I live in fear of being left behind in communications technology. Way back in '78 the ad agency where I was creative director of the GM Canada account gave a computer to every secretary and enrolled them in a (DOS) programming school. Typically then I would have created TV commercial scripts on an IBM electric typewriter and handed them to my secretary for re-typing into a produceable format. When I realised what our lovely ladies (they also brought our morning coffee) could do with a computer I asked my boss if I could participate. Not that I wanted to put my secretary out of a job but why should everything be typed twice? I was slapped down with the comment "computers are for women." In 1983 I bought my first desktop computer, taught myself, and since then have struggled to keep up-to-date.

To get the About Cars Guide job in 1998 I learned some html basics and became moderately adept at photo manipulation. My downfall came with the acquisition of a cellphone two years ago. I live in a town of 14,000 souls. I have three friends and a few coffee house acquaintances. Who on earth am I going to phone during those daily power walks? I bought the cell during a Toronto family visit when a B&B landlady refused to let me use her landline except in emergencies. I still use it in Toronto trips but as the batteries quickly run dry when not in use, most of my cellphone activity consists of recharging. Worse still, the keys and info are so small I can barely read them.

Which brings me to the subject of this blog. David E. Davis, one of America's finest auto writers, on his retirement as publisher of Car & Driver, created Winding Road, an online car mag. Lots of good stuff, superb graphics, minimal ad revenue. David E. retired again, fed up with the problems of running an online business. Now Winding Road has added a new site, NextAutos.com. According to its FAQ's page "NextAutos.com is a smart place for car people to learn, share and connect. On our site you can access expert information about thousands of vehicles, write your own articles, upload your photos and videos, and connect with other users. On your Dashboard page (you must be registered to use this feature), you can pull together all your stuff (including feeds from other sites as well) and run your own little automotive universe." A look at the site leaves me confused about which is Winding Road and which is NextAutos.com and why. But hey... maybe it's me. Maybe I really am being left behind. Check it out and add your comments below.

If this doesn't stir your romantic juices, gentlemen, nothing will! Imagine the fun of driving a 1959 Austin Healey Sprite and parking by a seaside lighthouse with a lovely British "bird" as your companion. Unless you own a vintage Sprite it's a moment in time not likely to repeat itself. But for a mere $195 you can hang a print on your living room wall and imagine that moment every morning as you sip your ritual coffee. A giclée on watercolor paper by Gary Whinn, this is one of the latest offerings from CarArtInc., which showcases works by car designers and automotive fine artists. It has over 500 examples of 60 marques for sale. It also helps foster children by assisting development of the Extreme Gravity Racing Series, an exciting competition notable for wildly different designs by European and Californian car studios. Personally I favour paintings of cars in situ, looking as we might have seen them years ago, which is why I fell for this beauty.

This blog, friends, has little to do with automobiles but I think you'll enjoy it. During WW2 the Lockheed Burbank plant was turning out thousands of planes, among them the Hudson bomber/trainer, the Lockheed Harpoon, and the magnificent P-38 Lightning twin-engine fighter. Military authorities believed it might be vulnerable to attacks by Japanese aircraft although no enemy carriers had been sighted anywhere near California. And so, in one of the most incredible acts of camouflage ever created, the roof of the giant factory was rebuilt by the Army Corps of Engineers to look like a typical residential suburb. Homes, streets, shrubbery, even cars were put in place. The Japanese attack technicians would have been completely fooled. Or would they? In wartime, spies existed on both sides. Who's to doubt that someone might not have tipped off the enemy? In a delightful twist of irony, Subaru's Indiana plant landscape is a "designated backyard wildlife habitat." Deer, coyotes, beavers, rabbits, blue herons and other water fowl live in peaceful coexistence with cars, not warplanes.

It's been four years since I last attended the Kirkland Concours d'Elegance and though it was a good show then, it has developed into a world-class international concours. So I don't intend to miss it this year since its the only one of of its type to be held in the Pacific Northwest. (Kirkland, should you be wondering, is a Seattle suburb on the east shore of Lake Washington.) The concours setting, on the grounds of Carillon Point, home of the Woodmark Hotel, is quite lovely, although the year I was there it rained and the entire show had to be moved to an underground parking garage. As one who loves traditional wooden speedboats I like the fact that a small collection always accompanies the concours. For 2008 the organisers are promising at least six will be on hand, including a 1939 Gar Wood Custom Runabout with triple cockpits and an Italian-made 1965 Riva Aquamarina. The cars, of course, are of Pebble Beach quality; witness the 1937 Talbot-Lago above, which won a "triple crown" at last year's event: Best of Show, People's Choice, and French Curves First of Class. The Kirkland Concours d'Elegance will take place on Saturday, September 07. A date to remember.

We seem to be in an era when ultra-long distance car rallies (around America, around the world) are popular with those who can afford the time and expense. Let's start with the Gumball 3000, inspired by the Gumball movie. I must confess I'd never heard of the Gumball 3000 - even though it kicked off in April, 1999 - perhaps because it was promoted as "the most rock 'n' roll car rally ever staged." Rock is okay (even though I'm a jazz guy) and rallies are fun, but the connection between rock and rally escaped me. Apparently I was wrong. It was created as a 3000-mile party around Europe to bring together the music, film, fashion and sport industries. Anytime Hugh Heffner, Daryl Hannah and 50 Cent join with other celebrities to drive around Europe it has to be an event worth noting.

According to the 2008 pr release, "for its 10th anniversary founder and British business mogul and socialite Maximillion Cooper is taking it from San Francisco to Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and then off to Asia, including a ground-breaking trip to North Korea and a finish in Beijing during the Olympics. In North Korea, working with the UN, Gumball will present the country's first-ever rock concert! Entrants include David Hasselhoff driving the legendary K.I.T.T. car from Knight Rider, famous drummer Travis Barker, MTV's Rob Dyrdek (Rob & Big) in a fully customized '69 Camaro as well as Johnny Knoxville and the rest of the "Jackass" guys...driving everything from Ferrari Enzos to Bugatti Veyrons, Rolls Royces, old Cadillacs, low riders and even a few electric cars."

Whoever makes it to the finish should get a gold copy of Louis Jordan's "Don't Roll Those Bloodshot Eyes at Me." That was the very first rock 'n roll recording, years ahead of Elvis. Believe this rally promo and you'll believe anything. My computer got hung up when attempting to open the Website and a little further research revealed that previous rallies had resulted in arrests for speeding and in 2007 a fatal accident involving a hapless non-competitor. Nevertheless I'm creating a blog because this rich person's outrage might actually happen. You may comment (below) on whether or not it should.

[Photo: Knight Rider Shelby GT]

The other day I was writing about Porsche's 60th birthday and now I'm extolling the 80th anniversary of the Ford Model A. What a difference 20 years made in the development of the automobile! To celebrate the Model A's birthday a number of owners around the world have declared Saturday, July 26, 2008 as International Model A Day. Thousands of Model A Ford restorers and preservers will be taking their cars for a drive, socializing with other enthusiasts and showing the world the car that replaced the Model T. Activities will be arranged by local clubs in all fifty states and some thirty other countries including Canada. Some will simply be driving to picnics or coffee meets; others will participate in shows and contests. Many are expected to coordinate their activities with local Ford dealers. So wherever you are in this world, if you own a Model A or just enjoy seeing them, make a note of the date and be sure to celebrate one of the world's most-loved motor cars.

[Photo + Car: Richard Barszczweski]