Author: Kim du Toit

News Roundup

Bad News

All the news that’s fit to summarize.


…which worked SO well in the Middle Ages against bubonic plague, didn’t it?  And btw, the world was doing just fine until the godless Chinese started spreading yet another pandemic around the place.


…into what?


…meanwhile, in the real world where people have to eat…


…just as long as said undocumented workers can produce a 2019 or 2020 tax return.  (FIFY)


…you had me at “Mitt Joins With A Democrat”.

Coronavirus Bulldozes the 2020 Race Out of the Media Spotlight

…cloud, silver lining, etc. etc.


…oh, and Harry:  you know that $25 million yer Dad is going to send your way each year?  You get to pay U.S. taxes on it, when you eventually do have to get your green card in order to stay here full-time.  Welcome to America.


…told ya.


…and only a few dozen million of them were put together or handled by people infected with the virus.  Prove me wrong.

And finally:  


…and I didn’t see a single one.

Hoofbeats

Bad News

When the downfall of Western Civilization is chronicled in centuries to come, and historians say of us as we say now of the Roman Empire:  “How did such a thing happen?”, I would suggest that they first examine things like this, and the society which gave birth to them:

Belching Beaver Brewery’s ‘Viva La Beaver’ Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout

It is difficult, even for me, to enunciate just how much Wrong is inside one simple line of text.

Time for some restorative measures to take the taste out of my mouth… and it’s not even 7am CDT.

Auction Time: Choice #1

Drive Time

I promised to reveal my top 5 choices, following on from Saturday’s Auction Time post.  Here’s #1, the 1993 Land Rover NAS Defender 110:

I don’t know if I’d ever need to go off-road for any reason, but it’s nice to know that if I did, I’d have one of the best-ever vehicles for the task (with a proper 4-wheel drive, not that “all-wheel” nonsense) at my disposal.  (Maybe I’ve been influenced by Doc Russia’s Doom Wagon — here and here — just a little.)

Also, Mr. Free Market has one of these LWB 110s, and when I was Over There we put many  mile on it, en route to the various shooting ranges.  Apart from the kidney-shattering ride, I loved the experience — and it sure was nice to be able to throw muddy boots and such into the back without any misgivings about damage or dirt to the interior.

So yeah, that’s my #1 choice.  Its only serious competitor (in the utility vehicle category, that is) was the FJ Company’s (smaller) Toyota FJ43:

…which would be my backup pick should the Landy’s price get bid out to the stratosphere.

The rest of my choices will follow over the next four days.

Monday Funnies

Funny Stuff

And so we begin Self-Isolation Week 4:

But let’s not dwell on that, and bring on Teh Funny, the first of which was supplied to me by Reader Old Texan (thankee):

Remember the good old days, when we actually used to go to work?

…and something we all know:

But never fear:

And seeing as we’re wandering down that road:

And one final reminder: remember to maintain social distancing!!  Like this:

…and not like this:

Auction Time

Drive Time

There are times when I’m glad I’m not a Rich Bastard (a.k.a. Powerball winner) because I just know that after I’d bought a decent house, traveled a bit, bought a few guns (stop laughing) and settled down, I would undoubtedly get drawn into the world of car auctions.

So here’s this weekend’s “just suppose” game, assuming that your circumstances are as above.

You have several (hundreds of?) thousands of dollars that are burning a hole in yer wallet, and one day you come across this fiendish event.

Wait awhile to browse this page, while I outline what we’re going to be talking about today.

One of the things I like about events of this nature is the variety of stuff to be auctioned, because it takes away the usual “Which Ferrari would I pick?” question.  Here, you could indulge your taste not just for the exotic, but for the historic, eclectic, or even weird, e.g.:

And so, Gentle Readers, the only question to be asked is this:

In order of preference, which five cars or motorcycles would you bid on?

Remember, money is no object — we’re talking about scratching a lifelong itch, or checking off an item on Ye Olde Bucquette Lyste.  So go ahead and make your selections, and assume that all are in roadworthy condition and could be driven home, if need be.  You could decide on five supercars;  one supercar, two vintage and a weird car;  three saloon cars, a supercar and a one-of-a-kind car;  or a campervan, two sports cars and two motorcycles — whatever, the five choices are all yours.

(Note:  if you click on a car to read about it, you have to use the “Back” ( <– ) button to return to the main page.)

Starting on Monday, I’ll be revealing my five choices one at a time, one per day, with reasons.

I Know How You Feel

Bad News, Disaster

Sent to me by Mr. Free Market:

Truly, a sad situation.

Mr. FM is of course self-isolating, but there’s self-isolation, and then there’s self-isolation in Free Market Towers:

And the Free Markets are adapting, as any Stout Bulldogs will.  I’m told that Mrs. FM now uses a 6-foot bullwhip to administer the servants’ weekly flogging, so as to observe the proper degree of social distancing.