Memorial Day - A Rememberance of Why

"...gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime....let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation's gratitude,...the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan." - General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

Why do we have a Memorial Day?
When should we be celebrating Memorial Day?
How should we honor this Day?

We have been  - as a collective society  - enjoying the 3 or 4 day weekends offered by the Memorial Day Holiday by spending time with our families, going on short vacations, partying and shopping the sales. Memorial Day weekend has been the called "The Official Kick Start of Summer". Do we really understand and remember why we have the pleasure to enjoy this time?
Most of us understand that Memorial Day is when we are to remember all of those who have ultimately sacrificed their lives, so we may live in this Nation of ours. They are the ones who have given everything for us. We should take the time to give thanks to them for all that they have done. 

It all seems to have originated as:
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website, it was originally called Decoration Day,
"Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans .. the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) ..established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared Decoration Day should be observed on May 30, and It's believed that date was
chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

There are Protocols, and  Resolutions have been added for proper Memorial Day observance. They are as follows:

•  visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.

•  visiting memorials.

•  flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.

•  flying the 'POW/MIA Flag' as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).

•  participating in a "National Moment of Remembrance": at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.

•  renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our falled dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.  

How many of us are aware of these, let alone how many of us observe them?

Notice that this year Memorial Day is on May 27th, not May 30th as it was observed originally.
"Many feel that when Congress made the day into a three-day weekend in with the National Holiday Act of 1971, it made it all the easier for people to be distracted from the spirit and meaning of the day. As the VFW stated in its 2002 Memorial Day address: "Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day." 

So, on Monday are you going to fly the Flag at Half-staff until Noon? I will

At 3:00 will you take pause to think about why this day is named as such and play Taps? I will

And how about the others? Visiting graves, memorials, placing flowers, and aiding those of fallen soldiers and disabled veterans? I will

How about you?
Enjoy your holiday weekend. Be safe, Drive safe.

Keep it between the lines,
Happy Motoring

For More Information about the Origins, History, and Observances of Memorial Day. Check out these links:
www.usmemorialday.org/observe.htm
battle-of-the-memorial-day-birthplaces/
www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

S.A.F.E. Schools Fund - Raising Awareness

UPDATE: 
June 1, 2013 Biggs contributed $2000.00 to the S.A.F.E. Schools Fund. The Event was a Success!

Andy Montero and friends, from Montero's Restaurant accepting the check.

With all of the uncertainty in our Country, Parents have had the added insecurity of their children's safety when they are in School. A Special Fund has been set up to help lessen those insecurities. It is called S.A.F.E. Schools Fund.
One of our Locals, Montero's Restaurant is doing a wonderful job of raising awareness and funds.

Montero's Restaurant- Great Food

Below is an excerpt from their web page explaining what they are helping to accomplish for our Children and our Schools in this area.
Biggs Cadillac Buick GMC is joining in to help. Starting on Monday May 27, Memorial Day and through the week, a portion of each car sale will go to S.A.F.E. It is our pleasure to be able to take part in raising awareness and help with funding the project.

"...Created in the aftermath of the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy, this fund was designed to raise private money for security upgrades in our local schools. With current Federal and State budget restraints, our schools are already doing all they can to keep up with ever changing technology, support student needs, hire, train, and retain skilled teachers, and keep our aging schools up and running.

 The first project for the fund is to provide a security camera, security doors, and an intercom system at the front entrances of our seven elementary schools and two middle schools.
 Our two local high schools have extensive security camera systems along with resource officers already in place, so we feel the elementary and middle schools should be our primary focus.
 In addition, our long term goal is to continue to raise funds and provide a resource for all of our local schools to request funds for different security projects on their campuses.

 Initially, we have estimated a need of $50,000 to meet our first goal outfitting each elementary and middle school with our first project. So far, we have raised approximately $9,000, but obviously have a long way to go.
 Our goal is to start implementing these changes in June, so we have to act fast. Individual school visits have already been completed. Collectively, each School Principal, the Elizabeth City Pasquotank County School’s Maintenance Department, Board of Education Chairman Barry Overman, Anthony Overman of Albemarle Fence and Security, and myself, are diligently working to assess master plans for heightened security at each location.

So, how can you help? As small business owners ourselves, we understand the difficulty and frequency of being asked to contribute. However, we also believe that each business and individual in our community has a unique ability to lend a helping hand, and are open to ideas and excited to talk with you about it.
 In addition to monetary donations, your assistance with fundraisers, man power for solicitation, business connections for security ideas, networking, and good old fashioned word of mouth support would be appreciated.
 As the old saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child”, it will take our community to secure our schools.
....... Every person in our community has a connection to our schools in some way, whether through the students, teachers, or staff members. Karin and I appreciate you taking the time to read this and consider helping our cause.
 As you will see below, we have joined forces with the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County School’s Education Foundation. They will be handling all of our donations, which will allow them to be tax-deductible donations for you.
When making a contribution to the SAFE Fund, please put “SAFE Fund” on your check in the memo line. We will be recognizing our wonderful donors through Facebook, on our website, at all fundraising events, and through word of mouth.
Please don’t hesitate to call or email us with any questions or concerns.
With warmest regards,
Karin & Andy Montero.."
eatatmonteros@gmail.com

Should you wish to make a tax-deductible monetary donation, you may do so to:
Education Foundation
P.O. Box 2453
Elizabeth City, NC 27906
Attn: SAFE Schools Fund
Or online:www.theeducationfoundation.net 

http://www.monterosrestaurant.com/our-story/safe-schools-fund
 

Montero’s Safe Schools Fund Facebook Page

Keep it between the lines,

Happy Motoring 

Tips to Keep your Car Cool during a Heat Wave

 It's just  plain HOT! 

Oh Carolina.... We love you, but when it gets hot, it gets HOT!

We're having a Heat Wave..

How do you stay cool? 

1. Turn on the Air Conditioner, right? 
2. Stay in when it is the warmest. 

How about when you need or want to get somewhere.

Well, if you have a Car/Truck to drive from point A to point B.
You are going to turn on the Air Conditioner, if it works, or open the windows and drive faster(kidding). The drive faster part, I mean.

There are a few things you can do to preserve your car, your A/C, your self and your sanity.

• You can reduce the heat index in your car by using a sun-shield in the window. Put this up in your windshield every time you park your car. It is amazing how much heat this will block out.

• Using a sun-shield will also help to preserve your car's interior. It will help keep your dash from cracking and splitting and help keep your seats from feeling like hotplates when you go to sit on them.

• Sun-shields are not expensive and are well worth the few dollars that they cost, and are available at many stores, from auto parts houses to your local Target or Walmart.

• Keep a window cracked open just a little bit. This will help let the hot air escape. Hot air rises and if your window is cracked it will let that air out.

• Take into consideration how and where you park your car. Try not to face the Sun when parking. 

• Find the shade of a building or a tree. If you are going to be parked for awhile, look to see where the sun is moving to. You may find that it will be moving behind a building. Then you can park so that when the building starts to block the sun, you can be in the shade.

Your Car's A/C unit needs to be looked after too. Heat index is 100 degrees and all of a sudden your A/C goes out... not what you want to feel.

• So take a precautionary measure and have your A/C checked over by your Friendly Service people and make sure there are not any leaks in your system.

•  If your car is equipped with a Cabin Air Filter and you don't know the last time it was changed, best to get it done now. This filter can make a big difference in how your A/C performs.

• The air will blow colder if your Cabin Air Filter is in good condition.

• Make sure you have plenty of Coolant in your Radiator. With your Air Conditioner running it puts a heavier load on your cooling system and to keep your cars temperature at acceptable levels, you are going to need the right coolant mixture.

These few tips will help keep you cool during the summer heat, but one last thing....

Please be considerate and Do Not leave any Living thing in your Car while you are not in it and running the A/C. No Animal or Child should be subjected to the BOILING HEAT of a car sitting in the Summer SUN.

Save a Life - Vehicle Thermostat

May your Summer be Fun and May your Car be Cool. 

http://oldblackcatboo.blogspot.com/2011/06/frugal-friday-3.html

Keep it between the Lines, 
Happy Motoring  



Blogs That Follow

Bad Spark Plugs?

Spark Plugs, with out them the engine won't run. 

They are a vital part of when, why and how of going on down the road. If they are in good condition, we don't even think about them. When they have gone bad, well.. it's not pretty.

What does a Spark Plug Do? The simple version, a spark plug is an electrical gadget that fits into your engine’s cylinder head where it “sparks” to ignite the fuel. The plug is connected to the ignition coil that generates the high voltage needed to spark the fuel and create combustion. And, it’s this combustion that causes your engine to run. So, no spark plug means no combustion, which means no go.  

http://www.autoanything.com/ignition-systems/what-do-spark-plugs-do.aspx

How important are the correct plugs? Car Manufacturers will select the right temperature plug for each car. Some cars with high-performance engines naturally generate more heat, so they need colder plugs. If the spark plug gets too hot, it could ignite the fuel before the spark fires; so it is important to stick with the right type of plug for your car.

                                                                 FW4N2Y45RVK9

The engine won't start, idles rough, it hiccups, back fires, and gas mileage sucks :-(

Many times when a spark plug will not fire there may be debris that has built up around the lower portion of the electrode and the grounding point. This will cause the spark plug to short out and not create a spark. The air gap is vital for the spark to occur.

eHow http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4564903_spark-plug-work.html#ixzz2SuJfjHdB

      Rough Engine Idle: An ordinary symptom of a bad spark plug, rough idling exists when the engine stumbles. The engine may be vibrating because of Spark Plugs are not firing correctly. Not checking the symptom in time could lead to a severe damage.

·         Starting Trouble: If after several attempts, the engine will not start, it may be  the spark plugs have  failed  to produce the spark needed to start combustion. There may be a possibility that the battery is running dead due to faulty spark plugs.

·         Misfire: Engine misfire is similar to stammering, meaning, the vehicle acts as if it has the hiccups for a fraction of a second and then runs normal. A smooth purr of an engine is due to all cylinders firing. If a single cylinder interrupts the firing of the engine, it leads to engine misfire.

·         Engine Surging: The engine starts and stops suddenly, also known as engine hesitation.  The engine sucks in more air which interrupts the acceleration of the vehicle.

·         Low Mileage:  A drop in the fuel economy may be due to a bad spark plug. The poorer engine performance becomes more evident when the spark plugs are deteriorated. It is recommended to check the spark plugs at regular intervals.

·        Poor Acceleration: This symptom is easily to recognize. The engine performance is less than normal and power is slow to catch on. Pushing down the accelerator further does not boost the speed of the vehicle. 

Don't forget about the Spark Plug Wires too, and when you are checking your plugs...Make sure you connect the proper wires back to the corresponding plugs.... :-)

Keep it between the lines,

Happy Motoring

 

Follow this blog