Local color

Posted on August 28, 2008 by dr.hypercube

A bookstore down the road a ways gets a notice in Bookride:

A bookseller on Route 1 in Porstmouth NH recently got in the papers yet again – he makes Bernard look like John Inman (‘Are you Being Served?’)–he charges a $5 browsing fee and has been known to knock out customers who venture in his shop without permission. I had heard of him over the years as an example of a dealer who had seriously lost the plot and have always been amazed that he stays in business.

Go and RTWT – the man is nuts. I was warned away from there 15 years ago by a friend who told me about the browsing fee and the generally threatening (“Why should I sell you my books, you POS?”) vibe. Portsmouth Herald article here.

The Telegraph's 100 fugliest cars of all time.

Posted on August 27, 2008 by dr.hypercube

Here. (They are up to number 41 at this point).

Agreed:

88 – Aston Martin Bulldog. Should be driven by Jan-Michael Vincent in a bad sci-fi movie.
78 – Bond Bug. Just for the ‘what were they thinking?’ – “A three-wheeled vision in tangerine. Top speed 78mph, but quite easy to tip over. And then it was impossible to get out.”
76 – Yugo 55. Driving one does allow you to heap scorn on Trabant drivers, but that’s it.
59 – 80s Mustang. Sorry. Fugly.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

100 – Bugeye Sprite. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
79 – Rambo Lambo. Sure, it cost an arm and a leg and nothing worked properly, but if this is at 79, the civilian hummer better be in single digits.
60 – Saab 95. Great car. Great styling. Want.
56 – Citroën 2CV. I agree with the editors: “Perfect in form and function, so really shouldn’t be here. You’re all heartless.”
42 – Tatra T603. I’d drive one in a heartbeat.

Feel free (please!) to weigh in in comments.