by southendautocarecom on June 19, 2010
Guess what my father’s day request was? Hint: I love cars, and I love movies. With a 1969 Ford Torino in the garage, you can guess how we get there. Yes..me, my wife and 6-year old son all sitting in front on the bench seat with the sound playing through the AM radio at the drive-in movie theater.
Drive in theaters: Many of us can remember going with our parents to drive-in theaters(remember pajamas with feet?), getting there early, eating the food you brought, playing, throwing footballs and frisbees, just hanging out. About 4000 theaters were operating at one time in the US, although most of them closed in the 1970-1990′s time period. Many of the remaining ones have fallen into disrepair. The largest reason of this demise resulted from high real estate values and the advent of cable TV and VCR’s. Well guess what? They’re coming back with a bang, especially in the Midwest and South. A lot of the popularity is due to the nostalgic feel and economics. It’s a sort of anything goes feel..bring your own food, dog (on a leash), lawn chairs, etc..yeah…freedom! In Washington state, we had a high of 71 theaters in 1972, down to 7 presently. I feel blessed we have one of the remaining and probably the largest(6 screens) theaters in my home town of Auburn.
Do-it yourself outdoor movies: Check this out: mobmov.org This is a club of several local chapters, who project movies on outdoor vacant warehouse walls with high-powered projectors. They communicate movie times and titles by e-mail.
If you haven’t been to an outdoor theater, or haven’t been in a long time, try it. It’s a blast and a return to simplicity.
And, please Mr. Sun, come back and visit a little more often..we really do miss you.
by southendautocarecom on June 12, 2010
Well, we might actually hit 75 degrees for the first time this year in the Seattle area this week; can you believe it!? Even us “seasoned” veterans of this area are grumbling. It seems to me about one in 5 years is like this, pining for just a measly few days of sunshine to tide us over. Thank you in advance!
Fuel prices are expected to remain relatively stable through the summer. Fuel prices are dictated largely by supply and demand, with recent times higher prices due to increased global demand as well as instability in several oil producing countries. Did you know the United States alone consumes approximately 25% of the world’s energy produced(crude oil and natural gas included)? China, who previously exported crude oil, now has doubled it’s import of crude oil in the last 4 years.
Overall taxes and fees on gasoline at the pump varies state to state, most falling within about 31 to 61 cents per gallon, with Washington at about 56 cents.
Remember, several things affect the fuel mileage your cars gets, such as tire pressure, extra weight in the vehicle, and driving habits(such as quick accelerations and one of the largest consumers of fuel:driving above 60 miles per hour). Combined, these make a noticable difference.
Also, keeping your car’s maintenance up, with clean filters, correct type of engine oil installed at oil change services, fuel system servicing, and normal scheduled maintenance items performed on a timely basis improves fuel mileage. Don’t forget about the interior cabin air/pollen filter in many vehicles, while you’re at it.
Have fun getting out, driving, and enjoying all the great activities our region has to offer this summer. I’ve got cabin fever myself!
