Congress to do something about it."


World’s Smallest Car Fits In a Mini

Right-to-Repair Law Is Right On
"The Right-to-Repair Act would allow independent repair shops to compete for business that currently goes only to franchises and dealer-approved establishments. The bipartisan bill, introduced in the House of Representatives, would drastically increase the number of shops that could service late-model vehicles and make those repairs significantly cheaper.

By limiting the number of shops that can service your car, dealers drive up the cost to owners of those vehicles by 34 percent, according to a study Lang Research conducted for the Automotive After Market Industry Association. The study found consumers pay $11.7 billion in excess costs annually."

Not safe: Poll finds 1-in-4 Americans text while driving
"The problem is that texting while driving isn’t seen as an inherently dangerous activity, at least compared to something like drink driving; everyone knows that’s a no-no. “What’s the harm in sending out a text while I’m behind the wheel?” Well, mister-think-you’re-Fernando-Alonso, any time you take your eyes off the road that puts everyone in danger, and not just you. All it takes is one stray maneuver and you’re looking at a huge pile-up.

So, in conclusion, just knock it off already. That, or Greg will get really sad. We don’t want that to happen, now do we?"

(Photo Essay) - A Brief History of the Indianapolis 500


'Electric Car Guy' Has Been On The Energy-Efficiency Case For 40 Years
"He's watched as big car manufacturers compete to deliver the first practical all-electric car.

He celebrated when Northeast Utilities announced its plans last month to build the country's largest network of electric-car charging stations.

But the idea of an electric car is old news to Bob Rice, who for nine years has been zipping around in a Volkswagen Jetta that he converted to electric power. He recharges its batteries with an outlet he built and nailed to a tree outside his home in Killingworth.

The 67-year-old retired train engineer has been quietly tinkering and toiling for decades building electric cars and batteries. Thirty years ago, the automobile world wrote off guys like Rice as crackpots. Today, they're trying to catch up with them.

"Well," Rice said, "it's about time."

Even in electric car circles Rice is known as a pioneer. Members of the Electric Auto Association, a nonprofit group based in San Jose, Calif., described him as a "fundamental change agent" when they gave him a lifetime achievement award last month."

From Caracas, Venezuela
For a City in Gridlock, a Lifeline and a Scourge
"In an anarchic city, thousands of motorbike couriers known as motorizados make life there treacherous and viable at the same time."

(Slide show at the link.)
Sparkling Chrome, Beer Budget
"For those who would rather be driving an interesting car than fussing over the originality of its headlamp bulbs, there are many vehicles in the lower price brackets."

The Real Car Crisis:the Disappearance of Style and Passion in Design”

Funky Cars You Love to Hate


From reestore
Theo, The gearbox table
Date of birth:
2007
Previous occupation:
Car gearbox


Highlighting our investor's love of cars, the aptly named Theo table's glass top rotates on the salvaged gearbox pedestal. Suitable for meetings and dining alike, looks great accompanied with shopping trolley chairs.

Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Price:
£1600

Egypt:

10 Reasons to Visit Cairo
"Whether you love it or hate it, a Cairo taxi ride is a simultaneously life affirming and life threatening experience. Taxi drivers are a law unto themselves, and the only thing in Cairo more insane than the traffic is the cavalier way in which the drivers negotiate it. There’s nothing to do but hold on tight, and try to convince yourself that true traveling is more about the journey than the destination. Just pray you don’t get one of the taxis with musical brakes, because you really don’t want to know how seldom they get used!"

EGYPT TO LIQUIDATE OR SELL NASR AUTO
"Founded in 1960, and known for producing licensed versions of Fiat, FSO Polonez, Tofas and Zastava, “Nasr has a long history in Egypt,” said Salah El-Hadari, secretary general of the Egyptian Automobile Manufacturers Association."


Reed KD has spent the better part of the last three years between two places: his VW Vanagon (living out of it in 2007 and 2008, traveling the country and writing music) and his Santa Cruz bedroom (where he recorded his new album "In Case The Comet Comes," out June 9th). Reed KD shot a video for "Winding Roads," a song he wrote about traveling the country in his van. He filmed it recently while driving from Santa Cruz to Los Angeles. It's a trip he's made often - driving his van through forests, sprawling coastline, desert and maddening LA traffic.

Below: The video "Winding Roads"




Yusuf Islam (remember him as Cat Stevens) has a new video out as well. Here it is:
YUSUF Islam - Roadsinger

A Few Thoughts On Swine

This post is basically a response to the mass slaughter of pigs in Egypt.

VB was born in "Porkopolis" ("The nickname Porkopolis was coined around 1835, when Cincinnati was the country's chief hog packing center, and herds of pigs traveled the streets." - Wiki) VB remembers, as young child, watching pigs marching up the ramps for slaughter to become "The Weiner The World Awaited, " at the Kahn's packing company, on Central Avenue. (You may laugh at VB, and may have heard of Cincinnati, but check here to find out what growing up there was really like.)

VB's parents (just like every other Greek in America) owned three restaurants (at different times). The last one was in a predominately black area. It was the 60's, and every so often her parents would cook up some pigs feet. It was soul food, and the regular customers were from the neighborhood. Raw hooves would be piled up over the old-fashioned white ceramic freezer. Too bad VB didn't have a camera back then, but the sight of fresh, raw pigs feet piled high, remains embedded in her memories. Not only that, but a New Years Eve tradition with The Boss Man is to down pickled pigs feet, and his mom always had a roll of Goetta in the fridge. Let's face it, regardless of ethnic background, the majority of people in, and from Cincinnati, love pork products. That includes VB. Give her a pair of ham hocks and she will cook up some retro split pea or navy bean soup for you.


By now, most people have heard or read about the swine cull here in Egypt. It is an overkill reaction to the Swine Flu aka H1N1 Virus. Let's all remember, "It's the other white meat." Besides, most of the swine that VB has actually met, are human, and according to the dictionary, "an offensive word for a person who behaves in a cruel or disgusting way towards others." This definition would apply to those who made this decision, as well as those who own factory farms. These viruses are born in industrial environments. The small breeder is typically immune, and provides a service to the community. Plus, as we've seen in the past, (mad cow), small farmers are more capable of containing the disease, so it does not spread. Factory farms do not, nor do they produce the expensive specialty meats we crave. They basically produce mass market meat, at a price, which seems cheap at the grocers, but is subsidized through governments, with our tax dollars, but has a direct impact on the environment. Who are the real losers? The small family run farms - worldwide.

For those of you out there who can't get enough of the culling, or hate swine so much, you too can be a swinefighter!


Here's a few articles to chew on:
Swine Flu Ancestor Born on U.S. Factory Farms
"“Industrial farms are super-incubators for viruses,” said Bob Martin, former executive director of the Pew Commission on Industrial Animal Farm Production, and a long-time critic of the so-called “contained animal feeding operations.”"

A U.S. Hog Giant Transforms Eastern Europe
"European hog farming is being transformed by an agricultural powerhouse operating in far-flung outposts."

"Old customs and jobs are dying and the air itself is changing, however, transformed by an American newcomer, Smithfield Foods. Almost unnoticed by the rest of the Continent, the agribusiness giant has moved into Eastern Europe with the force of a factory engine, assembling networks of farms, breeding pigs on the fast track, and slaughtering them for every bit of meat and muscle that can be squeezed into a sausage."

Local Pastured Meats: Good for You, Good for the Planet
"...Pigs, unlike the “monovore” cows, are omnivores. Along with some corn and soy, they eat whatever they can scavenge in the pasture. In the summer, they hang out and in the shade and pose for pictures like the ones we saw. When Jen said she lets her pigs dig into the ground (instead of ringing their noses to prevent it), I couldn’t help thinking that her pigs are like the teenagers with the coolest, most laid-back parents in town. If you had seen how happy those piggies were in the photos, you would probably want to be one. Maybe."

New Virus, Old Tale: Animals Share Bugs With Us
"All of this is the latest iteration of a phenomenon dating to the dawn of mankind: zoonosis. A zoonotic disease is one that spreads from animals to humans, or vice versa. Bubonic plague came from a bacterium that infects rats and can spread via fleas to humans. HIV is a virus that passed into people from a monkey. Malaria, tuberculosis, rabies, yellow fever and typhoid fever are zoonotic.

And it's a two-way street, as seen recently when a Canadian farmworker infected with the new H1N1 swine flu apparently passed the disease to a herd of pigs. When it comes to influenza, the thoroughfare between Homo sapiens and Sus scrofa -- domesticated pigs -- is something of a superhighway.

From the perspective of an influenza virus, the receptors on the lungs of a human being -- the places where the little spiky knobs on the virus can attach themselves -- look very much like the receptors in a pig. A pig's anatomy is so similar in certain respects to a human being's that pig heart valves are routinely transplanted into human heart patients."

Do I really have to cook pork until it’s not pink in the middle? How much should I worry about trichinosis?

Egypt hog slaughter will cost $54 million (Perhaps this $54 million would be better spent on the proper education and medical availability for people?)

Swine Flu: Don't Blame the Pig
"The swine flu outbreak that has sparked widespread fear — so much so that Egypt has ordered the slaughter of the country's 300,000 pigs, even though no cases have been reported there — is easy to pin on the eponymous animal from which it emerged, but the fact is, the current epidemic is little more than an accident of evolution. If pigs are to blame, so too are birds and humans...."

LIVING ON THE EDGE, WAITING FOR A SLAUGHTER "Public hysteria over swine flu has mostly been manifested as discrimination against the zebaleen. Local newspapers have published maps of zebaleen neighborhoods advising citizens to avoid these areas, and by extension their inhabitants. Women from El-Maya El-Haya have reported being refused entry onto public transport, and many city residents refuse to open the door for zebaleen, throwing their rubbish into the streets instead for fear of contracting swine flu."

11,591 PIGS SLAUGHTERED IN EGYPT "Up to press time 11,591 pigs were slaughtered. He emphasized, however, that the total number of pigs in Egypt which was erroneously reported as 300,000 is actually 156,000 only, none of which have tested positive for swine flu."

20 countries ban pork imports on flu fears
""Trading meat, whether processed or raw or frozen meat, should not be restricted because there is virtually no risk of transmission that way," the WHO's Peter Ben Embarek said."

"The other countries listed by the WHO as having imposed pork and meat restrictions are Thailand, Jordan, the Philippines, Ukraine, Lebanon, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Montenegro, Surinam, the United Arab Emirates and Belarus.

In Lebanon, the trade measure involves "destruction of any cargo en route from (flu) affected countries" and also orders the closure of all domestic pig farms, prohibits the slaughter of pigs, and calls for "blood testing of all pigs".

Egypt has ordered the slaughter of all its 300,000 to 400,000 pigs as a precaution against H1N1, a move the United Nations said was "a real mistake.""

Egypt persecutes Christian pig farmers in the name of swine flu
"Muslim majority country seeks reasons to kill off ’unreligious’ animals"

"This event comes a week after the Egyptian government ordered the slaughter of all the country’s 300,000 pigs even though no cases of swine flu have been reported in the country. Egyptian animal rights activist Amina Abaza deplored the slaughter of pigs and said "the decision to cull them was probably taken only because they belong to the Christians."

In defense of the farmers, the World Health Organization has said the move to slaughter every pig in the country was unnecessary because the virus is however being spread through humans.

Changed alibi

However, the rationale for killing all the pigs in the country has now taken a different cause. The Egyptian health authorities now say that the authorized killing of pigs is in a bid to campaign against unsanitary pig farming conditions, particularly in the Cairo slums where the garbage collectors live.

But the garbage collectors who engage in pig farming are all Christians, who make up the minority of the society, and with no other source of livelihood available to them, or assured them, observers have questioned the intent of the health authorities in Egypt, raising charges or religious persecution."

Egypt’s slaughter of pigs draws criticism as misguided
"International health officials say there is no reason to slaughter pigs because H1N1 cannot be passed from pigs to humans."

France-"Authorities estimate it will take up to six months to kill all the pigs in the country, according to AgencePresse, and have announced plans to buy new machinery from abroad for the specific purpose of increasing the slaughter capacity to 3,000 animals a day. Al Masry Al Youm reports that as of Monday, only 888 pigs had been killed and that Health Minister Hatem El Gebaly has announced the government has set aside 30 million Egyptian pounds to compensate farmers.

The move has received criticism from some unexpected quarters in Egypt, with the editor of the pro-government daily Rose El Yousef mocking it on the editorial page.

“Killing [the pigs] is not a solution, otherwise, we should kill the people, because the virus spreads through them,” he wrote. “The terrified members of Parliament should have concentrated on asking the government first about the preventive measures and ways of confronting the problem.”"


As Israel Ignores Swine Flu Reality, Global Risk
"After two potential cases of swine flu were discovered in Israel, and two Israelis who had just returned from Mexico with flu-like symptoms were quarantined, the Deputy Health Minister, Yakov Litzman, took the next logical step: he renamed the virus. "We will call it Mexican flu. We won't call it swine flu," Litzman declared. He chose to identify the virus with its alleged country of origin instead of pigs because pigs are not religiously permissible to eat, reports the Associated Press."

"Litzman's renaming of the new flu virus would just seem out of place and random if it had been in any other country, but in Israel--where pigs are raised on Arab lands and pork shops are firebombed out of certain neighborhoods--pork is highly politicized. Even the word for "pork" in Hebrew, chazir, is so reviled that it goes by many euphemisms: "white meat," "other meat," and "white steak.""


Turkey's Pork Shortage (And It's Not 'Cause of the Food Crisis Either)
""There are only 2,000 Greeks left in Istanbul," he grumbled. "None of us dares speak out." Curiously, all the other slaughter houses that once dealt with pork have been closed too. Lazari's reluctant to say what he suspects is happening.

"There are only 2,000 Greeks left in Istanbul," he grumbled. "None of us dares speak out.""



R.I.P. to all the poor innocents being blamed for H1N1 and slaughtered as a result. For all those little piggies, VB hopes you can all be "The Weiner The World Awaited, " and, if not perhaps you'd love to be an Oscar Meyer Weiner.

(Below): The homage to the Flying Pig in VB's hometown "Porkopolis", along the riverfront, Cincinnati, Ohio. Yes, we Cincinnatians worship swine.


And now links to some tasty pork articles and recipes:

The King of Parma Hams

Pork Knuckle, German Delight

Greek Pork From a Medieval Past (Video narration available if you don't want to read the article.)

In Greece, Slaughtering the Pig (Video narration available)

Grilling: Pork Souvlaki with Pita and Tzatziki

Polish Pork Primer

Bacon Today: "Daily Updates On The World Of Sweet, Sweet Bacon"

We’re All Meatheads Now
chefs of the Mario outside of Paris, is without a doubt a "There has been a lardy avalanche of pig prose of late—celebrations of all the edible glories of pig: its snout, ears, and tail; its blood, belly, and liver; and I suppose, if you have to be boring, its plain old meat (I wrote about the phenomenon in Slate). New York magazine food critic Adam Platt has recently dubbed carniphilicBatali/David Chang/Paul Bertolli variety “meatheads,” and emphasized that it is pig they worship above all other animals. Add one more to that list: Stéphane Reynaud, chef-owner of Villa 9 Troismeathead of the highest order.

Pigs' feet: the new superfood
"The latest anti-ageing food? Pigs' trotters. That's right, you heard it here first. In New York, the most talked-about new opening of the past couple of months has been a Japanese restaurant called Hakata Tonton, where 33 out of the 39 dishes contain pigs' feet."

One of VB's favorite recipes (and it's just as good with beef): Carolina Pulled-Pork Sandwiches


Since the pig culling in Egypt incited this post, let's visit Cairo. Earlier this year, Anthony Bourdain's Season 5 of No Reservations aired (in the States), with a segment on Egypt.

It's available on iTunes, but also on YouTube. Here is the first part of his Egypt segment, where he not only discusses food, but (on several occasions) traffic, which is great. (Um, no pigs are slaughtered or eaten during this Egypt centric episode.)


No Reservations - Egypt Part 1 of 5



If you watched the Anthony Bourdain visit Part 1 to Egypt, then you know why this photo is here.
(Below): A pigeon coop in The City of the Dead.

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Rear Window

Last week VB wrote about "The Roof" of our '65 VW Beetle, that we are restoring. At that point, the rear window was not installed. The rubber that holds it in had been burned. The Boss Man ordered a new rubber and delivered it to the upholsterer. He said, it took 4 guys to put the window back in. He came back the next morning, to find it shattered all over his shop. He then ordered a new window, and a new rubber frame. He then set the new window in with the old rubber. When we left, on Saturday, we had two new rubbers, and a newer window in place. He suggested we visit a glass installation center to have the glass installed with the new rubber.

The upholsterer was doubtful that we would be able to get the metal trim back in, as well.

VB would like to add, that she heard there were rumors going around about her Beetle. She wants to set the record straight: The original engine matched the body, when we bought it in 1994. The only non-original piece was a rear fender. Now the only non-original pieces, besides the fender, are: the engine, the new front seats which we just purchased, the rear window, roof and liner. The rear window, new roof, liner, and engine all had to be replaced as a result of the fire (well, the rear window because the original exploded in the upholstery shop). Since we wanted to restore it, and the Beetle was no longer original, we decided to get the new front seats and tracks to make it safer (it's got seatbelts now too). This is not some car that has been "cobbled together" from other Beetle parts. So for those of you "know-it-alls" out there, VB wants the rumors about her baby to stop! You don't know WTF you're talkin' about. Just sayin'.

Living in a retro VW community is almost as bad as living in a gossipy expat community. Don't these people have better things to do?


(Below): Old, original rear window. Photos were taken after the fire.


(Below): Close up.



(Below): New window, with old rubber. As you can see, the new window can be wired to defrost, but then that would defeat the purpose of driving a VW Beetle in the wintertime. Half the fun, is wiping down the windows manually to defog them.


(Below): The original window, before the fire, circa 1995. This photo was taken back in Shaker Heights, Ohio where we lived when we purchased it. You can see the metal trim around the rear top roof, where the roof meets the body, and around the window. All missing now. That metal trim is apparently a real bitch to deal with.





A few Beetles we passed in Cairo.

(Below): Maadi, Digla.


(Below): Old red ragtop.



(Below): Nice old orange Beetle.



(Below): At Ramses Train Station parking lot, in Cairo.




(Below): Another crashed car parked in Maadi. Some of these sights make you wonder WTF happened. This thing is so mangled, it's hard to imagine anyone surviving.




NEWS:

You Tell Us: How Are You Avoiding Traffic This Holiday?
"Is it the awesome horsepower of a mother’s guilt, an unconscious inability to spend two consecutive weekdays days off at home or just the purely compulsive nature of traditional culture? Whatever it is that jams up nearly every out-bound lane on every metropolitan freeway in America on the Wednesday afternoon before Turkey Day probably isn’t going away." (Yes, it is "the awesome horsepower of a mother's guilt." VB can testify to that - she uses it quite regularly.)


Nov. 24, 1903: Starting Your Car Gets a Bit Easier

Autonomous VW says, "Look, Ma - No Hands"

And the Green Car of the Year Is...
"LOS ANGELES -- The 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI was named Green Car of the Year Thursday, the first time a diesel has won the award presented each year at the L.A. Auto Show."

Toyota Demands Site Remove Fan-Submitted Photos

(Great Photos)
Vintage Iron Rules the L.A. Auto Show
"For the two people on the planet who don't know what this is, the original Beetle is both the most popular and most recognizable car in history. VW sold 21.5 million of the dome-shaped, bug-eyed cars between 1934 and 2003, when the last one clattered off an assembly line in Mexico. Every single one of them was loud, slow and, to be honest, not terribly comfortable. But we love 'em just the same."

You Drive Me Crazy
"Ten of the most annoying driving habits."

(OMG! You don't say.)
Are Men More Dangerous at the Wheel?
"A new study conducted by Quality Planning, an auto insurance analytics firm, has concluded that male drivers cause more havoc on the road than their female counterparts."

Losermobiles on Film, and Up for Bids

For Yugo, a Place of Eternal Rust, er, Rest

Road trip: RV manufacturers scramble to stretch their mpgs
"Owners of Volkswagen’s popular pop-top Eurovan, discontinued in North America in 2003, reportedly can sell their vans for what they paid for them new, even if they have high mileage, due to surging demand and lack of supply."

The VW Beetle - an Austrian Identity Created by German Craftsmanship?

the VW beetle

(Video & Photos - go to "Photo Galleries" on the right, below the photo of the mangled Beetle, hanging in the air)
Volkswagen Beetle pulled from Beargrass Creek
"The steering wheel from a Volkswagen Beetle that's been stuck in the muck of Beargrass Creek for nearly 30 years will be fashioned into an environmental award"

(Nice story - No Pics)
MOORE 11/23: No air conditioner, no radio, no clock, just a lawn mower engine on steroids

(From Jalopnik, with great photos, as usual)
1965 Volkswagen Transporter Walk-Thru Panel Van

(Another article about the Verdier Van)
The future of ecoconscious camping

(New Zealand)
Naming the Beast: North Island by Campervan
"I grew up in a family that names its vehicles. Before I was born there was Henrietta, the baby blue van. After her came Dippy, the racy red Anglia whose license plate began with ‘DP’, then Goldbug the sparkling gold Holden Kingswood station wagon. I’m sad to say I didn’t continue this tradition when I started driving. That is until I spent a week alone in the North Island driving a 6.6 metre long campervan complete with shower, toilet and microwave oven. A vehicle of this stature, I decided, needs a name."


CORRECTION: Last week VB said that Opels were probably the only GM cars she ever owned. Incorrect. She owned a Chevy Malibu (how could she forget?) It was her first car, and it cost (so much money) $350.00 (back in 1974.) She sold the Malibu for an Opel 1900, which she proceeded to crash into a bridge abutment, one icy morning, in Cleveland, Ohio, 1979. The bicycle, a Champagne Raleigh International, which she bought in 1975-6, cost almost as much, at a whopping, $300.00. She still has the bike.


With the Detroit car companies begging for a bailout and Black Friday coming upon us, VB thought today's video was apropos.

This article points out the problem, and BTW, if you're refinancing your house to buy a vintage car, then you are truly crazy!
A Rough Ride in Collectible Cars
"Or maybe they just ran out of money. Amid the broad economic deterioration of recent months, spending on extravagances like antique cars has slowed. In many cases, people can no longer afford even to keep their collections, says David Gooding, president of Gooding & Co., a Los Angeles car auction house.

In the past year, many collectors who used home-equity loans or other credit to buy the vintage convertible or muscle car of their dreams have had to sell as the housing and credit markets have declined. The same factors have kept new collectors from entering the market. As a result, many staple collector cars like 1957 Chevrolets, 1940 Fords and 1960s Pontiac GTOs are selling for half what they commanded two or three years ago."

"For some collectors, the downturn could be a good time to amass a long-coveted vehicle or two -- not just because prices are often lower, but because cars that weren't for sale before are suddenly available. John McCue of Half Moon Bay, Calif., bought a 1958 Mercury Park Lane last summer for $39,000. The 61-year-old retired software executive says it probably cost him about 5% less than the car's value a year earlier. But since he has pursued the car for years, he knows the former owner wouldn't have sold it then.

"There are those cars that you think will never be for sale, the ones the owners will take to their graves," he says. "Well, now a lot of those cars are changing hands."

While many in the collecting business say there will always be enough wealthy people who want vintage cars, others fear the market could be headed for a repeat of its last crash in 1989, when speculators who had no particular interest in vintage cars drove a steep, if fleeting, run-up in prices. Today, more of the buyers are car lovers, but speculation underpins their motives as well.

"The love of cars never outweighs the love of money," Mr. Gooding says."




(Check out the green and white Beetle [Mexican taxi cab?] near the beginning.)
Shania Twain - Ka-Ching

Eating "The City"

Last month when The Boss Man and VB visited "The City" we stayed "downtown" adjacent to Ground Zero, and within a few blocks of Wall Street. While downtown we ate at Brasserie Les Halles, and Adrienne's Pizzabar. Anyone who knows about or has watched No Reservations, knows that Anthony Bourdain, was the executive chef of Les Halles for years before he became famous. Both restaurants were great. Les Halles offers a few wines under $20.00, while Adrienne's is a bit more expensive, offering some wines under $40.00. Les Halles is a place where you will scarf down your food and leave sated. It's noisy, tables are close together, but still gives you a feel of coziness. The portions are just about right. Adrienne's, meanwhile, is a restaurant, that will have you walking out with leftover pizza, interact with your neighboring tables (they are that close - you can overhear whisper level conversations). You'll be plenty full before you even finish your appetizer. We had a wonderful time at both places. Les Halles - just a bit of snootiness, whereas Adrienne's Pizzabar is a more jovial spot.

Let VB add, that this is not the first time we've been to "The City." We usually get up here, at least once a year, usually twice for several days at a time. So we've eaten at a few of the thousands of restaurants.

Wednesday night, our first night back in "The City," we ate at a Turkish Restaurant called Akdeniz. The food was close to what we used to get at Manti Evi, in Baku, Azerbaijan (can you imagine, Manti doesn't even have a website - that's how good they are.) Akdeniz even offers Yakut Wine, for $27.00, which we used to buy in Baku for $4.00. All in all, even though it cost us about five times more to eat Turkish in New York City, it was worth the while. VB's "Skewered Ground Meat" consisted of two huge, hand rolled, skewer grilled Adana kebabs, which were just like the ones from Manti, Evi, which, BTW, was VB's favorite restaurant in Baku. It's the best deal in Baku (appetizers, huge plates of grilled meat and veges, with bread and a bottle of wine for $20.00!) VB recommends Akdeniz for anyone looking to eat Turkish, and not go way over budget. Apparently, in "The City" it's hard to get a good meal, bottle of wine, and a full belly without paying abundant amounts of money.

We like to try new places, particularly Greek, since VB is of Greek descent. We've eaten at numerous Greek restaurants in Manhattan, including Avra, Molyvos, and Periyali, among others. Even though we've had minor differences of opinion (such as with Molyvos - we don't like dolmades without meat) we will return, as they offer good food, good service, and decent prices. Unfortunately, we're usually required to be in Manhattan so we don't get around to other areas of the city (meaning, we probably miss out on some amazing food, just because it's not in Manhattan.)

Nothing can describe the feeling of going to a restaurant, where you fell you're being taken advantage of, some tom-foolery is going on, or you think that they think, you have "chump" imprinted on your forehead. In other words, a restaurant that's just too good for you, better than you, snobbier than hell, and thinks they know better than you, too.

About a month or so ago, VB saw a video of Roving Chef: Michael Psilakis Buys Greek in Astoria. She was impressed. She had read about him and his restaurants, and when she was looking for a place to eat, not far from the hotel, since it was so damn (30 degrees with an insane windchill level) cold outside, and since The Boss Man had Anthos on his list, we decided to pay it a visit. Strangely enough, VB read reviews about Adrienne's Pizzabar before booking, but not Anthos. Let's just say, Anthos had such a wonderfully positive spin going, that we figured "what the hell."

Ha! Check out the menu on the website and see all the offerings, which are about half as many when you get the actual menu in your hands. No wine is less than $60.00 (we should have walked out right then and there.) The food is described as (yes, VB read this after-the fact,) "And now comes Anthos, a new expense-account restaurant on 52nd Street, where hordes of businessfolk can contemplate silvery rows of sardines escabèche, crispy pieces of John Dory floating in ramp broth, and grilled octopus garnished with the slightest hint of orange purée.

The architect of the menu at Anthos is Michael Psilakis, a talented, kinetic chef who is fast becoming the poster boy of this unlikely Greek revival, the Mario Batali of “New Aegean” cuisine. " (New York Magazine)

Really? VB has cooked some Batali from his books, and the comparison is an insult to Mario.

The article goes on, "The culinary focus at Anthos is Greece, of course, though whether Psilakis’s grandmother (he grew up in a Greek-American family on Long Island) would recognize anything on her plate is doubtful. Psilakis is a self-taught cook, unencumbered by traditions and orthodoxies."

Did they get that quote from, He Says It’s Greek. Will Mother Agree?
"Much of the cooking process seems to take place in his mind."

"Mr. Psilakis said that expectations about his “modern Greek” food are different, and more exacting, than those faced by chefs in French, Italian, and Asian restaurants. “The Greeks and the Greek-Americans tend to be culinary conservatives, let’s be honest,” he said. “Those are my toughest critics.”"

Precisely. As The Boss Man said, while we were there for dinner, VB's mom would've waved her hand, wiggled her finger and said (with a thick New Bedford / Boston accent), "get me the chook!" Someone promptly would have informed her he was a chef, at which point she would most likely say, "Oh yeaaah? Who the hell taught him how to chook! You call this chookin'!?" (She cooked in, owned, and ran three restaurants with my dad.)

From: Q and A: Michael Psilakis
"In its October issue, Bon Appetit magazine calls Michael Psilakis the chef of the year. Months earlier Food & Wine magazine named him one of its best new chefs of 2008."

"Which book has had the biggest impact?

In the preface of André Soltner’s Lutèce cookbook he makes reference to two specific concepts: one, that all true chefs are gift-givers by nature; and two, his inability to answer, “How do you know that this dish would taste good?,” beyond his response of, “I just know.”"

How esoteric. VB can answer that. Taste your food before you plate it!

The food at Anthos was just not so Greek. It's suppose to be a "take off" (as "the manager" said when we complained later) on Greek food. Something akin to fusion, but not quite, or possible a Nouvelle Greek? One of the problems, in the States, which VB has noted (mostly privately to her family), is the fact that Greek food has never been presented as it should be, to begin with. It's always been homogenized - spiced down. Perhaps too spicy, too full of flavor, yet a staple of Cincinnati cuisine, Skyline Chili is a copy of Kima, which is a Greek meat sauce similar to Bolognese, but includes cinnamon, as an ingredient. How odd, because it's a money maker in Cincinnati. Greek food in the States has never been cooked as it would be in Greece, or even in London (Cypriot restaurants carry no restraint - they are almost as good as Indian restaurants.) Greek food in America has been pretty flavorless, but that does not deter VB from trying new restaurants. She's always in search of that one meal that "hits the spot."

Anthos' "take" on Greek food, is totally different. To describe the various "takes" would require knowledge of the dishes. To even say it's a "take off" on Greek cooking is an exaggeration. Just because you wrap something in a grape (or cabbage) leaf, does not make it a "dolma"; just because you have a piece of Phyllo on a plate, does not make the dish Baklava, Galaktoboureko, or a Pita unless it at least, tastes similar or is an adaptation. Let's just say, some semblance of the original dish, would go a long way. Suffice it to say, this may be a place for an expense account dinner, but not a place where you really expect to fill your belly, and say, "that hit the spot."

The red wine we ordered was served cold. I touched the bottle and said, "this bottle is cold." The Boss Man added, "just like Cairo." (What did VB say wine started at? We do tend to splurge when we visit "The City," but....)

We put up with all the patronizing behavior, like when VB ordered the salmon.
Waiter: "Would you like that medium-rare?"
VB: "Not really. I prefer my fish done through." (Which doesn't mean totally dry, if you know WTF you're doing. Go to The Grist Mill in Farmington, CT and order their pan roasted salmon ( just wonderful,) and you'll understand.)
Waiter: "Well, the chef says, blah,blah, blah...." (Basically, the chef would really prefer not to cook at all, and hand VB a plate of raw fish.)
VB: "I don't care. Just bring me the salmon."

VB's appetizer was called "Pastitio". VB is a pastitio lover. In her book, The Boss Man makes the best pastitio ever. What VB got was two fried patties of pastitio flavored meat, a dapple (not even a tablespoon worth) of bechamel sauce, and one buccatini swirled around the small plate. The patties were delicious, but VB wanted something a bit more substantial - like at least a tiny terrine. She tried to put a good face on it.

While we waited for a long time between the appetizers and main course, we were served a small port size glass of white liquid topped with dill. Even though it tasted of potato, it reminded VB of one of her favorite Azeri drinks, called Dovga.

VB's salmon came out totally raw in the center. She ate around it. (VB does not eat raw fish or meat. Now we get off topic. VB had Korean neighbors who were cooking for her, while her mom was in hospital during college. Korean mom, decided to be Rosemary, as in Rosemary's Baby, and eat raw liver in front of VB while she was cooking. She offered VB some. No thanks (euuw!) VB loves liver and onions with gravy, but thoroughly cooked.)

The Boss Man ordered "a saddle of lamb," which came out looking like a few slices of tenderloin. Not exactly enough to fill his belly. It was pretty raw too. VB's thinkin' with the "raw mezes" on menu here, maybe these people should just open a sushi joint, and we could have avoided all of this. The Boss Man, BTW, will eat anything.

Then for dessert, the Boss Man orders Galaktoboureko. Okay, anyone who has had it knows, it's a custard, wrapped in Phyllo, with a syrupy sauce. The Anthos dish is described as, "semolina pudding-ginger ice cream-Concorde grape sorbet-phyllo."

VB does not even recall seeing or tasting any "pudding" or "ice cream". Yes, there was some foamy goo on the plate, but in no way was that pudding or ice cream, except perhaps in some ouzo drenched chef's imagination. We did have a ring of Phyllo, and tasted the sorbet. Then VB did the bad thing. After tasting the sorbet, she said nonchalantly, "that tastes like soap." Whew! The Boss Man hit the roof - he said, "you're right! It does taste like soap - Proctor & Gambel as a matter of fact." (We grew up in Cincinnati where P&G reigns supreme.)

Well, while The Boss Man stewed, and kept saying how much the place reminded him of Nobu in London (you guys remember that place, don't you? That's where Boris Becker got a BJ in the boys bathroom, and ended up with a paternity lawsuit?) Meanwhile, VB was trying to figure out how she immediately recognized the taste of soap - Why would the taste of soap be so embedded in her taste buds? Did she eat it as a snack when she was a child? Did her mom wash her mouth out with it too often? "This is just so fucking odd," she thought.

Well, after complaining, they gave us the dessert for free. See, the portions are so small, that when you don't eat them all, it looks like you haven't even eaten anything. So, of course we commented when the waiter asked. We basically said, "the sorbet tastes like soap." Unless, we had been told by someone, or had seen bad critiques, we would not have known how our little trek to a new eatery would turn out.

Suffice it to say: If you are in "The City" don't eat at Anthos, unless your boss is paying for it; you want a pretentious night out; you like the taste of soap; you like seeing people who look like Morticia Addams, with collagen filled, old drooping lips, false eyelashes, big fake boobies, and a toy boy (and Morticia's been dead since 1983!); and you have sado-masochistic tendencies (you liked to be smacked around by the waiters and a chef who likes designing food on a plate more than actually cooking it.)

This is the last we speak of this. Needless to say, several debates ensued, and VB felt guilty for not doing her homework. The Boss Man kept saying, "I had it on my list."

The last day, we had lunch at The Beacon Restaurant & Bar, where we've been before. After lunch with Number one Son, VB was informed, "you need to learn how to make hamburgers like this." Um, yeah, that hit the spot!

(Below): Akdeniz Restaurant - almost a hole in the wall. Eat here!


(Below): A delivery guy at Akdeniz. They have a booming delivery business, which is conducted on bicycle. This guy's basket looks pretty empty, but while we were eating, bags and bags of food continued to pile up at the front door, waiting for the delivery guys.


(Below): The street where Adrienne's is located. Believe VB - it's down that street past the smoking hot tents.


(Below): Delmonico's - where VB did not get to eat.


(Below: Saks and St. Patrick's Cathedral, at night.


(Below): A (blurry) cow in The Beacon.



Next, what happened as we were on our way to the parking garage.

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Lemons Are Green

"The Volkswagen missed the boat.

The chrome strip on the glove compartment is blemished and must be replaced. Chances are you wouldn't have noticed it; Inspector Kurt Kroner did."

Remember the old VW ad? (from murketing):

"There are 3,389 men of our Wolfsburg factory with only one job; to inspect Volkswagens at each stage of production. (3,00 Volkswagens are produced daily; there are more inspectors than cars.)

Every shock absorber is tested (spot checking won't do), every windshield is scanned. VWs have been rejected for surface scratches barely visible to the eye.

Final inspection is really something! VW inspectors run each car off the line onto the Funktionsprüfstand (car test stand), tote up 189 check points, gun ahead to the automatic brake stand and say "no" to one VW out of fifty.

This preoccupation with detail means the VW lasts longer and requires less maintenance, by and large, than other cars. (It also means a used VW depreciates less than any other car.)

We pluck the lemons; you get the plums."

And, for those of you who have seen the print ad, VB wants to celebrate the New Season of Mad Men, by celebrating "the lemon." ( The ad, that drove the ad men in Mad Men, mad last season.) How could an advertisement like that actually work? It just did, and has been considered a stroke of genius. Mad Men, VB's favorite TV show starts it's new season on July 27th. And, FYI, even Mother Jones Magazine has an article about this amazing show. (WTF? Doesn't Mother Jones have enough to chew on with the upcoming elections?) More articles about Mad Men at The LA Times and The New York Times, calling it "the smartest show on television."

So, today VB celebrates lemons! Obviously, the cars shown are not really lemons.

(Below): Lemons for sale at the local stand. Unlike the US, lemons are sold here before they turn yellow. And, no, your homemade Limoncello will not turn green.


(Below: Bright green bug, on Port Said Road (spelled Bort around here).


(Below): This beetle recently showed up, parked near VB's apartment. A lot of people drive by, stop, back up, and then ask the attending boab (doorman) about it. Apparently, it had been stored in the owner's garage for a long time. He then gave it to his driver to use. According to the boab, since being in storage, it's worth has gone up eight times in value. From what VB can tell this is a "66-"67 Beetle.






Question: Why does this car have black license plates?


(Below): Another lime bug we passed on Road 9.


(Below): And, sometimes lemons are actually yellow! (That is, among other colors too.)


(Below): Too many baskets? Maybe this is the way all those lemons are transported...



NEWS:
Ford at 100:
Mr. Ford’s T: Versatile Mobility
"Nearly as significant as the Model T’s ubiquity was its knack for performing many tasks, going far beyond basic transportation."

A Week of Car Shows, a Century of Transportation

The Racing Is Fast and the Police Aren’t Furious
"Police officers in Lodz, Poland, have tried to deal with illegal street races by helping to organize them."

Freakonomics: FREAK Shots: How Many Bumper Stickers Make a Bad Driver?
"Driving a car can be depersonalizing. That’s why drivers use bumper stickers, bobble-heads, fish brake lights, racing stripes, etc. to show others on the road their personalities, explains Tom Vanderbilt in his book, Traffic. A recent study by Colorado State University psychologist William Szlemko found a link between road rage and the number — but [...]"

Film and Geotag Your Next Car Accident

East Texan's Electric Car Creation
"Al Kelley has had a burning desire to build an electric car for nearly 30 years, and now with his "bug truck" as he calls it, that dream is a reality. A skilled auto-electrician, Kelley built the battery-powered bug with his bare hands." (Video available at the link.)

The Tygan 356 Speedster
"Yet in spite of its prosaic underpinnings the Tygan is effectively a new car selling for new money. Part of its value is in the stripping of the old Beetle. Behind the Dorset factory is a Beetle graveyard, where these old workhorses are stripped of mechanical components like carrion from old bones before the remains are sent to the scrapyard. It's rather a sad place, especially when you consider that each one of the 600 or so Chesil/Tygans built over the years means one less Beetle on our roads. Only the spine of the Beetle is retained, shortened by 11 inches and fitted with new but similarly shortened floorpans. Tygan prefers to fit the safer, better-riding rear suspension from later Beetles, but will still use original trailing arms if masochistic purists demand it." (Full article and photos at the link.)

He's got the recycling Bug: Man brings VWs back from dead
"To celebrate the 50-year milestone, its silver anniversary, Kulungian brought the car out of barn storage and did some needed work on it to make it again serviceable, this time registering it as an antique auto." (Full story and photo at the link.)

Another reason to watch Dancing With The Stars:
Christina Applegate, Alec Baldwin Grateful for Emmy Nods
"Want to see ... the glamorous life of an Emmy nominee: When we're done talking, I'm getting in my 1978 Volkswagen beetle convertible and driving to the garage so they can install a windshield [part]. Nothing like show business!" – Dancing With the Stars' host Tom Bergeron, who earned a nod in the brand new category for reality-competition show host."

(UK)
Classic search to celebrate 60th anniversary of VW Transporter
"As part of celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the Volkswagen Transporter, Paul Burke and his colleagues at Volkswagen Group Ireland have initiated a search to find Ireland’s classic Transporter van, pick-up, combi or passenger bus.

The company is seeking out the best example of a classic VW Transporter currently in existence here.

Owners in possession of such a vehicle are invited to post photos of their van along with stories relating to its history, journeys, maintenance or restoration projects to the 'Create your own Memories' section at the web site www.volkswagenvans.ie."

(UK)
Car Clinic
"Q I’ve always wanted to buy a funky camper van so I can give up my job and head off around Europe. I’m hankering after an old Volkswagen, probably of 1960s or 1970s vintage. Are VW vans as reliable as their reputation suggests or would I be better off with a less sexy Ford Transit conversion? HA from south London" (Go to the link for the answer.)

(UK)
Right Guard Plots 'VW Van' Live Gigs
"Three winners of a monthly competition on the Right Guard- sponsored Yahoo! 24-hour music festival guide website will be invited to watch a gig in the camper van and sample the deodorant.

The work also involves the creation of a mobile WAP site, while a documentary about the restoration of the 1965 VW van being used for the gigs is being seeded online." (Many photos of the van can be seen here, at flickr.)

Lastly, VB used to take her Vanagon down to the Windsor Locks drive-thru Starbucks, for a latte. Vagabondblogger Doggie would ride in the back seat, and bark at the attendant. It was her thrill for the day. She passed away a year ago, and Lotus the new pup has only had a couple of trips to the drive-thru. Now it seems, the Windsor Locks Starbucks (the one near Bradley International Airport) will be closing. It's a shame, since the staff there was much friendlier than the people operating the Enfield store (not drive-thru.) Plus, the Barnes and Noble, just a few hundred feet away in Enfield, sells Starbucks coffee! (Let's talk about the thought process on that one, shall we.) So much for that. And, regarding friendliness, Dunkin' Donuts would toss a donut hole to doggie for a treat! So there Starbucks! Go ahead a close your damn drive-thru. Oh, and BTW, VB's sure, when she's shopping at Evergreen Walk, (the only other Starbucks she patronized), that she'll find a replacement for that one too, since you seem to think the folks, in Connecticut, on the east side of the Connecticut River are not worth your time. Dunkin' Donuts has drive thrus all over, their cheaper, and their coffee is just as good!

Here's a full, alphabetical, list of state by state closures, throughout the US: All 600 Stores



Mad Men - Theme Song - "A Beautiful Mine" by RJD2

VB heads back to the US Tuesday night, for a two month stay. She will still continue postings from there. She has also been informed that the electricity at her house will be out most of Thursday too.