Random Thoughts Thread

[Robert Hall]

22 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

 

I've bagged and mulched leaves 5 or 6 times in the last few weeks trying to keep the grass cleaned up. 

Ugh...my yard guys should be here later today to blow them into a large pile on the tree lawn, the city is supposed to be around sometime this week w/ the vacuum trucks to pick them up...

[balthazar]

39 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

The "sculpted abs" was click bait and it worked. 

I realize it was the article, not a quote.
But I guess you're right; I clicked.
Still, how about 'looks great' or something that acknowledges her progress yet isn't utterly ridiculous.

"Super sculpted" :

 

What I saw in the article's pic:

Edited November 10, 2020 by balthazar

[A Horse With No Name]

This seems like the adventure of a lifetime...

 

 

48 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Ugh...my yard guys should be here later today to blow them into a large pile on the tree lawn, the city is supposed to be around sometime this week w/ the vacuum trucks to pick them up...

I am burning mine. I have lots of small scraps of wood from my workshop, and lots of shavings from my wood lathe. Been enjoying fall bonfires in the yard. 

[ccap41]

56 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Ugh...my yard guys should be here later today to blow them into a large pile on the tree lawn, the city is supposed to be around sometime this week w/ the vacuum trucks to pick them up...

Pshhhh.. a lawn guy.. I've actually REALLY gotten into my yard since COVID hit and places closed and we weren't going anywhere for those first few months. I did a complete lawn renovation. Killed off everything and reseeded in the beginning/middle of September and it's looking pretty awesome. It's still thin but looking pretty good. 

34 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I realize it was the article, not a quote.
But I guess you're right; I clicked.
Still, how about 'looks great' or something that acknowledges her progress yet isn't utterly ridiculous.

Oh I completely agree.. that's the world of media these days though. Whatever gets the clicks and page views. 

[balthazar]

Best thing with leaves is to mow / mulch them, and let them decompose into the grass. 'Lawn vitamins'.

[Robert Hall]

10 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

This seems like the adventure of a lifetime...

 

I am burning mine. I have lots of small scraps of wood from my workshop, and lots of shavings from my wood lathe. Been enjoying fall bonfires in the yard. 

Not sure if that is allowed in my neighborhood.   I wouldn't do it because the smoke would be hell for my allergies.   I can use my leaf blower and leaf vacuum/mulcher for only about 5 min at a time before the vibration gets to me (intense pain in my arm and back from using it)... 

[ccap41]

Just now, balthazar said:

Best thing with leaves is to mow / mulch them, and let them decompose into the grass. 'Lawn vitamins'.

I bagged the first couple of times because it was a lot coming down and it would be a lot to break down but I've since mulched them in and also threw down a winter fertilizer. But yes, mulching is the best thing you can do but you have to keep up on it in max growing season so you aren't getting clumps. 

[Robert Hall]

2 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

Pshhhh.. a lawn guy.. I've actually REALLY gotten into my yard since COVID hit and places closed and we weren't going anywhere for those first few months. I did a complete lawn renovation. Killed off everything and reseeded in the beginning/middle of September and it's looking pretty awesome. It's still thin but looking pretty good. 

I need to do that with the backyard.    I did dump a bunch of soil and reseeded several areas in September and that looks good, but the whole thing needs aerated... I have a couple bald spots at the back of the yard by the fence under the trees because they get so little sunlight and often is underwater after big storms..   this time of the year the backyard is covered in leaves and nuts..so many nuts from the trees.

[ccap41]

4 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I need to do that with the backyard.    I did dump a bunch of soil and reseeded several areas in September and that looks good, but the whole thing needs aerated... I have a couple bald spots at the back of the yard by the fence under the trees because they get so little sunlight and often is underwater after big storms..   this time of the year the backyard is covered in leaves and nuts..so many nuts from the trees.

Nuts are the absolute worst. My neighbor has a walnut tree and I've probably hand picked up close to 1000 of them sons of b!tches and that's only the half overhanging in my yard!

[Robert Hall]

My backyard...lots of leaves, lots of nuts.

Edited November 10, 2020 by Robert Hall

[surreal1272]

The past week here, weather wise, has been damn near perfect. Today, a high of 79 and a light autumn breeze knocking around those leaves a bit. Tomorrow, crap. I will take today please.

 

Edit: For the record, nights have been pretty awesome as well.

 

Edited November 10, 2020 by surreal1272

[David]

3 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Wait, wait, these don't ever break, ever...

 

Was is the key word, thanks. 

WHAT? 👀 Toyota's are supposed to be built like a rock!  Oh wait, that is Chevrolet.  

[surreal1272]

This is a sample of the photoshop fun I had with tree picture taking over the last few weeks.

 

[David]

Seems FCA during their 3rd quarter earnings call stated to stay tune as RAM will have an Electric RAM Pickup in the near future, but no other details.

Guess RAM is not wanting to get left behind by Ford or GM, though as we expect electric trucks from Ford and GM in 2022 as 2023 models, I would not expect RAM to have anything till 2023 at the earliest if not 2024 or 25.

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/fiat-chrysler-ceo-talks-about-electric-pickup/

[David]

Auto Announcements:

Ford has announced it's $100 million investment in the Kansas City Factory where it will build it's electric version of the Transit van. This is part of Fords big transition to EV's replacing ice versions of their products. Ford will increase hiring by adding 150 full time jobs at the plant to support the manufacturing of the Transit e van.

Ford is saying to stay tuned as they release more details of their new van series over the coming weeks.

https://electrek.co/2020/11/10/ford-invests-100-million-kansas-city-factory-build-electric-transit-van/#more-154450

 

VW Electrify America has reached an important milestone with the opening of their 500th Fast DC charging station in the US this November 10th 2020. This station offers both 150kW and 350kW charging for all EVs.

Electrify America is on pace to have both large scale and small scale fast charging stations that can offer charging to all EV's. EA is also making the stations roofs solar so that during the day, it can help charge the stations battery system as well as pull from the local grid. To quote them in this 500th station press release:

Electrify America plans to continue innovating and expanding its network, which is the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S. The company completed its first cross-country routes earlier this year, spanning 11 states and over 2,700 miles to take drivers from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. By the end of 2021, Electrify America plans to install or have under development approximately 800 total charging stations with about 3,500 DC fast chargers. 

https://media.electrifyamerica.com/en-us/releases/120

[A Horse With No Name]

15 minutes ago, David said:

Seems FCA during their 3rd quarter earnings call stated to stay tune as RAM will have an Electric RAM Pickup in the near future, but no other details.

Guess RAM is not wanting to get left behind by Ford or GM, though as we expect electric trucks from Ford and GM in 2022 as 2023 models, I would not expect RAM to have anything till 2023 at the earliest if not 2024 or 25.

https://chargedevs.com/newswire/fiat-chrysler-ceo-talks-about-electric-pickup/

Excellent news. 

2 minutes ago, David said:

Auto Announcements:

Ford has announced it's $100 million investment in the Kansas City Factory where it will build it's electric version of the Transit van. This is part of Fords big transition to EV's replacing ice versions of their products. Ford will increase hiring by adding 150 full time jobs at the plant to support the manufacturing of the Transit e van.

Ford is saying to stay tuned as they release more details of their new van series over the coming weeks.

https://electrek.co/2020/11/10/ford-invests-100-million-kansas-city-factory-build-electric-transit-van/#more-154450

 

VW Electrify America has reached an important milestone with the opening of their 500th Fast DC charging station in the US this November 10th 2020. This station offers both 150kW and 350kW charging for all EVs.

Electrify America is on pace to have both large scale and small scale fast charging stations that can offer charging to all EV's. EA is also making the stations roofs solar so that during the day, it can help charge the stations battery system as well as pull from the local grid. To quote them in this 500th station press release:

Electrify America plans to continue innovating and expanding its network, which is the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S. The company completed its first cross-country routes earlier this year, spanning 11 states and over 2,700 miles to take drivers from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. By the end of 2021, Electrify America plans to install or have under development approximately 800 total charging stations with about 3,500 DC fast chargers. 

https://media.electrifyamerica.com/en-us/releases/120

And this will be the game changer. When fleets start buying electric em masse....the writing will be on the wwall for ICE.

 

1 hour ago, surreal1272 said:

The past week here, weather wise, has been damn near perfect. Today, a high of 79 and a light autumn breeze knocking around those leaves a bit. Tomorrow, crap. I will take today please.

 

Edit: For the record, nights have been pretty awesome as well.

 

I love a good evening fire. 

Looks like a badass little rig. 

[David]

Nikola released their Q3 results and as expected nothing but losses in the money category. Yet they also released their first photo of their first actual working EV Semi with a Hydrogen generator. 

This truck is called the Tre and has the following spec's.

• 300 mile battery range
• 750 kWH battery pack, modular design
• 350 kWH charging power
• 640 continuous HP, unparalleled torque and acceleration

Nikola says they are still in talks with GM for Manufacturing, Hydrogen and EV support. 

https://nikolamotor.com/press_releases/nikola-corporation-reports-third-quarter-2020-results-104

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Pshhhh.. a lawn guy.. I've actually REALLY gotten into my yard since COVID hit and places closed and we weren't going anywhere for those first few months. I did a complete lawn renovation. Killed off everything and reseeded in the beginning/middle of September and it's looking pretty awesome. It's still thin but looking pretty good. 

Oh I completely agree.. that's the world of media these days though. Whatever gets the clicks and page views. 

I did a lot of yard work myself. 

And I am off of most social media these days. As I did say on Facebook, I love my Pickup Truyck and my wife...not necessarily in that order. The rest of the world is insane. 

Just now, David said:

Nikola released their Q3 results and as expected nothing but losses in the money category. Yet they also released their first photo of their first actual working EV Semi with a Hydrogen generator. 

This truck is called the Tre and has the following spec's.

• 300 mile battery range
• 750 kWH battery pack, modular design
• 350 kWH charging power
• 640 continuous HP, unparalleled torque and acceleration

Nikola says they are still in talks with GM for Manufacturing, Hydrogen and EV support. 

https://nikolamotor.com/press_releases/nikola-corporation-reports-third-quarter-2020-results-104

Interesting. Should be big changes to long range trucking coming soon. 

[David]

Canada auto unions are done negotiating with the Detroit auto companies till 3 years from now. 85% voted for and ratified the new contract with GM that sees Oshawa saved with a $1.3 billion investment as it will built transmissions and V8 motors for the GM product line as the US locations transition to EV production.

Unifor Union President says this secures the jobs at all 3 Canadian production sites and the Woodstock distribution center plus adds 1,700 new jobs.

With contracts completed with GM, Ford and FCA, almost $5 billion will be invested in the Canadian auto industry production locations.

To Quote the press statement:

The new three year agreement also includes 5 percent increases to hourly rates, a $7,250 productivity and quality bonus, $4,000 in inflation protection bonuses, new shift premiums, improved benefits, and a reintroduction of the 20 percent wage differential for skilled trades. Unifor also convinced GM to establish an anti-racism action plan, which includes hiring what it referenced as Racial Justice Advocates, and providing employees with up to 10 paid days of domestic violence leave.

https://www.unifor.org/en/whats-new/press-room/unifor-members-general-motors-ratify-new-collective-agreement

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/11/unifor-ratifies-gm-labor-agreement-oshawa-saved/

[Robert Hall]

Yard guys came and went...now the pile out front is bigger...piles all up and down the street...the city vacuum trucks supposed to come by this week...

[A Horse With No Name]

Would sell me on this truck...

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I want to visit south America...neet pilots eye view into Ecuador. 

 

[trinacriabob]

4 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Full brick ranch (rambler, to some) homes resonate with me.  They don't build them like they used to (literally and figuratively)!

[daves87rs]

6 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

Yard guys came and went...now the pile out front is bigger...piles all up and down the street...the city vacuum trucks supposed to come by this week...

Kinda makes one want to jump in the pile.. 🙂 

[ocnblu]

Haha, I guess my email put up a wall of self-defense because I got a quarter of a million notifications from "Random Thoughts" within a short span of time which triggered a warning from C&G "please enter a new email address associated with your account because your email is no longer accepting messages".

I do have a lot to do in the next few hours though.  I am packing my sh!t and moving to Germany, as I'm deathly afraid for my safety here in the USA.  I mean seriously.

Edited November 11, 2020 by ocnblu

[ocnblu]

[A Horse With No Name]

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Haha, I guess my email put up a wall of self-defense because I got a quarter of a million notifications from "Random Thoughts" within a short span of time which triggered a warning from C&G "please enter a new email address associated with your account because your email is no longer accepting messages".

I do have a lot to do in the next few hours though.  I am packing my sh!t and moving to Germany, as I'm deathly afraid for my safety here in the USA.  I mean seriously.

Enjoy. I hear the strudel is amazing. 

2 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Hell yes!

 

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Enjoy. I hear the strudel is amazing. 

 

 

Great strudel, great beer, great cars.... 

[riviera74]

1 hour ago, Robert Hall said:

Great strudel, great beer, great cars.... 

Huge repair bills on the cars, though.

[ccap41]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I do have a lot to do in the next few hours though.  I am packing my sh!t and moving to Germany, as I'm deathly afraid for my safety here in the USA.  I mean seriously.

I can't tell if sarcastic or not...

This is a guy on a Facebook group I'm in. It's one bad-@ss Jeep.

 

[surreal1272]

3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

Haha, I guess my email put up a wall of self-defense because I got a quarter of a million notifications from "Random Thoughts" within a short span of time which triggered a warning from C&G "please enter a new email address associated with your account because your email is no longer accepting messages".

I do have a lot to do in the next few hours though.  I am packing my sh!t and moving to Germany, as I'm deathly afraid for my safety here in the USA.  I mean seriously.

So one might say that you’re looking for a “safe space”?

[A Horse With No Name]

22 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

I can't tell if sarcastic or not...

This is a guy on a Facebook group I'm in. It's one bad-@ss Jeep.

 

Love that Jeep. 

 

24 minutes ago, riviera74 said:

Huge repair bills on the cars, though.

I certainly have zero need to own anything European. Both of my Vee dubs were great cars, but I ahve kind of moved on to trucks for the time being. 

[ccap41]

10 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Love that Jeep. 

It's so awesome. The guy drives it everywhere as a daily as well and drives to all sorts of events with/for it. 

[trinacriabob]

4 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I do have a lot to do in the next few hours though.  I am packing my sh!t and moving to Germany, as I'm deathly afraid for my safety here in the USA.  I mean seriously.

Please go.  No one is stopping you.  There's daily nonstop service from PHL by their own Lufthansa and some American carriers as well.  Since you are seeming slightly anti-American at this juncture, I recommend Lufthansa.  And, since you've never shown much of a penchant for foreign languages on here over the years, you will have one hell of a time learning to communicate in German.

[Robert Hall]

30 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Please go.  No one is stopping you.  There's daily nonstop service from PHL by their own Lufthansa and some American carriers as well.  Since you are seeming slightly anti-American at this juncture, I recommend Lufthansa.  And, since you've never shown much of a penchant for foreign languages on here over the years, you will have one hell of a time learning to communicate in German.

Given that he lives in Amish country, maybe he can speak Amish German... 

[trinacriabob]

17 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Given that he lives in Amish country, maybe he can speak Amish German... 

That's right.  To Amish folks, those of apparent European descent who are not part of their religious group would be "the English."  That's funny to me, since I don't have any ancestry north of the English Channel, let alone the Alps.

[Robert Hall]

7 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

That's right.  To Amish folks, those of apparent European descent who are not part of their religious group would be "the English."  That's funny to me, since I don't have any ancestry north of the English Channel, let alone the Alps.

Heh-heh...my ancestry is mostly English, a tiny bit of Scottish, and some French (Alsace).

[David]

15 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Full brick ranch (rambler, to some) homes resonate with me.  They don't build them like they used to (literally and figuratively)!

I love Ramblers and the year of hell living in Texas, the only bright spots was the BBQ and my brick home on Grapevine lake. Loved the home, have the blue prints as I hope to build it here in Washington some day.

Visited my sister who with her partner moved into their Custom Rambler they had built on a horse acre. Some rock work, but mostly various kinds of wood which is common here in the great PNW.

As one can see, a totally GM family!  

3 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

Heh-heh...my ancestry is mostly English, a tiny bit of Scottish, and some French (Alsace).

Totally 100% German from the north eastern side of the country. Course and I married Korean.  Boy did that piss off my grandparents at first, but then they came to love my wife once they met her. Everyone can change and learn to love our Multi-Cultural country and world we live in.  

[Robert Hall]

I like the brick ramblers.  After 3 1/2 years in a spilt level w/ 4 levels incl. the basement, I think my next house will be one story...

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, trinacriabob said:

Please go.  No one is stopping you.  There's daily nonstop service from PHL by their own Lufthansa and some American carriers as well.  Since you are seeming slightly anti-American at this juncture, I recommend Lufthansa.  And, since you've never shown much of a penchant for foreign languages on here over the years, you will have one hell of a time learning to communicate in German.

English is enough of a challenge at times...

Inspiring...

 

 

[David]

Sad Panda for this, why did the guy not check everything first before trying to do a burn out. 🐼

 

[ccap41]

So many things about that are ridiculous. Bad brakes and/or tires to stop. Why would you aim for the building/home unless you actually lost your brakes? 

[trinacriabob]

2 hours ago, David said:

I love Ramblers and the year of hell living in Texas, the only bright spots was the BBQ and my brick home on Grapevine lake.

 

Yes, I love one-story homes.  I much prefer hip roofs to gabled roofs, though.  They make the house look more dynamic from different angles.

As for Texas, I am a much bigger fan of the Houston area than the Dallas area.  I like the southern pine instead of the mesquite.  And being able to get to the Gulf in less than an hour.

This might crack you up.  I've always liked going through new homes, even when I was a kid.  In about 1989, I was visiting the Seattle suburbs and was driving around Mill Creek with a college friend, where they were building new homes.  They had a subdivision with some 4/2.5s at about $174.9K.  They had ONE rambler/ranch model, a 3/2.5, for $156.9K.  I loved that house.  And, for those days, the price looked reasonable.  I was in no way in any position to buy at that time, but I still think about that house and how I'd like to be its owner.

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by trinacriabob

[A Horse With No Name]

22 minutes ago, David said:

Sad Panda for this, why did the guy not check everything first before trying to do a burn out. 🐼

 

Its fixable. 

13 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

Yes, I love one-story homes.  I much prefer hip roofs to gabled roofs, though.  They make the house look more dynamic from different angles.

As for Texas, I am a much bigger fan of the Houston area than the Dallas area.  I like the southern pine instead of the mesquite.  And being able to get to the Gulf in less than an hour.

This might crack you up.  I've always liked going through new homes, even when I was a kid.  In about 1989, I was visiting the Seattle suburbs and was driving around Mill Creek with a college friend, where they were building new homes.  They had a subdivision with some 4/2.5s at about $174.9K.  They had ONE rambler/ranch model, a 3/2.5, for $156.9K.  I loved that house.  And, for those days, the price looked reasonable.  I was in no way in any position to buy at that time, but I still think about that house and how I'd like to be its owner.

 

They are building onto our subdivision, my wife and I jsut ahd a good time walking new homes a few days ago. 

Maybe Blu wants to reconsider Germany....we know how much he likes bling and 24 inch wheels, and they just won't work well with electric German cars. 

This was a great song for cruising around back when I was in High school. And yes, just like the song says, the cars back then had 8 tracks...

 

 

I really dig the  police car in the screen cap...

EV in the ICE thread, Fords electric Transit Debuts....

 

[A Horse With No Name]

20 minutes ago, ccap41 said:

So many things about that are ridiculous. Bad brakes and/or tires to stop. Why would you aim for the building/home unless you actually lost your brakes? 

People aren't geting any smarter...

2 hours ago, Robert Hall said:

I like the brick ramblers.  After 3 1/2 years in a spilt level w/ 4 levels incl. the basement, I think my next house will be one story...

I would love a single story home. However, in Cinncinatti, Columbus and a lot of places mid century Ranch homes are being torn down left right and wideways to build McMansions. 

The kids are allright.....and having fun....my Girl by the Temptations. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Another neat conversion from ICE to EV. 

 

 

 

 

Nice workmanship on this conversion...

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Funny...

 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

 

[balthazar]

On 11/10/2020 at 12:39 PM, David said:

Electrify America plans to ...expanding its network, which is the largest open DC fast charging network in the U.S.

I checked online; in a state of 9 milllion people, EA current has only 10 stations in New Jersey.

[Robert Hall]

I checked online--in a state of 11.69 million people, EA currently has only 10 stations in Ohio.

Two in the Cleveland metro area--in the east and west burbs along I-90.  One a couple hours south on I-77.  Next one south on I-77 is Wytheville, Va...263 miles between.  (I-77 is the typical route I've used in the past coming from/going to Florida, for example). 

 

Edited November 11, 2020 by Robert Hall