(P)regressives Last Stand

 Bastards making hay while they can

With SloJo on his way out the econazis are trying to cement their “gains”. Witness the BLM trying to freeze the Red Desert in  Wyoming.

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Another is the EPA trying to cement the California Air Resources Board’s power to enforce only EVs in the future.

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There a likely hundreds of pet projects that will be threatened by a Trump Administration and the jackals are fighting to save their “progress”.

After January 20^th, they will resort to a civil kind of guerilla warfare. Don’t we, as a country, have some experience combating this kind of war?

As always, YMMV

Droning Along

 

Drones

No insightful comments here. This curmudgeon has never flown one; knows little about them, and will give way to those who do. It seems they subject has stirred up the citizens to my north.   

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Loss of gun rights in Wyoming? The horror!

La Nina/El Nino

Which weather pattern we are in is questionable but this winter, so far, in our little patch on the northern end of the Colorado Front Range has been dry with moderate temperatures. Down towards Colorado Springs is a different pattern entirely. Banner isn’t complaining. So far, it has been light sweaters for him.

Life

Boring, for the moment. Lots of extra assignments. Some of the work involved areas of Denver where I haven’t been for 40-50 years. Many changes but a bar, where I spent too much time in my twenties, is still the same, from the exterior.

Stuff I might blog about hasn’t been stirring my umbrage; Colorado politics is the same old b.s. as in the past few years.  That will likely change in the future.

Looking forward to January 20^th; hope President Trump survives until then.

As always, YMMV

F**K Interesting Times

 

Syria

I listen to this guy. I think he knows what he is talking about. 

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We need to get our people out now, stay out of it, and let Israel sort out the mess.

$40,000,000 for one pissant Congressional Seat

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I live in this district and my mailbox was stuffed nearly every day with mail pieces. Very few had the candidate’s, “I approve of this message”. Since I don’t have a TV, I was spared that onslaught.

Where do these Super PACs get the money? Taxpayer money laundered through Ukraine? Wealthy people making “charitable donations” that somehow end up in political PACs? Foreign governments? Hedge fund managers?  Without violating the 1^st Amendment, is there a way these Super PACs can be investigated?

 Sneering at Nannies – Tobacco

The unrelenting lawfare and public denouncing of tobacco has the usual result; bootlegging in its many forms. In the case of Wyoming add freedom fireworks. Want to be a damned fool and seriously injury yourself? Wyoming has your ticket to ride.

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The Rats are Scurrying for Cover

Liz Cheney?

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And the beat goes on.

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Take that, Delaware

Easier, and cheaper, to incorporate in Wyoming. Same with an LLC.

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Bounty Hunters

Recent discussions of having bounty hunter go after illegal immigrants prompted a memory.

 My late friend, Dirty Al Imhoff, was a part time bounty hunter when not selling cars. One night he wanted to have a few adult beverages and invited me to go along. We visited three different drinking establishments. At each place, after he surveyed the patrons, he insisted on leaving. Seems each place had patrons he had hauled in as a bounty hunter. Finally I suggested, sarcastically, we buy a six pack and sit in the parking lot.

Bounty hunting never had a personal appeal. Repossessing cars was sporting enough for me.

DrJim’s Man Cave (in progress)

 EV Financial Madness

This, from one of my favorite conservatives.

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Nothing Serious, Made me Laugh

 Serious

 Aspen Princess sees the light

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 As always, YMMV

Your Next President (In Four Years)

 

2028 Presidential Candidate – Emperor Polis

He will save the Democrat Party – just ask him.

Neighbor. “Can’t you say something good about Jared?”

Me: “He is term limited”.

He was quick to jump the shark on SloJo’s pardon of Hunter.

"While as a father I certainly understand President @JoeBiden’s natural desire to help his son by pardoning him, I am disappointed that he put his family ahead of the country," Gov. Jared Polis tweeted Sunday night.

"This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation. When you become President, your role is Pater familias of the nation."

Added Polis: "Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son”.

 You think selling cars is fun?

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Circa 1992 I worked in Puyallup, WA for a Mitsubishi dealership when an arrogant red dot Boeing engineer came in. He had a station wagon trade. At the time Mitsubishi offered a van that was virtually sales proof. They were so hard to sell Mitsubishi gave the dealers $4,000 trunk money. Trunk money is a given to the dealer, not the customer. After a prolong negotiation, we sold the van at dealer invoice and gave Mr. Red Dot what he wanted for his trade. He wrote a check for the van. I immediately drove to his credit union, about 40 miles, and turned his check into a cashiers check.

About two hours later, Red Dot called. Somehow he learned about the trunk money. Wanted the $4,000. Told him, “NO”. About 20 minutes later he called back totally pissed off. Seems he called his credit union to stop payment on his check.

We had a two day rodeo. We had his trade locked up in the bull pen and we had the signed off title to the trade. He returned the van, parked it in front of the dealership, and we had it towed away. Damned if that wasn’t a satisfactory sale. (Yes, I know. Evil car salesman. Guilty, and proud of it) This was in the early days of CSI (customer  satisfaction index). My general manager was so happy to see one of those vans gone he didn’t care about an angry customer.

As an aside, trunk money isn’t a rare thing. Toyota screwed the pooch on their T-100 pickups and had big trunk money to get them sold. I never worked at a Toyota dealership but had friends that made some big bucks on those pickups.

 We can only speculate what the manufacturers will be putting up to move the unsold 2023 inventory.

I have no opinion on why the T-100 wasn’t the usual Toyota success.

Trade Wars Winners and Losers

My hope is that President Trump can remove many of the government obstacles impeding mining. One start might be sending most of the EPA’s 1,000 lawyers into the field as investigators. Let them spend time writing reports no one will read.

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As Always, YMMV

Riding for the Brand

 

Hanging Paper

These past five years I’ve been an agent for a financial service company contacting people who are in arrears on their mortgage.

Recently a Denver area agent has been in the hospital and the company has asked other agents to cover.

My ‘turf’ is north of I-76. For the past week I’ve been covering areas to the south and west. It has kept me very busy. While I’m well compensated, I don’t need the money. Given that the assignments are for the same companies that I normally service, it is in my long term interest to keep them happy.

The Metro Denver area traffic is horrid and synchronized traffic lights an impossible dream.

California

As a retired used car salesman I find this both amusing and offensive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYGeeYJhJ78

Nice Try Land Grab 

What isn’t reported is these folks a part of “Fundamental Latter Day Saints”, i.e polygamists. Mix in Native Americans with a dash of Sovereign Citizens for a toxic brew.

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Trust Fund Snots with too much spare change

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Those pesky rural residents worried about their livestock, dogs, and cats are just unreasonable!

Slippery Slope 

Like many good ideas at one point in time, the potential for abuse in the future exists. 1^st Amendment implications? As Civil Rights Attorney John H. Bryan concludes his YouTube posts, “My freedoms don’t end where your fears begin. Freedom is scary, deal with it”.

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Snark

Essential Old Geezer Tool

As always, YMMV

Winter Chest Cold - Shucky Darn

 

Getting Old – Getting Weak

Recently I had my hands on a M-1 Garand, a weapon I qualified Expert in 1963 Army Basic trailing. Automatically opening the bolt the Army approved way; I didn’t have the hand strength. That shocked me. Back in the day I spun one around like it was a toothpick. Now I felt the weight.

I still exercise but obviously not enough.

In my youth I was great at spotting game. In my dotage, porta-pottys.

I’ve been under the weather for about a week. Nothing serious, just a winter chest cold.

Still Have Youthful Skills

 

As always, YMMV

Carefree Colorful Colorado

 

Be Afraid, Very Afraid

Colorado Highway 550 (Million Dollar Highway)

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Going off the edge is just one possibility. Beware of loose gravel.

Evil Potential or Life Enhancement?

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mRNA vaccines showed the potential for evil manipulation during the COVID sham/scam. Along comes an aerosol way to administer them. Call me paranoid (guilty). This has the potential to introduce mRNA to large numbers of unsuspecting people with out their consent

Dark Money

Sisty made a comment during Sunday brunch regarding the billion dollars spent on advertising this past campaign cycle. How much good would be achieved if that money was spent on social needs?

 We avoid talking politics as a rule. I had expressed my disgust with all the paid by dark money PACs smearing decent people who have the courage to run for public office, specifically the two candidates for CO 8^th Congressional seat.

That was something our little group agreed upon.

As Always, YMMV

Trump Won. Lawyer Up

 

Oh Shit, Trump is Coming

The Hatch Act, a federal law passed in 1939, limits certain political activities of federal employees, as well as some state, D.C., and local government employees who work in connection with federally funded programs. ​The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation.​​​​ ​​

This is still on the books. Trump, and whoever he puts in charge, will use it to weed out corrupt federal employees. Pass the popcorn.

Petard, (P)regressive, hoisted upon their own

Every since Shillary supposedly received 2.9 million votes more than Trump in 2016, the (P)regressives have been pushing the idea that each state pledge to give their electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote. That, along with the influx of hordes of illegal immigrants voting should guarantee they will hold power forever. Oops! President Trump won the national popular vote.

National popular vote

The National Popular Vote Compact has been enacted into law by 17 states and the District of Columbia, including 5 small states (DE, HI, ME, RI, VT), 9 medium-sized states (CO, CT, MD, MA, MN, NJ, NM, OR, WA), and 3 big states (CA, IL, NY). These jurisdictions have 209 of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate the law.

 Harris won 15 of those states. How many, including Colorado, will send the Electors pledged to Trump to the Electoral College?

Answer. Probably none, as the law hasn’t been activated

Righteous Shooting

The county deputy won. For those that think Wyoming is a “shoot’em up state”, a complete reading of the article will show self defense in Wyoming is somewhat complicated.

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The Sky is Still Falling

It is settled science. Also, need to keep the money flowing to establish more settled science.

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As Always, YMMV

Here We Go Again

 

Annual Fools Parades

Winter has arrived for about two thirds of Colorado, Northern New Mexico and Western Kansas. I-70 is closed off and on from Colby to Minturn. US 40 in Northwest Colorado closed off and on from Berthoud Pass to Craig. Highway 13 closed off and on from Rifle to Baggs. !-25 closed off and on from Castle Rock to Las Vegas, NM. Highway 160 from Walsenburg to Cortez is nearly impassable. For those not familiar with Colorado, draw line north from Denver to Wyoming and Northeast to Nebraska. Anything not in that area is getting slammed. So, what is the point, WSF? Every year people, who don’t bother to prepare, slide around and cause accidents. Fools go forth when they could postpone their trip for two days.

 I-80 across Wyoming is the usual mess. Wind gusts 70+mph around Elk Mountain. In other words, normal.

The Election

I don’t have much to say except to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin.

“You have your country back, if you can keep it”.

 As Always, YMMV

Will any of this matter, post election?

Drill, Baby, Drill

Advances in technology and techniques, freed from stupid government interference, promises a boom in recoverable oil and gas. While admittedly I don’t understand all the details in this report, it gives hope that energy independence is within reach.

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Starting around 1969 three underground nuclear explosions was used in Northwest Colorado as a way of fracking. For various reasons beyond what I can explain the test didn’t produce the desired results.

Two married friends of mine were the teaching staff at the small Piceance Creek elementary school near where one test took place. The schoolhouse got a good shaking.  

This was part of Project Plowshare:

Project Plowshare was the overall United States program for the development of techniques to use nuclear explosives for peaceful construction purposes. The program was organized in June 1957 as part of the worldwide Atoms for Peace efforts. 

More Oil – Unitah Basin (Eastern Utah)

This has been kicking around for years. A rail spur to connect with a Union Pacific main line will bring waxy crude oil to refineries that can process it. Currently what little oil being produced is being hauled by truck over two lane roads. The rail spur will bring job and associated economic growth to one of the poorest regions of Utah. The opposition comes from the trust fund snots infesting the Colorado River drainage.

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Could Fuck Up a Cup of Coffee (h/tDrJim)

Our inglorious Secretary of State, Jena Griswald continues her record of ineptitude. The latest (but surely not the last) involves some voting system passwords being leaked.

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This follows her compromising a criminal investigation so she could get some media attention

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For Colorado residents wanting an in-depth analysis of the coffee queen’s reign, we have this long read.

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Of course the Trump campaign jumped the shark.

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The Democrat knives are coming out. Perhaps she isn’t that popular with her fellow travelers?

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The good news is she is term limited. The bad news is she has ambitions for higher office. Senator? Governor?

HALEU (Enriched Uranium)

Here is a long article about atomic power, Bill Gates, and Wyoming with a side of international considerations. Much of the content is above my head. One item stands out. How stable will be a critical supply from South Africa? 

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Gag!

More advances in lab grown meat is an example of future tyranny, IMO. I won’t eat it.

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  As always, YMMV

Keeps on Rolling

 

Union Pacific Big Boy

It is so refreshing to be part of gatherings where there is zero political drama; just people enjoying a rare spectacle. So refreshing! No protesters

, no banners, no ugly confrontations.

As this magnificent relic tours the country in the West and Midwest, thousands of people line the tracks in big cities, small towns, and rural railroad crossings. I’m there with them.

On 10/21/2024 business took me near Byers, CO (population 1,600+), a flyspeck on the Colorado High Plains. A dear friend accompanied me and we watched the Big Boy pass by. While I’ve seen it many times, this was his first. Probably 200 vehicles were parked along the roads paralleling the tracks. He remarked that he will never forget the experience.

 If you have an hour to spare, Jay Leno has a YouTube special about the Big Boy. One quibble, “largest………..” is not true.

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Go Blue, Get Killed

Years of blue control and “common sense” gun laws has really worked in Colorado – NOT.

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What do you call doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result?

Colorado 8^th Congressional District

Earlier this year I “wrote my Congressional Representative. I sent my letter ot both her Washington D.C. office and her local office located in my hometown. Received zero response/acknowledgement! Perhaps this explains it.

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Every day my mailbox has campaign flyers sent by dark money PACs. The content is beyond ugly. The volume is 2:1 in favor of the Democrat. Both candidates are decent people. Not according to the dark money assholes on both sides.

Interesting case before the Supreme Court

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All it will do is change what level of government has dominion. Perhaps a State, rather than the Feds, will be more responsive to their residents.

Amateur Hour

Am I alone in seeing the Ho’s campaign looks amateurish compared to President Trump? Comes to mind the old put down, “He would fuck up a two car funeral”.

 As always, YMMV

Who Owns USA Elections?

 

Who is trying to buy Congress?

Thousands of donors making small contributions to election campaigns is the narrative. I call bullshit. Two small examples are the 8^th (where I live) and the 3^rd Congressional Districts in Colorado.

Between the two candidates, $15,000,000 has been contributed and/or spent. Much of the money is from PACs that are not necessarily controlled by the candidate.

 In the 3^rd, the Aspen trust fund Democrat has raised $14,000,000 to the Republican’s $1,200,000. This is the seat Lauren Boebert left. She moved to the 4^th which loyal opposition Ken Buck deserted after five terms.

Doing the math, some $30,000,000 has been raised/spent on two pissant Congressional seats. Are all the big donors altruistic, or do they expect a big return on their “investment”?

 Likely this kind of spending is rampant all across the country. Some estimates put dark money contributions at one billion. So where is this dark money coming from? How can sunshine, a wonderful disinfectant, be shined on future dark money honey pots?

Car Biz Humor in the Past

Commercials

Back when the car biz was fun

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Circa1986, Cal had a Yugo franchise in the Seattle area. He would lease you a Yugo for $84 a month. I never understood (or cared to find out) how that lease worked but the lease had 100% payoff until the whole lease was paid. Zero equity until the last payment.

People would drive onto our lot in a  Yugo with a 1,000 yard stare. The seasoned salespeople would scatter and the green pea would get the “up”. The only way those Yugo drivers could trade out was with a huge amount of cash, enough to pay the entire initial lease amount.

 Once I took a paid off Yugo in trade. The customer insisted I go to their residence and drive the Yugo back to our lot. That was the one and only time I drove one. Nothing remarkable happened; just another car.

Saved the Harley

Wyoming has a population of only 500,000+ but takes no backseat to other states for psychos.

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Military Loot

It seems from numerous YouTube videos Israel had captured large amounts of ordnance from Hamas and Hezbollah. While much seems to be destroyed where found, my curiosity is how much they will keep and how useful it will be? 

 Will we see in a few years tons of AKs for sale cheap?

As always, YMMV