Something Random

[Clocker]

S.H.I.T.

Manure - In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be transported
by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's invention, so large
shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when
wet but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the
process of fermentation began again, of which a by-product is methane gas.

As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what could (and
did) happen. Methane began to build up below decks and the first time
someone came below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined just
what was happening. After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped
with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them which meant for the sailors
to stow it high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came
into the hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the
production of methane.

Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T," (Ship High In Transport) which has
come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word.

 

[Howell]

Clocker what was the last Cadillac styled by Pininfarina?

 

[LiamC]

Also, in the spirit of Halloween, Things to Do if I Ever Become a Vampire.

I like the parts about concubines.

Looks awfully like the Evil Overlord list though. And it's Van Helsing, not Von Helsing :/

51. All concubines will save the loose, transparent flowing silk dresses for special occasions. I'm a modern sort of guy so I like a woman in leather and Kevlar, which provides more protection so she lasts longer in a fight.

and steel bustiers! ooh baby

 

[Chewy509]

I'm working with an accountant to settle the last 10 years worth of taxes, I'm planning on getting married, and by this time next year I'm aiming to have a salaried job (for the first time in my life) and own a house. Health insurance, life insurance, bank accounts, credit cards....mortgage?

All of these things are new to me, and it's keeping me up at night

Trust me, it's all not that bad. As you're aware I'm going through the same changes within my life. The only one keeping me up at night, is the mortgage/housing affordability situation here in Australia. The rest, no problems, even with Junior on the way.

My partner and I are renting for the next 12-18mths (while we are on a single income while she is looking after Jr at home for the first 9-12mths), and will then be looking at buying our own home once she returns to work, however unless there is a real estate market crash in the next 2yrs where housing drops in value by 10-20%, we will be moving out into the 'sticks' to afford something reasonable.

PS. Australia has a federal election on the 24th Nov, with most tipping the current government (Liberals) will be kicked out in favour of the current opposition party (Labour).

 

[ddrueding]

Thanks for the encouragement, Chewy. Fortunately for us, the housing market is in a crash right now; the place we just looked at is listing for 30% under what it sold for in 2002. Of course, that is still in the sticks, a major "fixer-upper", and it's still $460k. The other place we looked at today was a condo; 2/2, ~1150sq.ft. in a gated community, built 15 years ago, $320k.

My commute would go from ~80 miles to ~7, but my GF would be without a job until she could locate one. A mortgage and a single income, yay me.

 

[timwhit]

Thanks for the encouragement, Chewy. Fortunately for us, the housing market is in a crash right now; the place we just looked at is listing for 30% under what it sold for in 2002. Of course, that is still in the sticks, a major "fixer-upper", and it's still $460k. The other place we looked at today was a condo; 2/2, ~1150sq.ft. in a gated community, built 15 years ago, $320k.

My commute would go from ~80 miles to ~7, but my GF would be without a job until she could locate one. A mortgage and a single income, yay me.

The condo sounds like a good deal. That would cost at least that much in my neighborhood of Chicago. Though, I don't know how nice the interior is.

 

[Clocker]

Clocker what was the last Cadillac styled by Pininfarina?

I think it was the Allante.

 

[LunarMist]

What is that insect crawling around in your avatar? It looks like there is a gnat on my display.

 

[Clocker]

I have no idea but it's doing just want I want.

 

[ddrueding]

The condo sounds like a good deal. That would cost at least that much in my neighborhood of Chicago. Though, I don't know how nice the interior is.

It is a good deal, especially if I can talk him down to $280k-ish. The interior is good except for the kitchen; I hate tile. The floor, counter tops, and cabinets are functional; but I would replace them anyway. I'd likely do Pergo in the kitchen and living room to facilitate dancing. Vaulted ceilings, double-paned glass, decent neighborhood, 2 pools, etc. We've pretty much made up our minds.

The house is tempting, not because of what it is, but where it is; next door to my parent's house. They've become much cooler now that they aren't parents anymore. The house would be a lot of work, but I might like that part. The thought of having a real garage is tempting, I'm thinking about building one of these. Then again, if I have to deal with a $400k mortgage, expensive toys will be few and far between.

 

[udaman]

It is a good deal, especially if I can talk him down to $280k-ish. The interior is good except for the kitchen; I hate tile. The floor, counter tops, and cabinets are functional; but I would replace them anyway. I'd likely do Pergo in the kitchen and living room to facilitate dancing. Vaulted ceilings, double-paned glass, decent neighborhood, 2 pools, etc. We've pretty much made up our minds.

The house is tempting, not because of what it is, but where it is; next door to my parent's house. They've become much cooler now that they aren't parents anymore. The house would be a lot of work, but I might like that part. The thought of having a real garage is tempting, I'm thinking about building one of these. Then again, if I have to deal with a $400k mortgage, expensive toys will be few and far between.

Is that home in an area of trees or prone to fires? Burning up around these parts today & tomorrow with 90mph winds, no bubble burst on the housing market down here.

Since you are used to appt living, and such, consider you could rent out a room in the house (you did not mention how many rooms, but I'll assume same number as the parents place) for a number of years which will pay for those improvements you want, increasing value of the home, not to mention tax breaks. Then again, you could end up like Handy . That's $460k mortage is it not? $60k isn't spare change. The house is ~7 mi close, or the condo? Got to figure the time and money you save by not communting 80mi each way, as well as cost of operation of the vehicle/depreciation from high mileage.

Condos have communal walls, a single family home does not. Meaning you get to be noiser without annoying neighbors, doing what what you do... dancing/music...etc. I hate inconsiderate noisy neighbors, especialy the ones with incessant barking dogs---not amount of 'human training' would accomplish a concept of not being self-absorbed, inconsiderate, center of the universe, mindset...dogs however, can be trained to not bark...even old ones , dogs must be smarter than many dog owners, lol.

 

[Bozo]

Thanks for the encouragement, Chewy. Fortunately for us, the housing market is in a crash right now; the place we just looked at is listing for 30% under what it sold for in 2002. Of course, that is still in the sticks, a major "fixer-upper", and it's still $460k. The other place we looked at today was a condo; 2/2, ~1150sq.ft. in a gated community, built 15 years ago, $320k.

My commute would go from ~80 miles to ~7, but my GF would be without a job until she could locate one. A mortgage and a single income, yay me.

Do you have to pay a condo fee plus your mortgage?

Bozo :joker:

 

[ddrueding]

Is that home in an area of trees or prone to fires? Burning up around these parts today & tomorrow with 90mph winds, no bubble burst on the housing market down here.

Nope. It's in a city, and it's been about 70F for weeks now. But it's starting to get colder at night (55F?).

Since you are used to appt living, and such, consider you could rent out a room in the house (you did not mention how many rooms, but I'll assume same number as the parents place) for a number of years which will pay for those improvements you want, increasing value of the home, not to mention tax breaks. Then again, you could end up like Handy . That's $460k mortgage is it not? $60k isn't spare change. The house is ~7 mi close, or the condo? Got to figure the time and money you save by not commuting 80mi each way, as well as cost of operation of the vehicle/depreciation from high mileage.

Can't stand roommates, so that is out. The house is only about 1000sq.ft.; my parent's house has an addition that makes all the difference. This house would be essentially gutted and turned into a 2/1 in order to make the rooms a usable size.The mortgage would be $400k, as we have a bit more than 60k saved already, and they are offering 10k back to cover closing costs. I also bet I can talk them down to ~$440; it's been on the market for about 3 years, and the bank foreclosed 2 months ago.

Condos have communal walls, a single family home does not. Meaning you get to be nosier without annoying neighbors, doing what what you do... dancing/music...etc. I hate inconsiderate noisy neighbors, especially the ones with incessant barking dogs---not amount of 'human training' would accomplish a concept of not being self-absorbed, inconsiderate, center of the universe, mindset...dogs however, can be trained to not bark...even old ones , dogs must be smarter than many dog owners, lol.

One of the advantages of owning is that I can do structural modifications for soundproofing. We've already received a few written notices in our current place for "bedroom noise" .

Do you have to pay a condo fee plus your mortgage?

Yup. Looks pretty normal, about $250/mo. No external changes to the building. Access to the pools and gym. Assigned carport. Garbage and gardening included. I didn't want to get a condo, as I don't like not being in complete control of the space, and that they are harder to buy and sell. But they are certainly cheaper. I think I can get a great deal right now too; there are 8 condos in this one complex that are currently for sale. Nothing like a bidding war.

 

[Will Rickards]

The bank foreclosed 2 months ago?
Then how is it still for sale?
If they didn't pay their property taxes, the bank might not own it anymore either. It would go to a government tax sale auction.

 

[Stereodude]

re: S.H.I.T.

It's not true of course...

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/shit.asp

 

[ddrueding]

The bank foreclosed 2 months ago?
Then how is it still for sale?
If they didn't pay their property taxes, the bank might not own it anymore either. It would go to a government tax sale auction.

The bank is still holding it. They've retained an agent who is trying to sell the house and get what they can.

 

[Clocker]

It's not true of course...

http://www.snopes.com/language/acronyms/shit.asp

I like the story better.

 

[Chewy509]

Random injury.

Out on my nightly run last night, I tripped over a gutter/foot path and got some nice road rash on my left knee, left shoulder and a nice deep gouge in my left hand... Also my left knee cap is bruised.

No running for the next week or 2.

 

[ddrueding]

That sucks. Closest I've had to deal with was some rug-burn on my left knee...going away now

 

[jtr1962]

Out on my nightly run last night, I tripped over a gutter/foot path and got some nice road rash on my left knee, left shoulder and a nice deep gouge in my left hand... Also my left knee cap is bruised.

No running for the next week or 2.

That seems like a lot of damage given that you were only at running speed. About 20 years ago I went down after hitting a pothole at 37 mph but didn't suffer near that many injuries. I think I had some road rash on both my knees and one elbow. I was back on the bike next day. It more or less healed within a week. Anyway, I hope you feel better.

 

[Chewy509]

That sucks. Closest I've had to deal with was some rug-burn on my left knee...going away now

:nono: No need to hear about your "lounge-room" exploits...

It's not the worst I've had, but the bruising on my knee cap has already gone down which is a good sign. I should be back on the road next Monday.

PS. I was running downhill (about 30-35° downslope) at about a 3min/km pace. Kinda hard to stop when you lose your footing on gravel and your foot hits a gutter stopping it's forward movement rather quickly...

 

[timwhit]

I've fallen running a couple times. One time I slipped on ice going around a corner and fell into an icy puddle. I then had to run about another 1.5 miles to get to my destination in soaked clothing. I wasn't injured, just really cold.

Another time I was running a cross-country race and tripped on a root going downhill. I rolled a couple times, but I mainly just got cuts and scrapes.

Those aren't nearly as bad as my bike accidents.

 

[Howell]

I have so many scars I've lost count, all biking scars. The story most similar to yours is when I was out mountain biking about ten years ago. I hit a ditch and the shock and tire compressed. On the rebound I was thrown off the handlebars but my feet stayed clipped in. As I rotated off the back of the bike my ass dragged the ground. I still have the three main vertical scars on my left cheek. Of course I had to throw the biking shorts away. : )

 

[LiamC]

... I think I had some road rash on both my knees and one elbow.

The best bit of graffiti I've seen was on a motorcycle clothing shop near the Sydney CBD. Saw it about '85.

Underneath a display of leather riding jackets & pants was scrawled

"Leather is murder!"
and underneath that was written

"So's gravel rash mate!"

I still laugh

 

[ddrueding]

My best was when I was a kid. On Rollerblades, no pads, going straight down the biggest hill in Monterey. My cheap ABEC-3(?) bearings fused and the front left wheel simply stopped turning. I still have a freckle-less patch on my right elbow, and a flat spot on the bone under it.

The hardest part was finishing the hill, to get where my parents were waiting at the bottom. They were not happy.

 

[Mercutio]

I don't know how to ride a bike, but when I was little, I was riding on the back of my brother's bike when he wiped out on a road that was freshly tarred and graveled.

He bounced off the bike and into a power pole and in fact knocked himself out. I skidded across hot tar and gravel for about 10 feet until I got to some that was in the shade and therefore cooler than the rest.

I ended up stuck in the tar so that I couldn't get up - the whole time getting a lovely burn from the tar. I had to wait about 15 minutes for my brother to wake up so he could help me out.

My parents were not believers in the emergency room, so when I got home they just put me in the bathtub and poured paint thinner or kerosene or whatever the hell it was over me until most of the tar came off. I remember a lot of skin went with it, and because I cried so much they made me pick the gravel out of my arms, legs and back myself.

This is why bicycles are evil.

 

[e_dawg]

Ouch! That sounds like a very traumatic experience, and not just the on the road, but at home too!

 

[Clocker]

Toyota is 'enhancing the warranty' on their Sienna Minivans. It's funny how when a domestic automaker fixes a problem it's a recall but when Toyota does it's a 'warranty enhancement'. Another good example of media bias.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=678203

Reference:

http://www.siennaclub.org/forum/inde...showtopic=7482
http://www.toyotasiennadefects.info/
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0eb3fd/0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9XlOA4mhd8

Between this, Tundra engine/trans failures and tailgates breaking when loading cargo maybe the media will finially wake up. I guess it won't happen until they become the sales leader though.

 

[Bozo]

It is not the quality of the car (no car is perfect) that drove me to buy a Toyota after over 40 years with the big three.
It was the complete lack of customer service and support from the CEOs down to the service departments. Especially the service departments.

Bozo :joker:

 

[udaman]

Toyota is 'enhancing the warranty' on their Sienna Minivans. It's funny how when a domestic automaker fixes a problem it's a recall but when Toyota does it's a 'warranty enhancement'. Another good example of media bias.

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=678203

Reference:


Between this, Tundra engine/trans failures and tailgates breaking when loading cargo maybe the media will finially wake up. I guess it won't happen until they become the sales leader though.

Ah the standard, typical, American simplistic, narrowminded 'mind think'...applies to virtually all political discussions here on SF and other forums where people just don't have the time or the inclination to attempt to fully understand the dynamics of the issues (which plays into the hands of shrewd politicians who 'dumb down' their rhetoric for the intended 15sec or 15min attention spans of the target market ).

For your Clocker, still pro-American, pro-American cars (never mind that Toyota *is* a 'domestic automaker'...get a clue, where have you been for the past decade or so, head in the sand???),

Really, really disgusting our 'domestic automakers' are Clocker. Trading on lives for profits in China, sickening stuff.

When you get done 'reading up' on material from this link, try the one on that other psuedo "American" institution called 'Wal-Mart' below:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3109_worldbal.html

NARRATOR: First to take the Chinese up on their offer was Beijing Jeep, a joint venture between American Motors Corporation and the Chinese government. Party officials approved of Jeep's utilitarian, 4-wheel drive design.
Today, though, the factory is turning out something much different: upscale SUVs that cater to a consumer market that has grown faster than anyone expected.
PAUL ALCALA (President and Chief Executive Officer, Beijing Jeep): I think the primary factor that captures the imagination is just the magnitude of the numbers. The passenger car market grew here in China about 60 percent last year. Uh, this year, we were not expecting, uh, that rate of growth, but it looks like we may get up to 80 percent this year.
NARRATOR: Others, including Volkswagen, Ford, Suzuki, Toyota and the world's largest auto maker, General Motors, have since followed. All are hoping that China will take to cars like other affluent nations have.
PHIL MURTAUGH (Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, General Motors China Group): We believe that China will absorb almost 20 percent of the entire world's growth in vehicles over the next 10 years. And somewhere around the turn of the quarter century, China will probably pass the U.S. as the world's largest, largest auto market.
SALESMAN: Hello.
SHI LIHONG: Hello.
SALESMAN: Are you looking for a Jetta?
SHI LIHONG: Yes, I'm looking at the price.
SALESMAN: It sells for 120,000 Yuan. It's the top of the line with a manual shift.
SHI LIHONG: How does it conform to environmental standards?
SALESMAN: All Jettas conform to the Euro II emission standard.
NARRATOR: This Volkswagen is a Chinese-built car, for sale only in China. The car looks as stylish and well-built as any American or European model. But looks can be deceiving.
Under the hood lurks a dirty little secret. The Euro II emission standard, a proud selling point for the salesman, is actually 10 years out of date. Today, Europe conforms to a much cleaner standard called Euro V. And American standards are even tougher.
KELLY SIMS GALLAGHER: Chinese cars are just much more polluting than U.S. or European cars, and that's because they don't have the same emissions control equipment that the U.S. or European or Japanese cars have. A Chinese car would never meet emission control standards in the United States or Europe because the equipment in the Chinese cars is fairly antiquated.
NARRATOR: The Chinese were determined to learn how to build cars, and protecting the environment was not a priority. When the partnership deals were negotiated, the government failed to impose state-of-the-art environmental standards, and the car makers didn't insist.
PAUL ALCALA: In terms of a foreign company doing business here, within China, we work within the framework and within the regulations. I've been very satisfied with the partnership that we see between the foreign joint ventures here and the Chinese government.

Euro II emission standards are probably better than pre-1975 California emmission standards, after which post 1975 saw Clocker's beloved Corvette V8 drop down to a smog regulated choking 210hp, Caddy's too; but this is hardly commendible. All these foreign car companies (their Effin wealthy company board members), many of them American, should be forced to breath the air of China's worst polluted cities. Just disgusting they have no moral or ethical high ground other than to keep corporate profits maximized.

After dozens of flights over the ocean, Dan and his team constructed a detailed computer model that decisively fingered the culprit: China. From 3000 miles away, its pollution was reaching West Coast cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, cities that had already spent billions cleaning up their own air.
But there's another problem that the U.S. and China share. In America, our love affair with the automobile has helped make the U.S. the world's biggest emitter of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that's produced when anything burns. Many scientists believe that carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is causing the Earth to become overheated, with dangerous and unpredictable storms. And now China is following in America's footsteps. By the year 2030, China could match the U.S. in carbon emissions. If so, the two countries would contribute more to global warming than all other nations combined.
DAN JAFFE: The United States has set the standard for high living, high energy use. We're one of the most consumptive countries in the world, and if the rest of the world emulates us, the global atmosphere is going to suffer. The world is going to suffer.
NARRATOR: China is exporting air pollution and carbon emissions, but we export our lifestyle. And China is one of our best customers.
A winter morning in Beijing: the air is thick with what looks like fog. But it's not fog.
DING YIHUI (China National Climate Center): The air in Beijing has been getting worse. It's mostly comprised of smoke, not fog. Urban haze is different than fog, which has water vapor, while this pollution doesn't.
NARRATOR: It's no secret where this smog is coming from. Even at 7:30 in the morning, the streets are already jammed with automobiles. Ten years ago, bicycles ruled these roads. But today, they're being forced aside. And that's just one change.
Over the course of just a few short decades, the entire city has been utterly transformed into a modern megalopolis, home to over 13 million people. And other Chinese cities have grown just as dramatically.
In the last two decades, more than 100 million people have moved from the countryside into urban centers, making this the largest migration in human history.
Among the recent arrivals are 39-year old Xi Zhinong, his wife Shi Lihong and their four-year old daughter, Xixi.

Is Wal-Mart Good For America?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/

 

[Bozo]

Uh, Udaman, both my Toyotas were made in Japan. Not a domestic car.

Bozo :joker:

 

[Pradeep]

Toyota warranties are shameful. They really need to put more faith in their products.

I had a Toyota Corolla as a first car, but when it came time to buy new I went with Hyundai. Having to deal with out of pocket costs when their Toyotas only have 40,000 miles on the clock is unacceptable.

 

[Bozo]

Toyota warranties are shameful. They really need to put more faith in their products.

I had a Toyota Corolla as a first car, but when it came time to buy new I went with Hyundai. Having to deal with out of pocket costs when their Toyotas only have 40,000 miles on the clock is unacceptable.

Times must have changed. Both of mine have 7 year 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranties, and no deductable. But I know what you mean. Both of the 'American' cars we traded in fell apart at about the 50,000 mile mark. Even the arm rest started to crack on the one at 40,000 miles. If I wanted it fixed it would have been ~$300.00

Bozo :joker:

 

[Mercutio]

Can I just interject that some little shithead shot up my car with a BB gun a couple months back and I haven't had needed body work done to fix the HOLES in my car because I can't find a body shop that can give me a specific estimate of how long it will take to conduct the repair?

Seriously. I call these jokers, tell them exactly what I need done, and they say something like...

[Actual Conversation]

"Just bring it in. We'll get to it in a day or so. Or maybe three days. Just bring it in."

"So I should maybe rent a car?"

"Well, it might only take a couple hours to do the job..."

"So I can wait in your reception area?"

"Oh man, I don't know. Sometimes on those foreign models there's things we gotta order..."

"So I'm telling you right now, well ahead of time, the Honda part numbers I need replaced, according to my qualified insurance inspector, who, you know, inspected my car, and you might still need to order something?"

"Happens all the time."

[/Actual Conversation]

Fucking cars. I hate cars. Also bicycles. And pretty much leaving the house.

 

[ddrueding]

It took me a LONG time to find a mechanic I like. Like 3+ years. I'm actually only considering cars that he will work on as replacements (Mazda, VW, Audi, Lotus).

He's also 100 miles from where I live, and 15 miles from anywhere of interest.

 

[Mercutio]

 

[Howell]

Clocker, Why doesn't anybody offer a small diesel truck in the US?

 

[Bozo]

Clocker, Why doesn't anybody offer a small diesel truck in the US?

Cost. It always comes down to $$$$$

Bozo :joker:

 

[mubs]

I don't think so. There are many manufacturers in India that offer small passenger cars (what you would call a sub-compact here) that come with 4-cylinder diesel engines. They sell for about $11k.

Most of them are quite good, and some drive as well as gas engines in terms of NVH, acceleration and performance. There are also international brands that offer diesel engines as an option, starting with Mercedes, Skoda, Ford. The engines in the step-above-entry-level cars have diesel engines based on a common-rail design. Especially so with the luxury brands/models.

There are small "inner-city" cargo delivery vans (a little larger than a sub-compact in overall size) with 2-cylinder diesels that sell for about $5k.

 

[Fushigi]

OK, then. How about emissions since the US hasn't transitioned to cleaner-burning diesel fuel?