YA THINK? Car Prices Might Be Unsustainable for Buyers.

For the average American, paying off a new car at current prices demands 42 weeks of income, according to data from Cox Automotive, up from around 33 before the pandemic.

Bargains have been hard to come by on the used-car lot as well, where the average vehicle listed for about $27,000—up more than 30% from prepandemic levels, according to Cox’s data.

Higher interest rates have made the situation more difficult for buyers. Today’s average new car loan has a monthly payment north of $750, with an interest rate of 9.5%. For used cars, the average rate is above 13.7%, according to Cox.

High interest rates are temporary, at least one hopes. But thanks to regulation, mandates, and decoupling (necessary but uncomfortable), high prices are here to stay — just like the housing market.

It’s almost as though someone wants to turn us into a nation of renters and bus-riders.

VIDEO: Welcome to Smash Francisco.

OLD AND BUSTED: Snowfalls are now just a thing of the past.

The New Hotness: The ‘Brrr’ Is Coming Back. “After a weird and warm winter season last year, this winter should make cold weather fans rejoice — especially those in the Great Lakes, Midwest, and northern New England areas.”

“Climate is what you expect,” the wise man said, “weather is what you get.”

KEVIN DOWNEY JR’S “GUN MYTH” FACT-CHECK: Liberals Vs. Americans, Part 1.

Before we get started, I just want to apologize for the phrase “fact-check” in the headline. I abhor the phrase “fact-check” because it is frequently used by commie websites that employ each other’s articles to verify or debunk alleged “facts.” Meaning, the pinko skanks at USA Today will post “Fact-Check: Did Biden Make Millions Selling Influence to our Enemies Across the Globe? The New York Times says ‘No.’” It’s akin to Stalin saying, “If you don’t believe me, ask Beria.”

However, I will be doing a real fact-check on gun myths. Let’s get this “myth” brawl underway.

Lots of fun-filled facts at the link.

MODERN PROBLEMS: Microsoft took down a string of embarrassing travel articles created with ‘algorithmic techniques.’ But it says AI isn’t the problem. “Last week, Microsoft took down a string of articles published by ‘Microsoft Travel’ that included a bizarre recommendation for visitors to Ottawa to visit the Ottawa Food Bank and to ‘consider going into it on an empty stomach.'”

I take it back. AI does have a sense of humor, after all.

LET IT ALL HANG OUT: The Left Ruins Everything: Now They’re Cancelling Classic Rock. “It is the talk of the music industry; nobody can work out why such a good-natured, fun song can’t be acceptable in today’s society.”

PRIORITIES: Dog off-leash tickets soar in Denver parks — Cheesman Park leads the way.

Meanwhile: Denver crime rates ‘skyrocket’ as policing decreases, Colorado think tank says in report.

KRUISER’S MORNING BRIEFING: Is Donald Trump Cocky or Just Chicken? “We already know that Trump doesn’t have any issues with his sense of self-worth. From day one, he’s been convinced that he has the nomination sewn up. And while polling has largely borne that out, is it too early to be this cocky? Shouldn’t he face his GOP competitors (or ‘colleagues’ to borrow Vivek Ramaswamy’s euphemism) head-on?”

Chris Queen is filling in for Kruiser today, who was smart enough to stay on vacation longer than I did.

DON’T MAKE YOURSELF A HOSTAGE: US citizens urged to leave Belarus immediately. ““Do not travel to Belarus due to Belarusian authorities’ continued facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, the potential of civil unrest, the risk of detention, and the Embassy’s limited ability to assist U.S. citizens residing in or traveling to Belarus.”

HOW’D HE GET HIRED IN THE FIRST PLACE? Illinois School District Fires Teacher Who Claims to Be a Satanist and Suffers From Psychosis.

GOP DEBATE NIGHT TOMORROW WON’T BE QUITE THE SAME WITHOUT HIM:

The Trump I know would be all over these debates – he'd walk on that stage and remind us all why he's leading. He'd be a lion with those numbers and he'd make the moderator look pathetic anytime they targeted or harassed him.

This SHOULD be his wheelhouse.

I don't get this. https://t.co/evw1q0jyTe

— The🐰FOO (@PolitiBunny) August 21, 2023

I get it… but on the other hand:

Why is Trump debating such a bad idea?

First of all, what’s his upside? What does he get out of debating? He’s at about 50% of the GOP electorate, according to polls five months out of Iowa. That’s not great for a former prezzy, but his current lead dwarfs all his competitors, including his nearest rival and my personal choice, Alligator Ron. The fact is that he has topped out. He’s already at his peak. There’s no advantage to debating. He has nothing to gain. Absolutely no one is going to watch Trump one more time after eight years in the political spotlight, and after all these bogus witch hunt frame jobs, and say, “Well, this is a side I have never seen of Trump. I will reconsider my objections to his mean tweets and qualms about his electability and board the Trump train.”

The calculus for his competitors is different. All the other candidates, from Ron through Nikki! through Soft Tim Scott through rappin’ Vivek Ramaswamy to heavyweight Chris Christie, will be looking for A Moment. A Moment lets you break out. A Moment changes everything.

On the third hand, Trump won’t be there to stomp all over someone else’s campaign-defining moment, assuming one happens.

As usual, I’ll drunkblog the Wednesday night debate over at the mothership.

UPDATE: Fox News restricts Trump team’s access to debate ‘spin room.’ “Fox restricted access to the post-debate ‘spin room’ at Fiserv Forum to aides of candidates who are participating in the debate, according to a network memo obtained by Axios.”

That’s fair.

But: “Even if a candidate has a breakthrough moment Wednesday, Trump will dominate headlines Thursday, when he surrenders to authorities in Georgia to face charges for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.”

Well, there’s the stomp.

CENSORED. IN AMERICA. The Top 3 Censored Topics in America in 2023.

I’M EXPECTING EARTH-SHATTERING KABOOMS: Nuclear Weapons Expert Rates Movie Nukes.

HE’S ALWAYS BEEN A BULLY AND A CREEP: Biden Goes Full Creeper With a Bunch of Children.

RIP: Colorado nature photographer John Fielder dies after lengthy struggle with cancer. “During a career that spanned 40 years, Fielder worked to protect Colorado’s ranches, open space and wildlife. Over 50 books have been published depicting his Colorado photography. In January 2023, he donated his Colorado photography to History Colorado. The museum is the home of a collection of more than 7,000 photos distilled from 200,000 he made since 1973, and which are now available to the public for personal and commercial use.”

I have two of his books and his work, like Colorado, is breathtaking.

HMM: Comer Demands Private Emails Between Hunter and Joe From the National Archives.

THEY’RE ALREADY DOING THIS WITH WOLVES: Letting Grizzlies Terrorize Ranchers Is Climate Crazies’ Next Anti-Civilization Crusade.

THESE ARE WASTED ON ME BUT I HAVE FRIENDS WHO LOVE THEM: Federal Judge Delivers Big Win to the Premium Cigar Industry.

WHY THE LEFT WANTS EVERYONE URBANIZED:

Facial recognition now required for entering and leaving your neighborhood zone in China's 15-minute cities.

Citizens are literally living in open-air prisons, where their every move is being watched and judged by the draconian Social Credit System. https://t.co/vOqApgJHUE pic.twitter.com/C8gcbSOutM

— Songpinganq (@songpinganq) August 16, 2023

From the replies: 15 minute cities will go from “Convenient” to “Why do you need to leave?” to “You’re not authorized to leave” REALLY fast.

Yes.

THE SWAMP’S REVOLVING DOOR: CNN, MSNBC Go on ‘Hiring Spree’ of Former Biden Regime Officials Ahead of 2024.

WHAT, WHAT? Google is working to improve Bard’s soulless life advice.

THEY CAN’T DUMP BIDEN UNLESS THEY CAN DUMP HARRIS FIRST: It’s Getting Serious Now: L.A. Times Kicks Off the Dems’ ‘Dump-Harris’ Movement.

EVERYTHING IS GOING SWIMMINGLY (CHINA EDITION): China Shadow Bank Misses Dozens of Payments, Sparking Protests.

Videos of the incident appear to show around two dozen protesters at Zhongrong, at least one representative of the company, and around 10 police and security officers. It’s the latest sign of turmoil at the trust company, whose liquidity crisis has fuelled alarm within financial markets and among Chinese regulators.

In one of the clips seen by Bloomberg News, a woman angrily asks about a product she owned that matured on July 28. “Why doesn’t the company pay us back?” she says. “It has already matured. Your financial statements said there is a profit.”

Another woman shouts: “Give us the money back, or we will die here.” A third says: “Why you don’t give us a clear explanation?”

A man with a loudspeaker who apparently represents Zhongrong says: “We don’t think this is a regulation-violating project or a regulation-violating product.” The exact timing of the protest couldn’t immediately be determined.

A reporter who visited the Zhongrong office on Wednesday (Aug 16) afternoon didn’t see any protesters, but there was an unusually heavy police presence around the building.

I’m sure.

HEINLEIN’S CRAZY YEARS (CONT’D): Medical School Professor Says Trans Kids Can Identify as ‘Gender Hybrids’ Like ‘Minotaurs.’

GEN Z MIGHT ALREADY BE ON PACE TO OUTDO MILLENNIALS: Gen Z teens want practical skills, on-the-job learning. “Sixty-five percent say they’ll need education and training after high school, but not necessarily a four-year degree. They want flexible options, such as boot camps and online courses, writes Manno. Two-thirds say their ideal post-high school learning should be on the job through internships or apprenticeships or through hands-on learning in a lab or classroom.”