Chasing The Wind

Yes - The Mercedes Is For Sale -

I have lowered the price as I am not driving the vehicle and would love to see it go to a collector that would bring it back to its original beauty. 

I am selling my 1986 Mercedes Benz 190 2.3 16V automobile. I am the original owner. The car is located in northwestern Montana - it is in excellent condition for its vintage. The car is a dream to drive, handles incrediblly well on all road conditions. I have often driven it over a 100mph and only realized my speed when I glanced at the dash - 100mph feels like 60mph. It hugs the road and accelerates through the gears evenly. This car was proudly driven and maintained to high standards.

Known as the most over engineered car ever, this car was designed for performance and now has its own cult of avid followers. I love this car, it has continurally received compliments on its unique style, power, handling and reliability. 

Looks and runs great. Within the racing world, these cars have a remarkable history. This is a great example in good condition. Black exterior with black leather interior. AMG 17" rims. (rims need to be rechromed). Interior leather in very good condition - one split on dash. No rust or signs of accidents. Tires are 70%. Requires minor work and loving care to return to prime condition; please contact me for complete details.

This is a rare and unique automobile with the Dalmer Racing body. Only 2000 were brought to the United States. 

Marlene A. Affeld

marlene@nandugreen.com

509-389-2606

Model: 1986 Mercedes Benz 190 2.3 16V

Color: Black - Photos by e-mail upon request.

Mileage

Price: $10.750 or best offer - motivated seller

Buyer responsible for vehicle pick-up or shipping.

 

A very special automobile with the kind of motor sports pedigree very few share.

Courtesy: World Car Fans

By Robert Daschil November 1, 2002 7:32 PM Filed Under: Mercedes-Benz GCF Original Feature

Related content: Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16 Revisted 

There was a time when cars were designed out of a passion for motor sports. The legendary Ferrari GTO was one of these cars and so was the Mercedes Benz 190E 2.3 16V. 

To understand the uniqueness of this automobile we must go back to the late seventies when product planners were conceiving the 190 class and its top model, the 190E 2.3 16V. Mercedes-Benz thought rallying was the best arena to showcase their new model line, named W201, but this plan quickly changed to road racing. 

This was the first time Mercedes sold a relatively inexpensive car. As a result, Mercedes strongly desired to promote the new model's attributes and showcase its' abilities in motor sports. Contributing to the fantastic driving dynamic was the now famous multilink rear suspension. It was first released on the 190 series and was instrumental in providing sporty and competitive handling. Mercedes also collaborated with engine building masters, Cosworth Technology Ltd. to help develop the 16 valve cylinder head with mechanical valve lifters. 

They came up with 185 hp from only 2.3 liters displacement which may not sound like a lot (compared to today's engines) but don't forget this was 1983 (almost 20 years ago) and the car was lightweight compared to today's heavy weights. In the summer of 1983, the 190E 2.3 16V set out to break as many long distance high speed FIA records as possible at Nardo, Italy. 

After 202 hours of continuous running, multiple records were broken including the 50,000 km level at an average speed of 248 kph (154mph). Very impressive when you consider they had to stop to refuel, change drivers and service the car while the clock was ticking. During these endurance trials there were some minor aerodynamic modifications including removal of the mirrors and wipers. In addition, a lower rear axle ratio permitted a higher top speed but overall this car was almost stock and reflected well on the entire 190 series. May of 1984 was a monumental time for the 16V. The brand new Nurburgring racetrack in Germany was hosting its first F1 race and a 190E 2.3 16V won the supporting race which was great public relations. Well actually, all the cars were identical 16V's driven by many former world champions, so a 16V was destined to win, but who's counting. Moss, Lauda, Prost and Hill were all beaten by a young upstart driver named Ayrton Senna as some of us F1 fans know went on to be a 3 time world champion. 

The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) race series became popular around this time so Mercedes entered multiple cars after satisfying the rules stipulation that required 5,000 road going versions to be built. BMW entered DTM with its enthralling M3, which was a direct rival to the 190. Competition forced Mercedes Benz to enlarge engine capacity to 2.5 liters and eventually release a more advanced Evolution 1 and 2 versions with more aerodynamic aids and horsepower. At this point, the famous engine tuner, AMG, was called upon to create a team of their own. Mercedes and AMG went on to win over 50 DTM races and numerous titles, which solidified their dedication to motor sports, which lives on to this day. 

When it comes to compact German performance machines, one name -- M3 -- stands above them all in terms of street cred. Even my Toyota-driving grandmother knows of the Bimmer's legend and might even forfeit her death grip on the left lane to let one by. Four generations strong, each more astonishing than the last, the BMW M3 was the original wolf-in-sheep's-clothing Autobahn assaulter. Wasn't it? Benz faithful with balk at that claim, and anyone familiar with the past few decades of Germany's ever-evolving horsepower war will know why and agree.

Another homologation special actually beat everyone's favorite BMW to the U.S. in 1986 - the Cosworth-engined Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16. The fact that this rare '80s racer (less than 2000 were officially imported) is so commonly overlooked is evidenced by our initial attempts to find one in the Chicago area, when a mass e-mail to the Mercedes-Benz club returned one reply that began, "Hello, I own a 1991 190E 2.3 that I bought at about 75,000 miles . . ." Even some inside the Merc fold don't understand the importance of the 16-valve version of the 190E, a car that graced the States for only two years: 1986 and 1987. Though nothing in the name implies it, the 190E range of sedans, launched in 1983, spawned today's C-class. Investment in the first "baby Benz" totaled over two billion German Marks, a huge sum of money intended to ensure that a smaller Mercedes wouldn't equate to a cheaper one.

As part of that spending, Benz turned to the British engineering firm Cosworth to stuff some bragging rights into the engine bay of a special racing version of the 190E. Mercedes invested heavily in rallying in the late '70s with a factory-backed team of SLC coupes, but left competition in 1980. Perhaps due in part to the dominance of Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive racer, Mercedes opted to send the 2.3-16 not to the rally piste but to the smooth asphalt of Germany's DTM series, where rules stipulated that 5000 roadgoing examples must be sold for a car to be eligible to compete. 

In 1983, Mercedes dropped Cosworth's custom-built twin-cam cylinder head onto a 190E's modest 2.3-liter four-cylinder, bolted in a limited-slip differential, fitted larger brakes inside wider wheels and 205/55VR15 tires, gave it a wing and body kit whose aerodynamic changes helped achieve a drag coefficient of .32 and a top speed of 141 mph, and released the car for public consumption in Europe. A slightly modified, higher-geared version of the car broke twelve speed records by covering 31,000 miles at the Nardo oval in Italy in just eight days, moving at an average of 154 mph. Yes, that includes all driver changes and refueling stops. Late in the following year, Mercedes-Benz would host a special all-star race at the modern Nurburgring as part of the festivities celebrating the track's first Formula 1 race. 

A cast of F1 veterans that included Phil Hill, Niki Lauda, and Stirling Moss went out to battle each other in identical 2.3-16s. A young upstart, Ayrton Senna, took the black-and-white checkers.

My own experience with the 190E 2.3-16 doesn't begin as auspiciously as Senna's. I'm merely confused. Is this really a racing car for the street? Then why does it have a power-operated headrest and pillowy leather seats that go every way but sideways? And is that wood trim? It's easy to see why people might pass this off their granddaddy's Benz. The cabin feels more cave-like than that of an E30 BMW, with a rear window that's small and partially blocked by the rear-seat headrests. 

I'm also confused as to why I can't get the damned shift lever into first. I tap the gear selector to the left, but then it'll only let me go down. I go straight up but, no, that can't be right at all. What the hell? All the luxurious camouflage around me seems to disappear as I remember the car's racing roots and the concept of a dogleg transmission. Reverse is where first should be, while first is where second usually sits. Such a set-up arranges second through fifth in a simple H pattern, since first is typically used for the first two seconds in a race, then abandoned until the pits come a-calling. Shifting the 2.3-16's transmission is like playing a game of Operation with my right fist. The gears are close and the action is notchy, so the most minute error could result in a loud "BURRRT!" 

With how often I need to shuffle gears to stay in the short powerband, this is a challenging game. I spend a while getting used to the car and, being cautious, short shift around 3500 rpm. "Yeah," I think, "it's an old Mercedes with no power. What's the big deal?" Then I honk on it, and the engine lets out its maniacal German guffaw that grows louder as the tach needle sprints past 5000. mb1904_left.jpg The 2.3-16's engine can best be described as a less breathy version of the Honda Civic Si's. With a 7000-rpm redline, it doesn't scream as high as the most famous Honda, but the power comes on in the same manner, only a bit sooner. In normal driving, the car is as docile as I'd expect from a Mercedes-Benz sedan, just as, in traffic, the Civic acts like any other Japanese econocar. 

Catch the meat of the powerband, though, and this German businessman ditches the suit, tie, and trendy glasses for a Mohawk, a see-through mesh T-shirt, and a soundtrack of angry, mechanical techno music. The cushy bucket seats - all four of them - are more supportive than I'd expect, perhaps because the leather bolsters wrap around me. I lift off the throttle and the thumping beat gives way to a remix of exhaust snorts, yaps, and burbles. Looking down, I'm shocked to find that I'm only doing sixty. 

The U.S. version of this car, detuned to deal with our emissions regulations and lower-octane fuel, is rated at 167 hp at 5800 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 5800, and 0-60 acceleration is in the mid-seven second range. Those numbers would be disappointing in a minivan today. But the engine is a thrill to push hard, making stats and seconds seem insignificant. I'm instead thinking about minutes, as in "How many extra minutes can I extend this drive?" 

Despite the insanely large horsepower deficit, this car is more enjoyable, more involving than most machines coming out of the AMG garage today. The 1987 model weighs a full 120 pounds more than a normal 190E 2.3, but its 2900 pounds is dandelion-seed light on today's road. As one might expect, the car is balanced and tossable through corners, even if it feels a bit bigger than the BMWs with which it competed. The Benz feels heavier than an BMW M3, too, though the weight differential is only about 150 pounds. That heft is a characteristic that connects it with every other Mercedes, including the current, new-for-2008 C-class. These cars feel substantial. 

With this in my mind, I'm surprised by how well the 2.3-16 stops. The brake pedal is firm and the travel is short, and in this aspect the Merc is the M3's equal. Otherwise, this car isn't quite an M3-beater. The steering is heavier and not as sharp, the chassis not as lively. Yes, it begs to be abused in much the same way as an E30 M3, but it just isn't as easy to get in and sprout an instant smile -- it takes more time for the love affair to develop. 

Back in 1986, the 190E 2.3-16's price was a faithful reflection of the engineering work that went into it. At a base of $34,800, the 2.3-16 cost nearly $11,000 more than a 190E and about $3000 more than a C300 today, ignoring inflation. The 2.3-16 would fetch more than $66,000 in present-day money, which is just a bit more than the C63 AMG. Today, decent examples can be found for under ten grand, making them one of the cheapest ways to own a truly notable tick on the Mercedes-Benz timeline. So what if no one knows what it is - that only adds to this homologation special's considerable allure. Special thanks to Nick Knauz at Axel's Automotive in Lake Bluff, Illinois for letting us spend a day in fine example of Mercedes-Benz' 190E 2.3-16.

When it comes to compact German performance machines, one name -- M3 -- stands above them all in terms of street cred. Even my Toyota-driving grandmother knows of the Bimmer's legend and might even forfeit her death grip on the left lane to let one by. 

Four generations strong, each more astonishing than the last, the BMW M3 was the original wolf-in-sheep's-clothing Autobahn assaulter. Wasn't it? Benz faithful with balk at that claim, and anyone familiar with the past few decades of Germany's ever-evolving horsepower war will know why and agree. Another homologation special actually beat everyone's favorite BMW to the U.S. in 1986 - the Cosworth-engined Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16. 

The fact that this rare '80s racer (less than 2000 were officially imported) is so commonly overlooked is evidenced by our initial attempts to find one in the Chicago area, when a mass e-mail to the Mercedes-Benz club returned one reply that began, "Hello, I own a 1991 190E 2.3 that I bought at about 75,000 miles . . ." Even some inside the Merc fold don't understand the importance of the 16-valve version of the 190E, a car that graced the States for only two years: 1986 and 1987. mb1901_center.jpg Though nothing in the name implies it, the 190E range of sedans, launched in 1983, spawned today's C-class. Investment in the first "baby Benz" totaled over two billion German Marks, a huge sum of money intended to ensure that a smaller Mercedes wouldn't equate to a cheaper one. 

As part of that spending, Benz turned to the British engineering firm Cosworth to stuff some bragging rights into the engine bay of a special racing version of the 190E. Mercedes invested heavily in rallying in the late '70s with a factory-backed team of SLC coupes, but left competition in 1980. Perhaps due in part to the dominance of Audi's Quattro all-wheel drive racer, Mercedes opted to send the 2.3-16 not to the rally piste but to the smooth asphalt of Germany's DTM series, where rules stipulated that 5000 roadgoing examples must be sold for a car to be eligible to compete. In 1983, Mercedes dropped Cosworth's custom-built twin-cam cylinder head onto a 190E's modest 2.3-liter four-cylinder, bolted in a limited-slip differential, fitted larger brakes inside wider wheels and 205/55VR15 tires, gave it a wing and body kit whose aerodynamic changes helped achieve a drag coefficient of .32 and a top speed of 141 mph, and released the car for public consumption in Europe. 

A slightly modified, higher-geared version of the car broke twelve speed records by covering 31,000 miles at the Nardo oval in Italy in just eight days, moving at an average of 154 mph. Yes, that includes all driver changes and refueling stops. Late in the following year, Mercedes-Benz would host a special all-star race at the modern Nurburgring as part of the festivities celebrating the track's first Formula 1 race. A cast of F1 veterans that included Phil Hill, Niki Lauda, and Stirling Moss went out to battle each other in identical 2.3-16s. 

A young upstart, Ayrton Senna, took the black-and-white checker My own experience with the 190E 2.3-16 doesn't begin as auspiciously as Senna's. I'm merely confused. Is this really a racing car for the street? Then why does it have a power-operated headrest and pillowy leather seats that go every way but sideways? And is that wood trim? It's easy to see why people might pass this off their granddaddy's Benz. The cabin feels more cave-like than that of an E30 BMW, with a rear window that's small and partially blocked by the rear-seat headrests. I'm also confused as to why I can't get the damned shift lever into first. I tap the gear selector to the left, but then it'll only let me go down. I go straight up but, no, that can't be right at all. What the hell. All the luxurious camouflage around me seems to disappear as I remember the car's racing roots and the concept of a dogleg transmission. Reverse is where first should be, while first is where second usually sits. Such a set-up arranges second through fifth in a simple H pattern, since first is typically used for the first two seconds in a race, then abandoned until the pits come a-calling. Shifting the 2.3-16's transmission is like playing a game of Operation with my right fist. The gears are close and the action is notchy, so the most minute error could result in a loud "BURRRT!" With how often I need to shuffle gears to stay in the short powerband, this is a challenging game. 

I spend a while getting used to the car and, being cautious, short shift around 3500 rpm. "Yeah," I think, "it's an old Mercedes with no power. What's the big deal?" Then I honk on it, and the engine lets out its maniacal German guffaw that grows louder as the tach needle sprints past 5000. mb1904_left.jpg The 2.3-16's engine can best be described as a less breathy version of the Honda Civic Si's. With a 7000-rpm redline, it doesn't scream as high as the most famous Honda, but the power comes on in the same manner, only a bit sooner. In normal driving, the car is as docile as I'd expect from a Mercedes-Benz sedan, just as, in traffic, the Civic acts like any other Japanese econocar. Catch the meat of the powerband, though, and this German businessman ditches the suit, tie, and trendy glasses for a Mohawk, a see-through mesh T-shirt, and a soundtrack of angry, mechanical techno music. The cushy bucket seats - all four of them - are more supportive than I'd expect, perhaps because the leather bolsters wrap around me. I lift off the throttle and the thumping beat gives way to a remix of exhaust snorts, yaps, and burbles. 

Looking down, I'm shocked to find that I'm only doing sixty. The U.S. version of this car, detuned to deal with our emissions regulations and lower-octane fuel, is rated at 167 hp at 5800 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 5800, and 0-60 acceleration is in the mid-seven second range. Those numbers would be disappointing in a minivan today. But the engine is a thrill to push hard, making stats and seconds seem insignificant. I'm instead thinking about minutes, as in "How many extra minutes can I extend this drive?" Despite the insanely large horsepower deficit, this car is more enjoyable, more involving than most machines coming out of the AMG garage today.

Reviews - 1986 Mercedes Benz 190 2.3 16V

The compact and extremely high-performance Cosworth-developed Mercedes-Benz 190E saloon or touring cars were very highly regarded during their heyday in the 1980s. This particular example now offered here was campaigned by the Leyton House racing team in Japan during the 1985 and 1986 seasons. The Cosworth-modified engine developed some 280bhp and the Leyton House-sponsored Mercedes-Benz became a familiar competitor within the immensely popular Japanese class of Group A touring car racing. Its rivals included cars campaigned by the cream of the Japanese motor industry, featuring teams from Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Honda, Isuzu, Subaru and Mitsubishi. 

Courtesy: Motor Base

Related articles

Mercedes-Benz shows off its super green car

Mercedes-Benz puts new electric car into production

A discarded Mercedes Benz - The mystery of abandoned cars!

A Story Worth Sharing

Saskatoon police mourn homeless drunk they considered a friend

 

BY CHRIS PURDY, THE CANADIAN PRESS MAY 10, 2013

 

 

Alvin Cote is shown in a photo posted to the Saskatoon RCMP Facebook page on Thursday April 25, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

He was one of the most recognizable residents in Saskatoon and some people consider the Prairie city a little different now that he's gone.

Alvin Cote wasn't a well-known politician, businessman or hockey player, but a ragged, homeless alcoholic whose tough talk would easily melt into a hearty chuckle and a big smile short on teeth.

He spent the past couple of decades living in Saskatoon. He could be seen curled up on the floor of a bank foyer, sleeping on park benches or reading worn copies of National Geographic in the drunk tank.

He died April 19, a few days shy of his 60th birthday.

Saskatoon police officers are still talking about his death, even though they considered it an inevitable fate. It's believed Cote had been arrested more times for public drunkenness than anyone else in the city's history. Some officers put the tally at close to 1,000.

Although his obituary does not list an official cause of death, police say Cote was in hospital with pneumonia when he died.

BEAT COP A FRIEND

Downtown beat officer Const. Derek Chesney was surprised and saddened when he heard the news. He saw the man almost every day over the past five years.

"It's not often that you can arrest somebody on multiple occasions and end up being friends with them. But such was the case with Alvin," Chesney recently wrote on his official police blog, Cops and Bloggers.

The officer confesses that he had a good cry after writing the online tribute. He fights back tears again as he talks on the phone about the important life lesson Cote taught him.

"You realize that people can fall through the cracks," says Chesney. "And just as much as a good person can have a bad day, things can happen to people in their lives where they end up going on a path that perhaps they didn't choose."

Cote was from the Cote First Nation in the Kamsack area, east of Saskatoon near the Manitoba boundary. He was carted off as a child to a residential school on a neighbouring reserve and suffered years of abuse, says Chesney.

He says Cote never talked about it, but the abuse likely set him on his destructive path. Cote has a sister in Saskatoon and she tried to look after Cote for a while, says Chesney. But he wouldn't stop drinking.

'I'M A FIGHTER'

Chesney remembers meeting Cote for the first time in the winter of 2009 outside the old train station downtown. Chesney had just earned his badge and saw the man with a scraggly beard tapping and flexing his arms, yelling his catch-phrase: "I'm a fighter."

Chesney calmed him down by asking, "I heard you were a lover, not a fighter."

"Well, I'm that too," Cote laughed.

Chesney and his partner then put Cote in their cruiser and, as they were heading back to the police station, Cote knocked on the dividing window with $5 in his hand. He said he was hungry. Chesney ran into a McDonald's and got him two double cheeseburgers. Cote happily devoured his meal during the rest of the ride.

Chesney says he and many other officers looked out for Cote. They checked on him at night and made sure he had enough to eat. Sometimes, when Cote was hanging out on his usual bench in the public lobby of the police station, officers changing shifts would hand him their lunches as they walked by.

BIRTHDAY CUPCAKE

One time, when Cote was in detention on his birthday, staff rummaged up a cupcake and stuck a candle on top. "They actually had everybody on key and everybody else in cells sang Happy Birthday. He blew the candle out through the bars."

Chesney says he last saw Cote a few weeks before he died, sitting outside a Tim Hortons. Chesney patted him on the back and they ended their chat the way they always did.

"OK, Bud. See you later," Chesney said.

"You will," Cote replied.

Chesney says he and other officers have made their way in recent weeks to the home of Cote's sister to drop off sympathy cards and kind words about the man they miss. Some even say they thought of him as family.

But the police aren't the only ones mourning Cote. Chesney's blog has received hundreds of clicks and comments from people who had seen Cote on the streets, even though they never knew his name.

A McDonald's manager wrote about how she will miss waking up Cote outside the restaurant in the mornings and asking him to move along. Another woman said she'll miss buying him lunch. One man talked about how he once saw Cote sleeping inside a bank foyer. He slipped some money under the pile of clothes the man was using as a pillow.

'ANGEL IN DISGUISE?'

"Sounds like this guy may have been an angel in disguise?" wrote a woman named Amy. "He seems to have brought out the best in humanity."

Const. Robbie Taylor often sat and had coffee with Cote. He laughs as he recalls his favourite stories about the man, like the one about how Cote used to wear a second-hand sweater from the Salvation Army. On the front it read, "What the world's greatest mom looks like."

Then there was the time when Cote pitched a fit in detention because officers gave him a magazine with singer Anne Murray on the cover. "I hate her!" he ranted.

Taylor says Cote loved to read but was always losing or breaking his glasses. So officers usually grabbed him glasses from boxes of used, donated pairs that were supposed to go to Africa.

Taylor once gave Cote an amateur eye exam. He had him read an oatmeal box while trying on different glasses. If he squinted, Taylor had him try on another pair. The ones Cote liked best were large and red and made him look like TV talk show host Sally Jessy Raphael. Cote suspected they were women's glasses but he still tucked them away in his pocket.

"I still have a couple of pairs in my locker. They were ready to go if he broke them again."

Cote was such a character that a worker at the police detention centre sketched his picture, put his mug on some T-shirts and gave them to other staff. Orders for more are now rolling in so people will have something to remember him by.

DIDN'T LIKE HIS T-SHIRT

The workers tried to give one of the T-shirts to Cote last year for Christmas but he didn't want it. He grumbled that he looked too much like Santa Claus.

Even Saskatoon's police chief knew Cote. Clive Weighill recalls seeing him at a Tim Hortons just a few weeks before he died. Weighill slipped him some cash.

"I think most people thought I was telling him to leave but I was just giving him a five dollar bill so he could go get himself something to eat."

Weighill says a study completed last year tracked Cote and 22 other homeless people with substance abuse problems. It showed that they cost the city $2.8 million over one year in policing, ambulance and hospital costs.

That's why police, health officials and other agencies hope to build a wellness centre in the city to house the group. Weighill says it's a more dignified solution than sticking them in police cells.

The centre could also provide faster access to treatment services, but Weighill concedes some people just don't want help.

Chesney says he did everything he could for Cote. "I couldn't make him sober up. I couldn't bring him home and put him in my basement and give him a bath. He lived the way he wanted to and you almost have to respect somebody for that."

Some officers say they would have gone to Cote's funeral but he was buried on his home reserve some 350 kilometres away. There's talk of a local memorial, but nothing has been organized.

Chesney hopes the bench in the police lobby that Cote sat on for countless hours will be decorated with a plaque in his name and moved into the new police station that's under construction. That way Cote will always be there.

"He was a fighter. He was a survivor. And he'll be remembered."

Related articles

Leaving Saskatoon: police mourn homeless man they considered a friend

Your Heart Will Be Warmed By This Canadian Drunkard's Obituary

Intriguing Story!

Move over, Nessie: Underwater 'monster' filmed in Ireland May 11, 2013, 9:05 am

NBCNews.com

YouTube video Is there a "monster" living in Lough Foyle, Ireland? Some college students would have you believe there is.

By Marc Lallanilla
LiveScience

For lovers of the paranormal who've grown weary of waiting for the Loch Ness monster to reappear, here's a new "monster" to feast your eyes upon.

Three college students were filming a short movie as a class project at Lough Foyle, a large tidal estuary in County Donegal, Ireland, when something very odd moved through the water in front of them, UPI reports.

"Looks like we have our own Loch Ness monster!" Conall Melarkey, a student at North West Regional College in Derry, Ireland, wrote in his posting of the video clip to YouTube. [Loch Ness, Chupacabra & More: Our 10 Favorite Monsters]

"I have absolutely no idea what it is, but it looked amazing!" Melarkey wrote.

The shaky, 59-second video shows a dark object of indeterminate size moving slowly along the surface of Lough Foyle before diving or sinking slowly beneath the waves.

Some observers have speculated that the object could be a large fish, a whale, a dolphin or some other marine animal (Lough Foyle is open to the North Atlantic).

Besides the infamous Loch Ness monster of Scotland, reports of large, lake-dwelling creatures have come from other parts of the world, including the mysterious "Devil of Lake Labynkyr" in Siberia.

Nessie achieved international fame when, in 1934, a now-famous photograph was published showing a large animal with a serpentine head and neck. The photo, taken by a London surgeon named Kenneth Wilson, was exposed decades later as a hoax.

And despite countless searches for the Loch Ness monster using everything from submarines to sonar, no evidence has ever appeared of the mythical beast except a handful of dubious photos and videos. Nonetheless, the legend of Loch Ness — now one of Scotland's biggest tourist draws — refuses to die.

Not everyone, however, believes in lake monsters, and critics wonder if this latest sighting is just a college stunt.

"There are several inconsistencies with the video that point to it being a set-up," the Belfast Telegraphreports.

"The uploader claims the video was taken in Lough Foyle, but the landmass in the background is clearly that of Howth … about 130 miles (209 kilometers) away from Lough Foyle," according to the Telegraph.

"When viewed at higher definitions, there are several tethering cables seen off the second boat, which raises further questions," the Telegraph reports.

And several observers have cast doubt on the video simply due to the college student's name: "Conall Melarkey."

Related articles

Loch Ness Monster in Ireland? Students spot huge dark creature swimming in Lough Foyle

Students Film Loch Ness-Like Monster

Priceless

 

AN ACTUAL CRAIG'S LIST PERSONALS AD

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown Savannah night before last.

Date: 2010-09-27, 1:43 a.m. E.S.T.

I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives.

You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket.

The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason.. my girlfriend was happy that I just returned safely from my 2nd tour as a Combat Marine in Afghanistan .. She had just bought me that Kimber Custom Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening.

Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head ... isn't it?!

I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with crap in your pants.

I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again].

After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done.

Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card.

The guy with the big motor home took 153 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!]

I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb ..... after I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car.

Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target.

The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.).

 In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you ... but I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime.

I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life..

Remember, next time you might not be so lucky. Have a good day!

Thoughtfully yours, Semper Fi,

Alex

 

National Day Of Prayer

When we get 100,000,000, that's one hundred million willing Christians to BOND together, voice their concerns and VOTE, we can take back America with God's help. Become one of the One hundred million, then let’s get 200 million. It can be done by sending this e-mail to your friends. Do the math. It only takes a willing heart and a fed up soul. God Bless America and Shine your light on Her and the Troops who defend us..

In 1952 President Truman established one day a year as a "National Day of Prayer."    In 1988 President Reagan designated the First Thursday in May of each year as the National Day of Prayer.  In June 2007 (then) Presidential  Candidate Barack Obama declared that the USA "Was no longer a  Christian nation."  This year President Obama canceled the  21st annual National Day of Prayer ceremony at the White House under the ruse  Of "not wanting to offend anyone"  BUT... on September 25, 2009 from 4 AM until 7 PM, a National Day of Prayer FOR THE MUSLIM RELIGION was Held on Capitol Hill,  Beside the White House. There were over 50,000 Muslims in D.C. that day.  HE PRAYS WITH THE MUSLIMS!  I guess it Doesn't matter if "Christians" Are offended by this event -  We obviously Don 't count as "anyone" Anymore.  The direction this country is headed  should strike fear in the heart of every Christian, especially knowing that the  Muslim religion believes that if Christians cannot be converted, they should be annihilated.  This is not a Rumor - Go to the website  To confirm this info: http://www.islamoncapitolhill.com Send this to ten people  and the person who  sent it to you!... to let them know that  indeed, it was sent  out to many more.

 

Cell Phone Dangers

The following article was forwarded by a reader. It contains important information. Cell phones can be lifesavers or a dangerous hazard.

Please send this information to your family & friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen, they may not be able to get the children out in time. This is important information, even if you don’t own a car. 

Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations. In the first case, the phone was placed on the car's trunk lid during fueling; it rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump. Never use your mobile phone when pumping gas. The vapors that come out of the gas can cause a fire when connected with static charges. 

In the second, an individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car!  In the third incident, an individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car. 

Cell phones can ignite fuel or fumes. Cell phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition. Cell phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, ATVs or boats. Cell phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (I.e., solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc.) 

Remember the rules for safe refueling. Turn off the engine. Don’t smoke. Don’t use your cell phone. Turn it off before fueling. Never re-enter your vehicle during fueling. 

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of 'static electricity' at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires. The results were very surprising: Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women. Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static. Most had on rubber-soled shoes. Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires. Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began. were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer. Never use your cell phone while pumping gas. 

 

Buy American

Thoughts from a friend I want to share with all my readers. 

A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American.

This probably sounds crazy, but just yesterday I was in Wal Mart looking for a wastebasket. I found some made in China for $6.99. I didn't want to pay that much so I asked the lady if they had any others.. She took me to another department and they had some at $2.50 made in USA. They are just as good. Same as a kitchen rug I needed. I had to look, but I found some made in the USA and they were $3.00 cheaper. We are being brain washed that everything that comes from China and Mexico is cheaper. Not so. That is also why I don't buy cards at Hallmark anymore. They are made in China and are expensive. I buy them at Dollar Tree....50 cents each and made in USA .

My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico . Now I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything. Good idea. One light bulb at a time. Check this out. I can verify this because I was in Lowe's the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments. They were all made in China .The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in USA . Start looking ... In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job. So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track. Let's get behind her!

My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more..

This past weekend I was at Kroger. I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, "Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats they were the same except for the price. The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in Mexico and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland, Ohio. So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you us every day that are made right here....

So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... Yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada . The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price!

My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA -The job you save may be your own or your neighbors! If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time!

 

The Perils of Procrastination

By: Marlene Affeld

Do you often put off until tomorrow tasks that you should do today? I know I am guilty of deferring actions until a later date when it would be in my best interests to just “do it” now. However, I procrastinate, avoiding action, hoping a task or problem will just “go away”. It seldom does. Avoidance often makes the situation worse.

We all put off mundane tasks when something more important demands our attention and energy. A busy life requires that we prioritize, applying the old adage of “first things first". Prioritizing is not procrastination.

Procrastination has been described as “behavior which is characterized by needless deferment of action or involvement until a later time or delaying making a decision when such a delay is counterproductive to our best interests".

Continue Reading The Perils of Procrastination

The Simple Truth

If you think of going mining,

 

Better stop and think some more.

For if you do, you’ll be worse off

Than you ever were before.

 

Every cent you can beg or borrow,

Will go into the ground.

You never will be satisfied,

‘Till you have drilled another ‘round’.

 

You will work like a fool

From daylight ‘till dark,

You will find that mining

Isn’t muck of a lark.

 

What little rest you get

Won’t do you much good.

When you should be sleeping,

You’ll be out rustling wood.

 

The wind will come down the pipe,

Fill the cabin with smoke.

You can’t get your breath,

And will finally choke.

 

In the summer you’ll roast.

In the winter you’re cold.

You won’t find any lead,

Much less any gold.

 

If you do find a paystreak,

The market will drop.

It will keep going down,

It never will stop.

 

Your powder will freeze

Your fuse won’t burn.

You will be so disgusted

You won’t give a durn.

 

The drills won’t cut,

The rock won’t break.

You’ll wish you could die

When you get a ‘powder headache’.

 

If you have a compressor,

The motor won’t run.

You will find that mining

Sure isn’t much fun.

 

Your grub will be mostly,

Spuds, rabbits and beans.

You will ruin your shoes,

And wear out your jeans.

 

When you’re drilling, or mucking

Your light will go out.

You will mutter and cuss,

As you stumble about.

 

You will long for the sunshine

As you shovel and dig.

When you get out of the tunnel

You feel like dancing a jib.

 

The snow will start falling

And piling up high.

If a slide catches you, they will sing

“In the Sweet Bye and Bye”.

 

The drifts will get deeper,

And as deeper they get,

The more you will worry,

The more you will fret.

 

As you wallow in snow

Clear up to your neck.

You’re blue with the cold

And a glibbering wreck.

 

As you slip and fall

And flounder and curse.

You wonder if ‘hell’

Could be any worse?

 

The ‘porkies’ and rats

Will drive you insane.

You vow you will never

Go mining again.

 

The rats chew your blankets

They ruin your grub.

You chase ‘porkies’ all night

With flashlight and club.

 

I’ll tell you this, for whatever it’s worth,

Before you tackle that tough old earth.

Don’t start to mine, ‘less you know what you’re about,

More money has been sunk, than has been taken out.

 

It’s a slow tough job, takes lots of sweat

And elbow grease, you can safely bet,

You’ll be older, and wiser, and poorer too,

And wore to a frazzle, before you’re thru.

 

Your gas will be half water,

Your airline will part.

I tell you you’re licked

Before you can start.

 

Your partners will quit,

Leave you holding the sack.

Creditors will take the shirt,

Off your poor aching back.

 

Your hair will be gray, if you have any left?

The old money poke, won’t have any heft.

Your back will be bent, creaking and sore,

You used to be strong, but not anymore.

 

Your joints are stiff, your teeth are no good.

If you talk about mining, you’re not understood.

When you smell good vittles, you slobber and drool,

People call you “that crazy old fool”.

 

Your time is about up, you can’t stand the cold

You’ll be sent to the poor house, will do as you’re told.

When your time comes to die, you’ll die all alone,

Too late to do different, you had to be shown.

 

No one to care for, nor to care in return.

Heaven is off limits, you’ll just have to burn.

So think once again, before mining you go,

I know from experience, it’s a hard row to hoe.

 

KB, 1968, Scribblings from a Hermits Pen

The Old Miner

On a hill in Montana

Stands a weather beaten house.

In it there lives an old miner

With no kids and no spouse.

He never got married

And he never will.

For he is content as he is

Up there on his hill.

He has a few horses

And a faithful old dog.

He has no use whatever

For a chicken or a hog.

He works for his neighbor

To buy bacon and beans.

He is never without

A few bucks in his jeans.

He spends most of his time,

With fencin’ and such.

He is stiff with arthritis,

Doesn’t accomplish very much.

He gets tired of fencin’

And stackin” the hay.

He would rather go mining,

Though it mostly don’t pay.

It is interesting work

And gets in the blood.

He is happy when digging

In hardrock, or mud.

While he’s mining he works

Like a man half his age.

At other jobs he worries

Like a bird in a cage.

Though he never made a dime

While looking for ore.

He is always ready

To try it once more.

It isn’t likely at mining

He will ever get rich.

But it is a lot more fun

Than shoveling a ditch.

While sinking a shaft

In rock harder than hell.

He doesn’t get half as tired

As when he’s digging a well.

He is always hoping

Some highrade to find.

But you wouldn’t understand,

If you never have mined.

Though it is the searching and working

That makes him look old.

He is never so happy,

As when digging for gold.

For there is always a chance

That the very next round,

Will uncover great riches

In that old stubborn ground.

At last when he’s dead

And prayed over in church.

If he didn’t get rich,

He had the fun of the search.

Interwoven into the rich tapestry of Montana's historical heritage are the words and wisdom of Kenneth Browning. I was delighted to discover his poetry and will be featuring several of his memorable poems. 

Meet Kenneth Browning - Introduction

I composed the writings in this book,

And hope they are worth the time it took

For me to put on paper all this bunk,

I pray you won’t consider them all junk.

"KB"

I trust your sarcastic comments will be withheld,

When you find some word misspelled.

And that your tongue doesn’t start its clacking,

At punctuation, misplaced or lacking.

 

When (or if)? you have read them to the end,

If some word, your ears did offend.

Be not too harsh with your censure,

For this is my first literary adventure.

 

My joy will be most infinite,

If you find one moment of pleasure in it.

I wish you as much joy from the reading or reciting,

As I obtained from the writing.

 

Many hours I’ve spent in my cabin,

Far away from the sound of tongues gabbin’.

Writing this stuff and making copies,

Away from the racket of wild jalopies.

 

Away from a hectic world’s roar,

While friendly squirrels played round my door.

While crested Bluejays were always pleading,

Telling me it was time for feeding.

 

Where little fawns were cavorting,

And smart old bucks were loudly snorting.

Where the great bull elk, stood grand and tall,

As he sent forth his challenging bugle call.

 

Where the golden Eagle soared high,

And scanned the ground with searching eye.

Where every evening, without fail,

I heard the coyotes’ lonesome wail.

 

Where fir and pine reached for the sky,

While among their branches breeze’s sigh.

Nowhere else is nature so benign,

Nowhere is scenery so divine.

 

They say we poets are seldom famous,

‘Till after death has come to claim us.

My last wish is, that when I am gone.

Some of my poetry will live on.

 

-KB  Scribblings from a Hermits Pen 1968