WE JUST CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS

As far as material things go, I don't have a lot of what many would consider to be nice things. And I don't mean that in a self-depreciating way: my cars are old and my house is older, but I enjoy the things I have. So while no one is going to mistake a Fiero for a Ferrari, that's not the point. It's a fun car, despite being classic junk, and I enjoy it.

But when people driving Expeditions run stop signs, that has a way of rearranging things. While I've accepted that there's no point in trying to convince most people of how safe a Fiero actually is (they're built like butcher blocks, but everyone and their mother has a story about their brother whose sister's dad's cousin was killed because he rolled a Fiero while backing it out of the driveway), Jodi and I are fine. Despite seeing the Expedition's headlight in the vertical center of the passenger side window. So there's that.

The Fiero, on the other hand, isn't fine.

CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA: WACO 2.0 (BUT WITH MORE CAMERAS!)

From the video below: Who has the AR's and the body armor? I think we know the answer to that question. In any case, this is happens when people without tasers stand up to people with tasers.

Is this what Waco would have looked like with protesters? (Note: the video is not work friendly.)

Cliven Bundy is a rancher in Clark County, Nevada. The shortest version of how we got here is that Bundy has allowed his cows to graze on land that the federal Bureau of Land Management (the agency/bureau that the people in the video refer to as "BLM") deemed to be restricted for the sake of reviving the population of an endangered animal (some kind of desert tortoise). Bundy claims—and no one is disputing—that Bundy and his family have been allowing their cattle to graze on the land since well before the restrictions were put in place. As such, both Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management are claiming that Bundy owes "fees" for his use of the land*—Bundy acknowledges owing $300,000, whereas and the Bureau of Land Management indicates that he owes upwards of one million dollars.

Bundy does not appear to have any intention of paying the fees.

CARS NEED GAS, GUNS NEED BULLETS

What constitutes a "large amount of ammo?" If you own a gun, then you should possess ammunition. What one person considers to be "not enough" could easily be considered a "large amount" by someone else. I want numbers here—don't be vague, news voice. I demand to be impressed!

CHOOSING TO BE THE WEAKNESS

Any state, any entity, any ideology that fails to recognize the worth, dignity, the rights of man—that state is obsolete.

The state had the power to kill. Romney Wordsworth had no power whatsoever, yet he was able to bring the state to its knees with nothing more than an invitation and a locked door.

The power of the state itself was what allowed Romney Wordsworth's invitation and locked door to have such an effect. The state's power was a power which required a show in order to maintain and expand—the state had to show up in order to prove that it wasn't afraid of anything. The state had to show up in order to allow Romney Wordsworth to beg for his life, which the state expected he would. The state had to show that it had the power to deal with anyone who didn't fit its formula. The state thought it had all of the power. Romney Wordsworth knew that the state's claims of power were hollow, so he turned the state's power on itself and revealed it for what it was: just a show, albeit a show with deadly consequences.

SHOOTING THE SURPLUS STUFF

American elections are irrelevant to those who get surplus ammunition and *stuff* from former Warsaw Pact countries—most specifically, Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, and Russia. Individual politicians aren't terribly important. But with the current scuffle between the US and Russia regarding Ukraine, the run on ammunition that began in October of 2012 sure seems like it's going to get way, way worse for shooters of the surplus stuff.

The price of 7.62X54R ammunition was $0.21 per round as late as last Wednesday (3/12/14). The lowest available price-per-round this morning is $0.30, and the next best price is $0.45 (link) (if Cheaper Than Dirt shows up on top of the list, ignore the price—with those clowns, it's always unavailable). This is one of the downsides of shooting a surplus round—it's availability and price is subject to things like weather, wars, sanctions, and grandstanding in general.

For those who have purchased firearms and like to use them, this is an unfortunate thing. But for those who have never purchased a firearm in their life, it's no big deal ;-)

A NEW ANONYMITY

"I guess we look like everyone else now."

That's what my wife said as we drove to the grocery store. I was so focused on how easy it was to hear what she was saying that I barely grasped what she said. After a few long seconds, I agreed.

I'm new.

We had purchased a 2004 Lincoln LS earlier that day to replace a 25 year old car, which suddenly put us in a very common vintage vehicle. We're used to driving one of those old grandparent cars that are as square as the box that their parts came in. In one sense, nothing changed—we could blend in with the old car because it wasn't old enough to notice. Now we would blend in because everyone drives a ten year old car. To me—to both of us—it felt like a cheaper brand of anonymity.

THE DRIVEWAY SCENE GETS CHEEKY

Our cars have personalities. Sometimes they interact.




HI! I'M THE JEEP! I GET YOU FROM A TO B! DON'T YOU WANT TO GO FROM A TO B? YOU'RE AT A! I GET YOU TO B!

I'm Dolly.

I'm cold. And you're all boring. Every one of you.

Hey now. I can go places that you can't.

You mean when you're not broken? You spend more time on jack stands than tires.

DON'T YOU WANT TO GO FROM A TO B? LET'S GO TO B!

You sound like you're crying when you're starting. Does it really take 1000 revolutions to start that engine?

It does when it's a Chrysler engine. Boom!








Coming from a collection of parts that need to be fixed or repaired daily? Stay classy back there.








Classy--coming from a car that gets driven all of seven miles during the warmest months of the year.

You two aren't seriously arguing about reliability, are you?









I'M RELIABLE! I'LL ALWAYS GET YOU FROM A TO B!

WITH HANDLING THAT...geez, why am I yelling? With handling that will shake out everyone's dental fillings along the way!

WHAT'S HANDLING???

Yes, pickup--do tell! What is handling? This is rich.

Handling is what happens when one of you breaks: they drive me.

HAHAHAHAHA LET'S GO TO BEEEEEEEEEEEE!