Turtle Wax, Inc. is the world's largest manufacturer of car-care products. The Chicago-based company controls over 60 percent of the U.S. car wax market and sells its products in Europe, the Pacific Basin, and Central and South America. It also markets chemicals for commercial car washes, owns and operates the largest chain of full-service car washes in the Chicago market, and manufactures shoe polishes and household cleaners. The family-owned business had estimated revenues of $145 million in 1994, according to Crain's Chicago Business.

It all began over 60 years ago when Ben and Marie Hirsch mixed and filled bottles of premium car polish in a bath tub of a small Chicago storefront in order to fulfill Ben's dream of creating the first premium car polish. Benjamin Hirsch, the founder of Turtle Wax, wanted to be a chemist, but had to drop out of college during the Great Depression. Instead, he became a magician, supporting his family with his silks and wand. But he never lost his interest in chemistry nor his fascination with cars.

In the late 1930s he developed a car wax and mixed up batches at night in the bathtub. His wife, Marie, filled the bottles by hand. During the day, Hirsch traveled by street car to gas stations around Chicago, selling the wax he named Plastone. One day, while on a business trip in Beloit, Wisconsin, Ben came across Turtle Creek. He began to make the connection between a turtle's protective and shiny shell, and his premium car polish. At that moment, the Turtle Wax name was born and quickly grew to be America's most popular car polish.

To promote his wax, Hirsch would go into a parking lot and shine one fender of each car. He then waited for the owners to arrive and hope to convince them to buy his wax to finish the job. Plastone was a couple of years old when, according to company lore, Hirsch made a sales call in Turtle Creek, Wisconsin. The name of the town clicked in his mind with the hard shell of a turtle and the protection his wax offered. Thus was born a new name for the company and for the wax, Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell.

In 1982, the company introduced several new car-care products. Minute Wax, a silicone-based spray wax, was aimed at the increasing numbers of women who drove and maintained their own cars. For the growing number of older cars on the road, Color Back, a finish restorer, was developed to revive dull finishes. Another introduction, Clear Coat, was a non-abrasive wax and polish designed for new cars.

Turtle Wax used the same strategy to take on Armor All, which introduced the first vinyl protectant/beautifier in 1974, and, within 11 years, had 80 percent or more of the estimated $175 million vinyl protectant retail business. Turtle Wax developed Clear Guard and introduced it in 1985, pricing it higher to give retailers a larger margin and unleashing an advertising blitz and rebate offer to lure customers away from Armor All. Unlike other brands on the market, Clear Guard contained no water. A spray, it was packaged in a unique, beaker-type bottle, in five-, ten-, and 16-ounce sizes, all premium priced. The ad campaign compared the new product's clear spray with Armor All's cloudy spray, with the tagline, "Introducing new Clear Guard from Turtle Wax...a clear new challenge to Armor All."

Turtle Wax products on display

In 1985, Turtle Wax introduced a disposable wax-coated cloth and wax-filled sponge, which offered convenience and less mess. During this time, the company also undertook its first licensing agreement. Together with American Greetings Corp., Turtle Wax introduced a line of air fresheners for children's bedrooms. Turtle Wax took the technology it had been using for years to make air fresheners in the shapes of playing cards and dice and packaged them to resemble the Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears characters. "That's a sort of test for us," Denis Healy told Advertising Age at the time. "We're looking to license our name and we're looking to license other people's names."

In 1988, the company entered the premium segment of the car wax market with Turtle Wax Plus with Teflon. This put the company head to head with Rain Dance, which had been the dominant brand among premium car waxes. Premium waxes accounted for about 20 percent of retail car wax sales. The company worked on the new product for 16 months, during which time it had to convince Du Pont that its Teflon could be functionally used in a mass-market car wax. Until this product, the only Teflon car waxes available were for the professional market. The new wax sold for about $2 more than mid-priced or premium-priced car waxes, including Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell, which had increased its market share to 30 percent.

In addition to its three products divisions, Turtle Wax also owned and operated the largest chain of full-service car washes in the Chicago area through its auto appearance division. Turtle Wax's Car Wash and Auto Appearance Centers provided a wide-ranging menu of detailing services as well as car washes.

Below are some pictures taken during one of Turtle Wax products commercial photoshoot, Turtle Wax Ice. TV commercials and print ads have long been effective ways to promote products.

five creative uses for a bidet

they left out washing the dog in a bidet...  if a cat can drink from the bidet, then certainly you can wash your dog in a bidet...

now you can also wash your cat, these photos are hilarious, so just had to include this... cici thinks they're funny, too...  is this kitty cat turning on the faucet for her bath or the dog's bath???  hmmmm....

http://lumq.com/10/washing-a-cat/

you can also wash the dog at the dog groomer, petco has a handy dandy dog washing place. and other doggie dog wash places offer do it yourself service, there was one in Florence, Oregon where you can take your car and dog and wash both of them, probably not at the same time, and at this cottage, they had a place to wash your dog off before you bring the dog inside, wash off the sandy beach, mud and grass from their paws... good idea, and they supplied towels, too...

am looking for other creative ideas, to get my dog washed, she does not like to take baths, i usually take a wash cloth to her... and rub...  perhaps she'd like a bubble bath... ahhhh, smells woof...

there is also a product I will review soon that is supposed to be like a big sponge with soap that you can wash your dog with, especially handy for when you are traveling and don't want your dog to be dirty and you also don't want to make a big mess in a hotel, inn, b and b, cottage or motel ...

any other ideas for washing the dog???   well, it is raining outside, raining cats and dogs... should I just bring shampoo and we will have a party?

getting them to like taking a bath???   where is my dog's rubber ducky when you need it???

here's a few tips and video from a vet:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/06/30/earlyshow/contributors/debbyeturner/main1768209.shtml

and here is what martha stewart says, including nontoxic flea control...

http://www.marthastewart.com/goodthings/healthy-pet-grooming-tips

The Saturday car wash will take place from noon to 4 p.m. (following the Walk Against Drugs) at City Hall, 200 Civic Center.  Folks can get their vehicles washed and help support the Marines by giving donations for car washes, food, T-shirts, hats and military coins.

The car wash, which will also give the public a chance to meet their adopted Marines and Sailors, is a great way to reach out and support the troops.

For more information, call the City’s Recreation and Community Services Department at 949-470-3061.

Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.  1Timothy 6:6-8

I believe that everyone starts out the same way.  We all come into the world owning absolutely nothing. I know that some were born to parents who were better off than others, and that some were born in abusive situations, but God makes it clear here that we all start out AND end the same way... we own NOTHING.  It's the area in between that we have control of. 

Using this same idea I'm utilizing something called Penny Millions.  The concept of Penny Millions is starting from nothing and ending up with a million dollars.  For my purposes, however, I'm not after that kind of money.  Instead, I am utilizing it to meet financial goals to pay off debt, making necessary (and some unnecessary) purchases, and eventually having money put back for the kids' college, emergency funds, and retirement. 

To begin Penny Millions, you simply scan public parking lots and sidewalks for change.  You begin with whatever you find, and double it.  So, let's say that I go to the grocery store and find a penny.  The next step is to double that amount from 1 cent to 2 cents.  There are steps to the "game" (I like thinking of it as a game because it helps keep me motivated to keep going).  For example, step 1 is one penny.  Step two is two pennies.  Step three is 4 pennies.  Every step doubles the amount from the step before.  For the first few steps, it is easier to double your money by just finding it on the ground. 

The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing; But the soul of the diligent shall be made rich. Proverbs 13:4

When most people drop change on the ground, they don't bother to pick it up.  If we change the way we think about those pennies we drop on the ground, we begin to see other areas of our lives where we are wasting.  Those pennies do add up. 

There are a few rules to the "game."  I've changed some of them to meet my personal goals.  For example, one of the rules is that you can' t make money through Penny Millions doing something you've done before to make money.  If I have made money before selling baseball cards on Ebay, then I can't, according to the rules, sell baseball cards on Ebay again.  I've changed that rule.  I don't sell baseball cards, but I do intend to use methods I've utilized in the past to make money.  Because this is *my* personal game, I feel that I can play by *my* personal rules.  I have no guilt. 

Gas is expensive, so it would be counter-productive to go out of your way to find that change.  Look for change in places where you are already at or a quick stop on your way from point A to point B. 

If you want to see the rules for yourself go the Penny Millions website and click on "DIY Plan." The owner asks that you read his terms and agreements section before proceding (it proves for interesting reading), then click on the link just below it entitled "Enter the DIY Plan Section."

I actually started the Penny Millions game about 2 months ago. Even though I have a bit of a head start, this is still something you can implement in your strategy.  Anyway, this is a log of what I've done so far just to bring you up to date.  I have been a little slow at getting started due to a couple of urgent matters that has nothing to do with this.

August 17 - I found my first penny in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

August 23 - I found 71 cents at a car wash we stopped at on the way to a friend's house.

August 25 - I wrote my first article for Associated Content entitled How to Use Organization to Take Control of Your Life. I received $3.24 for this submission.

August 26 - We stopped by the car wash again on the way to the grocery store and I found 32 cents. I also wrote another article for Associated Content entitled How to Celebrate Autumn on a Budget. That submission got me another $3.39 for my Penny Millions fund.

August 28 - I went to the pharmacy for my brother and he gave me 75 cents for my trouble. I also wrote my third article for Associated Content, Fast and Healthy Breakfasts on the Run. This article put $3.00 in my pocket.

August 29 - I wrote Using Color to Enhance Your Blog for Associated Content for $3.50.

August 30 - Article number 5 was written for an additional $4.03. It's called How to Use Organization to Take Control of Your Life -- Step 2

September 8 - Eating Disorders: Alternative Methods for Control was written for $4.50.

September 14 - I submitted an article to Associated Content for a submission for their partners. There was no upfront payment for this entry, and it has not been published yet. The title of it is Taming Feral Cats and Hearing From God.

September 22 - When I joined Associated Content, they promised an additional $10 to anyone who submitted 5 articles before a certain date. I met that criteria, and received my $10 today.

September 30 - I submitted the first page of this blog to Associated Content. I did this primarily for advertising reasons, and because I have published it already, there will be no upfront payment.  This is also the day I began this blog.

My total to date is $33.45.  I am on step 12 ($20.48), almost to step 13 ($40.96).  I know this doesn't appear to be much money, but remember, please, that I started with absolutely nothing.  I am also in the beginning stages, and am building steam as I go.

As I age, I am always surprised at how much my views on everything have changed. Through my mid-30s I was a semi-straight laced, conservative Republican on most issues. Boy has that changed. These days all of my conservative friends think I have become a member of the Kennedy clan. My liberal friends still think I'm a nazi which is rather humorous when you consider the nazis were a bunch of socialists. People get your analogies right. You meant to call me a fascist pig. Truth be told, I am a middle-of-the-road pragmatist. I just want everyone to get along and work together and make the world a better place for me and my kids. Speaking of which you guys aren't holding up your end of the deal and if you break your social contract with C.H. there will be consequences. I just don't know what they are...

So here is what I did today.

My kids had spent the night with my parents last night. I hate it when that happens and I feel so ill I can't take advantage of the opportunity by doing something I can't do most of the time -- like going and seeing an R-rated movie, eating at a nice restaurant, going to a party, having friends over late into the evening, etc. If you're a parent you already know what I'm talking about. You also know I wouldn't change my circumstances for anything. I am truly the happiest guy I know.

Some of you who know me might find that last statement funny. It's the equivalent of Homer Simpson saying he isn't jealous of anyone else in the world. Oh well.

Anyway, my parents returned my kids at 8:30am this morning. Ouch. Well, I needed to get moving anyway. So, I woke up, got out of bed, and dragged a comb across my head. Wait a minute. No I didn't. Paul McCartney did that before he got around to counting all of his $1 billion. I wonder if you met him and introduced yourself if he would say, "Hi. I'm Sir Paul McCartney."

My son had a football game at 11am this morning. He scored a 45 yard touchdown. His dad was beaming and even impressed (he made two nice cuts on his run and then acted like he had been there before). Having once thought of myself as being a somewhat respectable athlete with a ton of shortcomings it is very tough for me not to give my son any coaching advice. I have told him on several occasions if he ever wants any help I will be more than happy to get out in the backyard with him every afternoon after work. This very rarely happens in spite of the fact that it has helped him tremendously every time we've done this. I think he knows that I enjoy my time with him far more than he ever will enjoy this time spent with me. Unfortunately, most kids from well-to-do backgrounds don't have any "dog" in them. It's kind of sad, because he has more ability than I did at his age. However, I would far rather him grow up to be a good, well rounded person than person than a great athlete.

After the game we came home and ate lunch. I took a half hour nap. I thought I was going to get in a full hour, but my house can be rather loud.

When I got back up from my nap I showered and shaved. I didn't want to be the prime minister from Slobovia today. 

I then took everyone down to a photography studio to have some new pics for my office made. The studio is owned by a friend from Church. He is truly one of the nicest, most gentle people I know. Kind of unusual considering he is a former engineer (the kind that draws lines and not the kind that drives a train).

Afterward we went and had the car washed. The kids love sitting in the car while it is washed. One day when the car gets exceptionally old, I'm going to let them go through it with the windows down, but not until they're teenagers.

We then went to Wal-Mart. I bought them some long john's for skiing. We also bought some groceries.

When we arrived at our house everyone was tired and cranky so we just ordered pizza. So much for the diet. Oh wait. I meant to say, so much for the permanent change in lifestyle.

Somehow a magic Z-Pack showed up for me. I think it's helping.

I watched LSU beat Miss. St. 

I love my XM-Radio. Although my kids insist on listening to XM-Kids a lot, I love the fact that all SEC games are on there. When you're a Vandy fan you appreciate such things.

Speaking of Vandy, after watching today's football slate I am starting to be cautiously optimistic. This is a scary feeling for a Vandy fan. We have been here many times before although I can't remember the last time we were 2-0 in conference. Auburn, next week's opponent, didn't look all that impressive. Florida lost to a team that lost to Vandy. Georgia was hammered by Alabama. Wake Forest lost to Navy and yes I'm talking about the military academy. In spite of the fact that Vandy is dead last in both total offense and defense, I'm starting to actually believe we can play with everyone left on the schedule. However, I also know reality is liable to b#$&*-slap at any given moment. Black! Gold! Go 'Dores!

Also on the sports front, I'm starting to believe we should make everyone on the Ryder Cup team a captain's pick. The results speak for themselves.

Well, that's it for tonight. Maybe tomorrow night I'll talk about my external hard drive with my 280GB of music. I'm also thinking about discussing movies at some point. Finally at some point I'm probably going to praise and trash some universities depending on how they treated me back when I thought about getting a PhD. That means I should also address the topic of Pragmatism v. Passion in careers.

Night. C ya tomorrow.

Well, if your car is looking too messy, that might not yield the desired results. It may require you to drive to the nearest garage and go in for a mechanized wash. If one is looking for a bit of thrills and frills and some spicy excitement, a good option could be to get the job done by some attractive looking car wash babes.

Car wash babes are charming people with their appealing outfits and their exciting styles of washing cars. So go ahead and treat yourself to some good fun and frolic with the charming lasses!

One of the things I enjoy doing is giving my car a good wash. Be it my hubby's little zippy car or my old car! Sshhh.... don't tell my hubby I refer to the car he faithfully provided for me as 'old'. When i was younger, I use to look forward to weekends as we get to wash the car!..and splash each other with water! Yipee!

Well, there days (actually weeks) when I am lazy or too busy and do not wash the car and you can see a layer of dust on it, very clearly on the windscreen! Yikes! Yeap! Those are the days when I yield and surrender to the dirt, haze and heat of the tropical sun and hide in the house.

But today, I decided to wash my car...taaa tad and I did in in record breaking time...i'm considered the slow-moe of the family ;) Phew! I finished all the exterior in about 30 mins. I was so happy :)

I happily went to work...but it started to rain....but there will be another day when I will wash my car again and have lots of fun...Water Fight!!!! Anyone?

I put down a deposit on a $600-plus-electricity apartment at the southwest corner of 11th Ave. & Clarkson Street, in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood. It is in a HUGE three-story mansion-like building, over 100 years old, one of Denver's first school buildings. (It's so big it has two postal addresses!) It's been subdivided into eight apartments. The landlord is an architect and has done wonders with the unique space of this venerable building. Everything inside is modern. Everything outside is turn-of-the-century charm and grace.

My apartment is on the second floor, on a corner (lots of light!) and it is best described as a clean, cozy bachelor pad with great potential. I can paint any colors, hang as many things as I want, drill holes for cables, whatever - and the LL will pay for materials! :-O

It's two simple, large rooms: one the kitchen/dining area, the other a bed/living area.

The bathroom, with glass-enclosed shower, is tres chic; the shower door is semi-circular and slides into the wall. Babes will be beggin' to come clean with me!

There is a very big walk-in closet off the bed/living area. There's more space than I alone need, but it will be a bit cramped at first with all of Tony's crap - er, treasured possessions, the only things he has kept after being evicted with me and then moving twice in four months to stay with friends. For example, a WWII Nazi Panzer Tank Division flag. And the family photo albums. He's a sentimental little freak.

We'll go through his stuff and throw out at least half the weekend after I move in. I can't do it before I move because things are moving rapidly. I plan to be outta this dungeon by Saturday noon, just in time to take Tony to see his girlfriend again.

I figure a futon couch in the bed/living area will do for sleeping and sitting. Add a reading chair and lamp table. That should do it for me and my dancer friends. Due to work schedules, I probably won't see more than two of them at a time.

Oh, and a nice 32" LCD TV, of course.

The furnishing, cookware, vacuum cleaner, etc., may all be thrift store stuff (except the TV), although I'm tempted to apply for credit to begin restoring my credit rating and stretch cash.

OTOH, I may be kidding myself into excessive consumption with all new things. I must meditate upon my motivation before taking action.

The floors are clean and whole, but dull. Stewart says they're wood, the LL says they're plastic. Maybe they're plasticized wood. But they're gonna get polished to a high gloss with something we'll figure out tomorrow.

The kitchen/dining area has a beautiful 3x5 glass-topped, black-lacquered dining set that seats four amply. I don't know if the previous tenant left it or is planning to come back for it. She's moving to a larger apt. in the same building. If it's for sale, I can probably snag it for 50 bucks. We'll see.

Green-white granite counters (small but pretty)! Poplar-colored cabinets everywhere; I can finally rebuild my cookware and spice collections. Gas (landlord-paid!) stove, dishwasher, stainless steel sink, and frost-free fridge. Goodbye, Wendy's and lunch meats!

A door opens off the dining area onto a steel-decked fire-escape landing about 10 x 6 feet. It will make a great al fresco smoking lounge, since indoor smoking is not allowed. (That will help me cut down and eventually quit, next New Year's.) I'll add a couple of outdoor chairs and even potted plants to hold ashes and butts.

Coin-op laundry facilities are in the basement. There is only one washer/dryer, but I work at home and can wash while everyone else is toiling in another's vineyard. Perfect!

If only there was some storage space down there. But wishing for what you aint got is not Zen!

A brick-walled porch runs all along two sides of this corner building's exterior, facing 11th Ave. and Clarkson Street. There is a community gas grill and several comfy chairs sitting under shading boughs. It's set back just far enough for reasonable privacy, but it's close enough to feel the pulse of the street.

The neighborhood is a mixture of affluent yuppies and struggling young people - many, many very PRETTY young people! I spied four dancer-quality specimens just during the 25 minutes I waited for the landlord to arrive.

Within four blocks, there's a King Soopers, Whole Foods, two coffee shops, three taverns with pool tables, and a hardware store for my home improvement projects. I'm sure there's more great stuff I haven't seen yet.

I signed a deposit check before the landlord finished asking if I wanted to. He should have the keys and lease ready by Thursday.

Then I called my pool-pal Jack, whom I wounded deeply during my dark times. He did not answer any of four calls over the next four hours, so I left a final message,

"Jack, I assume you don't want to renew our friendship. I respect your wishes. I will delete your phone number after this call. Please keep mine in case you change your heart. If not, thanks for all the good times we had."

End of chapter. No pain, no gain.

With Jack behind me, I lightheartedly headed for the best pool hall in South/East Denver: The Rackem Cue Club.

But first, Red Carpet Hand Car Wash caught my eye. I tried to clean up my car's interior and windows yesterday, and used an automated washer the day I bought it. But I wasn't happy with the results. So I pulled in.

I asked about "the full Monty" - wash, wax, shampoo upholstery, Armor All everything, lick the damned ashtray clean for all I know - and was quoted $114.95. But in September they're slashing 10 percent, PLUS it was happy hour (death-slow time of day) so everything was half off! :-O The car and I are worth it, I decided.

It took nearly two hours. For us waiting patrons, there was free coffee, free popcorn, and free car air fresheners (I chose strawberry, a soothing scent). I went to the grocery store across the street and bought a heaping turkey sandwich and veggie smoothie for lunch. I settled back in a comfy chair and watched the boys toil.

Idly, I texted Brooklyn and told her what I was up to. She replied, enviously,

"Fuck ya"

"Think you can afford me?" I asked saucily.

"Ha ha! Probably not!"

"Daddy David has heard and said 'em all, kid."

After that exchange, I remembered that Brook takes great pride in her Jeep Liberty (although she really lusts for a Caddy Escalade). So I'm going to get her a detailing gift certificate to a car wash near her home or work. I just need an occasion.

Her birthday falls after Christmas, but next week - Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 - is National Chimney Safety Week. That will do; we will clean out all the soot and creosote (ashes and tobacco tar).

When my car was done, the owner came over with a big grin and thanked me for being there! :-O He asked if I got bored waiting. I cracked him up when I replied,

"Arnie, I'd rather watch YOUR boys work on MY car than watch all the dancers in the Penthouse Club!"

Just what a car-wash owner wants to hear, right?

But I meant it! No jonesing for the club today!

The car looks great, 10 years younger than a 1994. I slowly cruised down the street with all windows down (air-drying upholstery) and radio blasting oldies, just pimpin' and wishing for a big phat see-gar.

I'll do this once a month, finances permitting.

I shot pool at Rackem for only forty minutes, because they were closing for a couple of hours to attend a waitress' husband's funeral. :-( Then I picked up some cleaning supplies and went home to deal with my current landlady.

I told Dee that it was time for me to move on.

"I've become more like a normal man, you may have noticed. Normal men do not huddle in basements, eating and working off the same five-dollar thrift store card table."

Dee was happy for me, and very grateful for the two weeks' extra rent. I am glad I offered it. She really needs rent income to make ends meet. I'm sure she'll have this room rented before Oct. 15.

I cleaned the bathroom, something I haven't done since moving here in January. It wasn't nearly as gross as that sounds! I shower carefully. ;-)

Now I am pleasantly tired. Time for the Dalai Lama (Bree's bf problem can wait), perhaps a bottle of Stella Artois beer, and the sleep of the Enlightened.

Directed By: Michael Schultz

Written By: Joel Schumacher

Starring: Ivan Dixon, George Carlin, Richard Pryor

When I moved out to L.A. I was pretty surprised at how many car washes there were. After a month of realizing that the smog builds up into a sort of wax it made a lot more sense. The great thing is you can get an outstanding car wash for only twelve bucks. I'm talking they hand wash, machine wash, clean the interior and wax that shit up. And I don't even mind the whole waiting since it gives you an excuse to sit around on a bench spying on people without the creepy factor. My only problem is the end of the whole transaction where I turn into George Costanza. The panic attack begins as I realize the whole tipping situation has begun. Do I have bills? Does this guy think I'm gonna tip him shit because I drive a homo erotic Rav 4? Is this guy going to share with the others because I mean he only dried my car.

Regardless, a car wash isn't the first thing that pops into people's heads when they think of a new and exciting place to set their movie. To sound like a horrible producer, Car Wash feels like Major League and Whose the Man mixed together. It's a crazy buncha guys cracking jokes, pulling pranks, living life in a car wash. Like I mentioned before, Shultz seems determined to deliver a fun movie and the pattern of bumpin music, over the top characters and a breezy lack of seriousness is what Car Wash is all about.

One device that Shultz used that was prominently featured in M.A.S.H. was the use of the radio host represented as a old megaphone looking speaker to drive things along giving the thin story a extra layer. I also think one of Shultz's best qualities as a director is giving his characters a real sense of ease amongst themselves. When people are arguing or fighting you can sense it's in a friendly "we have a history together" sort of way. There are also some great connected but not connected story linese that I thought helped make it more robust. There is a hooker character who probably only says two lines throughout the movie but you get a real sense of who she is.

And of course what's a car wash movie without cars. Richard Pryor rolls up as Daddy Cool in a sick limousine and the annoying white bitch from Beverly Hills comes in a beige mercedes . Judging people on their cars is an essential part of life and it's nice to know it went on back in the day. I know when I see a guy in a BMW refusing to use his turn signal I think "Oh, so your too rich to use your turn signal huh?" Oh god what do people think when they see me?

Man my Rav 4 is lame.

Anyone driving a motorcycle can also use the car wash services to get their ride washed and detailed.

Sudsing up your car in the driveway may get your hub caps to sparkle, but the untreated waste water can also run off Ol' Betsy straight into storm drains and eventually into rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands, where it can degrade water quality and poison aquatic life.

Clean Water Tips: How can you wash your car and help keep our waters clean?

• Use soap sparingly. Use a hose nozzle with a trigger to save water.
• Pour your bucket of soapy water down the sink when you're done, not in the street. Or wash your car on a grassy area so the ground can filter the water naturally.
• Best of all, take your car to a commercial car wash, especially if you plan to clean the engine or the bottom of your car. Most car washes reuse wash water several times before sending it to the sewer system for treatment.

This is something I had to post, someone who is so influential to music period should not go unnoted. I love Motown I think Berry Gordy is an evil genius the way he brought Ford assembly line tactics to his label. Norman Whitfield was serious about his pen game dropping such jewels as, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone", Edwin Starr's 1970 "War and "Cloud Nine". Whitfield may not be on the front lines like the singers but the writer is just as important if not more. Smokey Robinson regarded him as one of the most prolific songwriters and producers of our time. I would have to agree.

R.I.P. Norman Whitfield.

I heard it through the grapevine

The car wash is shut

WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER CAR WASH/BAKE SALE AT TRACTOR SUPPLY ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, FROM 11 AM TO 3 PM.  IF YOU CAN'T HELP US SUPERVISE, PERHAPS YOU COULD COME BY AND HAVE YOUR CAR WASHED.  PLEASE REMEMBER THAT ALL PARTICIPANTS WHO WISH TO EARN BAKE SALE CREDIT MUST BRING BAKE SALE ITEMS! 

THAT'S MY PAN ORDERS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED TO PAULA BARKER NO LATER THAN THE END OF SEPTEMBER.  SHE HAS STARTED BACK TO SCHOOL AND WILL NOT HAVE TIME TO CONTINUE HANDLING ORDERS.  HOWEVER, THERE IS A CHANCE THAT SHERI HOLSINGER WILL TAKE OVER THE ORDERING JOB SO YOU MIGHT EMAIL HER IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. 

START PLANNING NOW FOR OUR CAR SHOW WHICH WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH....WE ARE ADVERTISING NOW SO THE SHOW SHOULD BE BIG!!  WE WILL BE GIVING AWAY TROPHIES, DOOR PRIZES, AND DASH PLAQUES SO THOSE THINGS ENTICE CAR AND BIKE ENTHUSIASTS TO ATTEND.  WE WILL ONCE AGAIN BE ASKING YOU TO DONATE DOOR PRIZES FOR THE EVENT.  AFTER WE PAY THE EXPENSES FOR OUR TROPHIES, ETC, WE WILL DIVIDE THE ENTRY FEE MONEY AMONG THE ORCHESTRA PARTICIPANTS, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF DOOR PRIZES CONTRIBUTED.  SINCE WE WILL BE ADVERTISING IN THE WHOLE TRI-STATE AREA, WE SHOULD ALSO ASK TRI-STATE BUSINESSES TO DONATE PRIZES.  MIKE AND I WILL BE ATTENDING SOME CAR SHOWS TO PASS OUT FLYERS ABOUT OUR SHOW.  OF COURSE, OUR EVENT WILL BE HELD FROM 10 AM TO 3 PM SINCE THIS IS A SHOW RATHER THAN A CRUISE IN.  EMAIL ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

PREPAID TUPPERWARE ORDERS ARE DUE ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO SUBMIT AN ORDER.  IS ANYONE SELLING NATURE IN BLOOM BULBS OR TREE SEEDLINGS?   THOSE ORDERS ARE DUE ON OCTOBER 4TH.  COOKIE DOUGH ORDERS ARE DUE OCTOBER 18TH. 

DOES ANYONE HAVE IDEAS FOR THE HALLOWEEN DOG COSTUME CONTEST ON OCTOBER 25TH?  WE NEED HELP WITH PLANNING AND HOSTING THIS EVENT, AND ALL IDEAS ARE APPRECIATED!! 

HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON SPONSORS FOR THE 5K RUN THAT BEVERLY CHAPMAN IS ORGANIZING?  YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ON THIS WEBSITE, AS WELL AS A SPONSOR FORM.  IN ADDITION, YOUR ORCHESTRA STUDENT SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT HOME THIS INFORMATION.  THE 5K IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 1ST, BUT PLANNING NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT AWAY!!! 

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SUGGEST ANY POTENTIAL FUNDRAISING IDEAS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.  WE WILL CONTINUE TRYING TO EARN MONEY ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH MARCH SINCE EVERYONE WILL NEED SPENDING MONEY.  ALL IDEAS AND HELP ARE APPRECIATED!!!  THANKS!!

                                                                                                   CAROL BATES

Mission Viejo Community Foundation
Marines and Sailors Adoption Fund
200 Civic Center
Mission Viejo, CA 92691

For more information, please call the City’s Recreation and Community Services Department at 949-470-3061.

Norman Whitfield, a producer and songwriter whose work propelled Motown Records into more ambitious musical territory, died Tuesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 67.

....

In the late 1960s the New York-born Whitfield helped push Motown beyond the sweet melodies and puppy-love tales of its early days into edgier, more expansive sounds. Incorporating rock elements and psychedelic textures into his work, he helped groups such as the Temptations keep pace with the ’60s musical revolution.

With collaborator Barrett Strong — himself in a Detroit hospital recovering from a stroke — Whitfield cowrote many of Motown’s biggest hits, including its single most successful song, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” recorded by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Whitfield’s post-Motown years in the 1970s most famously included the 1977 hit “Car Wash” by Rose Royce.

As a commenter on the Idolator thread noted, "He produced and co-wrote "I Wish It Would Rain," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg," "I Can't Get Next to You," "Superstar," "Just My Imagination," "Ball of Confusion"" -- those credits alone leave so many people in the dust it's not even funny. And that's without even specifically mentioning "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Cloud Nine!" It's one of those monumental resumes that's so huge, its impact so broad, that all you can do is almost stare slack-jawed.

For that reason and due to a work crunch, I won't have too much to say here -- it takes a better commenter than I -- but if you'll allow me a couple of YouTube clips:

Just scraping the surface here. RIP, Mr. Whitfield -- it's one hell of a legacy.

Every Thursday is my spring cleaning day - sweeping floor, mopping floor, washing Cagiva and washing car.
A sign of good parenting is the teaching of house chores from young.
Miracle is indeed blessed with great parents