Attention bots, algorithms, keyboard warriors - my scribbles aren't that interesting

 

One recent post has nearly 4,000 views. Several have gone over 2,000. I’m not deluded enough to think I’m a good writer so what is going on?

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The Blueprint + Colorado + RICO

 Does it pass the smell test?

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Emperor Polis, and his predecessor, the bartender Hickenlooper have created upwards of twenty new ‘boards’ and “commissions’ where the governor can appoint members. With the Democrats holding a majority, sometimes supermajority, his appointments sail through. These entities give the governor enormous patronage ability, and these entities are shielded from the general public. In other words, a bullet proof racket. The Attorney General is a Democrat, and all three Supreme Court Justices are Democrats.

Perhaps the DOJ can spare a few resources to investigate these schemes as RICO violations.

Black Bear Pass

Now for something different from the usual rants. This is one of the more challenging passes in Colorado.

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Back in my young and dumb days (still dumb, not young) I drove this pass in a Ford 2 wheel drive flatbed pickup with a load of hay bales. Reason? Shorter drive to where I needed to go.

Charles Kirk Murder Skeptic

The one cold hard fact is he was murdered in front of many witnesses. Everything from that point forward is information from government entities. I’ve long ago stopped taking anything, from any level of government, at face value. Even the many who have integrity can be duped.

Some disturbing questions are starting to circulate, beginning with the wound path; entry point, exit point, angles, etc. Grassy knoll, anyone? Think the defense won’t use this at his trial?

I’ve no doubt the man in custody, with his grandfather’s rifle, could make the shot.  Did he?

What Could Go Wrong?

Driverless cars are being tested in Denver. Noted is the pictured vehicle, a Jaguar, the manufacturer in survey after survey voted the least reliable brand.

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Hopefully the test include a Denver blizzard where most of those sensors will get covered with slush and ice.

PDJT, Legal, and Free Speech

In a recent conversation I said he is keeping his campaign promises. The response was, “Yes, but he is doing it illegally”. While I didn’t argue, the remark did make me think. I leave it to the lawyers. Wasn’t that was the way the Lightbringer and Poopy Pants operated?

 Kimmel, et al, worked for publicly owned networks that operate as profit making companies for their shareholders. When Kimmel, et al, let their mouths overload their asses, that gives the networks an excuse to drop their money losing shows.

 Nothing prevents him from starting his own free speech outreach on social media.

 As always, YMMV

Beyond Pissed Off

This is a personal rant that has nothing to do with current events.

 Xfinity, my cell phone provider for many years will lose me as a customer next month.

 My 51 year old autistic son lives in the Seattle area. He has a phone I pay for. When he has had a problem, lost a phone, etc. he would go to an Xfinity store and the problem would be promptly solved.

 He needs a new phone. Off to the Tukwila store where he is turned away. He was told, since it is my account, I need to physically be there so they can scan my i.d. WTF, over.

 OK, I go to the Longmont Xfinity store and am told I need to buy the phone and send it to him. WTF, again. They order a phone. Can’t do right there because my Colorado Driver License expired. OK, have a new phone shipped to me. I then ship the phone to him. He goes into the Tukwila store and is again turned away.

 Now, I’m not flying to Seattle just to get a phone activated.

\Next week his aide will take him to another company, likely Cricket, and we will try to get his phone up and working.

 Next month (this month is paid for) I will have a new phone company.

 Here is my take, based on a lifetime of working on commission. For whoever waits on him, it is floor time lost (they think). I see a pattern, both in that store, and my local store. Add, no local phone number at any store so they don’t waste time with callers. Stupid, IMO.

 1988, Sound Ford, Renton, WA closed at 10:00 p.m. At 8:45 or so a man got out of an older pickup and I greeted him at the door. He stunk, really, really bad. Turned out he did sewer work. He drove away in a new truck around 11:30. After thanking me, he said, words as I recall, “I really appreciate you waiting on me. I know I stink but by the time I get home and shower, you are closed”.  In the coming months that man bought four vehicles from me himself and sent two other buyers my way.

Winner do what losers won’t.

As always, YMMV

Yes, letting my driver license expire was dumb; beat me! At my age a new eye exam is needed. That is scheduled next week. Our socialist run state government requires a DMV appointment; no walk ins. An appointment is scheduled later in the month.

 In the mean time I am stopping at stop signs, using my turn signal and diligently observing speed limits.

No Human is Illegal, and Other Foolishness

 

Illegal Aliens

Compassion for underdogs or enabling slavery is the question? The mass of people let in under Biden came in as chattel, indentured to the coyotes. Mixed in were the worst of the worst criminals and crazies. We see them as human beings; the cartels see them as slaves. Their lives have no value beyond earning money for the cartels.

Do we, as a country, remain complicit in slavery? Our human compassion papers over allowing human trafficking; not to mention the horrific damage on our society caused by drugs and violent crimes. We must first of all protect our own.

Foreign aid is a noble impulse. Our country’s history shows it is hijacked to enrich those who administer foreign aid. Congress not only turns a blind eye, they feed at the trough.

 Blogger Advice Sought

Each blog post now brings long, off topic, comments. How do you, the handful of constant readers, feel about these comments? Along with these comments, the number of visits has soared. Historically, about 200 views per post. Now, with up to 2,000 per post, am I being used, or have I suddenly become a riveting writer?

Short Employment Commute

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 As always, YMMV

Wolves and Trucker Woes, Continued

 

Wolves

Urban/Rural divides on display. Emperor Polis’ husband is an environazi writ large. He is, among other things, a prairie dog defender, and organized a ‘robust’ gathering to discuss wolf introductions. If you bother to read the whole thing, you will find a mindset, IMO, from people who have never spent any time doing hard manual labor.

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There may be a benefit to society as a whole, when a subset of “thinkers” isn’t burdened by earning their daily bread. Then my parents favorite saying kicks in, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. What say you?

More Trucking Woes

This is an ongoing case where a trucker didn’t slow down passing an accident scene and killed an EMS and injured another. Is the fact he is foreign born pertinent?

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The umbrage meter is left pegged at the moment.

 As Always, YMMV

Trucking Woes

 

Trucking Woes

Casey LaDelle is a successful YouTuber, tow truck operator, and truck driver who marches to his own drummer. One of his recent videos offers, IMO, some keen insights about the trucking industry and truck drivers buried among some ranting. Worth watching.

Casey

Then we have this bleeding heart garbage.

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 His three victims were Haitians, here legally. Haven’t heard of any petitions  in their behalf. Leftist values on display.

As always, YMMV

School Shootings

 

Aaron Cohen – Gideon – School Shootings

IMO, he is on the right track.

Gideon

That said, we need to be careful what we wish for. Once implemented, this program can be used in many ways by statists to track conservatives. Hopefully, he is building safeguards to prevent this.

Puzzling

Looking at stats, my ‘audience’ has recently tripled. Are government agencies suddenly including me in their sweeps? Will this help me get a pallet next to the stove in the re-education camp?

 I wonder, given some of the comments received, that I’m included in some algorithm sweep. My rule is no censorship unless the comment is anonymous. If someone doesn’t have the guts to put their name to a comment, it gets deleted.

 My last post now has more views then I get in a month.

I do admire bloggers who can post on one topic and make it interesting. Not me - sorry readers.

Wolves

Wolves were introduced because of a ballot initiative. A recent ballot initiative to remove them failed to gather enough signatures.

Initiative

Google search.

While maps showing voter outcomes for the original 2020 wolf reintroduction initiative exist, no map of the signers for the recent failed ballot initiative has been published. The petition drive failed to gather the necessary signatures to appear on the 2026 ballot, and the names of signers are not publicly available. 

 Other voices.

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 The official position.

CPW

The most current map CPW has released on tracking collars. Of interest, the expansion eastward into Gilpin, Boulder, and now Jefferson counties. Denver, soon?

Wolf Map

Middle of the Road

A 1960’s cartoon I wish I kept showed a man in a chair reading a newspaper and speaking to his wife. “The more my thinking turns to  the left, the more I find in common the right. I think I’m becoming a middle of the road extremist”.

 Starting in my twenties I was vehemently opposed to Nixon, Reagan, evangelicals, etc. For awhile I was a Democrat Precinct Committeeman.  Starting the late 1990’s my views started shifting.

 I loathed Clinton and his less than lovely bride. When the Lightbringer appointed Eric Holder Attorney General I was done with the Democrats.

 Examining my attitude over the years I find two constants. First, rooting for the underdogs; fighting a system that keeps them down. Second, wanting the government to keep the fuck out of my life.

 Contradictory? Oh, well.

Small Towns and Speeders

A town of fewer than 700 people writes over 2,000 speeding tickets a year. I applaud! I drive through many small towns, and I’m always slowing down. Not to avoid a ticket, but out of respect for the people who live there. Kids being kids, loose pets and/or livestock, the occasional pedestrian and people entering from side streets are a fact of life.

Speed Trap

 This town is on the route to Yellowstone which gets a lot of traffic in the summer. Sorry, tourist, do the speed limit! You are not “special”.

 There are speed trap towns, like Campo, CO. My response is to never spend any money in them.

(P)regressive Gearing up for Midterms

Colorado’s 8^th Congressional District is the newest, having formed after the last census. The first elected Representative is a Democrat. She lost the 2^nd election to a Republican. I’m in the 8^th.

Two to three times a month I’m receiving in the mail slick campaign advertisements. One was from Black Lives Matters. Recently I received one from, Climate Power Education Fund. Of interest, their address is 815 Black Lives Matter Plz NW, D.C.

 The Theme is Trump’ Tax Bill and names our current Congressman as a Trump accomplices.

 At least five Democrats have announced they will be running for the seat.

 Last election some reports peg spending at $50 million or more. 70% of the Democrat’s donations were from out of state and 67% of the Republican’s donations were from out of state.

 All this money and effort for one puissant Congressional seat makes me wonder how many more seats are getting this kind of attention and where is the money coming from?

PDJT

Of all the slings and arrows directed towards him, the one most puzzling is corruption. He will be the first President since Harry Truman to leave office poorer than when he came in.

 As always, YMMV

Is the Biden Woke Crimes Ending?

 

Trucking

This guy nails it. Biden + woke + corruption = highway fatalities

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Simplistic Current Car Sales Methods

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For grumpy old retired iron movers like me, this is why you better do all your own research because the likelihood of the person across from you knows anything about what they are selling are nil.

Late 1990’s had a couple come in wanting to buy an F-150 with a 5.8 V-8, manual transmission, to pull a travel trailer. They had a folder full of information and “knew what they wanted”. I started asking questions? How much did the trailer weigh? Whipped out the brochure and showed me. Pointed out that was dry weight, water alone added 8+ lbs. per gallon, etc. They left, very unhappy. Next weekend they were back. Seems they had talked to people who had RVs. They left with a F-250 extra cab, automatic transmission, and a 7.5 V-8. At the time Ford rated the automatic tow capacity higher than a manual. P.S. We didn’t cheap sell the truck.

XCEL

By misfortune, my electricity provider. Apart for first class boots on the ground, otherwise the ongoing target of my ire.

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The Xcel board is well insulated from the public and in thrall with “green energy”, DEI, and other (P)regressive crap instead of focusing on providing electricity. They find kindred spirits within Colorado boards and agencies.

 

I pay $60 to $90 monthly for a 600 sq ft apartment with gas heat and gas water heater. My gas bill runs around $15 monthly.

Question relating to AI Centers? Why should we home consumers be forced to subsidize them?

Blue to Green – It Is the Colorado Way

A long article by a pot stirrer detailing how the state wants to tax packaging material used by businesses.

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Excerpt.

 It gets worse, however. Guess who's running the show? It's yet another unelected board contracting with a nonprofit. More of Polis' and other Democrats cronies reaching into the lives of citizens and tinkering in the state economy.

 The article ends with a sane quote.

 "Weld County Commissioner Scott James, who was opposed to the plan in the beginning said nothing has changed his mind. 'We don’t need it,' James said. 'It’s just more grist for the green-grift mill. We are creating economies where no economies exist in the name of environmental absolution. People are done with it. It’s going to cost producers more, and companies will not absorb that cost. If we really want to make things more affordable, then we need to stop doing things like this.'"

 In other Colorado news,  Colorado is #3 nationally in bicycle thefts.

As always, YMMV

ADDENDUM: My last post has triple the number of views the blog gets. Must be a good clickbait headline. I hope folks weren't too disappointed.

Your State Will Be Blue

 

The Blueprint

How Colorado went from a solid Red State to forever Blue. Most of this is behind pay walls or for sale on Amazon, etc. A brief account from the Rocky Mountain Minute.

 In the early 2000s four ultra wealthy progressives, Jared Polis, Tim Gill, Rutt Bridges, and Pat Stryker, launched a plan called The Blueprint. Their goal was to flip Colorado from red to blue and lock it down for good. They did not just focus on big elections. They targeted small local races, poured millions into “nonpartisan” nonprofits that were actually Democrat recruitment machines, and built a web of think tanks, activist groups, and friendly media outlets to control the narrative year round.

 Jared Polis, our current term limited Emperor, has his sights set on the Presidency.

 This blueprint is being replicated, allegedly, in many other states. Will it continue to work? In Colorado’s last election the (P)regressives spend a lot of money trying to elect county Sheriffs and failed.

 They have more success with District Attorneys.

 More “Settled Science” B.S.???

Always the cynic, these studies often lead to conclusions the researchers want to reach. 

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 Democrat Dog and Pony Show – ICE Edition

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 Repo Man

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You can run but you can’t hide forever. A smart lawyer kept his Mercedes in a controlled access garage in downtown Denver. He lived in a gated community with security guards. One evening he and his spouse parked in a shopping center garage. Ten minutes later the Mercedes was on the way to the dealer’s locked back lot. Got paid a thousand for that snatch.

 A Charger we owned

We had a 1973, same color and roof treatment, for a few years. Other than replacing the OEM voltage regulator with one that lasted, we had few problems. Only had a 318 c.i.d motor but that was enough.

As always, YMMV

The Good Neighbor He Didn't Need To Be

 

Zane White – Moffat County, CO A decent human being

Although we share the same last name, we are not related. He owns the property giving access to the White Family Cemetery. This past week a wild fire swept the 320 acre homestead. Before it got close, he sprayed the cemetery area with fire retardant!

40°24’31.05”N    108°23’19.09”W

Over the years, revisions to US Highway 40 removed direct access to the homestead. Not only has Zane allowed access through his property, he has graded the road into the cemetery and has loaned his backhoe to dig graves.

Zane lost some dry land wheat fields. His house and buildings were spared because he sprayed them with fire retardant.

All of Western Colorado is dry with many fires burning. Always looking for a bright spot, a decent winter will make for great grass next year on the homestead.

 This fire started near Elk Springs. There was a report of an 18 wheeler dragging a chain producing sparks that may be the cause.

 Wolves

Again, radical judges and environazis are trying to force what voters will surely reject, should it make the ballot.

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The Hollywood solution?

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They could try Taylor Swift c/ds.

Dead Colorado Wolf in Wyoming? Few details. Suspicious minds think her four legs didn’t trot her across state lines.

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Any damn fool could see this coming. For far too many ‘educated’ people, feelings beat history and facts.

As dogma in general offends me, I will listen to other points of view. Someone who has spent 30+ years working with wolves in Yellowstone maybe has worthwhile information to share.

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 Wolves can’t read. How are they to know where a state line is?

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PDJT strikes again, and many people will rejoice

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But, but, the environazis cry, “The glaciers will melt”, or some other nonsense”.

Biden’s guests

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DIA + Nuclear Power Uproar

Seems the airport is looking into a small nuclear reactor to power the airport. Lots of pro and con viewpoints. Buried in the details is $1.25 million in airport money for a study! More ways for unelected busy bodies to piss away money while funneling the money to favored recipients, IMO.

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 In-N-Out Burgers

A few have opened in Colorado inclsing one eight miles from me. While I rarely do fast food, yesterday I stopped there. Long lines but a short wait. That place has it together. Price is about $2.00 less than the competitors and, IMO, a better tasting burger.

As always, YMMV

 

 

Things that Go Kaboom

 

 Armageddon on Demand - Upgraded

 An ambitious plan to upgrade the Minuteman III missiles in silos scatter around Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado and the impact on the people in the region.

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Pity Kimball, NE population 2,200.

The article mentions as many as 3,200 workers to be housed in Kimball. A pleasant, old oil/agriculture town with many vacant storefront buildings, it has long had a dark side of drug problems. The residents have kept the place from total disrepair. The streets are in decent shape, the park is neat and well kept, there is a small hospital, and the streets are plowed in the winter.

 Travel tip. The Nebraska State Patrol lurks under I-80 at Highway 71.

From the folks who brought you wolves

They now want to introduce wolverines. They have identified three areas they believe will support a wolverine population. I have my doubts that, long term, wolverines can find enough food to keep from starving. The occasional individual, sure, and they do wander in from time to time. Many years ago I saw one near Steamboat Springs. A pack, or several packs; doubtful.

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Gag Me

Plant based eggs? Why?

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Environazi Victim

The arrogant bastards made mandates forcing hasty engineer solutions by the manufacturers. The people needing trucks to make a living turned to desperate measures. This family owned business responded to customer needs and the patriarch got hammered by our government.

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 Notably, nobody in our government suffered any consequences for forcing disastrous mandates on people that left them no legal choice to survive.

 As always, YMMV

 

Wreck Recoveries (other than politics and wolves)

Something that interests me

Wrecker operations, and especially off road recoveries, interest me. There are several YouTube channels I watch. This recovery is impressive.

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The (P)regressive Way

Denver International Airport (DIA) is a Denver Democrat operative’s  cash cow. Everyone forced to use it pays the price. A question. Is this common around other major hubs?

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De-instituion

Seattle area, circa 1970’s had two women who fundamentally changed the way handicapped children and the mentally ill were treated.

 One, Katie Dolan founded and ran what became the Northwest Center in Seattle, a place for handicapped to receive services. Her obituary is here.

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The other, Francis Hadden Morgan, focused on the mentally ill and the way the state dealt with them. Her obituary is here.

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Some personal background to explain my interest.

 My first born, Sean, is autistic. We were living in the Salt Lake City area and there was nothing available for him. My wife was put into contact with Katie Dolan and soon we moved to Seattle. There were programs for Sean and he thrived, as much as was possible given his limitations.

 My wife, under Katie Dolan’s wing, became deeply involved with the needs of the handicapped. The initial draft of what became the Education for All Act was written on our dining room table.

 Along the way my wife, with my involvement, founded the Seattle Chapter of the National Autistic Society. This lead to many years of involvement in local politics including me being a Precinct Committeeman.

 Enough background.

 The ladies mentioned wanted, and fought hard for, a better life for the handicapped and mentally ill. Their vision was for community based housing and services instead of large impersonal state institutions. Worthy, even noble, with one fatal flaw; money. The institutions started closing before the community base was established. The community model never grew large enough to meet the need. Allocations resulted in bloated bureaucracies that used most of the funds for their operations with only a trickle going to the community model.

 This was Washington, but you can find the same pattern all across the country. That resulted in our current ‘unhoused’ situation.

 I recognize the above is simplistic. That is by design. You need a starting point when dealing with a huge and complicated problem.

My suggestion? Bring back the institutions and focus on making them work.

 For Colorado Readers

 Colorado accountability project is a daily read for me. Cory Gaines gets down in the weeds and shows how the state and NGOs spend taxpayers money in dribs and drabs that add up. The money is often siphoned from places like school and road allocations.

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 In other news, the (P)regressives have found ways to circumvent PDJT’s administration policies.

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I see busy work for lawyers.

But wait, there is more.

 Geothermal

Another green scheme for politicians to fund activities that can’t stand on their own financial merits.

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Wyoming Innovation – Mineral Separation

A near shelf ready process to separate minerals, including rare earths, and recover low grade uranium from contaminated sites.

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Buying vs Leasing

People ask me about this. The pro vs con, the pitfalls, etc. In general, don’t lease a vehicle for fewer miles than you anticipate driving. There are other factors to consider. The one thing people seldom overlook, and pointing this out to customers put many dollars in my pocket, is liability.

With any vehicle you purchase, cash or finance, you have full liability. You are an accident, your insurance company is obligated to ‘defend’ you and pay to the policy limits. They are not obligated to defend you they way you want to be defended. (Read the second paragraph of your Allstate policy). You have $100,000 coverage and your insurance company settles for $150,000. Guess who is on the hook for the $50,000?

 When you lease a vehicle, the lease company owns the vehicle and the liability. Your insurance company deals with them and any third parties.

 Yeah, WSF, okay, so what. If you are well off, you will get sued, because you have assets. Outside of dread diseases, a vehicle accident is possibly the greatest threat to your financial life. A whole section of the legal profession focuses on personal injury lawsuits.

 As an attorney working on a contingency, who would you prefer to go after; Mr and Mrs Comfortable Citizen, or Ford Motor Credit Corp, GMAC, Capitol One, etc., who own the vehicle and liability?

 Should you prefer to purchase, spend a few dollars with a competent attorney exploring LLCs, trusts, etc. Some may provide you with a legal shield.

MAGA breaking environazi rice bowls?

The Trump’s administration effort to rescind a 2009 EPA declaration on green house gases, etc., leading to ‘climate change’ threatens the whole climate change grievance industry. How dare they?

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 As always, YMMV

Wolves, Again!

 

Wolves

The Montana  solution.

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Health

Not complaining, simply reminiscing. Over the years, I’ve driven many poorly performing vehicles.

 One, a Ford Courier purchased in Kent, WA was running on three cylinders.  I drove to it 1,400 miles  to Brighton, CO. Top speed, 50+ mph. Crossing 1-80 in Wyoming, got behind a bull hauler and drafted him 180 miles at 85-90 mph. There are dozen more examples.

 Now 81, I’m down to 1/3 of my teeth. My gums won’t tolerate dentures. My knees are shot, my left shoulder has a separated tendon, and I’m having problems with my left hip. Conclusion? All those years of nursing along old crappy vehicles were preparation for the mental challenges of a body long past usable service date.

Pigs Fly

A bill introduced again in Congress by two communists, excuse me, Democrats that I can applaud.

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The devil will be in the details. Since (P)regressives are sponsoring it, some details will likely be “gotcha”.

Wyoming Trivia

The Cody mayor might not use her booking photo for a campaign poster. Will her arrest hurt her re-election chances? Likely no, in Wyoming.

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2^nd Amendment

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Something I wasn’t aware of. 1,000 a week? To be clear, I’ve never fired any of their product. Revolvers are what I prefer.

Buying Vehicles

The internet is awash with, “how to buy a car” videos.

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Many, for a small fee, will help you out!

In 1986 I started selling Suzuki Samurais as a stop gap until I could find another construction management job. To my surprise, I started making big dollars and was home in my own bed every night. I started reading every book on the subject of buying cars, from the consumer’s point of view. Dirty pool? Tough shit. Today, the amount of information available on the internet is over whelming.  

 These experts all seem to dwell on the “out the door price”. Good advice.

 The flaw in all this strategy is this; the seller/dealer isn’t obligated to sell to you, the consumers, on your terms. They own it, you want it, and the strongest “weapon” the seller has is, NO! The seller knows there is an ass for every seat. If not yours, someone else. Likewise, they will negotiate their way, not yours, if they want. Go along, or walk away, is your choice.

 So do your homework and make an effort to be prepared. Consider the amount of time you need to work for the money in the first place against the time you spend preparing.

 Extended warranties? Just say no. Just as a seller can say no, a repair facility has no obligation to accept a third party payer and that payer's terms and stipulations.

Pro tip. Unless you are paying in dead Presidents, the dealer has two customers; you and whoever is financing the purchase. On your own, visit your bank or credit union first, to find out what kind of loan you will qualify for.

In my personal life, I deal with credit unions. The only bank I have any dealings with is Chase for the Amazon credit card.

 As always, YMMV