The 42 year old teenage fantasy is finally a reality...

You get to this age and you start believing that some dreams are just fantasies that will never come true. Some are nothing but impossible pipe dreams, others are far to impractical or expensive. Early in life I believed that owning a muscle car was all the above.

Since I was 16 I fantasized about owning a 1967 Camaro or 1969 Camaro SS. I liked a lot of the 70’s muscle cars but the Camaro in my opinion was always the coolest of the bunch.

I remember reading back in 2007 that Chevy was planning to redesign and introduce the Camaro in 2010. I loved how awesome the concept car looked when they incorporated part of the body design from the old Camaro’s. At that time, I thought maybe, just maybe it might be possible to get one of the new ones with a 6 cylinder at a reasonable price since I couldn't afford a fully restored 67 or 69. 

In 2010 I went to the Chevy dealer in Astoria Oregon as soon as they got their first Camaro. In the photo below, I took a picture standing in front of this new red 2010 Camaro SS knowing at the time I wasn’t going to be able to afford it or even one with a 6 cylinder. 

2010 in Astoria, OR with the 2010 Camaro SS

2018 in Mesa, AZ with my 2010 Camaro SS

I had to sell my truck and camper but today I’m happy to report that boyhood dream finally came true 42 years later, I’m the proud owner of this Inferno Orange 2010 Chevy Camaro SS (2) and I can’t get the smile off my face. 

It ranks right up there as one happiest days of my life and I fine myself staring out my living room window repeatedly, still not believing what I’m seeing in my driveway.

 

I’ve known for some time I’d never be able to get the 67 or 69 because into today’s market one that is of excellent quality starts at $50K and up. I paid less for this 5^th generation Camaro and I believe, for the price I paid for it, I’m far better off with this car and its modern technology than one of the old ones. My SS sold for $34,000 in 2010,. This new 2018 fully loaded SS pictured below sells for about $44.000.
 
The one I bought might as well be new it only had 14,129 original miles on it, yes you read that right this is no typo, 14,129 original miles and the car is perfect in every detail. When I say perfect I mean perfect, it doesn’t have a scratch on it and the interior is just as beautiful. It looks like it came right off the showroom floor.

Sure the 6.2L power plant and the 6-speed automatic transmission immediately throw you back in the seat with some serious G’s when you stomp on it. But the car’s sound alone, with its seriously throaty V8 rumble and growl right at start up and idle are awesome music to the ears, it really bellows once the motor gets a load on it.

I know the new Camaro's have some imperfections and some car racing purists wouldn’t want it because it’s all muscle and not the greatest handling car, but I love it. Seeing over the front of the car is a little difficult and it has a bad blind spot, the drivers seat sets low and it’s a little hard to get in and out of. But… once strapped in you forget everything and just dig the awesome old school profile it projects on the road and the raw giddy up speed that’s at the ready when you want to use it.

I spend a great deal of time on the internet evaluating, researching and comparing the Camaro to the Challenger RT and the Mustang GT. I’ll be honest the Dodge Challenger RT was a very close second, but I knew there wasn’t really any doubt about what I’d buy. I love this car and I’m glad that I waited another 8 years, so I could afford to buy the SS.

 

It took me a while to come up with a female name for her, but I finally decided on "Whinnie". Whinnie is an awesome redheaded Babe and I can’t get enough of her. My Whinnie is sexy front to rear.

In Memoriam: Harry "Bud" Denton Jacques 1934-2018

Harry "Bud" Jacques

Harry (“Bud” or “Festus” as he was known in the oilfield) Denton Jacques, of Powell, WY, died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on Saturday, July 14, 2018 at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, IL. He was 84. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He lived in Powell, which he called his home from 1969 until 2013 when he then moved to the VA Hospital for health reasons.

Harry was born on March 29, 1934 in Horace, KS to Harry and Jeanie Jacques. He was born 6th in a family of 7. In order he had 5 Sisters and 1 Brother of which preceded him in death. His sisters were Irene, Pauline, Ethel, Betty and Alice and his Brother Donald. His family survived the Dust Bowl and The Great Depression in Western Kansas.

He graduated from Stanton County High School in Johnson City, KS in 1953. He served 2 years of active duty in the US Army in Germany after high school, then another 2 years in the Army Reserve. On August 23, 1959 he married Shirly Ann Higbee of Tribune, KS. Shirley passed away in 2016.

He’s survived by his 3 children, Jeffery Todd Jacques of Mesa, Az, Peggy Sue Jacques Blasdell (Son-in-law Craig Blasdell) of Powell, WY and David Lee Jacques of Spokane, WA. He’s also survived by Jeff’s children, his grandchildren, Nicole Jacques Smith of Albuquerque, NM and Morgan and Kaitlyn Cousins of Laramie, WY.

Harry spent the first 20 years of his working life as a farm and ranch hand in Western Kansas. In 1969 he moved to Wyoming and spent the next 30 years working as a Roughneck on drilling rigs as a Motor Man.

Later in life he started “Bud’s Bugs” as a hobby which became a great side business. He along with the help of his friend Cliff Taylor repaired or did complete rebuilds of VW Beetle motors in addition to doing body repair and repainting as needed on some Beetle’s as well. Many Park County residents may remember his big shop just across the railroad tracks and north of the grain elevators in Ralston, WY.

His hobbies included fishing with his family or his Buddies at every opportunity on the Buffalo Bill Reservoir with his boat. He loved Sprint Car Races and drove to Billings many times to attend them. He was a big reader of all books but always preferred a Louis L’Amour or Zane Grey western.

A private family grave site memorial service will be held for Harry at the Crown Hill Cemetery on Saturday August 18, 2018 followed by a Celebration of Life gathering at the American Legion in Powell at 2 PM. All his friends and well know acquaintances are welcome to attend.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that if you wish to send a monetary donation in his name mail it to:

Friends of Fisher House-Illinois,

2720 Dundee Rd., #265

Northbrook, IL 60062

In memory of:

Harry Denton Jacques

The NFL Must Address The Protests NOW!

Granted the Cowboys were 5-6 going into last nights game against the Redskins and Elliot is out the lineup until Christmas Eve but that can’t explain all these empty seats.

This photo was taken at the kickoff. There's thousands of empty seats. Zoom in on the photo and see for yourself.

Anyone that has been in denial about the effect of the protests or the image problem the NFL has with its players right now is being blown completely out of the water.

Week after week the owners and Goodell refuse to address it. Giving the players $89 million to set up a slush fund for black social justice programs was the dumbest move ever. Especially if the players still have a right to protest this year.

Maybe they’ll agree to stay in the locker room next season when the anthem is played but the damage has been done. I’m wondering if the players will find a way to protest after the anthem is played and before kick off. I don’t trust them to do the right thing.

Goodell and the owners must get an agreement signed by the NFL players union THIS year, not in the offseason, to ban all political protests on the field before, during and after the game period.

If they don’t do it this season the NFL is going to experience an enormous loss of fans next year. Also, if Goodell doesn’t spearhead the effort to get an agreement this season he should be fired at seasons end.

There’s so much turmoil and division in our country with politics today. I’m sick and tired of my favorite game being a forum for more of the same with the racial hatred and division.

The players have every right to free speech and community service off the field but on it they need to end the protests NOW! If not I won’t support the Broncos or the NFL next season and whatever happens to the game, the players, the owners and the commissioner will be responsible for it.

Longmire is at the end of the trail

 
Finally, it’s over. No worries, I don't include any spoilers in this review.

Since I’m a Wyoming native I appreciated the setting for Longmire (it was actually filmed in New Mexico) but from the prospective of being former law enforcement, Longmire consistently broke almost every law and procedure in the book to get results.

I know big fans of the show will excuse that by saying it’s a fictional series but still there were to many times the writers wrote some farfetched and ridiculous scenarios. The first 2 seasons of the show were entertaining but the writing progressively got worse from then on. I think they should have found a way to end it much sooner. 

After the 2nd season the show became very predictable, monotonous and at times torturous because they portrayed Wyoming law enforcement as inept, rogue and reckless.

Walt rarely if ever needed a search warrant which was far and away my biggest peeve. 

There were plenty more, he maybe wore gloves twice at crime scenes during the entire run. He finally wore a Kevlar vest in the final episode (every officer wears one today, even in Wyoming) and never called for any backup when it was available.

He rarely used cover and concealment wisely but instead chose to charge in straight up and all alone in many instances during dangerous situations or for felony arrests. Sheriff’s and Sheriff Deputies in small counties all over the US often end up responding to calls alone but not when it’s known ahead of time that guns are involved or there’s an active shooter, they'll always call for backup.  

One of the ironies of the show was he always wore his heavy brown coat everywhere he went, even on 80 degrees days but “never” wore a Kevlar vest. As dangerous as they made Wyoming appear with all the homicides, the gangs and the drug trafficking you’d think Walt might take his self-preservation way more seriously. 

The reason he never went anywhere without his oppressive coat was the producers of the show probably believed it made him appear bigger than he actually was and to hide the ponch he carried up front.

And one last thing that made Longmire less believable was his refusal to wear a radio on his person or carry a cell phone like every Sheriff and Police Department have done for years. Yes folks, you may think Wyoming is full of Bubba’s but I guarantee you every one of them wears a radio and has a cell phone today. It made Walt look like a buffoon when he had to borrow a phone every time an important call needed to be made from outside his office or at a crime scene.

That said, with all the criticism I’ve laid out, even with its numerous faults, the last 3 episodes of final season they did a fairly worthy job of wrapping up the series.

As with all series you do become engrossed with the characters of the show if you play them out to conclusion. Walt was an entertaining one, as was Henry, Branch, Vic and Ferg. Nighthorse and Malachi were good in their villain roles as well. Their acting was fine but the writing wasn’t.

I’m aware that many TV series hire different Directors throughout the run of a show but 21 different people directed episodes for Longmire. You combine the lack of consistent direction with some substandard writing and it made it very difficult at times to stick with the show to the end.

Granted, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones has set the bar high for TV series with its exceptional acting, writing and directing but that standard is one I hope more producers of future shows would try harder to emulate.    

NFL Owners spurn NFL Sunday Ticket Cancelation

Since the NFL owners didn't have the guts to stand up for the anthem yesterday I canceled the NFL Sunday Ticket this morning. 

If you knew me personally you’d know how much Broncos football means to me. I'm heartbroken and devastated that the game I love has been turned into the theater of the absurd and ridiculous.

I planned to hold out until the end of the season but I just can't continue to support the Broncos, the NFL and the league players if this is their official position. 

I've had the Sunday Ticket since 1998 when I moved out of the local tv broadcast area for the Broncos. I've missed maybe 3 Broncos games going back to the mid-70's. Football has been like a religion to me since I was 6 years old, a place to go to enjoy a game and forget about all the worlds troubles if just for 3 hours.

No more...

I want to thank Obama for setting back race relations 40 years when he called for the insane "Beer Summit" at the beginning of his presidency. It was the spark that ignited all the race hustling that has followed since. Then he doubled down on every justifiable Police shooting and created this culture of hatred for law enforcement. Prior to his Presidency we had made real progress but it's all been erased and now it's spun wildly out of control.

I can't think of time in American history that I've ever seen such a misguided and unnecessary protest as this anthem nonsense. 

And it was all started by one selfish player looking to be traded from his team because he lost his job. This is an iron clad fact and cannot be denied, it has zero to do with police brutality. He used the race card as a fake cause to bring attention to himself period, end of story. Now it's went completely nuclear and for no good reason at all. The left-wing media has poured gas on the fire by supporting the players and blaming Trump. I don't give 2 hoots about what Trump says this isn't about Trump. It's about showing the ultimate disrespect to our veterans who fought and died under the flag for our freedom and dishonoring our brave men and women in law enforcement.

Work still needs to be done on racial equality but not at the expense of the anthem. It's the ultimate insult to use it as a soap box.

All of my Broncos clothing, caps and memorabilia will be stored in a box until this has come to a complete stop. I'm a forgiving person and I will come back to the game but not until every football player in the league stands for the anthem and shows gratitude for living in the greatest country God ever created.