Funkengroovin Wednesday - Road 9

Road 9, Maadi:
We eat, we drink, and we shop there. A trip to Road 9 usually results in a find of some sort. Plumbers, electrical shops, a Radio Shack, grocers (including organic), coffee shops (like four now - Costa, Cilantro, Beano's, and the most recent - The Second Cup,) restaurants, florists, butchers, gift / jewelry/ sheesha shops, and woodworkers who specialize in mashrabiya, all intermingle. But! Did you know you can also get your car fixed on Road 9? Just below The Golden Dragon's front (Road 9 facing) windows is a shop you may have walked by, without ever noticing. On both sides of the street, cars sit parked, some for weeks on end, some with raised hoods, waiting for the repairman.

A few weeks ago we drove through, and three men were blocking the road repairing a broke down VW Bus. VB had been tempted all week to walk down to see if the Bus was still on Road 9, but resisted. A week later, we went down, for a walk this time, to fetch some needed supplies (vinegar, cable from Radio Shack, and C Cell Alkaline Batteries.) On this day, VB got more than she wished for. All in one afternoon's work!

(Below): As usual, two kids asked to have their photo taken.



(Below): The aforementioned VW Van. VB wonders if that's the repairman.






(Below): Fresh, pencil thin spring asparagus (okay, so some of it looks sketchy. That's the way everything is here - enticing yet...?)



(Below two photos): A parked Bug, not waiting for repair.




(Below): Another Bug parked on Road 9.




(Below): A Bug, looking for a parking space.





(Below): Another Bug parked by Metro Market.





(Below): Orange Juice Delivery.



NEWS:
My First Car, (More stories and photos at the link.)
"Americans love their cars, and for many, reminiscing about their first set of wheels evokes memories of freedom, fun, fast engines and first-time fender-benders.

When American Profile asked readers to tell us about their first cars, we received hundreds of stories—and photos—of broken-down jalopies rescued from Depression-era chicken coops, second-hand family cars that provided reliable rides to school, and shiny, brand-spanking-new vehicles bought off showroom floors.

Along with detailed descriptions of every make and model imaginable—from a rickety 1920 Model T Ford purchased for $5 to a shiny 1994 Toyota Corolla, bought by a 70-year-old first-time driver—were humorous and heartwarming stories about nerve-wracking drivers’ examinations, unforgettable drive-in movie dates, cheap gasoline and quirky mechanical malfunctions."

“My first car was a 1958 Volkswagen Beetle that only had the driver’s seat because a Wisconsin farmer had used the car to transport his pigs,” says Marcia Koshollek of Green Valley, Ariz. “My father bought the car for me when I was 16 years old and paid $100 cash. I scrubbed and scrubbed but never got rid of the ‘pig smell.’”

Porsche Marks 60th Anniversary
"STUTTGART, Germany — The Porsche and Piëch families quietly observed a milestone on Thursday: the laying of the cornerstone for the family-controlled sports-car business that today is one of the world's most profitable auto companies."

From Jalopnik, with loads of great photos: 1974 Volkswagen Thing

Mean Streets of Mexico City (More info and photo at the link)
"In a country with such extremes of wealth and poverty, foreigners are viewed by the criminal fraternity as little more than brogue-wearing cash machines. I've been robbed at gunpoint and chased down the street by a car full of youths intent on abducting me. Three of my friends have been hijacked in taxis. Two others, who went walking in the hills outside Mexico City one Sunday, were robbed by bandits brandishing toothy grins and machetes. Mugging is so common it's now referred to as "gringo tax".

One of the first things that strike you about the traffic in Mexico City is the prevalence of bright green Volkswagen Beetle taxis (nicknamed vochos). "Oh, aren't they cute," coo tourists when they see them. The cars are cute, but I never forget that Hitler loved VW Beetles too.

Vochos have no back passenger doors. This makes it hard for passengers to exit in a hurry, but easy for unwelcome visitors to jump in. This feature is one of the reasons why taxi-hijackings, or express kidnaps, have become so popular."

ON AND OFF THE BUSES (Full article and photo at the link)
"They were rarely glamorous, never very adventurous but our big days out were always special... particularly the ones involving Grandad’s Bus.

Another bank holiday having just passed, thoughts of big days out were bound to prompt a touch of nostalgia for a time before main roads to coast and country were turned into go-nowhere-fast car parks. Before trains ground to a halt right on schedule, because holidays now mean repair and cancellation opportunities – not big days out."

Broken van offers good lesson
"I also learned something else about cheap VW vans - you can kick-start them. Nick would wait in the driver's seat while I pushed the van up to speed."

"It was also a great personal lesson in physics."

(UK)
Is Your VW Camper One in a Hundred? "The chances of winning the lottery are around one in 14million. If you don't fancy those odds, here's some good news: the chances of winning a full refund on your VW Camper insurance are just one in a hundred, thanks to Just Kampers Insurance Services."

Britain's Got Talent winner's rare disease (Full article at the link)
"George, who busked on the street to get to the show's audition, says he will spend his winnings on paying his mum's mortgage off and an old VW camper van for himself to go busking around the country."


MUSIC MEMORIES
"It's no easy task commemorating the wild abandon of 450,000 people blissfully gyrating in the rain. But the new Museum at Bethel Woods, opening today at the concert site, attempts to do just that.

Psychedelic colors swirl over a life-size hippie bus and a VW Bug, while wall displays discuss everything from civil rights to LSD. In many ways, this ode to the 1960s mirrors the "Summer of Love" exhibition at the Whitney last year.

The museum is within the 2,000-acre Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, a concert venue that this summer will host Steely Dan, Tony Bennett and, of course, Hippiefest 2008. With ongoing performances like these, it's easy to forget that Woodstock itself almost didn't happen."





Dean Martin - On The Street Where You Live

Me Cat Manor

Or No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
(as Awesome Daughter said after hearing the following story.)

VB has been in a funk lately. Last year she tried to get help catching a few of the feral cats eating on her porch. She was basically told to go bugger off. Well, anyone who's read VB's past posts will remember The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac. He showed up late last summer, and was still here when VB returned in late January after a three month absence.

(Below): (Center) The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac, lounging under the Palm Tree, with (L) Fuzzy Wuzzy and (R) Little Boy. This is one day of peacefulness around the yard.


As time went on, old Blue Eyes became somewhat of a menace. He was even meaner than The Bad Ass Cat. He sprayed on the food, and right into the water bowl. He fought with practically every other cat that came to feed, injuring some. He started sleeping on the grill, and terrified the younger cats, like Little Boy, who would shudder when Blue Eyes approached the porch.

The porch scene itself was getting out of hand. On a daily basis we could hear The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac howl at other cats, then screeching, then another attack. It certainly made great entertainment for Lotus, the pup, as she would scramble to go watch the fight through the dining room windows.

The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac and The Bad Ass Cat, plus a few others are all gold and white. It seemed as if VB's all night diner was turning into a gangland territorial spat, between the gold / white cats, and the non-gold / white cats, like these. Food was pulled inside after hours for a more peaceful sleep - nothing like being woken up at 3:00 AM by caterwauling cats. Little Boy's mama, who had just given birth to a new litter a couple of weeks earlier, was seen flying across the porch as The Blue Eyed Maniac pounced on her. She limped around for about a week. He had gone after the cat from next door, which someone had de-clawed, and could obviously not protect herself. He would chase cats out of the yard, into, and across the street, through mud, and traffic if he was pissed off enough. And he usually was.

Someone familiar with the local rescue community suggested VB call a certain shelter, who had transport services and "cat catchers". They said, if we had Blue Eyes neutered he'd have a much better temperament.

(Below): The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac's favorite target, Johnny Come Lately.



So, last week the "cat catcher" showed up twice. It would've only taken one visit had he shown up almost on time. Two hours late, is a bit too late, especially with these regimented felines. On the other hand, with the maid's help, VB could at least communicate with him, as he spoke no English. The "cat catcher" said they had a place to take cats like him, where they fought to the death. VB told him and the vet, she just wanted him neutered, returned, and then we would see if that works.

Well, The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac was trapped with in a cage (Below) - much like those no kill rat traps they sell here.



Then the cat catcher, feeling kind of full of himself, decides to trap the Blue and Green Eyed Cat. VB said she was sure this was a female, since the cat was extremely docile, and loving to other cats who came onto the porch. This was a new cat, who had only been around the porch for about a week or so. This cat even got along with The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac. The "cat catcher" said he was definitely a male. Hmm? How did VB get that wrong? As if it hasn't happened before!

(Below): The Blue and Green Eyed Cat caught in a net.



(Below): The Blue and Green Eyed Cat around the block sometime in March of this year. VB thought he was dead when she first saw him. He was apparently eating from the garbage bin, but looked emaciated. He also looked like one very old cat.



(Below): The Blue and Green Eyed Cat as a kitten. This photo was taken last July. VB searched through photos, knowing she had one of him previously, thinking he was the mom with a kitten. Instead he was actually the kitten. This would make him a little over a year old now.



Later that evening as VB was making dinner, the vet called to say the "cat catcher" would be dropping off the Blue and Green Eyed Cat, but not The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac. They were just operated on a few hours earlier, and VB thought they'd at least be kept overnight. Not so.

The vet explained that he had no room for them, they were too active, and that neutering the Blue Eyed Sex Maniac did nothing to his temperament. He told VB that he would drop him off somewhere else in Maadi, where he would not bother us anymore. For several days, VB was pretty upset. Did they drop him off in a deserted area of Maadi, that's still pretty much desert? Or did the vet allow the "cat catcher" to take The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac off to a back alley cat fighting ring? Both ideas seemed pretty dreadful to VB.

Question: Does VB have the word "chump" written on her forhead? Well, the good doctor did ask if we had any more cats we'd like to have "catched." Just asking.

It's been almost a week now and it's awfully quiet. It seems that peace has settled in for awhile. VB's sure one of the other males will try to take The Blue Eyed Sex Maniac's place, but who will it be? Who will reign as the cat king of Me Cat Manor? It had been peaceful once before, but that came to a screeching halt, and it probably will again.

As for the Blue and Green Eyed Cat, he seems to be recuperating. VB's concerned about his safety, but he seemed to be an awfully agreeable cat, considering some of the characters we get here at the feeding post. Another new cat, seen below, is a very good friend of his. When she arrives (she just had kittens, so VB's sure it's a she) he jumps off the chair, they bump heads, do a dance, wrap their tales around each other, rub up against each other, and then eat together out of the same bowl.





It's nice to know Blue and Green Eyed cat has such a wonderful friend. Sometimes good things can happen.

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Two-tone Madness

Blog subject today: Two-toned bugs. They seem to be the new rage here, and VB keeps bumping into them, wherever she goes. Photos should be self explanatory.

Below: Maadi



Below: The Khan (Souk, Market, Bazaar)



Below: Car chase in Maadi


Below: Maadi







A Somewhat Perverse(?) Assortment of
NEWS:

VB says, "keep these creeps away from my baby!" ('65 VW Beetle Convertible)
VIDEO: Man Who Makes Love With Cars

Article from JAVNO:
"A man who claimed he had a sexual intercourse with over 1,000 automobiles, now defends his romantic feelings towards cars, the Telegraph reports.

Edward Smith, who lives with his current “girlfriend” – a white Volkswagen beetle he calls Vanilla – is persistent in his belief that he is not mentally sick, and he does not show any wish of changing his lifestyle."
There's more: Documentary Of The Week My Car Is My Lover Wednesday, 5, 10pm
"We also meet Jordan, a 20-year-old who lives nearly 2,000 miles away, in Missouri and also expresses his feelings through music.
Like Edward, he also caught the love bug when he fell for a classic VW Beetle."
And more: Man who's had sex with 1000 cars gives new meaning to auto-erotic, and more, The man who has sex with cars, and possibly the original article all others refer to: Man admits having sex with 1,000 cars, "My Car Is My Lover is on Five on Wednesday, May 28."

Sorry Beck's, but Saying 'Different by CHOICE!' Doesn't Make it So (Video and more information.)
"To draw attention away from its absence of a sound position in the beer market (unless "favorited beer of the band 'Black Label Society'" counts), Beck's tries wearing the message "Different by Choice."

This new spot -- produced by Anonymous for agency Lowe Worldwide & Partners -- compares the mediocre green beer to avant-garde painters, punk rockers and the VW bug, among other subversive cultural icons."


Two pals start their own ‘Meals On Wheels’
"...Jeff’s wife, Elizabeth, owned a ‘71 Volkswagen Super Beetle when they married in 1986. Jeff had told her he would restore the car. “Taking it apart is the easy part,” he says. “Getting it back to brand-new is the really long and hard and arduous part.” Over the years, there were a lot of distractions...."

"In 2004, Jeff, 53, bought a huge homemade grill — a converted 275-gallon recycled fuel oil tank — to indulge in one of his other passions: barbecuing. He was pondering how to move the grill when his eye landed on the new chassis he had bought for the Volkswagen. Once he had installed the grill in the Beetle shell, he had not only saved himself from “the humiliating defeat of junking the car I couldn’t finish,” he also had a proposal for a new business with a catchy name: Carbecue...." (More information at the link, but sadly, no photos.)

Vroom to spare
"TILTON – For hot rod and custom car enthusiasts, the sixth annual Laconia Custom Nationals, which has drawn more than 600 entries to Gunstock Ski Area in Gilford, is a chance to share their passion with like-minded people and swap shop notes on what's happening in their retro world."

"Moe Camire, 70, of Chelmsford, Mass., brought along a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle he spent hundreds of hours restoring over the past 15 years." (Photo and more info at the link.)

Volkswagen Cuts Karmann from 2010 Golf Convertible product

Plug 'er in and drive away
"FOR the sake of the environment Ric Smith is using his 20 years of mechanical experience to change his red VW into an electric car."

Volkswagen Bus; It was as loveable as it was slow and it set the tone for all the minivans that would follow
"Chrysler's minivan might have struck with more ferocity in 1984, but Volkswagen got the wheels rolling decades earlier and for different reasons." (Full article at the link.)

Business in Maidenhead, Connexions Berkshire
"Connexions Berkshire has recently taken delivery of its first branded vehicle, a mini replica of an original VW Camper. Based on the Subaru Samba, the van is branded in the Connexions colours and logo." (Photo at the link.)

Festivals and children – It doesn’t have to be torture
“Every year more and more people are taking our vans to festivals because they’re a really civilised way of coping where facilities are often pretty basic. Festival rentals have trebled since 2004 and Glastonbury weekend was fully booked six months ago, so it really has been a huge growth area for us.” (More info and a photo at the link.)


The music video is somewhat of a lucky find for VB, and coincidental at that. Last week VB, and The Boss Man, watched an excellent movie about the 1980's skinhead movement in the UK, This Is England. As VB was looking for an appropriate music video, she plugged in "two tone" for a search. She then came up with, among other things (like two-toned painted fingernails,) a music movement called 2 Tone, which became popular with UK skinheads during the 1980's.
From Wiki: "The music term 2 Tone was coined by Jerry Dammers of The Specials, who has said he came up with the idea because he liked the black-and-white check pattern on his scooter when he was a young mod.[citation needed]However, many people think the name refers to black-and-white outfits worn by rude boys and skinheads — and to unity between black people and whites."

Evolucion Reggae - 2Tone The Special & Madness

More Road Trips, Road Food, and TV coming (VB has been procrastinating.)

Funkengroovin Wednesday

On Friday, 9 May 2008, the Boss Man and VB planned on going to the Maadi Car and Taxi Market, but changed our minds. We ended up at Stars City Mall (required shopping detour), with a pass through the Nasr City Car Market, on the way home. It was the first market Friday after the new taxes were imposed, not just on fuel, but also on car licensing fees, based on engine size (among many other taxable items). Was the market packed? Yesiree Bob! In the past, you might find cars for sale parked along the street (in addition to the two lots), but on this day, they were triple parked along the street, with barely two lanes open for regular traffic. Smoking cars, with engines afire were being pushed; others with detached / broken bumpers hanging out the rear windows, could be seen trudging their way up the strip; every conceivable ailment was in plain view, while rarities hid amongst the moving disasters. Everyone was looking for a deal: everyone was looking to get out from under the new tax. The main strip turned into a quasi parking lot itself.

Below, scenes from our short little visit.


(Below: Dang! Just missed a passing Bus!)

(Below: VW Bus Taxi, near Nasr City. Get a load of that rear end.)


(Below: At the Car Market, along the strip - Checking under the hood.)


(Below): A Zastava (aka Fiat) for sale, in the small lot. If you blow this up, it looks like he's giving VB the finger, but in the next photo he was laughing. Unfortunately, that photo wasn't a good car shot. The Boss Man says, the Zastava "makes a VW Bug look like a fucking race car."

(Below): Traffic - the market literally took over the street - it's a virtual parking lot. The traffic cops are too busy looking at the cars for sale, to actually make any effort to conduct traffic.


(Below): As we were leaving we spotted a VW Bus on the other side of the road - wonder if it's on it's way to the car market?


(Below): On the way home - the view must be better up there. Besides, VB's thinkin' that looks like a garbage collection truck, so they're probably better off where they are.



NEWS:

May 21, 1901: Connecticut Sets First Speed Limit at 12 MPH
"The very word automobile was a new entry in the English language. When Connecticut passed its speeding-driver law, it was less than two years since the first use of the term in a major U.S. newspaper. Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Charles Shanks used the French word automobile in a series of articles starting May 22, 1899. The name soon caught on, replacing the backward-looking horseless carriage."


Go Green -- Buy a Used Car. It's Better Than a Hybrid
"As Matt Power notes in this month's issue of Wired, hybrids get great gas mileage but it takes 113 million BTUs of energy to make a Toyota Prius. Because there are about 113,000 BTUs of energy in a gallon of gasoline, the Prius has consumed the equivalent of 1,000 gallons of gasoline before it reaches the showroom. Think of it as a carbon debt -- one you won't pay off until the Prius has turned over 46,000 miles or so."

Hobby starts where job ends for bug-loving county man
"NEWMANSTOWN — Theo-dore S. Axarlis always liked playing with cars. Not the toys; the real ones, and especially Volkswagens.
At 46, Axarlis is still playing with them. He is nearing the end of a two-year project to refurbish a 1980s Volkswagen Beetle for his sister." (More info and photo at the link.)

Is there hope for brands we'd like to see come back?
"A tiny number of hard-core loyalists not only doesn't mean a whole lot when reviving a brand, it might be a problem because those people do remember," Walker writes. He cites VW Beetle purists who didn't like new bug."

Volkswagen's Public Polling Pays Off
"Last month, VW unveiled a key element in the buzz-building campaign, a 3,685-square-foot interactive billboard in New York's Times Square. It pictures the bug parked behind his microphone, alongside the headline "The people want their voice to be heard." VW is the first brand to utilize the interactive technology of the ABC SuperSign, which allows a two-way dialogue with passersby via SMS. Using their cell phones, pedestrians text their yes or no responses to the poll questions appearing on the sign, and through WAP technology, their texted votes are recorded live on a news ticker."

"It's what the people want" has certainly attracted consumer attention. At press time, there have been a total of 977,983 votes and 77,113 polls collected. Up to 500 poll questions run live at any one time."

"The interactive Times Square billboard also caught the attention of the media, including the hosts of The View, who spent about five minutes discussing the poll on the show."

Cottage - and car collection - fit for a king
"The former adviser to a Bulgarian tsar is selling his original Stirlingshire home - which comes with a right royal fleet"

"He is offering to include a collection of more than 10 classic cars when he sells his house in Stirlingshire. Not only that, but the next occupant of North Mid Frew could also take over Drysdale's wedding car business, not to mention his classic car tours of the Trossachs.

The cars include a 1932 Rolls Royce, a BMW Dixi and an Austin Seven - as well as a VW Beetle and a Citroen 2CV. But, tempting as the classic car collection might be, his wife Pat insists that it is the house that is the real star of the sale."

Flyin’ along
"Bug racers run their ride for diabetes cause" (More info and photos at the link.)

Volkswagen Beetles to gather at June Bug Jamboree
"A swarm of VW Beetles, buses and buggies will descend on the Ozarks as GROOVE --General Registry Of Ozarks Volkswagen Enthusiasts-- is sponsoring its 14th annual June Bug Jamboree.

The jamboree will be held on June 6-7 on the grounds of American Legion Post 639, 2660 S. Scenic Ave. Registration starts at 6 p.m. June 6."

My Favorite 'Volksrod'
"THE OWNER: Frank Bryan of Escalon
THE CAR: Based on a 1965 Volkswagen Beetle
WHAT SPARKED THE INTEREST: "The September 2006 issue of Hot VWs featured a 'Volksrod' on the front cover, and I was hooked," said Bryan." (More info and photos at the link.)

Busy pre-running begins Saturday in Mexico on rugged 441.15-mile race course for 40th Tecate SCORE Baja 500

Unorthodox pickup forgot to be functional - 1961-1964 Chevrolet Corvair Pickups
"Since the Corvair so slavishly copied the VW car's configuration, it was not surprising that when Chevrolet entered the light commercial vehicle market VW had virtually to itself, it would follow the VW formula. The Corvair 95 (for its 95-inch [2,413-mm] wheelbase) passenger and utility vans looked uncannily like the VW Bus and Transporter." (More info and photo at the link.)

VW van makes Road Trip! in Cordova a little different
"We acquired a 1973 VW van and brought it to the Pensacola store, added more clothing lines and had to think of a name other than Peace Frogs," said Robinson. "We settled on the name, Road Trip! and created a 'road' down the center of our store underneath the VW van." (More info and photo at the link.)




Everybody Wants To Rule The World

Another edition of Road Trips, Road Food and TV is on it's way.

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Road Trips, Road Food and TV #5

The Hairy Bikers, plus Oz and James' Big Wine Adventure

This has nothing to do with VW's, but two of VB's favorite shows involve road trips and adventure. The first is The Hairy Bikers, and the second, is Oz and James Big Wine Adventure.

Other news pertaining to Road Trips, Road Food, and TV comes from BBC Food Channel and Apple TV.
On 10 May 2008, (Saturday) BBC Food Channel had Road Trip day, where they showed repeats of previously shown shows, which are not only informative, but funny, as well. Both shows either include cooking on the road, and / or camping out. The other of VB's favorites, included in this BBC Road Trip, is In Search of Perfection, with Heston Blumenthal. Heston is pretty much the British equivalent of Alton Brown. Both love talking about the science behind cooking, and if you're a science idiot like yours truly, then you actually might learn a thing or two. One of the features that makes BBC Food stand out from it's American counterpart, the Food Network, is watching a lot of these blokes, travel around, cook outside, grill, and play with their food. Whereas with most of the shows on the Food Network, it's the same old, in the kitchen presentation, they've been shoving down our throats for years.


In the Hairy Bikers, as far as I've seen (through all that hair, and giggling, mind you) is a delightful tour of Transylvania and Turkey, where they make their own Doner Kebab, as shown below. The Road Trip show takes place in Portugal, and it's pretty much the same format: travel around on their bikes, visit cafes / pubs / homes, and then try cooking a local specialty al fresco. VB hasn't tried any of the recipes, but the show is awfully fun to watch. It's pretty obvious that they don't carry any of their own cooking equipment on their bikes. So, a question: where the hell did they hide the kebab cooker? Again, they had a bunch of helpers towing around their cookery, even though they do a bit of outdoor cooking themselves.

Unfortunately, for the most part, none of these shows realistically deals with cooking on the road.






(Below): Oz and James Big Wine Adventure. They don't really cook (unless you consider making a batch of bad wine "cooking"), but they do go on a Road Trip, and they camp out, too. James drives a Jaguar on the trip through France, and they are complete opposites. Oz the wine snob, pairs up with James from Top Gear. It turns out to be a comical tour of French wine country, as James sneers at Oz's snobbery, and Oz can't fathom James learning a damn thing about wine, or what he calls, "getting it." And by the time it's all over, you'll be "getting it" (or at least a bit of it) too. VB's not sure either of these shows has been on TV in the States (since she's so rarely there, and hasn't had the BBC Food Channel for quite some time until the move to Cairo.)





James May - Rant 3




And, for future reference, a Cabernet goes nicely with a good hamburger.

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Scenes From A Car Chase

Typically, VB tries to take photos of cars, and get additional information, (if the owner is around) when they're parked. Cairo parking can resemble sardines packed into a tin can, so finding a spot to stop, off the road, can sometimes be problematic. The only other way to get photos, is to chase the damn car, until VB can get a decent photo or, as in this case, it turns off onto a path where we have no desire to follow. Here's how we do it:
Once a VW has been spotted, The Boss Man tries to chase it down to get closer.

Sometimes traffic gets in the way.

(Below): See the top of the van? Just beyond the red car.


(Below): Yikes! It's getting away! Can't even hardly see it now.


(Below): Ahh, there it is. Looks like a massive traffic jam ahead.


(Below): Getting closer - traffic seems to be clogged up for some reason.


(Below): The VW Van turns off.


(Below two photos): Reason for the major traffic jam - just another broke down police car!





NEWS:
No news today. There is news out there, but nothing of great interest.

The Kinks - Lola

More on Road Trips, Road Food, and TV coming soon.

Test Print - Bug Fest 2

Last week it was this, (BTW, one flew down VB's blouse last night) and now it's THIS! (See below.) Flying black ants, and they are ginormous! Not quite swarming, but sort of, and frightening enough to give even the most seasoned bug / mouse killer, the creeps. VB wonders if they bite. They look vicious.

All these damn bugs remind VB of The Naked Jungle, starring Charlton Heston, which she saw a long, long time ago. A good review can be found here: Heston vs. the Marabunta. And yeah, he's gonna kill those mothers with that fucking rifle! (But, no, not really; but yeah, but noo; but the NRA would probably be more than happy to help out with that endeavor.)

If going to bed, whacking flying ginormous black ants isn't enough, when VB wakes up the next morning, she finds this (below):

Yes, that's three sheets of printer paper on the floor. VB now knows that the electricity went off three times while she was sleeping. VB's printer has the habit of spitting out test prints every time it reboots (it drives puppy, Lotus, nuts.) The electricity went off four times in one day, over the weekend (that we know of.)

Now, if someone could just tell VB why the hell there's no cold water in her shower, just scalding hot, she'd be a little bit happier. With the temps running around 97-98 degrees, it would be nice to have some cold (even lukewarm) water. Or do we have to pay extra for cold water now? - Like the rising prices of everything else isn't enough!

Funkengroovin Wednesday - Road Trips, Road Food and TV #4

Danny Boome, pictured below, might remind you of another young man who traveled around in VW Bus. In Danny By The Sea he tours his childhood area, the Norfolk coast, in search of good eats. He cooks on the beach, a bit in the van and seeks out distinctively British food. His series just ended a couple of weeks ago.

Only problem: He talks way too much when he's driving! Check it out (below). Someone should tell the boy: "Both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road!"


Message to Danny: "Chill!"

Danny might look familiar to Americans, since he has just started his new show on The Food Network, called Rescue Chef. He's the talk of the blogs, and appears to be every single (and married) woman's dream. He's the latest, hottest young single chef since Jamie. Check out his cooking skills, enthusiasm, charm, and most importantly, his VW Bus in the video below in Danny By The Sea outtakes. It's where he claims to have "cooked my first crab," But when VB first heard him, she thought he said it was where he "took my first crap." VB needs subtitles! (For all shows, even the American ones too.)

More information about Danny at Danny Boome TV.

Danny By The Sea: Danny Boome - Show Reel 2007




Unfortunately, VB couldn't find any information about Danny's Bus - nowhere!

Just A Note:
From Apple TV, one of VB's favorite shows is available for downloading: Little Britain Season 3! Go ahead, laugh your pants off! Seasons 1 and 2 are not available (yet?). BBC America is a new channel that was just added.


NEWS:

Here Comes the New Spindle, Same As the Old Spindle
"Hold off on the mourning, all ye Spindle fans who continue to lament the loss of their beloved public art and pigeon poop collector." (Photo at the link.)

It's hip to be square
(Photo gallery and article at the link):




The Clash London Calling Video (excellent sound quality)

Bug Fest!

She's dealin' with it!

A weekend preoccupation has turned into a full scale assault.

The exterminating "engineer" has visited. Room off limits for three hours, and more due to noxious fumes. Third invasion in a year. "Engineer" thinks he finally found the nest. Let's hope so!

VB doesn't even know what the hell these are, but they appear to be flying red ants.