Got Gas?

In a couple of post recently regarding my car problems, I have done some research with many people saying about the same thing. Depending on what type of car it is, what the manufacturer says which fuel to use and which gas stations one uses all affects the performance of the car.

When I finally got my car working right again, I stopped getting fuel at many gas stations that have ethanol mixed in with the fuel. I have tried a few different gas stations fuel to see which one gives my car better performance. That led me to Fleet Fuels in Wendell, NC. Their gas prices are the highest in the whole area but it came with an unexpectant benefit.

I am paying $4 dollars a gallon for the highest grade of gas. After two complete fuel ups so far I have noticed that my gas millage has improved and the sound of the engine’s roar has come back. This has led to an important decision for me. Pay a great deal more for gas and get a better running and sounding motor or go to a less expensive gas station but lose those benefits?

The expensive gas would mean less major car problems later on in its life. But using a different gas station, I would spend less but risk paying more for future car problems later on.  For now I’ll keep using the expensive gas at Fleet Fuels for two personnel important reasons.

The first one is that I feel safer knowing the engine is running on a more cleaner type of grade of fuel. The second is that I just love hearing the sound of that engine coming back to live as I drive on the freeway.

Past articles:

1st

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WRAL TV article

Real Transformer Car - sort of...

Original Story here from Top Gear website. 

Helter Skelter 2012

Based on Kyoko Okazaki's award-winning Helter Skelter manga, the film stars Erika Sawajiri as Ririko, a model who underwent extensive plastic surgery to attain her beauty. The clinic that performed Ririko's surgeries goes under investigation for questionable business practices, and Ririko's body starts to deteriorate. As the model's prominence in the entertainment industry begins to falter, so does her sanity.

Thou I am not a Ayumi Hamasaki's fan, given that she has a prima donna attitude as her record company Avex, bends over backwards for her even though other artist such as Namie Amuro and GACKT are more commercially worldwide known. Her 2001 song “evolution” once used for a makeup commercial is the film's theme song. A couple of people who were unfortunate to see the 2009 movie Dragonball Evolution may remember hearing her song “Rule” which was used as the main theme song for the movie.

The film will premiere in Japan on July 14.

Below is a scene during production follow by the new movie trailer.

North Carolina Marriage Amendment

North Carolina voters elected to change the state constitution on Tuesday, prohibiting any union outside of a marriage between a man and a woman from being recognized in the state. here are the results.

My Generation

My generation is the greatest of them all. That’s what every person has been saying about their own generation for as long as time itself. Recently when I went on a school field trip with my youngest son I was able to really see the difference between both our generations. The luxury’s he takes for granted now was unknown technology when I was his age. I once suggested to my two boys that they should live one day with the technology I use to have. They fled to their mother almost in tears saying I was torturing them. Eventually she stopped laughing.

A long time ago before Wal-Mart and Target invaded America there was a small department chain called Maxway. It was clothing, arcade center, toys, electronics, food, auto and more; a mini version of what Wal-Mart is today. My mother was the assistant manager at one of these stores in Zebulon, North Carolina. And I was spoiled by nearly all the new technologies that were coming out during the 70’s and 80’s.

I got to play all the new arcade games for free when my mother closed up the store at nights. She would open the panel door so I could keep playing. When they did night time inventory, she would let me stay overnight in the store so I could play all the arcade games. I held all the top ten spots on all the machines. When the Atari game system came out she would bring it home at nights so I could play it then take it back to work with her the next day.

They used to rent out the VCR player when it first came out, as well as the movies to watch; a precursor to Blockbuster Videos. You had to pay a $100 deposit that was given back to you when you returned the VCR unit but not for me. The best part was that a lot of the movies that were coming out on VHS tapes during this time were B rated movies with lots of nudity and violence. And I got to watch every one of those movies for years without having to pay.

But time moves on as the place now sits empty. The store was split into two different shops as one is a Dollar General Store and the other one still sits empty right next to a Piggly Wiggly store. But at one time, this place was the busiest store for miles with the latest tech toys and games. I bought the very first water proof Walkman cassette player. I got first pick of all the new Transformers, GI Joe and Voltron toys before they went to the shelf. I had the best childhood ever.

Now my kids have a gaming system that does things that was considered science fiction when I was there age. My wife’s MP3 player is smaller than my thumb. My computer talks to my TV and cell phone more than I do. My satellite receiver can copy over 100 hours of programs with a trigabit of extra storage space of over hundreds of channels for me to choose from. Cellphones working like mini computers that can turn cars on or off as it orders pizza for you. So many different forms of technology to make everyone live a more joy-filled life.

I know my son loves being a kid, taking for granted things that weren’t even invented when I was his age. He feels like he’s in heaven but I still feel like I had the greatest childhood. Because with all the technologies that I grew up with, the biggest joy I had was getting out of the house and exploring the woods behind my house on foot or on my bike. Something I feel many kids nowadays lacks.

I Survived a 5th Grade Field Trip

My youngest son recently had his 5^th grade field trip to the Aquarium located at Pine Knoll Shores on Emerald Isle, NC. At the request of his teacher, I was asked to accompany him, as were many other parents asked to come with their children. It was a wonderful experience that I will always remember no matter how hard I try.

All the kids could bring their Nintendo DS’s or any other electronic gadget. So that night he charged up his while I loaded the tablet with as much of his favorite TV shows and videos on it. I packed both of our backpacks with the most essential items that we were going to need; a tablet, comic books, lots of soda, chips and junk food. Coming home that night I wish I’d included aspirin.

We got to school just as the two charter busses arrive.  After the usual mayhem of organized chaos, we all were loaded up and ready for a three hour tour ride to the aquarium. A few parents chose to drive their personnel car. Due to the high cost of fuel these days, I considered them the lucky ones after 30 minutes of seating on a charter bus seat. Not much leg room with little cushion to relax.

But the kids didn’t mind for once we left school, one of the teachers started a movie for everyone to watch. My son loved it because we were sitting right in front of the TV set. I immediately started reading a book, Zits Zombie Parents, the perfect book on how to handle teenagers. Three hours of seat shuffling later we arrived at the aquarium as the organized chaos disembarked and for the next few hours we all enjoyed ourselves.

We saw a presentation on jelly fish and took lots of pictures being in front of sharks, turtles and all other kinds of fish imaginable. The only thing that really got him excited was the machine that flattens out a penny into different shapes for 50 cents. For me it was the Dairy Queen shop by the gift shop. It was lunch time and I was starving.

But after all the fun times there we drove to a picnic area near Fort Macon where we all pigged out on prepared school lunches and home cook foods. My son and I ate junk food and soda from a 2 liter drink. Afterwards we were all herded to the beach for a class picture which became the best part of the trip as there were a lot of women on the beach getting a tan.  They quickly became surrounded by 5^th graders, their parents and teachers. A few women were unable to quickly move away due to the fact they had the top bikini strap undone.

So as all the kids were lined up with the ocean behind them, everyone else was taking their pictures as every dad was trying to get a look at all those women sun bathing or playing in the water. A few female teachers were making joking comments about all of us guys trying to sneak a peek but something else did come to the attention to everyone else. As we heading back to the bus we notice that these 5^th grade boys were also looking at the women on the beach. It was easy to spot them for they were moving their heads and not their eyes.

And so everyone is loaded back on both buses as we drove to Fort Macon. A few blocks away as an invasion force of 5^th graders transformed this quiet place into a warzone of noise and activity. My son started a trend. He ran up to the cannon in the lobby, stuck he whole arm in it and asked for volunteers to blow it up. Within a minute every kid in the place wanted their arm blown up.

But we walked around the place as kids stuck body parts in all the cannons, ran from room to room and simply enjoyed the view of the ocean from atop the place. After a visit to the gift shop to buy some confederate money we all headed back to the bus for our three hour adventure back home. Unable to get comfortable the entire time, I felt like a sardine in a can. But there were a few good moments on the way home.

As we were coming up to Havelock, a few of us noticed a lot of jet fighters in the air. We figured an air show must be going on at the Cherry Point Marine Base for there was a lot acrobatic flying going on. We even notice a lot of people just sitting out in their yards or shopping areas watching these planes fly around.

But as we drove on past the town I struggled the entire way as I was not getting a migraine headache.

Once back at the school I had our backpacks in hand as the doors opened up as my son and I bolted for the car and were half way home before anyone else left the school. Once home my son was non-stop talk as I handed all the souvenir stuff and camera to my wife as I drank a ½ bottle of Nyquil and went straight to bed. I didn’t even eat anything for dinner.

If someone asked me to do that all over again I would still say yes. The reason is very simple. Just as I was falling asleep, my son came into the bedroom and told me how much fun he had being with me. He even promises to let me sit by the window next time so I could rest more easily. I fell asleep as he was still talking to me. But the last thing I clearly remember is him telling me that I’m a great dad.

Vegetarianism VS Everyone Else

I found this from a Google+ user. After 10 minutes of laughter I posted this for others to see.