The Tony Rollo Blog | Living in the Spectrum of Life

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Don’t think that electric vehicles are something new …

100 years ago, gasoline was a “waste product” from refining oil.

Oil refiners would dump gasoline in large pits and burn it. It wasn’t worth anything to anybody. It wasn’t stable enough to lubricate or burn slowly in a lamp – but not volatile enough as an explosive. So it was just waste to get rid of.

Imagine that ?

I have an article at American Liberty Magazine on “Dawn of the Trucks” where the writer speculated if gasoline could be a fuel to power vehicles.

100 years ago electric cars were all the rage – it was gasoline that made electric cars go away as World War One was beginning.

BUT – back in 1967 …

My dad’s parents ran a small engine repair shop that I spent a lot of time in.

To the right is an illustration of a standard mini-bike. Just for reference … as the monster that was created over a slight buzz was never photographed and disappeared one day as it was too fast and too hard to control …

They had taken in one of those lawn mower engine powered “mini bikes” that had a blown engine. The engine was toast and unrepairable – so the owner left it to be disposed …

Not to let good steel go to waste, my “pop” (paternal grandfather) and the guys – over a few jars of the local hooch took a car battery and placed it where the mower engine once was and welded in a generator (electric motor) behind it – and put a gear on the shaft attached to the rear gear on the rear wheel.

The handlebar throttle was adapted with an on/off switch … VIOLA ! An electric scooter …

So it was all on or all off … knowing now what I know – back then I would have rigged up a rheostat as the throttle … but that was then when I was 7 years old …

I rode it many times and will NEVER forget how hard it was to hang on from a static start or the acceleration that was beyond anything I have yet to experience (and I now have a Kawasaki ZL900 which does 0 to 100 in less than 3 seconds)

Talk about TORQUE !!!

I don’t know how FAST it would go – as it was full on – full torque – with the twist of the throttle …

MAN – that sucker would peel out and FLY !!!

The throttle was just a shorting switch, so It was full on or full off and the motor would then become a brake. With a good rheostat throttle, it would be controllable … It was a REAL MONSTER !

Maybe some day I will diagram it – but it was really simple and straight forward … it took all of time it took for 3 mechanics after the shop closed to chug down a mason jar of local hooch …

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“Submariners: The Men of the Silent Service”

Now available at –

Pearl Harbor Memorial ~ Hawaii

US Submarine Force Museum ~ Groton, CT

… and many other fine museums across the USA

We also have several “spoken word” projects coming out over the summer.

I use the term “spoken word” because they are not merely and audio book where you have some voice actor reading.

The projects, (such as the now finished and being manufactured) “Diary of a Real Boy” is fully performed in character with great music … and edited like a movie.

Not just “comedy recordings” like a stand-up comedian either which is just a recording of a concert.

I am so pleased at how “Diary of a Real Boy” has come together - it’s extremely funny. Like the Little Rascals meets Mark Twain meets Dennis the Menace meets the Three Stooges … that kind of funny.

More funny because it all really happened – real stories are funnier than fiction.

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Let’s say you’ve been living “high on the hog” to impress the neighbors and are now putting out more each month than you bring in from the work paycheck.

Simple – go to your boss at work and tell him he has to pay you more to cover your monthly payments or you will have to shut off your water and electricity service.

That should work - right ?

Better yet – order him/her lots of flowers and cards. Maybe a few singing telegrams. Lay it on thick.

Anybody laughing yet ?

Everywhere from the most local to the most national politicians are saying they will let go police officers, firemen and teachers if we don’t let them raise taxes on us. They do it year after year.

It’s called “fear tactics” …

How much blood does a turnip hold, anyway ?

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A tough, old cowboy from Texas counseled his grandson on how to live a long life.

He explained to the youngster that to live a long life, the secret was to sprinkle a pinch of gun powder on his oatmeal every morning.

The grandson did this religiously to the age of 103 when he died.

He left behind 14 children, 30 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, 25 great-great-grandchildren, and a 15-foot crater where the crematorium used to be.

Top Gear Korea is now in its 2nd season.

A great improvement over it’s first season … everything is all “warmed up” –
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I still can’t enjoy the “American” Top Gear version. Mainly because the producers apparently cannot understand what makes Top Gear so popular. It is mainly the interaction of the three personalities because of their character which the “American” version sadly lacks.

There’s a good bit more lacking also with the US flavor – but no need dwelling on it …

It’s more fun to watch Stacy David’s GEARS on the SPEED CHANNEL … come to think of it – anything on Speed Channel or Velocity Channel is better than the watered down “American” Top Gear wannabees …

The Korean Top Gear uses known actors as the three hosts – they are not convincing as “car guys” but do a fine job with comical situation on the “challenges” … still, they are not the same as the UK brand …

We are waiting for the newest episode of Top Gear UK to come on BBC America in about an hour. It’s a real event in our house.

I hope they do not run out of fresh ideas.

Do Something … Get ‘er done … stop talking about it and do it …

I promised myself I would stay away from posting anything political – that’s hard to do.

I can remember gas at 28 cents a gallon … folks would freak out when it went over 30 cents.

If you think about it – everything is around 10 times the price it was in 1970 … that’s not a good way to judge things these days – but it’s almost accurate.

The average new family car was around $1900 bucks … a brand new Corvette was around $6000 …

People were concerned about gas mileage even way back then. There were always “alternative” fuels being experimented with. And 100 years ago – when gasoline was still a worthless by-product of producing oil, electric cars were all the rage.

Economical is fine – but SO IS PERFORMANCE !

There is really nothing new going on – if something is “cool” it doesn’t matter how practical it is.

We also still have folks who think if they LOOK like they are doing something – then that’s enough.

OR – if something feels good – that’s better than DOING well.

It’s just cycles coming back around again.

Business cycles and trends repeating. Fashions coming in and out of style.

I find a lot of humor in watching fads come and go.

Today, eye glasses have become very horizontal and rectangular … I see young women wearing clothing that looks like they bought their clothing at a Joann Worley yard sale (SOCK IT TO ME !!!)

Back in 1970 - we were taught in G’ment school that by now we would be well on our way into an ICE AGE … and then just 10 years ago they taught in the same G’ment schools that by now the ice would be melting and the polar bears would be dead … NOW it’s about “CHANGE” … har-dee-har-har …

Nothing to worry about.

If you like to DO things – get things done … then you are that far ahead of everyone else.

You don’t have to be that much of an early bird to get the worm. But you STILL have to get up and get it done.

Then on the other hand … if you can but someone is in your way …

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What a strange time to be living in …

Who would think back in 1979 that the average American home in a couple of decades would have their own big screen cinema in their own living room with better sound than the most advances theater to be found anywhere?

Also – people would have magic boxes where they could see any movie – anytime – anywhere – on demand … ?

Who in the world now would want to go at a specified time to a room full of germ sneezing people with a micro cup of soft drink that costs half a day’s pay with a small cubical box of popcorn that costs the other half of a day’s pay to see rehashed cr*p of something that was better than it was made originally 30+ years ago or a $200,000,000 cartoon with a horrid plot and unbelievable “special effects” that you can rent as part of your $10 a month club fee in 6 months from now ?!?

I was on a special Saturday night edition of the LENNY AND JOHN SHOW talking about the Submariner movie. What fun !!! And it’s on podcast …

What was really cool is that both those guys are nuclear Navy guys and one of them was on submarines.

What fun !!!

Anyway … The future is so bright – I gotta wear shades …

Next weekend we will be filming at the Nashville Nationals. The “Hot Rod Project” feature is coming along … i was a bit miffed that Stacy David (of the Gears show on Speed Channel) hasn’t emailed back after he said he wanted to stay in touch –

But then I realized he’s been busy with Ted Nugent’s 4×4 project – which we saw before it got worked over … so all is fine … he’s busy … I’m busy … and that’s a great problem to have these days – right?

Good news is –

… the Submariner movie will be at Pearl Harbor and the US Submarine Force Museum this week. We have the posters which will follow … so it’s all going well for that …

“Diary Of A Real Boy” is all finished but for printing the graphics wrap for the boxes …

It turned out better than expected … REALLY FUNNY !!!

I saw the new Samsung Galaxy tablet in an office supply store this weekend … all the new tablets have just come out … the Samsung is very superior to all the others – TAEHAMINGO !!!! And at under $400 – better priced also …. I still can’t part with that kind of bread for that kind of rig though …

Indeed … George Jetson would be amazed at our times !

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“Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.”

- Pablo Picaso

I can dig that … Computers are like a hammer … some swing ‘em better …