Partner and I are competing to find the worst movies on Amazon Prime and then making sarcastic comments.
It’s better than hot and swampy.
3.
sparrow
Still in Greece, about to go see an opera version of Medea in Ermoupoli. Somehow, killing one’s children seems like an appropriate theme for this moment in Greek history. Newest proposals are 100% more punishing austerity, and mandatory sale of 50 billion euros worth of state assets (ports, etc), with no debt relief. That’s if they actually come up with a bailout: seems more likely that they will just let Greece implode financially.
4.
Eric U.
@WereBear: my son accused me of looking for bad movies on netflix last night. I wish you sort them by rank, and rate it on the “so bad it’s good” scale. Been a while since I found a bad movie I enjoyed watching.
When asked why his campaign was struggling to attract the working-class, less liberal voters he thought he might be reaching, Mr. Sanders acknowledged the challenges facing his campaign. “I’m not well known in the African-American community, despite a lifelong record,” he said, acknowledging one of the most consistent critiques of his chances. “That’s a real issue, and I have to deal with it.”
“I’m running against Hillary Clinton, who is one of the best-known people in the world,” he said.
6.
SiubhanDuinne
I’m in NoVA, having heard the Notorious RBG yesterday give a talk — copiously illustrated by a variety of scenes — on “The Law in Opera.” She was at the Castleton Festival to attend the premiere, later yesterday, of the new opera Scalia-Ginsburg. Alas, I didn’t see it, but I’ve heard good reviews from those who have, and it’s supposed to be available on streaming quite soon. It’s a one-act opera, so relatively brief, and although it is contemporary, I understand it quotes extensively from older, familiar works in the repertoire (the gimmick, for those who may not know, is that while Tony and RBG disagree philosophically and legally on almost every point, they share a love of opera).
Past several days have been crazy and full. Now I need to turn my attention to getting back in touch with those Balloon-Juicers who are in NoVA or DC area and who would like to get together for a meetup this Tuesday evening. If I haven’t already been in contact with you and you want to come out and play, please shoot me an email at SiubhanDuinne (at) gmail (dot) com. Or reply to me on this thread.
@Eric U.: We enjoyed the heck out of The Rift, 1989, with R. Lee Ermey and Jack Scalia. Guy is getting eaten by a tentacle monster, with screams ricocheting around the cockpit of a submarine, and they’re all “What’s the matter, Johnson? What’s going on?”
We are both feeling under the weather today, good to take it easy.
@sparrow: I didn’t realize they were going off the ports. It sounds as though, the deal will never allow Greece to survive. Maybe Krugman is correct, that the country needs to drop the euro.
11.
JPL
@SiubhanDuinne: It’s hot and steamy here. Enjoy your vacation.
Last week, Mr. Juncker [President of the European Commission] said that Europe would be prepared to extend “humanitarian” aid to Greece, if necessary.
Disaster relief, if necessary.
13.
KG
I really need to stop checking Facebook first thing in the morning. Haven’t even made breakfast and I’ve seen one friend post a link from some bullshit website claiming the hpv vaccine is a scam and a cousin posting something about how real conservative citizens are going to protect us from Jade Helm
Looks like I’ll be Irishing up my coffee this morning
14.
sparrow
@MattF: They are using the language of war. “Don’t humiliate Greece” says Italy — that’s the way you talk about a country you’ve routed.
15.
Linnaeus
Cool and gray here in the Emerald City. A good day for the seafood festival.
16.
Mr. Prosser
@KG: How wonderful to be protected by fat, camo wearing, assault rifle carrying candidates for a stroke the minute they start jogging toward the enemy.
Maybe Krugman is correct, that the country needs to drop the euro.
That’s the conclusion I am reaching, too.
18.
the Conster
These tennis playin’ fellas are pretty good.
19.
Mike J
I have to stand on the dock today and watch other people go sailing. Help the n00bs and all that stuff. Somebody’s got to do it, and it’s my turn.
20.
ThresherK
Later this afternoon: Lap swim* or pick-my-own blueberries?
Or both?
*I’m freckled enough to not want to be out in the midday sun. I use sunscreen but at some point I don’t like the idea of slathering myself in it and then leaving a small iridescent slick of it in a public pool that others will be using. So, later in the day it is, when there’s a lot more shade over the pool.
21.
Betty Cracker
@Mike J: A day on the water is a good day — even on the dock.
went down to the may-reena to remove the old Si-Tex color LCD sonar and begin the installation of the new, B&W, higher frequency, higher resolution humminbird depth-o-meter.
turns out that the depth finder that was installed before the si-tex musta been a humminbird ’cause the mount holes match up perfectly after i removed the si-tex mount.
got the two old si-tex transducers pulled out after much cursing, got the new transponder wire run through the underdeck channel- all three operations were highly amusing. full sun, head in the console, lying on my back, no breeze, sweating, cursing. had a great time. bled copiously all over the wiring due to a sharp screw i didn’t see on the underside of the top of he console.
i usually deal very well with heat and high humidity but today is cookin’ and i had to give it up. you could’ve fried a steak on the deck before noon arrived.
all that is left is hooking up the power but it’s just too fuckin’ hot to play with that at this point. so i left that for another day….and i probably need to actually read the manual before proceeding…
onward and upward. always endeavor to persevere. wet ducks don’t fly after dark. the check is in the mail and…
Last week I decided to do an online course for Udemy so I’m doing the outline and introduction video.
I’ve got a business trip to Minnesota coming up so I have to make get things organized so my wife will be okay while I’m gone.
I’m starting up with a curriculum design team (hence the trip to MN) but it’s paid work and the rest of the time we’ll be meeting and working online.
I’m expecting a contract to write a course on business analytics at the end of the month. More paid work!
We’re doing a road trip to Chicago at the end of the month so I need to do some logistics for that.
Apart from that, just hanging.
27.
Phylllis
Enjoying a fine Bloody Mary at a downtown Savannah watering hole. Dinner at the Olde Pink House later. Rather hot & steamy here as well.
28.
scav
@tybee: Sweaty bleeding is a necessary and mandatory step, although I personally often mix it up with the large scarey bruise of indeterminate origin appearing later variant.
29.
Pogonip
Damp and cool here. We’ve only had one hot week all summer.
I was wondering if Cole had given away big furry Steve, because he never writes about him any more, and then it occurred to me that he hadn’t mentioned big furry Shawn in a while, either. Did he give HIM away?
30.
MattF
My sister forwarded this to me. Pretty funny.
It is a slow day in a damp little Irish town. The rain is beating down
and the streets are deserted. Times are tough, everybody is in debt, and everybody lives on credit.On this particular day a rich German tourist is driving through the town, stops at the local hotel and lays a €100 note on the desk, telling the
hotel owner he wants to inspect the rooms upstairs in order to pick one to spend the night. The owner gives him some keys and, as soon as the visitor has walked upstairs, the hotelier grabs the €100 note and runs next door to pay his debt to the butcher.
The butcher takes the €100 note and runs down the street to repay his debt to the pig farmer. The pig farmer takes the €100 note and heads off to pay his bill at the supplier of feed and fuel. The guy at the Farmer’s Co-op takes the €100 note and runs to pay his drinks bill at the pub. The publican slips the money along to the local lady-of-ill-Repute drinking at the bar, who has also been facing hard times and has had to offer him “services” on credit.
The lady-of-ill-repute then rushes to the hotel and pays off her room bill to the hotel owner with the €100 note. The hotel proprietor then places the €100 note back on the counter so the rich traveller will not suspect anything. At that moment the traveller comes down the stairs, picks up the €100 note, states that the rooms are not satisfactory, pockets the money, and leaves town.
No one produced anything. No one earned anything.
However, the whole town is now out of debt and looking to the future with a lot more optimism.
And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how the Greek bailout package has been working for 10+ years, & has now ground to a halt…
@WaterGirl: There’s a guy in the club who is supposed to be cutting a bunch of it together. He’s got everything I’ve shot for a while.
35.
Ruckus
@Mr. Prosser:
As one of their guiding lights is ted nuggent and he runs (figuratively and actually) away from any fight, you are correct about the stroke thing but have the direction wrong. Run away, Run away!
36.
Ruckus
@JPL:
They’ve needed to drop the euro for a while now. All it’s doing is endlessly hurting them and nothing about that is going to change. Too much financial difference about the countries in the EU without any mechanism to adjust for that. Add on the cultural differences and centuries old strife and I’m amazed that it’s lasted this long. It was a great idea, that of unifying, just very poorly carried out.
When asked why his campaign was struggling to attract the working-class, less liberal voters he thought he might be reaching, Mr. Sanders acknowledged the challenges facing his campaign.
Last time around, Hillary showed herself to be a relatively weak campaigner. I guess this is the first time that Sanders is running for anything other than statewide office. But it is still early, and I hope that both of them get their acts together. Inevitably, the GOP will settle down and sort out the current madness, and the real campaign will be on.
38.
Ruckus
@tybee:
There is a logical progression to accomplishing any mechanical/electrical task.
1. Use force.
2. When force doesn’t work, use logic.
3. When logic fails, read the manual.
4. When reading fails, hire a professional. (They have been through steps 1-3 and have the experience to know which one works)
39.
Ruckus
@MattF:
Someone along the line pocketed the note. In this case we know who it was.
40.
shell
Between Memorial And Labor Day, I thought Floridians didnt go outside.
41.
Schlemazel
@Eric U.:
Bumped into “A Million Ways To Die In The West” a couple days ago. It is profane and stupid but I laughed more than I would have suspected. It also has some great cameos
42.
Brachiator
I have all kinds of plans for being ambitious and getting a lot of little chores done, but I may end up doing mainly nothing. Catching up on some videos, maybe. I am enjoying the SF series Humans, about a contemporary world in which there are synthetic beings. I think it may be based on a Scandinavian series. A nice touch is that they show humans who have almost lost the will to live since human robots do more and more work that real people used to do, so people are asking themselves what’s the point of being human if mechanicals can do it better?
I see that Minions has made $115 million at the box office over the weekend. And yet some of the reviews have been negative and even many ordinary people have said that the film is disappointing. This is too bad, since the characters have become instantly beloved by lots of kids, who were really anticipating this movie. Hopefully, the producers will do what Pixar does at their best, and try for quality as well as box office success with the inevitable sequel.
43.
Schlemazel
@Mr. Prosser:
I am seriously concerened about the well being of the people who will be working Jade Helm. I can easily see some of the whacka-doos taking potshots at them while trying to protect them some konstitooshunal rights. My guess is they won’t have live ammo to return fire which is both good and bad.
I had the exact opinion as yours re: “A Million Ways To Die In The West”. Watched it recently while my 82 year old mother and her boyfriend were visiting and when I laughed they looked at me like I was crazy. Was nervous about the profanity: Mom’s boyfriend is not a fan of coarse language. Even words like “crap” are too strong for his taste.
45.
JPL
@Brachiator: The third grade boy from next door enjoyed the Minions. He said it was a fun movie and it was a nice change from Inside/Out which was just too sad to him.
46.
Mr. Prosser
@Ruckus: I could never conflate Ted Nugent with Sir Robin, one of my favorite Python characters. How about Nugent as Beni, the slimy little guide in the mummy movie with Brandon Fraser?
@Brachiator:
Peanut went to see The Minions movie yesterday. She loved it, while she didn’t like Inside Out at all. I went to see it, and could see how a 7 year old would not like it.
48.
WaterGirl
@Brachiator: I was just telling someone about Humans last night. I find it interesting and thought-provoking.
I have never been much of a sci-fi person, but I really liked the show Almost Human. I was bummed when they took it off the air. I like Continuum, too.
49.
Schlemazel
@pamelabrown53:
If you are watching a McFarlane movie & not uncomfortable with parts of it you need to get help very soon. I don’t really like a lot of his stuff and there were some awful things in this movie but the ratio was good. The very last cameo really made one of the worst bits earlier in the film much better.
– –
Albert: Oh, you’re very modest, I see.
Anna: I’m a little cocky. But I got great tits.
– –
Anna: There is something about connecting over mutual hatred that is just so much deeper than mutual love.
– –
Cochise: There is an ancient proverb among my people: Sometimes the only way for a man to find true happiness is to take drugs in a group.
50.
Mr. Prosser
@Schlemazel: I don’t think the guardians will do much more than set up lawn chairs on the edge of town a la the self appointed border guards and then wait to be photographed by the media.
51.
Ruckus
@Mr. Prosser:
Valid point. Ted nugent is scum, no doubt about that. Haven’t seen the other movie so if you say so…..
52.
Schlemazel
@Mr. Prosser:
I hope you are right. They will, of course, claim it was them in their lawn chairs that foiled the fascist Obama’s plan. But it only would take one of the loonies to play Rambo for some innocent kid serving out his or her enlistment to be hurt or killed.
53.
Ruckus
@Mr. Prosser:
Well they will carry weapons. Using them is another entire matter. Of course they are fucked up in the head so one can never be too careful. Might be fun to watch someone fire a high powered rifle while sitting in a lawn chair. From a distance of course.
54.
Emerald
@Tom: Agree. Dean Spanley is one of my favorite movies. Peter O’Toole is freaking’ amazing in it. Amazing.
55.
Gene108
A car advice request:
I got the air bag inflator recall (which may or may not have been a problem) with my 2003 Toyota Corolla fixed. As courtesy the dealer checked out my car to see if anything is wrong.
They said the engine was making a noise and the drive belt tensioner is loose. I had not been hearing any noises that I usually associate with a loose belt.
I’ll take it to a local mechanic to get a second opinion.
I am just wondering how long I can go, if the belt tensioner is loose.
Like I said, so far I do not hear any noise and the car is running just fine.
The third grade boy from next door enjoyed the Minions. He said it was a fun movie and it was a nice change from Inside/Out which was just too sad to him.
I have seen more adults praise Inside Out, and even rave over a comic bit that would not make any sense to most kids. I think the movie is better, less confusing for older kids.
Glad to hear that a kid liked Minions. As I note, it is uneven, but seems to have some laughs.
I firmly believe that kids should have well done movies that are made for them. If adults like it too, that ‘s a nice bonus.
@rikyrah
Peanut went to see The Minions movie yesterday. She loved it, while she didn’t like Inside Out at all. I went to see it, and could see how a 7 year old would not like it.
Very cool that Minions was enjoyed. Her reaction to Inside Out makes sense. It is a good movie, but not necessarily all that enjoyable for younger kids.
I want more Despicable Me movies.
57.
Mr. Prosser
@Schlemazel: True. But from what I’ve read, this exercise is designed to test a large number of special operations teams in unconventional warfare and guerrilla force organizing. No one messes with spec ops. In fact, the locals, aside from seeing some helicopters, probably won’t ever see the participants.
58.
Germy Shoemangler
I’ve been listening to a lot of Jack Teagarden. I didn’t know he covered “The Little Man”
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there again today,
I wish, I wish he’d go away…
When I came home last night at three,
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall,
I couldn’t see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door…
Last night I saw upon the stair,
A little man who wasn’t there,
He wasn’t there again today
Oh, how I wish he’d go away…
@WereBear: I recommend Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings.
61.
Ruckus
@Gene108:
Certain Toyota models have what is called interference engines. If the belt breaks or gets too loose the valves will hit the piston. That is extremely expensive. Here is a list of the engines, couldn’t find one by car model. If the engine in your car is listed, get it checked out right away. Even if the first shop is trying to sell you something you don’t need it’s not worth not getting it checked. If you have an interference engine it probably has a regularly scheduled belt change. Personally I’d follow that.
I have never been much of a sci-fi person, but I really liked the show Almost Human. I was bummed when they took it off the air. I like Continuum, too.
Some of the best shows use sci-fi as the background to tell good stories. And maybe all the “talk to me” tech we are using is making the ideas behind these shows not sci-fi, but “real” life.
Yeah, Almost Human was good stuff. Too bad it didn’t make it. I don’t know that much about Continuum, but have heard some good things about it.
63.
Ruckus
@raven:
Good catch. I was thinking cam belt not serpentine.
64.
Scamp Dog
@KG: does anybody ever ask these loons what they mean by Obama “taking over Texas”? Last time I checked, Texas was already part of the United States of America.
65.
Germy Shoemangler
Even if the first shop is trying to sell you something you don’t need…
With all the recalls, the dealerships have to make replacements for no charge, but what a wonderful opportunity for diagnostics! “Mrs. Smith, while you’re here you’ll need a new left axle widget valve igniter”
Like those clowns who rushed to the Bundy ranch to lend a hand.
67.
Schlemazel
@Scamp Dog:
don’t be silly! Thinking is hard and asking them to do it is forced labor, and you know who else used forced labor? (no silly not the treasonous CSA, that was different! Hitler, Hitler used forced labor just like Obummer wants to!)
@Germy Shoemangler:
I can see TX being first but I think if he was going to do this he would have started on Jan 20, 2009, 12:01 pm. Would be much more “logical.” Yes I know using the word logical in any context in this situation is illogical.
76.
Schlemazel
@pamelabrown53:
Millie: You’re okay with your girlfriend screwing, like, 15 different guys every day and getting paid to do it?
Edward: Oh, my job sucks too.
Anna: You’re a good sheep farmer!
Albert: Oh my god, please! I suck at sheep. Louise was right, I can’t keep track of them. There was a sheep in the whorehouse the last week.
Anna: Really?
Albert: Yeah. Wandered in there, and then when I went to pick it up, somehow it had made 20 dollars.
77.
bemused
I got a chuckle out of a front page opinion piece, “Bernie, Donald Shows”, by local rightwing newspaper editor today. He dragged out the “both sides do it” defense, claimed that Dem party leaders and power brokers etc are just as worried about Sanders’ crowds/poll numbers as Republicans are about the Donald, made snotty remarks about Hillary and asserted that there were many good and qualified Republican presidential candidates although he neglected to name which ones. The “clown car” label for Republican candidates seemed to hit a nerve.
@Iowa Old Lady:
Ha! Well, yes, I like that concept in general, but his relationship with the girls BEGS for it. Of course they’ll want to grow up like their step-father.
79.
Iowa Old Lady
@bemused: In contrast to Trump, Sanders appears to be drawing approving interest from a range of people that’s wider than expected. That ought to please Ds and scare Rs.
80.
chopper
have a bit of a day off. no kids or anything. saw Jurassic World, now at the local watering hole.
@Ruckus:
Seconded. Most overhead-cam engines are interference designs and a failed tensioner/broken belt means an instant munched valvetrain from the valves hitting the pistons.
Every belt-drive OHV engine has a timing belt replacement interval. How many miles on this car and when (if ever) was the belt and tensioner last changed?
A second opinion is always a good idea as this is usually an expensive task (labor varies a lot, depending on the model), but do it quickly.
Finally turned on the AC – the great thing about a geothermal heating system is you get a top notch AC system as an afterthought – here in Maine, of course.
If I was in the south or southwest I’d have to have one – it’s a very cheap way of cooling your house.
I can see TX being first but I think if he was going to do this he would have started on Jan 20, 2009, 12:01 pm
No. Remember, the army- and the rest of the government- was still being run by GWB appointees at that point. They never would have gone along. It’s taken Obama this long to weed out all the loyal Americans and replace them with his hand-picked cronies who will do exactly as he says no matter how unconstitutional.
The Millie/Edward (Silverman/Rubisi) relationship was hilarious. The prostitute and her boyfriend saving themselves for marriage. Actually what I thought made the movie work is how McFarlane inserted modern day mores and cultural references into the Western genre..
89.
trollhattan
@Brachiator:
I’d think a 7YO would be mostly baffled by “Inside Out.” My 13YO enjoyed it, as did mom and dad. Surprisingly touching (I don’t expect to be…touched by “Minions” when we get around to seeing it).
I was in a B&N a few days ago and there was a table devoted the Minions stuff. I was sorely temped to get something because I really like the little characters. Haven’t decided if I’ll see the movie yet. Maybe that would be a good thing to do later — I’m still trying to decide how to spend the day.
I can always tell when that wingnut editor and others like him are scared. They become shrill and mean.
IOW, on days ending in “y”.
92.
trollhattan
@redshirt:
Geo systems are rare as glaciers in California, but friends who installed one last year found their house comfort utterly changed–it’s always comfortable, winter and summer. They live in the foothills so deal with a pretty wide temp swings and were heating with propane, which cost a mint. Rather than drilling, their system is based on hundreds of feet of looping hose buried in trenches. No idea what it cost, but guessing they’ll break even within a hundred years or so. But the house is a lot more liveable.
@trollhattan: I know! There’s two ways of doing it, as you say – a well, or a deep trench in which coils of pipe are laid. Wells are better, but trenches work too. The idea is so simple – at all times of the year, the ground below a certain depth maintains roughly the same temperature – 50 to 60F. Thus, in the summer, this is free cooling air for your house, and in the winter this is free heating air. You can see how this tips the system efficiency wise for cooling. Even when it’s 100 degrees out, it’s still 50-60F down below, and that’s the air temp that’s getting pumped into your house, using no coolants or other means of powers other than a pump and a fan.
@Baud: About the no debt relief. The troika will refuse any debt relief as part of the negotiation, but two weeks after the complete surrender by the Greeks, they will notice that the present debt is completely non-serviceable, and give substantial relief. But they cannot talk about that now.
If not, it will just be austerity forever, and hello Golden Dawn.
I was looking at YouTube yesterday. The tensioner is beyond my skill level. To get the securing bolt out of my model, you have to do something to get a couple reservoirs unbolted or there is not space to remove it.
At my best, I can manage an oil change on my own. That’s about as much as I can handle on my own.
I think this is about a two hour job, per what I read yesterday.
My car has a timing chain. The belt in question is also called a serpentine belt. Instead of a separate alternator belt and fan belt, they run off the serpentine / drive belt.
I do not think the piston timing is runoff the belt in question.
On the bright side, at 191,550 miles, if the only thing they could find wrong with the car is this I do not feel like I am in bad shape over all.
98.
pamelabrown53
I’m hoping for a new thread soon because this one (for me) is getting hard to follow.
99.
trollhattan
@Gene108:
Ah, that’s different. A broken serpentine belt just means you’ll be parking where it happens, but nothing fatal. I’ve only had a couple cars with tensioners that were DIY, the rest either had no clearance whatsoever to access it or required a SuperDuper special tool.
The YouTube videos called it a drive belt, so I went with that terminology.
I just got new struts in April.
I feel like I need a breather from maintenance bills.
101.
Germy Shoemangler
@Gene108: very true. And if you’ve got a good trustworthy mechanic you’re in the catbird seat.
102.
Geeno
@Brachiator: Trouble was – “well done” movies for kids were strictly designed around selling them stuff. That’s why “family” movies became a thing. Parents wouldn’t let kids go alone (usually while they attended a more adult movie in the same multiplex – the way it was done back in the 80’s) anymore, because the movies were 90 min. ads, and the parents wouldn’t take the kids to a movie that said nothing to them.
Soooooo – Pixar! which is not a bad thing.
103.
Misterpuff
@WaterGirl:
The finance ministers keep saying “We must be unwavering in our support of austerity” as a lesson to the other slacker nations, “This could be you.” But if Greece grexits and thrives (as well as giving the bankers a haircut), that will be the real lesson. Is the EU worth punishing your own people and probably future generations?
Can any of you gearheads build a mutant Mad Max monstrosity? With like 2 V8’s?
105.
trollhattan
@Misterpuff:
A tidbit I just learned from BBC was that Greece hired Goldman-Sachs to cook the books at the time they joined the Eurozone, making the national debt look one-quarter it’s actual size. That explained some familiar fingerprints on the whole mess.
They are usually shrill and mean. A big tell that they are very agitated, nervous and scared is when they really ramp it up.
108.
John Revolta
@trollhattan: If this is true, and the ECB fell for it, fuck ’em. They’re stupider than I thought.
109.
Ruckus
@Gene108:
No worries. Just trying to make sure that you didn’t let something very important go by. Even cam chains have a life, and an ending. One Toyota that I owned went through a timing chain at about 75,000. Replaced that and made it about another 7,000 before the rest of the engine had enough. Replaced that and got another 10 out of it before the rest of the truck gave up for good. Sold it to a heavy truck diesel mechanic friend who offered me $50. I got the better part of the deal.
Today’s cars, especially Japanese, seem to last a lot longer than they used to, couple hundred thou is pretty common out here in the western land of very little rust, 300,000 happens regularly.
110.
Ruckus
@redshirt:
Yes. All you have to do is give me money. Lots of money. Oh and a bit of time.
111.
MomSense
Day two of the blues festival. We are now having a nice rain shower and it feels fantastic.
112.
Belafon
@Brachiator: I would love for Pixar to do an adult cartoon, with a storyline that wouldn’t necessarily appeal to kids. Something along the lines of a 90 minute version the beginning of Wall-E up to the point he gives Eve the plant.
113.
Germy Shoemangler
From the new york times:
After listening to Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin as he has traveled the country preparing his campaign for president, which officially begins on Monday, admiring voters most often describe him as “authentic,” “real” and “approachable,” Mr. Walker’s advisers say.
Two words these voters do not use about him? “Smart” and “sophisticated.”
“Scott is working on that,” said Ed Goeas, a veteran Republican pollster and a senior adviser to Mr. Walker. “Look, ‘approachable’ is worth its weight in gold in politics. ‘Smart’ is something voters look for in legislators who craft policy. But Scott is preparing hard to talk about every issue.”
I would love for Pixar to do an adult cartoon, with a storyline that wouldn’t necessarily appeal to kids.
I remember seeing Ralph Bakshi’s adaptation of “Fritz The Cat” in the theater. That was certainly an adult cartoon.
117.
Riley's enabler
@rikyrah: Same experience here. The 11 – year-old loved Minions (we saw it last night) and I enjoyed it very much. He definitely did not like “Inside Out”, said it was confusing. I got to skip that viewing, so no opinion here.
Minions was what I expected. Silly, sweet, clever and light. Sandra Bullock takes some getting used to as the Big Bad, but she pulls it off.
admiring voters most often describe him as “authentic,” “real” and “approachable,” Mr. Walker’s advisers say.
That’s some might fine reporting there, NYT.
119.
PurpleGirl
Looked up Minions on Moviefone and found it at several theaters in my area. Decided to go tomorrow when I can also run errands in the area of any of the theaters. Today now becomes getting things together to do tomorrow — like go to donate stuff at Housing Works. Also have to plot which movie theater so I can keep the trip to a reasonable amount of time and transfers. Best theater may be the one in Forest Hills which is only one bus ride for me.
Re movie/TV show aimed at kids but really for adults
Rocky and Bullwinkle comes to mind. As A kid I found it funny, but as a somewhat precocious kid I saw the adult politics and satire which made it even funnier.
@redshirt:
The rain in Maine stays mainly on the plain.
121.
Richard Mayhew
Just sent in my most unusual soccer game report ever: Men’s Amateur game abandoned at 17:43 due to rattle snake on the field
The players saw the snake, I stopped the game and we went to the bench area and we waited for thirty minutes for that snake to get off the field. It did not. So the teams decided they were up for a make-up game later this week.
122.
Germy Shoemangler
@Baud: They don’t even have to write that stuff down anymore, like in the old days, and risk writer’s cramp. Nowadays they can just copy and paste from campaign e-mails.
@redshirt:
I build things for a living. Currently medical, and commercial tools for customers to use for production of product. Started doing that over 50 yrs ago. Did design for most of that. Have designed and built machinery for different industries. What you are asking for takes engineering and fabrication but nothing extra ordinary. Well except for that time and money part.
@Davis X. Machina:
That should be relatively easy, fair amount of room in the engine bay. Usually built strong enough that what needs to be can be worked with.
@Corner Stone: It had a coat of white that was peeling badly and a weird green under that. I used a chemical stripper and then sanded, the Dremel was a lifesaver in the corners! We have one unfinished door that is the entry to the upstairs so we’ll see what the boss says!
137.
raven
@Ruckus: I was thinking you were the real deal. I’m a hacker.
@Davis X. Machina: good piece. But it begs the question, who keeps voting for the politicians mentioned that refuse to accept the Medicaid expansion? You would think that those politicians would be run out of town on a rail, instead it sounds like there’s no shortage of hands to shake.
Past a certain point I just can’t sympathize with people who vote against their own interests and suffer the consequences.
I saw a short documentary on the guy who designed the cars for the newest Mad Max and it was insane. All done first in Auto-Cad and other programs, and then combing junkyards looking for parts.
Aside from working on two orders from my store for fellow Juicers (thanks again!!), I am frittering away my day. I decided to use the wet weather we had earlier as my excuse. It’s working out pretty well.
@redshirt:
What you can’t find, what doesn’t exist, you fabricate. Just because no one has done it before doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just if it should be.
149.
raven
@Germy Shoemangler: I’ve used oil on most of my stuff. Our floors are oil and I always have a can around.
150.
John Revolta
@raven: You stripped that fucker and now you gonna PAINT it? Get some stain brother!
In fact, it looks nice enough you could just get some poly and mix a little stain in it and finish it that way. If you want to even out the color just mix several smaller batches with more or less tint. You’ve come this far!………..
151.
raven
@Ruckus: True dat but she does lean to the funky. We’re going to pay more money to reuse the doors and window than we would have to put new stuff in!
152.
Ruckus
@raven:
Dad made sure that I had some skills and would never stop looking to enhance them or add more. I find that as I start on the down slope of life that still seems to be important, just not as important.
@Ruckus: My old man was a real salt (as you know) and he always was impressed by my meager mechanical knowledge. Working in Bill and Walts Texaco in the summer of 65 got me off to a good start!
@raven:
Funky is good, it frequently reflects on the trials and tribulations of life, of success over something that you labored for. It has personality. It’s the opposite of looking at the mittens, or maybe even the donald. All you have there is money thrown at polishing bullshit. It’s shinny but not anything you’d want to live with.
@Ruckus: Her pop was an old school builder, architectural engineer and SeeBee. He was always surprised that she wanted old stuff but he worked with her to design the renovations to this house in that way. We have gingerbread on the eaves that he salvaged from a house in Virginia. We have a picture of the one-armed Confederate officer that originally owned that house.
160.
raven
@Denali: Noted. The interior door I posted has no finished al all.
I’d vote for leaving it unfinished, if I had a vote :)
Unpainted, maybe, but I’d think you’d want some kind of protective finish on it.
162.
raven
@Roger Moore: It’s been there 15 years and show no sign of. . .anything.
eta Oh, you mean the one I just did, yea, we’ll do something.
163.
PurpleGirl
@satby: The idiots doing the voting don’t realize that something could happen and they will need Medicaid. Right now they have insurance from their employers or are on Medicare; whatever, they feel pretty safe and covered. Besides, don’t you know it’s only the poor and those people who need Medicaid and who needs to care about them and their problems.
I would love for Pixar to do an adult cartoon, with a storyline that wouldn’t necessarily appeal to kids. Something along the lines of a 90 minute version the beginning of Wall-E up to the point he gives Eve the plant.
I don’t think that Disney would let Pixar do animation for adults.
The Incredibles comes close to being an adult cartoon for some. The latter section of the movie is like an animated James Bond movie.
165.
Ruckus
@raven:
That is great. Cookie cutter homes do nothing for me, although I run more to the modern side rather than old. Really it’s design and execution that matters more, clean lines, not over doing things, a bit of effort that shows, enough room to enjoy, and yet, as of late not so much room that collection of mountains of stuff is possible.
166.
Another Holocene Human
It was swampy and it did rain.
Zeyde and Bubbe are now interred side by side.
MIL just invited me and my brother over. o_0 My brother! This is how she’s handling the changes.
167.
raven
@Ruckus: We’ve lived with one bathroom and very little closet space for these 15 years. The addition will solve that and give us a giant basement with a really cool bay window I bought at habitat for $100, the big windows we are taking out in the kitchen to make a door out to a new deck and one that we will lose because the addition is attaching to that wall. We are starting to worry about the HVAC and whether or not to do an entire new roof (that is not included in the addition costs). It will work out but we are nervous.
168.
Germy Shoemangler
@Debbie: Yes, and I played the hell out of the soundtrack. Those animators made a film about a magician that I’ve been wanting to see…
What you can’t find, what doesn’t exist, you fabricate. Just because no one has done it before doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just if it should be.
You say this like it’s no thing, but it in fact is a very big thing. Very few people can fix anything. Very few people can make anything. Most of us are here along for the ride with NO idea how any of it works or what it takes to fix something when it doesn’t.
So a real builder, for me, is a blessing. I treasure every encounter.
Honestly, given the fact that the overall budget for an animated film is $150+ million, I doubt that any American studio is interested in making an animated film for adults, especially since most American adults think of animation as “kids movies.” This is not Japan, where they have a long tradition of animation aimed at adults.
“Inside Out” is definitely aimed at the 10+ crowd. As even the film itself acknowledges, developmentally kids have a hard time conceptualizing mixed emotions up until that age.
@redshirt:
I don’t think it’s that hard, if I can do it……
What it takes is time and effort. It helps if you can think logically, that is step by step. At that point you can learn how things work, then how to repair them and then how to build them. All the hand movements, hand/eye coordination are learned. And practiced. And practiced and……. That’s the key and one reason why so few learn them. Not that people aren’t capable, no one was there to show them how and no one was there to insure that they learned. Yes, some are missing the required basic talents but many more have them and just never developed them. I wasn’t born with the abilities I have now, but I was born with a father that thought I should have them. It took a while to learn the basics but once you have that your world is open to continuing to learn the rest of your life. Of course you will still land on the continuum that is human beings. I have a friend who has the mechanical ability of a bar of soap. He tries, many have shown him how but he is missing something that he needs. He is however a wonderful writer and a great human, along with being one of the funnest people I know. We know what we know and what we are capable of learning. That is a lot more than some people think. Here in the US many of us only speak one language, and that not even all that well. I’ve met 5-6 yr old kids from poor homes who speak at least 2 and translate for their parents. And have friends from other parts of the world who speak several languages. We can learn, the issue is practice, practice……..
173.
Bruce K
Been following the whole Brussels situation nervously (I live and work in Athens, so I’ve got kind of a vested interest in how it all turns out), and it’s been an emotional roller-coaster. Hope to despair to hope to despair. And now, after seeing the latest Eurozone demands, I’m starting to think that the best-case scenario from where I’m standing is for the entire European Union to implode.
In a similar vein, Krugman’s gone full K-Thug over the situation:
Honestly, given the fact that the overall budget for an animated film is $150+ million, I doubt that any American studio is interested in making an animated film for adults, especially since most American adults think of animation as “kids movies.” This is not Japan, where they have a long tradition of animation aimed at adults.
Fair point. However, the budget for the Despicable Me 1 was $69 million; the budget for the sequel was $76 million (all estimates). A large subset of people who like comic book movies also like animated comic book movies, anime, etc. The demographic of adults who might accept adult animation may be growing. But I wouldn’t stake a studio on it yet.
“Inside Out” is definitely aimed at the 10+ crowd. As even the film itself acknowledges, developmentally kids have a hard time conceptualizing mixed emotions up until that age.
But here again, there are some people who just assume that any animated film is suitable for all kiddies. And there are some stupid film critics who refuse to review an animated film from a kid’s perspective and only write about its appeal to adults.
175.
Ruckus
@Bruce K:
A difficult to make work situation has been made impossible to work. All one has to do is look at the actual situation to discern that. But if one looks at the situation with conservative German glasses on, which seems to block any actual information, the only course is to continue on, double up, and give not two shits when it doesn’t work. Greece’s only choice is to leave. It may not work, if it does it will hurt and take time, but staying will absolutely not work and will hurt forever. That may be fine for Germany, not so much for Greece.
And now, after seeing the latest Eurozone demands, I’m starting to think that the best-case scenario from where I’m standing is for the entire European Union to implode.
Any sense of what others there are thinking/feeling at this point, after referendum?
LanceThruster
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10207169201170811&set=gm.948643198511339&type=1&theater
WereBear
Partner and I are competing to find the worst movies on Amazon Prime and then making sarcastic comments.
It’s better than hot and swampy.
sparrow
Still in Greece, about to go see an opera version of Medea in Ermoupoli. Somehow, killing one’s children seems like an appropriate theme for this moment in Greek history. Newest proposals are 100% more punishing austerity, and mandatory sale of 50 billion euros worth of state assets (ports, etc), with no debt relief. That’s if they actually come up with a bailout: seems more likely that they will just let Greece implode financially.
Eric U.
@WereBear: my son accused me of looking for bad movies on netflix last night. I wish you sort them by rank, and rate it on the “so bad it’s good” scale. Been a while since I found a bad movie I enjoyed watching.
Germy Shoemangler
Fascinating conversation with Bernie Sanders:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/upshot/class-or-ideology-my-conversation-with-bernie-sanders.html?hpw&rref=upshot&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region®ion=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0
SiubhanDuinne
I’m in NoVA, having heard the Notorious RBG yesterday give a talk — copiously illustrated by a variety of scenes — on “The Law in Opera.” She was at the Castleton Festival to attend the premiere, later yesterday, of the new opera Scalia-Ginsburg. Alas, I didn’t see it, but I’ve heard good reviews from those who have, and it’s supposed to be available on streaming quite soon. It’s a one-act opera, so relatively brief, and although it is contemporary, I understand it quotes extensively from older, familiar works in the repertoire (the gimmick, for those who may not know, is that while Tony and RBG disagree philosophically and legally on almost every point, they share a love of opera).
Past several days have been crazy and full. Now I need to turn my attention to getting back in touch with those Balloon-Juicers who are in NoVA or DC area and who would like to get together for a meetup this Tuesday evening. If I haven’t already been in contact with you and you want to come out and play, please shoot me an email at SiubhanDuinne (at) gmail (dot) com. Or reply to me on this thread.
WereBear
@Eric U.: We enjoyed the heck out of The Rift, 1989, with R. Lee Ermey and Jack Scalia. Guy is getting eaten by a tentacle monster, with screams ricocheting around the cockpit of a submarine, and they’re all “What’s the matter, Johnson? What’s going on?”
We are both feeling under the weather today, good to take it easy.
cckids
Mid-day?? FFS, it’s 9 a.m. on a Sunday.
Have some pity on us left-coasters.
Baud
@Eric U.:
Surprised at this.
JPL
@sparrow: I didn’t realize they were going off the ports. It sounds as though, the deal will never allow Greece to survive. Maybe Krugman is correct, that the country needs to drop the euro.
JPL
@SiubhanDuinne: It’s hot and steamy here. Enjoy your vacation.
MattF
@Baud: Note (quoted in NYT):
Disaster relief, if necessary.
KG
I really need to stop checking Facebook first thing in the morning. Haven’t even made breakfast and I’ve seen one friend post a link from some bullshit website claiming the hpv vaccine is a scam and a cousin posting something about how real conservative citizens are going to protect us from Jade Helm
Looks like I’ll be Irishing up my coffee this morning
sparrow
@MattF: They are using the language of war. “Don’t humiliate Greece” says Italy — that’s the way you talk about a country you’ve routed.
Linnaeus
Cool and gray here in the Emerald City. A good day for the seafood festival.
Mr. Prosser
@KG: How wonderful to be protected by fat, camo wearing, assault rifle carrying candidates for a stroke the minute they start jogging toward the enemy.
WaterGirl
@JPL:
That’s the conclusion I am reaching, too.
the Conster
These tennis playin’ fellas are pretty good.
Mike J
I have to stand on the dock today and watch other people go sailing. Help the n00bs and all that stuff. Somebody’s got to do it, and it’s my turn.
ThresherK
Later this afternoon: Lap swim* or pick-my-own blueberries?
Or both?
*I’m freckled enough to not want to be out in the midday sun. I use sunscreen but at some point I don’t like the idea of slathering myself in it and then leaving a small iridescent slick of it in a public pool that others will be using. So, later in the day it is, when there’s a lot more shade over the pool.
Betty Cracker
@Mike J: A day on the water is a good day — even on the dock.
rikyrah
about to watch the new Monster High selection with Peanut…..
yeah,it’s her choice
different-church-lady
Isn’t that every day in Florida?
Mike J
@Betty Cracker: Agreed. In addition to being in the the sun and the breeze, I get to teach people how to do something I like.
Unrelated, has anybody posted this?
Congressman John Lewis in costume as himself at Comic-con
https://twitter.com/topshelfcomix/status/619910243422638080/photo/1
tybee
went down to the may-reena to remove the old Si-Tex color LCD sonar and begin the installation of the new, B&W, higher frequency, higher resolution humminbird depth-o-meter.
turns out that the depth finder that was installed before the si-tex musta been a humminbird ’cause the mount holes match up perfectly after i removed the si-tex mount.
got the two old si-tex transducers pulled out after much cursing, got the new transponder wire run through the underdeck channel- all three operations were highly amusing. full sun, head in the console, lying on my back, no breeze, sweating, cursing. had a great time. bled copiously all over the wiring due to a sharp screw i didn’t see on the underside of the top of he console.
i usually deal very well with heat and high humidity but today is cookin’ and i had to give it up. you could’ve fried a steak on the deck before noon arrived.
all that is left is hooking up the power but it’s just too fuckin’ hot to play with that at this point. so i left that for another day….and i probably need to actually read the manual before proceeding…
onward and upward. always endeavor to persevere. wet ducks don’t fly after dark. the check is in the mail and…
Tom
Let’s see…
Last week I decided to do an online course for Udemy so I’m doing the outline and introduction video.
I’ve got a business trip to Minnesota coming up so I have to make get things organized so my wife will be okay while I’m gone.
I’m starting up with a curriculum design team (hence the trip to MN) but it’s paid work and the rest of the time we’ll be meeting and working online.
I’m expecting a contract to write a course on business analytics at the end of the month. More paid work!
We’re doing a road trip to Chicago at the end of the month so I need to do some logistics for that.
Apart from that, just hanging.
Phylllis
Enjoying a fine Bloody Mary at a downtown Savannah watering hole. Dinner at the Olde Pink House later. Rather hot & steamy here as well.
scav
@tybee: Sweaty bleeding is a necessary and mandatory step, although I personally often mix it up with the large scarey bruise of indeterminate origin appearing later variant.
Pogonip
Damp and cool here. We’ve only had one hot week all summer.
I was wondering if Cole had given away big furry Steve, because he never writes about him any more, and then it occurred to me that he hadn’t mentioned big furry Shawn in a while, either. Did he give HIM away?
MattF
My sister forwarded this to me. Pretty funny.
Tom
@Eric U.: To be fair, there are a *lot* of bad movies on Netflix.
Some hidden gems, though. “Dean Spanley” (Sam Neill, Peter O’Toole, Bryan Brown) is *amazing*.
WaterGirl
@Mike J: Do you have any more sailing videos from your go pro?
WaterGirl
@Betty Cracker: WaterGirl approves of your message!
Mike J
@WaterGirl: There’s a guy in the club who is supposed to be cutting a bunch of it together. He’s got everything I’ve shot for a while.
Ruckus
@Mr. Prosser:
As one of their guiding lights is ted nuggent and he runs (figuratively and actually) away from any fight, you are correct about the stroke thing but have the direction wrong. Run away, Run away!
Ruckus
@JPL:
They’ve needed to drop the euro for a while now. All it’s doing is endlessly hurting them and nothing about that is going to change. Too much financial difference about the countries in the EU without any mechanism to adjust for that. Add on the cultural differences and centuries old strife and I’m amazed that it’s lasted this long. It was a great idea, that of unifying, just very poorly carried out.
Brachiator
@Germy Shoemangler:
Last time around, Hillary showed herself to be a relatively weak campaigner. I guess this is the first time that Sanders is running for anything other than statewide office. But it is still early, and I hope that both of them get their acts together. Inevitably, the GOP will settle down and sort out the current madness, and the real campaign will be on.
Ruckus
@tybee:
There is a logical progression to accomplishing any mechanical/electrical task.
1. Use force.
2. When force doesn’t work, use logic.
3. When logic fails, read the manual.
4. When reading fails, hire a professional. (They have been through steps 1-3 and have the experience to know which one works)
Ruckus
@MattF:
Someone along the line pocketed the note. In this case we know who it was.
shell
Between Memorial And Labor Day, I thought Floridians didnt go outside.
Schlemazel
@Eric U.:
Bumped into “A Million Ways To Die In The West” a couple days ago. It is profane and stupid but I laughed more than I would have suspected. It also has some great cameos
Brachiator
I have all kinds of plans for being ambitious and getting a lot of little chores done, but I may end up doing mainly nothing. Catching up on some videos, maybe. I am enjoying the SF series Humans, about a contemporary world in which there are synthetic beings. I think it may be based on a Scandinavian series. A nice touch is that they show humans who have almost lost the will to live since human robots do more and more work that real people used to do, so people are asking themselves what’s the point of being human if mechanicals can do it better?
I see that Minions has made $115 million at the box office over the weekend. And yet some of the reviews have been negative and even many ordinary people have said that the film is disappointing. This is too bad, since the characters have become instantly beloved by lots of kids, who were really anticipating this movie. Hopefully, the producers will do what Pixar does at their best, and try for quality as well as box office success with the inevitable sequel.
Schlemazel
@Mr. Prosser:
I am seriously concerened about the well being of the people who will be working Jade Helm. I can easily see some of the whacka-doos taking potshots at them while trying to protect them some konstitooshunal rights. My guess is they won’t have live ammo to return fire which is both good and bad.
pamelabrown53
@Schlemazel:
I had the exact opinion as yours re: “A Million Ways To Die In The West”. Watched it recently while my 82 year old mother and her boyfriend were visiting and when I laughed they looked at me like I was crazy. Was nervous about the profanity: Mom’s boyfriend is not a fan of coarse language. Even words like “crap” are too strong for his taste.
JPL
@Brachiator: The third grade boy from next door enjoyed the Minions. He said it was a fun movie and it was a nice change from Inside/Out which was just too sad to him.
Mr. Prosser
@Ruckus: I could never conflate Ted Nugent with Sir Robin, one of my favorite Python characters. How about Nugent as Beni, the slimy little guide in the mummy movie with Brandon Fraser?
rikyrah
@Brachiator:
Peanut went to see The Minions movie yesterday. She loved it, while she didn’t like Inside Out at all. I went to see it, and could see how a 7 year old would not like it.
WaterGirl
@Brachiator: I was just telling someone about Humans last night. I find it interesting and thought-provoking.
I have never been much of a sci-fi person, but I really liked the show Almost Human. I was bummed when they took it off the air. I like Continuum, too.
Schlemazel
@pamelabrown53:
If you are watching a McFarlane movie & not uncomfortable with parts of it you need to get help very soon. I don’t really like a lot of his stuff and there were some awful things in this movie but the ratio was good. The very last cameo really made one of the worst bits earlier in the film much better.
– –
Albert: Oh, you’re very modest, I see.
Anna: I’m a little cocky. But I got great tits.
– –
Anna: There is something about connecting over mutual hatred that is just so much deeper than mutual love.
– –
Cochise: There is an ancient proverb among my people: Sometimes the only way for a man to find true happiness is to take drugs in a group.
Mr. Prosser
@Schlemazel: I don’t think the guardians will do much more than set up lawn chairs on the edge of town a la the self appointed border guards and then wait to be photographed by the media.
Ruckus
@Mr. Prosser:
Valid point. Ted nugent is scum, no doubt about that. Haven’t seen the other movie so if you say so…..
Schlemazel
@Mr. Prosser:
I hope you are right. They will, of course, claim it was them in their lawn chairs that foiled the fascist Obama’s plan. But it only would take one of the loonies to play Rambo for some innocent kid serving out his or her enlistment to be hurt or killed.
Ruckus
@Mr. Prosser:
Well they will carry weapons. Using them is another entire matter. Of course they are fucked up in the head so one can never be too careful. Might be fun to watch someone fire a high powered rifle while sitting in a lawn chair. From a distance of course.
Emerald
@Tom: Agree. Dean Spanley is one of my favorite movies. Peter O’Toole is freaking’ amazing in it. Amazing.
Gene108
A car advice request:
I got the air bag inflator recall (which may or may not have been a problem) with my 2003 Toyota Corolla fixed. As courtesy the dealer checked out my car to see if anything is wrong.
They said the engine was making a noise and the drive belt tensioner is loose. I had not been hearing any noises that I usually associate with a loose belt.
I’ll take it to a local mechanic to get a second opinion.
I am just wondering how long I can go, if the belt tensioner is loose.
Like I said, so far I do not hear any noise and the car is running just fine.
Brachiator
@JPL:
I have seen more adults praise Inside Out, and even rave over a comic bit that would not make any sense to most kids. I think the movie is better, less confusing for older kids.
Glad to hear that a kid liked Minions. As I note, it is uneven, but seems to have some laughs.
I firmly believe that kids should have well done movies that are made for them. If adults like it too, that ‘s a nice bonus.
@rikyrah
Very cool that Minions was enjoyed. Her reaction to Inside Out makes sense. It is a good movie, but not necessarily all that enjoyable for younger kids.
I want more Despicable Me movies.
Mr. Prosser
@Schlemazel: True. But from what I’ve read, this exercise is designed to test a large number of special operations teams in unconventional warfare and guerrilla force organizing. No one messes with spec ops. In fact, the locals, aside from seeing some helicopters, probably won’t ever see the participants.
Germy Shoemangler
I’ve been listening to a lot of Jack Teagarden. I didn’t know he covered “The Little Man”
raven
@Gene108: Belt Tensioner Pulley, How to replace (EASY and CHEAP)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJnxY7kM18Q
Peale
@WereBear: I recommend Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings.
Ruckus
@Gene108:
Certain Toyota models have what is called interference engines. If the belt breaks or gets too loose the valves will hit the piston. That is extremely expensive. Here is a list of the engines, couldn’t find one by car model. If the engine in your car is listed, get it checked out right away. Even if the first shop is trying to sell you something you don’t need it’s not worth not getting it checked. If you have an interference engine it probably has a regularly scheduled belt change. Personally I’d follow that.
Brachiator
@WaterGirl:
Some of the best shows use sci-fi as the background to tell good stories. And maybe all the “talk to me” tech we are using is making the ideas behind these shows not sci-fi, but “real” life.
Yeah, Almost Human was good stuff. Too bad it didn’t make it. I don’t know that much about Continuum, but have heard some good things about it.
Ruckus
@raven:
Good catch. I was thinking cam belt not serpentine.
Scamp Dog
@KG: does anybody ever ask these loons what they mean by Obama “taking over Texas”? Last time I checked, Texas was already part of the United States of America.
Germy Shoemangler
With all the recalls, the dealerships have to make replacements for no charge, but what a wonderful opportunity for diagnostics! “Mrs. Smith, while you’re here you’ll need a new left axle widget valve igniter”
Debbie
@Ruckus:
Like those clowns who rushed to the Bundy ranch to lend a hand.
Schlemazel
@Scamp Dog:
don’t be silly! Thinking is hard and asking them to do it is forced labor, and you know who else used forced labor? (no silly not the treasonous CSA, that was different! Hitler, Hitler used forced labor just like Obummer wants to!)
Germy Shoemangler
@Scamp Dog:
Wondered about that myself. Do they imagine he’s bent on installing sharia law in all 50 states, with texas being the first?
Frankensteinbeck
@Brachiator:
I dearly want Minions 3 to be about the girls hitting adolescence and wanting to be supervillains themselves.
KG
@Scamp Dog: its not an invasion… It’s an occupation!
Germy Shoemangler
@KG:
They’ll be greeted like liberators. And they’ll be out in three weeks.
Just as soon as they topple the statue of Tedd Noogent
Brachiator
@Scamp Dog:
Shhhh! Some Texans don’t know that!
pamelabrown53
@Schlemazel:
Ooohhh, Schelemazel! I love it when you speak “dialog”.
Iowa Old Lady
@Frankensteinbeck: But don’t tell their despicable guardian!
Ruckus
@Germy Shoemangler:
I can see TX being first but I think if he was going to do this he would have started on Jan 20, 2009, 12:01 pm. Would be much more “logical.” Yes I know using the word logical in any context in this situation is illogical.
Schlemazel
@pamelabrown53:
Millie: You’re okay with your girlfriend screwing, like, 15 different guys every day and getting paid to do it?
Edward: Oh, my job sucks too.
Anna: You’re a good sheep farmer!
Albert: Oh my god, please! I suck at sheep. Louise was right, I can’t keep track of them. There was a sheep in the whorehouse the last week.
Anna: Really?
Albert: Yeah. Wandered in there, and then when I went to pick it up, somehow it had made 20 dollars.
bemused
I got a chuckle out of a front page opinion piece, “Bernie, Donald Shows”, by local rightwing newspaper editor today. He dragged out the “both sides do it” defense, claimed that Dem party leaders and power brokers etc are just as worried about Sanders’ crowds/poll numbers as Republicans are about the Donald, made snotty remarks about Hillary and asserted that there were many good and qualified Republican presidential candidates although he neglected to name which ones. The “clown car” label for Republican candidates seemed to hit a nerve.
Frankensteinbeck
@Iowa Old Lady:
Ha! Well, yes, I like that concept in general, but his relationship with the girls BEGS for it. Of course they’ll want to grow up like their step-father.
Iowa Old Lady
@bemused: In contrast to Trump, Sanders appears to be drawing approving interest from a range of people that’s wider than expected. That ought to please Ds and scare Rs.
chopper
have a bit of a day off. no kids or anything. saw Jurassic World, now at the local watering hole.
aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh.
Roger Moore
@Frankensteinbeck:
You of all people want a story about teenage supervillains? I’m shocked to hear it!
WaterGirl
@Frankensteinbeck: That seems so out of character for you. :-)
trollhattan
@Ruckus:
Seconded. Most overhead-cam engines are interference designs and a failed tensioner/broken belt means an instant munched valvetrain from the valves hitting the pistons.
Every belt-drive OHV engine has a timing belt replacement interval. How many miles on this car and when (if ever) was the belt and tensioner last changed?
A second opinion is always a good idea as this is usually an expensive task (labor varies a lot, depending on the model), but do it quickly.
WaterGirl
@Roger Moore: I see we had the same thought!
redshirt
Finally turned on the AC – the great thing about a geothermal heating system is you get a top notch AC system as an afterthought – here in Maine, of course.
If I was in the south or southwest I’d have to have one – it’s a very cheap way of cooling your house.
Roger Moore
@Ruckus:
No. Remember, the army- and the rest of the government- was still being run by GWB appointees at that point. They never would have gone along. It’s taken Obama this long to weed out all the loyal Americans and replace them with his hand-picked cronies who will do exactly as he says no matter how unconstitutional.
bemused
@Iowa Old Lady:
Yes. I can always tell when that wingnut editor and others like him are scared. They become shrill and mean.
pamelabrown53
@Schlemazel:
The Millie/Edward (Silverman/Rubisi) relationship was hilarious. The prostitute and her boyfriend saving themselves for marriage. Actually what I thought made the movie work is how McFarlane inserted modern day mores and cultural references into the Western genre..
trollhattan
@Brachiator:
I’d think a 7YO would be mostly baffled by “Inside Out.” My 13YO enjoyed it, as did mom and dad. Surprisingly touching (I don’t expect to be…touched by “Minions” when we get around to seeing it).
PurpleGirl
@Brachiator: Re: Minions
I was in a B&N a few days ago and there was a table devoted the Minions stuff. I was sorely temped to get something because I really like the little characters. Haven’t decided if I’ll see the movie yet. Maybe that would be a good thing to do later — I’m still trying to decide how to spend the day.
Roger Moore
@bemused:
IOW, on days ending in “y”.
trollhattan
@redshirt:
Geo systems are rare as glaciers in California, but friends who installed one last year found their house comfort utterly changed–it’s always comfortable, winter and summer. They live in the foothills so deal with a pretty wide temp swings and were heating with propane, which cost a mint. Rather than drilling, their system is based on hundreds of feet of looping hose buried in trenches. No idea what it cost, but guessing they’ll break even within a hundred years or so. But the house is a lot more liveable.
redshirt
@trollhattan: I know! There’s two ways of doing it, as you say – a well, or a deep trench in which coils of pipe are laid. Wells are better, but trenches work too. The idea is so simple – at all times of the year, the ground below a certain depth maintains roughly the same temperature – 50 to 60F. Thus, in the summer, this is free cooling air for your house, and in the winter this is free heating air. You can see how this tips the system efficiency wise for cooling. Even when it’s 100 degrees out, it’s still 50-60F down below, and that’s the air temp that’s getting pumped into your house, using no coolants or other means of powers other than a pump and a fan.
Iowa Old Lady
An Iran deal has supposedly been reached:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/provisional-iran-nuclear-deal-expected-sunday-diplomats_55a25c5ce4b0a47ac15cb51c?
catclub
@Baud: About the no debt relief. The troika will refuse any debt relief as part of the negotiation, but two weeks after the complete surrender by the Greeks, they will notice that the present debt is completely non-serviceable, and give substantial relief. But they cannot talk about that now.
If not, it will just be austerity forever, and hello Golden Dawn.
Gene108
@raven:
I was looking at YouTube yesterday. The tensioner is beyond my skill level. To get the securing bolt out of my model, you have to do something to get a couple reservoirs unbolted or there is not space to remove it.
At my best, I can manage an oil change on my own. That’s about as much as I can handle on my own.
I think this is about a two hour job, per what I read yesterday.
@Ruckus:
My car has a timing chain. The belt in question is also called a serpentine belt. Instead of a separate alternator belt and fan belt, they run off the serpentine / drive belt.
I do not think the piston timing is runoff the belt in question.
**********************
Thank you for the quick replies and suggestions.
Gene108
@Germy Shoemangler:
On the bright side, at 191,550 miles, if the only thing they could find wrong with the car is this I do not feel like I am in bad shape over all.
pamelabrown53
I’m hoping for a new thread soon because this one (for me) is getting hard to follow.
trollhattan
@Gene108:
Ah, that’s different. A broken serpentine belt just means you’ll be parking where it happens, but nothing fatal. I’ve only had a couple cars with tensioners that were DIY, the rest either had no clearance whatsoever to access it or required a SuperDuper special tool.
Gene108
@trollhattan:
The YouTube videos called it a drive belt, so I went with that terminology.
I just got new struts in April.
I feel like I need a breather from maintenance bills.
Germy Shoemangler
@Gene108: very true. And if you’ve got a good trustworthy mechanic you’re in the catbird seat.
Geeno
@Brachiator: Trouble was – “well done” movies for kids were strictly designed around selling them stuff. That’s why “family” movies became a thing. Parents wouldn’t let kids go alone (usually while they attended a more adult movie in the same multiplex – the way it was done back in the 80’s) anymore, because the movies were 90 min. ads, and the parents wouldn’t take the kids to a movie that said nothing to them.
Soooooo – Pixar! which is not a bad thing.
Misterpuff
@WaterGirl:
The finance ministers keep saying “We must be unwavering in our support of austerity” as a lesson to the other slacker nations, “This could be you.” But if Greece grexits and thrives (as well as giving the bankers a haircut), that will be the real lesson. Is the EU worth punishing your own people and probably future generations?
redshirt
Can any of you gearheads build a mutant Mad Max monstrosity? With like 2 V8’s?
trollhattan
@Misterpuff:
A tidbit I just learned from BBC was that Greece hired Goldman-Sachs to cook the books at the time they joined the Eurozone, making the national debt look one-quarter it’s actual size. That explained some familiar fingerprints on the whole mess.
trollhattan
@redshirt:
Only with Photoshop. :-)
bemused
@Roger Moore:
They are usually shrill and mean. A big tell that they are very agitated, nervous and scared is when they really ramp it up.
John Revolta
@trollhattan: If this is true, and the ECB fell for it, fuck ’em. They’re stupider than I thought.
Ruckus
@Gene108:
No worries. Just trying to make sure that you didn’t let something very important go by. Even cam chains have a life, and an ending. One Toyota that I owned went through a timing chain at about 75,000. Replaced that and made it about another 7,000 before the rest of the engine had enough. Replaced that and got another 10 out of it before the rest of the truck gave up for good. Sold it to a heavy truck diesel mechanic friend who offered me $50. I got the better part of the deal.
Today’s cars, especially Japanese, seem to last a lot longer than they used to, couple hundred thou is pretty common out here in the western land of very little rust, 300,000 happens regularly.
Ruckus
@redshirt:
Yes. All you have to do is give me money. Lots of money. Oh and a bit of time.
MomSense
Day two of the blues festival. We are now having a nice rain shower and it feels fantastic.
Belafon
@Brachiator: I would love for Pixar to do an adult cartoon, with a storyline that wouldn’t necessarily appeal to kids. Something along the lines of a 90 minute version the beginning of Wall-E up to the point he gives Eve the plant.
Germy Shoemangler
From the new york times:
redshirt
@Ruckus: For real though? You could take an engine from one car and put it in another, for example?
If so, it impresses me.
redshirt
@MomSense: Rain in Maine? Where? Downeast?
Germy Shoemangler
@Belafon:
I remember seeing Ralph Bakshi’s adaptation of “Fritz The Cat” in the theater. That was certainly an adult cartoon.
Riley's enabler
@rikyrah: Same experience here. The 11 – year-old loved Minions (we saw it last night) and I enjoyed it very much. He definitely did not like “Inside Out”, said it was confusing. I got to skip that viewing, so no opinion here.
Minions was what I expected. Silly, sweet, clever and light. Sandra Bullock takes some getting used to as the Big Bad, but she pulls it off.
Baud
@Germy Shoemangler:
That’s some might fine reporting there, NYT.
PurpleGirl
Looked up Minions on Moviefone and found it at several theaters in my area. Decided to go tomorrow when I can also run errands in the area of any of the theaters. Today now becomes getting things together to do tomorrow — like go to donate stuff at Housing Works. Also have to plot which movie theater so I can keep the trip to a reasonable amount of time and transfers. Best theater may be the one in Forest Hills which is only one bus ride for me.
Re movie/TV show aimed at kids but really for adults
Rocky and Bullwinkle comes to mind. As A kid I found it funny, but as a somewhat precocious kid I saw the adult politics and satire which made it even funnier.
Roger Moore
@redshirt:
The rain in Maine stays mainly on the plain.
Richard Mayhew
Just sent in my most unusual soccer game report ever: Men’s Amateur game abandoned at 17:43 due to rattle snake on the field
The players saw the snake, I stopped the game and we went to the bench area and we waited for thirty minutes for that snake to get off the field. It did not. So the teams decided they were up for a make-up game later this week.
Germy Shoemangler
@Baud: They don’t even have to write that stuff down anymore, like in the old days, and risk writer’s cramp. Nowadays they can just copy and paste from campaign e-mails.
redshirt
@Roger Moore: Downeast is pretty flat compared to the rest of the state.
Iowa Old Lady
@Richard Mayhew: I am tired of these mother-effing snakes on this mother-effing soccer field.
raven
@Ruckus: Yea, I’d never recommend a shade tree guy do a timing belt!
I worked on stripping this damn door for two days, now I don’t want to paint it!
bemused
@Germy Shoemangler:
I’m not an admirer so I would say he is a real, authentic asshole.
Davis X. Machina
The Wise County (VA) Fairgrounds still hosting the folks from Remote Area Medical, because Freedom™. Five years on…
Washington Post…” What Denying Medicaid Expansion Looks Like”
Ruckus
@redshirt:
I build things for a living. Currently medical, and commercial tools for customers to use for production of product. Started doing that over 50 yrs ago. Did design for most of that. Have designed and built machinery for different industries. What you are asking for takes engineering and fabrication but nothing extra ordinary. Well except for that time and money part.
Davis X. Machina
@Ruckus:
@redshirt:
It’s definitely a thing. Had a friend who made a living putting various Ford and GM V8 engines into various RWD Volvos….200 and 700 series.
Ruckus
@raven:
I have worked under the shade of a tree but don’t consider myself to be a shade tree mechanic.
Ruckus
@bemused:
I think his admirers think that is a good quality. Sort of puts him in their club.
Corner Stone
@raven: That’s a damn good looking door.
Ruckus
@Davis X. Machina:
That should be relatively easy, fair amount of room in the engine bay. Usually built strong enough that what needs to be can be worked with.
Steeplejack
@Richard Mayhew:
I am surprised—and glad—that no macho man decided to go out there and kill! kill! kill! the snake.
Davis X. Machina
@Ruckus: And Maine is full of old Swedish bricks…
raven
@Corner Stone: It had a coat of white that was peeling badly and a weird green under that. I used a chemical stripper and then sanded, the Dremel was a lifesaver in the corners! We have one unfinished door that is the entry to the upstairs so we’ll see what the boss says!
raven
@Ruckus: I was thinking you were the real deal. I’m a hacker.
satby
@Davis X. Machina: good piece. But it begs the question, who keeps voting for the politicians mentioned that refuse to accept the Medicaid expansion? You would think that those politicians would be run out of town on a rail, instead it sounds like there’s no shortage of hands to shake.
Past a certain point I just can’t sympathize with people who vote against their own interests and suffer the consequences.
MomSense
@redshirt:
Just a couple of quick showers and one downpour. I’m in Rockland at the Blues festival.
redshirt
@Davis X. Machina: Aw man, a volvo with a V8?! Beauty. I might have to peruse Uncle Henry’s and find one.
satby
@raven: It does look really nice. I’d vote for leaving it unfinished, if I had a vote :)
redshirt
@MomSense: Praying for rain here in Woodstock! 88F!
redshirt
@Ruckus: It impresses me.
I saw a short documentary on the guy who designed the cars for the newest Mad Max and it was insane. All done first in Auto-Cad and other programs, and then combing junkyards looking for parts.
Germy Shoemangler
@satby: A nice clear wood varnish.
satby
Aside from working on two orders from my store for fellow Juicers (thanks again!!), I am frittering away my day. I decided to use the wet weather we had earlier as my excuse. It’s working out pretty well.
satby
@Germy Shoemangler: yes, that. I meant not repainted.
Ruckus
@satby:
Like raven has a vote.
Ruckus
@redshirt:
What you can’t find, what doesn’t exist, you fabricate. Just because no one has done it before doesn’t mean it can’t be done. Just if it should be.
raven
@Germy Shoemangler: I’ve used oil on most of my stuff. Our floors are oil and I always have a can around.
John Revolta
@raven: You stripped that fucker and now you gonna PAINT it? Get some stain brother!
In fact, it looks nice enough you could just get some poly and mix a little stain in it and finish it that way. If you want to even out the color just mix several smaller batches with more or less tint. You’ve come this far!………..
raven
@Ruckus: True dat but she does lean to the funky. We’re going to pay more money to reuse the doors and window than we would have to put new stuff in!
Ruckus
@raven:
Dad made sure that I had some skills and would never stop looking to enhance them or add more. I find that as I start on the down slope of life that still seems to be important, just not as important.
raven
@John Revolta: :)
raven
@Ruckus: My old man was a real salt (as you know) and he always was impressed by my meager mechanical knowledge. Working in Bill and Walts Texaco in the summer of 65 got me off to a good start!
Debbie
@Germy Shoemangler:
Have you seen The Triplets of Belleville?
Ruckus
@raven:
Funky is good, it frequently reflects on the trials and tribulations of life, of success over something that you labored for. It has personality. It’s the opposite of looking at the mittens, or maybe even the donald. All you have there is money thrown at polishing bullshit. It’s shinny but not anything you’d want to live with.
raven
This is the door to our upstairs.
Denali
@Raven,
I vote for varnish(as if I had a vote).
raven
@Ruckus: Her pop was an old school builder, architectural engineer and SeeBee. He was always surprised that she wanted old stuff but he worked with her to design the renovations to this house in that way. We have gingerbread on the eaves that he salvaged from a house in Virginia. We have a picture of the one-armed Confederate officer that originally owned that house.
raven
@Denali: Noted. The interior door I posted has no finished al all.
Roger Moore
@satby:
Unpainted, maybe, but I’d think you’d want some kind of protective finish on it.
raven
@Roger Moore: It’s been there 15 years and show no sign of. . .anything.
eta Oh, you mean the one I just did, yea, we’ll do something.
PurpleGirl
@satby: The idiots doing the voting don’t realize that something could happen and they will need Medicaid. Right now they have insurance from their employers or are on Medicare; whatever, they feel pretty safe and covered. Besides, don’t you know it’s only the poor and those people who need Medicaid and who needs to care about them and their problems.
Brachiator
@Belafon:
I don’t think that Disney would let Pixar do animation for adults.
The Incredibles comes close to being an adult cartoon for some. The latter section of the movie is like an animated James Bond movie.
Ruckus
@raven:
That is great. Cookie cutter homes do nothing for me, although I run more to the modern side rather than old. Really it’s design and execution that matters more, clean lines, not over doing things, a bit of effort that shows, enough room to enjoy, and yet, as of late not so much room that collection of mountains of stuff is possible.
Another Holocene Human
It was swampy and it did rain.
Zeyde and Bubbe are now interred side by side.
MIL just invited me and my brother over. o_0 My brother! This is how she’s handling the changes.
raven
@Ruckus: We’ve lived with one bathroom and very little closet space for these 15 years. The addition will solve that and give us a giant basement with a really cool bay window I bought at habitat for $100, the big windows we are taking out in the kitchen to make a door out to a new deck and one that we will lose because the addition is attaching to that wall. We are starting to worry about the HVAC and whether or not to do an entire new roof (that is not included in the addition costs). It will work out but we are nervous.
Germy Shoemangler
@Debbie: Yes, and I played the hell out of the soundtrack. Those animators made a film about a magician that I’ve been wanting to see…
redshirt
@Ruckus:
You say this like it’s no thing, but it in fact is a very big thing. Very few people can fix anything. Very few people can make anything. Most of us are here along for the ride with NO idea how any of it works or what it takes to fix something when it doesn’t.
So a real builder, for me, is a blessing. I treasure every encounter.
Mnemosyne (tablet)
@Brachiator:
Honestly, given the fact that the overall budget for an animated film is $150+ million, I doubt that any American studio is interested in making an animated film for adults, especially since most American adults think of animation as “kids movies.” This is not Japan, where they have a long tradition of animation aimed at adults.
“Inside Out” is definitely aimed at the 10+ crowd. As even the film itself acknowledges, developmentally kids have a hard time conceptualizing mixed emotions up until that age.
PaulW
I napped through my projected writing attempt for the afternoon.
In good news, the anthology containing one of my shorts is up for a publishers award. woo-hoo! http://www.mysteryandhorrorllc.com/blog/history-and-mystery-oh-my-is-a-finalist-for-2015-fapa-presidents-award
Ruckus
@redshirt:
I don’t think it’s that hard, if I can do it……
What it takes is time and effort. It helps if you can think logically, that is step by step. At that point you can learn how things work, then how to repair them and then how to build them. All the hand movements, hand/eye coordination are learned. And practiced. And practiced and……. That’s the key and one reason why so few learn them. Not that people aren’t capable, no one was there to show them how and no one was there to insure that they learned. Yes, some are missing the required basic talents but many more have them and just never developed them. I wasn’t born with the abilities I have now, but I was born with a father that thought I should have them. It took a while to learn the basics but once you have that your world is open to continuing to learn the rest of your life. Of course you will still land on the continuum that is human beings. I have a friend who has the mechanical ability of a bar of soap. He tries, many have shown him how but he is missing something that he needs. He is however a wonderful writer and a great human, along with being one of the funnest people I know. We know what we know and what we are capable of learning. That is a lot more than some people think. Here in the US many of us only speak one language, and that not even all that well. I’ve met 5-6 yr old kids from poor homes who speak at least 2 and translate for their parents. And have friends from other parts of the world who speak several languages. We can learn, the issue is practice, practice……..
Bruce K
Been following the whole Brussels situation nervously (I live and work in Athens, so I’ve got kind of a vested interest in how it all turns out), and it’s been an emotional roller-coaster. Hope to despair to hope to despair. And now, after seeing the latest Eurozone demands, I’m starting to think that the best-case scenario from where I’m standing is for the entire European Union to implode.
In a similar vein, Krugman’s gone full K-Thug over the situation:
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/killing-the-european-project/?smid=tw-NytimesKrugman&seid=auto
Brachiator
@Mnemosyne (tablet):
Fair point. However, the budget for the Despicable Me 1 was $69 million; the budget for the sequel was $76 million (all estimates). A large subset of people who like comic book movies also like animated comic book movies, anime, etc. The demographic of adults who might accept adult animation may be growing. But I wouldn’t stake a studio on it yet.
But here again, there are some people who just assume that any animated film is suitable for all kiddies. And there are some stupid film critics who refuse to review an animated film from a kid’s perspective and only write about its appeal to adults.
Ruckus
@Bruce K:
A difficult to make work situation has been made impossible to work. All one has to do is look at the actual situation to discern that. But if one looks at the situation with conservative German glasses on, which seems to block any actual information, the only course is to continue on, double up, and give not two shits when it doesn’t work. Greece’s only choice is to leave. It may not work, if it does it will hurt and take time, but staying will absolutely not work and will hurt forever. That may be fine for Germany, not so much for Greece.
Corner Stone
@Bruce K:
Any sense of what others there are thinking/feeling at this point, after referendum?
WaterGirl
@Ruckus: hahahahaha
Brachiator
@PaulW:
I looked this up on Amazon. Looks like a fun read. I noted it for my wish list.
Good luck on the publisher’s award.
MomSense
@redshirt:
Woah! That is not our beautiful weather.
tybee
@raven:
do not paint that door.
WaterGirl
@raven: Just tell your bride that BJ has spoken!
Zinsky
Ate a grotesquely huge lunch, pinched a massive loaf and took a nap. You?