8 AM today marked the beginning of the last third of 2021. As I have written before, my OCD-addled brain divides many events into thirds so I can clearly delineate the beginning, the middle and the end.
Today’s post title could also refer to the distinct possibility that, despite denials from some WordPress staff, the end of 2021 will mean the end of access to the WordPress Classic Editor, which will almost certainly mean the end of my blogging. I think WordPress management understands that the new Block(head) Editor is not popular with many users, but simply does not want to admit a mistake.
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Despite not posting for four consecutive days, and despite the posts for the two days prior being nothing but a title and a picture or two, blog views for August reached a level not seen since May. Many thanks. For you numbers nerds out there (like me), the zero-order correlation coefficient between the number of views in a month and the number of posts (since January, 2020) is .58, a fairly strong correlation.
Views per day for August were 18 percent higher than for June/July. On the other hand, the August figure was 13 percent lower than the daily average for the period from October, 2020 through May, 2021.
Once again…if you like this blog please let your friends know and share the blog URL (https://disaffectedmusings.com), please feel free to “Like” posts and to submit thoughtful comments, and please feel free to click on any ads in which you have genuine interest.
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I wasn’t going to write about this, but…the second of two bad events in August was my wonderful wife being involved in a four-car accident. She is fine and was not at fault, but the person at fault slammed into the back of our 2015 Cadillac ATS.
Even though the car is drivable, the distinct possibility exists that the car will be classified as a total loss by the other driver’s insurance company. That possibility stems from the high cost of body work and paint and the fact that, at least in Arizona, if the estimated repair is more than 70%-75% of the value of the car, the insurance company will call the car a total loss and pay the party the value instead of for the repair. Maybe that’s true almost everywhere.
If the car is deemed a total loss, then, of course, we have to buy another car. My wonderful wife brought this one to my attention. What do you think?
From hdcarwallpapers is a picture of an Infiniti Q60, in this case a 2017 model. I immediately thought of my less than pleasant experience with my 2011 Infinti G37x coupe and its AWFUL CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). However, I think by 2017 the CVT was not used in Infiniti cars and the Q60 is supposed to have a “normal” seven-speed automatic transmission.
The car fits our parameters (length, trunk volume, four seats, two-door coupe) although it will cost more than we paid for the ATS. Still, the fact that we have to consider buying another car is not the boon it might appear to be. While not all of them are bad drivers, it seems to us that a large segment of people driving in Arizona are inconsiderate, inattentive and overly aggressive. Maybe all of those commercials for “injury” attorneys are aired for a reason.
Back to the Q60…we would probably opt for the 3-liter V-6, but not the Red Sport performance version–too expensive. The base V-6 is a twin-turbo engine that produces 300 HP/295 LB-FT of torque. That’s enough power for a grocery car/taxi.
Once again, what do you think? Should we buy an armored car instead?
#TheBeginningOfTheEnd
#NumbersNerds
#InfinitiQ60
#somanycarsjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
Well, that must feel like a kick in the head. Having followed the search for the car and finally acquiring the Cadillac, it’s a shame it was involved in an accident. Of course that’s great news to hear your wife is ok, and it is ‘just a car’ in the end. If it was ‘slammed’ yeah I’d say it’s likely it’d be a loss, just due to the cost of body panels, prep, paint etc. That doesn’t even account for the feeling some people get that the car is never quite the same after a large repair.
On the possible positive side, that is a nice looking Infiniti.
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Thanks, Mark. Glad to read you like the looks of the Infiniti.
Most people here really can’t drive. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
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Sorry to hear that your grocery getter got squashed. I’ll echo Mark in saying I’m glad your wife wasn’t squashed also. And that it wasn’t her Corvette that got wrecked.
In the event the car ISN’T totaled, try for a “diminished value” settlement from the insurance company (hopefully the guilty party has insurance). The wreck will show up on Carfax and WILL impact the resale value. Even if it only goes on a frame machine to check it, that will show on the Carfax also. The truck I bought last year had been on one but the owner (original owner) had the paperwork showing it was only to verify alignments after a blown tire and guardrail scrape, and no frame work was done.
After spending several months working in Phoenix nearly 4 years ago, yes the drivers are bad. However, in my travels they didn’t seem any worse than LA, Miami, Atlanta, or any city/town with more than 20 residents. Everyone is impatient, and more important than everyone else, so eff everyone else.
In lieu of an armored car; I know you’re not a fan of pickup trucks, and they make lousy grocery getters, but what worked for me for several years was a 1981 Dodge 150, known as my yella dawg, due to the 2nd d being missing on the hood and it being painted butterscotch from the factory. I did a quick refresh on the 318 but left the exterior as it was, dented, paint missing, mis-matched hubcaps on one side and only one on the other side, etc. Made a rat rod look like a museum car. Most folks would look at it and think; That POS with that redneck driving CAN’T have any insurance and would get as far away from it as they possibly could.
The 6″ diameter pipe I used to make front and rear bumpers probably helped also. 🙂
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Thanks for your thoughts, DDM. Your point about drivers being bad everywhere is well-taken.
As every regular reader knows, I am not a fan of pickup trucks or SUVs. However, in the 1-in-300,000,000 chance we win a big lottery jackpot I have often thought about having a custom-built, bullet-proof, bomb-proof SUV. The scary thing, though, is that such a vehicle might tempt me to play vigilante, which would probably not have a good outcome.
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I did forget to mention; be prepared for sticker shock when/if you have to start car shopping. Prices in the last several months have gotten absolutely crazy. That mini van I bought earlier this year? I brought it by the dealer where we get our work trucks and the used vehicle sales manager offered $4800 for it, $1400 more than I paid only 8 months ago.
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Yes, DDM, I have already had sticker shock in looking at used cars. I was, however, somewhat prepared in that I am aware of what has happened in the automobile market in the past few months. It is what it is and if we have to buy another car, we’ll have to pay what we pay.
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Wow! I admit to being behind in reading blog posts from those I follow. I’ve been really busy lately getting ready for a month-long road trip, and dealing with some, thankfully now, minor medical issues.
Sorry to see your grocery-getter getting bashed. I suspect your thoughts on whether your vehicle might be totaled are likely accurate. I think this is pretty common around the country, not just Arizona, though I can’t speak with any authority.
My accident last winter resulted in only about a 50-percent of current resale value repair. Since hitting black ice and spinning into the median is my fault, my insurance company made the decision to repair it, and I will suffer a nearly doubled increase in premium on insurance in that car for the next three years. Still and all, I’m not complaining, it will be far less than the 11 grand they shelled out on my behalf.
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Thanks, JS. I remember reading about your ice-induced mishap (maybe in an email), but not about the insurance ramifications. Hope your medical issues are under control or well behind you. I will resist the punchline… 🙂
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