On the End of an Era - Part 1

I sold The Golden Beauty today.

See the money shot featured below.

Now I no longer own a sedan built in the 1990s. I don't know who I am anymore.

I sold her in a private party transaction. I went to a sketchy part of town tonight and met the prospective purchaser (and, of course, potential thief or murderer) at a warehouse where he told me to go on the phone after dark to receive the payment, exchange paperwork, and otherwise close the deal. He paid me in cash. I went to the meeting by myself. This violated (egregiously) my policy of limiting my exposure to potentially life-threatening situations in the interest of achieving one of my life-time goals (meeting my great-grandchildren).

But he seemed trustworthy. So I trusted my judgment.




And it worked out just fine.

I was amused at my anxiety (as described above) because just as we were leaving his shop for him to drive me back to my office after the transaction so I could eventually get home, his father showed up (he and his father run an auto mechanic's shop) just to make sure that I wasn't killing him and stealing the money he brought to the closing.

He told me that he thought I seemed trustworthy and that he decided to trust his judgment.

And it worked out just fine for him too.

See, life is awesome.

On Gettin' Lucky - Part 1

So I'm playing a quick game of hearts on my computer tonight before I finish up a quick spot of work before bed. And I'm playing pretty fast. And I collected all the hearts and the queen of spades in one hand. On accident. I didn't even realize it. And of course since my only heart was the ten of hearts, my computerized opponents are complete morons. There's no way they should have allowed me to do it.

Good times!

On Learning About Life - Part 1

Recommended reading for the libertarian-ellectually curious:

Lew Rockwell on the Dangers we Face and how Capitalism and Freedom are Essential for the Triumph of Humanity over the Forces of Evil (including Government).

Dig it.

On Televised Crimes - Part 1

So we were watching the episode of Desperate Housewives from the week before this where Roseanne's sister went crazy and took a bunch of hostages at the market and then after awhile during the show she shot and killed one of the hostages and then just a little bit later on the show Roseanne's sister was going to shoot that woman who used to be on Sportsnight and some other guy from the show (who apparently is a pedophile, per tonight's episode) threw a projectile of some heft and bulk into Roseanne's sister's head so the bullet only hit the woman who used to be on Sportsnight in the shoulder and she lived.

And then a few moments later on the show a woman who was one of the hostages picked up Roseanne's sister's gun off the floor and shot Roseanne's sister in the head and killed Roseanne's sister.

I took two bar exams. I studied a lot. One of the subjects on there was criminal law. Based on my recollection, the woman who shot Roseanne's sister on there is guilty of murder. Roseanne's sister did not have the weapon. She was not a danger to the woman who killed her or any of the other people in the market. Shooting her could not be self defence.

I think it's quite possible that this sort of thing happens from time to time in real hostage crises.

And I wonder if the hostage who kills the criminal gets prosecuted?

THE MATRIX HAS YOU ...

. . . read this.