charlie8575

Me too! Charlie Larkin

Sure it does, after it burns out probably 1/2-3/4 of the cars it gets put into and people get forced into buying new cars. If anyone should be sued, it's the EPA, but sovereign immunity has seen to that never happening. Charlie Larkin

This can be devastating, too. After the Genocide of 1915, when the Pontic Greeks were wiped out, the last living link to Ancient Greek was wiped out. From talking to a few friends of mine who are professional historians, this has had a ripple effect, as we're still having trouble translating a lot of things written in older dialects of Greek. Charlie Larkin

That was actually very interesting. Charlie Larkin

This was done in an effort to educate, not irritate. As Joe noted, this was intended as a history lesson/correction of a factual error. Remember, also, that those two subjects are woven throughout history, and one of those (politics) to a great deal into the history of cars. Charlie Larkin

I wonder if this is why so many newer cars seem to burn out so quickly? And a lot of older ones are suddenly dying? From all I've read of E-15, the stuff was seen as such a potential hazard to cars more than a few years old, that everyone from the car companies to SEMA to all sorts of car clubs actually lobbied the EPA to stop it or delay it. Looks like it was delayed. I'll have to keep an eye open. With my cars, this could be a real major problem. Charlie Larkin

Actually, the Assyrians don't have a church of their own, unlike other people in the Middle East, because since Christianity existed, they've never had their own clearly-defined national territory, always living with other groups, mostly the Turks and Iraqis. Due to that lack of territory, the Assyrians have never established a culturally/ethnically-distinct church. As a result, most Assyrians are either Melkite or Maronite Catholics; a substantial number of them are also any of the several Orthodox churches doting the region. Generally, the local Assyrians attended whatever denomination of church was convenient to them. The Assyrians were almost completely wiped out during the Ottoman/Young Turk Genocide of 1915-22 that reduced the Armenian population globally by over half and made the Pontic Greeks all but extinct. Charlie Larkin

I know Eino in lodge. Unfortunately, due to schedule I haven't been to Hope Lodge in Gardner for a while, last I knew, he was still kickin' along. Born in Fitchburg in 1921, so he'll be 95 this year. Charlie Larkin

One more reason I don't trust those non-bank services. Credit unions and community (local) banks can solve a lot of the same problems, frequently with far fewer (and lower) fees than all those cards have. Charlie Larkin

He might. If you're having trouble getting one through your PCP, he can ask a couple of friends of his. Dad does the computer stuff, but he's made a lot of contacts and friends throughout the VA around the country in each hospital's IRM, and he can work the backdoor. He's also helped a few people who have had major problems with service get it addressed. Let me know how you make out. Charlie Larkin

Looks very good. I can hear the mechanical lifters now... Charlie Larkin

The Regal has the formal roofline. It is a very nice-looking car, I must agree. Charlie Larkin

Wayne- great tip, I never considered that. I'll play with it a little. Doug- that looks good. Do you airbrush your craft paint? If so, what do you use for thinner? I was thinking about using Acryl thinner. I know a lot of people use Windex, but I don't trust it not turning purple or something because of the blue dye. Charlie Larkin

I don't know about South Africa, but in Massachusetts, that's an automatic $500 ticket, tow and an insurance surcharge for improper parking. Charlie Larkin

Jim, I'm very sorry to hear this. I hope the operation goes as well or better than expected. As other have said, stay positive and think positive thoughts. It may be a bit tough, but you'll get through this. Are you getting this done at the VA? They have some very good neurosurgeons, and if you have problems, my dad works there and knows a lot of people, so we might be able to help you out there, too. Charlie Larkin

True stories. Northern Worcester County and the very northwestern corner of Middlesex County (Ashby and Townsend), specifically, the Fitchburg-Lunenburg-Westminster-Ashburnham-Gardner-Templeton-Winchendon circuit, has what was the largest population of Finns outside of Finland. It's now in Michigan. In the 1920s, my friend Eino described his first grade classroom at Elm Street School in Fitchburg. "Imagine 1927 at Elm Street School in the first grade. The first row of kids was a bunch of Finns from Elm Street. The second row was a bunch of Italians from The Patch. The third Row was bunch of Canuck kids from Cleghorn, the fourth row was a bunch of Greeks from Greektown, and the fifth row was a bunch of kids that spoke English and were expected to teach us!" The second story also centers around another Finn, my late friend Wilho. Wilho grew up in Westminster on a little farm his parents owned, and he went to school in Westminster at the Center School. Wilho didn't speak a word of English in Kindergarten, and his parents barely spoke any English, but their teacher made sure they understood he needed to be able to speak English for first grade, or he was going to have a very hard year. So, his parents had his aunt send Wilho's cousin up to the farm for the summer. She was a year older than him and spoke English fluently. The fact his folks needed a little extra help was another reason, so up from Worcester she came for the summer. Wilho learns English, we get things tended to, perfect, they thought. Not quite. As Wilho said, "at the end of the summer, I still couldn't speak ten words of English, but her Finnish was perfect." Charlie Larkin

I would like a Focus wagon. Great little cars for scootin' around town in. Those motor mounts, from what I'm told, are a pretty common problem, but very easy to fix, as you discovered. As I recall, it's about 1-1/2 hours for the both of them. Charlie Larkin

What did you mix for the paint? I've been scratchin' around for a good red, and they're all either too bright or too burgundy. Been thinking of plain old Testors flat red with a little black, but I'm open to other ideas. Charlie Larkin

Trust me, it applies in almost every industry. Charlie Larkin

I believe. The big boys won't even talk to me. Why? My newest car is 21 years old. In simple language, they can't make any money off of me. I also have the added problem that I live in Massachusetts, where no insurance company wants to do business. I have it form a smallish company, Safety, that only does business in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. And two cars (1995 Buick, 1992 Chevy,) cost me less than $1000/year with slightly upgraded coverage and comprehensive fire/theft/glass (cheap- one windshield pays for it.) Charlie Larkin

Agreed. Absolutely, completely, without reservation, agreed upon. Charlie Larkin

That's sad. By the way- I looked up Coney Island whitefish. Ain't no way I'm cookin' with that! Charlie Larkin

I'm completely with you on this, Tom. I remember seeing kids who were from here that did that, and I'd constantly correct them. I've even seen packaging in stores feature that, and it's not a foreign product. Drives me bananas. Charlie Larkin

Phrase: "get your/my (whatever) on." Really? Almost any phrasing that makes you sound like a brain-damaged teenager; there's so much of it out there now, I can't even think of it all. Anything that steps around the truth- I have no problem with trying to avoid escalating bad situations or trying, as much as possible, to avoid causing someone unnecessary pain or upset, but we've become so PC'd, that we're afraid to speak anymore. I find that very disturbing. And then...my one of my favorite words to hate- "selfie." And, to go along with it, one of, if not the worst song, ever recorded. To its (dis?)credit, it perfectly encompasses everything about modern society that royally ticks me off. Charlie Larkin

I speak New England- I suppose to other parts of the world, it is its own language. My mother is Armenian (second-generation- my great-grandparents came in the mid-late 1890s, I haven't quite been able to nail down the year,) and I've been trying to learn Armenian for ages with little success. Charlie Larkin