My Obsession (well, just one of 'em anyway)

DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. Thou shalt not blame family nor friends nor employer for what you may read here.


I'm just gonna come right out & say it: I have an unhealthy attachment to my car.  Just so you're not surprised, I refer to my car as "her", "she", and by her name: Ruffian.  Yes, I named my car.  Hey, I warned you about this two sentences ago.


I brought her home on Sept. 25, 2010.  She, Ruffian, is a 2006 MINI Cooper S.  6-speed manual transmission.  British Racing Green with white mirrors & roof.  She is as almost as decked-out as you can order a MINI, she is special, and she is mine.  Here she is:

The above photo is Ruffian's current state.  Below is a photo taken by Boca Ciega Bay on the day I brought her home.

The only real difference is that I removed the factory bonnet stripes, and had some custom stripes installed on the bonnet & boot.  That's hood and trunk, respectively, for the uninitiated.  Speaking of which...the MINI (for those who don't know) is a hybrid of German & British engineering.  The interior & exterior style belie the English roots of the original MINI, and the current cars (or at least mine) are assembled in Oxford, England.  But as MINI is now owned by BMW, some of the mechanical workings & inner components are German.  A word of advice: don't ever try to convince a MINI owner that their car is German, you'll be causing offense (or "offence").

Anyway, this car is my dream car (or one of 'em), and that somewhat fuels my attachment.  See, like many other people, I daydream about winning the lottery.  Ever since I saw MINI Coopers reappear stateside back in '02 or so, I wanted one.  So I thought, as I sometimes do, if I hit the big money, what would I do, what would I buy?  Yeah, Ferrari is at the top of the list, but I thought "my family would think I'm way over-the-top" if I ever bought an F-car, even if I could afford one.  And shit, as a daily driver?  Fun, but not wholly practical, and I'd be so worried about dings & getting keyed I think some of the thrill would actually be paranoia.  And let's be real, the odds of winning the lottery are like the odds of finding a reasonable, sane , Republican.  So, figuring what kinda income I'll have & what my expenses & priorities are, I figured that a MINI Cooper would be a realistic dream car, something I'd have a decent shot at actually owning some day.  

My car is used, which means that someone else took the hit of depreciation.  My baby had <30,000 miles when I brought her home, so with an average of 7500 miles/year, she's been gently owned.  I had initial plans to buy new, and get a long-term loan (5 yrs), and spec out a modest new car.  

A family member suggested I think about a used car, which did - and does - make a lot of sense in so many ways.  So I started looking, and voila, found this beauty over in Brandon.  On the surface, from what I learned via the online add, this car was all I was looking for, and then some.  She's an S, which means this baby has a supercharged engine.  She has the MINI sport package (better suspension, fog lights) and the premium package (sunroof & some other goodies), and a convenience package (integrated universal garage door opener, rain-sensing wipers, auto-on headlights), and special order wheels.  She also has a two-tone leather interior, Xenon headlights, and an iPod adapter (factory).  Ordering my own car, I could never have afforded leather, the third package, nor the iPod adapter.  But buying used, I got all I had hoped for, and much much more.  My first thoughts were to get a black car, but BRG (Brit. Racing Grn) was in my top 3 of favorite colors.  The BRG is just a perfect color for a MINI, given the nationality & racing heritage, a properly spec'd car inside & out.  So you can see why I think this car is my dream car.

In addition, Ruffian is an R53: the "first gen" build of the S, which ran from '02 - '06.  This being said, I have a supercharger instead of a turbo charger, and I have a lovely burbling, rumbling exhaust note when I decelerate.  I also hear the fantastic whine of the SC when it spools up around 3000 RPMs.  This car is an auditory and visual delight.  And then you drive the fucking thing.  

See, the common first reaction to a MINI is "gee, isn't that a cute car?!", or some use the adjective "adorable".  While the styling is unique, and very pleasing to my eye, I'll cede that it does have elements of the other two descriptors.  But don't be fooled, this car is a beast.  Auto reviewers say it has go-kart handling, and it sure does. This car corners as if it rides on rails.  And the take-off of this car is impressive.  I don't condone reckless driving, and excessive speeds should really be limited to a track or closed course, but I'll admit I have hit triple digit speeds in my MINI, just to see how it would feel, how she'd handle it.  Well, the results were 1) rock solid and 2) famously well.  This car is just stuck to the road (hence its popularity in autocross).  But it also has plenty of giddyup.  

I learned this as I brought the car home.  I endured ten minutes of suburban driving to leave the dealership & get outta Brandon, hitting the interstate thereafter.  I took I-4 north to 75 west to 275 south to get home - a nice stretch of higher speed driving.  As I hit the on ramp I accelerated & shifted through the gears: 3rd, 4th, 5th, just waiting for some indication that the car was happy at a certain speed.  But nope, she just kept pulling, and pulling, and pulling.  MINIs have a great top end, and the torque exists throughout a wide range of RPMs.  Shit, they really start to come alive, and the fun really begins at 4K revs.  I was really expecting some sign from the car that we'd hit a happy cruising speed.  My old Camry could handle 80+, but was really happy at about 70-75.  As I've found out, this car makes 100 feel very comfortable, very manageable, and it's very clear there's more there.  

One of the first thoughts I remember was "holy shit, she likes to run, just like a thoroughbred."  So immediately I knew the car was a "she", and she seemed like a racehorse charging out of the gates, going faster.  Faster.  Faster.  So after a quick ride home that had me smiling from ear to ear I started searching for famous/legendary thoroughbred fillies.  And found about about Ruffian, a racer from the '70s.  Ruffian won an ungodly number of races, and lost only her late one (during which she broke her leg), and never raced again. But, according to the knowledgeable fans of the sport, Ruffian is widely considered to be the best, most famous, renowned female racing horse in history.  And hence the name was given, and it seems to fit.

My unhealthy attachment to my car, to Ruffian, causes me to say goodnight to her before I go to bed. Yes, I stick my head in the garage & tell my car goodnight, and to sleep well.  When I'm at work I walk by the doors just to peek out at the parking lot.  Not so uncommonly, I park farther away from store entrances so as to avoid other cars & wide-swinging doors that can so carelessly mar a nearby vehicle.  As Ruffian is my baby, my dream car, I certainly have taken more interest in her appearance.  In retrospect, I almost feel like I neglected my previous cars, as they never got the amount of attention Ruffian does.  It could be the new car honeymoon, but I doubt it.  The two hours I spend every other week or so caring for her is so worth it, and I feel bad when she's dirty & I don't have a chance to clean her up.  I have an 11 step regimen I go through to clean her inside & out, from washing to spray waxing, from cleaning the wheels to applying tire black & a light coat of spray wax to prevent brake dust from sticking.  She gets vacuumed, interior dusted, the whole nine yards.  And my girl, she deserves it, and looks great for it.  Ruffian has been & will continue to be a daily driver, and yes, being four years old she has some rock chips in her hood.  But no dents, no major scratches.  And I intend to keep her looking this way, as close to new as I can.  And to that end the cleaning is well worth the time, and the money spent on supplies to keep my car looking her best.  

I know when I drive Ruffian I have something unique.  MINIs are obviously not "belly button cars" (everybody has one), this is no Mustang or Nissan Altima or Acura.  The styling, the performance, the driving experience are all different when you drive a MINI.  In fact, you don't "drive", you motor. ; )  You have a boot instead of a trunk, and a bonnet instead of a hood.  You have a helluva lot of fun driving anywhere & everywhere, and a special feeling you get from few other cars.  Many people who truly love cars & really love to drive, and have the money for the really upper end shit (Ferrari, Porsche, Maserati, etc.) have MINIs for daily drivers & as part of their stables.  So, if it's good enough for that crowd, it's surely good enough for me, and worthy of anyone & everyone's respect, and my obsession.   

So that's it.  I've come clean & 'fessed up to being a car freak.  Maybe not a total gearhead, but something of a speed freak, and certainly attached at the hip, and in spirit, to my car, my MINI, my girl, Ruffian.

Long Overdue

DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. Thou shalt not blame family nor friends nor employer for what you may read here.


It's been a long, long time since I've posted.  If anyone was ever following me before, I'm sure they aren't now out of disinterest due to my inactivity, and I can't/couldn't blame 'em.  One of my new changes of habit will be to keep up more regularly on my blogging if for no other reason than it's cathartic & a good way to flush the mental pipes, drain my brain now & then.


So, the random matters I've been ruminating on lately:


* We have a really beautiful planet, and it's a shame if we continue to ruin it.  I was enjoying a brisk, windy day on Indian Rocks Beach just before sunset, spacing out listening to the waves, watching the birds flit about the water line when this came to me.  As the top of the food chain & having the largest, harshest impact on our environment, we really need to do a better job taking care of it.


* We as a country need to take one deep breath & one big step forward, and finally legalize pot.  Prohibition just does not work, haven't we learned that once already?  We need to take advantage of the financial gains to be had,  and get w/the times, not to mention probably see a decrease in the drug cartel violence along the Mexican border.  


* Christmas really is a pretty cool season.  This being the beginning of the second year in my house I put up a Christmas tree (artificial & pre-lit to be straight), and some lights outside the house.  Even though there's no snow - and not bitching in the least - the decor makes it feel more Winterish & Christmas-y.  (Fuck, did I really just use that word?!)  No matter what, I'm enjoying it.


* I hate to work.  I pretty much like my job, I'll admit, and I really like the people I work with.  It's just that I hate to work, living by someone else's schedule.  Not only that, but I don't think I'm taking advantage of all my talent, and feel like I'm meant for something more, something bigger.  In the meantime I am challenged at my job; I can't say I've ever really been totally bored.  I make a decent living at a decent company, and get some good benefits.  So, I have to work for someone/something else, I think I've got it pretty good as it stands.


* I got a little envelope from Bonefish Grill in the mail this weekend.  Inside was a gift card for $10, and a CD of some unknown (at least to me) artists, up & comers so to speak.  I thought that was pretty cool.  I did BFG & will go up for a pint or two & some Bang Bang shrimp soon, and the CD has 9 or so pretty good songs.  I like hearing new music, and I thought it was cool that Bonefish did this.  I'm already a fan of the place & the food, but this just kinda made me like them even moreso.


Alright, so I think that's it for now.  I don't wanna ramble on too much w/o having some clear idea of where I'm heading or what I'm writing, so I'll wrap.  But I think this is something I need to get back to, and will have to make a more concerted effort to do so.  Ciao for now.

The State of the Union

DISCLAIMER: this blog is mine & mine alone. Thou shalt not blame family nor friends nor employer for what you may read here.

Wow, it's been a looong time since I last wrote anything here. This post is long overdue from a writing perspective, and I think some commentary on the subject of the condition of the United States is also long overdue.

I have some pent-up angst to flush out. Much of it due to the Tea Party bullshit artists, the latest BP disaster, and the Goldman-Sachs legal issues. That's the backlog of shit on my mind & what's been grinding on my conscience, but the real trigger was a video a friend of mine posted on Facebook. It's a video of Jon Voight reading his - for lack of a better term - open letter to America. He blathers about Obama & how he's turning this into a socialist state, and he also mentions that capitalism is the bedrock of America, and how it's the only true way that we'll succeed.

Well, let me shoot a couple of holes in his letter. First, I think that most Americans go into some sort of tizzy when they hear the word "socialist". The conjure up images of Nazi Germany or the USSR of the Cold War. But think about this: the US was originally a socialist state. What I mean is that when the pilgrims traversed the Atlantic, they established colonies & settlements. What were these colonies? Social living. Everyone shared food, water, and other resources. Everyone worked together to raise buildings & establish shelter. It was not an every-man-for-himself (or woman-for-herself) society. If it would've been that way, we wouldn't be where we are now. The colonists would've perished without working together. To quote a line from the Lost character Jack Shephard: "either we live together, or we die alone".

I don't think our nation is at such a critical tipping point now where if we refuse to work together we all die, but the concept still holds true. I think that so many people have gotten so greedy that the thought of sharing resources with another is abhorrent. This isn't standing on principle, or protecting what you've earned, this is greed. This is lack of concern for one another. I don't believe anyone thinks of the credo "I am my brother's keeper" anymore. That has totally gone by the wayside.

I firmly believe in a theory or concept of communal good. As I prosper, so will you. As you prosper, so will your neighbor. It's a chain effect: if one wins, we all win. But that sentiment has been totally lost along the way. So has the philosophy of the greatest good of the greatest many being the primary concern of any society. It so happens that those people bitching about the socialism are the richest in this country, or just the greediest. But let's look at the rich. Something like 90% of the wealth is held by 2% of the population. If we use the second philosophical tenet I mention, they'd have no say, as they are the clear minority, and their welfare should not, and would not, be the concern of the majority. So many people were opposed to HCR (healthcare reform), as the Republicans & Teabaggers painted HCR as redistribution of wealth. Like we were really taking money from the rich & giving to the poor. In reality individuals making over $250k and couples making over $400k would pay higher taxes, yes. But is this money going directly into the pockets of the underprivileged? Nope. It would be used to pay for visits to the doctor. And frankly, if one person makes 1/4 of a million dollars, or two people make just shy of one half million, I have zero sympathy for the extra 2% or 3% tax they'll pay. If you make that much, you should. And if it really REALLY hurts you, then you might wanna scale back your lifestyle & get real, get with the fucking times.

Now, let's get to capitalism, one of Voight's points. Jon seems to think that capitalism is just the shit, the best thing since sliced bread. With that in mind, what are the two biggest crises we've faced lately? One is the economic crash of '08, the other is the Deepwater Horizon disaster. At the core, what was the cause of both of these events? It was part greed, part lack of regulation, and both of those in pursuit of MONEY. This is capitalism folks: doing whatever it takes to allow business to make money.

Goldman-Sachs, as we now know, put together some very very dicey mortgage-backed securities, which it peddled to investors. And oh yeah, G-S 1) knew these securities would lose money and 2) bet money that they would. G-S put together losing propositions, made money when selling them, then hedged their bets in the event that the inevitable happens, and they fail. G-S made millions or billions on these deals. And it wasn't just one broker or financial wiz that is culpable, it goes way up into the executive ranks. So there's the greed part. There was also a gross lack of regulation or oversight of these securities. The gov't didn't know enough about the securities to look into them efficiently or closely, or recognize the warning signs or foul stench of poison. And even if they did, there are enough smarties in finance to work their way through loopholes in the regulations. And what happened? Well, the housing market collapsed, the stock market almost went 100% Titanic on us, millions of people lost trillions of dollars of wealth, and millions lost their jobs. Two years later and the recovery is still shaky at best, if you can even call it a recovery, and I'm not so sure about that. We're out of free-fall, and maybe the economy is growing a little. But this ain't no fuckin' recovery. Just ask the millions of people who've exhausted unemployment benefits & are still no closer to a job than they were at this time last year. And who shall we thank for this? Wall Street. Lehman Brothers. Bear-Stearns. G-S. And all the rest.

For the sake of brevity I won't even get into the Wankers of Wall Street & how they went right back to giving exec's & portfolio managers utterly gross bonuses while the rest of the country is still rotting. That's another topic for another time.

As for BP, by now we know that we have the biggest environmental disaster in our country's history on our hands. I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and while I'm not in the panhandle & haven't seen tar balls on my beaches yet, nor wildlife coated in crude, the thought horrifies me. Again, for brevity, I won't go into this much as it enrages me & brings me to tears at the same time. But let's look at the root cause of this event. As with G-S, it's greed, and lack of regulation. BP is pushing the limits of safe offshore drilling in the name of bringing in more profits. Making money for exec's & stockholders, and no worries for the collateral damage. Along the way they ignored obvious risk, and did nothing to mitigate it. As BP exec's admitted this week they didn't have the tools in their toolbox to deal w/a disaster like this. It's like jumping out of an airplane w/a poorly packed 'chute, and no backup. Unfortunately, in the real world, there are millions of people that will suffer, millions of animals, and millions of acres of precious, fragile ecosystem. It'd be one thing if the jackholes at BP jumped outta the plane & put only themselves at risk. Instead, they've imperiled thousands of people & animals, and have done damage that will take years to repair. If it can be repaired.

So, greed was the impetus, that's pretty easy. What's equally easy to see is that our gov't let BP get away w/this. Our gov't & its regulatory bodies were very lax on enforcement of safety measures. The Canadian gov't doesn't allow offshore drilling w/out the presence of relief wells ahead of time. Oh yeah, relief wells might stem the hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf. Whoops! The US gov't lacks that requirement, and BP is now drilling relief wells, which should be ready in another couple of months! The broken pipe is spilling - according to realistic estimates - between 400k & one million gallons of oil into the Gulf each day. Do the math & multiply the low end of the estimate by 60, see what you get. The guesstimates at how much oil has REALLY spilled, and how much might spill before the well is capped, and where the oil will go, as total SWAGs: Serious Wild Ass Guesses. They're talking about the oil reaching the Atlantic coast of FL, and up into the Carolina's. How many fucking miles of coastline is that? How many thousands of people will be impacted when they can no longer fish or shrimp, bring in clams? What about the charter captains of sport fishing boats? Those that run snorkel & SCUBA operations? The thousands that depend on the tourism industry? Let me be clear: this is important, but in my mind not nearly as important as the ecosystems that could be decimated, ruined, totally fucked, and the potentially irreparable harm. And the birds, fish, manatees, all the wildlife. And again, how did this happen?

Former oil execs working for the MMS (Minerals Management Service) & other gov't agencies that were supposed to be looking out for the safety of workers on the rigs and surrounding waters & coastlines. But the old boys club rules are in effect here, so why would former oil company exec's or workers want to impose stringent regulations on their former employers or cronies? Gee, that might cut into the profit margins! And after all, a big-time spill will never happen. Right? Well, look at where we are now.

So, those are two of the biggest disasters we've experienced in the last 24 months. And trust me, we won't recover in the next 24. And what got us here? That's the important lesson: greed, and lack of self-control (regulation). They say that the most valuable lessons are learned from the most painful experiences. Well, I guess we'll all learn some SERIOUS shit then, won't we? I can only hope so. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I don't think that's something we can afford, do you?