If you are a frequent listener to WQMX between 7 and midnight weekdays...first, thank you very much! As you know, during the 9 o'clock hour we have the New At 9. It's a full hour of some of the newest music out of Nashville. We also have the New Song Spotlight and then play Keep it or Kick it to get your votes on how you as listeners like the song.

Starting Monday, we are making a little change. As we head into Fall and Winter things will begin to slow down a bit. So we will only play Keep it or Kick it when I have a brand new song. The other evenings, the spotlight song will have some other significance. Maybe it's historic to the day, or possibly it's one we've had you vote on before, but don't feel we need a second opinion, etc.

As always thank you for voting during this segment. It really helps us here at WQMX, and look forward to it returning in full strength in the Spring!

Fall officially begins tomorrow morning at 2:50am, then we get the prettist scenery! Right now, you are starting to see leaves change, not to much, but just wait for the next few weeks! I found this website, explorefall.com that updates their maps daily. So if you are sticking around NE Ohio or wanting to take a road trip, you'll know where to find all the fall colors!

Disappointed is an understatement on this one. The car market in general is crazy as ever, and EVs are huge these days. VW is well aware of this, and with successes like that of the new Ford Bronco, it's prime time to bring back an old classic like the bus. 

According to Volkswagen, the "ID.Buzz" will arrive at U.S. dealerships sometime in 2024, and it's a very cool ride by all acounts. I'd drive one in a heartbeat. That's not the problem. The essence of the van has been destroyed if you ask me. That's because of the sticker price, 40k on the low end. The original van represented freedom, basic transportation, and affordability; and this is quite the stretch from those origins. As it is with most any brand new car these days (Jeep Grand Wagoneers are in the 100k range!?!) with dealership markup and preoder options, this will inevitably become a status symbol reserved for those with wealth beyond the typical American. It's gotten to the point where I'm not sure I will ever be in a position to buy anything but a used vehicle, and with what's new these days I don't think I mind! 

Hurry on over to WQMX.com to sign up for the 5 Kay on October 7th. You only have until noon on Friday (tomorrow) to get signed up and still receive a commemorative race t-shirt. You are moe than welcome to sign up all the way to race day itself, but you must be signed up by noon on Friday the 22nd to get the t-shirt for this year.

As always we are raising money that is to benefit our awesome Bosom Buddies charity to help fight Breast Cancer. We hope to see you at Maize Valley Winery & Craft Brewery on Route 619 on Saturday October 7th at 9am sharp!

Kane Brown released his next single to radio today, as he also just announced his upcoming tour!

Kane says, "'I Can Feel It' came after we were trying to find someone to perform with me at Stage Coach. Phil Collins was one of the people we wanted, and after we were in Canada, we wrote this song, and I immediately fell in love with it with the drum feel. It's so familiar to a lot of people. I'm really excited to play it live. I immediately saw the image of it after we wrote it and I can't wait for everybody to hear it and get to jam along to it."

I love all sorts of pets from parakeets to goldfish and everything in between, but we all know a dog is man's best friend. I've never met a dog I haven't liked, just ones that don't like me, unprovoked. (Just let me love you!) This blog is part of a series in which I rank all sorts of stuff, and the purpose of it is to give you some insight into who I am and what I'm about. It's also a lot of fun to get some input on my lists by those who rank things differently, so let's get into it and determine if we see eye-to-eye on favorite breeds of pups! 

10. Miniature Pinscher

9. Great Dane 

8. Labrador Retriever

7. Basset Hound

6. Dachshund

5. Rottweiler

4. Husky

3. Chihuahua

2. German Shepard

1. Bloodhound

Hi everyone! My name is Buttercup and I thought I'd take over writing my dad's blog at work today...he said it would be cool with him and you wouldn't mind. I know he has told you a little about me before, but I'll recap. I'm about 5 years old, and showed up at my current home about 4 years ago. I was too young at the time, I don't remember where I came from before that...or is it I just don't want to tell my daddy? ;) hahaha.

Anyway, I have been so lucky to live where I do. I get fed handsomely (even though I yell at my dad that I'm starving and wasting away). I even get treats! My favorite toys are a shoestring, toy mice, and I love to kick around a ball here and there. I also enjoy going after my dad's shoestrings and his phone charger (which he yells at me to stop it..but I don't). 

I enjoy having deep conversations with my dad. I think I have great ideas for world hunger, peace, and when to bring out Pumpkin Spice every Fall. Along with having these conversations and playing with my toys, my favorite pasttime is curling up in my dad's lap and falling asleep while we watch TV. 

Thank you for listening to my daddy's station, as it provides him the ability to fill my tummy everyday with my favorite salmon-flavored food!! 

'Shell-o', get your tickets for the WQMX Charity Clambake this Sunday at DustyA.com....  this is a great event to help our military members and their families thru Tree of Lights for NEOPAT!

'Awww, Shucks'!!!   There will be silent auctions and raffles and more...  You'll be clam-oring for more while we are 'shelling-it out for soldiers'...

Let off some 'steam' this Sunday.. It'll be the 'pearl-fect' fit... with WQMX, NEOPAT, The Dusty Armadillo and You!!!

You don't have to wear 'Clam-oflauge'...  we are all happy to see you and have a 'Shell-arious' Fun Day to help out our Military.

So get your tickets at DustyA.com and we'll see you Sunday...  'Keep Clam' and Party On...  If you can't make it, 'don't 'beach' yourself up '...  Please consider donating to Tree Of Lights.  Thank you and 'Sea' you Sunday.

Up until now, I have only seen the teaser video online, but a friend shared the whole video for the Monday Night Football performance and it gives me chills. The new Monday Night Football anthem played in it's entirety before the Cleveland Browns took on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sadly, the game was a loss for us, but this performance from Chris Stapleton, Snoop Dogg and Cindy Blackman Santana was a win! 

If there's one thing to know about me, it's that I love everything with wheels. Whether it's a skateboard, bike, tractor, or truck; if it's something you can ride, I'm all about it. I especially love powersports like ATV's, motorcycles, and go karts; I even have a retired podcast on them! 

I know my way around a garage and have fixed up my fair share of machines, but I am no mechanic. I was reminded this after attempting to fix up a snowmobile that had been given to me a while back. It was crashed and had not been started in a number of years, but I was optimistic. I had a moment of clarity about a week ago and made the decision that I was in over my head having taken a bigger bite than I could chew. 

I posted the sled online for sale or trade and asked to be sent offers. I got some random offers like mini bikes, tools, and cash, but what really caught my eye was this big two-seater go kart project. I had actually seen it in an ad prior, and did my best to hide my excitement, though I was stoked. I jumped on it, and the offerer and I met up at his place to initiate the deal.

I was looking for a kart project to build up because I have a spare engine waiting for transplant in the garage, but I had no idea just how big this thing was. It's a Yerfdog Spiderbox with a Honda four-wheeler front end welded on in a questionable fashion, and it has a ton of potential. There is no engine or brakes and a few of the steering components need modified or repaired, but all things considered it's a solid start. 

Had he seen the snowmobile in person prior to agreeing to trade, I don't believe this fellow with the kart would have gone for it. It was rough, but I did nothing to mislead or misrepresent; I'm not like that.  To say loading that sled onto his trailer was a challenge, is a definite understatement. We tried every hairbrained idea until simply yanking it up onto the trailer with the truck, aggressively. I was glad no one got hurt and quite happy to see that piece of junk go to someone who is likely better suited to do something with it. 

Of course I am ecstatic about my new buggy project, but I have been left scratching my head on what to do for the powertrain. I unfortunately cannot use the engine I have on deck as it lacks ample power for the application, so that's gone out the window. I considered scooping up a used motorcycle or four-wheeler motor, (especially one with reverse) but those can be a nightmare with wiring and especially fabrication. With the stock engine putting down about 8hp, any 250 or bigger would easily do the job and gears sure would be cool. 

Going back to the title of this blog, I now have a toss up on my hands. Option one is the motorcycle engine with an unknown amount of work put in to adapt it to the kart platform. I could find something with gears including reverse, but it won't come cheap or easy. Option two is equally if not more expensive, but hugely simpler. Harbor Freight has a 15.8hp Predator engine on sale right now for a decent price. That motor combined with an Amazon 40 series torque converter would set me back nearly $700. Everything else needed to make it go would probably be an additional hundred dollars. That's nothing to scoff at, but the advantages of this option have me tempted. 

Both motors would have an electric start as well as a pull start, and with that a battery. Either option could power lights and maybe a winch. The motorcycle engine would likely have a clutch which may hinder certain friends of mine from driving it and complicate the intallation, whereas the Predator would allow for some pedal to the metal simplicity. Maintence is another consideration, as Predator parts are as cheap as they come whilst motorcycle and quad engine parts vary in afforability. The biggest appeal of all for the Predator over the alternative however, is the warranty. Buying new from a retail store provides confidence, and with such an expensive investment I know I want that.

The biggest toss up is not even necessarily between those two options, but rather when/if to proceed with purchasing a powerplant. I could get a very nice mini bike for the same price, or any number of other things. I'm looking at getting a dog, updating some appliances around the house, and some other major purchases right now, but my desire to make this kart into a mini-RZR is overwhelming. If I'm going to do it, I want it built and ready to rip come wintertime. Maybe I'll call it a birthday present to myself, as that's coming up soon! The sale on the Predator ends on the last day of September, so I guess I have until then to decide. I'll keep you posted on my progress, and thanks for reading!