Project progress

Some have said that a year of building a complete vehicle is too long. It most certainly is not for the novice, I'll grant that. I had the body and outside finished before a summer was over. Like anything one undertakes...it's the little things that kill (time).

The exterior dimensions (made of a wooden buck and framing) started back in 2010. As I pulled dimensions and ergonomics from that model, applied them in a steel spaceframe and aquired actual pieces to gather more dimensional information, the clock ticked. As early as late 2010, I had completed the spaceframe and backbone of the project, and began sourcing more parts for it's completion.

The windshield, the "B" pillar, and the hood are all real M1097/998 pieces. That left front fenders, rear quarters, bed and fender boxes to me. I drew each piece out in an autocad program, purchased the steel plate, and cut out, bent, hammered and welded/riveted each piece that was not a real M1097 piece.

I finally fitted the firewall and floorpans into the vehicle amidst a very busy election primary cycle in mid 2011... and then I had the rear storage pans under the bed to finish after that.

As of last night, I had pulled the military Kevlar full top and wrapped up the purchase in October of a sheet of steel to make my own 2 man hardtop. I finished the hammer and dolly work, the welding, the 3M NASCAR panel tape work on the inside of the top...and today, it's ready for paint....and a rear window.

2012 will begin with a bang as I search for the perfect high horsepower engine transplant and tranny. The fabrication stage is almost over. The axles are placed, and the interior is all but completed.

As we leave 2011

I'm proud to have stood with so many able and capable activists. We rocked Loudoun County....filled Board of Supervisor's chambers numerous times in the name of one good fight after another.

I could go thru a list of you all...but inevitably, I'd miss someone who did incredible things for the movement...and so I'll refrain from referencing the particular persons. The list of great candidates should head any list, because without them, the races weren't possible.

The CBPO fell. In poll after poll, it was voted against with a 70% margin against it. It was the stuff that Republican wins are made of.  Numerous times, when I walked into a house to discuss the elections, I left a home where the occupants were intent on seeing the  incumbent (or whoever they endorsed) was going to be ousted.
That required research. We were blessed to have one of the premiere researchers right in the ranks.
Her work on the CBPO, as well as Dulles Rail are going to be invaluable as we move forward.

The tradgedy at the end of that trail for the Catoctin District (by the LCRC mechanism..or lack of it) was met with a group of the best  people I've ever seen operate. They covered EVERY precinct, and every shift...after covering every house in neighborhoods for the 4 months before that. It is truly inspiring to see that team work, and Geary Higgins and Dick Black know who those folks are. Of particular note was the new Hamilton Precinct. The Lovettsville Precincts started the roll..and the Hamilton Precinct took us to a lofty position that insured we could probably not be beat. By the time that Harper Park came online, it was over for the competition. Thanks again to those who had the Precinct Captain restored to her rightful place there.

All- in- all, we've left the County in better shape than it was in. Of course, there are some rocky edges that will come up, but I hope we're all communicating better than the last bunch was. What we have going forward, are a shared vision to create a larger commercial sector that can relieve the current residential burden, and a shared desire to create a government oversight committee to trim fat where it can be trimmed.

I'm on a brief vacation for the New Year, and will use the time to unwind, spend more time with the Missus, and prepare the next battle plan. I'll look forward to reconnecting with all of the fine folks in January as we move towards March, and the challenges it will bring.

Happy New Year to my friends and readers. I hope yours is a fantastic New Year full of opportunity, family and friendship.

Coal-burning Power Plants recieve message from the leftists at the EPA

The message? Clean up , or shut down.
Seems no one over at the EPA has a very long memory.
If they did, they'd remember those rolling blackouts that plagued Kalifornia after they tightened down and shut down plants.....without instituting a real plan first.

Just saying. If you receive your power from one of these plants, you might want to invest in a generator.

President Obama, please put JOBS under the Christmas tree this year!

 

Guest post by Melody Himel Scalley ...

Unless you have a high paying government job, and even if you do, you are probably well aware that the majority of American’s are deeply impacted by the ongoing devastation to the United States economy since President Obama took office.

While overall the unemployment rate hovers close to 9%, minority unemployment remains consistently near 15% and these figures show no indication of significant improvement in the near future.  Meanwhile, the current administrations lack of a positive Energy Policy is not only hamstringing companies that could add much needed AMERICAN JOBS to the economy; it is also compromising our long term national security and unnecessarily delaying our economic recovery.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently released a report that shows the U.S. is on track to actually export a net increase in gasoline, diesel and other oil-based fuels in 2011 for the first time in 62 years.  This is due to the fact that while our economy is stalled, the economy in emerging markets is booming.  However these record exports are not forecast to continue.  EIA is also predicting domestic oil production will fall 240,000 barrels/day through 2012, mainly due to the continued Gulf "energy freeze" imposed by our current administration.

The United States has the highest standards for environmental protection in the free world.  Other countries do not endeavor to protect the environment for future generations as we do, yet their lack of concern for the environment will affect all of us.  We have the desire to be good stewards of the environment as well as the technology to extract our resources in a safe and efficient manner.  The U.S. also has the most stringent work place safety requirements of any nation.  We have the energy resources right here within our borders.    If President Obama wanted to put American’s back to work he has an entire industry waiting for the green light to help him turn around our economy.

I grew up in New Orleans and my Dad worked on the oil rigs.  I can attest first hand that oil industry jobs keep food on the table, the lights on and the rent paid.  If we simply used the God-given resources we have in our great Nation, many American’s would not be needlessly losing their homes and struggling to keep their lights on and their families fed.

We still import over half of our oil and petroleum products.  Instead of selling our debt to China we should be selling our OIL to China and reducing our national debt.  We do not lack the resources in America.  What we lack is leadership and the political will to demand our administration put forward an energy policy that is beneficial to Americans and the United States.  Let’s start the New Year on the right path.  It is time to resume drilling within American borders and stop exporting American jobs.

Melody Himel Scalley is an entrepreneur and talk-radio show host in Virginia.

A gift, and a great one.

I attended the Loudoun County Republican Christmas Party last night with many of my good friends and aquaintances. I had another great evening discussing policy and strategies.
At one point, I ran into Cara Townsend and her husband. I first met Cara in Janet Clark's office in Purcellville (seems like EVERYONE went thru there at one point or another, huh?) where she indicated that she was throwing her hat in for the 10th District against already declared John Whitbeck. I remember that we discussed the possibility of Randy Minchew entering that race and that he was going to be hard to overcome...but she took it in stride and we developed a loose friendship in the aftermath of that first meeting. Cara is bright, and has an impressive resume that didn't get highlighted during that run, but I wouldn't rule her out as a candidate in the future.
Back at the Christmas Party, Cara shared that she'd gotten me a gift. She then produced the book BLOG: Understanding the Information Reformation , by Hugh Hewitt.

I don't suppose that Cara had read the Virginia Virtucon piece , but the book was the foundation upon which the Virginia Virtucon offering was written.

To Cara...I appreciate such a thoughtful gift, and I truly appreciate your insight into these matters, because the book is dead-on. We are the new medium by which news travels. In NUMEROUS instances, blogs have actually broken stories and led events that would have otherwise been left to the dustbins of history.
Jim Riley at VV actually broke a fundraising pyramid story by a Virginia candidate, as well as a number of other often not reported stories.

To those who have blogs: Read the Virginia Virtucon piece and realize your power to inform the masses. But remember also, that with great power comes great responsibility. Your excellence in reporting the truth will lead the way to the empowerment of blogs over paper mediums and yellow journalism.
Unless you drop to their level and stop being accountable and also become yellow journalist no better than those you replaced.

Bullet Proof Birthday Bash !!

Hey, listen...I'm having some friends over. About 70 of them.
Judy asked me last Monday what I'd want for my birthday this year. In past years, I've partied like a rockstar with Stevie Whiteman and the guys from Kix until the wee hours of the morning. We've known each other since some pretty wild times in Baltimore's Hammerjacks' club , and I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane in 2010...

This year... I think I'll provide the platform for a party for all my friends... another excuse to get together and party like we do thru-out the year. This year, it'll come on the tail of a particularly successful bid by republicans to re-take Loudoun County.
Geary Higgins' race was a particularly heart-warming conclusion, because it's where most of my effort went in. But other races were great, too...because I endorsed them early...and I was told by some that my endorsements meant nothing. Evidently, I can call winners....and pretty routinely, too.

I spoke to a number of folks in nearby Purcellville for Janet Clarke...as did a couple of good friends who were invaluable to her effort. I'd shout out in public..but they know that I know who they are...and they're somewhat modest, too. I shan't embarass them here.

But it'll be an after-party, of sorts... We get to watch a swearing-in of the new guard, and then we'll celebrate that as well as my 50 years on the planet.

So, if you're itchin' to come to this party...please be kind enough to e-mail me or call so I can tell the nice folks at the restaurant how many folks we'll be dealing with....in addition to the folks who've grabbed the event on FaceBook.

The Beautiful South. It's in Hamilton, Va. We're gathering at 7:00 pm on Dec. 19th, and vow to party till they close.