Circling the Drain - Centennial State Edition

 

Gold Standard Mail Voting

(P)regressives claim Colorado’s Mail  Voting System is the “Gold Standard”. Of course, they are right by their standards (low bar, that).

Troublesome facts only upset them.

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Where is the effort among elected officials to vigorously focus on these problems? Their disdain tells me they don’t care so long as the dysfunctional system keeps them and their cronies in power.

Colorado Republicans

They continue to be above wrestling in the (P)regressive mud. That should guarantee they won’t win any statewide races.

The primary winner for Governor, Victor Marks, hasn’t received endorsements from ‘mainstream’ Republicans. He is an “outsider” (unclean, unclean). His radical platform will ensure I vote for him.

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Should, by some divine miracle, he wins the (P)regressives still will have a majority in the Legislature, even a super-majority.

His words, as expected from any candidate.

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Various pundits are asking if the Republicans will unite behind him. Silly question, IMO.

Car Leasing

With prices of “a family sized SUV”  North of $80,000 and monthly stroke close to $1,000, leasing may soon be the only way to get new transportation.

I’m a fan of leasing in general when done properly. More on that later in this post.

This was the sales “pitch” I used. “Folks, when you buy a car, you put  money as a down payment and then make monthly payments. During that time, who owns the car?”

We agree that that the bank owns the car until the loan is paid off.

“With a lease, we turn the process around. You make much smaller monthly payments for the same number of months because you are not paying for the whole car, just the use. At the end you make the down payment. You do that only if you want. What you pay is called the residual”.

“The market value of the car in relation to the residual at the end of the lease will be one of three things, lower, higher, or about the same. If it is lower, walk away. If it is higher, that is money that can go in your pocket. If it about the same, you have the option to buy the car”.  Get acknowledgment.

“Say you decide to keep the car. Those of us in the business know people seldom trade in a perfectly good car. They either know or suspect bad things are happening. You know the car, so no surprises”.

Hopefully, this approach brought on more questions. In my time about 50% of my closes were leases.

Lease pitfalls. One, mileage. If you drive an average of 18,000 miles a year then don’t be stupid and lease for 10,000 miles to get a lower payment. That will bite you hard at the end of the lease. Second, know the capitalization cost (what to car is sold to the lease company) and, if possible, the buy rate (interest). Yes, you can arrange leases outside the dealerships and shop with that in your back pocket. You need to keep the car in good repair and, perhaps, have it professionally detailed before turning it in should you decide not to keep it.

Seldom mentioned lease benefit – liability. The lease company owns the car. He who owns the car owns the liability. They will require you to have higher insurance coverage because they, not you, are liable. Say you are in a bad accident and the other parties get hooked by the billboard lawyers. Your insurance company is obligated to defend you and pay up to the policy limits. They are not, repeat not, obligated to defend you the way you want to be defended. Do you think I’m wrong? Please read your policy.

You have $100,000 coverage. Your insurance company and Whiplash Charlie settle for $137,200. You have now become liable for $37,200. (Thing I’m wrong? Talk to a lawyer)

Take the same scenario with a lease. The lease company is liable, not you. Think Whiplash Charlie wants to take on Ford Motor Credit Corporation?

Yeah, but, you can still be sued yada, yada, yada. True, but you are no longer low hanging fruit.

One last point. You will enter the shark tank when you meet with the finance manager (known in the business as F&I). Next to parts and service departments, this is the greatest profit center in a dealership. 

Although I personally loath this father and son combination, they do a good job of showing how dealerships and sales work.

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Iran

Taken off a Facebook post.

 A reply.

The Daily Perspective

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We’re not dealing with sane people in Iran. They’re focused on world domination, they’re true believers in their cultic religion, and they truly believe their god is guiding them and won’t let them fail. They will lie about everything to achieve their goals, and they will never stop lying or attacking “the infidels”. The only way this ends is to completely eliminate the Islamic regime in Iran. Only then will the people be free and the region be safe.

Another example is Japanese bushido prior to WWII. Even after two atomic bombs, and the edict of the Emperor, some Japanese officers wanted to continue fighting.

Fanatics remain fanatics until they are dead or castrated.

John Denver

I’ve noticed John Denver mentioned in several places recently and thought to post a wee John Denver story. To be clear, I never personally met him but we were in Denver around the same time.

Colorado once had 3.2 beer for those 18-21 and Denver had several 3.2 night club/bars. One, the Eastway, was on East Colfax near Colorado Blvd and John Denver was playing in a band there. He was not yet a headliner and may have still been John Deutschendorf. He was the proud owner of a three tone Thunderbird. A big fight broke out in the parking lot and he was trying to keep people off his car. He had courage, not size, and was getting his ass kicked. My friends and I waded in and helped him. End of story. The police arrived and we made a strategic retreat.

Sanctuary City

Car Story

Repo Man

From time to time we needed to get a sold vehicle back because the financing fell through. This is one of the hazards of “spot” delivery” for aggressive dealers. Usually it wasn’t a big problem but a few were memorable.

Recently a Facebook idiot posted about putting his truck behind a locked gate with some kind of printed notice attached to the lock. Fool, few in the repo biz would let that stop them.

Laws vary but police attitudes are consistent. Going through a gate onto private property, in the moment, is criminal. Once the collateral is on a public street the police regard it as a civil matter. That saves them a ton of paperwork. As a courtesy to the police, you want to repo the vehicle with as few witnesses as possible.

My General Manager tasked me with retrieving a Ford Ranger. The buyer parked it in his back yard with a high wood fence. He had elaborate locks and chains securing the gate.

What to do? Pull the pins on the gate hinges, push the gate far enough open to drive the Ranger out to the street, and then beat feet.

Regretfully, we didn’t take time to put the pins back in the hinges.

As always, YMMV

 

Droning?

 

A Yeah, But

Drones

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Recommendations?

Of Interest to Colorado Voters

Republicans haven’t won a statewide race since 2016. Will they adapt?

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Living in Renton, WA during the 1990’s I was the Democrat Precinct Committeeman for six years. I’ve some experience with the strong results of “boots on the ground”.

King Lysen was the GOP committeeman. After each election we would meet with other volunteers and gather campaign signs off public right-of-ways, load them in my old Dodge pickup, and haul them away. Politics were civil then.

How Colorado Citizens Fight Back

Initiatives. Of course the (P)regressives use them too.

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Why Would PDJT Do This?

Move the US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Headquarters to Salt Lake City and Grand Junction, CO.

Colorado River Water Fights

This year’s drought has intensified the regional fight. Always “climate change” is a talking point.

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What is seldom mentioned, and in passing, are invasive plants. How much water is taken by these plants in the greater Colorado system?

I’ve seen estimates as high as 30%.

They are:

Tamarisk

Russian Olive

Russian Knapweed

Purple  Loosestrife

There is a solution, camels and goats. Tamarisk, aka salt cedar, leaves have high concentrations of salt that native animals can’t tolerate. Goats will eat about any kind of weed. Camels seem to love Tamarisk leaves.

Currently, Northern Tamarisk Beetles, imported from Eurasia, are somewhat effective. Our native fauna will eat them and their larvae which seems to be a safe invasive insect to introduce to our ecosystem.

Will we see camels along our Western rivers? Someone will see the opportunity if the government agencies will get on board.

The idea isn’t new and has mixed success. An example.

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Fifty Three Years

Military training that sticks. Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood in 1963 every physical training exercise ended with, “One more for Airborne!” Today I found myself doing one extra pull on my rowing machine.

Soccer

Soulless apartment complexes seem to be everywhere, often far away from parks and recreation centers. Kids growing up there have few places to just be kids. Usually there is some kind of “park” amenity where kids can play soccer. The only equipment needed is a ball. Not every kid is able to play basketball. Long term? Maybe the USA becomes more of an international power.

Find a Need and Fill It

I admire entrepreneurs.  

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Amateurs, as anyone who has seen the contents of my trunk will attest.

Car Story 

Not a car lot story.

One time going North on Hwy 93 from Salmon, ID to Missoula, MT I came around a corner and saw a pickup truck with a camper off in the ditch and against the bank. The driver was frantically waving out his window.

I stopped and started to approach when he warned me a bear was stuck under his truck, directly under his door. One leg was sticking out and the paw was hitting the driver door.

“My rifle is in the camper. If I give you my keys, will you get it and shoot this bear”, asked the driver?

The truck had a Handyman (high lift) jack bolted to the front bumper.

After getting it off the bumper I started jacking up the pickup. When the pickup was high enough, the bear freed himself, ran across the road, and down the hill, post haste.

Why not shoot the bear first? The pickup would still need jacking up and then the carcass drug out. Authorities might have been involved.

Did I have a plan if the bear didn’t run? Yes, climb up on the pickup and then the camper.

As always, YMMV

We're F**ked in Colorado, No Surprise

 

Once again our Secretary of State is found out.

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She is the (P)regressive’s candidate for Attorney General. In her first term as Secretary of State, she had a 200% staff turnover in her first year. That won’t happen now as her predecessor, now candidate for governor, had eight years to weed out anyone competent with a shred of ethics.

 In my CO-8 district, the socialist easily won over the true blue mainstream candidate in the primary.

Senator Incompetent lost the Governor primary so will have two more years sucking the D.C. tit.

The drunk in CO-1 (Denver), been there forever, lost to the Democrat Socialists. 

Her opponent boasted, in her victory speech,

“Denver voters of all ages, of all races, of all religions sent a clear message: We will not wait,” said Kiros, who was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders late in the race.  “We will not wait to take the fight to Donald Trump and the oligarchy, we will not wait to abolish ICE and pass Medicare for all. We will not wait to put an end to the politics of the past, to get big money out of our politics.” 

Welcome to the new Democrat Party whose “big money” supporters hide behind PACs.

And the Republicans?

Fourth of July

As much fun as watching fireworks are setting them off, IMO. A memorable 4^th was 1965, Campo Pond, Hanau Germany. The NCO club spent thousands on fireworks. Campo Pond was about 40 acres of flat sand and scrub with a paved road across it.

50°06’41.39”N  8°57’43.75”E

Our 1^st Sgt, Nick Womac, was in charge with the assistance of several senior NCOs from various units. Step and fetchers were needed; enter the 1^st Sgt’s “Volunteer After Hours Work Party”, with yours truly and Tom O’Connor, my partner in crime, and others.

It took four full days to set up the fireworks. Rather complicated. Extra guards from the normal guard duty at the ammo bunkers were assigned over night.

Around 2200 the show started and lasted for over an hour. Those of us involved in putting on the show didn’t have time to sit back and watch. Still, being part of the crew was a memorable experience.

With access open to the public, the local German newspaper estimated the crowd to be over 2,500.

Two days were spent cleaning up. An artillery battalion swept the 40 acres picking up trash. The fucking Rads were the worst litterbugs ever.

During my time there, the show wasn’t repeated. 1Sgt Womac was later promoted to Sgt Maj and went to the 37^th Engineer Group Headquarters. Hated to see him go; perhaps the best NCO I knew and the reason I never received an Article 15. If the Army had a medal for cat herding, Combat Engineer NCO’s would qualify.

Nanny State

My betters have decided I need to help “The Less Fortunate” with their gas bill. Trivial amount and I can opt out by jumping through hoops.

This is something I probably would have done voluntarily if asked.

Cynical me wonders how many good paying position will be needed to administer the program, what political flavor those employees will be, and how much will be left for those truly in need.

Car Story

Not a car sales story.

Roush Industries employed me for around three years as a test driver. This event occurred in 2009. I wasn’t present but did hear the story that became part of “teachable moments”.

One route ran from Commerce City over Loveland Pass to Fairplay then back to Commerce City over Kenosha Pass. All the cars were camouflaged and we covered the dashes when we left them for lunch, potty breaks, etc. Usually up to four cars ran together.

 On this route a good place to stop for lunch was the Wendy’s at Aspen Park. When the crew came back to the cars there was a pool of coolant under a super secret Mustang. Concerned, the crew opened the hood.

A man with a camera slid up, started taking pictures of the engine compartment, and then beat feet. One guess as to how the coolant got under the Mustang.

The job started out as something to do. When I proved myself, it became interesting. Example:  Manager, “This is one of two prototypes in the world. We need it taken to the Hyundai plant in Montgomery. It must arrive with no dents, scratches, marks or blemishes. Take your time if you run into hail or highway repaving”. Normally a two day trip, it became a three day trip.

The employees with the most fun were in Las Vegas where a select few tested on the Las Vegas NASCAR track. For the rest of us it was strict adherence to speed limits with GPS tracking installed in every vehicle. Kansas, I-70 at 65 mph, gah! When Kansas finally raised the speed limit to 70 mph, it saved 24 minutes crossing the state.

As always, YMMV

 

Hail,Ya Betcha

 Hail

Thunderstorm season and it is starting off as a bad one. A small tornado passed by Scottsbluff and the picture is from Facebook. Kids holding melon sized hail. Sisty’s insurance adjuster’s agency has nine claims in Scottsbluff and more will likely come in.

Speaking of Sisty, much like a mechanic’s Snap On tools, she has upgraded her tool kit with a new computer and monitors. Her skills are in demand.

Places around the Foothills and out on the plains received as much as 6” of rain in a few hours.

 TABOR for Roads-A Colorado Specific Topic

In 1992 Colorado taxpayers passed the Taxpayers Bill of Rights as a constitutional amendment; the only state to do so. To basic parts are, taxpayers, not the state legislature and/or other government agencies (cities, water districts, et.) must approve tax increases and taxes collected in excess of the approved budget must be refunded to the taxpayers. Since Colorado went blue, the (P)regressives have been fighting to neuter TABOR.

To feed their feckless spending they have siphoned highway funds, among others. Now on the 2006 ballot will be Initiative 175, a constitutional amendment, to insure highway funds are spent on highways. Just the thought is giving the (P)regressives vapors. 

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The three Justices on the Colorado Supreme Court were openly Democrat activists when elected. They have let the Polis Administration slide on many important legal issues including the State Constitution mandating a balanced budget. What will they do, assuming the initiative passes, and the question reaches them?

“Fix our Roads” seems close to becoming a bipartisan movement.

There may be as many as nine other Initiatives on the ballot; most push backs against (P)regressive cherished ideas.

Long reads but for those interested:

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 h/t Cory Gaines

Uranium

Growing up around the 1950’s uranium boom, friends and I ‘prospected’ for uranium with a second or third hand Geiger counter that ate batteries. The closet we came was finding Thorium within the city limits of Steamboat Springs. There was a kind of intoxication in prospecting. Likely what motivated the gold rush? Many in our extended family/clan are fanatic rock hounds.

Now Wyoming is enjoying another uranium boom.

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Hopefully lessons learned will keep mine tailings being used in concrete mixes poured for building foundations. Craig, CO comes to mind.

Colorado Sun

An online daily newspaper I read but don’t support. Despite their claims, they are a left wing econazi propaganda machine.                              

What they claim.

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Cory Gaines, who I also follow, takes them apart on just one subject.

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Being retired, I amuse myself by reading a lot of opinions, bloggers, and watching YouTube. No television for me. Blogging is another outlet, inflicting my opinions on an uncaring world.

Car Story 

Left Hanging – Not especially proud of my actions nor ashamed. Shit happens.

Management was upset when they found a salesman hanging from barbed wire. I was responsible and knew my days there were numbered.

Sunset Cars backed up to I-405 and had a 6’ chain link fence across the back of the lot. After hour troubles prompted the fence to be topped with barbed wire.

One evening a 20’s smart ass and I got into it. He was a 5’6” 120 lb ‘martial arts expert’. He came at me and got picked up and tossed against the fence. His arms got caught in the barbed wire and his feet were off the ground.  I walked away.

Others dropped the tailgate of a pickup and backed up to him then helped him get untangled after he was found by other salesmen.

So how did a 50 year old man prevail? The old man is a lifelong dirty white boy. When Mr. Martial Arts tried a head high spinning leg kick, the old man stepped into the kick, grabbed the leg, grabbed the groin, lifted and tossed. The position of the fence wasn’t part of the plan. Oh well, the fence was there.

Sunset’s structure was two sales managers with two sales crews working shifts. The young warrior was on Al’s crew and I was on Jeff’s crew. Jeff had personal problems including drinking on the job. Not too long after the hanging he was fired. I knew my time was at an end.

 My departure was cordial. My unemployment lasted four hours. Such was car sales in Washington State in the 1990’s.

Not my first, nor my last, rodeo. Physical altercations were common during my car sales days and I was in several. That said, the only customer I ever touched was the punk who pulled a gun on me.

As always, YMMV

Howling

Wolves

The stink still lingers from the 2020 election. Did Proposition 114, which mandated wolf re-introduction, actually pass?

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Remember, per the Democrats in state office, our mail in ballot election is the “Gold Standard”. I mailed in my ballot and received notification it was counted. Not received, counted.  Counted before Election Day? No chance for mischief here folks, just move on. 

P)regressive Entrepreneurs

New ways to make money off illegal immigrants and tax payers shows the far left are still hustlers.

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 Of course, it is for the children.

How Many Vote Democrat?

Cynic me, I believe many administrators don’t give a rats ass about the children. Would education improve if most took their useless degrees and entered the private sector?

Surprise!

Many of the minority owned businesses building the Obamination Library in Chicago haven’t been paid, some for years.

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United Health Care

My health insurance company causes me some sympathy for Luigi Mangione. They have recently forced a new wrinkle, a referral. Before I can have my annual checkup at the same cardiology practice responsible for my pacemaker, where I have been going since 2014, I now need a referral from my “primary health care physician”.

By good fortune, Medtronics, my   pacemaker supplier, has provided me with a remote device using the cell phone network. Every six months I hold a reader over the pacemaker. In just a few minutes my pacemaker history is transmitted. If they see anything of concern they contact the cardiologists.

Why UHC? That is who Sisty says I should have. She has been involved with a community health organization for thirty plus years and on their board for decades.

(My sister calls me “Monster”. My comeback was Norm Crosby’s,

"Once upon a time, there lived a very beautiful girl named Rindercella and her two sisty uglers")

 Next week is my annual VA checkup where I prove I’m still alive. My thought is to see if the Doc I see can do the “referral” b.s.

Car Story

Being civil costs little so why be an asshole.

One Saturday an arrogant group drove on the lot in a VW 4x4 Camper van. We had a ramp to the showroom to bring cars on display in and out. The VW driver chose to park on the ramp. While not my ‘up’, I noticed the activity.

 I was coming back into the showroom and heard these arrogant assholes running their mouths about our prices and our thievery.

This was in our showroom with other customers present. I was irritated by their behavior.

 By happenstance, there was an open box of sheet rock nails on the window sill so I placed one under each tire of the VW.

Maybe 45 minutes later, on a test drive, we went past the VW on the side of the road with three flat tires. The arrogance was gone from the group; in fact, they looked forlorn.

Is there a point to this story? Whatever you want it to be.

As always, YMMV

Dirty Deeds

Sheep Dipping

The car biz refers to “sheep dipping” as getting the “brand” removed from a salvage title. While not common, doing it requires a certain amount of finesse. One Utah dealer has stepped on his pee pee.

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Back in the 1990s, dealers used Idaho to “sheep dip” Washington titles. I wasn’t personally involved except selling the ‘clean title’ vehicles. In this era, how you can bypass CARFAX  or J.D. Powers must be difficult. Two dealers I know use a service and every vehicle they take in trade or buy from a wholesaler is checked.

How Colorado Stays Blue

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Surprise! The Democrat primary candidates are savaging each other while the GOP candidates are staying civil. Can't get their hands dirty, don't you know.

CPAP

I’ve been sleeping with a CPAP since 1996. This YouTube clip reminded me of why.

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My boss, Ed Jones, told me to get tested or get fired! He reminded me we were covered by Group Health; no excuses. I arrived at Group Health and they wanted me to spend a night in the “sleep labs”. Not happening, single custodial Dad with two young teenage boys. Instead, they painted spots on my chest were electrodes were to be placed and sent me off with the equipment. I returned the equipment the next morning and went to work. Pro tip; If you ever do this, shave your chest hairs first.

That afternoon I got a call from the head of the department insisting I come in RIGHT NOW! Grumbling, I complied. The conversation went like this.

 “Mr. White, not only do you have sleep apnia, you have the worst case I’ve ever seen. See the lines on this screen? When this line is that low, you are clinically dead!”

Realizing he was dealing with a stubborn blockhead, he continued.

“Based on my experience, I believe you will soon have a ‘significant medical episode’. It may happen tomorrow, next week, but will happen within the next six months. If you are lucky, it will kill you. If not, it will severely impair you. You do have someone who can provide you with 24/7 nursing care for many years to come, don’t you?” What a salesman he would have been!

I said, “And my options are?”

I went home with a CPAP and have used one to this very day.

 Car Story

Hope this isn’t a repeat.

There a few occupations that often have shit credit. Two come to mind, preachers and cops.

One of my coworkers at Southgate Ford/Isuzu in Burien, WA was a black man named Paul. He was a great salesman and all around good person.

One Saturday he was trying to get his minister financed in a car. It was taking time and the minister was wandering around upstairs where we worked deals.

Monday Paul came up to me and said, “Hey Tank! Our minister had a great sermon yesterday. He spoke about race relations and how progress is being made. You were mentioned”.

Oh shit!!!!

“Yeah, he overheard you working a deal. Loser xxxx was sucking up to you”.

Loser xxxx said, “Tank, you do really well with black people. What is your secret?”

My minister said you were visible irritated by the interruption and snarled at him, “Simple, treat them like white people”.

Paul then gave me an evil grin and asked, “Tank, are you sweating?”. Bastard!

As always, YMMV

 

 

 

Need to Piss Someone Off? Use a Blogger Post

 Colorado’s “Gold Standard” Election Integrity

Yeah, right.

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I will be receiving my mail in primary election ballots this week, one for each party. I can only fill out one.

Wyoming Coal

The industry is getting a boost thanks to President Trump. Placing a coal terminal in Oakland does two things. First, frosting the ass of econazis. Second, making USA coal available to Asian countries.

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Other areas will prosper, politics permitting. Northwest Colorado has huge deposits of coal, for instance.

Perhaps naval experts can help. With a dredged depth of 50’, will the Oakland Terminal be able to service the largest bulk carriers?

Gun Haters Rejoice

Colorado saw a sharp decline in Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), with 189 dealers closing or surrendering their licenses during a single recent 6-month period, outpacing new openings. State associations report that out of more than 2,100 FFLs operating in the state, only about 800 applied for new mandatory state permits following recent legislative changes.

The Godfather of current restrictive firearms laws is Ronald Reagan when he was Governor of California. He, and others, shit their pants when lawful citizens exercised their 2^nd Amendment rights.

They rushed through the California Assembly “gun laws” that have morphed into today’s hellish mess.

Sadly, West Virginia Attorney John H Bryan’s, “My freedoms don’t end where your fears begin. Freedom is scary, deal with it”, wasn’t around then. Would it have mattered?

Many hold President Reagan in high regard. If it were an attitude back then, I had Reagan Derangement Syndrome. No need to go into the tiresome details at this late date.

“President” Polis

Now nearing the end of his term, he is aiming for the Democrat nomination in 2028, IMO. He is now trying to build credibility as fearless, pragmatic, libertarian, etc., with a large number of veto’s of (P)regressive wet dream bills passed in the last Legislative session as proof.

There is the Tina Peters move.

Don’t count him out. He is highly intelligent, personally wealthy, and has an ability to use other people’s money deftly. His sexual orientation won’t be an obstacle with Democrats.

Car Story

Hope this isn’t a repeat.

Occasionally dealing with customers you get stuck and can’t come up with anything to say. The technique I learned was to let your mind go blank, open your mouth and whatever comes out will probably work.

The Seattle area has a large Chinese population. I always liked having them for a customer. While it was hard to make a profit on them, they came to buy a car. They rarely lied and the Chinatown branch of Seattle First Bank would finance them.

The Ford store I worked at always had six or eight sales units on the weekend. These were bare bones and priced dirt cheap. We never, under any circumstances, sold them for less than the sales price.

Two Chinese were on the lot. One was the buyer, the second was the negotiator. They landed on a Taurus.

The negotiator asked, “What you price?”, in an  aggressive tone. I pointed to the sales price in the window.

“Too high”, he said. No surprise there.

“These are special sales cars. The owner won’t let us sell them for less”.

“Why your owner won’t let you sell for less?”, in both an aggressive and aggrieved tone of voice.

 Blank mind. What came out was, “The owner is a Jew”.

 “Oh, Jew! Tougher than Chinese. What your interest rate?”

 An hour later they left in the Taurus.

 As always, YMMV