Number 4. Dagens dot com. Russia replaces cars with horses due to gasoline shortage.
Sustaining 194 exploding drone attacks in 180 days, all directed toward your nation’s fuel supply infrastructure, will likely cripple anybody. In Russia, attacks by Ukraine so far this year have resulted in miles-long lines of cars at local filling stations.
At the end of 4-1/2 years of fighting, there appears to be no end in sight.
What IS in sight is the end of the gasoline-powered automobile.
Russians are turning to horses and bicycles. Welcome to 1880.
A good workhorse in Moscow can run about $2,000 US. No telling what that means in terms of rubles, or how it compares to a used Chevy, but the price is apparently attractive enough that Muscovites are now demanding horseflesh in record numbers.
This, despite the on-going costs of hay, stables and veterinarians.
It has been good news for some horses. Over 1,000 of them have been spared from the glue factory this year.
To the degraded supply of gasoline, add the fact that Russia loses military vehicles at the rate of 500 a month, to land mines and drone attacks in Ukraine. Maybe its just as well—there may not be gas to fill their tanks anyway.
I seem to recall Jesus saying something about the cost of going to war. Best to understand what it will cost before attacking… but maybe Vladimir Putin skipped that part.
Probably shouldn’t skip the important parts.
Number 3. NBC Bay Area. Teens in robotaxis have great fun shooting Orbeez pellets at strangers.
Speaking of shooting at strangers, these teenage boys in San Mateo, California, had the good sense to hire a Waymo driverless car when they decided to terrorize other drivers. The drinking that accompanied the shooting may have helped them enjoy the evening more—until Waymo brought the car to a stop amid armed police officers.
Passersby observed the 14- and 15-year-old occupants shooting what looked like a real gun at other vehicles. (Just a guess here, but it is possible San Mateo-ites have never seen a real gun operate anyway, so they can probably be excused.) Said passersby called… somebody—the article is not clear who—and word got to Waymo operators.
Waymo promptly turned on the camera and microphones that surveil their passengers and saw what appeared to be shooting from one of their cars.
They called police, gave the address, and brought the vehicle to a stop remotely. Officers in tactical dress swarmed the vehicle and detained the two fun-loving kids for shooting harmless water pellets from an Orbeez toy gun.
Naturally, the story has now turned to the ethics of a commercial driverless ride company watching live video feeds of their customers.
Which seems to me a classic debate about treating the symptom rather than the problem. But after decades of ignoring the problem, maybe the symptom is all that is left.
As for me, the next time I decide to shoot at another vehicle with a pellet gun, I’m definitely not using a Waymo. That would invade my right to privacy. Or something.
Number 2. The Gateway Pundit. Air passenger sucked out window — pulled back in by other travelers.
Ever since 1964, when Goldfinger shot out a window in business jet at 35,000 feet and caused passengers to be sucked out by the depressurization, this fate has been a traveler’s nightmare. The target on the bizjet, of course, was Bond. James Bond.
Last week, it nearly happened for real on a Boeing 737 in Greece.
The article indicates the aircraft suffered an “uncontained engine failure” resulting in exploding parts blowing out the passenger’s window. (Sort of sounds like one of Elon’s “rapid unscheduled disassemblies,” doesn’t it?) Oxygen masks deployed. The passenger, a 61-year-old male, was immediately pulled halfway out the window frame.
Thinking quickly, his wife, who may have been unclear about the status of the life insurance policy, clung to his legs. With the help of other passengers, she was able to reel him back inside.
The story raises a couple of questions: What did the aircraft maintenance log suggest about the possibility of an engine blowing up? Did the almost-catapulted man fail to listen to the safety lecture about wearing one’s seatbelt at all times? And importantly, will the wife now start coaching him on safety issues on all future flights?
Very nearly the trip of a lifetime in Thessaloniki.
Number 1. CNN. NATO conferees are gifted an unexpected firearm and ammunition.
The NATO summit held in Ankara adjourned last week. All the leaders went home with something of a surprise in their luggage.
Turkish President Erdogan gave each of his counterparts a 1990s-era Turkish-made revolver in a custom gift display box.
The firearms were chambered in .357 Magnum and came with 500 rounds of ammunition.
Turkey is the third-largest exporter of firearms in the world, behind the U.S. and Italy. Their firearms manufacturing business is robust, featuring shotguns to rival other international high quality models. Names that some of you gun nuts might recognize are CZ, Weatherby, and Stoeger.
On the subject of gun nuts, note that the photograph of the Turkish Gumusay .357 obviously shows a knock-off of the venerable Colt Python. The cylinder release and the distinctive ventilated top strap above the barrel are vintage Colt designs.
I knew a guy who had one of those Pythons: 6-inch barrel, nickel plated, beautiful, well-balanced, smooth action and accurate (at least, when HE shot it). Unfortunately, he had sons who knew the value of the gun, so I could not persuade him to part with it.
Luckily, all the NATO Important Persons were able to fly private (government) aircraft and thus avoid the embarrassment of trying to carry a .357 through a European airport. In addition, nearly all have made public promises to have the gun disabled or donated to a museum.
In a few cases, they have absolutely assured the public the gun will NEVER be fired.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Donald Trump would take the opportunity to build a pistol range under that new White House ballroom, where he could exercise his new Turkish Delight. A custom shoulder rig would fit nicely under his business suit.
He could suggest a friendly shooting match at the next NATO summit, in the spirit of world peace.
Wouldn’t that be a hoot?
And thanks for joining The Alligator News Roundup for Friday, July 17, 2026. My hip is recovering nicely from airplane-parts replacement, thank you for asking again, and that bothersome leukemia remains in remission. Forty-one months and counting.
Now I am ready for the summer onslaught of family reunion, western vacation and maybe a high school reunion. Bring it on, ready or not.
Have a good weekend!
