The swine flu air injector

I hated those things in boot camp. They used those for just about every type of vaccination. When you've got 80 people to do at once, needles don't cut it. Every couple of weeks they'd run us through the dispensary and there would be a corpsman on either side of you with those things. You'd have both sleeves rolled up and they'd get you in both arms at the same time. Ow.

Ehn. My '71 and '72 vintage brothers are arguably much more grown up than I am.

I just had an unexpected visit from Hec and Matilda! So delicious to see both of them in the middle of the workday, and Matilda was, as predicted, inundated with cosseting, cooing and juice boxes and graham crackers galore.

The only downside is that it makes the rest of the day even more dull than usual.

He falsified his data, right?

I think so. Memfault.

Advice sought:

I think I've decided on the car I want (from a dealer in town). A co-worker I very much like and respect believes I should go to a few more places to look around, including one (used car lot) owned by the family of a student of mine. They have no Web site, so I've got no way of getting a sense of their stock beforehand.

I'm exhausted with this whole process and want it over already. First question: do I suck it up and go look at their cars? If so, please to be sending motivation and courage. If not, second question: How do I politely say, "I feel safer dealing with a dealer and I know you think I'm wrong but I'm going to ignore your advice"?

Third question (moot if your answer to number one is yes): Do I go put money down on the car I think I want today? Have I forgotten to do something major? Do I have to haggle? It's a good car, it's a very nice dealer, and I'm willing to pay a certain amount in no-hassle, get-it-done tax (if you will). Can I just say to him "Can you give me a better price" without doing the "I must have this price or I'm walking!" song and dance?

First question: do I suck it up and go look at their cars?

If you really just want it over, then no. If you can bear it, it would at least be good to confirm your choice. I don't know how many other cars you've looked at besides the one you've chosen.

If not, second question: How do I politely say, "I feel safer dealing with a dealer and I know you think I'm wrong but I'm going to ignore your advice"?

You can thank him or her for the suggestion, but I think saying that you, personally, feel safer dealing with a dealer should be good enough.

Do I go put money down on the car I think I want today?

It's the end of the month, which is a great time to buy.

Can I just say to him "Can you give me a better price" without doing the "I must have this price or I'm walking!" song and dance?

Of course! They will like you more. Usually, if you just ask for a better price, they'll lower it. There's always something below their first offer.

Of course they'll like me more! But am I being a reprehensible rube who's making things harder for everyone else?

Aw hell, why should I care? I'm buying the damned car.

P-C, I mostly looked at new cars before this. It's true that I haven't looked around that much, but just at one lot I already felt overwhelmed with options. Too many choices! I really was able to choose this one because it's the cheapest of the 08's. Otherwise I think I'd be still gaping like a goldfish trying to choose between (to my eyes) absolutely equivalent cars.

But am I being a reprehensible rube who's making things harder for everyone else?

Are you saying that you would be setting a bad example for everyone else by NOT haggling and thus setting up the expectation that a customer can and will take a non-optimal offer? Wow, you think too much.

(The fact that I understood what you meant, however, is telling.)

It's true that I haven't looked around that much, but just at one lot I already felt overwhelmed with options. Too many choices!

I know how you feel!!

I really was able to choose this one because it's the cheapest of the 08's. Otherwise I think I'd be still gaping like a goldfish trying to choose between (to my eyes) absolutely equivalent cars.

I know how you feel! What are you looking at getting? You're probably getting a sweet deal on an '08.

My editor just asked me to write about Cerrie the one-armed TV hostess. I think she's cute, and you really have to be really able-centric to be upset by her...stump? But I'm not a little kid, either, of course.(and when I was, I was a bigger freak than that, so I was like "That's it?" I guess I'd make people yak in their Weetabix, by that standard.) But buffistas know everything first, is all I'm saying.

I saw that some people were saying they were more upset by the sudden change in ...hosts? presenters? whatever it is she is...than in the issue of her arm. That they turned on the TV one morning and Voila! new people! Which is totally TV, but for little kids, is a Thing, too.

Chevrolet Cobalt LT, pretty much base (stripped-down is what the dealer said, but that just means it doesn't have any of the extras I don't give a crap about!). Plus it is (finally!) not white. 26,000 miles on it.

And the price on it is about a thousand below what kbb.com is telling me.

Honestly, I'd link to it except I'm afraid someone is going to give me a very good reason not to buy it... which I will see after I've already put money on it.