Partners In Crime

2008-05-23 - 12:31 p.m.

Well, I was awakened early this morning with the news of the passing of Robert Asprin, author of the MythAdventures series, Thieves' World, Phule's Company, and much more.

I met him at the San Diego Comic Con in 1988 - the same year I met Brin face-to-face. He was a really nice guy, more than willing to sign all the MythAdventures books I had brought with me. And he was very very funny in an author's panel.

But then, he'll be back - all he needs is a D-Hopper, right?

(By the way, this is what the title links to: the two leads in MythAdventures, Aahz ["no relation"] and Skeeve. Check them out.)

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I had to be up early anyway, because I had to go to one place that's less fun than the dentist - the dealership. [insert ominous music here]

During the heat wave of last weekend, my rear view mirror developed a bubble. There's oil in there that is electrically charged and helps control the glare from headlights behind me. The two layers separated, leaving a huge bubble in the oil that really screwed up my ability to see behind me.

I let it go until yesterday, hoping that the cooler weather would allow the mirror to repair itself. No such luck. So I called the dealership. The nice guy in Service said something that scared me:

"Wow...I've never heard of that before...that's not a part we usually have to replace..."

Visions of special orders and high labor costs danced in my head...especially when he then said he'd have to research it and get back to me.

He called me back ten minutes later, while I was in line at the PO (my copies of Muppet Show Season 3 and Doctor Who Series 1 had arrived). The verdict - about $255 total (parts and labor), and they could do it first thing in the morning.

So I dropped off the car, had breakfast at a local restaurant, and went back an hour later. Final total was $245 - and $200 of that was the mirror and tax. Thankfully, I can afford that.

I like this dealership. I just hate getting up early to go there.

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Speaking of cars...

Senator Chuck Schumer evidently has problems comparing apples to apples. He says that, had President Bush convinced his Saudi "friends" to increase production by a mere million barrels, oil prices would drop by $25/barrel.

Now, by a magic coincidence, that's the same amount we'd be getting from ANWR if President Clinton had not vetoed drilling there in 1995.

But Schumer says that the price of oil would have dropped the price of oil by a penny if it came from ANWR.

So if it comes from the Saudis, it's worth a $25 price drop. If it comes from the US, it's only worth a penny drop.

All together now - HUH???

ITEM OF NOTE: One of the comments in the above article mentions that "10 new deep water fields in the Gulf of Mexico are scheduled to come on stream" this year, which will bring in an estimated 935,000 barrels of oil per day. The commenter says that no one will mention the new supply, just the price decrease and the Democrats will say "see the good our hearings did". If this is the case, I think he's right.

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I'm not really a horror fan, but one of the series I enjoyed is FINALLY coming to DVD.

Hang up your hockey mask - you won't be needing it.

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Well, I'm now suffering from a severe case of writer's block.

Have a good weekend.

Be seeing you.

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