Insert BS here A place to discuss anything you want

How (and why) to Ramble on your goat sideways

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-08-2018, 11:41 AM
  #29721  
Elite Member
 
codrus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Posts: 5,166
Total Cats: 855
Default

There is essentially nothing you can do to protect the electronics in your house from a close lightning strike, other than unplug them. Surge suppressors are pretty much worthless in this regard, as are inexpensive "line conditioners" and UPSes. Old school mainframe computers were often protected with a motor-generator set -- which is basically a huge flywheel with an electric motor at one end and a generator at the other.

As for circuit breakers that fail in such a way that they never trip, yes, they exist, and yes, they're as dangerous as they sound. Check to see if your panel is made by Federal Pacific Electric or has the "stab-lok" brandname on it anywhere...

--Ian
codrus is offline  
Old 08-08-2018, 12:14 PM
  #29722  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,033
Total Cats: 6,598
Default

Originally Posted by z31maniac
Current neighborhood in OKC was built in the 80s, so everything is buried except the street lights.
This is just incredibly discriminatory against the poor, and others who rely upon streetlights. We need to band together and demand that the OKC city council bury the street lights along with all of the wiring that only the rich can afford to use.
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 08-08-2018, 01:32 PM
  #29723  
AFM Crusader
iTrader: (19)
 
olderguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Wayne, NJ
Posts: 4,667
Total Cats: 337
Default

Originally Posted by z31maniac
Gotcha. I just thought it was strange that two unrelated circuits (one electrical and the other cable) died and nothing else. I have an electrician coming by to make sure no other damage than just the breaker.

I couldn't see any obvious damage to the house, but even when I left for work this morning it was still raining too hard and far too much lightning for me to take a good look.



Yeah, I've seen that in older neighborhoods back in Tulsa. Current neighborhood in OKC was built in the 80s, so everything is buried except the street lights.
We had a pretty big electrical storm the other night, don't think we were hit, but it triggered two GFI's in the house. One feeds the underground line to the front flagpole and the other feeds the rear deck outlets. Guess it was pretty close.
olderguy is online now  
Old 08-08-2018, 01:43 PM
  #29724  
Elite Member
iTrader: (9)
 
TurboTim's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chesterfield, NJ
Posts: 6,898
Total Cats: 399
Default

It's down to $599k. Offer them $550.
TurboTim is offline  
Old 08-08-2018, 03:19 PM
  #29725  
Elite Member
 
z31maniac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 3,693
Total Cats: 222
Default

And guess who feels sheepish now? Thankfully I figured it out before the electrician got here, I forgot there is a GFCI outlet in the garage, reset, and the circuit works again. It's buried behind some heavy duty shelving, *facepalm*

Now I'm trying to figure out how to get the damn garage door opener to reset so it will work. But the modem and router base, were still fried.



Bought a cheapy modem/router combo to get me by the next few days until the correct modem and router base get here.

*I'm disgruntled with the Best Buy on N. May ave, they aren't keeping their inventory up-to-date or someone has their "Item Out-of-Stock Behavior" settings incorrect in their ERP system. The website indicated Best Buy had both the modem and the AmpliFi base only, in stock. Only the modem, which does no good since it's a modem only.

z31maniac is offline  
Old 08-08-2018, 06:25 PM
  #29726  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Godless Commie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Posts: 3,214
Total Cats: 1,687
Default

Took my cylinder head to the machine shop for a valve adjustment (apparently none of the Mazda services in the country has a shim set).
The owner, a very cool, meticulous guy, re-cut the valve faces and got the excessive clearances perfect.
I drank my tea as they worked, we chatted a bit, and I paid 30 bucks and left with the head strapped on my bike.

That was my afternoon.

On a related note, I discovered my 9 year old 52 mm core Chinese aluminum radiator had started seeping in 3 spots.
Three shops refused to repair the fins, because they thought the aluminum was too old and fragile.
So, I am getting it re-finned, meaning they will reuse the tanks and weld in a new 52 mm core, to the tune of $130.
Cool thing is, they will make the radiator about 3/8" to 1/2" shorter, which will make a huge difference in routing the turbo intake...
Godless Commie is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 09:49 AM
  #29727  
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
 
rleete's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 6,594
Total Cats: 1,261
Default

If you needed to burn a body, which would be better, gasoline or kerosene (diesel), and why?

Or, is there a better alternative fuel (aside from wood)?


Asking for a friend...
rleete is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 09:54 AM
  #29728  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,033
Total Cats: 6,598
Default

Do you need to make the body completely vanish, or just eliminate identifiable characteristics and burn off external evidence?

I'd think you'd want something like charcoal with forced-air, to ensure a long-duration, high-temperature burn.Liquid accelerants will burn off way too quickly
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 08-09-2018, 10:26 AM
  #29729  
Elite Member
 
z31maniac's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: OKC, OK
Posts: 3,693
Total Cats: 222
Default

It takes something like 60-180 minutes in a gas fired oven at 1400-1800° to cremate a person and that still leaves some bone/teeth material behind.

I'd think pieces spread out and buried in national parks across the country is better.

Or

z31maniac is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 11:29 AM
  #29730  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Godless Commie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Posts: 3,214
Total Cats: 1,687
Default

Originally Posted by rleete
If you needed to burn a body, which would be better, gasoline or kerosene (diesel), and why?

Or, is there a better alternative fuel (aside from wood)?


Asking for a friend...
I believe the absolute best method is a fake funeral, with a proper burial.
Godless Commie is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 12:23 PM
  #29731  
Elite Member
iTrader: (21)
 
rleete's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 6,594
Total Cats: 1,261
Default

Okay, so I'm not actually burning a body. A friend is. Well, a fictional body.

My friend is an author. He has a situation where someone dies, and the body is burned in a fire. Think car accident with tanker truck type thing.

The body has to be burned beyond recognition for the plot line, but not completely obliterated. Also, it's not like everyone is just going to stand around and watch the fire, so it has to happen in minutes, not hours.

It also has to be reasonable/plausible. No tankers of impossibly strong acid or napalm or anything. Tanker trucks of fuel are common enough to be acceptable.
rleete is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 12:42 PM
  #29732  
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Godless Commie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Posts: 3,214
Total Cats: 1,687
Default

Tanker truck catches fire (fuel tank) main tank ruptures in one spot, diesel shoots out (heat generates pressure in the tanker) and burns in a jet - like a boiler burner. This column of fire incinerates the car with its occupant, and then the gas tank of the car blows up to seal the deal.
Godless Commie is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 12:43 PM
  #29733  
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
concealer404's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,917
Total Cats: 2,201
Default

Pigs are fatty. Fat burns fast and relatively hot. Make the pigs eat him, then get immolated in a tanker fire. Receive delicious smells.
concealer404 is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 01:37 PM
  #29734  
y8s
2 Props,3 Dildos,& 1 Cat
iTrader: (8)
 
y8s's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Fake Virginia
Posts: 19,338
Total Cats: 573
Default

liquid oxygen truck could do some serious fast cremation.
y8s is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 02:00 PM
  #29735  
Elite Member
 
codrus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Posts: 5,166
Total Cats: 855
Default



(yeah, I know, nitrogen not oxygen)

--Ian
codrus is offline  
Old 08-09-2018, 02:35 PM
  #29736  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,033
Total Cats: 6,598
Default

Originally Posted by rleete
Think car accident with tanker truck type thing.
This happened to me about ten years ago while I was road-tuning an ECU. Killed the hell out of those poor little puppies and made me late for work.
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 08-10-2018, 08:23 AM
  #29737  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,033
Total Cats: 6,598
Default

This has been the most insane week of my life, from a corporate / legal / etc standpoint. And now that the filings have been made public, I can vent publicly.






PRO TIP:



If you are the chief counsel for Company A, which is in the process of acquiring Company B, which, if approved, will be the largest corporate media merger in history, and the chief counsel for Company B has sent you a letter expressing certain concerns with regard to Company A's flagrantly belligerent and antagonistic conduct towards the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission in the matter of the proposed merger, never, EVER, -=>EVER<=- send this email and copy five other people on it.



Why? Because it will wind up being labeled "Exhibit G" in the attachments to the 62 page complaint seeking damages due to Breach of Contract, which is basically inevitable after you told the Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ's Antitrust Division (and I am quoting directly): "Sue me."


I swear that I am not exaggerating, embellishing, or bullshitting. Company A's lawyers were so bold that they were actually making THREATS against the Department of Justice, and accusing the Federal Communications Commission of incompetence.

I wish that I could convey facial expressions via the internet, because that would help me in conveying the context of how I feel right now. But there are certain things which you just don't do. Threatening the two Federal agencies without whose approval said merger will not occur is one of them.





Guess how much money this lawsuit (Company B suing Company A for breach of contract for being complete ******** and blowing up the deal) is for.







That's ok, I'll wait.








Still waiting.








Give up?






$1 billion.






I **** you not.






Last edited by Joe Perez; 08-10-2018 at 08:34 AM.
Joe Perez is online now  
Old 08-10-2018, 09:21 AM
  #29738  
Moderator
iTrader: (12)
 
sixshooter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Tampa, Florida
Posts: 20,657
Total Cats: 3,011
Default

^"While it's nice to be important, it's much more important to be nice."
sixshooter is offline  
Old 08-10-2018, 01:20 PM
  #29739  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Enginerd's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,451
Total Cats: 77
Default

I’m certain they could have resolved their differences more amicably behind Rahm’s closed office door.
Enginerd is offline  
Old 08-10-2018, 02:22 PM
  #29740  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,033
Total Cats: 6,598
Default

Originally Posted by Enginerd
I’m certain they could have resolved their differences more amicably behind Rahm’s closed office door.
Given some of the stuff I'm reading in the 176 pages of exhibits and attachments, they could have resolved their differences more amicably in the Thunderdome.


Joe Perez is online now  


Quick Reply: How (and why) to Ramble on your goat sideways



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:04 PM.