#kitt is the coolest car ever

[stars-over-new-jersey]

Knight Rider 2x11: "Knightmares"

Um, wow.

KITT is really not having a good time of it this season.

Stuffed into an undignified costume, ripped out of his body, then dumped into a swamp full of mud and gator traps... and then after all of that, Michael forgets about him, runs away from him, and then worst of all, tries to SHOOT KITT!

I mean, the bullets are going to do sweet diddly squat to KITT. But having his driver, best friend, and constant companion fear him to the point that he treats KITT as a threat and uses deadly force against him had to really hurt for KITT. Hell, it was heartbreaking for me.

Then when April's programming kicks in and KITT traps Michael it got worse. Didn't they think about what would happen if Michael objected and tried to leave? Michael was hitting KITT in anger. Poor KITT.

And then after that, KITT is following him like a puppy, trying desperately to get his friend to remember him.

"You used to call me KITT."

Oh ouch ow ow ow my heart

And then there was that happy little "Finally!" from KITT when Michael called for him again.

Must... suppress... urge... to... hug... the... talking... car....

This was supposed to be the fun little adventure show from my childhood. It was NOT supposed to spend an entire episode ripping my heart out and stomping on it!

Ratings (out of 5):

Cheese Level: 🧀 Cringe Level: 😬 Michael Knight Hotness: 🔥🔥🔥 Vehicular Shenanigans: 🚘🚘🚘🚘 Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* my Knight Rider episode reviews

[theliterateape]

Y2K 2.0: One Man's Struggle with an Unforgiving Virus

By David Himmel

I was not worried about Y2K as New Year’s Eve 1999–2000 approached. Perhaps it was the media alarmist approach to the concern that made me roll my eyes at the whole thing. Maybe it was because the idea of every plane falling out of the sky with every nuke simultaneously blasting off struck me as absurd. I found the idea of computers not knowing how to count years in shorthand really, really dumb.

I was in college at the time, and while I was not a math or computer science major, the whole Y2K story just didn’t make sense to my layman’s brain. And, of course, my layman’s brain was right. The only life-changing even that occurred at midnight on January 1, 2000 (CST) was I got laid for the first time. And can you believe Peter Jennings didn’t even cover it? Not even Dan Rather wanted a piece of that action.

But here we are. Twenty-two years later and the technological threat looms.

I’ve been on the phone with Apple support for a collective four hours and seventeen minutes today. I’m currently waiting for a call back from Christine, the friendly grandmother in Michigan who heard my young son’s voice in the background then shared with me a story of her 4-year-old grandbaby wanting to play outside on Christmas. Specifically, he wanted to garden.

“Last spring, he helped me garden,” Christine tells me. “He really liked digging in the dirt. And there he was, forty-six degrees in Michigan on Christmas Day, digging up that frozen dirt.”

“It’s a special thing, Grandma’s house,” I told her. “Nothing better than grandmas.”

“Sure aren’t,” she laughed.

“Grandpas are a close second.”

“But they’re second,” she agreed. “Has your watch unpaired from your phone yet?”

My wife, Katie, got me an Apple Watch for Christmas. And that’s the problem. I wanted one for working out. Something that’ll track my runs and play my podcasts while pounding the streets and trails that would allow me to leave my phone at home. I didn’t want the extra weight. Plus, the Apple Watch can track my rate and progress while swimming and riding my bike. I named my Apple Watch KITT after the Knight Rider television show. I know my Apple Watch isn’t a car—it’s a watch. But Michael Knight had the coolest watch I’d ever seen because it allowed him to communicate with his talking car. And this Apple Watch—my KITT—is the most advanced piece of wrist jewelry I’ve ever owned. KITT is my all-in-one sport watch. And if it ever helps me fight crime, all the better. And while I’ve never used Siri on any other Apple products, you bet your butt I’m going to talk to KITT—um, Siri.

I didn’t need this watch. I’ve been able to run, swim, bike, etc. without such a tool, but I wanted the watch. For fun. To have something new. And because it was Christmas, it wasn’t an outlandish desire. And so, I was excited at the prospect that Christmas morning, I might unwrap a brand new Apple Watch. I was also terrified by that prospect. Because I’m not a tech guy. I’m not opposed to technology. I’m not a complete idiot like an impatient Baby Boomer who only listens to Beatles records and somehow still thinks American Pie is a good song. I’m not a tech guy because nine of out of ten times, I’ll have trouble with a new piece of technology. Hence my conversation with Grandma Christine in Michigan.

I get nervous around new tech like a new iPhone or MacBook or iPad or Apple Watch or bluetooth headphones or the iRobot app and so on. And I get nervous because, based on historical accounts, I’m going to run into some kind of trouble. Trouble that I can’t get out of on my own. Trouble that requires help from the experts.

KITT wasn’t syncing right with my phone. Its apps were working but—and this is hard to explain—they were not showing up as actively running on the watch. Messages weren’t syncing. Things were just… off. So, four hours and seventeen minutes of troubleshooting, unpairing and repairing the watch to the phone… Well, we’ll see what happens. KITT is currently repairing to my iPhone, which I named Pirate Muscle Milk—a long, nonsensical story involving a warrior mask from Turkey and my 3-year-old son. Once it finishes pairing, I’ll test everything and hopefully, all will be working as intended.

Could I have used the watch as it was with its minor malfunctions? Yes. As a sport watch, sure. But Katie paid good money for KITT and I see nothing wrong with wanting new Christmas presents to work as intended. I also expect a lot from Apple products even if they do give me the heebie-jeebies. And they do. But not because I’m afraid of technology but because I carry the Y2K virus in my blood. I am a thriving host for this 21st Century strain of panic.

When 2000 rang in, I had no computer or cellphone of my own. No pager. Not even a digital watch. Now, I have all these things and more. Well, no pager, but what is iMessage other than a third cousin once removed of the pager. Smart TVs, iPads, iCloud, Dropbox, MacBook Pros, iPhone 12 Minis, Google and its suite of shit that has me second guessing how I should login to email and my Drive… Something is bound to go wrong so I keep a team of tech support at the ready—Don Hall, Christopher Galant, Katie Himmel, Patrick Brown. They are all more patient than I with tech hiccups caused by my Y2K 2.0 virus. Hall is an Apple Beta dork, so he knows his Apple. Gallant and Brown are general tech geeks; Brown works in the industry. And Katie, well, Katie is just tech smart and enjoys showing me how to do simple tech things without getting frustrated because that’s a Millennial’s greatest joy—showing up an older Gen X who would rather receive phone calls than have to read through emails.

The thing is, whenever someone with less tech know-how than I needs help, and I happen to be within reach, I have no problem helping them. Like my dad, my mom, a small handful of people at work—all older than I am. Y2K 2.0 definitely discriminates. It seems to only affect my stuff.

It’s a new year. I know we have to sort out this Covid pandemic thing, but it’d be nice if we could find a treatment for my Y2K 2.0 variant. Something that doesn’t require me to spend half a day on a call with a Michigan grandmother. And speaking of, she’s calling me right now. Both my iPhone 12 Mini and Apple Watch Series 7 are vibrating, letting me know. And it looks like things are working as they should be now. Grandma Christine will be thrilled, I’m sure.

[crazy4tank]

10 Coolest And Most Hilarious Car Nicknames Ever | HotCars

New Post has been published on https://coolcarsnews.com/10-coolest-and-most-hilarious-car-nicknames-ever-hotcars/

10 Coolest And Most Hilarious Car Nicknames Ever | HotCars

Vehicle nicknames can be a mixed bag. Proprietors will love to give a silly name to their car and make it seem like a bigger deal. However , beauty is within the eye of the beholder, and some proprietors may give their beaters names more installing for a hot rod and vice versa. More notable is a vehicle gaining an official nickname from possibly its company or many testers, and it catches on, for much better or for worse.

Even though many nicknames are less than polite, some can be downright funny. It's interesting when a silly name catches to the point that even fans from the car love using it. Other vehicles can have names that back up their own fantastic appearance and performance in order to stand out nicely. A good moniker can produce a so-so car better while a good already great vehicle becomes a lot more impressive. Here are ten car nicknames that range from hilarious to amazing and sometimes more famous compared to car's real name to be unforgettable.

10 Volvo 850: Flying Brick

via YahooNews

It may not audio it, but the Flying Brick is intended as a note of endearment. The initial Volvo 240 put a nice motor into a family car and flipped it into a serious racer. Volvo later used it for a 1995 turbowagon with a large shape.

via Pinterest

So you had a brick-shaped vehicle that looked heavy but effective at 240 hp. The name was passed on to further models to stand out from the particular pack as a Volvo capable of operating high.

9 Pontiac Firebird Trans Was: Screaming Chicken

Via topspeed. com

The Pontiac Trans Am has influenced KITT from Knight Rider , already been driven on screen by Burt Reynolds, and loved by muscles car buffs. So how did it receive a name like the "Screaming Poultry? "

via Provide a Trailer

It's mainly because many didn't grasp the winged image on the hood was intended to be a phoenix, and instead the particular "chicken" name caught on. Actually, GM never wanted that picture in the first place, but it ended up adding to Trans Am's fun legacy.

Related: 10 Great Cars With Horrible Names

8 Nissan GT-R: Godzilla

Via: Nismo. com

May possibly be something about Godzilla's very title that conjures images of a beast tearing down the streets of Tokyo. That makes it perfect for the Nissan GT-R. The engines have shifted within power and design but are meant to be fantastic on a track as well as the road.

through motor1

The GT-R's prominence on Japanese racing circuits shows its power and continues to develop (even an off-road version) as one of Japan's best riding monsters.

7 Chevrolet Corvette Z06: Big Unpleasant

Mark Reuss came up with the play name of "Big Nasty" for the Chevy Corvette Z06 before it also rolled out. It's clear exactly why, as the very appearance looks overwhelming and wowed at the 2014 Of detroit Auto Show.

Through carbuzz. com

This lived up to its looks with all the fantastic 625-horsepower supercharged V8, providing stunning speeds and performance. As the final Z06 was a bit various, the name still fits this evil ride.

Associated: 10 Badass Sports Vehicles With Names That Make Them Seem like Beaters

6 Ford SVT Mustang Cobra: Endstück

When you name a car after a good iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger role, you should back it up with the performance. The Kia SVT Mustang Cobra may seem a little low now, but in 2003, it was one of the hottest vehicles around.

via YouTube channel AutotopiaLA

The 32-valve DOHC 4. 6-liter V8 could manage 390 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque with ease. While the Terminators had been surprisingly short-lived, car buffs wish that, like its namesake, it can be back.

5 Buick Electra 225: Deuce And A Quarter

A mouthful of a nickname, the particular Deuce and a Quarter, referenced the particular Buick Electra's overall length, and it is debated how it got started. It might have been just a crack during a boardroom meeting or perhaps a dealership owner creating a joke and somehow, it trapped.

It caught upon thanks to the Electra's good performance being an open-air luxury cruiser that taken care of its size well on the road. The particular 6. 6l V8 offered an excellent performance, so the Electra was because rich as its name.

Related: These 10 Cars Experienced Very Unfortunate Names

4 BMW Z3: Clownshoe

BMW

THE CAR may have scores of cool cars, however the Z3 didn't make a great deal of splash in 1999 . The name is certainly obvious as the styling makes the Z3 look like all it needs is a layer of wild paint, and it's prepared to be driven into a circus camping tent.

BMW

But the joke is on the doubters as the Z3 has a fantastic second . 8-liter inline 6-cylinder, which created 193 horsepower. The M-trim had been even better, a 3. 0 V-6 for 320 hp. It was not a big seller, yet the Clownshoe's strength offsets its odd look.

3 Lamborghini LM002: Rambo Lambo

through automobilemagazine

Lamborghini creating a truck remains among the great oddities of the automotive entire world. Yet in 1986, the LM002 debuted, attempting to marry the Lamborghini speed and style to a Hummer style SUV frame.

via Wikipedia

The particular 5. 2-liter V12 produced 400 hp at 6, 800 rpm, making it one of the most powerful production vehicles of its time. As the Sylvester Stallone movies were in vogue at the time, the particular "Rambo Lambo" fit one of the more offbeat vehicles the manufacturer produced.

2 Pontiac Fiero: Plastic Fantastic

Via Pinterest

The Pontiac Fiero can be a frustrating car. It has a good look, and it do sell surprisingly well. Yet the not been kind to the Fiero with its awful engine and especially the particular frames. Wrapping a car in almost all plastic was bad in the eighties and even worse today.

Via: Cartype

Several Fiero models could be decent on the highway yet all that plastic was horrible to wear and tear. Thus "Plastic Fantastic" fits the car, which by no means caught fire as Pontiac wished.

1 Porsche 911/930 Turbo: Widowmaker

elferspot. com

The first turbo charged offering from Porsche, the 93o Turbo married sleek looks with a 3. 0l flat-six with turbocharger for up to 330 hp. That power made the first models trickier to control, thus resulting in the moniker of "The Widowmaker. "

Via: Mecum Auctions

Which was hyperbole as the number of fatal mishaps the car got into was rather reduced. But the way the 930 can endure turbo lag and then increase at speeds without warning helped make this unique name which would be used simply by other Porsche 911 models within the decades.

Sources: motor1. com, jalopnik. com, autowise. possuindo, hagertys. com

Next: 10 Unsatisfactory Cars That Look Nothing Like Their own Concepts

[movietvseriesfreeme]

Knight Rider

On the heels of NBC’s hit movie, the iconic 1980s television classic comes roaring back to life as a reinvented, updated and super-charged action series showcasing the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand). Absolutely the coolest car ever created, KITT is equipped with an “AI” (artificial intelligence) that is capable of hacking almost any system. Its weapons systems match that of a jet…

[readygamerone]

Chapter 18: Keep Neuromancer Out Your Mouth

Like any self-respecting gunter, Wade spends the opening of this chapter sitting in his empty apartment watching every episode of a TV show no one has ever heard of called "Whiz Kids” on a Friday night. This obscure one season show means nothing to anyone, to the point where it has never been released on home media at all in our reality. But to Wade, this is "research” that will bring him closer to his goal, not the sad and lonely time waster it might appear to us. 

Unfortunately, this quest for knowledge is interrupted by an invitation to the birthday e-celebration of Ogden Morrow, friend of the late great James Halliday. He's turning 73 so of course he wants to DJ an 80′s dance party as his avatar, the aged wizard known as "The Great and Powerful Og." Wade calls art3mis and confirms that she got the same invitation, a signifier of their high gunting status. The other members of the High Five (remember that?) aren't able to go since Aech has a e-sports that night and the samurai twins don't go to player combat-enabled zones, which this party is in, unless necessary.

Also, didn't the two of them tell the others to fuck off since they weren't interested in being friends or working together? Oh well.

But none of that really matters to Wade since he's got it bad for art3mis and now he's finally about to go on a real deal date with her. Eager to impress, he puts on his 'Buckaroo Banzai' cosplay and travels to the planet Neonoir (yeah), where the dance club is located. But Wade knows he has to go there in style to maintain his reputation as the coolest gunter there is, requiring he make the trip in his fancy new car. What follows is a description of that vehicle, which is probably the most frequently cited passage from the entire book:

I made a big entrance when I arrived in my flying DeLorean, which I’d obtained by completing a Back to the Future quest on the planet Zemeckis.The DeLorean came outfitted with a (nonfunctioning) flux capacitor, but I’d made several additions to its equipment and appearance. First, I’d installed an artificially intelligent onboard computer named KITT (purchased in an online auction) into the dashboard, along with a matching red Knight Rider scanner just above the DeLorean’s grill. Then I’d outfitted the car with an oscillation overthruster, a device that allowed it to travel through solid matter. Finally, to complete my ’80s super-vehicle theme, I’d slapped a Ghostbusters logo on each of the DeLorean’s gullwing doors, then added personalized plates that read ecto-88.

I’d had it only a few weeks now, but my time-traveling, Ghost Busting, Knight Riding, matter-penetrating DeLorean had already become myavatar’s trademark.

I knew that leaving my sweet ride parked in a PvP zone was an open invitation for some moron to try to boost it. The DeLorean had several antitheft systems installed, and the ignition system was booby-trapped Max Rockatansky–style so that if any other avatar tried to start the car, the plutonium chamber would detonate in a small thermonuclear explosion.  But keeping my car safe wouldn’t be a problem here on Neonoir. As soon as I climbed out of the DeLorean I cast a Shrink spell on it, instantly reducing it to the size of a Matchbox car. Then I put the DeLorean in my pocket. Magic zones had their advantages.

What even can be said at this point? At the club, Wade meets up with art3mis and dances with her to both “Time After Time” and "a dance remix of 'Rebel Yell' by Billy Idol." So overcome with emotion from this experience set to a song I can't even imagine the sound of, Wade confesses his love for art3mis. He's immediately rejected. 

You don’t live in the real world, Z. From what you’ve told me, I don’t think you ever have. You’re like me. You live inside this illusion.” She motioned to our virtual surroundings. “You can’t possibly know what real love is.”

That anyone in this futureworld that's existed for decades is at all resistance to the idea of (((online dating))) is pretty hard to swallow but Wade is a selfish prick so I'm not going to take his side either. Art3mis also expresses a desire to finish The Hunt and helping the world before entertaining the idea of a relationship. Wade, true to his nature, responds, “Right. Saving the world. You’re so fucking noble.” Not only is he an asshole but he once again does a complete 180 on his commitment to gunting. Hundreds of people died to protect his ability to freely take part in this quest but he's ready to abandon it entirely if he can virtually smooch his crush.

Almost as an afterthought at this point, a group of Sixers blow open the ceiling of the club and try to destroy art3mis and Wade to eliminate their chief gunting competition. Art3mis fights back, Wade stands there stupefied and resigned to defeat. Luckily for them, Ogden walks out of the DJ booth and effortlessly kills the entire Sixer team with red lightning from his fingertips. How he's able to do this as a normal user who doesn't have special permissions or powers is neither asked nor answered. With the threat over, art3mis leaves and Wade mopes. And he’ll probably still be moping for at least the entire chapter after this.

Pop Culture References: 46  (4.6 per page)

Movies The Wizard of Oz I Buckaroo Banzai III Back to the Future IIII Ghostbusters III Mad Max I Star Wars IIIII Highlander II John Travolta I

Television Whiz Kids II Simon & Simon I Knight Rider II Star Trek III

Comic Books Superman I Plastic Man I

Music Men Without Hats I New Order I Duran Duran I Billy Idol I Cyndi Lauper II LA Style I Blondie I

Books The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy II Neuromancer I

Plays Hamlet IIII

Toys Matchbox I

[the-record-columns]

March 20, 2019: Columns

Out of the ashes: An old radio from an old and dear friend…

The 1930 Crosley console radio

By KEN WELBORN

Record Publisher

At this past Monday night's meeting of the Rotary Club of North Wilkesboro, Dr. Conrad Shaw was honored with this year’s Rotary Club Citizen of the Year Award. 

This much deserved award was received by Dr. Shaw with thankfulness and humility as he was literally surrounded by family and friends.

On a personal level, Conrad Shaw was the principal of the North Wilkesboro Elementary  School for 14 years, eight of them when I was a student there.  He was the nearest thing to God-on-this-Earth I ever knew--running a very tight ship--tough, but always fair.  And, when we left the 8th Grade for high school, we could read, write, count, and knew we had better behave.  No if's, no and's, no but's, no or's, no nor’s - PERIOD!

We were none the worse for the wear, either   

Many years later, I helped launch Thursday Magazine, predecessor to The Record.  I used the old Hoyle Hutchens house on E Street in North Wilkesboro for our offices, and it became a refuge for anything old, odd, or eclectic.  Among my favorite things in that office was my old radios.  Over the years I had bought everything from a coin-operated radio in a metal case to a wide variety of other radios out of everything from Bakelite cases to some with beautiful woodwork.  

The one common thread through all these radios was Conrad Shaw, who had become a dear friend in my adult life.  After he left NWES, he worked the rest of his education career at Wilkes Community College, He retired in 1995 and made a hobby of restoring old radios--a hobby which meshed perfectly with mine.  Over a period of time he has repaired and or restored nine radios for me.  When we had that awful fire in 2004, all of them burned up.  Not too long after the fire Conrad asked me about the radios and I told him they were all lost.

Around Christmas time of that year, I received a phone call from Conrad asking me to stop by and see him. Of course I was glad to, and even more so when I realized why he had called.  Sitting in his basement workshop was a beautiful 1930 Crosley console radio.  Conrad plugged it in and in about 30 seconds it was playing perfectly. He went on to explain the steps he had gone through in restoring the radio to its original working condition, and that it came from the home of the late musician and historian J. Jay Anderson. I told Conrad about some of the things I had purchased from that estate and my own somewhat quirky relationship with the eccentric Mr. Anderson. 

"I knew you had purchased several things from there," Conrad began. “And you had told me you had lost most of your radios in that fire. To That end, I want to make this old Crosley console a gift to you.  You can now say you are back to collecting radios again."

I was, and am, more pleased than I can say in words. Yes, I love the old radio, but more importantly, I love being thought of.  It is a wonderful feeling — the feeling of friendship I feel when Conrad makes one of his visits to the offices of The Record.

Truly, Conrad Shaw has been good to me my whole life — even before I knew it.

Congratulations again on being Rotary's Citizen of the Year, a much deserved honor.

 Time After Time By HEATHER DEAN  JOURNALIST/PHOTO JOURNALIST

Generation X: We were the most radical in so many ways. Atari was in three colors, we pulled down the Berlin wall, TV shows and movies were all original (there was no need for remakes or reality TV), the music was full of synthesizers and wicked cool guitar riffs. We were making history in all genres, especially in the areas of the World Wide Web. Star Wars was everything good in life, and the effects were cutting edge technology. David Hasselhoff was the coolest guy ever.

Fast forward to 2019. We the teens of the 80’s are now parents and some even grandparents. Cars can’t fly like we had planned, but they can talk like KITT. We hold palm sized computers in our hands, and can speak or text anyone in the world in an instant. All our Sci-Fi fantasies turned into term papers and valedictorian speeches of our well laid plans for the future, have turned into distant memories, like the fog at a Bon Jovi concert- palpable then gone.

Last week the best of the 80’s were brought back for a weekend as the Wilkes Playmakers presented the hit musical “Back to the 80’s.” All the characters had heartthrob names: Corey, Tiffany, Debbie, Ferris, Eillen, and Alf. The nerd learned karate kid moves and took down the bully at the end. The kids sang songs by WHAM, Madonna, The Buggles, Cindy Lauper, and Jefferson Starship to name just a few. (My favorite was a reference to Milli Vannili.)

During rehearsals, we had to explain why some of their lines were so funny to us, the parents. The kids just didn’t get it. Some of them had never seen the iconic movies they were playing out on stage. The Breakfast who? What’s an Atari? They had never known a time without cell phones and they certainly didn’t know the struggle to create the perfect mix tape.

So here our theatre kids were, learning 80’s dance moves, and songs, albeit with eyes rolled the first few weeks of rehearsal. Then came time for costuming; the girls were mortified at the shoulder pads, blue eye shadow, everything neon, and big hair. As they filed in for dress rehearsal I squealed and said “Oh. Em. Gee. You look AMAZING!!!” They were spot on with the help of moms who lived it. “Heather, we look stupid. I can’t believe y’all wore this mess. It’s so gross.” But that ‘gag me with a spoon’ sentiment soon led into a love of everything glossy and hot pink and was replaced with “hang on, you need more blush” and “is my hair big enough?’ Pass the Aquanet please.”

Our kids had struggled at first, but in the ‘final countdown’ they had morphed into GenX, and it showed. A packed Thursday night rarely happens, and we had to use overflow parking down the street at the First Baptist Church for every performance. Saturday sold out, something that hasn’t happened in a decade, and Sunday’s show was almost sold out, another rarity. These kids were now the history makers, as the audiences cheered and sang along with the live band. Many even dressed up in 80’s regalia to attend the show.

One night, as we were all in the dressing room helping the girls get ready, two of the girls said “If we were teens in the 80’s I bet we would be best friends” This struck me as funny. “If you were bff’s in the 80’s, you would be your mom and me now.” Eyes widened and a hush fell in the hairspray laden air. “Ladies, as cool and amazing as you are NOW, is how totally radical your parents and I were THEN.” Perspective. It will get you every time.  

Then, “Oh, Heather, you’ll always be cool.”

Bless em.

Congratulations to cast and crewmates of Back to the 80’s. It was totally tubular.

Give Peace a Chance

By EARL COX

Special to The Record

Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to U.S. President Donald Trump, has been working on a peace plan to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Details of this plan are being kept under lock and key but will be revealed soon after the elections in Israel on April 9th.  If Benjamin Netanyahu is reelected, he will become the longest serving prime minister in Israel’s history thus far.   It would be quite an achievement for both Trump and Netanyahu to have a workable peace plan with the Palestinians however, unless and until the Palestinians and all parties to any such plan agree that Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish state, no peace plan will be possible.  Furthermore, the world must stop holding Israel to a different and higher standard.  Rules, regulations, fairness and justice must apply equally to all. 

Israel is often accused of being an apartheid state however nothing could be further from the truth.  All Israeli citizens are not Jewish however all are treated equally under the law without regard to race, religion or sexual orientation.  Muslims, Bedouins, Druze and others serve in senior level positions within the government of Israel, however the media and the liberal left want the world to believe otherwise.

Here in the United States there has been a growing movement on our college and university campuses by various pro-Palestinian organizations such as Students for Justice in Palestine.  These organizations, with the support of liberal professors, are promoting and engaging in BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) campaigns against Israel claiming they are helping the Palestinian cause. Those who promote the truth in an attempt to stop these anti-Semitic BDS campaigns are accused of stifling freedom of speech.  

The aim of the BDS movement is not to help the Palestinians.  It is to isolate Israel internationally and do as much economic harm as possible as part of the plan to erase Israel from off the face of the earth. The Palestinians are then expected to be crowned rightful heirs to inherit whatever remains of the Jewish state.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Israel Allies Foundation which is the international arm of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, a total of 27 states have passed legislation making it illegal for local governments to contract with companies that participate in the BDS movement. Opposition to such anti-BDS legislation leans heavily on the complaint that Americans’ First Amendment rights are being infringed upon. However, none of the anti-BDS legislation restricts an individual’s right to boycott Israeli products or businesses. It only restricts the government from being party to such boycotts.

The BDS movement incorrectly and unfairly places blame on Israel for all aspects of the conflict with the Palestinians despite the fact that Israel has made multiple peace offers all of which the Palestinians have rejected. Those in the BDS camp promote a distorted history that Israel is an illegal occupier of the land and maintains that Israel is responsible for Palestinian poverty and suffering. The BDS movement holds out false hope to the Palestinians that they can achieve their nationalistic aspirations without having to negotiate a deal directly with the Israelis because only Israel will be forced to compromise for peace.

By attempting to bludgeon Israel into submission through economic isolation, they believe Israel can be weakened enough to capitulate to every Palestinian demand. This is unrealistic, especially given Israel’s strong economy and superior military capabilities. In short, the Palestinians want a Jew-free state. They want Israel eliminated and replaced with a Palestinian state.  

BDS must be stopped in its tracks.  How can you help?  Ask your local grocery stores and other retailers to consider stocking Israeli products. Buy Israeli Bonds to support the booming Israeli economy and whenever you have an opportunity, speak the truth about Israel.  A loss for the BDS movement is a win for everyone else - Israelis and Palestinians. This is how to give peace a chance.   

‘I’m a Teacher and Legislator: We’re Making Strides in Increasing Teacher Pay’

By REP. JEFFREY ELMORE

N.C. House

This week, we received welcome news in our efforts to increase teacher pay in North Carolina.

According to a new report released on Tuesday by the National Education Association, one of the nation’s largest teacher unions, North  Carolina has now jumped to 29th in the nation in average teacher pay and second in the Southeast. In addition, the average teacher salary in North Carolina has now reached $53,975.

As a public-school teacher for nearly two decades in Wilkes County and a legislator in the N.C. General Assembly since 2012, I have a personal understanding of the challenges facing our teachers. Furthermore, as the only school teacher in the state legislator, I know that teacher pay is an emotional issue for many in our state, as the education system has had an impact in some way on everyone.

Regardless of political party, ensuring quality teachers in the classroom is of the upmost priority. Sadly, teacher pay has been used as a political football, even a weapon, by politicians to advance their agenda and careers for decades. For me, this is very frustrating and it is my goal to highlight the positive work being done to reward our teachers.

Make no mistake, there is more work to be done and we will continue to build on these efforts. This report is exciting news, especially when you look at how far we have come in teacher pay.  

When voters gave Republicans the majority in the General Assembly in 2011, North Carolina was ranked 47th in the nation in teacher pay. Furthermore, due to decades of irresponsible spending and budgeting, school systems across the state were considering a reduction in force, instituting hiring freezes and furloughing teachers.

That’s why we immediately went to work and laid out a plan to reward, recruit and retain teachers in North Carolina. We set out realistic goals, not based on winning votes, but actually delivering real results for our teachers, students and parents.

After five consecutive years of pay increases for our teachers, including over 9% in the past two years, we are meeting those goals and getting the results we planned for. As reported this past week, North  Carolina is now 29th in the nation and second in the Southeast in teacher pay – and has an average teacher salary of nearly $54,000.

In fact, teacher salaries in North Carolina have risen at the third highest rate in the entire country over the past five years.

While the ranking is a step in the right direction, and second in the Southeast is a great accomplishment, we must and will do more. Our goal is and has been to reward teachers for their hard work while ensuring our children are getting the best education possible to prepare them for the future.  

Since the Great Recession, our state has faced many challenges. We have made progress. We will continue to prioritize our state’s sound fiscal footing.  We will continue to save for the unexpected rainy day.  Lastly, we will continue to make strategic investments for our future.

Representative Jeffrey Elmore serves the 94th House District in the N.C. General Assembly and is the Chairman of House Education K-12 and Education Appropriations. He is also in his eighteenth year as a Wilkes County School teacher.

 Conway, a Black River and Spring Time

By CARL WHITE

Life in the Carolinas

I discovered historic downtown Conway, S.C., by happenstance while on my way to Myrtle Beach for the production of our first Christmas special. On that day I was the guest for the morning show on 93.9 FM WCRE in Cheraw. When I left the studio I put the Myrtle Beach address in my GPS. Based on the displayed ETA, the drive time was about two and a half hours; this would give me plenty of time to arrive and check into our hotel before evening activities.  

About midway through the drive I realized I was seeing places and things I had never seen before. For me, this is always exciting and I was stopping more than I had planned, and before long I became aware that time was slipping away. I knew if I were not careful, I would go from having plenty of time to being late, so I got back on the road.

I soon found myself in the midst of a picturesque Southern town with charming buildings reminiscent of times before strip malls and by-passes, times when the town center was the heart of commerce, shopping, dining and entertainment.

It was late afternoon, Christmas music filled the air and the streets and storefronts were decorated, thus intensifying the feeling of being in a special place. This was a part of Conway that I had never seen before. I guess I was like the millions of other people who only knew the Conway by-pass, which, like most by-passes, has no sense of history.  

From downtown I crossed the Waccamaw River and continued to Myrtle Beach. When I arrived at the hotel, I asked the front desk staff what they could tell me about Conway. I collected some information and contact names and went on with the evening's events.

It would be some months before I could make it back to Conway, but when I did, my first stop was the Chamber of Commerce. I learned about the historic Live Oaks that some call the oldest citizens in town. It is said that some of the trees predate the founding of America.

I was given the name of Larry Biddle as a champion for all things Conway. I called Larry and asked if we could meet. He agreed and we met that afternoon and I was given the grand tour of Conway as it is today and a lesson on the founding of Conway and much of its colorful history.

While I had gone fishing in the black waters of the Waccamaw River, I did not know that the river was the highway for the Waccamaw Indians who were in the area prior to the founding of America.

The Waccamaw was also the water way that a young Englishman traveled while charting the Royal Governor, Robert Johnson's Township Plan. The King's Town was formed in 1732 and the name was shortened to Kingston before finally becoming Conway.

I enjoyed discovering this part of our history while strolling on the meandering boardwalk along the banks of the Waccamaw. This is also when I noticed the beauty of spring time in Conway. The tender green color of new leaves on the trees that border the Waccamaw River looked fresh and alive. From certain views, the moss draped ancient Live Oaks and large azaleas were spectacular.

There are many more stories for me to share about historic Conway and her people, this one is about how I first discovered this charming Southern town and the beauty she displays in spring time.

Carl White is the executive producer and host of the award winning syndicated TV show Carl White’s Life In the Carolinas. The weekly show is now in its seventh year of syndication and can be seen in the Charlotte viewing market on WJZY Fox 46 Saturday at 1noon.  For more on the show visit www.lifeinthecarolinas.com, You can email Carl White at Carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com.  

[stars-over-new-jersey]

Knight Rider 2x20: "A Good Knight's Work"

I was totally expecting this to just be some filler after Goliath Returns last night.

Ha.

Two minutes in (if that) and there's a bad guy on the phone saying that he's spotted Michael Long.

Michael Long.

Uh oh.

I will admit that I had a moment of disbelief about that phone call. You recognized the guy by the way he moves, well enough to be that sure. Mhm. Except then I remembered how Michael walks - that easy, confident strut, and realized that yeah, he probably could.

(Frankly, Hasselhoff doesn't get enough credit for his body language when acting; now that I think about it most of his characters that I've seen enough to be familiar with move differently.)

And yet I didn't make the setup until after Michael. In retrospect, Zachary saying "I have a job for you" followed up immediately by someone barging into Devon's office and demanding that they take her case should really have raised some questions.

I did enjoy watching KITT torment the slimy used car salesman while parked outside Gina's apartment. He deserved it for insulting KITT. And being a slimeweasel. But mostly for insulting KITT.

KITT vs. Mighty Mouth, not so much. Michael was taunting KITT again and he didn't deserve that either. Especially after everything he's gone through in this episode, getting shut down by Michael and then getting turbo boost-ed into Zachary's living room.

Michael clearly didn't think that last turbo boost through. He is such a himbo. Beautiful, good-hearted, sweet as pie and bright when he thinks, but so, so silly when he doesn't.

One thing I didn't think of until after the episode was over, though - Zachary clearly knew about the Knight Industries Two Thousand project (and wanted it) - why didn't that come to mind during the demolition derby in the pilot? I mean, he wanted KITT in the pilot; but not with this level of intensity.

Ratings (out of 5):

Cheese Level: 🧀 Cringe Level: 😬 Michael Knight Hotness: 🔥🔥🔥 Vehicular Shenanigans: 🚘🚘🚘🚘🚘 Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* my Knight Rider episode reviews

[stars-over-new-jersey]

Knight Rider 2x16: "Race for Life"

This episode was a cute window into the day-to-day life of the Foundation crew. Michael's conversation with KITT on the nature of family seems to be accurate - they really are a family.

I did like how much they used KITT in this episode. In a lot of the prior episodes - especially season 1 - KITT sometimes ends up an afterthought. This time he was very much a partner to Michael and a member of the Foundation family.

As much as the car chases might not have been anything special, and the bits with the gangs might have been a bit cheesy, this episode had more than enough heart to make up for it.

Ratings (out of 5):

Cheese Level: 🧀🧀 Cringe Level: 😬😬 Michael Knight Hotness: 🔥🔥🔥 Vehicular Shenanigans: 🚘🚘 Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

* my Knight Rider episode reviews

[stars-over-new-jersey]

Knight Rider 2x15: "White-Line Warriors"

Another standard Knight Rider episode, though this one's decidedly better than the last one in terms of overall quality.

I think that's mostly down to KITT. There was a fair amount of quality KITT content in this episode. KITT vs. the alarm salesman was one of the better running gags so far, especially when KITT gets fed up with it and takes off.

(Also, Michael was being a naughty boy letting the alarm salesman annoy KITT for his own amusement.)

I was also shocked that Michael managed to go the entire episode without actually getting arrested. Kept expecting it, kept getting surprised that they didn't.

It was also another episode that strengthens my suspicion that Devon is just a slightly more grown up version of Michael and really, really doesn't want to admit it.

Ratings (out of 5):

Cheese Level: 🧀 Cringe Level: 😬 Michael Knight Hotness: 🔥🔥🔥 Vehicular Shenanigans: 🚘🚘🚘 Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* my Knight Rider episode reviews

[stars-over-new-jersey]

Knight Rider 2x08: "Custom K.I.T.T."

Poor KITT. Forced to dress up in a silly getup as a tricked-out custom car when he's already the most customized, awesome car around. Used as bait. Subjected to incompetent thieves.

KITT was not having a good day in this episode.

(Neither was Devon, but at least Devon deserved it for getting taken like that.)

I, however, was having a very good day. Michael in gray and cream, having apparently completely forgotten what the buttons on his shirt are for? Followed up by a tight blue polo that brings out his eyes? Yes please.

Ratings (out of 5):

Cheese Level: 🧀 Cringe Level: 😬 Michael Knight Hotness: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Vehicular Shenanigans: 🚘🚘🚘 Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* my Knight Rider episode reviews

[stars-over-new-jersey]

1x01 & 1x02: "Knight of the Phoenix"

I can honestly say that I don't remember ever having seen this at all; given that I mostly watched the show as piecemeal re-runs when I was a kid, that's not a surprise. There's going to be a lot of these spread throughout the series.

While the basic plot was good, it felt a bit like they didn't quite know where they wanted to go with it. The story seemed to veered back and forth between overt comedy (the two hapless car thieves and the demolition derby) and attempts at Serious Drama (the main corporate espionage plot).

I have to say that this episode is a lot darker than I remember the show. Whether that's because the tone will lighten up, or because I only picked up on the comedy bits remains to be seen.

For an old TV show, the overall cringe level was low, though the scene where Michael pretends to be deaf to get out of a ticket is pretty bad.

At least the thing I feared most going into this didn't happen.

KITT lived large in my memory as the coolest car ever. Like every other person who saw Knight Rider as a kid, I loved KITT.

The problem is that technology has come a long way in the last 40 years. I was afraid that watching the show now, in 2022, KITT wouldn't hold up - that he would be either boring, or worse yet, corny and fake.

Turns out, whatever else I may have forgotten, I remembered KITT just fine, and he's still cool.

[stars-over-new-jersey]

Knight Rider Season 1 Wrap-Up

And just like that, the first season of Knight Rider is over. It felt like it flew past.

I have to admit, I had some trepidation going into this. Knight Rider is pretty old, and my memories were pretty hazy. I was afraid that nostalgia had hidden a host of flaws, and rewatching now would ruin my happy memories of the show.

One of the joys of rewatching it has been discovering just how well it held up. Sure, there's stuff that doesn't meet today's standards - but a lot of it does. KITT is still the coolest car ever; Michael is a sweet himbo who suits my taste in men quite nicely; and there are way more strong women than I ever expected to find.

Overall Ratings for the Season:

1x22 “Short Notice” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 3 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 2

1x21 “Nobody Does it Better” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 3

1x20 “Knight Moves” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 5 / Overall: 4

1x19 “White Bird” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 4 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 5

1x18 “Chariot of Gold” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 2 / Overall: 4

1x17 “A Nice, Indecent Little Town” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 2 / Car Chase: 5 / Overall: 5

1x16 “The Topaz Connection” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 4 / Hotness: 2 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 3

1x15 “Give Me Liberty… or Give Me Death” Cheese: 2 / Cringe: 5 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 4 / Overall: 1

1x14 “Hearts of Stone” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 5 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 4

1x13 “Forget Me Not” Cheese: 3 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 2

1x12 “A Plush Ride” Cheese: 2 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 4 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 3

1x11 “The Final Verdict” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 5 / Overall: 4

1x10 “Inside Out“ Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 1 / Car Chase: 4 / Overall: 4

1x09 “Trust Doesn’t Rust” Cheese: 2 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 4 / Overall: 4

1x08 “No Big Thing” Cheese: 2 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 2 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 3

1x07 “Not a Drop to Drink” Cheese: 4 / Cringe: 2 / Hotness: 2 / Car Chase: 1 / Overall: 2

1x06 “Just My Bill” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 4 / Car Chase: 5 / Overall: 4

1x05 “Slammin’ Sammy’s Stunt Show Spectacular” Cheese: 2 / Cringe: 3 / Hotness: 4 / Car Chase: 3 / Overall: 3

1x04 “Nice Day at White Rock” Cheese: 2 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 5 / Overall: 4

1x03 “Deadly Maneuvers” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 2 / Car Chase: 4 / Overall: 4

1x01 “Knight of the Phoenix” Cheese: 1 / Cringe: 1 / Hotness: 3 / Car Chase: 5 / Overall: 5

Average Ratings: Cheese: 1.5 Cringe: 1.6 Michael Knight Hotness: 3 Vehicular Shenanigans: 3.6

Overall Average Rating: 3.5

Overall, everything exceeded my expectations - by a lot! Looking forward to Season 2!