Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Let’s finish the job.

After roe, women are no longer free.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

Take your GOP plan out of the witness protection program.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Whatever happens next week, the fight doesn’t end.

White supremacy is terrorism.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

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198Comments

  2. 2.

    germy

    Thought I needed a new shower head. The water was barely a trickle.

    One simple trick: Fill a baggy with vinegar, tie it to the shower head (submerging it in vinegar) let it sit overnight. The vinegar dissolves the calcium in the water.

    Shower head is like brand new.

  3. 3.

    EBT

    So, I have been writing and learning a bit of coding for the last few years to have a project to hide from the world in. I finally have a very basic video showing off a little bit of my current playable build. It doesn’t show off anywhere near the 92,000 words I have written just a two minute video. And yes I do draw worse than your four year old.
    https://youtu.be/fenjgZMZCPU

  4. 4.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    Oh, dear… most unfortunate.

    I hope there was a good reason to shave that dog.

  5. 5.

    Mary G

    That husky picture is creepy.

    ETA: It looks like someone Photoshopped it, but the head is off to the right by three or four inches.

    ETA 2: His right, my left.

  7. 7.

    piratedan

    @germy: we found the same to be true with pickle juice, so get a big jar of dills, enjoy them and then use the “leftovers” to clear away all of that hard water stuff.

  8. 8.

    Feebog

    My computer crashed Monday. Have not heard from since Tuesday. This is not good.

  14. 14.

    p.a.

    So in the last 2 weeks I
    1) had a bag of ice slide in my freezer and knock the door open on a day I was out 9am to 10pm resulting in a) loss of frozen food, of course, and b) death of the wholr refridge/freezer unit.
    2) was feeling iffy, so made a bedtime cup of hot cold & flu medicine which I then spliied on my left foot. Skin peeled off like tape in a 3in x 1in patch just below my ankle bone (connects to the…) right at the wear line of every shoe ever made (except chukkas).
    3) leaving for Maine fishing trip Sat. Figure I’ll take a hook to the face within minutes of being on the water.

    Cole gets a girl and I get Cole’s accidents.

    ETA: also too can apparently no longer type or proofread

  16. 16.

    germy

    @ThresherK: Another trick that plumbers hate.

    Clearing a clogged toilet with dish soap. Pour half a cup of dish soap into the toilet. Let it sit for an hour. Pour some hot (not boiling) water in.

    The dish soap dissolves the clog and the hot water flushes it through.

  17. 17.

    Major Major Major Major

    @EBT: that’s fantastic! Thanks for sharing! Cool to see what you’ve been working on.

    My supervisor told me today that apparently the Dwarf Fortress guy has a new textbook out on procedural game generation. Your graphics are way better. ?

  18. 18.

    Elizabelle

    Thank you!

    And Quinerly informs that Poco spent the day at the doggie spa; looks and smells divine.

    WRT that husky: is that real? I want to put a sweater on it. Make it a cup of tea.

  24. 24.

    Gravenstone

    That picture looks like an unfortunate surgical accident where they inadvertently grafted that poor husky’s head onto another dog.

  25. 25.

    TaMara (HFG)

    Well I cleaned the garage today in anticipation of my new couch arriving tomorrow. I have to put the old loveseat in there, hoping to find it a home. I’d rather it didn’t do into the landfill. Free to a good home.

    I also bought a cordless lawnmower this week – I’ll review it after I’ve had a few rounds with it. I just needed something that would allow me to keep the grass longer than my push reel mower. My lawn would not survive 2″ cut all summer.

    That’s it, that’s all I got for non-politics/non-sports.

  26. 26.

    germy

    @efgoldman: I used that to kill an invasive plant that kept coming back, no matter how many times I’d chopped it down. A few sprays of “Lime Away” and it finally gave up the ghost.

    Someone told me vinegar also discourages ants. I’ll see if it works this summer when they come (and they will come).

  28. 28.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Villago Delenda Est: Saw the first 20 minutes in IMAX. Then had to leave as one of my nephews was feeling sick. I really enjoyed that 20 minutes. Unfortunately by the time I’m well enough to go see it it will only be in 3D. The IMAX kicked over to the latest Tom Cruise mess.

  29. 29.

    lamh36

    I suppose because of the opening of the Mummy reboot with Tom Cruise, tonight, Spike tv is showing the Mummy and the Mummy Returns with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Friend told me about it and now, of course i’m watching at least the first film until bedtime…

    I, of course, love me some Brendan Fraser and own all 3 of the Mummy trilogy on DVD (I include the Scorpion King as the 3rd film in the trilogy, not that last film with Jet Li and Maria Bello…not even Brendan Fraser could save that one…bleh)

    I can’t lie, I might catch the reboot with Tom Cruise next week or soon as it on some streaming site, at the very least you can usually expect Cruise to come with the crazy action scenes. And all I really need in a summer action film, is a bit of action and some snacks to escape for an 1hr 1/2 or 2hr…

  31. 31.

    sigaba

    “Dignity, always Dignity” was the motto of Gene Kelly’s Don Lockwood in Singin’ In the Rain. It had doubtful overtones.

  34. 34.

    Gravenstone

    @germy: you couldn’t just unscrew the shower head and plunk it into a bowl of vinegar?

    And your trick only works if you’re dealing with scale (acid soluble).

  35. 35.

    Anne Laurie

    @West of the Rockies (been a while):

    I hope there was a good reason to shave that dog.

    He may live in a high-tick area. We’re thinking of doing this to our guys this summer, for just that reason — and their coats are a lot less luxuriant than a Husky’s… or a Poodle/Labradoodle’s.

    @Mary G:

    It looks like someone Photoshopped it

    From the shape of the shadow on the wall, you may be right. Admit it, though — you LOL’d!

  38. 38.

    germy

    @debbie:

    Would that work on a sink?

    Possibly. Dish soap (like Dawn, etc.) dissolves grease. It breaks down solids that are crusted on dishes. The trick is to pour it down there and let it sit. It’s heavier than water.

    I don’t like the harsh drain cleaners. I saw a newspaper item many years ago about a woman who poured lye down a drain, and then it splashed back up on her face.

    I tend to stick with vinegar, baking soda, mild dish soap.

  40. 40.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @TaMara (HFG): I got a warning light in my car earlier this week saying that my battery wasn’t charging. Was it the alternator, you wonder? Or was the battery old and not longer taking a charge, you guess?

    I will keep you in suspense no longer: I merely had to replace the serpentine belt.

    And they lived happily ever after.

  42. 42.

    Major Major Major Major

    @germy:

    I don’t like the harsh drain cleaners. I saw a newspaper item many years ago about a woman who poured lye down a drain, and then it splashed back up on her face.

    I always think of one of the Vonnegut books where a lady drinks a drain-cleaning product.

  43. 43.

    albertZ

    I’m depressed. My only saving grace is my dog (JRT) and three kids (3 sisters). Someone buy me a life – I no longer feel like the hero in my own life’s story. I’m at my wits end.

  44. 44.

    germy

    @Gravenstone: I didn’t feel like unscrewing it because I don’t have the tools to reattach it tight enough. The plumber installed it and did the whole thing with plumbers tape and a giant wrench. Tying the vinegar filled bag to the shower head was easier for me.

  46. 46.

    Quinerly

    My two year old, electric Briggs & Stratton power washer seems to have shot craps. (and yes, all drained and stored properly this winter). Started up like a champ, then no power in the spray, no mixing with the detergent in the chamber, then water pouring out the bottom while still running. Any ideas? Out of warranty. $200 item. My courtyard brick are filthy.

  48. 48.

    Anne Laurie

    @germy:

    Someone told me vinegar also discourages ants. I’ll see if it works this summer when they come (and they will come).

    Landscaping supply companies sell extra-strong ‘botanical vinegar’ as an organic herbicide, which you’re supposed to wear skin/eye protection while using.

    Don’t know if it would work on ants — have you tried sprinkling borax or diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of the area you want to keep them out of? (Diatomaceous earth is pricier, but it won’t hurt your pets if they decide to try eating it.)

  49. 49.

    efgoldman

    @Major Major Major Major:

    I was saying people weren’t likely to have a hardware store lying around their home conveniently.

    Shower heads don’t all of a sudden clog, they get worse over time until finally you (any “you” including me) decide you have to deal with it

  53. 53.

    Anne Laurie

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Saw the first 20 minutes in IMAX. Then had to leave as one of my nephews was feeling sick. I really enjoyed that 20 minutes.

    Future reference, I always take Bonine (meclazine hydrochloride) before watching an IMAX movie for just that reason. If your nephew can take Bonine, or dramamine, twenty minutes before the show starts, he might be able to get through the whole movie next time. (And if it’s an exciting IMAX-worthy movie, he probably won’t fall asleep partway through… )

  54. 54.

    Mnemosyne

    @germy:

    Cinnamon works really, really well to discourage ants, especially if you can use it to block the ant trails. You don’t need anything fancy, just plain old ground cinnamon.

  55. 55.

    lamh36

    Anthony Hopkins is in the latest Transformers film…le sigh…does he owe creditors…is he still paying for student loans…cause …jeez

  56. 56.

    germy

    @Anne Laurie:

    (Diatomaceous earth is pricier, but it won’t hurt your pets if they decide to try eating it.)

    I asked the hardware guys if they carried food grade diatomaceous earth and they looked at me like I was crazy. They’re notoriously grumpy to the point I want to visit them less and less. Some of my neighbors have complained about the same thing.

  58. 58.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @efgoldman: Yes, it would have been $445 fully installed. Hey, trollhattan’s Saab is older than mine. I think his might be Clinton era.

  59. 59.

    LAO

    Ugh. Just got home. Apparently, before being picked up by my dog walker, Miss Maggie attempted to get at a bag of treats. The collateral damage was extensive. She literally destroyed things I was unaware I owned.

    Get a dog, they said, your quality of life will improve.

  61. 61.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @LAO:

    She literally destroyed things I was unaware I owned.

    Well then, you won’t miss them.

  62. 62.

    Mnemosyne

    @sigaba:

    The incorrect movie quote was bothering me as well.

    And since the movie cuts from Gene Kelly’s solemn invocation of “Dignity. Always dignity” to him and Cosmo tap-dancing for pennies in a smoky pool hall, “doubtful” may be understating it.

    One of my favorite examples of how to lie in a voiceover.

  63. 63.

    Another Scott

    @Quinerly: High pressure pumps live a hard life. It’s often the shaft coupling between the motor and the pump shaft. If it’s designed to be repaired, it shouldn’t be difficult to do. Trouble is, it might not be designed to be repaired, or the parts might cost as much as a new one… :-/

    Just a guess. (I’ve got experience with chilled water recirculators at work, but not specifically with power washers.)

    Good luck!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  64. 64.

    Mnemosyne

    @germy:

    As far as I know, it’s not poisonous to cats. We had to sprinkle it around the area where our cats’ dishes are and they seem completely indifferent to it.

  65. 65.

    BruceFromOhio

    Purple: dignity
    White: purity
    Green: hope

    Glad to be around to bitch about the blind, speeding mofo that almost took me out at the 4-way stop. Was able to flip up the faceplate and scream “THAT’S A STOP SIGN! IT MEANS STOP!” before he looked away and drove away. If his heinous plan to off me had succeeded, at least there were plenty of witnesses.

    The cascade is underway.

  66. 66.

    gene108

    @albertZ:

    What’s pulling you down?

    I get depressed a lot too.

    Sometimes it helps to figure out what the problem is, because otherwise I just have this cloud of existential dread over me and I just let the anxiety eat me up.

  67. 67.

    LAO

    @Omnes Omnibus: Now that I know I owned them, I’m going miss em.

    Speak of the devil, I can hear her in the hallway now. Quick, I’ve got to go hide.

  68. 68.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    No politics, no sports? It may turn out that I got nothing.

    I have a great story from this afternoon when I was playing golf with the chairman of the Jon Ossoff campaign, but I guess I can’t tell it….

  71. 71.

    Quinerly

    @Another Scott:
    Thanks! You are telling me something I kinda suspected. I’m pretty handy (thanks,Dad!). I was going to fool around with it today figuring I had nothing to lose. It’s impossible to get the casing off to even get to the pump. Rivets! This pressure washer had a cushy life. It was used a total of 4 times.

  72. 72.

    ArchTeryx

    That poor poor dog looks like something out of The Thing, but by God she’s still got wolf blood in her and she carries herself like it. [I would suspect mange, which means that shaven coat is sweet relief.]

    I’m going to drop into a gardening thread some time soon to ask advice on hardscaping. Trying to plan a shade garden for my close friend (and landlord) but the hardscaping stuff is really hard and gives me pause. I think the garden needs a nice border footpath…but I’m trying to assess my options behind “formal, cut paver path.”

  75. 75.

    germy

    @efgoldman:

    Doesn’t she like it on her toast?

    She is a cat who will try to eat anything. Ice cream, plastic bags, electric wires.

  76. 76.

    EBT

    @Major Major Major Major: Thank you. The combat is placeholder right now. Ended up cooling on that idea once I saw that I couldn’t really make it compelling. Thinking something with a stamina count to keep track of. Don’t want something super complex but right now I think it’s not got anything going for it.

  77. 77.

    gene108

    I got a viral upper respiratory infection last week. The fever broke, but I still have a cough.

    It is annoying.

    I am forgetting what not coughing and having an itchy throat was like.

  81. 81.

    Anne Laurie

    @albertZ: Do you want to talk about it?

    Have you got adults in your life that you can ask for help, if it’s a case of too much to do & not enough energy to accomplish what you (think you) need to do?

    The most important thing to remember: Your body chemistry lies to your brain. Sometimes you can tweak the chemistry by waiting it out, or improving your sleep/eating/exercise habits, but quite often depression is like diabetes or high blood pressure, an insidious slow killer that can be abated with the right drugs…

  88. 88.

    Old Dan and Little Anne

    I was outside earlier at twilight looking at the moon. There was one star in the sky. As I was walking to my front door I saw a nice meteor streak across the sky. I’ve never seen so early. It was in the North.

  92. 92.

    EBT

    @Major Major Major Major: It runs in a browser, but it isn’t a web game. The current idea is that eventually it will call a dedicated browser window. So it will look like a normal executable while just being JavaScript.

  95. 95.

    rikyrah

    My new tv obsession is Still Star-Crossed.

    I absolutely love it.

    I am always a little lost when tv season ends.

    It will brighten this Saturday WITH THE RETURN OF ORPHAN BLACK!!

  98. 98.

    MomSense

    @albertZ:

    Many of us have gone through this. It stinks. Can you talk to a trusted friend, counselor or clergy? I think it was sometime in a December that I decided to talk with my doctor about anti depressants. They really can help. Please reach out to a doctor or counselor and then let us know how you are doing.

  99. 99.

    ??‍? Martin

    @Major Major Major Major: I’m a huge Dwarf Fortress player (since the 2d days) and am looking forward to reading that. I haven’t written a game in a long time, but maybe I’ll make it a retirement hobby.

  100. 100.

    trollhattan

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    Confession time: the mighty 9^5 was traded in (for basically dog biscuits and two pounds of drier lint) not because anything was wrong but because nobody within 75 miles would work on the thing. It was indeed Clinton era vintage and damnit, I miss it. I really miss the marque since I drove them beginning with the 99-series.

  102. 102.

    gbbalto

    @albertZ: Lots of wisdom better communicated than i could. Do reach out to someone in your life that you can trust.

  103. 103.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @trollhattan: My condolences. I found someone within a mile of my office who is happy to work on mine. It is also GM era so a lot of standard parts are still available.

  106. 106.

    Mike in NC

    @lamh36: Lots of actors reach the point where they just sign up for anything for the paycheck. Michael Caine told a funny story about appearing in a crappy Jaws sequel that paid for a fine house.

  108. 108.

    BruceFromOhio

    @gene108: This swept through our tribes starting six weeks ago. Sleep and hydration are the keys to making it leave, and boy howdy, does it take its time doing so. Patience, grasshopper. These things too shall pass.

  109. 109.

    Bill

    @Quinerly: They are not built to last. New pump is $80-120 plus 1/2 hour labor to install. I’d try smacking the unloader with a hammer. It’s the thing near the pump output (pressure hose connection) that has a rubber cover on it. Just a spring and plunger that puts the pump into bypass when you let go of the trigger.

  110. 110.

    Morzer

    Dignity. Dignity always

    Fucking neo-liber *cough* So, nice weather we’re having, eh?

  112. 112.

    Bill

    @Another Scott: There’s no shaft coupling on a pressure washer, the pump is keyed directly to the motor’s crankshaft. The pumps on cheap pressure washers are like Chevy vega engines- a lifespan measured in minutes.

  113. 113.

    Quinerly

    @Bill:
    Like the smacking with a hammer part. Smacking aside, surely they are built to last longer than 4 uses.? My father had a gasoline powered one that lasted years. I had never had any experience with an electric one. Are they more finicky? Didn’t Sears own Briggs & Stratton? This one came from Lowe’s.

  114. 114.

    Uncle Omar

    No politics? How about finance? The newspapers in Mexico are reporting that the evil Russian Bank–unknown which one, as I’m getting this story 3rd hand and don’t have access to Mexican newspapers–loaned civilian Trump $90,000,000.00. When he couldn’t (or wouldn’t) pay, Putin stepped in and paid off the loan. My speculation is that the collateral was Trump’s balls and Ivanka.

  115. 115.

    efgoldman

    @Gravenstone:

    Percussive maintenance. Always a favorite.

    Favorite remedy instructions in mrs efg’s family: “Don’t force it. Hit it with a bigger hammer.”

  116. 116.

    Mnemosyne

    @Gravenstone:

    Back when I was in my 20s, I was driving my brother’s hand-me-down Camry. I was having issues with getting it to start, and one of my friends showed me where I could hit the engine block with a hammer to get it to start up. Worked like a charm, especially since I didn’t have the money to replace the starter.

    My parents came out to visit and I had to go through this routine when my mom and I were out shopping. Suddenly the Bank of Dad was willing to give me a loan to get a better car … ??

  117. 117.

    Bill

    And since no one mentioned it, I read somewhere that shaving a husky pretty much destroys their thermostat for the rest of their life. The undercoat does not grow back, as I understand it. I’d be pleased to be wrong. And I hope it’s ‘shopped.

  119. 119.

    Another Scott

    @Bill: Thanks for the correction!

    I’ve been fighting with a chiller at work and it clouded my memory.

    I’ve actually something very similar to one of these that I’ve used a few times (but not recently). You’re right – the pump is mounted directly on the motor. The pump/motor arrangement in recirculating chillers is different (and the pressure is much lower).

    Maybe this weekend I’ll finally get a chance to fire it up and do some cleaning…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  121. 121.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Anne Laurie: It is not an issue for me or him. I rarely take him and his brother to the movies. This was only the second time. So I’ll file it for possible, but unlikely, future use.

  122. 122.

    Bill

    @Quinerly: sorry to report that Briggs used to build a decent engine, but never built a decent pressure washer. 4 uses is about par for the course. We’ve got one at work which has somehow been working in near constant use for over a year, but that is very much the exception and not the rule. Good pressure washers are over a grand. Which sounds really snobby I realize, but I’m in tool rental and could tell you a story or two.

  123. 123.

    ArchTeryx

    @Bill: Almost certainly a myth. Shaving repeatedly will screw up their shedding and eventually their thermostat, but AFAIK just one shave won’t kill the entire undercoat, unless you also destroy the follicles inside the skin. They shed naturally, after all, and that includes the undercoat.

    You don’t want to shave a husky as a standard grooming practice, ever. But if the poor pooch has mange or a massive flea infestation that just dipping won’t solve? Shaving can be a literal lifesaver.

  124. 124.

    Mnemosyne

    @zhena gogolia:

    Not yet. I’ve kind of gotten out of the habit of listening to music except when I write, and I can’t listen to other people’s words when I write.

    Someday this novel will be done and I’ll be able to listen to music with words again.

  125. 125.

    EBT

    @Major Major Major Major: I taught myself enough syntax and terminology to google questions. And a highly skilled programmer friend of mine pointed to how I could make some improvements to the codebase and save myself a ton of work. So while functionally the build is 99.5% the same as my older build (I have an issue having the player’s name being pulled into the prose as an eagle eyed viewer would see) it builds to about 13.5k fewer lines than before. (from 36K to about 22.5K)

  128. 128.

    zhena gogolia

    @Mnemosyne:

    It has a lot of words! The singers are very funny at parodying the style of the originals. And they weave in classic musicals in a very funny way. I thought it was going to be a bust but I couldn’t resist, but I’m actually loving it. I’m not sure it will bear as many repeated listenings as the original, though!

  132. 132.

    Adam L Silverman

    @albertZ: And make sure you can see someone who can evaluate if this is an out of whack brain chemistry issue. If you’re body, specifically brain, isn’t fighting fair, then you want to see someone who can write you the appropriate prescriptions to help you fight it back.

  133. 133.

    albertZ

    @Quinerly: Sorry I blurted that out in a moment of despair. I’ll be fine. My Jack Russell is a rescue dog – her name is Azalea. Quite a handful. She’s my running mate during the week and I take her on 6 to 10 mile runs on the weekends but nothing slows her down. She is a life saver especially on weekends when I don’t have my girls.

  135. 135.

    Bill

    @efgoldman: I am not a hammer mechanic, but smacking something with a hammer is a valid troubleshooting strategy. I had a no-start machine yesterday, electrical testing showed that switch and wiring were good. That leaves the starter, which is a doorstop. We’re replacing the starter anyway, so I smacked it with a ratchet while holding the key in the start position. Machine started right up and was able to be loaded on the trailer for the trip home. Problem with smacking a starter is that it fractures the permanent magnets inside, so it is a limited-time offer. Perfectly fine when the thing’s already bricked, tho.

  136. 136.

    Anne Laurie

    @Bill:

    I read somewhere that shaving a husky pretty much destroys their thermostat for the rest of their life. The undercoat does not grow back, as I understand it. I’d be pleased to be wrong.

    The huskys I’ve known ‘blow out’ their undercoat most thoroughly every Spring — friends who owned them could remove literally grocery sacks full of fluff and still have more fluff to comb out. And their undercoats filled out again in the fall just fine!

    So I really doubt that shaving would be so different. Now, if you said it would change the texture of their overcoats, that might be an issue, at least for a professional show dog. But given a few months, I sincerely doubt anybody would be able to tell the dog had been shaved.

  139. 139.

    albertZ

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks Adam. Ironically my brain chemistry issues were sidelined by braces (not my own) but I’m trying to substitute pharmaceuticals with exercise and meditation.

  141. 141.

    ArchTeryx

    @Bostondreams: That was a Leeroy Jenkins done RIGHT. She basically was tanking the entire German fortification, which gave the Brits room to advance and quickly turn stalemate into a rout. Just awesome to watch.

  144. 144.

    Anne Laurie

    @Adam L Silverman: Well, you might want to tell him about it anyway… even if he’s not going with you, the chances are he’ll want to see other IMAX films, eventually. Taking anti-nausea meds isn’t intuitive, unless you think about the biology of how one’s brain (mis)interprets what one’s eyes are processing. Especially if the kid’s not one who usually gets motion sick on every car ride / boat trip / carnival…

  146. 146.

    debit

    @albertZ: We all get those moments. Sounds like you have an awesome pup. Give her a hug and just remember: the voice of depression is a fucking liar. Also, too, we’re here if you need an ear or just a virtual hug.

  147. 147.

    Bill

    @Omnes Omnibus: Oh, B&S engines were very destructible, but your point is taken. I’ve had many a Briggs, and been paid to work on many more, but yes, they were decent enough, and some did run nearly forever. Sadly, there’s almost nothing left of the B&S we’re remembering. They still build some decent engines like the vanguard, but their time has passed. They’ll stick their logo on almost anything to make a buck.

  150. 150.

    ArchTeryx

    @schrodingers_cat: Yes, bunnies can be leash-walked (leash-hopped?). I’ve seen it for myself. Once they get used to it the bunnies love being out and about. Like most any animal with really sensitive ears and noses, getting them out means lots and lots of mental stimulation!

  152. 152.

    frosty

    @efgoldman:

    “Don’t force it. Hit it with a bigger hammer.”

    Followed by “If it breaks, it probably needed fixing anyway.”

  153. 153.

    Adam L Silverman

    @albertZ: Those will both help. I’ve no idea what the issues are, and as others have mentioned, you’re welcome to share as much or as little as you want to here. And for what it’s worth we’ll keep good thoughts.

  156. 156.

    Quinerly

    @albertZ:
    That’s a cool name…love Azalea! How old is she? Did you name her? I’m curious where the name came from/why? Much better than Rhododendron? (although Magnolia or Camellia would be rather nice…I’m always a Southern chick at heart). Those JRTs….a lot of energy. Takes a special owner with a lot of patience.? ❤ ?

  158. 158.

    Mnemosyne

    @albertZ:

    Also try additional protein and omega-3s (like fish oil or flaxseed oil).

    But most of that stuff will just keep you from sliding further down and not fix the root of the problem. Eventually, you will probably also need therapy and/or pharmaceuticals. You really need both, but most insurance companies make you take pills because it’s cheaper for them.

    ETA: Also, cut out as much sugar as you can to avoid mood swings.

  160. 160.

    debit

    This spring I bought a couple kayaks, despite never having kayaked before. I assumed I would like it and I was right. So, I had to get racks for my Subaru since it was going to be my go to vehicle for kayak fun. This resulted in some long needed maintenance. Who knew new struts could be so awesome?

    I know John has developed and abiding distaste for them, but I’ve never had anything but good luck with Subarus. My Forrester has almost 250,000 miles and aside from the struts (and a new exhaust system after almost 200,000) I really haven’t had any problems.

  161. 161.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Bill: what brands are safe to buy now? Honda? Husquavarna? Seems like Troybilt and B&S are garbage now.

  162. 162.

    dmsilev

    @ArchTeryx: I actually kind of felt a bit sorry for the German soldiers in that scene. They were outclassed, at the ‘Bambi vs. Godzilla’ level.

    It also provided a dramatic example of just how much stronger Diana was compared to the ‘regular’ Amazons. In the fight at the beginning of the film, the Amazons outnumber the Germans and catch them exposed in the open; they win, but take substantial losses. Diana, essentially all by herself, goes up against a dug-in force with crew-served weapons and doesn’t even get scratched.

  163. 163.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Mnemosyne:

    But I can’t listen to music that has words I understand.

    What about gangsta rap?

    (I’m still not clear on what “bellin'” is–yo, what the fuck are they yellin’?)

  164. 164.

    Quinerly

    @Bill:
    Thanks. I guess I’m not shocked at anything anymore. Just seems strange that even in today’s times something is designed to apparently only work 4 or 5 times and it’s kinda a secret. Better off to rent one. Plus the thing is a pain to store. Hate the hose on the wand.

  169. 169.

    Bill

    @Steve in the ATL: Husky is an orange Poulan. Honda is still excellent, but make sure it’s Honda from a Honda dealer. I’ve seen Briggs and Stratton pressure washers with a Honda engine, which is mind-boggling. Proper Honda power equipment with a gx engine will last decades. We’ve got Honda EB series generators from the mid 90s at work. Twenty years old, and they start on the first or second pull. In a rental environment. Mind- blowingly good. Sure, the Honda 5kw gen is 2-3 times the price of the competition, but worth every damn penny when you need it. My push mower is a 95 I think, and my generators are mid 90s. Everything works perfectly, just as it was designed to.

  170. 170.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debit:

    I know John has developed and abiding distaste for them, but I’ve never had anything but good luck with Subarus.

    You are not John. Simple answers to complex questions!

  172. 172.

    albertZ

    @Quinerly: Azalea was her name from the rescue by way of Alabama. We had the option to rename her, but my daughters insisted that we retain that name. Who was I to argue?

  175. 175.

    Quinerly

    @debit:
    I loved my 2002 Outback. Made countless trips to NC and NM from St. Louis in it. Let me down in 2015 when I really needed it at 225,000 miles (long story, but my mother was dying and I was driving back to NC). Had bought it new but bought a 2015 4 wheel drive Ford Escape with essentially the same bells and whistles for less than I had paid for the new ‘Ru all those years prior. Granted the Escape had 15,000 miles on it. Been extremely pleased with it. Just put new brakes on it after these last two big driving trips…a lot cheaper than the ‘Ru was on brakes. Same mechanic.

  176. 176.

    p.a.

    @albertZ: If issues are beyond brain chemistry, I can say CBT works for me. Like anything, must make good faith effort and stick with it. Don’t file the exercises and recommendations away, keep them handy, review, use. To repeat previous commenter, depression lies. Good luck, and hope your medical takes care of whatever you need.

    Also too, something I didn’t know until I finally sought help, each succeeding episode tends to be worse. YMMV, and hope that’s not your case.

  178. 178.

    Bill

    @Quinerly: As fond as I am of Honda, there are two outbacks in my driveway. And a civic. I will always drive a Subaru. In fact, I have John’s car, twice. The 3.0 outback is a magnificent beast- smooth, fast, stable, and without peer in the snow. John had bad luck with his, almost certainly the fault of previous owners, but they are (generally) virtually maintainence free, outside of consumables like brakes and struts. My 04 turbo Forester is still talked about in reverent tones. My 90s Legacy wagons are remembered fondly, as damn near every member of the family owned them at some point.

  180. 180.

    J R in WV

    @trollhattan:

    We had a 1991 900, plain old sedan. We put 225,000 miles on it and the local dealer had their dealership revoked half way through. We found a guy who works mostly on Benzes, but does most European cars. Old ones, new ones, he doesn’t care. Parts would be hard now that the business is done for.

    Ours the frame broke where the right front A-Arm was welded on – we live on a dirt road, so mud can build up inside a square frame. It snows a lot here, so salt can accumulate in the mud – hey presto, corrosion worse than Republican politics, frame broke. Fortunately, Mrs J was going about 30 in a reasonably straight line when it happened.

    She called me, I had her call a flat-bed wrecker, after consulting with the mechanic, we sold it to him for parts for $100, which is better than a pound of dryer lint. It cost less than a nicer Ford at the time. I wasn’t in a hurry about buying it, they came down $500 or a thousand every time I visited them, and once that stopped I bought it.

    Never replaced the clutch!!! in nearly a quarter of a million miles. Exhaust once, brakes twice. The power antenna was fragile, eventually I stopped replacing it with another powered unit and just put on a plain old radio antenna. Rear main seal failed, part was $1.97, replacing it was $500 ! Still, a good car, well built. Would run fast once you got up to speed.

    A co-worker haad one he got in Germany while in the army, same model, different color was all. He said it would go 137 on the autobahn, but took a while to get up there. Reported it ran well at that speed, but no faster, probably a governor in there somewhere.

  182. 182.

    Quinerly

    @Bill:
    Two Subarus over the years. Love this Escape for the $ and maintenance, gas mileage, though. Not looking for an argument but for the $ it can’t be beat for me. I actually think it’s better on those rough Utah roads (shout out to Moki Dugway with that 11% grade!) than the ‘Ru….little more clearance. Also, love the turning radius on the Escape.

  184. 184.

    J R in WV

    @schrodingers_cat:

    Mrs. J was working in NYC once, and saw a lady with a mini-horse come out of an apartment building to take the horse to Central Park for a run. Amazing things in NY. Rode the elevator up and down… don’t know how they dealt with excrement? Maybe a special room with a fancy floor/drain? It was tiny, so not bushels of horse crap… not like the White House!!!

    Ooooh, Oooooh, is that Politics? Sorry!!!

    ;-)

  185. 185.

    trollhattan

    @J R in WV:
    That story distills the Saab quintessence. Quirky in a thousand ways they still managed the trifecta of practicality, performance and safety like nobody else, all the while coming from a tiny Scandinavian country.

    When I got my 9000 Turbo it was the fastest sedan sold in North America and to prove the point, Saab took three off the factory floor to Talladega Speedway and set the speed record for 100,000 km. Same car could fit an armoire in the back hatch. So comfortable I could put in an 800-mile day and still be human.

    Quirky.

  186. 186.

    joel hanes

    @p.a.:

    I dropped a Master padlock off the key on the dogtag chain around my neck in such a way that it landed on the toenail of my right big toe and instantly killed that nail purple-dead.
    On the second morning of Basic Training.
    There was nothing I could do about it, so I ignored it.

    Have fun on the fishing trip.
    I hope one or more of you is a superb cook, and that one or more of you is funny.
    Good luck.

  189. 189.

    trollhattan

    @J R in WV:
    In Carmel on spring break my kid and I encountered a girl walking a miniature pig on a leash. Somehow they fit in. Once at a Petsmart I turned on hearing clicking to see two little girls with their pet goat coming down the aisle. Beats Walmart.

  190. 190.

    joel hanes

    @germy:

    Someone told me vinegar also discourages ants

    Somewhat.

    diatomaceous earth : somewhat

    turmeric : somewhat

    You pet people : we need a breed of cute, cuddly, affectionate anteater

  191. 191.

    Quinerly

    Off topic but I flashed on this today…did anyone hear anything else after greennotGreen’s death? I was in NC when that all went down and didn’t follow all the posts. Did the sister ever check back in? I know it seemed to be a lot going on…the mom was elderly, sick, gnG’s house/pets.

  192. 192.

    joel hanes

    @efgoldman:

    efg: I wish I could attend. It’s exactly the kind of thing I enjoy.

    Went back home to river city for two weeks, saw five band performances, two of them jazz, and a bell choir.

    May all the reeds in your band be sweet and tractable, amen.

  193. 193.

    trollhattan

    Inadvertent post. How ’bout them new Macbooks?

    Confession: truly don’t care.

  197. 197.

    TenguPhule

    @debit: This means you are fully qualified to replace John Cole in a hastily declared snap election.

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