charlier

The first computer system I used and later was an Admin on was the PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations) Computer System. PLATO was designed and built by the University of Illinois in 1960 and initially ran on the University of Illinois' ILLIAC I computer. It later moved to the CDC 1604 and finally the CDC 6000 series mainframes. Many modern concepts in multi-user computing were originally developed on PLATO, including forums, message boards, online testing, e-mail, chat rooms, picture languages, instant messaging, remote screen sharing, and multiplayer video games. Many of these features I personally used back in the day as well as creating a few educational programs for some college courses. This system had terminals connected to it around the world located in schools, colleges, prisons, US military installations, businesses and a host of other places. The PLATO IV terminals had touch screens by the early 1970s. Yes, I also spent countless hours playing a few of the interactive games on the system. One was an interactive combat flight simulation and the other was an interactive space game where your team tried to conquer the universe. Before I graduated I visited the University of Illinois and met a number of people I got to know through this system. Two friends of mine and I traveled there in January in my then new 1980 VW Rabbit. Nothing like driving to/from and in Chicago, in the snow in the dead of winter. Talk about hard core computer guys or manybe we were just young. No cell phones back then but I did have a CB Radio with a magnetic mount antenna. I averaged a little over $12 per fill up and 30.5 mpg during the 1,800 mile trip. Yes, this is the same VW I still own today.

Back in 2019 when I went to Auburn I stayed at the Days Inn by Wyndham Auburn. Not real fancy, just a good, clean, hotel. The free breakfast was typical for hotel like this so have reasonable expectations. Best part was it was just a very few miles from Auburn Auction Park and a lot of the museums, etc in Auburn. The staff there were really great and the price was VERY reasonable. The main building does have two floors and I don't remember that they had an elevator. The parking lot is not huge but there are areas in the lot and an area in the front of the building where you could park a car trailer if need be. Days Inn Auburn

Also, keep an eye out for wildlife in this rural area. A few deer look before crossing the road but most do not. 😁 If they are doing a test and tune that day also keep an eye on the racing trailers on the back roads.

FYI, It has been reported that the ship is fully loaded with 20,000 containers. That's an awfully large number to offload no matter how you do it.

You fellas really need to start reading some of the other forums..... 😄 2021 Annual Convention

Thank You Very Much for posting all the photos. I especially enjoyed seeing the Volkswagen Golf GTis. Hard to believe they are almost 35 years old now.

Tim, Thank You Very Much. I guess it comes down to: a) I need new glasses b) It was right under my nose and I looked right at it c) I used a link that connected me to an old version of the list d) The South Carolina Region information was added after I looked at the page. I am thinking the answer is most likely B. 🤣 Thanks Again.

Mark, any updates on when information about this National may be posted? BTW, when I checked the list of Chapters & Regions on the AACA website I cannot seem to find a region listed under the state of South Carolina with the name "South Carolina Region" or a region located in Greenville, SC. Is this region listed on the AACA website under a different name? Any email addresses for the chairman or registration chair? Thanks...

I wash my vehicles in the shade using a mitt, bucket, car soap & dry with a chamois. I have an adjustable hose nozzle that has a gentle stream setting. The vehicles that fit in my garage get waxed in there. My truck gets waxed outside since it doesn't fit in the garage. I also make a point to wax the roof of my truck and the top of the bed cap when I wax the rest of the vehicle. Waxing usually happens in the spring & fall if I'm lucky. Some people give me the oddest looks when I wax the roof (using a step ladder or the tailgate) but I could care less. I'm not the one with faded, cracked or failing paint on the roof of my truck unlike others I've seen. Hey someone has to be the "odd old guy" in the neighborhood. 😄 I also have to confess that maybe once a year I hand wash my enclosed care trailer. Heck I even remember hand waxing it once or twice in the 15 years I've owned it.

It is my understanding that Texas is the state with the MOST oil refineries (47) of any state in the USA. Given that state's power and water issues due to that storm, I would imagine that more than just one of those refineries was taken off line. This, no doubt, has had an impact on fuel prices along with increase demand. Now back to the topic at hand..... My 36 year old Driver Participation Class vehicle is in need of a whole bunch of maintenance parts. If I can get them installed before the National in upstate New York in June I might be driving that vehicle to this event. That is where some of my stimulus $$$$ will be going. The rest will go to a small, local landscaping company to address some things in the yard at my house. Support small, local businesses, now more than ever.

My brother and I visited the museum about 14 years ago when the AACA had a Grand National there. We really enjoyed the museum and the Grand National. I think it is time for the AACA to have another Grand National there. How about it Mark & Steve??? Hint, hint, nudge, nudge. Is there an open slot in 2023 or 2025?

Ok, south of there over the state line then. That location could accommodate WELL more than the usual banquet attendance number (based on 50% capacity restrictions currently in place in that state) AND provide housing as well. Availability might be the big question. Your turn to guess now Steve 😁

Me too. Third times the charm.... 😁

Does not appear that Wyoming requires Safety Inspections on Vehicles either. If that is the case then No Liability Insurance + No Safety Inspections = a recipe for disaster. Someone hurt/killed by someone else driving a vehicle that is not being maintained, is unsafe and they have no Liability coverage? That would be any lawyer's dream come true unless there are no assets to seize and/or no wages to garnish for the rest of a person's life. I guess this is one reason why insurance companies offer uninsured/underinsured coverage.

I was wondering about this also especially pertaining to the National in Saratoga, NY in June??? Maybe Steve M. can shed some light on this once we get closer to the deadline for entering this National??

I used craigslist a few years ago. Before my first posting I created a separate GMail account to use there. (I still use this email account when companies require an email address which I know will get sold generating LOTS of spam emails.) Posted a few items I wanted to get rid of and only used that email address as a form of communication. After a serious buyer contacted me we emailed back and forth a few times then I met the buyer in s public place to make the sale. One item was too large so the buyer came to my house. Turned out to be a very nice guy who was very happy with the items he got. Did have a bunch of deadbeat buyers for some other items which is why I never gave out my phone number or home address. This was more than a few years ago and it seems that craigslist has gotten much worse since then.

Back in 1980 when I went shopping for my VW, the dealer had the loaded cars in the show room. I found the only base model in the back of the dealership covered in snow. They tried the upsell B.S. but I was a poor college student so it was the cheap, base model or nothing. I chose the base model and the rest is history. To this day when a certain manufacturer introduces a new model they make a point to mention the cheap, base model. What they fail to mention is how few they make of them. Finding one is like winning the lottery.

So Ed, have you taken Steve's advice yet and sent a letter to Chuck Crane about your thoughts & concerns on this subject???

Interesting discussion. Ed, if you have not already done so, you should seriously consider reaching out to Chuck Crane, the AACA VP of Class Judging regarding your thoughts and concerns. Better yet, if you are going to Philadelphia in April maybe you can schedule some time with him to discuss this in person. In the past I have had some very interesting, informative and productive discussions with Board Members and the VP of Class Judging at the Philadelphia meeting regarding questions, thoughts and concerns I had.

Mark, What region is hosting the 2021 Southeastern Fall Nationals in Greenville, SC? Is there any information on-line about this National? Not looking for a lot a details at this point just where the National will be held so I can look into hotels, etc. This would be a long haul for me so planning for me will be key. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

Last I heard the service & parts department at traditional dealerships accounted for approximately 50% of a dealer's gross profit. Makes one wonder just what the Tesla business model looks like if nothing fails and maintenance is minimal.

Matt, If you have not already done so you might consider talking with a lawyer with experience in this type of law. Find out what your potential legal exposure is if you don't take the vehicle back and refund the money. Ask the lawyer what happens if the seller wants more money than what he paid you because his bank hits him with an early loan termination fee and/or interest on his loan? Offering to by back the vehicle might open up a whole new legal Pandora's box for you that might add more to your current nightmare. All the more reason to talk to that lawyer and not assume that refunding the purchase price will make this seller just go away. While you are talking to the lawyer that might be a good time for him/her to review the sales contract you are currently using when you sell a vehicle. If that has not been done in a while you might consider doing that to protect yourself from something like this in the future. Just my .02

So your Jeep has a digital tranny temp readout? Much more accurate than the analog gauges with C-H and a needle. I use an app on my tablet that reads the coolant temp, tranny temp and torque converter temp among other things from the sensors in my truck. The nice big digital numbers are easy on my old eyes which is nice.

Reminds me of the Ford F350 Super Duty I saw towing a Dump trailer full of cut pieces of tree trunks of various large diameters. The bed of the truck was also full. Every time the truck hit a small bump in the road I could see sunlight under the front tires when those tires lost contact with the road. Needless to say even that Super Duty was not enough truck for the load being hauled/towed. BTW I saw this on a crowded stretch of Route 30 near Lancaster, PA on a Friday afternoon. I wonder if the driver is still trying to win his Darwin Award. Have also seen an SUV kinda like the one in the photo with a bumper pull 27ft Travel Trailer with that same amount of sag in the parking lot of the local Walmart. Funny how I usually see it there when the local township police are doing safety inspections for all trucks and vehicles pulling trailers.

A friend of mine texted me the other day that his letter was mailed out on 12/9. Only took two weeks for him to get it. BTW, he lives in Hershey....