I love my Passat. No one will ever convince me otherwise. In my mind, the Germans still make some of the finest engines in the world. Call it a wartime hobby. Call it competitive advantage. I just really love my car.
But today’s modern automobiles are more than just the moving parts. They’re more than just a great drivetrain. They’re more than just the raw, torquey power that makes that Autobahn so damn fun. Today’s cars are mobile computers. And, to my complete and utter disappointment, the Germans still can’t build a decent P.C.

generation one: firepower
with the advent of gunpowder, modern military strategy made its impressive entrance into the arena of armed conflict resolution. can you imagine being a fighter in that very first army without guns, staring across the battlefield with your broadsword in hand at a wall of fully loaded muskets? in all likelihood, you wouldn’t even have time to spoil your polished chainmail britches before taking that first metal bullet in the face. as you can imagine, there weren’t many of these early lop-sided slaughters, but the resulting shift in combat tactics was actually quite enormous.
during that first generation of war, all that really mattered was: 1) access to gunpowder, and 2) access to manpower. the guy with the most …