the end of an era

The Silver Bullet (later The Shitbox)	1990 - 2003 (mine 1999 - 2003)

It's gone. My first car, the humble Eagle Summit pictured here (no longer made, making this a "classic" I guess), christened "the shitbox" by my grandfather, got donated today. It was running well (if a bit underpowered), surviving 20,000 miles and even a couple accidents under the watchful care of my brother and me. But then Mom drove it one day and now instead of getting the shakes at 70 like it used to, it gets them at 5.

Speaking of cars, an article in today's Detroit Free Press reports that while Detroit is in danger of losing its title as the tenth largest city in America to San Jose, it has reclaimed its dubious distinction as the country's most dangerous city. And that's with the lowest homicide count since 1968, folks (and not coincidentally the lowest city population since 1968). (To add insult to injury, San Jose is also the safest big city.) It also boasts the highest pedestrian fatality rate. (Pedestrians must make easy targets since it's the third-fattest city in the US.) No wonder it's baseball players' least favorite city to visit. Indeed, it's a great time in Detroit. Fewer than one million people can't be wrong.