Wandering Wednesday, June 1

It’s hard to drive straight down a crooked road. It’s hard to be smart in a stupid world. No, those are not lyrics to some song I am writing.

“It’s hard to win an argument with a smart person. It’s damn near impossible to win an argument with a stupid person.”

– Bill Murray

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I have not been feeling well for a few days. I don’t know if the cause is allergies or not, but my sinuses hurt leading to other pains in the head. My GI tract has not been 100 percent, either.

I have written about this before, but I have never been blessed with good health. For example, I once caught the flu twice during one flu season about two months apart when I was in elementary school. I had my first kidney stone when I was 17.

As I get older, though, anytime a new ailment arises part of me worries that it could be very serious. My most recent blood work, blood drawn in early May, was good. As my primary care physician has told me, “I know you don’t feel well, but on paper you’re very healthy.”

What’s that joke about the tombstone of a hypochondriac? The tombstone reads, “See, I told you I was sick.”

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Do you want to read an update about my Z06? I really don’t want to write it, but…sure enough, our friend Bob and I were right in that the ECM (the main “brain” of the car, sometimes known as the ECU) will have to be replaced. The dealer that has now had the car for more than six weeks finally got General Motors tech support involved. They recommended replacing the ECM. At this point, I’m guessing it will be at least another week until the car is back home, hopefully for good this time.

This experience has led me to start thinking about selling the car. Is that cutting off my nose to spite my face? Maybe, but it’s difficult to drive/own a car that can’t be trusted.

IF I sell the Z06, the car pictured below would be my first choice:

See the source image

This is a Lexus LC convertible. Lexus has ranked at the top of the annual JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study something like 11 times in the last 12 years. My wonderful wife has owned two Lexus convertibles and while the second one was boring (an IS 250C), the cars never gave her major trouble. The second one did have a GPS system that didn’t always seem to know where you were and the AC system had to “cleaned” by the dealer twice in the 25 months she owned the car. Still, the cars always started, drove, steered and stopped. That’s more than I can say about my Z06.

The only drawback to the LC convertible is the price; it is not possible to find one without major accident damage for under $100,000. My wonderful wife and I test drove the LC coupe in January, 2018 and were very impressed. Before the Z06 crapped out on me I was considering the purchase of a convertible as a companion. Buying an LC convertible kills two birds with one stone.

I would appreciate any thoughts from any of you.

#WanderingWednesday

#LexusLCConvertible

#somanyCARSjustonelife

#disaffectedmusings

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Tuesday Truth

“We’re churning out a generation of poorly educated people with no skill, no ambition, no guidance, and no realistic expectations of what it means to go to work.”

– Mike Rowe

Truer words have never been spoken. Here is the link to the Mike Rowe Works Foundation.

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As I have recounted ad nauseum, I am not blessed with good health. I have chronic conditions for which I must take prescription medications every day. I also have other conditions that flare up from time to time and that also must be treated with prescription medications.

I am currently suffering from one of the latter conditions. I spoke with someone in the office of the relevant health care provider yesterday morning and was told a prescription would be sent to the nearest pharmacy. I am still waiting for my script.

This condition almost proved fatal in 2004. I had surgery, ultimately unsuccessful, in an attempt to remedy the situation in 2013. I suspect allergies and stress as a trigger for the relapse, but the prescription meds have always worked. They can’t work, though, if I can’t take them because the practitioner neglected to send the script to the pharmacy.

I know almost everyone is very stressed right now, but people should still do their jobs.

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Mundua gorroto dut eta sentimendua elkarrekikoa da.

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From a reply to a comment by markcars2014:

Although I used to change the oil and lube the fittings on my first car—a 1967 GTO, my father was also a mechanic and ran an Amoco station—my interest has always been more in design, engine output and market evolution.

When I was in college I used to dream of starting my own car company. I would “make up” specs and write ad copy. As I lack any artistic talent I didn’t draw any cars. I am getting a little misty-eyed thinking of my younger days when almost anything seemed possible. Youth IS really wasted on the young.

Oh, you should read the comments…one of the reasons I so badly want to move to a new area is the slight possibility the move could open some doors for me to have a more productive and more fulfilling life. Remember that I wrote a book The Wall Street Journal called without a doubt the best book of its kind ever written. The fact that this country is drowning in credential-ism, political correctness and age discrimination doesn’t change the fact that I have a lot to offer.

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OK, something calming and wonderful…

See the source image

From The Drive a picture of the new Lexus LC Convertible. The coupe is stunning and so is this convertible.

The convertible is powered by the same 5-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 used in the non-hybrid version of the coupe and uses the same 10-speed automatic transmission. The engine produces 471 HP/398 LB-FT of torque and that enables the convertible to accelerate from 0-60 MPH in 4.6 seconds. The MSRP for the base version is $101,000.

I guess the twin-turbo V-8 that had been rumored will not be produced, but this convertible is something else, in my opinion.

I know David Banner (not his real name) is a big fan of this car. What about the rest of you?

#TuesdayTruth

#MikeRowe

#LexusLCConvertible

#somanycarsjustonelife

#disaffectedmusings

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Gray Monday

The weather here matches my mood. My wonderful wife is off on a week-long business trip and I am already quite sad. Be careful and be safe, V Squared! I LOVE YOU!!!

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From corvetteblogger.com and AbsolutHank a leaked picture of the rear end of the C8 Corvette:

[PIC] LEAKED: Here is the Rear End of the C8 Mid-Engine Corvette

I guess this could be a fake although the official reveal is just ten days away. I wonder if I will see one before our trip to Bowling Green in late August. I can’t imagine we won’t see the C8 there.

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From this article:

“Roughly 80 percent of millionaires in America are the first generation of their family to be rich. They didn’t inherit their wealth; they earned it. How? According to a recent survey of the top 1 percent of American earners, slightly less than 14 percent were involved in banking or finance.

Roughly a third were entrepreneurs or managers of nonfinancial businesses. Nearly 16 percent were doctors or other medical professionals.

Lawyers made up slightly more than 8 percent, and engineers, scientists and computer professionals another 6.6 percent.”

Wealth doesn’t just exist; it is created by people in the private sector. Government exists to protect property rights, not to usurp them.

I am not a blind adherent of any political ideology, at least I don’t think I am. I disagree with many/most tenets of conservative policy, but on this matter I don’t. Government has no right to confiscate wealth for its own ends. Keep your hands out of our pockets or we will cut off your hands. (It should go without saying, but nevertheless: I am speaking metaphorically, not literally.)

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See the source image

From motorauthority.com a picture of a camouflaged Lexus LC convertible prototype that was unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this past weekend. While I would be more excited to learn of a twin-turbo engine for the LC, which has been teased for a long time, a convertible is interesting news as well.

As EVERYONE who reads this blog knows I loathe the industry/market trend towards SUVs and pickup trucks. As everyone also knows I think obesity is a prime cause of the shift.

#MyWonderfulWife

#C8Corvette

#MythofWealth

#somanycarsjustonelife

#disaffectedmusings

If you like this blog please tell your friends and share the blog URL (https://disaffectedmusings.com). Thanks.