KWRB

My first several vehicles, the cable was seized and got cut doing brakes. I've had much newer cars since, but still never, ever use it.

I saw what is left of that plane in Toronto... I forgot the story, but there's a fairly cheeky video on youtube of it. I'll see if I can re-find it.

It's tough. I haven't yet as an adult had to make the call. Not looking forward to it. Almost did a few years ago with a stray cat who found us after she was already pretty down and out. Buuut with domesticated animals, they're created by humans, devoid of the natural defenses of their wild counterparts, and it's not their fault they're totally dependent on us. So I feel it's a moral responsibility to do what we can. Anyway, we spent a mortgage payment or three on her, with no promises she'd pull through, and yet here she is, throwing her toy down the stairs and singing to it as I type.

You always have such rich contributions on this forum. I genuinely was very excited when I got the notification that you had responded to me. Thank you. And I'll say, a B-17 is a very acceptable stand in for a DC-3 in my humble opinion. I flew to a little airport in western NY once. Not a commercial place, and there was the (movie aircraft) Memphis Belle, sitting parked right on the ramp. No public event, no crew, just sitting there, leaking oil out of the bottom (inverted) cylinders. My instructor taught me then that if those radial piston engines sat too long, they would remove the plugs to drain the oil that had leaked past the rings and "above" (actually, below) the piston and into the combustion chamber in the inverted cylinders, to get it to start. I think I could have stolen that plane that day, as there was literally NO ONE there. It was one of my favorite sleepy old airport experiences.

I understand that this may feel personal for you, but it's fairly objective. Before I touch any nerves -which isn't my purpose, I'll disclose that airplanes, flight, and space travel are my first love. I have a degree in aerospace engineering, I did my flight training while I was in college. I only decided against commercial flying after visiting one of the largest commercial flight schools, where they told me the divorce rate amongst commercial aviation professionals was over 80%. I worked in the industry for a major supplier in aerospace, who sells to domestic and foreign, civilian and military customers. I finally gave up on everything because it was BORING. Flying is so much fun. But the industry moves slower than the government. You ask me to elaborate. It's like trying to prove a negative, but I'll try. Virtually every airplane that has been "new" in my lifetime, certainly in the commercial space, has been a variation of some formerly novel concept. They're all tubes with conventional wing sweep, and some high bypass turbofans slung underneath. By and large, a 78 is a 707 with a few tweaks over sixty years. I mean, what are the changes? Some plastic instead of aluminum. We call it composite, but it is nothing like the state of the art of advanced materials available at the time. It's got a "glass cockpit" which was given the fancy name and was hottest thing since sliced bread, because you know, it was a digital image of decades long established analog standards. What am I missing? Fly by wire, maybe. But that isn't new tech. All I'm really trying to say is, the pace of innovation SUCKS compared with the decades that preceded my lifetime. There's nothing happening today that makes a plane nerd giddy. And it sucks because I wish I could have experienced it. I had a professor who lived through and was PART OF the jet age, the space age, and the computer age in aerospace. I got to be part of Facebook age. I'm not knocking you and your love of flight. Trust me I get it. But look at the last fifty years and compare it to the twenty that preceded them. No comparison.

As a Commonwealth subject, I'm surprised you've neglected to mention some of the utterly beautiful Commonwealth aircraft. Sea vixen, harrier, Lancaster, Vulcan etc etc etc. It is a shame that aircraft tech moves so SLOWLY. Big part of the reason I got it of that industry. Innovation exists, I was told, but it sure is hard to find. Some of those mid century aircraft really were cool in how they were such vast departures from the status quo. I think the most beautiful plane ever built was the DC-3/C-47.

There are only four species (genus?) the forester taught me, with opposite branching. Remember "MAD Horse" Maple Ash Dogwood Horse Chestnut Since I see that deeply grooved bark and opposite branching, I say it's an ash.

And which, if anyone so much as says the word "fuel", they can flood!

Depends on whether it's the power unit off a baler, or a true purpose built U-2 power unit. I've seen the baler parts before, but I've never seen a U-2 for sale. The U-2 is on a frame, has a clutch, and has a grille like the front of a Farmall C. The baler units I've seen have a grille that's just a screen. I don't know if they made a "Super U-2" or such, with the C-123. Though I can't imagine why not.

I had no idea!!

A B-17 story from the other side. This young man went to school where my daughter went. The athletic center at The Tilton School is a memorial to all the schools alumni veterans. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harl_Pease There's a large and wonderful tribute to both him and a Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient on the wall outside the gym where several blessed and fortunate children train and play games all year long, and hopefully are inspired to service and selflessness.

When would one use a disc versus using a moldboard? I've only ever seen disc plows in old catalogs, never in real life. For that matter, I've never seen orchard implements or high crop implements with my own eyes either, but the function of the disc plows is confounding me.

Buy that kid a tractor in need of a paint job next time!!

My little one kinda coughed and gasped over the weekend on the other room. My old ass has never gone from half asleep and lying down to full speed so fast ever. I get to the kitchen in line 0.31 seconds and my wife who's with her is like "what?". Apparently nothing... Scared the absolute **** out of me

Oh yeah, and my wife cleans A LOT. And her standards are HIGH. She changed over years ago to cordless Dyson products. Even the owner himself says he'll never release another corded product. For the power and weight, nothing beats it. And while I've standardized my tools to DeWalt after using that chainsaw, I have a Craftsman electric screwdriver with an integrated battery that charges by USB. it's not a gun shape, but a traditional screwdriver shape. It was more or less a trinket gift at Christmas, but I LOVE that thing. It's super handy.