Piece Of Shit Car

Defending Roger Ebert

But it wasn't Ebert's gall that bothered me. It was Dunn's. He was driving 130 to 140 mph in his Porsche, endangering not only his life but Hartwell's and that of anyone else on the highway. It takes gall to be that cocky with other people's lives. It takes gall to be that careless with the love and friendship of your friends and family. Dunn, who'd been busted for speeding and drunk driving before, was also drunk. His blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. That takes gall, too.

Maybe Ebert spoke too soon, especially since at the time all he knew was that Dunn had been drinking, not that he was legally drunk. We withhold immediate judgment on the dead for a reason: We don't want their last foolish act to be all that defines their life. We also want to be sensitive to the loved ones who are experiencing such pain.

But all of this pain is exactly why Ebert was right to speak up. This is the kind of pain that is caused by acting selfishly. Let the moment pass, and the lesson fades away. Maybe it's insensitive to make a lesson of death, but when you break the public trust by driving at murderous speeds you lose the protection of privacy.

We just spent several weeks hearing thousands of opinions about Rep. Anthony Weiner's lewd tweets. No one worried about crossing lines then, and few seemed to care about what the effect of the snickering commentary on Weiner or his wife or his family. It was as if his behavior opened the door to anything.

All Weiner did was send pictures. The stupid behavior underlying the sad deaths of Dunn and Hartwell is so much worse, and yet somehow Ebert isn't supposed to speak up ? If only someone had the courage to speak up and keep Dunn off the road before this awful thing happened.

The Minute Man's Wife: Ode to My Car

So I guess this is finally good-bye. I only wish that you had been honest with me back in December when you were having second thoughts about whether to continue our travels together. Do you remember that heart to heart talk we had that night in the garage parking lot? I told you I wasn't ready to give up on you. I gave you all my money. You in return, promised not to let me down. I didn't care that all my friends laughed at you and called you and old piece of shit that wasn't worth a new head gasket. Sure we had some rough times. Remember when I lost control of you after that asshole clipped our ass and we crossed four lanes of on coming traffic together? I don't know who screamed louder me or your tires! I know that ended badly for you, but if you hadn't hit that cement divider we would have rolled over in that ditch and that would surely have been the end for both of us!

You took a piss on your ex's front stairs? Bravo! Sorry to hear about your run in with Mr. Tree. At least you came out alive and still able to laugh. Yeah, it sounds like you've had loads of good times with your car, but ultimately, they all turn into pieces of shit after awhile. I hate cars, myself. No matter how well you take care of them, the sonsofbitches still break down. I think you should let it roll down the hill and run over a nosy neighbor or somethin'. Funny stories. :) Thanks for sharing.

The Blood of Losers

The Art of Idiocy

Breaking out of beginner's Spanish

Mating Season

Take It Or Leave It