[andi*pandi]

rain ugh no

[subego]

[andi*pandi]

valiant effort, friend cat.

[ghporter]

Ow. I'm surprised the swing didn't spook the cat and make it run off. I had a cat that was freaked clean out by...a ceiling fan. The poor guy would walk along the living room baseboard, watching the fan the whole time. Of course, that's not to say that this cat was particularly "right" otherwise.

[subego]

[subego]

[ghporter]

Street lights are generally built to collapse if they’re struck by a car. Even if they’re up on a 3-foot tall concrete footing.

And that broken toe will give the young lady something to ponder over the next 6-8 weeks…

[subego]

[BLAZE_MkIV]

That's a nice object lesson in the mechanical advantage of a 12' lever.

[subego]

[reader50]

Did the forward landing gear snag on a cable?

[subego]

FWIU, one of the engines refused to shut off.

[BLAZE_MkIV]

Trying to balance a school bus on a leaf blower. Not so simple.

[subego]

[andi*pandi]

I think they're gonna call that a success. I was imagining much worse would happen (to the poor fellow in the middle, RIP his spine)

[subego]

[reader50]

I'd be hollering for a rope from the camera person. Icewater baths are not my thing.

Actually, I wouldn't plant a cherry bomb on thin ice in the first place. I'd be the camera person, recording the fool.

[subego]

[subego]

https://observer-reporter.com/news/l...882c7567f.html

[ghporter]

Looks like driver Bob gets to give a company-wish safety briefing. These are not punitive, but explaining to everybody how you managed to do something bad/stupid/dangerous does tend to make one a bit more attentive to safety. It sure did for me. Twice.

TL;DR: propane gas does NOT behave like natural gas, so you use a different process for lighting the pilot light of a water heater that uses propane. And just because a part of a high power radio amplifier is labeled “cold compartment” doesn’t mean it lacks exposed high voltage terminals.

[reader50]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

TL;DR: propane gas does NOT behave like natural gas, so you use a different process for lighting the pilot light of a water heater that uses propane.

For anyone interested, natural gas (which is mostly methane) is lighter than air. Propane is heavier than air.

Natural gas: place the match above the pilot light.
Propane: place the match at or below the pilot light. If you hold matches above the pilot, nothing may happen while propane builds up below the burner assembly. Until that unburned mix finally reaches the match. FOOM. It may singe your eyebrows, and/or set your hair on fire. Not super-dangerous, but people will be talking about you for the day. And it may end up on YouTube.

[ghporter]

Or, with NG you hold the “Pilot” button for a few seconds, then bring in your match. Do NOT do that with propane.

And it took OFF my eyebrows, burned my left hand well above the wrist, and did a few tweaks to how my nose hair grows…

The good news is that even though it was super hot, it was mostly flash burns; not deep but really, really unpleasant. Plus I learned that codeine is not my friend; it didn’t really do much for the pain, and once I fell asleep I woke up with a really nasty hangover. Turns out my mom would hallucinate on codeine, which I didn’t know until I told her about this event.

[subego]

[subego]

No injuries I am told.

[reader50]

That can happen if you brake suddenly, and your load isn't secured properly.

For the curious, he/she didn't hit the two poles. They were part of the cargo. When the truck braked (for a brake-checker?) the poles tried to keep going. Inertia.

[subego]

Mojave update bricked my system.

[Gregg]

It was Monterey that bricked my previous Mini.

[subego]

I actually meant to say Monterey.

Huge PITA. Internet recovery gives me Sierra and then the installer chokes. Can’t get internet recovery for Ventura to boot. Bootable install with Monterey didn’t work. High Sierra bootable install finally seems to be taking.


Edit: accent on “seems”. That choked too. My instincts tell me the problem is because this Mac started life before APFS.

Edit2: Ha! Got it! I think it may have been the NVRAM.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by subego 

No injuries I am told.

“Injuries” must not include laundry issues. Because that picture conjures up a sequence from Twister, one that still makes my hair stand on end…

[ghporter]

I upgraded my 2015 model MBP to Monterrey last night. Aside from about 5 restarts after the installation (the installer did that, not me), it wasn’t bad at all. So far as I know, anyway…

[andi*pandi]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

“Injuries” must not include laundry issues. Because that picture conjures up a sequence from Twister, one that still makes my hair stand on end…

I have PTSD from seeing the Wash "leaf on the wind" scene so... yeesh.

[Laminar]

Backed my car off the trailer yesterday at the race.



The U-Haul trailer is not designed for low cars...

[andi*pandi]

that is a sad.

[Laminar]

Not the first time the bumper has been off, either intentionally or unintentionally. Redid a couple bolts and got it put back on.

[reader50]

Would it be worth it to remove the bumper when using that trailer? To avoid damaging the mounts?

More work taking it off and back on, but the bumper would survive more trips.

[Laminar]

When I loaded it back up I put blocks under where the front tires sit so it didn't drop down in front of the lip. Worked great.

[ghporter]

I’ve seen a lot of (far, far less well done!) customized, low clearance cars experience really, really BAD issues around here. San Antonio, Austin, and many cities nearby are built (at least partly) on slopes that range from “that’s a bit of an incline” to “OMG that’s steep.” Plus street drainage can make the spot where a parking lot entrance meets the road stupid steep, at least at first.

Joe Ricer often doesn’t take that into account when visiting Taco Bell or Jack in the Box, and much Fiberglas hilarity (from someone else’s perspective, of course) can ensue.

I can’t imagine how those “not so great” custom jobs might fare on an actual track. I can envision “ground effect parts” flying off in all directions, axles snapping, and so on. There’s a reason to use quality parts when doing a serious job.

I also recently learned that it’s common to call certain intentionally loud and obnoxious aftermarket mufflers “fart cans.” So eloquent!

[Laminar]

I had the car lower when I first started racing, with the idea that lowering the center of gravity by getting the car as low as possible was the goal. However, at least with this car, changing the ride height changes the suspension geometry and can ruin handling if you try and operate in a non-optimal range. I raised it up to get the front lower control arms at level then corner balanced the car. Huge improvement in lap times after doing all of that.

[reader50]

The ricer guys with cars that have 1-inch ground clearance. I suspect it's all for appearance, and has little to do with lap times.

The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded. If someone told them it was cool to shred holes in new jeans, they'd wear holey jeans immediately. Oh, wait ...

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by reader50 

The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded. If someone told them it was cool to shred holes in new jeans, they'd wear holey jeans immediately. Oh, wait ...

But they pay for the pre-shredded jeans, because they can’t be bothered to do it themselves. Too busy getting the fart can to not drag all the time…

[subego]

Friend of mine was putting on fake nails and somehow managed to superglue her dog to the extent veterinary intervention was required. Still unclear on the details. Dog seems fine.

[subego]

[Laminar]

Friend of mine used to work at an oil change place and apparently it was very common to find live animals underhood, in trunks, etc. Once they found an entire nest of baby squirrels and all of the techs fought over who got to adopt them.

[andi*pandi]

Seeing complaints from people whose car wiring has been gnawed by animals; due to the new soy-based coating manufacturers are using instead of petroleum-based.

[subego]

Originally Posted by andi*pandi 

soy-based coating

It’s over for rodentcels.

[ghporter]

From the color of the mud on those pedals, that 'dillo was from around here. And yes, they are likely to find warm (or at the moment cool) places to hang out when the weather warrants it. They're cute critters. But they also tend to carry Hansen's Disease*, so they aren't the kind of critters I will interact with.

*Look up "Hansen's Disease".

[subego]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Hansen's Disease

[subego]

[reader50]

hmm ... flatbed trailer empty? And the air brakes didn't get plugged in properly, so he was dragging all tires on the trailer? If so, the ones on the other side are the same.

For once, it's a pity the cops didn't pull him over sooner. He lost at least 4 tires, maybe 8. Came close to losing wheels. The tires must have depressurized gradually, without any booms.

[ghporter]

How. The. BLEEP? Locked up brakes? It must have taken a LONG time to grind down those tires...