FAFO

Damn Fools

Too easy to judge the actions of these people when facts and motivations aren’t known. Disillusioned? Escaping a domestic situation? Who knows?

Certainly the high Rockies in winter are dangerous places to be.      

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Forest Fires: Climate Change or Management?    

This study ignores the poor management practices prevalent today. Piss poor science, IMO.

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YUGO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSs6McRGZdU&ab_channel=JeffDunham

Mega dealer Cal Worthington had a Yugo dealership in Federal Way, WA. The dealership had some weird financing scheme where you could get a Yugo for under $100 a month. What was weird was the balance owed didn’t go down at all until the final payment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOsLdT4slsk&ab_channel=CherylMcCoy\

When a Yugo pulled onto the lot the experienced salesman scattered. Some green pea would get the up. The Yugo drivers usually had a ‘thousand yard stare’. When the dealership called for a payoff on the trade, it was always $4,000+.

My only Yugo experience was driving a trade in from the customer’s house. They were afraid to drive it! No big deal for the twenty or so miles; just another car. It didn’t seem any worse that a Chevette we once owned. That was a tough car! It lasted nearly eighteen months with my ex driving it.

The Chevette had a toothed pulley that drove the timing belt. This pulley had a tiny pin that slid into the driveshaft. The damn pin was always breaking. Whenever I visited the wrecking year to find one I would collect as many as I could find and would end up using them.

Luckily the kids weren’t with her when she wrecked that wretched little car. I replaced it with a huge Chrysler. 

Shit stirring question?

Federal payroll taxes are direct taxes and are remitted directly to the IRS. Constitutional? Is there a way that those taxes are remitted to the states first, and then the states remit them to the IRS? Imagine if individual states controlled the process. Might bring the swamp/sewer to a breaking point.

In Your Face

Emperor Polis continues to stick it to rural Colorado.

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He has presidential aspiration and is trying to position himself as some kind of Libertarian. In fact, he is now, and always has been, a Boulder County (P)regressive.

Failing to win the Presidential nomination, and being term limited, he will likely set his sights on the 2026 senate seat.

More Scientific Gibberish

Will more public funding be needed? Does a bear………

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Even someone with a modest education, such as me, can learn via the internet. When it comes to ‘climate change’ YouTube offers topics like, Milankovitch Cycles and Polar Vortecs. The more I learn, the more skeptical of breathless Chicken Little pronouncements like huge increase in sea level, the Gulf Stream dying, greenhouse gasses, etc.  

As always, YMMV

The Winter Fool

Some comments on recent blogs centered on vehicles and winter driving prompt more development. The elephant in the room is why I do it? Short answer is usually I’m paid.

The picture is from one of my vehicles. My truck is far better equipped as I often venture to the back of beyond in it.

The small beat up backpack goes into any vehicle I’m driving. It carries supplies to keep me from hypothermia and frostbite for up to 72 hours. At my age and fitness I’m not walking far, especially in winter conditions, so I need to hunker down until the roads are opened.

 If I must travel or move around on foot, I have YAKTRAXs, slip on cleats. Mine are several years old and still serviceable.

A lot of what goes into winter driving preparation is from lessons learned. As an example, my father once spent four days on top of US 40 Berthoud Pass because avalanches closed both sides. He was ok but many of the others stranded weren’t. Being the man he was, he helped all who needed it. 

When he, and my older relatives, talked about what worked and what didn’t I listened closely.

As an example, if you need to move just a few feet, jack up your vehicle and slip your floor mats under the tires. You should be able to move a few feet. Repeat as needed. NOTE: If you can’t turn off your traction control you are screwed.

One thing not available to my father was the internet. I click on the National Weather Service and various state highway condition sites before I venture out. I will still go but with less stress about what I may find.

There are many sites and resources for what to include in a “GO” bag. YMMV. I’m not looking for the comfort of a Holiday Inn Express room, just survival.

A large part of my life centers around the phrase, “Winners do what losers won’t”. Yes, it bites me in the ass from time to time but I’m rarely bored.

Possibles

"I don't care if you go naked, take all the clothes you possible can".

                            Era (Erie) Burtis
                           Wyoming Rancher

Heading my late grandfather's advice, and knowing winter is coming, checked and repacked my daily possibles sack. A roller bag/backpack, it goes into whatever vehicle I'm driving.

Two winters ago I was in Cheyenne during a blizzard and decided to return home. Ignoring the barricades closing Interstate 25, started South. Ran off the road. The Prius I was driving won't let you turn off the traction control so I spent the next six hours in the ditch. No problem as I was prepared.

Had I been able to disable the traction control, I would have jacked up the car, put the floor mats under the driving tires, and backed out of the ditch. Might have taken a few tries but I only had about eight feet to go to get back on pavement.

That whole kit was under $200 including the thrift store sourced backpack.