If you're not familiar with the British show Top Gear you are really missing something. Alas, I can;t get it here but thanks to youtube some of the best of it is available to all.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Dangerocity Part II
With only a few days to go before heading out on the road I managed to get a day set aside for Ballista work with Grimm. Those of you awaiting pictures of us firing flaming projectiles at unsuspecting targets will have to wait.
Our fist order of business was actually fixing my welder. While it wasn't exactly broken, the knob that holds the dial controlling how many thousands of volts are used in the welding process was not holding. After dis assembly we found that the hole for the knob was stripped. Grimm pulled out his tap and die set and I got to tap some bolt holes. A first for me.
Wow, I am actually uncomfortable with reading that.
Anyhow, with repairs made we got down to some serious thinking. The design we are using requires two steel plates to be fabricated. Not having actual plates of steel large enough, Grimm prepared to weld a good dozen smaller pieces of steel together to achieve the same thing.
In my opinion this is like making a windshield from several panes of broken glass. Yes, it might work, no I don't want to be there when its in use. Grimm seemed confident in its structural soundness but it would involve a ton of cutting and welding. Instead I searched the internets and found a company that has a water jet. This VERY cool toy will cut 1/4 inch thick plate steel using a jet of high pressure water. Yes, I asked my wife if I could have one, the answer was no. We fired off the specs and decided to work on shortening the axle.
Out comes our old friend the circular saw. Lots of sparks. I made the second cut but did not have the advantage of long sleeves. Lets just say burning arm hair is not a pleasant smell.
With a 1 foot section removed from the middle of the axle we set up the welding rig outside, where it was bitter cold. Grimm did the welding and a fine job it was. When cool, each of us took turns standing on the axle and so far it has held our weight.
Then...more thinking. Grim has two gears for the winding mechanism. These need to be mounted to a shaft, the shaft needs to be held by several bearings and the center of the shaft needs a drum to wind the draw string onto. We also need to add crank handles. This is by far the most complex part of the operation but we worked out the parts we needed and how we would assemble them. Alas, it was getting late and we didn't have all the tools we needed. We called it a day.
Our fist order of business was actually fixing my welder. While it wasn't exactly broken, the knob that holds the dial controlling how many thousands of volts are used in the welding process was not holding. After dis assembly we found that the hole for the knob was stripped. Grimm pulled out his tap and die set and I got to tap some bolt holes. A first for me.
Wow, I am actually uncomfortable with reading that.
Anyhow, with repairs made we got down to some serious thinking. The design we are using requires two steel plates to be fabricated. Not having actual plates of steel large enough, Grimm prepared to weld a good dozen smaller pieces of steel together to achieve the same thing.
In my opinion this is like making a windshield from several panes of broken glass. Yes, it might work, no I don't want to be there when its in use. Grimm seemed confident in its structural soundness but it would involve a ton of cutting and welding. Instead I searched the internets and found a company that has a water jet. This VERY cool toy will cut 1/4 inch thick plate steel using a jet of high pressure water. Yes, I asked my wife if I could have one, the answer was no. We fired off the specs and decided to work on shortening the axle.
Out comes our old friend the circular saw. Lots of sparks. I made the second cut but did not have the advantage of long sleeves. Lets just say burning arm hair is not a pleasant smell.
With a 1 foot section removed from the middle of the axle we set up the welding rig outside, where it was bitter cold. Grimm did the welding and a fine job it was. When cool, each of us took turns standing on the axle and so far it has held our weight.
Then...more thinking. Grim has two gears for the winding mechanism. These need to be mounted to a shaft, the shaft needs to be held by several bearings and the center of the shaft needs a drum to wind the draw string onto. We also need to add crank handles. This is by far the most complex part of the operation but we worked out the parts we needed and how we would assemble them. Alas, it was getting late and we didn't have all the tools we needed. We called it a day.
Monday, March 05, 2007
About Ann Coulter
*Notice* Harsh language and strong opinions ahead.
If you're not familiar with conservative opinionista Ann (not a tranny) Coulter there is little I can say to bring you up to speed about this rather hateful harpy. Do a little googleing, and keep a trash can nearby for vomiting.
Her latest attempt at humor was at a Conservatives conference where she was the keynote speaker. And what was her crowning glory? Referring to John Edwards as a "faggot".
I'm not kidding. This is not taken out of context or a misspoken word. She outright called John Edwards a faggot.
Now I have a sense of humor. I love a good laugh and conservatives certainly have the right to make fun of the Democrats, the liberals, the Barbara Streisand's and Michael Moore's of the world. But if you're going to throw harsh language around, you better know how the fuck to do it. There are many great filthy comedians. And a well placed "motherfucker" can add a great deal of punch to a joke (just ask Samuel L. Jackson). But if you're idea of a joke is to say "John Edwards of a faggot" then you need to sit down and study the works of Richard Pryor or even Andrew Dice Clay. Comedy isn't about saying naughty words, it's about being funny. Calling someone a faggot isn't really funny.
I suppose you could have still tried the joke using some clever euphemisms. A deft double entendre'. But no Ann, you went right for faggot, just like last year you used the term "Raghead" to describe Muslims. Which is, admittedly, better than "Sand Nigger" which is what I am sure you were grasping for.
Maybe you are just lashing out. Striking back. After all, there have been some unkind things said about you. If I called Ann Coulter a scabby kneed, disease ridden cum guzzler, she might feel I had crossed a line. But this expression is an absurdly wild and obvious untruth. I am also not speaking to an audience of fellow liberals nor representing my joke as the opinion commonly held by said liberals. But humor is subjective. And I guess that your idea of a good yuck is to use one of the most hateful epithets still around.
And the most obvious thing is, you don't bill yourself as a comedienne. You are a pundit. An opinion giver. A representative of the conservative movement. Am I to believe that this is the common opinion of your fellow republicans? I am happy to have several conservative friends. Does this woman speak for you? Maybe you don't like John Edwards, maybe you don't like gays. But I have a hard time imagining anyone these days blurting out such a phrase. Honestly, I haven't heard the term "So and so is a faggot" since... I don't know, 1986?
In the end, they are only words. Stupid, hateful, biggoted words, but just words. And I would not stop her from speaking even if I could. Because Ann Coulter serves a purpose. The same purpose the Neo Nazi's serve. And the frothing at the mouth fundies. They are a powerful reminder of how far wrong ideas can go. Shining beacons of stupidity. Keep talking Ann. You're helping our country is ways you can't even imagine.
p.s. Check out Henry Rollins take on Ann here.
If you're not familiar with conservative opinionista Ann (not a tranny) Coulter there is little I can say to bring you up to speed about this rather hateful harpy. Do a little googleing, and keep a trash can nearby for vomiting.
Her latest attempt at humor was at a Conservatives conference where she was the keynote speaker. And what was her crowning glory? Referring to John Edwards as a "faggot".
I'm not kidding. This is not taken out of context or a misspoken word. She outright called John Edwards a faggot.
Now I have a sense of humor. I love a good laugh and conservatives certainly have the right to make fun of the Democrats, the liberals, the Barbara Streisand's and Michael Moore's of the world. But if you're going to throw harsh language around, you better know how the fuck to do it. There are many great filthy comedians. And a well placed "motherfucker" can add a great deal of punch to a joke (just ask Samuel L. Jackson). But if you're idea of a joke is to say "John Edwards of a faggot" then you need to sit down and study the works of Richard Pryor or even Andrew Dice Clay. Comedy isn't about saying naughty words, it's about being funny. Calling someone a faggot isn't really funny.
I suppose you could have still tried the joke using some clever euphemisms. A deft double entendre'. But no Ann, you went right for faggot, just like last year you used the term "Raghead" to describe Muslims. Which is, admittedly, better than "Sand Nigger" which is what I am sure you were grasping for.
Maybe you are just lashing out. Striking back. After all, there have been some unkind things said about you. If I called Ann Coulter a scabby kneed, disease ridden cum guzzler, she might feel I had crossed a line. But this expression is an absurdly wild and obvious untruth. I am also not speaking to an audience of fellow liberals nor representing my joke as the opinion commonly held by said liberals. But humor is subjective. And I guess that your idea of a good yuck is to use one of the most hateful epithets still around.
And the most obvious thing is, you don't bill yourself as a comedienne. You are a pundit. An opinion giver. A representative of the conservative movement. Am I to believe that this is the common opinion of your fellow republicans? I am happy to have several conservative friends. Does this woman speak for you? Maybe you don't like John Edwards, maybe you don't like gays. But I have a hard time imagining anyone these days blurting out such a phrase. Honestly, I haven't heard the term "So and so is a faggot" since... I don't know, 1986?
In the end, they are only words. Stupid, hateful, biggoted words, but just words. And I would not stop her from speaking even if I could. Because Ann Coulter serves a purpose. The same purpose the Neo Nazi's serve. And the frothing at the mouth fundies. They are a powerful reminder of how far wrong ideas can go. Shining beacons of stupidity. Keep talking Ann. You're helping our country is ways you can't even imagine.
p.s. Check out Henry Rollins take on Ann here.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Wakey Wakey
I dislike alarm clocks, but they are a necessary evil sometimes. If one MUST be awakened, I can think of no better way than with this clock.
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