I back feed from my generator through my 220v welder plug on the garage wall into the breaker box, so I know what you mean. For fuel, I have several outboard boat motor 6 gallon cans and two 5 gallon scribner jugs for the race car that get filled ahead of weather events. And several vehicles' tanks. Needs to last a week of intermittent use. And yes, a window unit to make life tolerable.

Kickoff weekend for FIRST (robotics) just ended. Almost 30 hours of robots, design, brainstorming and math. My brain is cooked, and it's just the first weekend. I have a minimum of 6 more weeks of this, until the start of competition. Then it's revise, improve, compete, and do it all over again.

There are some scary smart kids in these robotics teams. If you like robots, search out youtube videos of the competitions and the neat things they can do.

Just spent three hours of my life completing the government application form for a security clearance. Last time I did one it was by hand and much simpler, as I was single, no kids, little work history etc. I want to sleep for the rest of the day.

Snow day.
Can't go to the garage,
I am not happy.

I took part in those competitions as a kid in 2000-2001 (Team 296 still exists), back when the finals took place in Orlando. Great memories, and I still appreciate the work that the teachers and volunteer engineers put in.

We just got our hotel at our local event for March. I have a judge meeting coming up. This years game looks very interesting and I am looking forward to it.

Apparently, being an elevator enthusiast is a real thing.

See what being an elevator fan is all about!

This guy is serious.

https://www.youtube.com/user/dieselducy/videos

Unless it's a Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Happy Vertical People Transporter, I'm not interested.

--Ian

(gratified sigh)

Also, Go Stick Your Head in a Pig.

Apparently, "You guys are so strong and brave to just treat your daughter like any other child" is something you should not say on Facebook to an old high-school acquaintance when they proudly post photos of their two year old daughter who, despite looking like a mutant, does not actually have downs syndrome or any other clinically-diagnosed developmental disability.

Correct. Posting on Facebook should be avoided if at all possible.

This. Why must people tell everyone they ever met what they are thinking and doing?

Miata did over 40mpg on the way home today. 200 miles and 5 gallons of gas used. That's with 200lbs worth of tools in the trunk too. Cruising 70mph, no stops. I'm perplexed.

Enjoy your inconsistently-filling NB gas tank.

Filled till it came out the overflow both times.

I've owned miatas long enough mane.

You must have installed one of your injectors backwards.
It is common knowledge; a reversed injector will pull excess fuel from the engine.

You know how modern locomotives have that feature whereby, when the ECU detects wheel slippage, a mechanism automatically dispenses sand onto the rail right at the point of contact of the driven wheels?

I could use that in my car right now. I'd even settle for a manually-operated version. (And don't think I'm not contemplating how to build this.)

Haven't actually gotten properly stuck yet, but it turns out that even Michelin X-Ice Xi3's do not actually transform the Miata into a Bradley fighting vehicle. Mind you, still the best non-studded snow tires I've ever owned.

I don't recall having ever gotten stuck in my NB. I also have Xi3s, which are pretty warn.

This was after bombing around last night a bit. As long as the momentum and wheel speed stay up, it's pretty tough to get stuck. Even in with no ground clearance.
You can see the engine was pretty hot, snow on the windshield was sticking but not to the hood. OOPS.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2369a26860.jpg

Honestly, the only major problem I have is the ramp going up from the alley into my parking garage at home. I'm just guessing, but I'd say it's at about a 25° upwards incline. (Yes, I know how steep 25° is. This ramp is insane.) When it's icy, getting up into the garage can be interesting, especially with an open differential.

Annoyingly, FWD cars seem to have no problem at all with this.

Even more annoyingly, this garage is two levels. One is a half-story above ground, the other a half-story below ground. I really feel that they ought to assign parking spaces on the basis of your vehicle rather than your condo number. FWD cars go on the top level, RWD cars on the bottom level. That would work best for everyone in winter. (The FWD cars on the bottom level have an equal level of difficulty climbing out.)

I am now working on a ship built in 1980 as a container ship, that was immediately converted into a prepositioning ship that was loaded with military equipment and stationed around the world. Those days are pretty much over and she now sits tied to a pier. Lots of personnel turnover so I have no notes of any kind to tell me what has been done before. Today I decided we should test bilge alarms. A couple were not working when they should have been. After checking for blown indicator bulbs I started looking at other alarms to see if anything was different. Yes, something was. The card holding the indicator bulbs was in upside down, and one of the two cards (I'm guessing for the actual alarm circuits) was not in the correct slot. Fixed both those and the alarms functioned. No way of telling how long it was like that, or what genius managed to screw it up.