# Things I've learned the hard way . . .(Part 2)



## Sigman

Continued from here (Part 1)...


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## TorchBoy

LED voltages and currents in practice are never quite what they were in theory.


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## Fallingwater

Highly opinionated, random order and unrelated to each other:


80% to 90% of humanity is worthless and undeserving of any attention whatsoever.

Always make sure your friends and loved ones are of the remaining minority, and cherish them as the most important thing in your life.

No material goods, no amount of money and no amount of power feel anywhere as good as an evening spent with people you love (and no, I'm not rich.)

Marketing is evil.

The easiest thing to forget is that you have to thread the wires through the hole *before* you do your soldering.

There is no such thing as an honest politician.

There is no such thing as an honest corporation, either.

Whenever groups of people have to make a decision it will almost never be the most rational and senseful one.

The relevance of your current project is directly proportional to the likelihood you'll get dud batteries in your order. Always order more than you need.

There is a logical explanation for everything. 

There *is* such a thing as a free lunch. It's just very hard to find.

Those who can make compromises are always better off in the long run than those who can't.

You *must* get a temperature controlled soldering station. No, the iron you're using now is not adequate. Yes, I know you think it is, but really, it isn't. Yes, I know stations are more expensive. Buy one anyway.

People should have to deserve the right to procreate.

If you've never tasted Italian food you've never truly lived.

You really are better off without knowing about 4chan. There are many places on the net that filter what comes out of that place and give you just the good parts. Be content with that.

If you see some tool in the discount bin that you think you might need sooner or later, buy it. Otherwise when (not if) you'll need it it won't be there any more, and you'll have to shell out for one at full price.


And above all else, my life motto:

*Love with your heart. For everything else, use your head.*


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## The_LED_Museum

I learned this lesson when I was 10 or 11...never, ever, *EVER* put a sack lunch in front of the front passenger seat of a car if said lunch contains a container of yogurt.
If you do, it may very well EXPLODE, spewing smelly yogurt all over everything within close proximity to the lunch bag.

This happened in Juneau AK. USA of all places; those in more southern latitudes will learn this lesson considerably sooner. :sick2:


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## LukeA

Fallingwater said:


> You really are better off without knowing about 4chan. There are many places on the net that filter what comes out of that place and give you just the good parts. Be content with that.



Never go on 4chan. Ever.


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## Burgess

Take the time to find the "proper" screwdriver.


Otherwise, you'll wish you had, after you've " mangled " the screwheads.



_


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## Fallingwater

Fallingwater said:


> The easiest thing to forget is that you have to thread the wires through the hole *before* you do your soldering.


Posted this and made that very mistake in the same day. *sigh* I'll never learn.


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## TorchBoy

Fallingwater said:


> Posted this and made that very mistake in the same day. *sigh* I'll never learn.


Ha! I did it earlier today with a centimeter long bit of heatshrink.


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## Crenshaw

Fallingwater said:


> The easiest thing to forget is that you have to thread the wires through the hole *before* you do your soldering.



this is so true, it really shouldnt be funny..

Crenshaw


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## PhotonWrangler

When choosing the furnishings for a lab, avoid using dark grey carpet. Unless you don't mind having a lot of tiny black screws vanish into another dimension when you drop them.


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## Hooked on Fenix

Don't eat a Powerbar out of the wrapper while using a headlight. The inside of the wrapper is reflective.
Don't put a dozen AA batteries in your pants pocket with your keys, while at school, in science class. That was a painful lesson, especially trying to get the keys out of my pocket with nothing to use but my hands. Battery carriers will save you a lot of pain.
Don't let anyone in your backpacking group mix oatmeal and fish guts and place it around camp so they can get a picture of a bear later. He learned his lesson. The first bear stood in front of the only exit out of his tent while he was still in it, and I had to scare away the bear. That was a long night. A group of bears ransacked our camp for hours. We scared them away with camera flashes.
On a backpacking trip, the one piece of gear that you didn't bring a backup of will always fail or get lost first. Coleman Apex II stove almost blew up and safety valve failed, Pur Hiker filter clogged, shoes got holes in them and filled with sand, lost mosquito head net after first day in Mammoth on five day trip, etc.
Jungle Juice (DEET bug repellant) will melt a Pur Hiker water filter and a Princeton Tec 20 flashlight to your hand in the same day. 
You can never bring too much bug repellant backpacking during La Nina or when going to Mammoth, CA.
Never try to fold up a ladder while getting off of it at the same time. It's o.k. The 40 pound box of nails I tripped over and the concrete broke my fall. I was fine.
Don't teach your kids how to drive on windy dirt roads beside a cliff when it's pouring rain. That was weird learning that I had to steer toward the cliff to get away from the cliff when sliding around in the mud.
Don't flip off a gang of potheads. That lesson ended months later after I lost some blood, had many bruises and black eyes, and made a couple of citizen's arrests.
Your best and favorite flashlight with be outdated by something twice as good at half the price a month after you bought the first one and your wallet will be empty.


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## FrogmanM

Fallingwater said:


> People should have to deserve the right to procreate.


 
+1:thumbsup:


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## Crenshaw

the little Gold-colored connection points on led boards are NOT part of the board's metal. They are part of the thin layer of (plastic?) that the board is coated with.

always use a soldering iron before trying to remove solder....

Crenshaw


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## Burgess

A soldering iron stays hot,

even after you've unplugged it.


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## Diesel_Bomber

The overhead crane is always on the other side of the shop.

The ratchet/impact wrench is always set for the other direction.

Cutting and grinding discs that have been used on stainless can be used on mild, but not vice versa.

The cord/air hose is always 6" too short.

If you set your beverage down on the work bench, be *very* mindful of what container you pick back up and take a drink from.

:buddies:


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## DrunkenDonut

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Don't put a dozen AA batteries in your pants pocket with your keys, while at school, in science class. That was a painful lesson, especially trying to get the keys out of my pocket with nothing to use but my hands. Battery carriers will save you a lot of pain.



Big RC racing battery packs can do a lot worse than AA batts. My friend still has the key with black and decker (from another object) melted into its head. Lucky there was no fire, but it wouldn't have been much longer.


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## KC2IXE

Diesel_Bomber said:


> The overhead crane is always on the other side of the shop.



That there is no overhead crane to put UP the overhead crane...

(Backstory - Last year of High school, and then through college, I worked vacations/afternoons fabricating and then installing overhead cranes and other hoist systems)


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## Hooked on Fenix

Don't collect shells for a hobby on a two week family vacation and store them in zip lock bags. The full shells apparently have things living in them until they suffocate and die in the zip lock bags. The bags seal in the smell of rotting mussels until you change elevation enough for the bags to expand and pop open. It took a while for us to figure out where the smell was coming from before my family made me throw out my collection. I was young and didn't know any better.


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## chmsam

The lighter the color of the dog's fur and the more expensive the groomer, the more likely said dog will head directly for the darkest and smelliest pile of whatever in the yard, and the more immediately after getting home from said expensive groomer said dog will do that I had a friend who could tell you all about this. Do you now what a Samoyed looks like?

Always try to take a look outside before you open the garage door. For some strange reason the first skunk of the Spring might be attracted to your garage door. It will happen just at about the same time you hit the overhead door button, from inside the garage, with the door to the house just closed and locked, and after you have put the house keys inside your coat pocket. You know what? That garage door never seems to go down quite as fast as it went up. To quote Mr. Eastwood, "Feeling lucky, punk?" The rapid heart rate will finally subside after many minutes. It only feels like hours.

As a teenager I learned this one. Always blow your nose before giving a presentation or going on a date with an attractive member of the opposite sex. Even, -- no, make that especially -- if you do not think you need to do so. The size of the "bat in the cave" is proportional to the importance of the presentation or the attractiveness of the person.


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## KeyGrip

Complete traffic school as soon as you can! 


And I believe this bears repeating:



Fallingwater said:


> You really are better off without knowing about 4chan. There are many places on the net that filter what comes out of that place and give you just the good parts. Be content with that.


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## soapy

The radiative heat from your gas iron will shrink the heatshrink just a fraction, but it will be just enough to require serious effort to get it past the widest point. (But careful work with sharp scissors will get you out of this one.)

It's only after you finish soldering the fiddliest of the wire-wrapped joints that you realise you left the heatshrink off that one! (I have no solution for this except write a list of actions/instructions and follow them.)

You always remember the thing you forgot you really needed the moment you see the "Order Confirmed" page on the wholesaler website with a big minimum order. Often when it appears in the "Today's Specials" list. :ironic:


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## FlashSpyJ

Dont get hanged up to much in hobby's like flashlights and such! It just might cost you your relationship with your significant other...


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## PhotonWrangler

soapy said:


> The radiative heat from your gas iron will shrink the heatshrink just a fraction, but it will be just enough to require serious effort to get it past the widest point.



Yep. 



> It's only after you finish soldering the fiddliest of the wire-wrapped joints that you realise you left the heatshrink off that one!



Ditto.


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## gadget_lover

> There is no such thing as an honest corporation, either.



Most of the people working for corporations are honest and trying to do a good job.

Even the department of motor vehicles has some really nice people who try to be helpful.

Daniel


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## PhotonWrangler

if your laser printer is experiencing even the tiniest amount of trouble with the paper feed mechanism, _don't_ try to print a sheet of adhesive labels with it!
:hairpull:


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## LukeA

gadget_lover said:


> Most of the people working for corporations are honest and trying to do a good job.
> 
> Even the department of motor vehicles has some really nice people who try to be helpful.
> 
> Daniel



DMV guy: "Read me the fourth line"

Me: "KDHF PHWQ CHDX"

Him: "None of those were letters, they were all numbers."

Me (without looking): "You're funny."

Him: "Haha! You catch on quick!"


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## PhotonWrangler

LukeA said:


> DMV guy: "Read me the fourth line"
> 
> Me: "KDHF PHWQ CHDX"
> 
> Him: "None of those were letters, they were all numbers."
> 
> Me (without looking): "You're funny."
> 
> Him: "Haha! You catch on quick!"



They have a DMV in Elbonia? :laughing:


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## Crenshaw

FlashSpyJ said:


> Dont get hanged up to much in hobby's like flashlights and such! It just might cost you your relationship with your significant other...



no real experience with that..but
:buddies:


Crenshaw


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## gadget_lover

PhotonWrangler said:


> They have a DMV in Elbonia? :laughing:



Department of Mud Vehicles.

Daniel (sorry)


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## Fallingwater

gadget_lover said:


> Most of the people working for corporations are honest and trying to do a good job.
> Even the department of motor vehicles has some really nice people who try to be helpful.


The people working for corporations can surely be honest, but I have my doubts the higher-ups ever are. My theory is that if they were honest they couldn't have made it to their position.


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## AlphaTea

Corporate life took a downward slide for workers when the "Personnel Department" was changed to "Human Resources"


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## gadget_lover

No matter how rosy the stockholder reports are, you can generally tell the company is going down the tubes when the tiolet paper in the mens room is changed to "industrial grade single ply".

There's a joke there about the bottom line, but I won't go there.

Daniel


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## kongfuchicken

If someone rear-ends you at a red light, write down his plate number firs thing, before he makes a break for it.


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## Valolammas

chmsam said:


> The lighter the color of the dog's fur and the more expensive the groomer, the more likely said dog will head directly for the darkest and smelliest pile of whatever in the yard, and the more immediately after getting home from said expensive groomer said dog will do that I had a friend who could tell you all about this. Do you now what a Samoyed looks like?



Yes, and I've been lucky enough to see one after a mud bath.  Underneath all that fur is a much smaller dog than you'd think.

But that reminded me of another lesson: if you are getting a dog, get one that is small enough for you to carry. I recently saw a neighbor struggling up the stairs with his golden retriever, who had hurt his paw. They live on the second floor, and our house does not have an elevator. (We live on the 4th floor, but our dog is only 8 kg.)

Corollary, but perhaps more importantly: get a dog small enough that, if necessary, you can wrestle it to the ground and keep it there. Ever seen a small woman try to control an agitated rottweiler? The dog will go where it wants to go and drag her along on the ground. Not a pretty sight.


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## Hooked on Fenix

Don't trust car salesmen or their ads. Their ads promise a good car at a decent price. When you get to the dealership or sale, they pull the ol' bait and switch. The car advertised is claimed to have been sold or doesn't have all that is advertised and they try to sell you one that is what you expected for thousands more. Another trick is the car "auction". One I went to claimed that they were selling cars at 50% below blue book value. When I went there, they explained that they had one car actually on sale and that it was sold out. All other used cars were about double what the same new car would cost. When I told them that was false advertising, they pointed to a sign that named the on sale car as an example, not as the only car on sale. The newspaper ad had no such example. Once they get you at the dealership, remember that if their lips are moving, they are lying. They get paid a commission for each car sold so they will tell you anything to get you to buy one. Find out the invoice price and try to get the car close to it for a new car. Find out the blue book value of a used car you want and don't pay more than it. Also, get the VIN # and look up the car history online before making a final decision. Don't buy a used hybrid car with a salvage title. Hybrids require specialized expensive service that can only be done by the manufacturer. Hybrids are worthless without the initial warranty. Don't buy any car with a salvage title. If it was stolen and sold later before you got it, you'll be out your money and the car if the original owner comes knocking at your door.


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## Diesel_Bomber

Lesson learned: Don't let a bottle of soy sauce break in your trunk. Especially when you won't notice it for awhile. In the sun. When the exhaust system is right under your trunk.

I scrubbed and hosed and used the shop vac for three hours today. The trunk is going to sit open with a fan in it overnight but I fear that the smell of soy sauce is there to stay. I'm glad I stripped all the plastic and padding out of the trunk to save weight as soon as I bought the car, this would be 10,000 times worse if there was carpet in there.

:buddies:


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## DrunkenDonut

Valolammas said:


> Ever seen a small woman try to control an agitated rottweiler? The dog will go where it wants to go and drag her along on the ground. Not a pretty sight.



But also don't get one small enough that you're practically dragging the poor dog around wherever you go. I've seen some people "walking" their tiny tiny dogs that are barely able to keep up the pace.


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## PhotonWrangler

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Lesson learned: Don't let a bottle of soy sauce break in your trunk. Especially when you won't notice it for awhile. In the sun. When the exhaust system is right under your trunk.



Eww. That reminds me of a similar incident that happened to me years ago in the trunk of my old Plymouth Duster. I stashed some picnic food back there and failed to properly protect a tupperware container of potato salad. You know the rest. :green:


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## Burgess

_


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## DrunkenDonut

Speaking of wet things that smell - If your car has no cup holders, don't put your coffee on the passenger seat. It won't be there when you remember you had one, which will be about the time the smell of coffee wafting up from the floor reaches your nose.


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## raythompson

Hooked on Fenix said:


> " 0% APR financing means $16.67 a month per $1,000 borrowed". If you total that up, it comes to $200.04 per year for every $1,000 borrowed. I don't know how they get away with saying 0% APR financing means a 20.0004% annual percentage rate for 5 years. If you didn't make a down payment, you would pay over 100% interest, doubling the cost of the car.


You have that entirely wrong. That amount is not the interest but the amount you must pay on the loan to satisfy the principal over a 60 month loan.

For example. If you borrown $1,000.00 at 0% you must pay $16.67 a month to pay off the loan in 5 years. If you borrown $10,000 you must pay 167.76 each month to satisfy the loan in 5 years. Borrow $20,000 and the amount doubles to roughly $332.00 each month.

You are indeed paying 0% interest as is claimed in the advertisment. I think you totally and completely misunderstand loans and financing.


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## Hooked on Fenix

My mistake. That section you quoted has now been deleted from my post. Happy now?


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## Fizz753

No matter which Dremel battery you grab you will always get the dead one on the first try.


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## gadget_lover

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Don't buy a used hybrid car with a salvage title. Hybrids require specialized expensive service that can only be done by the manufacturer. Hybrids are worthless without the initial warranty.
> 
> 
> Don't buy any car with a salvage title. If it was stolen and sold later before you got it, you'll be out your money and the car if the original owner comes knocking at your door.



(I'm not knocking Hooked......)


Don't believe everything you hear about hybrids, especially when you hear them from people who don't own one or work on one or at least drive one. My hybrid (gen 1.5 Prius) has been remarkably trouble free for 72,000 miles. While the electronics are specific to the car, so are the electronics in all the modern cars (take the BMW 7 series, for instance). The rest of the hybrid is plain old mechanics.


As for salvage titles... Absolutely correct. Don't buy any car with a salvage title. They are hard to sell later.

And another lesson... Don't buy a car from someone who does not have the pink slip handy. It's an easy way to hide the fact that there's a loan against the car, or that it's been salvaged.

Yes, I've learned all these things.

Daniel


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## Diesel_Bomber

Don't accept payments on a vehicle you're selling. Period. If the person was responsible enough to make payments then they could get a loan from a bank and pay you cash. If you do accept payments, make sure the vehicle and the title stays in your possession until the total amount is paid, and that the buyer knows that missing a payment means they forfeit the vehicle and any payments they've already made. Have this in writing and drawn up by a lawyer. Or just don't accept payments, period.

Learned this the hard way too.

:buddies:


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## dulridge

Most of these can be summed up by:

Murphy was an optimist.

More useful ones

Do not buy cheap Cat5e sockets. Really don't. Really, really don't. Likewise really, really, really do not buy cheap patch panels.

Don't ever let customers supply network gear - the replacement for a gigabit switch suffering from lightning was a 10mbit hub. In a print shop where the print files are in the tens of gigabytes...

Always buy dirt cheap tools - you can always replace the ones you break with something that actually works. Speaking as the guy who managed to weld several far from cheap Snap-On sockets to a motorcycle frame.

Corollary to this - do not drink and weld.

Snap-On's warranty really does seem to be unconditional. But for the prince it ought to be.

As several others have already said, do not pocket several high current cells. It really isn't fun and may harm the cells 

No multimeter works very well with a dead battery.

Remember to shut the door when cutting wood with an angle grinder. The house smelled of woodsmoke for weeks.

Really don't hold the cable in the hinge area while shutting the door. Was wiring up a set of speakers and wanted to check that the car door wouldn't nip the cable. Holding the cable in place with your thumb while shutting the door to check this is a very bad idea

Do not assume that insulators won't or conductors will.

That one caused quite a lot of expensive smoke.


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## PhotonWrangler

If you're petting a horse, never assume that he'll automatically like you for it (CHOMP!) 

When probing a circuit that contains a mixture of low voltage and high voltage sections, always assume you're working in the HV area and take appropriate precautions.

On a related note, when taking voltage readings, always insure that the VOM you're using is rated for the maximum voltage that you might encounter. Especially if it's an expensive VOM.


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## dulridge

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you're petting a horse, never assume that he'll automatically like you for it (CHOMP!)



Definitely! Been there, done that, been scarred

Also remember that most horses are addicted to peppermint and the smell clings. A horse trying to eat your trouser pocket is not my idea of a fun time.


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## PhotonWrangler

dulridge said:


> Also remember that most horses are addicted to peppermint and the smell clings. A horse trying to eat your trouser pocket is not my idea of a fun time.



I didn't know that! Is peppermint sort of a drug for them, the way that catnip seems to affect cats?


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## dulridge

PhotonWrangler said:


> I didn't know that! Is peppermint sort of a drug for them, the way that catnip seems to affect cats?



Don't know. I'm not a horse person but a good friend of mine is, as was my brother's ex. I've never yet met a horse that didn't love them. Large, extra strong ones by choice.


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## PhotonWrangler

dulridge said:


> Don't know. I'm not a horse person but a good friend of mine is, as was my brother's ex. I've never yet met a horse that didn't love them. Large, extra strong ones by choice.



Interesting. So if I ever need to distract a horse, I can toss an Altoids in the opposite direction!


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## dulridge

PhotonWrangler said:


> Interesting. So if I ever need to distract a horse, I can toss an Altoids in the opposite direction!



Preferably something about 25x the size so the horse can see it. Just about anything can spook a horse in my experience. Let it see it and smell it first - then run in the opposite direction.

Generally, horses are wimps and if you come on like the boss they will back off unless they're really scared. The horse that tried to eat my trouser pocket was an exception. He was a big guy - his head was longer than my arm though technically he was a Highland pony.


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## PhotonWrangler

dulridge said:


> Generally, horses are wimps and if you come on like the boss they will back off unless they're really scared. The horse that tried to eat my trouser pocket was an exception. He was a big guy - his head was longer than my arm though technically he was a Highland pony.



The horse I encountered tried to eat my shoulder. He bit through a thick winter jacket and two layers of clothing and still left teeth marks on my skin. oo:


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## Crenshaw

You will always have one friend who consistantly forgets not to look into your lights. And then, even with it on dim, they will say "ouch, thats bright"



Crenshaw


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## Hooked on Fenix

When you give a friend a flashlight as a gift at his bachelor party, don't tell him not to look into the light while it's on. Then he's guaranteed to get blinded out of curiosity and blame you. It was a 3 AA l.e.d. Maglite. He was probably used to the regular ones that you have to look at to see if they're really on. At least I didn't give him a 200 lumen e.d.c.


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## clg0159

When boogie boarding on the fake wave at a water park *always* make sure your shorts are tied tight


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## PhotonWrangler

clg0159 said:


> When boogie boarding on the fake wave at a water park *always* make sure your shorts are tied tight



:laughing:


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## Crenshaw

when boogie boarding in real waves, always ensure you have the ankle strap on.....got flipped by a wave once when i was younger, wasnt pretty, was lucky i had the ankle strap on, and was close enough to shore to feel bottom after recovering.

Crenshaw


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## PhotonWrangler

If you accidentally lock yourself out of the house and you have to re-enter through a front window, your neighbors will assume there's a burglary in progress and will take appropriate action.


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## DrunkenDonut

Go around back, or the side! 

But it's comforting to know that your neighbours care. Just as long as they don't care so much as to be paranoid, you'll be fine.


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## dudemar

This was probably mentioned a couple times, but I feel it bears repeating:

If it's too good to be true, *it probably is.*

I was about to sell a grand's worth of stuff in an online ad today, but the guy who was interested backed out on me.:sigh:


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## Diesel_Bomber

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you accidentally lock yourself out of the house and you have to re-enter through a front window, your neighbors will assume there's a burglary in progress and will take appropriate action.



It's even worse when you're house sitting for friends who're on vacation and the house you've locked yourself out of and are breaking back into isn't even yours!

That took some explaining.

:buddies:


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## TorchBoy

Crenshaw said:


> when boogie boarding in real waves, always ensure you have the ankle strap on...


Interesting - body boards here have wrist straps. More practical, surely?


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## TigerhawkT3

Fire is still hot - very hot, in fact.

Don't ignite a flammable object and then immediately pick it up. 

If you're holding on to something in case it falls, hold on tight, and don't be surprised if (when) it actually does fall.


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## Hooked on Fenix

Don't take an inflatable kayak out onto ocean waves. It was in Oceanside, Ca. I paddled out of the harbor in my $60 Coleman inflatable kayak. I was pretty tired paddling alone by the time I got around the jetti and started heading back through the waves. It didn't take me long to realize that my kayak had no ropes or edges to hang on to while riding waves. I rode three four to six foot waves before I lost my balance and fell out. If I had a hard kayak, it wouldn't have floated more than a wave away. Since this was an inflatable kayak, it launched hundreds of feet to shore in under five seconds. I had to swim to shore carrying the paddle. The next wave smacked the paddle into my foot and cut it open, leaving blood in the water. I'm glad I made it to shore before I attracted any sharks.


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## AlphaTea

Never buy a cell phone that looks just like the one your inquisitive 3 yr old nephew has. You will have one heck of a bill the next month. Not only will you have the roaming charge (because you were visiting fom out of state), you will have charges for calls to Peekskill NY, East Perth WESTERN AUSTRALIA, Boulder Co, Poway Ca. About 20 or so calls. The AT&T folk laughed. I did not. Still working on resolution...


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## PhotonWrangler

*Ask for directions *already!  :laughing: Got lost this morning after assuming that I knew the right direction.


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## xevious

Always have a spare key to get into your house. Hide it in an inconspicuous place around the house grounds or in your car. You will appreciate this the first time you come back to your house late at night and realize that you accidentally left your keys in the house when you left that morning.
If you can, keep a spare key to your car at work, in your computer bag hidden in a deep compartment, or a thin valet key inside your wallet. Many cars these days will not lock without you using a key or fob in your hand outside the car, but some still do not. There's nothing worse than accidentally locking your keys in the car at an inconvenient moment.
Always have a cell phone charger on hand--at work, in the car, at home, and in your travel bag. Also, get a USB phone charger if you use a computer often. Chargers are not very expensive if you shop around--buy a bunch at once to save on shipping. It's worth it.
Cheap is expensive, especially if two of the cheap item exceeds the cost of the expensive one. You are usually better off paying a little more to get better quality, as replacing the broken cheap one is not only cost ineffective but wastes valuable time.
"You won!" coming from ANYTHING that you did not explicitly submit a ticket or application for is untrue and to be avoided.
Be aware that many people in the USA think there is a "litigation lottery", and when the timing is right, they will sue you if they think there's an easy chance to get money from you. So exercise prudence when called for. Shovel your walk way and side walks. Keep a safe distance from cars in front of you, so you reduce the chances of a rear-end collision.
If you see something you like and it is not expensive, buy two. You will probably want another at a later date and chaos will find a way to make the item unavailable when you want it again.
Don't accumulate things. Identify a "tolerance level" of item ownership. When you buy something new, think of what you can get rid of. Otherwise, things accumulate and before you know it, you've got a ton of stuff that at some point you'll have to expend a lot of time and effort unloading. And usually when you have to unload, you will get less for it than if you sold it earlier.
Life is indeed short and "time goes by quickly". You can't relate to this when you are young, because everything feels young to you and time stretches on to infinity. You have to have a good imagination to appreciate it and act accordingly. Live each year as if you've only got a few left. (Each day as your last is too extreme!). It is far better to reach 60 and feel like you've sucked the marrow out of the bones of life, rather than feel like you missed all the boats.
Eating until you are full is folly. Eat until you are no longer hungry. Have a little more if you wish, but save the rest for later. If you eat until you are full, your stomach gets used to it and that becomes the pattern. And then you tend to overeat, which causes excess weight.
People are more important than things. A man with many toys but no real friends to share them with is lonely. A man with little but many friends is wealthy beyond compare. Being with other people is what life is all about. Surround yourself with those who you can share a solid connection with.
Networking is a necessary part of being successful. Knowing people helps you making things happen. You never know what can come out of a relationship. You lose a job, but someone in your network knows of a job opportunity that you wouldn't have found otherwise. People = Possibilities.
How I wish I knew these (and believed them) when I graduated college!


----------



## gadget_lover

Before you buy the new toy, picture, TV, tool , etc, ask yourself "Where will I put this?" and "Will I use this immediately?" and "Do I need this?" before you plunk down the cash.

9 tape measures, 3 laser levels, 4 cordless drills later I still have not seemed to have learned that.

But you should see the new kick-a** Li-Ion cordless drill set I got last month. 

Daniel


----------



## TigerhawkT3

TigerhawkT3 said:


> Firing lots of big rounds makes a rifle really hot.
> 
> Especially the metal parts.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (That's my forearm.)


I remember this lesson even today:


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't leave steaks cooking on an open grill unattended by the beach. Sea gulls have no problem swooping down and snatching a steak off the grill.


----------



## TorchBoy

And similarly, don't leave an air compressor unattended while its inflating a bike tyre, even if "it'll only be for a moment."


----------



## Burgess

I've been nearby when that has happened. 



Amazing, what an incredibly LOUD noise a bicycle tire can produce. :wow:



One can only wonder about a Truck tire !


_


----------



## orbital

+

While finishing a project on a pier, I used some Gorilla Glue in a pinch.
In the process I used a bit more than necessary and had to wipe some off with my fingers & got some on my hands.

Point of story,..*Don't try to wash off Gorilla Glue with water*.

Duhhh!


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

To use the dip-stick when adding oil.

My first car and the oil light turned on. I bought a quart of oil and poured it into the hole labeled "Oil" Well that oil just disappeared! Boy! I must be really low. So I added another. Damn! That disappeared just as fast. Got another and another until finally the oil didn't disappear. Wow! That oil light is SERIOUS, it took 6 quarts to fill it up!

A block later smoke is coming out of my car. I pull into a gas station and ask for help. I tell him what happened and the guy laughed while calling me an idiot. Later he told me my car had oil coming out of the tailpipe.

 :shakehead


----------



## Burgess

Can you tell us, specifically, just what you did *wrong* ? ? ?


Cuz' i've been pouring motor oil into the round "cap" marked OIL for years and years.





Edited to Add:
Oh, i get it.
You didn't wipe off the dipstick, and re-check yer' oil level
after adding the first can !

Geee, i've just *gotta'* say it:

*You Dipstick ! ! ! *:nana:


(just kidding)

EndEdit
_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I think we've all got one of those "first car" stories. Mine involved an old chevy impala, a flat front tire, a bumper jack, and a slight slope to the ground. You know the rest...
 :laughing:


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Burgess said:


> Oh, i get it.
> You didn't wipe off the dipstick, and re-check yer' oil level
> after adding the first can !



Actually, I didn't know what a dipstick was and what it was used for. 
(I knew "dipstick" as an insult though)


----------



## gadget_lover

Ah yes.... Cars are good places to learn.

A)
If you ever have a leaking brake cylinder, it wall cause one (just one) tire to lock up. When that one is a front tire, you will change lanes quickly. You might even do so when you want to.

B)
If you can't drive your car because the brakes are locking up, do NOT 'fix' it by disconnecting the brake line from the bad wheel.

C)
Emergency brakes will not stop your car in an emergency.

D)
The dumpster will.

Daniel


----------



## Burgess

_


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

While everyone is on the subject of cars...
Never leave your car in drive when you get out of it. I left the car running to keep the air conditioner on for my brother (who was in the car), but I forgot to put it in park. It turned out okay. I got back in and stepped on the brake before the car was able to hit the dumpster.


----------



## dulridge

Hooked on Fenix said:


> While everyone is on the subject of cars...
> Never leave your car in drive when you get out of it. I left the car running to keep the air conditioner on for my brother (who was in the car), but I forgot to put it in park. It turned out okay. I got back in and stepped on the brake before the car was able to hit the dumpster.



Done worse than that...

Do NOT hold the cables in place for door speakers while closing the car door. One of the more embarrassing visits to the ER to get the thumbnail removed.

Really do not try this at home...


----------



## dulridge

gadget_lover said:


> Ah yes.... Cars are good places to learn.
> 
> A)
> If you ever have a leaking brake cylinder, it wall cause one (just one) tire to lock up. When that one is a front tire, you will change lanes quickly. You might even do so when you want to.
> 
> B)
> If you can't drive your car because the brakes are locking up, do NOT 'fix' it by disconnecting the brake line from the bad wheel.
> 
> C)
> Emergency brakes will not stop your car in an emergency.
> 
> D)
> The dumpster will.
> 
> Daniel



And 

E) When you have lost the hydraulics (Steering, suspension, brakes) do not attempt to drive it any farther. The motor will need a new drivers' seat afterwards. Gave the car away immediately afterwards.

It did not help that I was doing rather more (>100) mph than was allowed with the car fully loaded at the time. Took 2 miles to stop.

Passengers did not enjoy it one little bit.

Fortunately the road was empty and there weren't any dumpsters on it. I even managed to get it to a halt outside a garage...

The mechanic did enjoy the gift of an Audi 100 station wagon.


----------



## TITAN1833

Do)be patriotic,but keep your mind open to the world ? we are all human,the same.

Don't)do on to others anything!you would not like done to you.:devil:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I was reminded of this lesson again this evening, having not learned it from previous experiences: Never go to the grocery store on the day before a major holiday!
:hairpull:


----------



## adamlau

Fallingwater said:


> There *is* such a thing as a free lunch. It's just very hard to find.


Easier to find than one may choose to believe. You can fall into any number of lunch lines down along Skid Row, Los Angeles and get a free meal. My sis does volunteer work there and has repeatedly mentioned that very few people go hungry on the streets.


----------



## woodrow

Paypal does not send out emails asking you to update credit card information. Don't ask I still can't belive I fell for it! At least I got my $$$ back and a new card is on its way.

Also, when I was 15 I learned not to shoot .22's at bricks!


----------



## TigerhawkT3

The receipts you save will accumulate uselessly, but the few you throw away (or lose) immediately would have come in handy a few days later. 

...Also known as Murphy's Law.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Measure twice, cut once.

However, ay wire cut to length will _still_ be too short. Murphy indeed!


----------



## gadget_lover

PhotonWrangler said:


> Measure twice, cut once.





Valuable skills to learn: weld, solder, braze and glue 



Measure twice,
Cut once.
Apply Glue.
Let Dry
Cut again


----------



## adamlau

Don't waste your money on bunk lights and we wary of advice from n00b CPFers who collect DX/KD lights exclusively. That was learned the hard way.


----------



## SilentK

Not me but, when firing a handgun, do not put the sights right up to your eye, then fire.:sigh:

-HID lens can get hot! 
-a car moves even when you do not press the gas petal.
-if you overdrive a halogen bulb a little, it flashes, 500% with several 9v cells, it explodes.
-A minimag is not the uber-pwner of flashlights anymore.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Cheap ammo is cheap for a reason. Spend the money and get the good stuff, especially if you're counting on your firearm for self defense.

:buddies:


----------



## BVH

Buy the one you want the first time. Buy anything less and you'll end up taking a loss on it when you dump it to get the one you wanted in the first place.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

BVH said:


> Buy the one you want the first time. Buy anything less and you'll end up taking a loss on it when you dump it to get the one you wanted in the first place.



I'm still learning this lesson, but the flashlight I really want doesn't exist yet. I want a 400+ lumen Fenix P3D size light with infinitely variable brightness adjusted by the head with a forward clicky tailcap that has 1AA, 2AA, 123A, and 18650 lego bodies available, using a single die emitter for throw with a warm tint and 200+ lumens/watt, and all for under $100.


----------



## AlphaTea

When you see NEW! IMPROVED!! FASTER ACTING!! or any other bold font on the package of an old familiar product, hold on to your wallet.

More than once I have noticed that there is just less inside the package (also known as the economical size), the color has been changed or there is less salt. Why the heck do they charge MORE for LESS salt, as in potato chips?


----------



## Burgess

It's called Marketing. 



When an organization sez:

*" We're changing things, to serve you Better ! "*


It usually means:

*" We're cutting corners, but it'll still probably be Good Enough. "*



( Sigh )
_


----------



## TorchBoy

AlphaTea said:


> Why the heck do they charge MORE for LESS salt, as in potato chips?


One of my friends (who wholesales food) tells me whenever he can that salt is cheap, so it can be used to add weight to a product without adding much cost. To keep the same weight of "real" food would thus be more expensive.

But I'm sure Burgess is right about the marketing.


----------



## Crenshaw

AlphaTea said:


> When you see NEW! IMPROVED!! FASTER ACTING!! or any other bold font on the package of an old familiar product, hold on to your wallet.
> 
> More than once I have noticed that there is just less inside the package (also known as the economical size), the color has been changed or there is less salt. Why the heck do they charge MORE for LESS salt, as in potato chips?



what i cant stand, is toothpaste commercials, shampoo commercials, etc etc, all use acronyms to describe thier "special ingredients"

"use our product!, its got DHA, TYS, WTH.......its also FOS!"



you know the differnce between panadol, and panadol extra? few mg of caffine. 


Crenshaw


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't let anyone take more than one headlight of yours into a portapotty. My autistic brother had my Huntlight FT-01XSE when he went in (as well as a PT Quad headlight). He set the Huntlight down for 15 minutes in the portapotty urinal. When he got out, I made him use it for the rest of our 3 hour hike (We were ten minutes into it.). Then, I made him wash the light and his hands with soap and hot water when we got home. That has got to be the grossest thing anyone has ever done to one of my lights. At least the light was waterproof and it could be washed off easily.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

I've got two lessons today:

Purple PVC/CPVC primer will stain anything. And doesn't come off. Ever.

Lanyards are great things. However, like seatbelts or birth control, they do absolutely no good when they're not used. I was replacing the pump in my sand filter for the septic system yesterday and my beloved Streamlight Propoly slipped out of my hand. Splash......gone forever!

:buddies:


----------



## TigerhawkT3

If an action or behavior of yours is making a dog raise its lip at you, stop the action or behavior immediately.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you're lifting heavy computer floor tiles with a rubber suction lifter, and the tile you're lifting has ventilation holes in it, the tile lifter can slide, hit one of the ventilation holes, lose suction and fall on your foot. This is not pleasant.

Murphy's corollary: Don't wear soft sneakers while doing this.


----------



## jrmcferren

Here are a few things I learned today:

1. If the tip on a soldering gun is not secure, it will not make contact and therefore not heat.
2. Don't use a soldering gun tip as a wood burning tip. On a good note, rubbing the tip on concrete will restore it.
3. The following all go together
a. Always test a power supply with a DMM before using it the first time in 18 years.
b. A bit brighter than normal does not equal 13.5 volts on a 12 volt bulb
c. A power supply that no longer regulates may not blow out a light bulb that you can replace for a few bux, it will blow an electrolytic capacitor (in the filter box) on a digital car clock that has been out of production for at least 30 years..
d. Electrolytic capacitors make a big boom when they blow.
e. 16 volts does not mean 24 (I knew that but I would share it anyway) otherwise you have d above.
f. The suspected component of above power supply is the hardest to remove.


----------



## unclearty

Fiberglass underwear is just not as good an idea as you would think..regardless of the time of year.
When a woman says, "Honey..I really DO understand"....well, you know the rest...
Vodka does not make a good emergency mouthwash.
Electricity and alcohol don't go together as well as one might think.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

jrmcferren said:


> d. Electrolytic capacitors make a big boom when they blow.



It's a magical transformation; one moment it's a capacitor, the next moment it's a confetti generator! :laughing:


----------



## TorchBoy

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*



jrmcferren said:


> 2. ... On a good note, rubbing the tip on concrete will restore it.


Do you mean restoring the concrete? It wouldn't be good for the soldering iron tip - you'd probably have to re-tin it, certainly if you did it a lot.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*

Emery cloth or sand paper work better than concrete on soldering iron tips.

I was using coolant while drilling stainless steel on my lathe today. If I've got the coolant cranked up to a good flow, the rear chuck turns into a sprinkler. I absent-mindedly left my coffee cup sitting right where it would get sprayed on......and then I took a sip. Lesson learned today: Coolant has a certain intriguing bite to it but overall I believe it's an aquired taste which I have no wish to aquire.

:buddies:


----------



## mdocod

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*

Ok, here's a few "Learned the hard way:"

I'm not always right.

Knowing what you don't know is more important than knowing what you do know.

I can't blame anyone for my problems*, *unless they have violated my rights.

The government is usually the problem, not the solution.

A wire wheel is the way to clean up a soldering iron tip 

A drill press is not a milling machine.

Permanent marker isn't permanent on all surfaces.

Just because I can take it apart, doesn't always mean I can put it back together again. 

Tax.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*



mdocod said:


> Knowing what you don't know is more important than knowing what you do know.
> 
> Just because I can take it apart, doesn't always mean I can put it back together again.


----------



## TigerhawkT3

A 5V adapter will not charge a 12V SLA, no matter how long you leave it plugged in.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*



mdocod said:


> Knowing what you don't know is more important than knowing what you do know.
> 
> Just because I can take it apart, doesn't always mean I can put it back together again.



That second one definitely applies to working on cars and surgery. I think both things can be summed up as "know your limitations". 
Don't climb a mountain that you can't get down from. Don't hike unprepared for the weather conditions, darkness, wildlife, or length of the trip. Don't try to fix a car yourself if you can't put it back together again. Don't do anything out of your skill set and use common sense for the things you do attempt. 

Here's one for the entire U.S.. You can't spend your way out of debt. I think we'll soon learn this lesson the hard way.

Don't trust money you can't see. I learned that if you go on a trip without telling your bank, they might assume that your information has been compromised and cancel your ATM card. Sometimes, they'll cancel the ATM card just because they think your account may have been compromised. I know it's for my safety, but it sure doesn't feel like it when I'm 400 miles from home and running low on cash. If I hadn't brought cash, I would've been stranded. It was embarrassing having my card rejected when paying for my trip pictures. I had to use the rest of my cash. Of course, it could have been much worse.


----------



## Burgess

Good points.



Things always *come apart*

easier than they go back together.



Especially, if you've never done so before.

:sigh:
_


----------



## mossyoak

thermal management can never be overdone.


----------



## mdocod

I have another one:

Don't ever let someone tell you that "it can't be done."


----------



## csshih

oh, I have one!
solder drips from the tip of an iron, so don't hold it over your hand.


----------



## Flashanator

Not to run a LCD Monitor @ 120hz Refresh Rate past it's designed limit of 75hz or


----------



## Burgess

When you pack up your Microwave Oven on moving day,

make SURE you first *remove* the internal Glass Tray,

and pack it securely.


It will NOT be "OK, as long as yer' careful with it".



Ask me how i know this.


_


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Here's one I learned on a hike this evening. If you hike wearing convertible pants with the pant legs zipped off with the intention to put them one when it gets cold, make sure you brought a right and a left pant leg. I own three pair of the same kind and brought two right pant legs. Apparently, two rights don't make it right.


----------



## Flashanator

Not to ride a motorbike with bugger all traction in long wet grass in an area you have never been while wearing no helmet.:sick2:

Or you might crash into a hidden 1m deep 3m wide trench & suffer a concussion.:shakehead


----------



## mossyoak

dont jump a John Deere Gator...


----------



## Sgt. LED

Those large papercutters with all the warnings on them about missing fingers, yeah they were serious. Ask my thumb.

Women lie as much as they can, they can't seem to help it.

At first you are afraid it will kill you, then you are horrified that it won't.

Your gear is worthless unless you have it with you when you need it.

Your opinion matters alot to you and next to nothing to everyone else.

Work sucks but you die when you retire.

Enjoy the little moments, there aren't many big ones so why wait.

Use it or lose it.

Only depend on yourself.

Laugh as much as you can, like Eddie Murphy.

Try the soup, you'll like it.

When going to a new Chinese restaurant the Lo-Mein and the Fried rice are safe, hard to screw those up!

Zombies *are* going to get you so take out as many as you can before you die.

Knives break alot less often than guns run out of ammo.

Not only do you not know the half of it, you don't even know half of the half and you should be happy to know so little.


----------



## G1K

If you own a Brembo radial master cylinder for your motorcycle, make sure you secure the pivot pin with safety wire through the middle. They can and do come out at speed. Sometimes the end result hurts a bit.







Ryan


----------



## Burgess

Yikes !


It "hurts a bit" just lookin' at those X-rays !


Good Luck to you, G1K.

_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Ouch!!! Those X-rays are astonishing, G1K. I hope you're on the mend.


----------



## G1K

That happened a little over a year ago. Honestly it didn't hurt until everything had to be put back into place. Of course, I also had a concussion and was in and out for a while.. I don't really remember much about that day after the wreck.

I lost some movement of my thumb, but nothing severe.


I'l post up my second nugget of knowledge,

The rear brake on a motorcycle does nothing at 100+.

R


----------



## Burgess

Things i've learned from G1K:


Stay the hell off motorcycles.



_


----------



## TigerhawkT3

There are writers who are not technical writers.

(That's also a pet peeve, but I figured it was more apt here.)


----------



## ozner1991

that going down an wooden ramp on jeans isnt smart XD tore my jeans up from the knee to the belt area. had an laugh with my friends after it. full moon during the day


----------



## nitesky

Material data safety sheets give you some of the information you need all of the time, but not all of the information all of the time.

Bicycle helmets don't protect teeth.

To know when the good old days are here.


----------



## mossyoak

nitesky said:


> Bicycle helmets don't protect teeth.




Or chins...

five point racing harnesses dont do much when they arent buckled, and your upside down in a toyota rock crawler.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Don't leave wires strewn across the floor where someone will trip over them later. That someone might be you.


----------



## aussiebob

Dont drive straight onto the soft beach without first lowering your tyre pressures, you will get bogged even with 4x4. Bugger, wad to wait for a snatch out. 


Dont experiment with how far your car will go with the low fuel light on, especially on a outback road. Had to call a friend to come bring me some fuel, i thought id make it to the station but didnt, bugger. 


A 2stroke line trimmer wont work for long with 4stroke fuel. Served it right for being a 2stroke :thumbsdow


Cheers


----------



## nitesky

mossyoak said:


> Or chins...


 
It was both for me, pretty sure the chin hit first. But it was all a blur.

Another thing I have learned, and this thread reminded me yet again, is that things can always be worse.


----------



## ozner1991

do not call an female kickboxer an fat hippo....


----------



## Burgess

_


----------



## Black Rose

Not taking photographs of a rental car when it's returned and then being charged for damage someone else caused. :thumbsdow


----------



## Optik49

Keeping other hand clear of nail gun.  Luckily it was not my hand.

:devil: Photo was taken on the way to the hospital. _If this is a problem with a moderator please feel free to remove the link._

*WARNING:* It is what you think. http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/Optik49/1210051126a.jpg


----------



## ozner1991

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Manzerick

OUCH!!!!!!!!



Optik49 said:


> Keeping other hand clear of nail gun.  Luckily it was not my hand.
> 
> :devil: Photo was taken on the way to the hospital. _If this is a problem with a moderator please feel free to remove the link._
> 
> *WARNING:* It is what you think. http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290/Optik49/1210051126a.jpg


----------



## Sgt. LED

Burgess said:


> Things i've learned from G1K:
> 
> 
> Stay the hell off motorcycles.
> 
> 
> 
> _


----------



## Monocrom

If your boss is a lazy idiot, it will never matter how intelligent you are or how hard you work.


----------



## m16a

Hot glass and cold glass look exactly the same
Black ice exists and is REALLY slippery...


----------



## KD5XB

What have I learned the hard way?

"Experience is what you get right after you needed it!" :laughing:


----------



## bullfrog

To be very _*VERY*_ sure a woman is actually pregnant before you ask: 

"so, when are you due?"

My mom gave me first hand experience with this when I was younger when she asked a friend of a close friend this - talk about awkward. 

I still laugh about it - thanks mom :laughing:


----------



## Monocrom

bullfrog said:


> To be very _*VERY*_ sure a woman is actually pregnant before you ask:
> 
> "so, when are you due?"


 


Had a security trainer make the same mistake. It's even worse when a guy says it.... on the job.


----------



## Black Rose

bullfrog said:


> To be very _*VERY*_ sure a woman is actually pregnant before you ask:
> 
> "so, when are you due?"


I almost made this critical mistake very early in my career. An out of town manager was brought in to manage the shutdown of the department I was working in at the time. She was on the large side and appeared to be pregnant, however I opted not to ask.

It was a good thing I didn't. When I moved halfway across the country to a new office, she ended up being my manager.


----------



## mossyoak

Pavement is slicker after it rains then when its actually raining, and my jeep XJ is a fishtailing nightmare. But fun...


----------



## jrmcferren

Trying to parallel two LEDs in a minimag socket cause a great potential for a short circuit, when your experiment involves no current-limiting resistor this can cause a short circuit. Short circuits on NiMh cells create a lot of current and a lot of heat, this combined with holding leads on an LED can cause a nasty feeling burn.


----------



## jrmcferren

You will not realize that the lower heating element in the oven has gone  when your rice pudding didn't turn out right or the pie does not burn at 450 degrees, but when the Thanksgiving turkey takes forever to cook.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Here's some things I learned on a backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevadas recently out of Lone Pine (Cottonwood Lakes area just before New Army Pass).

Snowshoeing through a boulder field covered by 4 feet of snow is a pain in the butt. I had to put on and take off the snowshoes every two steps. The snow gets undermined near the boulders so even with the snowshoes, you fall through and get wedged against a boulder (messing up your knee and ankle). It is better to avoid the boulder field all together and climb the nearest hill to a point where the area gets more sun exposure and walk or boulder hop across.

After a day of falling through soft, wet snow on a backpacking trip, your only pair of boots will freeze solid and you won't be able to put them on. Putting a backpacker's towel in each boot along with a 1 liter Nalgene bottle full of boiling hot water will solve the problem. The water stays in the bottle. The hot water bottle will defrost the boot and the towel will absorb any defrosted water so it can be removed without refreezing or making your feet colder. 

A 0 degree sleeping bag from Walmart won't keep you warm in the 20s, especially if it's too short, the hood doesn't close enough, and the zipper on top of the bag opens while you sleep. However, a 1 liter Nalgene water bottle will keep you toasty warm for 3 hours.

Spindrifts are demoralizing events that can get you to turn around and go back. They are basically ice tornadoes. If you get in the middle of one, you'll be pelted with snow and ice. They also wipe out footprints so you can't see where the trail leads or where you came from.

Backpacking in the snow is colder if you go somewhere that doesn't allow fires.

With enough wind, a candle lantern can be put out in a 4 season tent just by the wind swinging it around too much. The wind was unable to directly blow out the lantern in the tent. It went out twice in an hour.

The best gear in the world is no substitute for knowledge. Knowledge will help you realize the limits of your gear so you don't get killed using it.


----------



## AlphaTea

You really should'nt take a Prilosec AND an Ambian CR at the same time. The Ambian gets a delayed action for about 8 hours, THEN you cant keep your eyes open.


----------



## Sgt. LED

Don't take your eye out in front of children, it scares them. 
:mecry:<- Like that.


----------



## Burgess

_


----------



## TigerhawkT3

Permanent dental implants are not invulnerable and can still somehow come loose. I haven't learned how or why it's possible, but it is.

Gonna be going to school tomorrow with a Ti socket sticking out of my gum.

Artist's conception of what I'll look like.

EDIT: Got it fixed about an hour ago. They said they prefer using temporary cement, in case the tooth chips or something. If they used actual permanent cement, the only option would be to machine it out, and, as we all know, Ti is not easy to machine.  So, my tooth is back in, and it's only a slightly different fit than it had yesterday, so I'm sure I'll readjust quickly enough.


----------



## mossyoak

don't get in a pillow fight. With tempur-pedic pillows. Also don't belly flop onto a tempur-pedic mattress


----------



## jaygrant

No one else in the world can think or feel the same as you do, no matter what, everyone is different even if you don't believe it.

Birth and Death are the only absolutes in life, everything else is subjective and variable.

Tomorrow never comes and yesterday can't be taken back.

Beliefs are based on emotion, not reason.

Reality is only a belief.

It doesn't matter if aliens are out there, they aren't helping us get out of tihs mess are they?

You can do several 180's, on the highway, at 130mph, but you have to air the tires back up afterward.


----------



## Sgt. LED

^ And wash your pants out at the gas station bathroom.


----------



## Monocrom

jaygrant said:


> Beliefs are based on emotion, not reason.
> 
> Reality is only a belief.


 
Reality is that which does not go away, once you stop believing in it.

(Not one of mine).


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

mossyoak said:


> don't get in a pillow fight. With tempur-pedic pillows. Also don't belly flop onto a tempur-pedic mattress



Don't get in a pillow fight with guys that put rocks in their pillows. Yes, this actually happened to me at a 1 week Christian summer camp on Catalina Island. High schoolers can be mean.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

You never realize how goofy your friends are until you see them on video. On a church trip to Catalina island, a friend who shall remain nameless dressed up in a gorilla costume and walked around the town of Avalon. He even staged a fight with some other guys in our group. Long story short, he got chased through the streets by the police and got it all on tape. We watched the video back in camp and for background music, they added the theme song to Cops to the video. No, he didn't get arrested or ticketed, just warned to stop as his presence had scared a little girl and made her cry. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't mess with church youth group leaders. In junior high, I shared a tent with one of the youth group leaders at a beach camp. The first night, some of the guys in our group took down our tent with us sleeping in it. He was sleeping on a cot and I was on the floor. He woke up and fixed the tent and I slept through the whole thing. A couple mornings later, one of the guys that collapsed our tent woke up really thirsty as the youth group leader had put a Habanero pepper in his mouth while he was sleeping.

Last year, at a church men's retreat, a kid in the group sprayed whipped cream at one of the leaders while in bed. That leader teamed up with another leader and covered the guy in syrup and butter from squeeze tubes.

The year before, one of the younger youth leaders put a tent inside someone else's tent just for the fun of it.

On a men's retreat, probably about 5 years ago, some new guys in the group were goofing off around a pond. Our group convinced them that the plants they had touched and thrown at each other were poison oak. The group of guys were trying to convince those guys that part of the cure was to jump into the swampy pond to wash it off. Our youth pastor jumped into the conversation and said, "Yeah, and don't forget, you need to pee on yourselves." Boy, those guys were gullable.


----------



## Sgt. LED

Hooked on Fenix said:


> You never realize how goofy your friends are until you see them on video. On a church trip to Catalina island, a friend who shall remain nameless dressed up in a gorilla costume and walked around the town of Avalon. He even staged a fight with some other guys in our group. Long story short, he got chased through the streets by the police and got it all on tape. We watched the video back in camp and for background music, they added the theme song to Cops to the video. No, he didn't get arrested or ticketed, just warned to stop as his presence had scared a little girl and made her cry. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen.


 
How much for a copy of that tape!  Hey it'd be a hit on Utube........


----------



## saabgoblin

At around the age of ten, I learned not to use Liquid Wrench on a stuck zipper after swimming in the salt water all season with my favorite cut offs.Ouch!!!


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Learned this one today while trying to fix a billing problem with a large corporation: Always talk to the people in the shop/warehouse/whatever. The higher up the food chain they get the less they know.

Those who can, do.

Those who can't, work in sales.

Those who can't keep their mouths shut and stay out of the way so that those who can are able to get on with their job, *manage*.

:buddies:


----------



## Monocrom

When you wish to cancel your cellphone plan, wait a couple of days after your contract is set to expire.

A few years ago, I called to cancel my plan on the very day it was scheduled to expire. Next thing I know, I get hit with a $200 early cancelation fee! When I called up, I had to deal with some moron who couldn't even calculate my final bill, without including the $200 fee. He just kept repeating the same inflated price, each time I asked him for the correct calculation of my final bill. After about the 4th time, I realized I was dealing with a complete idiot.... and I let him know it.

Called up a friend of mine who once owned his own cellphone store. He called them back, pretended to be me, worked his magic, and got the fee taken off.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

That reminded me, Monocrom - 

If your cellphone doesn't have an unlimited talk plan, never, *ever *let a family member loan it to a "friend" for awhile. I wound up with a $900 bill for that month. :shakehead

Oh, and the cellphone carrier couldn't care less about my predicament. Which is why I switched to another carrier after paying the bill.


----------



## Burgess

YIKES ! ! !



:hairpull:





_


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> That reminded me, Monocrom -
> 
> If your cellphone doesn't have an unlimited talk plan, never, *ever *let a family member loan it to a "friend" for awhile. I wound up with a $900 bill for that month. :shakehead
> 
> Oh, and the cellphone carrier couldn't care less about my predicament. Which is why I switched to another carrier after paying the bill.


 
Ironically, you reminded me of another incident....

"Never have two or more cellphones sharing the same plan, under your name."

I wound up paying a $500 overage fee due to the fact that a trusted family member loaned the phone I got for her, to a not-so-trusted family member. On that particular month, I didn't even make a single call on my phone.... literally! Imagine my surprise when I opened up my cellular bill. :sick2:


----------



## jrmcferren

Personally, when I loan out my phone, which is VERY RARELY, I insist on being VERY CLOSE to the person using it. When they are done the phone comes back to me, if I am with them and the call is for them I will answer it first then let them use the phone. I am very picky on airtime and my parents never have to pay an overage due to me (or my grandmother either).


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Gads. At least I know that I'm not alone! I will NEVER let my cell phone get out of my sight again. :shakehead

Another one, just happened last night - 

If you have a large, heavy CRT set, and it's sitting on a highly polished credenza, and you have to reach behind it to fiddle with the wires, keep in mind that it could slide off and hit the floor. This could be bad.

Fortunately I was able to break it's fall (barely!) and it wasn't damaged. And it still works. And I didn't break my foot.


----------



## gadget_lover

Never, ever let your mind roam while using your Water-Pik and take it out of your mouth to look at it. 

Corrolary, You can take a shower with a waterpik. It seems like you can anyway.


----------



## gadget_lover

When you close your Verizon wireless account, insist that it be closed TODAY, not at the end of the billing cycle. You have the right to NOT be their customer.

I wanted to sell a cell phone and found that even thought I "closed the account" they marked it pending disconnect at the end of the month. That would have been a rude awakening.

Daniel


----------



## PhotonWrangler

gadget_lover said:


> Corrolary, You can take a shower with a waterpik. It seems like you can anyway.


----------



## abuhannibal

Great thread!

This one's important: When backpacking, if you've brought along a container of condensed liquid backpacking soap, do NOT disregard the instructions directing you to dilute it with 8 parts water to one part soap before slathering it onto your nether regions.

When climbing above 15,000 feet and the guides tell you to wear lots of sunscreen, they ain't kidding. 

Never, ever drink six beers and smoke a few just before getting on one of those amusement park rides that spins you around vertically and upside down.

Lastly, this one is deadly serious and was gleaned in my 15 or so years as an IT consultant: There are very, very few absolutely inflexible rules of the universe. But one of them that is very much real is that it will ALWAYS end up costing more to do a project wrong than it will to do it right. Bite the bullet and spend the money once, instead of cheaping it out and having to do it twice.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

abuhannibal said:


> But one of them that is very much real is that it will ALWAYS end up costing more to do a project wrong than it will to do it right. Bite the bullet and spend the money once, instead of cheaping it out and having to do it twice.



Amen! If you don't have the time/money to do the project right once, you _really_ don't have the time/money to do it *again*.

:buddies:


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Before a backpacking trip, make sure that any soft container for food, soap, sunscreen, etc. has the air squeezed out of it and is put in a zip lock bag before you pack it. Bad things happen at high elevations where the pressure change causes stuff to explode or leak in your pack. This includes ketchup packets, Ramen noodle cups, Easy Mac cups, bottles of denatured alcohol, concentrated biodegradable soap, vegetable oil, bug repellent, etc.. However, it is fun watching an empty water bottle collapse as you drive back down the mountain.


Don't grease up a frying pan before putting it on a Whisperlite Stove. It'll catch fire.

Don't set anything hot on a rubberized picnic table. It'll stick to it and become attached.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you're working with a sharp knife, never rush the job.

If you're working with a live circuit board on a bench, keep all conductive materials away.

Observe polarity.


----------



## ozner1991

when your having fun in the dunes do not go down the smooth part in the middle of the stairs. that went down 30 meters. i kinda snagged after 5 meters and tore open my jeans XD my right side, from my knee to my belt about 6 inches wide tear (half moon during the day) so i tie my jacket around my waiste and ofcourse it was raining and windy that day


----------



## Burgess

a Softball isn't really all that soft

:mecry:




BTW, 

Happy Birthday, Monocrom !


_


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

If you borrow a ladder from a coworker, make sure you check to see if there was anything left on top before moving it. Getting hit in the head with a hammer hurts.


----------



## Burgess

:lolsign::lolsign::lolsign:


Ummm, i mean . . . .




_


----------



## Monocrom

*To: Burgess ~*

Thank you for the Birthday greeting. 
*~~~~~~~~~~~~*

*To: Hooked on Fenix ~*

Sorry to hear that. I'm trying not to laugh, and I'm glad you weren't hurt seriously.


----------



## Sgt. LED

Light the gasoline as soon as you can, don't let the vapors build.

The more vapor = the more skin you have to cut off as it heals and becomes tight and leathery, legs need to bend.


----------



## TigerhawkT3

College is not for everyone.


----------



## gadget_lover

There is a sayimng about flashlights. Two is one and one is none.

It is supposed to have something to do with having a backup when the batteries go dead at least so you can see to change the battery or bulb.

My wife tells me that last night she proved that wrong. She was using a booklight to read in bed as I blissfully slept next to her. She decided the batteries were going dead, but did not want to wake me by getting out of bed for replacements. Usually she just hands the light to me and after a cute smile and a kiss I change them for her.

After a while she realized her old booklight was in reach, so she used that one instead.

It was not long till she decided that she liked the tint of the LEDs in her new booklight much better. Sure enough, both lights used AAA cells. So she opens the new one and empties the batteries. Then she opens the old one and empties the batteries.


And she's in the dark. With no idea which way the batteries go in either light.


Two in one and one is none. A third sometimes comes in handy too.

Daniel


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Double check the axis of feed when you use the rapid on your lathe.*

Every. Single. Time.*

Three hours work, $1,000 worth of shafting, and my last carbide insert of that size turned to scrap metal in an instant. Closest place to get new inserts is a 50 mile drive away and closed half an hour after this happened. I called them, UPS had already come and made their pickups. It wouldn't have mattered anyway; the replacement piece of steel is in the same city and you can't UPS Early Next Day Air something like that. I'll be there when they open the door at 8am, because my customer absolutely must have that shaft by noon tomorrow. And now I'll eat up all my profits and lose $500 on top of that replacing the piece of shafting I fubar'd when $500 was exactly what I was supposed to make as profit for three hours work.

Let me repeat: Double check the axis of feed when you use the rapid on your lathe.*

Every. Single. Time.*


I forget, when did I retire?

:buddies:


----------



## gadget_lover

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Double check the axis of feed when you use the rapid on your lathe.*
> 
> Every. Single. Time.*



Boy, I feel for you. There is nothing quite like getting that far and ruining a part.


Hope today is better.

Dan


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

gadget_lover said:


> Boy, I feel for you. There is nothing quite like getting that far and ruining a part.
> 
> 
> Hope today is better.
> 
> Dan



Thank you, sir. Yes, the next day went better. 

:buddies:


----------



## Illum

When you take a crap in your own porcelain bowl, verify that there are no frogs in the hole...the suckers jump at the slightest touch by a foreign object...

The one issue with septic tanks is you never know what could find its way in through the leach field tubes and what could come up to haunt you when the pipeworks fail 

Now when I make early trips to the throne from the bed I carry a red 5mm LED and my M6-1185 and examine the toilet before use.

Luckily enough there were no minnows in the cistern.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When you're at the bowling alley, and you pick your mark on the lane,
aim the ball and make your approach as you swing your arm up in the air,
preparing to swing it back down to apply your full force to the ball's
forward momentum as you approach the foul line...

...remember to let go of the ball.


Fwip! BAM!


----------



## csshih

Solder can stick to soldering iron tips... and if you lift them up quickly.. they tend to drip........


----------



## LukeA

csshih said:


> Solder can stick to soldering iron tips... and if you lift them up quickly.. they tend to drip........



You can't steady the tip of your soldering iron with your finger. 

It smells terrible every time I do it.


----------



## Burgess

Keep yer' fingers away from model airplane propellers.


Especially if they're spinning.



_


----------



## mossyoak

if you plan on flexing out your jeep xj remember to disconnect your front sway bar links, it makes a world of difference


----------



## AMD64Blondie

If you're feeling dizzy and sick..(I am,don't ask why..) do not even think of going in to work. Stay home..

(I hate myself right now..being dizzy is no fun.)


----------



## Illum

mossyoak said:


> if you plan on flexing out your jeep xj remember to disconnect your front sway bar links, it makes a world of difference



did you wind up breaking the sway bar links?:candle:


----------



## jusval

Things I know but won't ever learn, even the hard way?

Posting in forums..........


----------



## TigerhawkT3

WoW is addictive...

...as well as extremely fun.


----------



## andrew123

Don't yell at the people that sign your paycheck.


----------



## Illum

if a girl hates what shes wearing or is being indecisive about it...do not compliment it, complement anything else is fine but don't go against her taste


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Never use hydrogen peroxide on a deep cut to get it to heal and stop the bleeding. The bubbles make the wound open wider before it seals up the wound, making a slow to heal hole in place of the cut. The scar on my finger still isn't gone after many years.


----------



## [email protected]

Never leave a bright yellow flashlight in the wrong frontyard...


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Never use hydrogen peroxide on a deep cut to get it to heal and stop the bleeding. The bubbles make the wound open wider before it seals up the wound, making a slow to heal hole in place of the cut. The scar on my finger still isn't gone after many years.



Yikes, I never thought of that. Thanks for the heads up.


----------



## csshih

don't poke a screwdriver through the flashlight pill........


----------



## LightCannon

Don't point flashlights into your eyes.

Especially if you have a bright one.

I can barely see my keyboard as I type this.


----------



## chmsam

Do not watch a very funny movie or TV show two days after even the most minor of surgeries.

Ask the doctor or nurse what's the best way to remove some of the surgical tape. Big clue: even I know that the best way to remove it is NOT to quickly tear it off. Or to slowly tear it off. Neither is it good to very slowly peel it off. Even if you do it v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Even alcohol and adhesive removing wipes didn't help that much. Blowtorch? Belt sander?

If a doctor even suggests that coughing could be painful after your surgery, you will most certainly develop a cough. You will at the same time discover that the doctor will have been seriously understating the pain from coughing. He will also have forgotten to mention that blowing your nose (which helps to get rid of the cough) will be more painful than coughing.

Don't be a "Mr. Macho." The pain medication will work much better if you actually take it but yes, it will make you so goofy that you will forget... huh? What?

I'm just guessing about all of this of course 'cause I'm way too smart to... uh... what? Ow.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Don't _look_ for an electrical outlet in the dark.


----------



## Monocrom

While everyone matures physically. Not everyone matures mentally or emotionally at the same rate... And you will likely have to deal with children in adult bodies. :thumbsdow


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Monocrom said:


> While everyone matures physically. Not everyone matures mentally or emotionally at the same rate... And you will likely have to deal with children in adult bodies. :thumbsdow



Sounds like there is a good story behind that. Care to share?


----------



## Monocrom

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> Sounds like there is a good story behind that. Care to share?


 
Numerous stories behind that. Numerous examples. Everyone knows how children behave. Lying, temper tantrums, petty desires, cruelty.... That's what I mean by children in adult bodies. First example I ever saw out on the streets was a guy who was dressed very well. Suit & tie, driving a red Jeep Grand Cherokee. Driving it like a complete moron, nearly hit me. I went up to his window to ask him what his problem was. His window was up, and _this _is the response I got from him... :nana:

Two seconds later, he cut that $#^% out. I just don't tolerate that level of childish behavior from someone old enough to know better. 

Another one was a guy who worked in the mailroom at my old job. Older than me, bigger than me, and the day after Christmas; he came in high or drunk or just stupid. He was ridiculously disrespectful to everyone. When I reminded him of the security procedures that everyone must follow, he told me to F**k off, then walked away without showing me his I.D. (He had left his company I.D. at home). He was headed for the mailroom. (How he planned on getting in without his electronic company I.D., was another mystery).

I followed him, nearly all the way to the mailroom. Got in front of him, and told him he wasn't going anywhere without showing me some I.D., the moron tried to push me, then accused me of getting physical with him. Okay, I was done with this nonsense. He acted like a spoiled child, so I treated him like one. I yelled at him the way a frustrated parent would. And made it clear that his nonsense was over, one way or another. When this child in a giant body realized he couldn't intimidate me, out came his I.D. (When I got back to the security desk, guess who called on the company phone at the desk; sheepishly asking to be buzzed into the mailroom).

But perhaps my "favorite" one was the even bigger giant who was riding in the same subway car I was. For some stupid reason, he decided to close his eyes; and began singing as loudly and obnoxiously as he could. Now no one else in the subway said a single word to him. (Not surprising. Quite common actually. You get in, you share close space with total strangers, everyone just ignores each other. Exception being, someone asking a fellow rider for directions. Thing is, you get [email protected]$$e$ who take advantage of that norm. They act obnoxiously, because they *know *that no one will say anything to them.... Well, almost no one).

I don't recommend doing this, but I walked up to him; and shouted at him. Asking what the Hell he thought he was doing. His response was a perfect example of what I mean by children in adult bodies. Ever see a kid acting up at the mall. Mom goes looking for him, finds him, then shouts to get his attention. Kid instantly stops acting up, and jumps nearly 10 feet in the air out of fear from the loud, grown-up, voice. Yup, same thing with Mr. No-talent singer. He had an umbrella in his hands, and he started clutching it for dear life. 

I got him to stop singing. What followed next was a rather lame tough guy act from him. It was funny. If he didn't want to be humiliated in a subway car full of people, he should have acted like a damn adult. Once again, I don't advocate comfronting a stranger in the subway. But there are certain things that I won't personally tolerate. Unless a person is literally mentally retarded, there's no excuse for an adult to behave like a 2 year-old. 

I have tons of other examples. But the ones above I'd rank as the Top Three that I've experienced.


----------



## PetaBread

Always read stickies first when joining a new forum. :welcome:


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Monocrom said:


> Numerous stories behind that. Numerous examples. ... I have tons of other examples. But the ones above I'd rank as the Top Three that I've experienced.



Thanks for sharing. I've got a few stories myself. If you ask I may even PM one to you.


----------



## Burgess

Gee, we'd ALL like to hear 'em !


:grouphug:

(CPF'ers all gather 'round, in anticipation of another story or two)




Know *exactly* what Monocrom's talking about.


Too many people, who USED to be "young and foolish",


are now simply "old and stupid".


:sigh:

_


----------



## Monocrom

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> Thanks for sharing. I've got a few stories myself. If you ask I may even PM one to you.


 
As Burgess mentioned, feel free to share.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Panic attacks,if you don't realize what they are,can be extremely scary.(just happened to me tonight.I was shaking,crying,and about to go crazy..couldn't figure out what was wrong,so I called my mom. She came over to my apartment and helped me to try and calm down.) 
I'm feeling a little better right now,but earlier..when I was in the grip of a panic attack..I thought I was going to pass out. I got a couple of Ativan (lorazepam) down and that helped a little bit.I'll see how I'm feeling tomorrow. Having a panic attack and not knowing I was having one,scared me out of my wits.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Burgess said:


> Gee, we'd ALL like to hear 'em !





Monocrom said:


> As Burgess mentioned, feel free to share.



Everyone knows the section of roads where you have to choose a lane and take a fork. I get into the appropriate lane as soon as possible. I also know some people have never been on that road (they're easy to spot) and may not be prepared, though most of those are really uhh "children in adult bodies.{CIAB}"

CIAB like to stay in the wrong lane and speed up to cut you off, even though there are no cars behind you. Now I don't mind too much if they do it in they mile they have. (30mph limit) But they LOVE to do it at the last second and make you slam on the brakes. I really don't like that and have decided it is too dangerous to let them do that. One CIAB had to slam on his brakes so not to miss her(yes her) turn. (usually they are teenagers from the college up the road) Well, she starts following me, but I don't notice. Two traffic lights later, she tries to sideswipe me with her car! I HAD to go halfway into the other lane to avoid being hit.

The next story is about my experiments on other drivers. I did it in the most careful and almost respectful way.

Thruway on ramps. As I pass an on-ramp, I slow down just a little to make about four car lengths between me and the next car. Plenty of room for someone to get in from the on-ramp. When I can clearly see the end of the merge lane I quickly take up the space.

Rules: If someone has their turn signal on I let them in even at the last moment. If someone is matching speed and location of the empty space, I don't close the gap. Psychos get to cut in. I don't want road rage in my experiments.

CIAB would all fly by this beautifully open space. They would then have to slow down to merge because the other cars did not give them room to enter. I would close the gap before reaching them(I did not cut them off), but you could tell they were waiting for that opening they say in their rear view mirror. Some would even honk furiously.

My findings were 90% were CIAB and would not take my generous offer to cut in front of me. 10% would take it and traffic moved along smoothly. They would however try to cut someone off when their lane ended. They would get mad at me for their greed. "Hey I was going to use you for a backup plan if I could sneak in"

I only did that for a week many, many years ago.


----------



## gadget_lover

Learned the hard way....

Those horrendous traffic jams? The ones you have to commute through every day? They seldom add more than 15 minutes to your commute. I timed them several times when I was commuting 220 miles a day.

Once you realize that you can make the next leap, and that is to realize that it's 15 minutes more of time to yourself. Listening to your favorite tunes, thinking, books on tape, talking with your passengers are all actually kind of pleasant.

I commute 60 miles a day now, and only get stressed when some jerk decides to tailgate (I can't see his grill in my rear view) at 65 MPH when there's no place I can go to get out of his way. But that's nerves as I have to be super vigilant so that if something goes wrong I can react quickly enough for both of us.

Daniel


----------



## Monocrom

gadget_lover said:


> ... only get stressed when some jerk decides to tailgate (I can't see his grill in my rear view) at 65 MPH when there's no place I can go to get out of his way. But that's nerves as I have to be super vigilant so that if something goes wrong I can react quickly enough for both of us.
> 
> Daniel


 
Simple fix to that problem.

Gently ease off the gas, and very slowly reduce your speed. The tailgater usually gets frustrated to the point that he'll change lanes, or he might actually realize you don't appreciate this driving style and he'll back off a bit.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Monocrom said:


> Simple fix to that problem.
> 
> Gently ease off the gas, and very slowly reduce your speed. The tailgater usually gets frustrated to the point that he'll change lanes, or he might actually realize you don't appreciate this driving style and he'll back off a bit.



I do that and it works like a charm. They get frustrated, but they never seem to get mad at me.

Sometimes if they are really annoying(tailgating so close I can identify their mugshot) and it is daytime, is to take my foot off the gas at the same time I turn my headlights on. It makes them think I am slamming on my brakes. I only do this when they are waaay toooo close and I can't change lanes (very rare) It works but then they sometimes get mad at you. Use your judgment and don't be stupid. Remember you want to get home in one piece, not teach other drivers how to drive. If you can change lanes to let them pass, do it.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Learned this one tonight - 

When you're at the firing range, make sure your safety glasses are really snug against your face. You know, so a hot flying shell casing won't hit you in the face and lodge itself between your glasses and your cheek.

The more you know...


----------



## Burgess

That's happened to me *many times*, whilst firing my .22 automatic pistols.


:green:




Certainly can be *distracting*, eh ?




_


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

PhotonWrangler said:


> Learned this one tonight -
> 
> When you're at the firing range, make sure your safety glasses are really snug against your face. You know, so a hot flying shell casing won't hit you in the face and lodge itself between your glasses and your cheek.
> 
> The more you know...



This applies to hot chips flying off your lathe, too! Still have a scar on the bridge of my nose from a chip that caught between my safety glasses and my face months ago. Melted itself into the safety glasses, too.

:buddies:


----------



## AlphaTea

PhotonWrangler said:


> Learned this one tonight -
> 
> When you're at the firing range, make sure your safety glasses are really snug against your face. You know, so a hot flying shell casing won't hit you in the face and lodge itself between your glasses and your cheek.
> 
> The more you know...


The spousal unit learned the hard way that you should have no amount of cleavage visable at a firing range


----------



## Monocrom

Burgess said:


> That's happened to me *many times*, whilst firing my .22 automatic pistols.


 
That reminds me... Don't wear a short-sleeved shirt when firing a semi-auto, .22 caliber rifle.

Nothing like the feel of hot burning brass on the inside of your elbow. :thumbsup:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

AlphaTea said:


> The spousal unit learned the hard way that you should have no amount of cleavage visable at a firing range



Eeek!   :laughing:


----------



## Illum

AlphaTea said:


> The spousal unit learned the hard way that you should have no amount of cleavage visable at a firing range



reminds me of a sign that warns operators with long hair to tie it back around heavy machinery...some safety signs are there for obvious reasons...but I sure would like to see an illustration warning for that kinda hazard


----------



## chmsam

Illum said:


> reminds me of a sign that warns operators with long hair to tie it back around heavy machinery...some safety signs are there for obvious reasons...but I sure would like to see an illustration warning for that kinda hazard



Nothing to lose your head over (I hear that can be a little more serious than Samson & Delilah). But the cleavage sign ought to be in braille too. Hey, if they have braille instructions on drive thru ATM's, why not?


----------



## TigerhawkT3

Only problem I've had with brass hitting me is the empties from the shooter to my left flying over the partition. It's very distracting.

I learned the hard way that it's very embarrassing to shout "PULL," tug at the trigger, and realize that the safety is still on.


----------



## Monocrom

chmsam said:


> Nothing to lose your head over (I hear that can be a little more serious than Samson & Delilah).


 
Far more serious than that. I once saw pics of a young woman who's hair got too close to an industrial machine. She had her back to the machine. Won't get too descriptive. Let's just say that it wasn't just her hair that got the worst of it. :shakehead


----------



## chmsam

I completely believe it. Loose clothing, long hair, jewelry -- people just don't stop to think. Brings a whole 'nother meaning to "I'd die for that look."

Wasn't me but I know someone who figured out that loose fitting gloves and a meat cuber are a bad combination. Luckily only a bunch of stitches. Someone had real fast hands and pulled the plug out.

A close one for Hugh Jackman. He was just on a talk show and talked about being on a premiere tour and coming to the site in a helicopter. He was standing out on one of the landing skids, safety harness and all, but his hat started to blow off and he just grabbed it. Afterward it dawned on him that he had put his hand within 4" or less of the rotors. That would have left a mark.

On a related note, pay attention to how close things are and the "objects in mirror might be closer than they appear" sort of thing. I once saw the aftermath of a NYS Police helicopter that came a wee bit too close to a pine tree at a hospital heliport. Not the prettiest way to top a tree and it took off about 12" of only one of the rotors. Pilot needed new shorts but everyone was fine. I heard he did a real nice job of landing it but had a lot of 'splaining to do.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

This is one of the reasons I don't wear jewelry or dangly things. I frequently find myself in awkward spaces in close proximity to things that are either spinning, electrically charged or too delicate to snag things with. The badge I wear around my neck has a breakaway strap and it's broken away on several occasions, preventing harm to myself or the systems I was working on.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you're wiring up a socket and ballast for an exotic, hard to find mercury vapor lamp, and the guy who sells it to you says that a particular type of ballast "should" work, don't take his word for it - double check the specs yourself _before_ applying power.
 :scowl:


----------



## seaside

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you're wiring up a socket and ballast for an exotic, hard to find mercury vapor lamp, and the guy who sells it to you says that a particular type of ballast "should" work, don't take his word for it - double check the specs yourself _before_ applying power.
> :scowl:


 
Lots of people don't know the difference b/w mercury vapor lamp and metal halide lamp. They looks similar at least at homedeopt, that's for sure.


----------



## seaside

Burgess said:


> Too many people, who USED to be "young and foolish",
> are now simply "old and stupid".


 
Some people love to use intimidation and bullying thinking they're kicking an ***. But most cases, they are the rude ***, and they become real *** when they got bullied by bigger ***. Some of them will never learn a thing till they got shot. That is real pity. I sometimes think schools should stop emphasise indivisuality to babysit kids, and start teach them manners and social responsibility as a part of formal education.


----------



## Monocrom

If a good friend asks you to be part of the Wedding Party... Realize that you will need to spend over $500 to attend.

Expenses include:

Tux or dress rental.
Transportation costs (Gas money or airline ticket).
Housing costs (Hotel room).
Buying a Wedding gift.
Misc. expenses. 

(Such as paying a co-worker under the table to cover your shifts so you can attend the wedding).

I love my best friend and the girl he's marrying. But I never realized how expensive being part of the Wedding Party could be.

Check your wallet before you say yes.


----------



## Burgess

Monocrom said:


> Check your wallet before you say yes.


 

This is always good advice, for LOTS of things.




_


----------



## Monocrom

Burgess said:


> This is always good advice, for LOTS of things.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _


 
LOL... So true.

Making 3 major purchases this year is really cutting into my flashlight funds. (New car, Wedding Party expenses, Trip to Vegas later in the year). Haven't bought a single new light since the start of the year.


----------



## Onuris

As a kid-

Don't suck on the ends of extension cords or stick things into the wall receptacles.

Unplug the mixer before attempting to remove the beaters. Broken fingers and still have scars from that one.

Don't climb on the stove- we had the flat hot surface type- they stay hot a long time!

Just because the nice doggy is wagging it's tail, does not mean it won't bite.

Cooking critters in your little sister's E-Z Bake oven will lead to your favorite BMX bike mysteriously disappearing. Eventually found it when the pond in the woods behind our house dried up many years later.

Basic engineering skills are necessary when building a tree house.

As a teenager-

Never siphon gas from your dirt bike near the furnace or hot water heater. Burned down our pole barn. Dad was not happy.

Learn to be a good lover. Your girlfriend WILL tell ALL of her friends as to your skill in bed, or lack thereof. Everyone else will soon know as well.

Girls like to be pampered. Most of them appreciate jewelry over a beautiful new .22 pistol.

Dad will not necessarily bail you out of jail right away when you get caught drinking on the beach at 16 yrs old. Maybe it was better that he didn't...

"Borrowing" dads '63 Corvette to impress a girl, then skipping school with her and spending the day in Chicago and the night at the beach was not a good idea.... But was very, very well worth it.

As an adult-

Don't lie to the cops when you buy alcohol for your under 21 girlfriend and her friends.

My dad was usually right.

Women are always right.

The pill does not prevent pregnancy.

Women also like to be pampered. They appreciate jewelry over a nice new 9mm pistol.

Upon impending divorce, give all of your nice or important stuff that you want to keep to your closest, most trustworthy friends. Or hide it somewhere very well, otherwise it will get sold for next to nothing and you will never see it again.

Just because your wife/girlfriend says "that is hot" to something you see in a porn flick does not mean you should try it without talking about it first.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

When going to a shooting range, always bring earplugs, even if all you brought to shoot with is a BB gun or a .22. It's not what you're shooting with that matters. What matters is what everyone else is shooting with. Often, the local cops and military guys bring out 50mm cannons to play with and shoot off chunks of the mountainside. Those things are loud.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

It really takes both hands to blow your nose :sick2:


----------



## SilentK

i learned not to press down on a procescor when installing it in a motherboard.  i will never forgive myself for bending the pin that dual core when they first came out and cost some serious money.


----------



## TigerhawkT3

SilentK said:


> i learned not to press down on a procescor when installing it in a motherboard.  i will never forgive myself for bending the pin that dual core when they first came out and cost some serious money.


ZIF slot: Zero Insertion Force slot.  At least now you know.


----------



## SilentK

TigerhawkT3 said:


> ZIF slot: Zero Insertion Force slot.  At least now you know.



Yeah, glad that i learned it with that dual core instead of now with my quad core.  i love my 3.4ghz of raw overclocked power! another thing i learned the hard way was that sharp saws are safer then dull ones. all those boy scout lectures years ago and i never listened. my left index finger will never forgive me. now every time i make a fist, that finger makes a not so good sounding pop. i cut it right on the knuckle. :shakehead


----------



## ozner1991

do not make a soda can stove to short and the holes to small. the fuel will spray out the seams and light everything on fire (including yourself)

im oke though =P just let this be a warning to people making one:tsk:


----------



## Illum

Do not nail/epoxy/bolt shut anything that's designed to expand

If something feels loose ASK before you try to secure it

For anything that is designed to hang on the wall independently its best not to add glass ornaments

For all aerosol cans that tell you not to spray it upside down, they are telling the truth

For spray on sunscreen/bug repellent, verify the position of the nozzle before you spray

If your changing a light bulb, verify that your not standing on a roller chair

While your gassing up the car, verify that you've pushed the nozzle all the way in and keep your eye on it, not the hot girl gassing up in front of you. 

When carrying heavy items on concrete pavement, do not assume the "anti-slipping" feature on your shoes work as advertised

If your carrying your hotwire in your pants, lock it out, same goes for knives.

If the label says "unroll and lay flat," do not assume it applies to you

auto-focus isn't, auto-adjust never

If mom says its the music is too loud, its too loud, even if the speakers are on mute

Whatever your microwaveable item says, do not assume the time is based on your microwave's highest setting. 

If it says microwaveable, do not assume its dishwasher safe

Watch where you pour fabric softener, no it does not go down the same hole as bleach

Do not accidentally pour milk on the carpet, because no one will believe you did it accidentally

When you park the car, be considerate of others. If someone is double parked and your not, and that other individual can't get in their drivers door because your parked properly, expect an argument.

When you suspect your pen exploded, do not try to disassemble it on your desk without some protection

Next time you visit any recreation park, verify that your camera's batteries are not sitting on the charger at home


----------



## TITAN1833

Make sure ya wire cutters are sharp enough to strip the insulation from cables  or one slip and this can happen


----------



## SilentK

When manually overclocking using your computers BIOS, do not double your cpu's multiplyer. :nana:

When your plan above does not work, do not start moving random jumpers on your computer thinking you are clearing the CMOS. 

That was not me, but a friend who saw me overclocking my pc and wanted to do the same. Now he is very experienced. Thankfully.

Never play slipknot when someone you want to impress is expected to come over.  (Why must people be early) 

Just because axes are dull, does not mean hatchets are.

Do not write data to a solid state drive when your UPS battery is not working and it is raining outside. :shakehead

rely only on yourself.

Do not use RAID 0 on old unreliable drives.

Hot babes who are lacking money can suck the cash right out of you without even asking for it. And you never even regret it!:nana:


----------



## jrmcferren

Don't overclock unless you are willing to spend time figuring it out. (a few times over the years)

Don't overclock your friend's processor when he is compiling something, the processor will overheat and crash (2004)

Don't overclock your computer at a LAN party to unrar something faster, WinRAR will end up giving you an error. (2009)

When the power company contractor says they are going to cut your power, they won't cut it until you have stopped watching them and go to play computer games (2006) I bought my first ups after that one.


----------



## SilentK

jrmcferren said:


> Don't overclock your computer at a LAN party



I learned to tweak nothing at a LAN party. last time i did, i went to take a leak and left my BIOS open and when i got back, i was at my desktop and i forgot about the overclocking, so it turned out a couple of my friends turned the front side bus down to 180 mhz and the multiplyer down to like 8. needless to say i could not play the game, so i spent the first 2 round trying to figure out what went wrong. i think they were just so afraid of my battlefield 2 skills (project reality mod) they had to shut me down. :devil:


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

If, in the course of your life, you have to choose between two paths, and one path will lead to a can of Fix-a-Flat(the large tire truck and suv can, no less) exploding in the back seat of your truck...........the OTHER path is *undoubtedly* the path you should choose.

Just fyi. :buddies:

Edit: Cleaned it all up as best I could, left all the windows open and a large fan blowing in the cab. Five hours later and the fumes are still so strong that it'd be unsafe to sit in the cab with the windows closed. Moving all that kind of stuff to storage areas outside the cab!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Diesel_Bomber said:


> If, in the course of your life, you have to choose between two paths, and one path will lead to a can of Fix-a-Flat(the large tire truck and suv can, no less) exploding in the back seat of your truck...........the OTHER path is *undoubtedly* the path you should choose.
> 
> Just fyi. :buddies:



Yikes!! What caused it to explode?


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yikes!! What caused it to explode?



Getting caught and crushed between a tool box and the seat back when I lifted the horizontal section of the seat. Doesn't taste very good, either. Glad I had my sunglasses on.

:buddies:


----------



## DieselDave

A 2,000 watt fuel efficient generator running a few things is better than a 10,000 generator that used up all your fuel that you can't replace. Goes with...no such thing as to much fuel on hand PRIOR to a storm.


----------



## SilentK

DieselDave said:


> A 2,000 watt fuel efficient generator running a few things is better than a 10,000 generator that used up all your fuel that you can't replace. Goes with...no such thing as to much fuel on hand PRIOR to a storm.



Ha. if i had a 10000 generator, i would sell it, buy a 3000 watt one, and buy some flashlights.


----------



## Illum

DieselDave said:


> A 2,000 watt fuel efficient generator running a few things is better than a 10,000 generator that used up all your fuel that you can't replace. Goes with...no such thing as to much fuel on hand PRIOR to a storm.



was it a Honda EU2000iA that replaced your 10,000W... jeezez where'd you find a 10kW portable? The smallest permanent mount Genny was from Briggs and Straton and it was a 7kW


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When hooking up a blue laser diode for a demonstration, always use a soft-start circuit to drive it instead of a simple series resistor with a noisy on/off switch.


----------



## Illum

PhotonWrangler said:


> When hooking up a blue laser diode for a demonstration, always use a soft-start circuit to drive it instead of a simple series resistor with a noisy on/off switch.



you fried a 473 nm diode!?   :duck:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Illum said:


> you fried a 473 nm diode!?   :duck:



I fried a 410nm blu-ray violet laser diode.


----------



## Illum

:sigh:
alotta money in that smoke...:shrug:

How dare you use a resistor?! at the very minimum a LM317 in current regulation mode could've been better


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Illum said:


> :sigh:
> alotta money in that smoke...:shrug:
> 
> How dare you use a resistor?! at the very minimum a LM317 in current regulation mode could've been better



I agree, Illum - it was a really [email protected]$$ move. I was in a hurry to put something together for the CPF gathering and I didn't have the time to whip up a proper current-limiting setup. Actually I think it was the slide switch that killed it though - I've blown a couple of 670nm red diodes with noisy connections.

Now that violet laser diode is just a violet LED - it doesn't lase anymore, leading me to believe that I cracked one of the internal facets on the chip. At least it still makes light...


----------



## Illum

PhotonWrangler said:


> I agree, Illum - it was a really [email protected]$$ move. I was in a hurry to put something together for the CPF gathering and I didn't have the time to whip up a proper current-limiting setup. Actually I think it was the slide switch that killed it though - I've blown a couple of 670nm red diodes with noisy connections.
> 
> Now that violet laser diode is just a violet LED - it doesn't lase anymore, leading me to believe that I cracked one of the internal facets on the chip. At least it still makes light...



Cracking...dunno, I dunno how laser diodes are constructed to know that....but knowing that EMP can vaporize copper vias between substrate layers and pop a hole between substrate I would say... :green:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Methinks if the bond wire vaporized, it wouldn't light up at all...?


----------



## TorchBoy

I've had a couple of Crees that have gone into very low light mode, I think thanks to getting too hot.


----------



## Illum

PhotonWrangler said:


> Methinks if the bond wire vaporized, it wouldn't light up at all...?



If the potential between the bias are high enough...I'd say it might be able to light up through induction? 
dunno...I'll edit that

It always makes me wonder why laser diodes have 3 pins while LEDs only have 2...


----------



## Sgt. LED

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Getting caught and crushed between a tool box and the seat back when I lifted the horizontal section of the seat. Doesn't taste very good, either. Glad I had my sunglasses on.
> 
> :buddies:


Did the same thing with a can of Great Stuff. I could never get all that poop off. When I sold the Silverado there was still a mess back there. Didn't effect the resale value any, I don't think they noticed it. They were too interested in the 3 bullet holes in the side. 

Which brings me to something else I learned the hard way, when she says "I'm getting a divorce" that means the dude is still around. Meet at your place instead of her's.
 Good thing he can't shoot worth a ****.
Oh and BTW 6 years later those 2 are still married and now have 2 kids.


----------



## SilentK

Sgt. LED said:


> Did the same thing with a can of Great Stuff. I could never get all that poop off. When I sold the Silverado there was still a mess back there. Didn't effect the resale value any, I don't think they noticed it. They were too interested in the 3 bullet holes in the side.
> 
> Which brings me to something else I learned the hard way, when she says "I'm getting a divorce" that means the dude is still around. Meet at your place instead of her's.
> Good thing he can't shoot worth a ****.
> Oh and BTW 6 years later those 2 are still married and now have 2 kids.



Thats nice. LOL. :wave: anyway, a few days ago, one of my friends gets the holy grail of cpu cooling. a phase change unit. :devil: so we install it to his i7, we fire it up at look at the tempature. 10c, well, that is not right. so we take it off, and you could feel the cold coming off of this thing. but noooo, i decide i want to see how cold it really is. :shakehead so i touch the thing. i think i got frostbite. :nana: so after putting it back on the cpu and installing a new thermometer, we overclocked it to a very stable 4.3ghz.  my finger still hurts. i hope i do not get so speed greddy to where i would even think about getting one of those things. i do not even know how they work, or how to use one


----------



## Illum

SilentK said:


> I think i got frostbite. :nana: so after putting it back on the cpu and installing a new thermometer, we overclocked it to a very stable 4.3ghz.  my finger still hurts.



yep...grabbing dry ice has the same effect:thinking:


----------



## SilentK

Illum said:


> yep...grabbing dry ice has the same effect:thinking:



And to think that a computer can operate at 80 degress below celcius.  i would like to see what you could do if you put a phase change unit on a pair of quad core xenon cpu's :devil:


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Learned this one the hard way many years ago, and the lesson saved my *** again today.

Before removing the drain plug on anything(transmission, transfer case, etc), always remove the fill plug first. Far better to find out that you won't be able to refill said device BEFORE you've drained the old fluid out.

:buddies:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If your computer is starting to experience erratic behavior and random crashes, consider inspecting and possibly replacing the power supply before you start losing files.

Found several bulged electrolytics and one leaking one in the power supply. Fortunately I had a new Antec supply sitting in a box, but I still had to run a rescue utility from a bootable CD to fix several crosslinked files.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

There is apparently a vast shortage of anti-seize compound in the world, because all kinds of fasteners that should get it, havent. And then they get torqued to a million ft. lbs. and rusted into place.

Anti-seize is cheap (~$5 for a tube that'll last most people a lifetime), busted tools and knuckles and crankshaft bolts are expensive.

:buddies:


----------



## Illum

When you buy external hard drives online, verify that its not an empty case

If you snag a fish-hook, do not try and yank it out, cut it in deeper until the backhook pops out, cut it off then fish it back out.


----------



## ozner1991

1 word
love


----------



## gadget_lover

Do not mix doing your taxes with a new years eve party, even if your wife did brag that she could do it in 1/2 hour when drunk.

The refund was spectactular. So was the fine they levied when they asked for it back. That was two wives back. I've learned a lot since then.

Daniel


----------



## Illum

ozner1991 said:


> 1 word
> love



that's something that I probably won't learn this lifetime....its something you experience only the aftereffects and withdraw, because most of the good sides of it exists when your minds out of the window:candle:

Love is sort of like....well, you'll forget the pain of touching a skillet and the burning sensation but you will never forget how heavy that skillet is or how hot it was as it landed on your foot...


----------



## ozner1991

i know i still didnt learn it. 
was hoping like it would be like when i was little and touched a pan on top of the stove. quick, easy and you'll remember what you did wrong


----------



## Illum

if life was only that simple :candle:


----------



## Monocrom

Illum said:


> if life was only that simple :candle:


 
If women only came with an instruction manual. :sigh:


----------



## Dude Dudeson

Keeping vehicle keys on a separate keychain from house keys. Same with work keys or additional vehicles.

I once lost a set out on the road, then couldn't get in my house, mail, OR my second vehicle that was at home!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Hot cars and vinyl records don't mix.


----------



## LukeA

I still can't touch the barrel of the soldering iron with my left forefinger to steady it.

Hot firepokers look just like cold ones.


----------



## mossyoak

gadget_lover said:


> Do not mix doing your taxes with a new years eve party, even if your wife did brag that she could do it in 1/2 hour when drunk.
> 
> The refund was spectactular. So was the fine they levied when they asked for it back. That was two wives back. I've learned a lot since then.
> 
> Daniel



thats legendary

when your in the middle of no where, and lock your keys in your jeep it pays to have a spare key stuck in your wallet


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Here's one from yesterday - 

Status lights can lie. I spent the better part of the day troubleshooting a problem with a fiber optic link, looking for things other than what was really wrong. It turned out that an electrolytic cap in a power supply blew out, causing excessive AC hum in the DC rails and knocking out the link. Yet the DC status lights on the front panel happily said that everything was ok. And of course there were no DC test points on the front panel.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I think this was posted by someone else before, but I learned it the hard way yesterday - 

When firing your semiautomatic at the range, make damn sure your thumb is out of the way of the back of the slide first. Oww!
:shakehead


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

PhotonWrangler said:


> I think this was posted by someone else before, but I learned it the hard way yesterday -
> 
> When firing your semiautomatic at the range, make damn sure your thumb is out of the way of the back of the slide first. Oww!
> :shakehead



Ouch indeed. 

Was cleaning AK mags today. Pulled the floorplate off of one, my thumb slipped, and the spring nailed me in the forehead. Lesson learned.

:buddies:


----------



## Monocrom

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Was cleaning AK mags today. Pulled the floorplate off of one, my thumb slipped, and the spring nailed me in the forehead. Lesson learned.
> 
> :buddies:


 
Always wear a helmet?


----------



## Illum

PhotonWrangler said:


> I think this was posted by someone else before, but I learned it the hard way yesterday -
> 
> When firing your semiautomatic at the range, make damn sure your thumb is out of the way of the back of the slide first. Oww!
> :shakehead



didn't someone several years back posted something about M1 thumb? :thinking:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Illum said:


> didn't someone several years back posted something about M1 thumb? :thinking:



Hmm, I think so. I was lucky that I only received a small crack in my thumbnail. I know that there have injuries far worse than mine from the same mistake.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Ouch indeed.
> 
> Was cleaning AK mags today. Pulled the floorplate off of one, my thumb slipped, and the spring nailed me in the forehead. Lesson learned.
> 
> :buddies:



Ouch! Sometimes physics will show up at the most unexpected times.


----------



## Burgess

to Diesel_Bomber --


Glad it was your forehead, and not yer' eye.




^--(one-eyed smilie)


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't shoot the base of a tree trunk with a BB gun from less than 10 feet away. It bounced back and hit me just below the eye. Luckily, it wasn't a very powerful BB gun. It didn't even leave a bruise. It could have been much worse. I was lucky.


----------



## Illum

If it explodes, overheats, catches fire, or otherwise promoting itself as a detrimental asset on your work bench. Do not ignore it and expect it to put itself out. 

Entropy loves company, the minute one homemade product failed by overheating, smoking, catches fire, or explodes expect all components sitting around it, especially electrolytic capacitors, to do the same in short order.


----------



## ozner1991

do not try grabbing a knife as it slided off the table. you might (just like me) slam your wrist into 2 inches of sharpened steel and need stitches


----------



## John_Galt

If you don't feel comfortable flying along at 40+ mph offroad, don't do it. Bad things will happen.

_Last time I went quad riding, just went out for about an hour or so worth of laughs. My buddy decided to make a race of the ride home, and took off down the trail ahead of me. With his bigger quad, he was outpacing me, and it was more than I could do to keep up. Kept thinking "oh crap I know something bad is gonna happen." Went down a small dip, about three feet in height (actually I jumped it:shakehead) and my chain came off my rear sprocket, and got wedged in between the sprocket and my chain guard. Believe you me, go from 35+ to 0 in 6 feet after a three foot drop is no fun at all. 
The one day I don't bring any tools with me, I almost break my drive chain. Murphy likes me... alot...

_Folding knives never lock. They may look locked, but they never are.

_And now, 4 years later, I still can't flex my index finger all the way.

_"Torque it down 'till it strips and back it off half a turn" isn't actually a good idea.


----------



## Zelandeth

Goodness this is a big thread...so I'm probably repeating a few.

1. It doesn't matter how big or full your toolbox is, nor does it matter how carefully you keep it in order...the spanner you need (in my case that usually seems to be the 10mm one), will be AWOL when you come to use it. Don't just rely on being sensible and organised...have backups.

2. Underbody splash guards on cars are a good idea in principle. ...Until you drop a screwdriver of spanner down the back of the engine - and discover that it, instead of dropping out onto the ground, is now captive on top of the splash guard.

...Even better when you realise that the socket you need to get the guard off is attached to the ratchet you just dropped. *groan* Suzuki, yes, I'm looking at you.

3. Small sports cars have disadvantages. Specifically due to the small bit. i.e. that you need to adopt a philisophy of "dismantle the entire car first" before undertaking even the simplest of tasks. Forget changing your headlight bulbs at the side of the road. Trolley jack, remove wheel, remove wheelarch liners, contort hand into two dimensional shape, get three bolts which hold headlight in which inevitably round off...get light out - which is harder done than said due to zero tolerance in the wiring loom...you get the idea...If you decide to get an odd car - make sure that you know a tame local mechanic to fix it when it goes wrong!

4. When faultfinding, the thing which eventually turns out to be the cause of the problem is almost invariably the first thing which you actually thought about - but discounted because it was completely improbable...Never ignore your instinct!

5. When you track down the offending component in an old TV or radio, you'll go through all of your spares - and find that you have ever single conceivable spare...except for the type which you actually need...then you remember that you donated the last spare of that to a mate last week. The lesson here is that you should always keep your stock lists up to date - and reorder when you used the second last of anything. ...Except for 0.01uF 400V capacitors, which you should restock the moment that you've few enough left that you can get the draw closed.


----------



## KC2IXE

Illum said:


> didn't someone several years back posted something about M1 thumb? :thinking:



"Garand Thumb" - Common problem. Easy to avoid when actually loading the Garand, as the stripper clip/ammo tends to keep your thumb in the right position. When you are depressing the follower on an unloaded rifle to close the bolt, unless you do it RIGHT, the bolt Will come and mash your thumb


----------



## KD5XB

I bet there's more than one of *US* who have learned this the hard way!

BTW, still have my high-power match rifle in the cabinet -- a nice Garand that's been glass bedded, etc. Unfortunately, it isn't a Springfield, an International Harverster, etc -- it was put together from parts from a BUNCH of different companies. Sure shoots nice, though.


----------



## Illum

KC2IXE said:


> "Garand Thumb" - Common problem. Easy to avoid when actually loading the Garand, as the stripper clip/ammo tends to keep your thumb in the right position. When you are depressing the follower on an unloaded rifle to close the bolt, unless you do it RIGHT, the bolt Will come and mash your thumb



well, I think the people who do get it often do not pull the op-rod all the way back until theres a hard stop. then again, I have no idea how to visually tell the difference whether the op-rod is all the way back or its caught on the follower. I don't own one yet...I hope to someday. Might be a good idea to bump the handle back when in doubt. 

For now I'm looking into the kel-tec lines, afterall...I live within 15 minutes drive of their CNCs

I have heard when the en blanc is loaded the op-rod doesn't come back up by itself. I dunno if this is the case all the time or...


----------



## KD5XB

Illum said:


> well, I think the people who do get it often do not pull the op-rod all the way back until theres a hard stop.



I've always felt that the "people who do get it" are those who have never done so before! Once is enough experience for most!


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Always test a new backpacking stove locally where it's safe and close to home before taking it backpacking. Years ago, I went on a 4 day trip up to the Sierra Nevadas with my church's youth group. I took a Coleman Apex II stove. This thing was supposed to be top of the line. It was titanium. It said that priming wasn't required, though it helps in the cold to do it anyway. The stove had no priming cup. The only way to prime it was to squeeze out fire paste onto the top of the stove and generator. I did this and lit it. When the flame was nearly out, I turned on the gas. What I hadn't realized was that the fuel bottle O-rings were made of two types of rubber, and the sharp threads on the bottle cut into the softer outer layer rubber and weakened the seal. Instead of high pressure vapor coming out of the top of the stove, liquid fuel seeped out the burner and was ignited by the fire paste. Instant flare up. It had a 4 foot flame being spun in circles by the light wind, and I had to reach the fuel control valve and turn it off before the fuel bottle exploded. I managed to turn it off, but not before the safety valve blew out. The stove was useless for all meals of the four day trip, and I was 9 miles from the parking lot. Luckily, some friends let me use their stove for the whole trip. 4 guys, 1 propane stove, one fuel bottle for the rest of the trip. When I got home, I took the stove back and got an MSR Whisperlite. No regrets.


----------



## LukeA

KC2IXE said:


> "Garand Thumb" - Common problem. Easy to avoid when actually loading the Garand, as the stripper clip/ammo tends to keep your thumb in the right position. When you are depressing the follower on an unloaded rifle to close the bolt, unless you do it RIGHT, the bolt Will come and mash your thumb



Middle finger wrapped around the operating rod handle, thumb gripping receiver (anchoring the hand), index finger depressing the follower. Works for me.


----------



## chmsam

KC2IXE said:


> "Garand Thumb" - Common problem. Easy to avoid when actually loading the Garand, as the stripper clip/ammo tends to keep your thumb in the right position. When you are depressing the follower on an unloaded rifle to close the bolt, unless you do it RIGHT, the bolt Will come and mash your thumb



OT but... 

Anyone ever see the movie Battleground with Van Johnson and James Whitmore? There's a scene where one of the characters is reading from the manual as he's loading his M1 for the first time -- camera is filming from behind him and his reaction was spot on. Great movie anyway but a classic scene.


----------



## KC2IXE

LukeA said:


> Middle finger wrapped around the operating rod handle, thumb gripping receiver (anchoring the hand), index finger depressing the follower. Works for me.



Stiff right thumb, curved backwards, depress follower with thumb near the knuckle, like you were pressing in you en-block clip (yes - CLIP - not magazine) - bolt comes forward and rotates the thumb out of the way


----------



## The Dane

KD5XB said:


> I bet there's more than one of *US* who have learned this the hard way!
> 
> BTW, still have my high-power match rifle in the cabinet -- a nice Garand that's been glass bedded, etc. Unfortunately, it isn't a Springfield, an International Harverster, etc -- it was put together from parts from a BUNCH of different companies. Sure shoots nice, though.



A mutt can still be your best dog ever!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Contractors tend to produce dust.
Dust tends to set off photoelectric smoke detectors.
This tends to make fire trucks show up.


----------



## xevious

Wear safety goggles whenever you're doing a task that could damage your eyes. No exceptions, even if someone tells you that you look stupid. Better looking stupid than being cool and blind.
Don't take something valuable with you on a trip unless you're prepared to lose it. Chaos strikes you when you least expect it. I lost a beautiful knife because I'd taken a somewhat heavy item out of my luggage to clear the check-in weight, not remembering that the knife was stashed inside it. The luggage was already through the conveyer portal when I realized this and I had no time to mail the knife to myself. No choice but to put it in the trash. 
Always test-assemble or test-use an item before taking it into the "field". Otherwise, chaos will have a field day with you, as you encounter unforseen problems, vague instructions, possible lost components, and much more time to deal with than planned.
Craving the unobtainium is fine, as long as you don't obsess over it. Do not feel you must "complete your collection", because you'll end up a pack rat. Enjoy what you have, and occasionally dream of what you want... knowing that someday you may have it, when the time is right.
Don't put off to tomorrow what can be done today, UNLESS it is in the late evening. NEVER start a "small" project in the late night, as you'll be tired and likely mess things up. Get a good night's rest and do it in the morning, when you're fresh.
Time is RARELY on your side, and even when it seems to be, it just might not. Don't take for granted your free time. An unforseen circumstance could change your life and flush your future plans down the sewer.
Youth masks reality with false promises. The experience of age brings wisdom. The key is to obtain that wisdom before you get too old.
Do not take your health for granted. Remember to take stock in what you have. If you are healthy and fit, embrace and rejoice in it... for it is destined to leave you at some point in the future. Again, time is not on your side.
Lastly, come back to read this thread a few times each year. There's lots of good advice and wisdom inside.


----------



## Kestrel

xevious said:


> Don't take something valuable with you on a trip unless you're prepared to lose it. Chaos strikes you when you least expect it. I lost a beautiful knife because I'd taken a somewhat heavy item out of my luggage to clear the check-in weight, not remembering that the knife was stashed inside it. The luggage was already through the conveyer portal when I realized this and I had no time to mail the knife to myself. No choice but to put it in the trash.


Had an odd experience with regards to this - same situation, but at the suggestion of the baggage attendant, I was able to hand my knife to the attendant who tied a checked-luggage tag to it and sent it down the conveyor by itself. I thought, maybe a 50% chance of getting it back _if I was lucky_, but at my destination it was nesting happily inside one of my other pieces of checked luggage! :twothumbs


----------



## Launch Mini

xevious said:


> Wear safety goggles whenever you're doing a task that could damage your eyes. No exceptions, even if someone tells you that you look stupid. Better looking stupid than being cool and blind.
> Don't take something valuable with you on a trip unless you're prepared to lose it. Chaos strikes you when you least expect it. I lost a beautiful knife because I'd taken a somewhat heavy item out of my luggage to clear the check-in weight, not remembering that the knife was stashed inside it. The luggage was already through the conveyer portal when I realized this and I had no time to mail the knife to myself. No choice but to put it in the trash.
> Always test-assemble or test-use an item before taking it into the "field". Otherwise, chaos will have a field day with you, as you encounter unforseen problems, vague instructions, possible lost components, and much more time to deal with than planned.
> Craving the unobtainium is fine, as long as you don't obsess over it. Do not feel you must "complete your collection", because you'll end up a pack rat. Enjoy what you have, and occasionally dream of what you want... knowing that someday you may have it, when the time is right.
> Don't put off to tomorrow what can be done today, UNLESS it is in the late evening. NEVER start a "small" project in the late night, as you'll be tired and likely mess things up. Get a good night's rest and do it in the morning, when you're fresh.
> Time is RARELY on your side, and even when it seems to be, it just might not. Don't take for granted your free time. An unforseen circumstance could change your life and flush your future plans down the sewer.
> Youth masks reality with false promises. The experience of age brings wisdom. The key is to obtain that wisdom before you get too old.
> Do not take your health for granted. Remember to take stock in what you have. If you are healthy and fit, embrace and rejoice in it... for it is destined to leave you at some point in the future. Again, time is not on your side.
> Lastly, come back to read this thread a few times each year. There's lots of good advice and wisdom inside.


 

Very good points indeed.
I can truly relate to a couple of these first hand.

Balance is very important, work hard - play hard, but don't forget there are limits on both. You might need one in order to do the other, but without one, you cannot appreciate the other.


----------



## Crenshaw

If your auto car doesnt start, make sure its in park, not drive....

my friend had to learn this at 5am after all of us were done clubbing and what not...only a call to my dad led to this simple fix....

best laugh i ever had at 5am

Crenshaw


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Crenshaw said:


> If your auto car doesnt start, make sure its in park, not drive....



That's happened to me also. Very embarrassing!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

The likelihood that you picked up the wrong part is directly proportional to the distance from your home to the parts store.

The same rule applies to take-out food.


----------



## Crenshaw

PhotonWrangler said:


> That's happened to me also. Very embarrassing!


lol, we were all just pleased to be able to get home..

another things ive learnt this week

.38 rounds are LOUD, especially in an enclosed area made of concrete

wipe off condensation from your saftey glasses if you want to see what you're aiming at

lasers do not assure accuracy.

if you snap the trigger, the round WILL miss the target completely

issued weapons are very inconsistent

Crenshaw


----------



## Monocrom

More like a lesson I wish others would learn . . .

*Don't rely on just your cellphone to wake you up in time to get to work!*

The battery could die in the middle of the night if you forgot to charge it, you might have set it to vibrate on low and forgot to turn it up, or (most likely) you turned it off and forgot to turn it back on before going to bed.

At my job, I have to wait to be relieved before going home. And on far too many occasions I've had to work a double-shift beyond last minute's notice. 

Use your cellphone AND an alarm clock. You can get a cheap but loud alarm clock at any neighborhood hardware or local pharmacy shop. It's not like you have to special order one off the internet.


----------



## xevious

Launch Mini said:


> Very good points indeed.
> I can truly relate to a couple of these first hand.
> 
> Balance is very important, work hard - play hard, but don't forget there are limits on both. You might need one in order to do the other, but without one, you cannot appreciate the other.


Thanks -- yeah, most are from personal life experiences, with one or two being observations of others. We learn most from our own trials/tribulations, because it's information we "own." It's much harder taking to heart what others have learned through suffering, if we've not had similar experiences.

But indeed, I agree that balance is most important. And, best to acknowledge your own limitations, rather than denying them. There's nothing wrong with not knowing something or needing help. I can't stand people who are quick to chime in with "I knew that!"... "what, do you want me to give you a medal or something?" :shakehead 









Monocrom said:


> More like a lesson I wish others would learn . . .
> 
> *Don't rely on just your cellphone to wake you up in time to get to work!*


Yep, *always* have a backup, both battery powered and AC. Not only that, but always keep the alarm out of reach from the bed, making sure you get up and out of it. All to easy to hit the alarm snooze or switch it off, only to end up oversleep. I've had my share of doing that.


----------



## TorchBoy

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way . . . (Part 2)*



Crenshaw said:


> If your auto car doesnt start, make sure its in park, not drive...


And if you park and can't get your key out, make sure it's in park, not drive.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way . . . (Part 2)*



TorchBoy said:


> And if you park and can't get your key out, make sure it's in park, not drive.



And if you leave the engine running and the air conditioner on (with a family member in the back seat), make sure you put the car in park before stepping outside to throw some trash in the dumpster you parked in front of.


----------



## gadget_lover

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way . . . (Part 2)*

Always triple check that you removed the assisted opening knife from your pocket before the pants go in the clothes washer. And then check it again.

My fife found it after the spin cycle. The blade fully extended and locked, still clipped to the pocket of my brand new jeans. $150 dollars of new clothes in that batch, and a 2.5 inch drop point blade sticking out as they were agitated. Eeek!

Side note: I did not find a single hole or slice in the clothes. I need to sharpen that blade.

Daniel


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

This one tops them all, at least in my life:
Don't flip off a gang of potheads.

When I was in junior high, my cousin came to visit during the summer. He wanted to go bike riding with me, but the only bike we had for him to use was my sister's little pink bike. We start riding by our local Kmart and a group of high schoolers started making fun of my cousin. My street smart cousin asked me to keep my mouth shut which I did. However, I couldn't stand them insulting my cousin. My middle finger went up, with the other four fingers staying on the handlebar grip (at that time, I wasn't even sure I wanted them to see it). One of the gang saw that and the group chased us home. My cousin left for home soon after that. The group turned out to be a real gang in the neighborhood and they all smoked marijuana. They spent the entire summer beating me up whenever they saw me walk outside of my house. They finished off the summer pursuing me on bikes to the side of a dirt road behind the Kmart where they kicked me off my fast moving bike (after I gave them a decent workout chasing me). Then they surrounded me (all 10 of them) while the three meanest guys in the group started hitting me from all sides. They broke my nose and my cheekbone. I got the names of two of the guys that did the hitting and made a citizen's arrest (with the help of the sheriff). They went to jail for quite some time (I think until age 25). The rest of the gang didn't bother me again. However, I went into homeschooling to avoid being in the only regular public high school in town, which they attended. I later found out that one of the guys that beat me up and wasn't jailed stabbed and killed his landlord with a screwdriver after the landlord had rightfully evicted him and his mom (He was jailed after that). I started martial arts lessons and have been doing them for nearly 11 years. I now teach kids how to defend themselves and respect is obviously part of the lesson plan (including teaching them not to flip off gang members).


----------



## TorchBoy

Hooked on Fenix said:


> I later found out that one of the guys that beat me up and wasn't jailed stabbed and killed his landlord with a screwdriver after the landlord had rightfully evicted him and his mom (He was jailed after that).


That's sobering. How much later was that?


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

TorchBoy said:


> That's sobering. How much later was that?



I'm not really sure when it happened as I learned about it after his prison sentence was over, when he moved into my neighborhood and joined another gang. He was evicted this time after the police kept hearing complaints about him revving up his dirt bike and riding it up and down our paved street at all hours (the dirt bike wasn't street legal). Yes, I did make some of those complaints myself, as did all my neighbors. We got the police to basically leave a patrol car in the area at all times until the gang members were caught or kicked out of the area. By then, they had caused plenty of trouble, including smashing in the driver's side windshield of a moving car with a baseball bat, and starting fights with other gangs in the street. Some of my neighbors moved out out of fear. Since then, the violence in the street has subsided, but I still avoid walking down the streets at night. 

If you ever get in a similar situation, try to get the older leaders of the gangs arrested or fined for their crimes if you can, even if it's something small (make sure they are actually guilty or you'll be the one getting into trouble). The leaders get in a lot more legal trouble than the under 18 members of the gang. The leaders try to get the under-aged kids to do their dirty work because the punishment is much less severe for the minors. If you get the leaders jailed before they initiate more kids into the gang, the kids might get a wake up call before they get into serious trouble and at least have a chance to turn their lives around.


----------



## TorchBoy

Hooked on Fenix said:


> I'm not really sure when it happened as I learned about it after his prison sentence was over, when he moved into my neighborhood and joined another gang. He was evicted this time ...


Someone was very brave to evict him after he murdered his previous landlord.


----------



## Illum

When you find a grease/wet spot on the floor of the loading dock, do not simply put a caution sign on the floor...people tend to ignore it then complain when they slip or merchandise gets smashed that they have been given no warning prior. 

It was not my experience, but overseeing a commotion while buying hose fitting collars at a hardware store

I hate it too in certain places the "yellow wet floor sign" is placed directly in front of a door, where one either has to kick it aside, knock it over, or step over. Just went to the local barnes and nobles a couple days ago, they had a sign standing directly in front of the only urinal they had and no it was not out of order


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I hear ya, Illum. I've almost tripped and fallen over those Wet Floor signs as often as I've slipped on a wet floor.


----------



## Burgess

Speaking of Barnes and Nobles . . . .


I found out, the hard way . . . .


They *only* allow Book-Signings,

if you are An Author ! ! !



_


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Burgess - I got to hear the story behind that.


----------



## ejot

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*



mdocod said:


> A drill press is not a milling machine.


It was not until my third miserable failure that I finally came to this conclusion. 

Also:

- Always check what's on the *other *side of whatever you're drilling through.

- Do not rely on memory alone to determine what step you are supposed to drill to with a Unibit. 

- Carbide-tipped bits are ideal for drilling through hard materials such as stainless steel and fingernail. 

- Use of a lip and spur bit is not a viable alternative to center-punching the right spot in a large chunk of aluminum. 

- Empirical evidence strongly suggests that the likelihood of successfully completing a machining operation is inversely proportional to both the degree of completion of the part, and the cost of the raw material.


----------



## TorchBoy

*Re: Things I've learned the hard way ... (Part 2)*



ejot said:


> - Carbide-tipped bits are ideal for drilling through hard materials such as stainless steel and fingernail.


Learned the hard way... fingernails are only 2.5 on the Moh's scale of mineral hardness. :mecry:


----------



## COAST

I totally DESTROYED a C-Bin SSC-P7 the first time I ever played with it :mecry:. But I learned my lesson haha.........


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Learn from other people's mistakes. You won't live long enough to make them all yourself.


----------



## gadget_lover

Saftey glasses never seem to be important till AFTER you don't use them.

I was machining a part for a friend last night. Carving things up on a lathe is often refered to as 'making chips' because you end up with a lot of small metal cuttings. They are genrally controlled pretty easily.

So there I am, intently watching what I'm doing with my prescription glasses on. A pile of chips inside the hole I'm enlarging make it to a gap in the back and come flying out. The part is turning at 2,000 RPM. Chips fly everywhere, and I feel them hitting my eyelashes.

My full wrap around bi-focal safety glasses went on immediately.

I was still combing metal flakes from my hair this morning. No damage, but a momentary scare.

Daniel


----------



## KD5XB

Seat belts & motorcycle helmets are the same way!


----------



## gadget_lover

Fact: If your TiVO sees enough data on the home network, it forgets that it's supposed to be watching the TV signal. If the data is what is known as "broadcast packets" it spends all of it's time looking at the packet and asking itself "Is that for me?" and no time recording the TV.

Corollary: If you accidentally plug both ends of the same cable into your nice, new gigabit Ethernet switch, it will busily send packets back and forth to itself saying "who are you?" While talking to itself It will also broadcast that query to the rest of your network, just in case anyone else knows. It will do this at 1,000,000,000 bits per second. 

Corollary 2: Nothing works well when your network is flooded with broadcast packets.

Corollary 3: Wife gets pissed when the last 5 minutes of the show disappear while I trouble shoot it. 

Daniel


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Daniel, I've done that! I keep a pair of safety glasses hanging off the power switch on both my lathe and mill. Impossible to push the start button without moving the safety glasses.

Awhile back I had a hot chip get caught between my safety glasses and the bridge of my nose. Had I not been wearing glasses, the chip would have bounced off and that would have been the end of it. Instead it got caught and melted itself into my safety glasses and my head. I still have a mark on the bridge of my nose.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

When backpacking in bear country, don't use an Esbit Fuel Tablet stove for your cooking needs. The burning fuel smells like cooked fish and can attract hungry bears. When I realized this, I practically slept with one eye open. Luckily, there were no visits from bears that night.

When staking down a $160 silicon nylon tarp with titanium nail tent stakes, don't continue trying to pound them in with a rock if they hit a rock. The rock you use for pounding in the stakes will cause sparks when hit against the tent stake. The sparks will land on your expensive, flammable shelter and may burn it to the ground, leaving you exposed to the elements on the same day there was a thunderstorm. I lucked out. The sparks did land on the tarp but I put them out immediately. That could have burned everything I brought backpacking (it was all "sheltered" under the tarp).


----------



## PhotonWrangler

This one happened yesterday - 

When installing a mission critical piece of electronics, something that has buttons and switches on the front, be sure to install it in a location such that nearby operators can't accidentally bump those buttons and switches, placing the whole system out of commission.

Related rule - the criticality of the device's operation is inversely proportional to the amount of time you'll have to fix it when it's been knocked offline.

Got it fixed exactly 7 minutes and 30 seconds before the system went live.


----------



## Illum

when wiring for LED drivers, DO NOT under any circumstance, OCD or not, coat the AC lines with solder to keep the strands in place. 

When they touch, heat is created, solder will flow creating a dead short. It will take out every breaker/fuse on that line and will trip a couple other breakers in its vicinity. 

One of my xitaniums fell off the wall mount with the LED bar, its power cord ripped out of its sockets and was hanging limp, sparked before taking out a breaker with a brownout of the house followed by a loud pop on the control panel. Thankfully it was a bathroom fixture and the breaker with a special type that reset much faster than all the other breakers. :candle:

I wish there was GFCI AC pigtails available for purchase. the limited ones I have worked well, but they are not easy to find as I have to cut them off blowdryers I found in dumpsters:candle:


----------



## TorchBoy

Illum said:


> One of my xitaniums fell off the wall mount with the LED bar, its power *chord* ripped out of its sockets ...


This must have been like the power chord Marty McFly played with that really big speaker in back to the future.


----------



## Illum

TorchBoy said:


> This must have been like the power chord Marty McFly played with that really big speaker in back to the future.




 !


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When you buy a can of lock de-icer for your car, make sure that you store it someplace other than _inside_ your car.


----------



## Burgess

D'oh ! ! !


_


----------



## Black Rose

Aircraft cable is much more difficult to untangle than string/twine


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Black Rose said:


> Aircraft cable is much more difficult to untangle than string/twine



But not as difficult as last year's Christmas lights. :laughing:


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

PhotonWrangler said:


> But not as difficult as last year's Christmas lights. :laughing:



Or fishing line!


----------



## Black Rose

I seem to be on a roll these days.

Did you know that solar lights charge better when they have batteries in them?


----------



## andyw513

PhotonWrangler said:


> But not as difficult as last year's Christmas lights. :laughing:


 
I can tell you're not from Kentucky...Christmas lights never come down.

Anyway...

I learned this week that when you think you've remembered everything, you'll forget the one thing you need...and that leads into...one bulb is not enough to do repairs with. 

I thought I brought my bulbs back to campus with me because I was repairing an incandescent this week for someone, but I didn't...:sigh:


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Traveling by car, your family will get more sleep than traveling by train, even if you don't stop at a hotel.

When booking a hotel in Detroit and asking about shuttle service, don't assume the person you're talking to has any intelligence. My dad told them we were getting to the train station at 12:30 A.M. and asked if they had shuttle service. They said they did. They neglected to tell him that shuttle service ends at 10 P.M. We had to take a ride in a Detroit cab (it's too dangerous to walk the streets). The cab driver was insane. He stopped at one red light and halfway through it, turned left on red. All the other red lights, he stopped in the middle of the intersection. On a green light, he stopped at the intersection to talk to his friend in the cab next to us, while there was a police car right in front of us. He also tried to make me dance to annoying music while he drove like a maniac. I thought we were going to die. I'm never taking a cab again.


----------



## Illum

every notion is open for misunderstanding, that includes being accused of storytelling upon informing someone they are sitting on a bench marked "wet paint" by a sign taped to its back, he thought I was trying to steal his bench:green:


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Learned this one while working at an apartment complex many years ago:

If you put a "wet paint" sign on a wall, EVERYONE who walks by will touch it to see if it's actually wet, thereby ruining the painting job. If you don't put up the sign, everyone will leave it the hell alone, just like they did all along.


----------



## mr.snakeman

Do not stor extra rifle ammunition in the glove compartment of your pick-up for extended periods of time, especially if you are doing a lot of driving on gravel or off road conditions. Shooting it in your rifle can make it go ! This happened to a hunter in Norway, as I heard it. The speed of a smokeless powder is regulated by its grain size: the smaller the grain size, the faster the burning rate. Low speed pistol ammo uses a faster burning powder, but big Magnum rifle loads use a much slower burning powder. Dancing around in a bouncing truck causes the grains to break down to a smaller sized grain size which will lead to a much faster pressure build-up when fired with the chance of weapon distruction a real possiblity .


----------



## Illum

mr.snakeman said:


> Do not stor extra rifle ammunition in the glove compartment of your pick-up for extended periods of time, especially if you are doing a lot of driving on gravel or off road conditions. Shooting it in your rifle can make it go !



supposedly this goes the same with storing flares in close proximity of exhaust heat

I'm not an arms owner, the worse thing that I've experienced going poof in the car is a can of yellow "great stuff" foam, no casualties, but pretty much impossible to clean. :shakehead


----------



## PhotonWrangler

You need fiber and water in your diet. Just trust me on this one. :toilet:


----------



## LukeA

Nobody ever gets what they deserve.


----------



## Illum

LukeA said:


> Nobody ever gets what they deserve.



When they do, someone either made a mistake, or it was not for the right reasons

tie down your hair when soldering, I can't stress this enough, else when you tilt your head the wrong way the air around you will suddenly go bad, and trust me, its not flux that just overheated and lined itself all over your iron


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Illum said:


> tie down your hair when soldering, I can't stress this enough, else when you tilt your head the wrong way the air around you will suddenly go bad, and trust me, its not flux that just overheated and lined itself all over your iron



That's happened to me also! Burnt hair is pretty smelly. :laughing:


----------



## Illum

PhotonWrangler said:


> That's happened to me also! Burnt hair is pretty smelly. :laughing:



It was the worst accident in my soldering history...and I didn't notice it because all three of my vent fans were running and my eyes are welded to the SOT-23 chip I was soldering. I neither noticed nor smelled it until I tried to return the iron to its station by memory and felt a sudden tug


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

It is critically, vitally, expen$ively important that containers of diesel and gasoline be clearly marked, and that the person doing the fueling can read the language the markings are in and knows what kind of fuel the machinery they're fueling takes.


----------



## scout24

DieselBomber- The municapality I work for allows the local volunteer ambulance corps to fill their rigs at our pumps... Around 10 years ago, young EMT brings a Diesel E-350 based ambulance to the pumps, proceeds to fill it with 89 octane no-lead, and start it up and drive away... He made it about 50 feet. This, with the pumps and rig both clearly marked... :ironic:


----------



## Illum

scout24 said:


> DieselBomber- The municapality I work for allows the local volunteer ambulance corps to fill their rigs at our pumps... Around 10 years ago, young EMT brings a Diesel E-350 based ambulance to the pumps, proceeds to fill it with 89 octane no-lead, and start it up and drive away... He made it about 50 feet. This, with the pumps and rig both clearly marked... :ironic:



I've always wondered why they can't design an insert that goes in the fuel port that can be differentiated between regular gas...I mean gee...even a baby knows only the triangle peg goes in the triangle hole:nana:


----------



## chmsam

Illum said:


> I've always wondered why they can't design an insert that goes in the fuel port that can be differentiated between regular gas...I mean gee...even a baby knows only the triangle peg goes in the triangle hole:nana:



Remember the old quote -- "Never try to invent something that is idiot proof. They'll just come up with a bigger and better idiot."


----------



## Illum

chmsam said:


> Remember the old quote -- "Never try to invent something that is idiot proof. They'll just come up with a bigger and better idiot."



certainly sounds familiar :thinking:
I thought the saying went like "it is impossible to make anything idiot-proof, because idiots are so damn clever"

either way, I know what your talking about :nana:


----------



## Monocrom

Illum said:


> ...even a baby knows only the triangle peg goes in the triangle hole:nana:


 
You are assuming that _every_ adult in the world has a higher intellect than that of a normal baby.


----------



## Illum

Monocrom said:


> You are assuming that _every_ adult in the world has a higher intellect than that of a normal baby.



Better to make a polite mistake then something else...
If I assumed this assumption is false prior to placing such an assumption in writing, I would be simultaneously condemning the American education system


----------



## Monocrom

The American public school system stinks . . . I bet I'm not the only one who learned that fact the hard way.


----------



## Launch Mini

Never test drive/ride/etc something you cannot afford to buy.


----------



## gadget_lover

When you graduate from high school you've been trained to do absolutely nothing except menial, manual labor. They do not even teach the basics that are needed to get by in the business world.

The schools leave it up to the parents to teach things like money management, taxes, and ethics. If the parent does not know it, the young adults do not learn it.

It is no wonder that so many adults can not figure out why it's a bad idea to purchase a house with a sub-prime mortgage. Too many don't understand why it's better to make so much money that they reach a higher tax bracket. 

If you have teenagers, teach them NOW how to save money. Let them balance your checkbook. Let them figure out a budget, and how to reconcile it when it does not work out. Explain why credit cards will drain their resources. 

They should not have to learn these things the hard way.

Daniel </end of rant>


----------



## KC2IXE

Illum said:


> I've always wondered why they can't design an insert that goes in the fuel port that can be differentiated between regular gas...I mean gee...even a baby knows only the triangle peg goes in the triangle hole:nana:



They did it with Avgas - Look up a Hoover Nozzle - Named after Bob Hoover. Seems he came up with it after a "Line Boy" fueled his Shrike Commander with Jet Fuel vs Avgas - He had enough fuel to make it to the end of the runway

I got to see him fly once - I won't forget it


----------



## Illum

Launch Mini said:


> Never test drive/ride/etc something you cannot afford to buy.



did you manage to lock it in third gear?


----------



## Monocrom

gadget lover is right. 

He also reminded me of how I learned to only use my credit cards for emergencies, a rare night out to a fancy restaurant, or for buying an item that I really want; and that I already know I can truly afford.

It was all easy for me . . . because my best friend of 20 years made a lot of the common mistakes many folks make when it comes to credit cards. I learned those lessons the easy way because he learned them the hard way.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Monocrom said:


> gadget lover is right.



As usual.



Monocrom said:


> It was all easy for me . . . because my best friend of 20 years made a lot of the common mistakes many folks make when it comes to credit cards. I learned those lessons the easy way because he learned them the hard way.



Had this happen for me as well. My parents didn't teach me diddly about managing my finances(probably because they couldn't manage their own), but a buddy of mine got his first credit card at 18 and was $50ksick2 in debt on his credit cards alone two years later. I have NO idea why companies kept issuing him credit cards.

That said, I use my credit card for EVERYTHING. I keep an iron fist of control on what I spend, and pay it off in full every couple of weeks. I haven't paid a penny in interest on it, but I keep turning in my rewards points for cash. :thumbsup:

Today's lessons learned the hard way were computer related.

Number one: When solving a problem with the uninstall-and-reinstall method, double check that you actually HAVE the program to reinstall. I thought I did, I was holding the USB thumb drive with the program(in this case my cellular broadband driver) on it in my hand when I clicked "uninstall." What I didn't know was that said USB thumb drive was fubar'd and useless. Luckily I was able to use the lappy to download the driver and put it on another thumb drive.

Lesson two: Any bit of data worth saving is worth saving twice, or preferably three times, and at least one of those times off-site.


----------



## Illum

When aiming a fly with a rubber band it will do you no good to look down the sights and let go of the rubber band from the hand farthest from you, or else...
WHAP!

I am thankful to have worn my glasses


----------



## leeholaaho

Bicycle steering fork bearings will fall on the garage floor never to be seen again:sigh:


----------



## Black Rose

Discovered this while out in the backyard tonight testing my latest build...

Mice have no appreaciation whatsoever for a Cree XP-G R4 running at 1.4A and powered by a Li-Ion cell.

Ingrateful little buggers...


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Diesel_Bomber said:


> ...Any bit of data worth saving is worth saving twice, or preferably three times, and at least one of those times off-site.



Amen to that, DieselBomber. After getting burned several times, I've gotten a little obsessive about making multiple backups of important data and keeping them in separate places.


----------



## Monocrom

I am old-fashioned in a lot of my ways. I keep nothing important on my computer. The only way I'm losing data is if a sadistic sonamabich breaks into my apartment, and holds me hostage while burning my important papers in front of me.

If data on your comp is indeed *that *important, invest in a decent printer, print it out, and store that somewhere safe.


----------



## Th232

Wish I could do that. CAD models and software make that a rather painful proposition though.


----------



## Illum

leeholaaho said:


> Bicycle steering fork bearings will fall on the garage floor never to be seen again:sigh:



just about any bearing dropped on the garage floor will go missing, but the first place to look is the drain trap in the garage. that is usually the lowest point on that slab.


----------



## KC2IXE

Diesel_Bomber said:


> ...snip...
> That said, I use my credit card for EVERYTHING. I keep an iron fist of control on what I spend, and pay it off in full every couple of weeks. I haven't paid a penny in interest on it, but I keep turning in my rewards points for cash. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...snip....



Hehehe - You know my trick 

I will admit to having paid interest on a credit card - 4 months total in 25-30 years of having a card - all 4 times when a MAJOR unexpected bill came up, and all discressionary spending STOPPED until the card was paid (the next month)


----------



## lunchboxtheman

1) You have to commit changes in PL/SQL otherwise you loose hours of work.
2) You don't have to commit changes in MySQL... there is no going back after a DROP.
3) You can't solder a copper pipe to a soda can with a propane torch.
4) Don't use a propane torch in an unventilated basement on a wooden workbench.
5) Hydrochloric acid kills your mom's garden.

On a more serious note...
6) Don't kill yourself trying to please everyone.


----------



## Illum

lunchboxtheman said:


> 6) Don't kill yourself trying to please everyone.



its worse than that actually...they won't let you to be killed and will do everything to revive you long after you've given up because they can't find another worker that'll please them:candle:


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

Nothing good can be expected to come from unexpected phone calls received after 9pm.


----------



## Illum

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Nothing good can be expected to come from unexpected phone calls received after 9pm.



 
we've had random "survey" call in after 10PM, my neighbor was away and his along with a whole line of houses down the road was vandalized that night by a truckload of people who somehow knew who was and was not home

For now I have only searchlights, if things like this persist I'm going to install a weapon mount on a window frame of one of my swing out windows facing the front


----------



## nbp

The accuracy of your statement is inversely proportional to the aggressiveness with which you defended it.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

nbp said:


> The accuracy of your statement is inversely proportional to the aggressiveness with which you defended it.



Along those lines: "Crow is a dish best eaten warm. The colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller." Read that line in a book of Texan witticisms when I was young and knew all that was worth knowing, and didn't appreciate the true wisdom of it for many years.

I try to admit I'm wrong as soon as I realize I am.


----------



## Burgess

For Sale: parachute. 

Used only once, never opened. Small stain.


----------



## KD5XB

I never stained my parachute, but I did stain my jumpsuit once when I went below 500 feet at terminal!


----------



## kaichu dento

My brother had to sell his parachute after learning that if you're going to jump from a chopper with a fast falling chute, at least have the foresight to ask how much different it is from plane jumping.

He hit the asphalt at about 45mph and no one, including the doctors who fought to keep him for 3 days thought he'd make it. No more jumping for him...


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Even a thirty-plus year old ratty *red towel* that has been washed thousands of times,
when put in with your new tighty-whities will turn them *pink*.  

Oh, it just happened.


----------



## TorchBoy

I have pink caving gloves because I washed them with a 10 m length of red webbing. I knew the red stuff wasn't colour fast, too. :sigh:


----------



## Monocrom

Some people think they're more important in this world than they really are. If one of those individuals is your boss, it's usually better to stroke their pathetic egos; rather than explain a situation in a rational manner.


----------



## nbp

When replacing half-shafts, always replace the seal ring in the tranny. It's cheap and even though you don't think you damaged it, you did. And pulling shafts with brand new circlips back out to change that seal is a nightmare.


----------



## Monocrom

Never wait to replace an old car battery. Trying to squeeze out the last bit of life from it is a great way to end up stranded. The money you think you'll be saving is no where near enough to compensate for the frustration, anger, and headache you'll get when your ride won't start.

Also, as a guy, it is humiliating as Hell to ask another dude for a jump-start. (Assuming you are lucky enough to get stranded in a spot where there are dudes around that you can ask for help from.)

In my case, dad insisted that the family car had at least a couple of good months left on the battery. It didn't . . . And I was the one using it at the time. :ironic:


----------



## kaichu dento

Well the boss called me over to the office to let me know he and my then girlfriend were getting married! His present wife was there too!

She was my singing partner too, so we split up!


----------



## Monocrom

kaichu dento said:


> Well the boss called me over to the office to let me know he and my then girlfriend were getting married! His present wife was there too!
> 
> She was my singing partner too, so we split up!


 
Damn! Your boss is a bigger jerk than mine. 

Sorry to hear about what happened to you.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Monocrom said:


> If one of those individuals is your boss, it's usually better to stroke their pathetic egos; rather than explain a situation in a rational manner.



There's a big difference between feeling you're right and explaining you're right. Most bosses are seldom willing to do the later (more work). But they are willing to compel you to agree with their feelings so they can feel better about it.


----------



## Monocrom

ElectronGuru said:


> There's a big difference between feeling you're right and explaining you're right. Most bosses are seldom willing to do the later (more work). But they are willing to compel you to agree with their feelings so they can feel better about it.


 
One of my bosses is a disgusting joke of a human being. Ironically a former employee once told her off, and blatantly pointed out what her flaws as a boss are. He knew he'd get fired. He didn't care. Did she even remotely consider any of the things he told her? Nope! She went right back to the same behavior. Still acts the same way.

The guy who told her off was a swell guy. Hard-working, got along with everyone else. I even told him about that particular boss . . . 

"She's an obnoxious, joke of a woman who treats everyone like $#^%. Don't take it personally _when_ she does it to you."

Problem is, he took it personally. Told her what he thought of her and her **** poor way of dealing with everyone working under her. She really is horrible as a supervisor. She's not even the type that others can respect, even if they personally don't like her. She got on my case about something petty several hours ago. I nearly forgot my own advice.

But I've been there long enough to know what makes her tick. A deep-down sense of self-loathing and hatred that she tries to hide by acting as though she's better than everyone around her. If you saw her, you'd know why she feels that way about herself. Ironically, none of us at work care. She's the one hung up on her looks. Even to the point of firing any female worker who's younger and better looking than she is. 

Yup, I stroked her pathetic ego a few hours ago. I just wasn't in the mood to have a drawn out conversation with her about what actually took place at work yesterday. She told me what she expected me to do. Politely told me not to f**k up again. And I basically said "Okay." Her ego satisfied, I was able to enjoy the rest of my night. 

(For a minute, I felt like I was married.)


----------



## TorchBoy

You're clearly a bigger man than she is, Monocrom. Or something like that.


----------



## Monocrom

TorchBoy said:


> You're clearly a bigger man than she is, Monocrom. Or something like that.


 
Actually, no. She's a lot bigger than I am. Imagine if a whale grew arms & legs. 

(More than a bit harsh, I know. But she's one of those folks who is far more ugly on the inside than the outside.)


----------



## 65535

Monocrom said:


> Actually, no. She's a lot bigger than I am. Imagine if a whale grew arms & legs.
> 
> (More than a bit harsh, I know. But she's one of those folks who is far more ugly on the inside than the outside.)




Sounds like she is as ugly in both places.


----------



## LukeA

When baking bread on the grill it's important to minimize convection.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

When placing rock protection in a crack for rock climbing, always check the crack for snakes with a flashlight first. It's also better to use cams instead of hexentrics when the crack could fit a snake in it.

I recently started getting into rock climbing. Nothing too big as I'm just starting out. I was on Mt. Woodson at a rock known as Hamburger Crack. This is about 10 or 12 feet high but the crack goes up a bit of an overhang. As I was just starting out, I decided to try to get up it by aid climbing. This is where you place the rock protection first. Then you clip into it with a carabiner. You have two sets of straps: one 4 foot long (each) set running from different carabiners attached to the rock to your harness, one 5 foot each set from separate carabiners with the other end hanging down. The two shorter straps are about the distance from the harness to as high as I can reach and are used to keep me attached to the rock so I don't fall. The longer straps are used as steps so I can use my legs to push me up to the next placement. One of each size strap is attached to a carabiner. 

Anyway, I had carried nearly 40 lbs. of gear to this rock which is about 2/3 up Mt. Woodson. I placed the first hexentric in the rock (a yellow #3). As soon as I got it in place, a two foot rattlesnake made it's way up the crack and behind my piece of gear and just stared at me from right behind it. It didn't move for about 10 minutes. I don't know if the snake thought it was food and was guarding it or was waiting for it's chance to bite me for invading it's home. I was worried that if I tried to take the hex back the snake would bite me. I was also thinking that if some climber came by and saw a free piece of gear in the rock, they'd try to get it and be bitten. I waited the 10 minutes until the snake made it's way deeper into the crack out of site. After a couple minutes of not seeing the snake anymore, I carefully reached into the crack and got my hex back. It took about 5 minutes to pry it out with minimum exposure of my fingers in the crack. If I had a cam instead of a hex, I could have pulled the trigger and had it out the second the snake initially came into view. I learned two lessons that day: Check all cracks with a flashlight before placing protection or fingers in the crack, and cams are worth the extra cost during snake season.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When sitting on one of those automatic flushing toilets in a public restroom, a moment of flatulence can cause it to flush.


----------



## lightcacher

I guess at one time or another we've all experienced this one. Yes, I'm talking about "*the fart gone terribly wrong."*


----------



## m3flies

When a product says shake well before using, (Archie Moore's Original buffalo wing sauce) Make sure the cap is tightly secured.


----------



## datiLED

When taking apart a flashlight, no matter how simple, draw an assembly diagram on the plastic bag that you put the parts into. It is worth it a million times over.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

datiLED said:


> When taking apart a flashlight, no matter how simple, draw an assembly diagram on the plastic bag that you put the parts into. It is worth it a million times over.



But that takes all the fun out of it.


----------



## Illum

to solidify a solder pot, do not add water

solder goes in the water, do not pour the water into the solder...if you must pour water into the solder, make sure your pants are on.

Actually, I'd advise not to work with solder when you are nude at all


----------



## wyager

When taking apart a complex lens assembly to clean it, make sure you know which pieces go where, and where they face.

Do not hold the stock away from your shoulder. Pull it in to your shoulder.

River water, no matter how cold, can contain parasites.


----------



## jamesmtl514

Don't leave a closed carbonated drink in a car overnight... it's really hard to get it off the ceiling.

If you can afford to buy the better _x_ then do it, if you can't save up.

When you err, take the time to reflect on what you did wrong, learn from that mistake.

A penny saved is a penny earned.

Support your community and local businesses, you live here too.

Treat others as you would like to be treated. 

Let the people you love you know that you do.


----------



## wyager

jamesmtl514 said:


> Support your community and local businesses, you live here too.


No offense, but this is economically incorrect. One of my pet peeves is when people say this. It's actually worse for everyone to buy/support locally just because it's local. More expensive for you, and in the end it means less revenue for everyone.

Buy based on what is the best value, not where it comes from.


----------



## jamesmtl514

I don't believe this is the proper venue for discussing the merits of what we've learned and what others find to irk them, however:
I guess I wasn't addressing that to you. 
You don't seem to need to eat or have clean water, or shelter. You are also completely self sustaining. Congrats.


No offense, of course.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

If you want to make the world a better place, start with yourself.

If you can't change your situation, change your outlook.


----------



## Monocrom

The following definitely applies to me . . .

Hard work nowadays means nothing. At one time, hard work was appreciated. You could go work for a large company, get on the job training, stay with the company for a few decades, and retire with a nice pension.

Greed has gotten way out of control, and you need a job that offers a decent standard of living along with some real job security. Doctor, lawyer, something in the funeral home business, accountant, or medical specialist of some sort. People will always get sick, they'll always die, they'll keep suing each other at a ridiculous pace, and they'll have to pay taxes too.

I'll be starting a course in medicine in September. 

Finally got fed up with my hard work never being appreciated.


----------



## Nitro

Never start a serious thread about the Theory of the Universe in the Cafe of CPF. What was I thinking?


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Teaching yourself how to rock climb can be a painful learning experience. So far, I've only taken 2 15 foot arc swings during falls. One into the rock, one into a tree. Both cases taught me the same lesson: when rappelling, make sure you're perfectly lined up with your anchor. Luckily, I was able to walk or limp away from both falls.


----------



## Monocrom

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Teaching yourself how to rock climb can be a painful learning experience. So far, I've only taken 2 15 foot arc swings during falls. One into the rock, one into a tree. Both cases taught me the same lesson: when rappelling, make sure you're perfectly lined up with your anchor. Luckily, I was able to walk or limp away from both falls.


 
Just a suggestion, but if you're starting out; might be a good idea to practice at an indoor rock-climbing facility. If there is a ****'s Sporting Goods store near you, they have one of those indoor rock-climbing walls. 

Best of all, if you make a mistake, the penalty is a lot less painful.


----------



## Jay R

I learnt four things in a row when I was young.

1. If you are pouring lead into a small mold, make sure it's totally dry first or the lead vaporises the water and molten lead spurts out the top.

2. Don't lean over a mold when you are pouring molten lead.

3. Small hard bits of lead are difficult to cut out of your eyebrows and eye lashes.

4. sometimes you are really lucky not to lose an eye.


----------



## Jay R

If you are jumping off the windowsill onto your bed, don't miss and split your head open on the bed post.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Don't iron your pants while not wearing another pair. Because when you push the steam button . . .


----------



## Monocrom

If you live in a large city, always hold out for a top-floor apartment; even if it might cost a bit more.


----------



## kaichu dento

You can pull the slide off a chambered pistol of some brands, but not the Sterling .22


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Monocrom said:


> If you live in a large city, always hold out for a top-floor apartment; even if it might cost a bit more.



Why? Less uninvited guests? I would think the heating/cooling bills would be higher without someone above you to heat/cool your ceiling.


----------



## red02

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> Why? Less uninvited guests? I would think the heating/cooling bills would be higher without someone above you to heat/cool your ceiling.


Thats pretty much the reason. You also get less street level noise. If your benefiting from your neighbor's heat or AC, someone messed up making your building.

Something I learned for myself: Never buy a first production model.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

kaichu dento said:


> You can pull the slide off a chambered pistol of some brands, but not the Sterling .22



Yikes! Tell me it didn't go off...


----------



## kaichu dento

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yikes! Tell me it didn't go off...


Once you pull the slide up off the frame the striker slips free of the trigger release! The other guys at the jewelery store asked what happened the night before and if there was an interesting story behind the big gouge in the counter top. Can't remember my answer... 

I might add that having a firearm of some sort seemed to make sense at a jewelry store in the downtown area, although now I'd definitely pick a slightly larger caliber!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

kaichu dento said:


> Once you pull the slide up off the frame the striker slips free of the trigger release! The other guys at the jewelery store asked what happened the night before and if there was an interesting story behind the big gouge in the counter top. Can't remember my answer...



Yow. I gather the extractor was jammed?


----------



## kaichu dento

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yow. I gather the extractor was jammed?


No, I just thought I could drop the magazine, and then instead of cycling to pull the chambered round, I'd just drop it out after pulling the slide off - then just as I was lifting the slide, before I heard the sound, my mind raced through the mechanics of the striker release mechanism, but I was a moment late in realizing I shouldn't have done that and the stinging of my hand and ringing in my ears was like a big exclamation point to the conclusion I had been just about to arrive at!

It only took some skin off and made a nasty gouge in the formica counter top!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Thanks Kaichu. Glad that nobody was seriously injured.


----------



## wyager

kaichu dento said:


> It only took some skin off and made a nasty gouge in the formica counter top!


Youch! That sucks! I'm glad you were OK!


----------



## kaichu dento

L.L.L. - Lifes Little Lessons!


----------



## Illum

kaichu dento said:


> It only took some skin off and made a nasty gouge in the formica counter top!



If you are going for a bigger caliber pick a harder counter top, like granite to go with it


----------



## Monocrom

Flashlight Aficionado said:


> Why?


 
The building you live in was made by the guy who promised to bulid it for the cheapest price possible. (Sometimes even less than that.)

Where do they cheap out? . . . The gap between apartments. 

My last place was a two-story building with apartments only on the top floor. No one stomping around on top of my head, no loud music, no chairs being dragged across the floor. (Honestly, it amazes me that my upstairs neighbor is so weak that he can't actually pick up the freaking chair properly.)

Still, he generally does well in being considerate. But every couple of nights out of the week, he comes home drunk as Hell and apparently forgets he doesn't live in a private house.

An electrician friend of mine has it much worse. An obnoxious couple with young kids who live upstairs from him. When you live in a city with a reputation for having a disproportionate number of @$$holes living in it . . . Yeah, you hold out for a top-floor apartment.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

kaichu dento said:


> No, I just thought I could drop the magazine, and then instead of cycling to pull the chambered round, I'd just drop it out after pulling the slide off - then just as I was lifting the slide, before I heard the sound, my mind raced through the mechanics of the striker release mechanism, but I was a moment late in realizing I shouldn't have done that and the stinging of my hand and ringing in my ears was like a big exclamation point to the conclusion I had been just about to arrive at!
> 
> It only took some skin off and made a nasty gouge in the formica counter top!



Bet that's not a lesson you'll need to learn again.


----------



## wyager

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Bet that's not a lesson you'll need to learn again.


Hopefully. Some people refuse to learn, no matter what :sigh:


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

wyager said:


> Hopefully. Some people refuse to learn, no matter what :sigh:



Darwin tends to work in pretty straight-forward ways.


----------



## wyager

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Darwin tends to work in pretty straight-forward ways.


Not anymore.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertility_and_intelligence

Of course, that doesn't really apply when it comes to guns, one incorrect use and you could be gone


----------



## kaichu dento

Illum said:


> If you are going for a bigger caliber pick a harder counter top, like granite to go with it


Like I said, that was one of those lessons learned about 1/8th of a second before it happened, about 25 years ago, and not likely to happen again!


----------



## JaxChris

Ex's are ex's for a reason.
Friends are people you would never sleep with.
Moleskin is amazing.
Our food has been altered to the point that it is sterilizing our species.
The cost of a toy gains a zero at the end of it for each decade of your life.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

wyager said:


> Not anymore.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fertility_and_intelligence
> 
> Of course, that doesn't really apply when it comes to guns, one incorrect use and you could be gone



Several of my friends and I have noted a similar phenomenon with regards to the effective use of birth control vs. the intelligence of the "parents". This is all I will say as it is off topic and not CPF friendly.

Today I learned that the water for coffee heats much faster when you light the burner.


----------



## Flashlight Aficionado

Diesel_Bomber said:


> Today I learned that the water for coffee heats much faster when you light the burner.



Or it heats up everything in the whole house at once?


----------



## xevious

Monocrom said:


> Hard work nowadays means nothing. At one time, hard work was appreciated. You could go work for a large company, get on the job training, stay with the company for a few decades, and retire with a nice pension.
> 
> Greed has gotten way out of control, and you need a job that offers a decent standard of living along with some real job security. Doctor, lawyer, something in the funeral home business, accountant, or medical specialist of some sort. People will always get sick, they'll always die, they'll keep suing each other at a ridiculous pace, and they'll have to pay taxes too.


Hard work performed with good results often means nothing to those who oversee the doers. It is rare to find a boss who appreciates a job well done and rewards accordingly. When I find myself working for such a boss, I devise a plan to change the situation. I either transfer to another group or leave the company. I'm no longer a "spring chicken" and have lost my tolerance for such situations. Life is not long enough to endure it.

I do agree that greed is rampant. There is actually a huge breakdown in morality taking place in the USA and other nations heavily influenced by us. A child raised with weak or warped principles/morals eventually grows up and can end up with significant responsibilities/charges that affects many others. Just look at Bernard Madoff. The trouble is that today, few people are concerned about their reputations. Infamy is attention of a sort and can actually be an advantage in this society. Remember Michael Milken and his unscrupulous financial crimes committed in the late 1980's? This didn't prevent him from making a comeback. He has a whole philanthropic thing going to "make up" for what he did... but he never paid all the money back that he stole. He suffered a fractionally small fine, that's all. People see this and think "hey, if it happens to me, no big deal--I'll bounce back," and so the threat is hollow.


Economic times are tough. Do not forget that you have a local library. If you're lucky, you've got a decent one nearby and it is part of a county-wide collective. Mine is... I can use the Internet to request materials on-line that are not at my local library. They are transferred in a short period of time and I'm alerted by phone and/or e-mail. I can renew the materials on-line. It's fantastic and best of all, free!


----------



## LightQuest

Buy the absolute best tools you can find and afford, don't go cheap. You'll have them the rest of your life, and every time you use them, you'll smile.


----------



## Jay R

LightQuest said:


> Buy the absolute best tools you can find and afford, don't go cheap. You'll have them the rest of your life, and every time you use them, you'll smile.



Seconded. I always told people "don't spend £50 on a tool set if you are getting me a gift, spend £50 on one spanner or screwdriver."


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When you have a deep paper cut on your hand, remember to avoid using sanitizing gel on it.


----------



## Monocrom

People will lie to you about everything. From the most important things in Life, to things that are ridiculously minor or even completely stupid.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

TV shows are sometimes dangerouly addictive.(I'm currently watching Dark Skies,and I've blown through 3 episodes in 3 hours.I started watching at 5 PM..it's now 8 PM and I'm still watching.)
Here's a Amazon.com link so you can experience it for yourself:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00465I156/?tag=cpf0b6-20


----------



## Illum

When the automatic dryer tells you not to put gasoline or other flammable soaked articles into its basin, even if its been cleaned and only a little residue remains, try to follow the instructions. Failure to arrive at this logical milestone will find little more than frustration when trying to recover from a flashover. I'm still trying to figure out what could have ignited it causing the loading door to slam open following a muffled popping sound.


----------



## woodentsick

Backup lights should be carried even if you have many spare batteries: you can't change your batteries in the middle of a rainstorm.


----------



## Ian2381

woodentsick said:


> Backup lights should be carried even if you have many spare batteries: you can't change your batteries in the middle of a rainstorm.


 
+1 This happened to me in my 2009 Mt Climb. I have several lights with me but I lend my spares leaving me with one light. Ever since I always see to it that I bring several lights for lending and two lights for me (one for flashlight for throw and one headlamp).


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Fire alarms will go off at random times,when you least expect it..(3:00 AM),and for the wierdest reasons(low water pressure to the sprinkler system.) I'm rather grumpy right now.(Big understatement..)

Update:the fire alarm went off twice more since then(4:00 AM,then 5:00 AM.) This is getting old really fast.

I don't expect that my day will go very well.


----------



## BriteIdea

One thing I've learned the hard way was how to learn/study
What I'm referring to is the ability to study, especially when the subject matter may involve some deep thinking.

I hear from some that can open a text book and dive in.
Me? I need peace and quiet and often times I'll have some white noise (a fan runing). God forbid if the phone rings and blows my concentration. It's only one of the in-laws anyway.

I love the sciences and various forms of math, or anything that takes an understanding of formulas and comprehension of the why' of the formulas.
I tend to take plenty of night school courses to keep up to date in my industry.
Mother-in-law doesn't understand why we keep learning, she's old school factory worker and doesn't understand technology. 

I tend to be focused for the task at hand and I'm not one for multitasking when studying, unless it's limited multitasking of my choice.
More often than not learning via the book is one thing, but the old hands-on is by far the best way to go. School of hard knox (knocks?).
My office door may be closed and suddenly my wife knocks or barges in and says the infamous words..."honey could you......?". grrrrrrr


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When replacing a fuse in an electronic device, especially a hard to find fuse, make sure that the original cause of the blown fuse has been cleared first before applying power. FZZT! 

On a related note, when purchasing a hard-to-find replacement fuse, buy more than one of them. Fortunately I did.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Learned this one today - 

A heat gun can take much longer to cool down than you think. After using it, don't touch anything near the nozzle for at least an hour. Especially any metal parts.


----------



## Illum

Some heat gun manuals actually suggest that it be left on with the element off to lengthen its life. I'm not entirely sure whether there is legitimacy in it, but either way it is often worded in the most bizarre of translations...especially the cheaper models


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Illum said:


> Some heat gun manuals actually suggest that it be left on with the element off to lengthen its life. I'm not entirely sure whether there is legitimacy in it, but either way it is often worded in the most bizarre of translations...especially the cheaper models



Do you mean with the blower running but the element off? I have a few inexpensive heat guns and none of them even have an option other than low heat/high heat/off.


----------



## Illum

the heat gun I had have that ability... it resembled a very large blowfan with a metal red blower shroud and metal vanes... the instructions it came was half in chinese and the other in... well nevermind. I wasn't aware that this was not a normal feature


----------



## Alex K.

There's a reason why fire trucks have cabs now. Riding on running boards may look cool, and may be alot of fun, but it's plain dangerous. I was riding on a Ford Explorer's running boards at my friend's family farm and fell off when the driver of the truck avoided an animal that was crossing the dirt road. The truck was going about twenty miles per hour, but I still fell off. I only twisted my ankle, but it could have been worse if I hit my head or landed on my back. The same goes for riding in the beds of pickup trucks. Vehicles have seats for a reason.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When trying to track down the problem area in an electronic circuit, smoke is self-indicating


----------



## BriteIdea

A simple followup on Alex's comment rings true.
I do a lot of travel for my work as a technician and the more I travel the more I tend to slow down and take things in stride. Long gone are the days when I rush here or there and when I say rush I wasn't referring to speeding in general terms.
I find also that MOST truckers now slow down and take their routine in stride. So, what's the rush anyhow? If you're late for work, learn to leave home earlier. If you're late for that sale at Wally world? then it's not in the cards for you to get.

I found quite easily that if you slow down and take it easy, your stress level goes way down and you only lose a minute or so for your commute. let the others get in the accidents
But, what really grabs my goat are the conatst cell phone users and texters. Soon, they will learn the reality of it all


----------



## Monocrom

Locking up your things doesn't mean you don't trust anyone. It simply means you want to keep them secure.

Knew that years ago. But I ignored it due to the fact that I get along very well with everyone I interact with at the medical institute I attend. Especially so, with my classmates in particular. Today, as I've done the past several days, I took off my Orient Black Mako and put it in the top drawer of the professor's desk. Then I went about compounding several medications for the next few hours. Sometime during class, one of my classmates opened the drawer and stole my watch. 

Yup, I already knew better. However, I enjoyed being in a group where I got along so incredibly well with everyone. To the point I let my guard down. I have my suspicions. But nothing concrete. It literally could have been any of them. I can eliminate two slightly older women and the class stoner as suspects. (Yeah, they didn't show up for class tonight.) 

Only mild silver-lining is that the watch wasn't very expensive. Lesson learned . . . again. All it takes is one low-life thief in a room full of decent folks to ruin everything. Especially trust. 

I helped out all of them in one, way, shape, or form. If they couldn't understand the formulas, if they need money for the vending machine, if they couldn't afford to eat because they were short on funds that day or even that week. I'm not rich. Far from it. Never got re-payed, and never asked any of them to borrow money when I was short that day or that week. Nice guys finish last in more ways than one. Pretty soon I'll be going out on externships. After that, I'll never see any of them again except for a couple of hours during graduation in September. And after that, I'm not going to miss any of them. Ironically, maybe with the exception of the class stoner who probably "borrowed" more money from me than anyone else.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

1) Cats really,_ really_ *really* don't like to take a bath.

2) Always wear long sleeves when attempting to bathe a cat who has not been declawed.


----------



## Illum

Do not bump the experiment table when you have beakers filled with reactive solutions sitting side by side
Do not bump the person in front of you on any step of the stair case, up or down
Do not bump any machine with alot of buttons behind where you are standing
Do not bump the neighboring car, for any reason, even if you cannot get out of your own car in doing so
Do not bump your rifle after you sight in your scope
Do not bump your mowers blades on ANY hard surfaces
Do not bump your mother/daughter/aunt/any female member of your family/any female member not part of your family into the pool [even if accidentally] while they are wearing a full set of jewelery, high heels, and multiple layerds of clothes
Do not bump the horn on the bad part of town, or even on the good part of town, especially saturday morning...testing your newly installed freight train horn. Even if you live in happyville there will be an unhappy fellow who will blame all of his misery on you.


----------



## Borad

Avoid saying "yeah, sure" and ending a sentence with "maybe." A woman on the phone once thought I said "yes sir" and my cousin once thought I called her baby!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When placing your flashlight back in your belt holder, place it in with the lens facing up. This way you can tell if it accidentally turns on while you're handling it.

I was figeting with my PD30 today and put it back in the holder lens down without thinking about it. Until about 15 minutes later when I noticed that my belt was getting hot! oo:


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> When placing your flashlight back in your belt holder, place it in with the lens facing up. This way you can tell if it accidentally turns on while you're handling it.
> 
> I was figeting with my PD30 today and put it back in the holder lens down without thinking about it. Until about 15 minutes later when I noticed that my belt was getting hot! oo:


 
I learned a similar lesson the same way with, ironically, a P3D.

But I learned not to clip the pastic D-ring onto a belt-clip, on my belt. If you lean forward too much and at the right angle, your torso can switch the light on.


----------



## brembo

Never pee on an electric fence, no matter how much money your friends offer. No sum of cash can overcome the awful sensation that occurs. Take the word tingly and think about it a second. IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT....well maybe if tingly means being attacked with tack hammers.


----------



## Launch Mini

brembo said:


> Never pee on an electric fence, no matter how much money your friends offer. No sum of cash can overcome the awful sensation that occurs. Take the word tingly and think about it a second. IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT....well maybe if tingly means being attacked with tack hammers.


 
I don't believe you, I think I will try this. lol


----------



## Monocrom

No matter how bad or boring your job may seem to be . . . somewhere out there there's another job which is far more bad and far more boring.


----------



## bnemmie

Im sure this has been said but......never lend your light to ANYONE. Instead offer to shine the beam for them.


----------



## Burgess

Amen to the above post !


Let me just add One thing . . . .


As you switch on yer' Flashlight, tell em' 


*You've got 30 Seconds ! ! !*


Otherwise, you could be stuck standing there,
holding your Flashlight for them,
until the Cows Come Home !

:shakehead


Me -- i've got Better things to do.


_


----------



## Cyclops942

Always keep your knife blades sharp. That way, even if the blade does slip and cut you, the wound will be smaller, heal faster, and leave a much less obvious scar than if you had been using a dull blade.


----------



## Illum

that's the bad thing about blades that are too sharp, cut yourself and you'll never know until someone hollars out there's blood on the floor. I've never been cut by a dull knife and not know about it


----------



## march.brown

When the Bride says "for better or for worse", they are not telling the truth ... They don't like the Grooms "worse" side and quote it in the divorce , even though they have sworn to take him "for better or for worse" and the Judge inevitably takes the Brides side.

When the Groom says "with all my worldly goods I thee endow", the Divorce Judge believes it and takes the Brides side.






Surely it would be better for the Groom to just give the house and contents to the first woman he meets ... That way , he gets to know what it is like to be divorced.

I base these facts on intimate knowledge of the affairs of several married couples (now no longer married couples).

If the Grooms friends offers help to the unfortunate Groom , all the Wives gang up on the men and this can lead to an escalation in the number of divorces ... If the men take the side of the Bride , exactly the same happens plus the Bride loses her female friends ... So we men are not allowed to offer "a shoulder to cry on" to either party. 

It seems that it is very difficult to do anything right in these circumstances ...



... All decisions are wrong in the case of helping either party in a divorce.

Recently divorced (attractive) men and women are not invited to parties like they were before the divorce ... 

Strange isn't it 
.


----------



## Illum

It reminds me of a legal case I was once involved in a heated debate in a classroom, how the courts invariably associates women as the immediate victim when it comes to rape. Whereas relatively few males report it due to embarrassment and or the fear of persecution because of this court bias.


----------



## Diesel_Bomber

I've preached it before, here and other places, and the lesson was underlined again today. Before you drain a vital fluid from a system, open the fill port and verify that refilling will indeed be possible. Today's example: Manual transmission. Upon attempting removal of fill plug, the section of the plug with flats on it twisted straight off, leaving the threaded portion in the side of the transmission. Had I drained the fluid first, this would have been a much more serious problem.

Fortunately, today I had time to use other methods, and did get the remains of the plug out.


----------



## ganymede

Things that I've learned the hard way?

1) Do not lend money to a friend! You will end up not getting your money back and lose a friend 

2) Also, promises mean nothing these-days, take it with a pinch of salt


----------



## march.brown

Diesel_Bomber said:


> I've preached it before, here and other places, and the lesson was underlined again today. Before you drain a vital fluid from a system, open the fill port and verify that refilling will indeed be possible.


 Good advice ... Opening the fill port will also allow the fluid to drain out more quickly.

In the early 'seventies (I mean the 1970's) , had a very old Ford 1172cc side valve car and the oil drain plug on the sump was virtually cold-welded in place ... It was totally impossible to remove ... To do the annual oil change , I had to start the engine , then undo the oil filter and let the warm oil squirt out into a container ... When there was no more oil coming out and the pump was just pushing out air , I stopped the engine , put a new oil filter in place and put the new oil in ... The car never let me down in the five years that I owned it ... I did consider putting another sump on the engine but it would have doubled the cost of the car ... I paid £25 for the car and when I sold it five years later , I got £50 ... Now that's the way to run a car cheaply !
.


----------



## Richub

PhotonWrangler said:


> When trying to track down the problem area in an electronic circuit, smoke is self-indicating


 I learned a long time ago that all electronics need smoke to function, once you let that smoke out, it stops functioning...


----------



## Illum

No matter how low the engine coolant is, do not open the radiator valve until the engine is shut off and you've waited for some time. Dad's 2000 accord had funny noises this morning during cold start, following inspection it was determined the coolant level is below the bottom line. Before I could turn off the engine dad unhinged the radiator cap with the engine running. "foomph" the coolant shot it self out with quite a bit of force. 

Thankfully he wasn't scalded, but the work pants are history. Had the car ran for 5 minutes dad might be on a stretcher with burns oo:


----------



## RBR

_....._


----------



## Monocrom

No matter how well you get along with a co-worker, no matter how sensible your point of view on a certain controversial topic might be; change the topic _immediately_ if the co-worker asks you even a harmless sounding question regarding ANY controversial or political topic.

A fun conversation about cars among the guys, suddenly turns into an uncomfortable discussion about something else.

Also, the above advice applies doubly so if the co-worker is in his late teens or early 20s. Nothing like dealing with someone who hasn't really lived Life, but thinks they know absolutely everything about it. And Lord help you if your experienced view of the world differs from what they clearly know to be true because they read it in a book or their friends & loved ones have told them what the world is like.

I had to be diplomatic about the situation since I was dealing with a co-worker. I ended up pretending the conversation was mild and mildly amusing. Injecting some much needed humor, I defused the now heated co-worker. Next day, everything was fine again. Having diplomatic skills can be very handy.


----------



## woodentsick

Monocrom said:


> Also, the above advice applies doubly so if the co-worker is in his late teens or early 20s. *Nothing like dealing with someone who hasn't really lived Life, but thinks they know absolutely everything about it*. And Lord help you if your experienced view of the world differs from what they clearly know to be true because they read it in a book or their friends & loved ones have told them what the world is like.


 
Are you implying that being older means you know more about life?


----------



## march.brown

woodentsick said:


> Are you implying that being older means you know more about life?


 If the young person and the old person have the same learning capabilities and the same information absorbing and retrieval abilities , then the old one wins.

Seventy years of knowledge is better than twenty years , assuming that both are absolutely up to date with the relevant subject matter.

Have any teenagers or other young men ever won the "Brain of Britain " competition ?
.


----------



## woodentsick

march.brown said:


> If the young person and the old person have the same learning capabilities and the same information absorbing and retrieval abilities , then the old one wins.
> 
> Seventy years of knowledge is better than twenty years , assuming that both are absolutely up to date with the relevant subject matter.
> 
> Have any teenagers or other young men ever won the "Brain of Britain " competition ?
> .


 
Einstein came up with the Special Relativity at age 26; and formulated the world's most famous equation, e=mc^2 at that age. This is just one example displaying the foolishness of discrimination by age, in my opinion.


----------



## Monocrom

woodentsick said:


> Einstein came up with the Special Relativity at age 26; and formulated the world's most famous equation, e=mc^2 at that age. This is just one example displaying the foolishness of discrimination by age, in my opinion.


 
Spoken like a young person who truly believes they know everything about the world. Should I even point out the obvious that Einstein was a genius, and not a typical example of someone at that age or a few years younger? No, too obvious.

Don't worry, you'll understand when you get older.


----------



## woodentsick

Monocrom said:


> *Spoken like a young person who truly believes they know everything about the world*. Should I even point out the obvious that Einstein was a genius, and not a typical example of someone at that age or a few years younger? No, too obvious.
> 
> *Don't worry, you'll understand when you get older*.



Might I point out the condescension in your post that I find extremely rude? 

I'd like to refer you to a quote by Pearl S. Buckman; "*The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible -- and achieve it, generation after generation*." 

Of course you have a right to your own opinion. I'm just a little miffed.


----------



## Monocrom

woodentsick said:


> Of course you have a right to your own opinion. I'm just a little miffed.



No need to be. I was like you once. I wasn't being sarcastic when I said you'll understand when you get older. 

Ironically, learning how the way the world actually works is something many folks learn the hard way. 

I honestly have no hard feelings towards you. Hope you feel the same way. If not . . . Truth be told, you wouldn't be the first to get upset at my blatant honesty. Nor are you likely to be the last. Like many, you'll have plenty of folks during your Lifetime who'll lie to you. Sometimes right to your face. I won't be one of them though.


----------



## DM51

Monocrom said:


> Having diplomatic skills can be very handy.


If indeed you possess such skills, I think you should have attempted to use them rather better than you managed to do here in your conversation with woodentsick.


----------



## march.brown

woodentsick said:


> I'm just a little miffed.


 Would that be "Young and a little Miffed" ?

I am 73 years old and not at all miffed ... There is nothing to get miffed about when someone tells it how it is.

"Old Age and the accumulated cunning and wisdom of many years of experience" will always beat "The young , keen but almost totally inexperienced person." ... It takes years of life to accumulate experience.

The Oxford English Dictionary quotes *Experience* as ... Knowledge or skill gained over time ... I realise that the learning curve is exponential , somewhat akin to the law of diminishing returns , but there is no doubt that it takes many years for a person to amass information on the broad spectrum.

I realise that one can go to University and learn enough to pass exams , but that is a very narrow field which might not be of any use in the real world ... I , for example , have never needed to use my knowledge on M-derived filters , Flanking impedances and other such items that were needed to pass exams ... Nor have I ever needed to use differential equations to solve any electrical and electronic problems ... They were only used to pass exams.

It always amazes me how much information a human brain can hold ... 
.


----------



## ganymede

DM51 said:


> If indeed you possess such skills, I think you should have attempted to use them rather better than you managed to do here in your conversation with woodentsick.


 
Back to the topic, one thing I have learned the hard way is possessing a certain skill doesn't imply one will always practices it... 

I have seen one too many who preaches one way but practices another way.


----------



## Monocrom

DM51 said:


> If indeed you possess such skills, I think you should have attempted to use them rather better than you managed to do here in your conversation with woodentsick.


 
With a co-worker, definitely. For obvious reasons.

If woodenstick or any other member is bothered by my blatant honesty, they can put me on their Ignore List. Please don't misunderstand my comment. I do understand what you're saying. I've practiced diplomacy numerous times in real Life for a number of reasons. To spare a friend's feelings, to spare a date's feelings, to keep a friend from getting a beating because he had a bit too much to drink and I had to play Peace Keeper. On an internet forum, I prefer non-sugar-coated honesty. I appreciate your honest response above, and have always appreciated the help you've given me over the years on CPF. If woodenstick's feelings were hurt, I can do nothing more than I already did in my previous post in this thread to alieve the situation.


----------



## woodentsick

Monocrom, 

No hard feelings here. I guess I'll have to wait and see


----------



## ganymede

Monocrom,

I agree with what you said here, all young people will think that we can achieve the unachievable and conquer all challenges. However, it is only through experience and learning it the hard way that we grow wiser and become more "polished".

I admit I was one part naive, two parts arrogant and three parts ignorant when I was younger but who wasn't? 



Monocrom said:


> No need to be. I was like you once. I wasn't being sarcastic when I said you'll understand when you get older.
> 
> Ironically, learning how the way the world actually works is something many folks learn the hard way.
> 
> I honestly have no hard feelings towards you. Hope you feel the same way. If not . . . Truth be told, you wouldn't be the first to get upset at my blatant honesty. Nor are you likely to be the last. Like many, you'll have plenty of folks during your Lifetime who'll lie to you. Sometimes right to your face. I won't be one of them though.


----------



## woodentsick

Maybe some people give up on believing they can "achieve the unachievable and conquer all challenges" when they grow older. Not everyone does, though.


----------



## ganymede

woodentsick said:


> Maybe some people give up on believing they can "achieve the unachievable and conquer all challenges" when they grow older. Not everyone does, though.


 
Achievements and challenges mean different thing to different person. It can be relationship, career, social status, knowledge, health, financial status, etc...

That said, I admit I gave up on believing that I can be richer than Bill Gate or smarter than Albert Einstein.

One thing I have learned the hard way is that there can be many views to the same thing, everyone sense of righteous can be different as well.


----------



## march.brown

Monocrom said:


> With a co-worker, definitely. For obvious reasons.
> 
> If woodenstick or any other member is bothered by my blatant honesty, they can put me on their Ignore List. Please don't misunderstand my comment. I do understand what you're saying. I've practiced diplomacy numerous times in real Life for a number of reasons. To spare a friend's feelings, to spare a date's feelings, to keep a friend from getting a beating because he had a bit too much to drink and I had to play Peace Keeper. On an internet forum, I prefer non-sugar-coated honesty. I appreciate your honest response above, and have always appreciated the help you've given me over the years on CPF. If woodenstick's feelings were hurt, I can do nothing more than I already did in my previous post in this thread to alieve the situation.


Hi Monocrom ... From your name , I gather that everything is either Black or White (right or wrong) ... The Oxford English Dictionary quotes "Produced in Black and white or in tones of one colour" ... I am frequently told that I only see where something is either right or wrong and that I only see things in black or white ... In my work as an Engineer , there were never any "in betweens" it was either right or wrong , black or white ... An electonic component either works or it doesn't ... Something is either within specification or out.

I might be generalising here but most of the women I know consider that there are in betweens , particularly when dealing with children ... Unfortunately , I can't see the logic of this ... Even in computers , it is either a logic zero or a logic one ... At 73 , I am too old to change my views.

Strangely enough , I still get calls for help and am asked to give my opinion ... The callers know that I will never say "maybe"... They almost invariably act on my advice.

Unfortunately when we are out shopping and I am asked by a Lady if a particular dress suits her , I am totally honest ... My Wife cringes when I am asked ... If I feel that (from a mans point of view) the item is not perfect , I have to tell her ... I have been known to offer suggestions and have been thanked for my honesty ... My Wife nowadays steers me away from conversations with ladies whilst we are out shopping.

One thing I learned the hard way was ....... When I was in my twenties , I had a reputation for telling the bosses that they were wrong ... Obviously I only did this if I knew that I was 100% right ... As I got older I altered my statement from "That's Wrong" to "I don't think that's right" ... That didn't seem to upset the management as much and they were much happier ... Promotion became quicker too ... 
Perhaps I mellowed when I got older





.


----------



## ganymede

Haha, fortunately we don't live on a binary world! Between 1 and 0 there are infinitesimal amount of numbers! Yes, I am an engineer as well... 



march.brown said:


> Hi Monocrom ... From your name , I gather that everything is either Black or White (right or wrong) ... The Oxford English Dictionary quotes "Produced in Black and white or in tones of one colour" ... I am frequently told that I only see where something is either right or wrong and that I only see things in black or white ... In my work as an Engineer , there were never any "in betweens" it was either right or wrong , black or white ... An electonic component either works or it doesn't ... Something is either within specification or out.
> 
> I might be generalising here but most of the women I know consider that there are in betweens , particularly when dealing with children ... Unfortunately , I can't see the logic of this ... Even in computers , it is either a logic zero or a logic one ... At 73 , I am too old to change my views.
> 
> Strangely enough , I still get calls for help and am asked to give my opinion ... The callers know that I will never say "maybe"... They almost invariably act on my advice.
> 
> Unfortunately when we are out shopping and I am asked by a Lady if a particular dress suits her , I am totally honest ... My Wife cringes when I am asked ... If I feel that (from a mans point of view) the item is not perfect , I have to tell her ... I have been known to offer suggestions and have been thanked for my honesty ... My Wife nowadays steers me away from conversations with ladies whilst we are out shopping.
> 
> One thing I learned the hard way was ....... When I was in my twenties , I had a reputation for telling the bosses that they were wrong ... Obviously I only did this if I knew that I was 100% right ... As I got older I altered my statement from "That's Wrong" to "I don't think that's right" ... That didn't seem to upset the management as much and they were much happier ... Promotion became quicker too ...
> Perhaps I mellowed when I got older
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .


----------



## woodentsick

ganymede said:


> Achievements and challenges mean different thing to different person. It can be relationship, career, social status, knowledge, health, financial status, etc...
> 
> That said, I admit I gave up on believing that I can be richer than Bill Gate or smarter than Albert Einstein.
> 
> One thing I have learned the hard way is that there can be many views to the same thing, everyone sense of righteous can be different as well.



That's true, everybody has their own meaning of achievement and challenge. What I'm saying is that while some people's meanings change as they get older, or maybe even get forgotten completely, there are people who hold on to the same goals/dreams as they age.


----------



## woodentsick

ganymede said:


> Haha, fortunately we don't live on a binary world! Between 1 and 0 there are infinitesimal amount of numbers! Yes, I am an engineer as well...


 
Sounds like a mathematician to me :devil:


----------



## march.brown

ganymede said:


> Haha, fortunately we don't live on a binary world! Between 1 and 0 there are infinitesimal amount of numbers! Yes, I am an engineer as well...


Not certain whether you mean Infinitesimal or Infinite.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the word Infinitesimal means Very Small ... However , on the other hand , Infinite means limitless or very great ... 

Mathematically , infinity is the reciprocal of zero , whereas infinitesimal approaches the reciprocal of infinity.
.


----------



## ganymede

Haha! Wrong phrase, should read "infinite amount of infinitesimal numbers". Grammar is not an engineer's strong point... 

If you didn't tell us you are an engineer, I would guess you are an English teacher, out of the four posts on this page, you quote the dictionary in three posts... 



march.brown said:


> Not certain whether you mean Infinitesimal or Infinite.
> 
> According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the word Infinitesimal means Very Small ... However , on the other hand , Infinite means limitless or very great ...
> 
> Mathematically , infinity is the reciprocal of zero , whereas infinitesimal approaches the reciprocal of infinity.
> .


----------



## march.brown

ganymede said:


> Haha! Wrong phrase, should read "infinite amount of infinitesimal numbers". Grammar is not an engineer's strong point...
> 
> If you didn't tell us you are an engineer, I would guess you are an English teacher, out of the four posts on this page, you quote the dictionary in three posts...


 I bought a couple of copies of the "Oxford English Mini Dictionary" on Ebay ... One for the Wife and one for me ... My old (very old) one had come apart and looked a bit like a pack of cards ... So I am sort of justifying the cost by using it more often.

I wasn't an English teacher , I worked for a living.

Taught Electronics in the Army from 1957 to 1959 ... Then for seven years taught Audio , Carrier and coaxial telephony , Frequency generating for multiplex systems , modulation systems , transistor theory , radio theory , VHF systems plus UHF and SHF microwave systems ... After this , I got a job in industry on VHF and Microwave radio systems , remote control systems , multiplex systems and a few other things ... Finally retired over 17 years ago to go trout and salmon fishing , hunting and shooting ... 

Life is hard being retired and finding time to do the Suduko etc.






......... plus finding time to reply to posts on CPF etc.

Tempus Fugit ... (Time Flies) ------- Indigo Fugit ... (Blue Flies)




.


----------



## DM51

march.brown said:


> Tempus Fugit ... (Time Flies) ------- Indigo Fugit ... (Blue Flies)


Neglectus Fugit *---->* Forgot to do up your Flies


----------



## ganymede

My favourite: _Tempus Rerum Imperator_


----------



## shao.fu.tzer

I like: _Abeunt studia in mores 
_and_: __Adeo in teneris consuescere multum est_

Both fitting considering the earlier direction this thread was headed in...


----------



## march.brown

ganymede said:


> My favourite: _Tempus Rerum Imperator_


 Takes me back to the days of Latin Lessons ... Nominative , Vocative , Accusative , Genetive , Dative and Ablative ... Can't check the spelling 'cos my Dictionary is in English ... 

I am _"Semper in Excretia"_ ! ... Most of the time this is true , 'cos I'm married.





Our family motto is_ "Nil Illigitimae Carborundum"._
.


----------



## gadget_lover

I realized not long ago the terrible double edge that age and experience can be. I was talking with a young co-worker just a few years out of college. I was explaining to him why his latest idea would not work as he expected. It was a simple case of "been there, done that, cleaned up the mess".

The old chestnut "I've forgotten more than you've learned." popped into my head. With 30+ years in the field, it might well be true. But as i thought about it a bit, I realized how much I HAVE forgotten. There are areas of study that I've not used in decades. I no longer remember the 8086 opcodes (machine language) for instance. Anything that you do not think of for a few decades is forgotten.

So the down side is that I HAVE forgotten more than some have learned. The up side is that most of the wisdom sticks with you long after the details have become hazy.

Daniel


----------



## Monocrom

march.brown said:


> Hi Monocrom ... From your name , I gather that everything is either Black or White (right or wrong) ... The Oxford English Dictionary quotes "Produced in Black and white or in tones of one colour" ...


 
In all honesty, that definition definitely describes my personality. User-name was chosen for a completely different reason. 

I also know what you mean about dealing with bosses. Funny how many of them have rather fragile egos. I make sure to put on my calf-skin mittens before stroking their ego a bit.


----------



## ganymede

march.brown said:


> Finally retired over 17 years ago to go trout and salmon fishing , hunting and shooting ...



Now, that's a good life! Congrates on the retirement! :wave:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Brake lines can fail with no warning. Many years ago I was driving down a city street in my old Hornet and as I approached a red light at the intersection, my brake pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor with absolutely no braking. I was fortunate that no traffic was oncoming in the other direction as I sailed through the light in a mild panic. I was able to hobble the car the rest of the way home safely with the hand brake.
:sweat:


----------



## march.brown

PhotonWrangler said:


> Brake lines can fail with no warning. Many years ago I was driving down a city street in my old Hornet and as I approached a red light at the intersection, my brake pedal suddenly went all the way to the floor with absolutely no braking. I was fortunate that no traffic was oncoming in the other direction as I sailed through the light in a mild panic. I was able to hobble the car the rest of the way home safely with the hand brake.
> :sweat:


 In the words of the famous racing driver Tazio Nuvolari when his car lost brakes in a race , "What use are brakes , they only slow you down"
.


----------



## Lucciola

The comparison of "tight" is irregular:

Positive: tight
Comparative: tighter
Superlative: Bolt head twisted off (not tightest!)

Torque wrenches are not necessarily wasted money. 

Lucciola


----------



## march.brown

If you treat your tools correctly they can last forever.

For example , my Great-Grandfathers claw-hammer has been passed down through the family and now lives in my tool-chest ... For about a hundred years it was used daily ... It was apparently bought new in about 1890 ... In all this time , the shaft has been changed about eight times and the head only replaced twice ... Yes , they don't make tools to last like this nowadays !
.


----------



## h_nu

Two people can share a moment and have very different impressions of it. I have seen older people toss out a word or phrase without any thought or recollection of it even a short time later. Words can affect the entire direction of a child's life. I always try to be mindful of the need to be a good example and kind mentor to the young.


----------



## Burgess

Post # 514 by March_Brown reminds me of this old joke . . . .


An old carpenter was always telling people:


" I've had this old hand-saw since i began my trade, more than 50 YEARS AGO ! "


" Of course, i've had to replace the Blade 3 or 4 times, and the Handle once or twice. "



_


----------



## Monocrom

Burgess said:


> Post # 514 by March_Brown reminds me of this old joke . . . .


 
I've heard the same joke. Only in this version it's an old farmer having a conversation with a fellow farmer.

Older one tells him he's had the same hatchet for 50 years. Younger one asks why he doesn't buy a new one.

Older one says it's a fine hatchet that has served him well. Only thing he's had to do in the way of maintenance is replace the handle 3 times, and the head twice.


----------



## march.brown

Monocrom said:


> I've heard the same joke. Only in this version it's an old farmer having a conversation with a fellow farmer.
> 
> Older one tells him he's had the same hatchet for 50 years. Younger one asks why he doesn't buy a new one.
> 
> Older one says it's a fine hatchet that has served him well. Only thing he's had to do in the way of maintenance is replace the handle 3 times, and the head twice.


It just goes to show that the old TOOLS are the best ones.




.


----------



## Monocrom

Indeed!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you see a coffee pot that's been sitting on the burner for a long time with little or no fluid in it, and you pick it up to rinse it out, that sudden shot of cold water might make the bottom of the pot shear clean off.

Physics always wins in the end.


----------



## march.brown

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you see a coffee pot that's been sitting on the burner for a long time with little or no fluid in it, and you pick it up to rinse it out, that sudden shot of cold water might make the bottom of the pot shear clean off.
> 
> Physics always wins in the end.


Tried it with my stainless steel pot and my aluminium one and my enamelled steel one and they didn't do that ... They did make a sort of hissing noise though.
.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

march.brown said:


> Tried it with my stainless steel pot and my aluminium one and my enamelled steel one and they didn't do that ... They did make a sort of hissing noise though.
> .


 
I forgot to mention that the pot was made of glass. Sorry about that.


----------



## whiteoakjoe

If you walk into a forrest with a flashlight (6P incan) by the time it starts to get dim, you don't have enough light to get back out. At least not without taking a couple of nasty falls. I really remember that every time I walk up a flight of stairs.


----------



## Jep

what formatting my phones memory card means.


----------



## nbp

Jep said:


> what formatting my phones memory card means.



I learned the same thing.


----------



## Monocrom

I still have no idea what that is.


----------



## JacobJones

It means that it will delete absolutely everything. They think it's hilarious to substitute the word delete with format

I found out with a digital camera, ireplaceable memories lost for ever


----------



## Monocrom

Damn! . . . Thanks for the warning.


----------



## ncbill

While driving through the sketchier side of town remember turn signals don't apply, and red lights are just a suggestion.

At least on the part of other drivers!


----------



## Jep

lol @ me thinking, formatting, it sounds cool, lets try that. was laying in bed next to the wife playing with new phone and let out a LOUD 4 letter word, she did not appreciate but was understanding lol. 3 yrs worth, almost 4gb of pics.vids.music.etc.. oh well, fresh start i suppose.


----------



## Monocrom

Sometimes folks you know will get angry over things that just don't affect them in any way.

The Pizza place in my old neighborhood is still there. Run by two brothers. One night, I told one of them that I was in the market for a new car. Told him how I tried on a Chrysler Sebring sedan at the N.Y. International Auto show. Despite finding it comfortable to sit in, controls laid out in a way that made sense, and a reasonable price-tag; I had decided against it for its lack of performance. You would have thought he was the owner of a Chrysler dealership that was on the verge of bankruptcy, considering how he reacted. He was genuinely angry. I thought he was going to throw me out of the place. I doubt he had recently been told by a Chrysler salesman that his credit wasn't good enough for him to buy one of their vehicles. (I know for a fact that the pizza place was very successful. Something you learn as a long-time regular.) He calmed down a bit, I got my order, and left. After that, he was fine again. No issues any other time I walked in. But I decided not to ever talk to him about cars again.

At a previous job, we had a patrol vehicle that would often run 24 hours straight for several days. Quite common when you have only one patrol vehicle at a 24-hour post. It was rare that it ever got shut off. One day, out of the blue, a long-time co-worker and a guy recently transfered started asking me if I turned off the patrol vehicle during the 15 minutes each night before I'd get relieved. The 15 minutes I spent in the parking lot just sitting around, waiting to be relieved. Obviously, I didn't. It was the middle of Summer. Did both of them expect me to sweat to death in that thing with the engine and air-conditioning switched off?? Apparently they did! The long-time co-worker was just a bit annoying every time he asked. The new guy was absolutely intolerable. I'll never forget one time when he asked me for the 5000th time, I said "yes, I turned it off." And he looks at me as if I had gone out with his daughter, brought her back home an hour late, and she was wearing her shirt inside out. 

It's not as though these two guys were paying for the gas in the patrol vehicle out of their own pockets. Not as though the vehicle belonged to the two of them. In fact, most of the time, I was the one stuck with taking the patrol vehicle out every weekend to get it fueled up. (Even though that was the responsibility of whoever worked the morning shift that day.) You're not supposed to show up for work and then immediately go back out to re-fuel the thing. The client hated it whenever that was necessary for me to do.

I had no clue why these guys were getting so upset over a vehicle they didn't own, didn't cost them anything to run or fuel up, didn't cost them anything to fix when it broke down. Honestly, didn't cost them anything in any way, shape, or form. Yet apparently they expected me to switch off the engine and sweat to death for 15 minutes if not longer. (Getting relieved late was a constant issue for me. And both of those co-workers were guilty of that. If it was just 5 or even 10 minutes late, I wouldn't care.) I got paid peanuts from the security company I worked for. Actually, we all did. It struck me as incredibly stupid that these guys were getting angry over something that didn't concern them (nor their wallets) in any way at all.

When a co-worker starts behaving in such a ridiculous manner, never a good idea to confront them on it. Smile, nod, and go on with what you've been doing. Even our Site Supervisor who was actually in charge of the patrol vehicle told me to not worry about it when I brought their complaints to her attention. She did the same thing too! Even admitted to me that it was ridiculous of them to expect me to sweat to death while waiting to be relieved. She left the vehicle switched on during her shift, and she was fine with me doing it during mine. 

It's not as though you can be prepared for those times when a friend or co-worker gets angry with you over something that doesn't affect them in any way at all. Just a strange and totally weird reaction to be aware of.


----------



## march.brown

Monocrom said:


> Sometimes folks you know will get angry over things that just don't affect them in any way.
> 
> The Pizza place in my old neighborhood is still there. Run by two bothers.


 We got bothers in the UK too.
.


----------



## Monocrom

march.brown said:


> We got bothers in the UK too.
> .



LOL

That's too bad. On a completely unrelated note, having a rare typo slip past you no matter how often you proof-read your posts.


----------



## Jay R

Formatting is a bit like emptying a filing cabinet. You take everything out and chuck it on the floor then you get the folders and the A-Z index cards and put them all back in the correct place ready for the next lot of filing. Everything else goes in the bin.

There are different formats for memory cards ( Styles of filing ) so if you take a memory card out of one thing and place it in another it may insist you format the card so that the new equipment can use it though this is rare as most devices use the FAT32 format.

The problem with memory cards and digital cameras nowadays is that you can easily fit 10,000 pictures on a single card. People have lost years of memories because they don't back up the pictures out of their camera.
Once a month I copy all pics from my camera to the laptop (keeping them on the camera as well), every few months I back up my laptop to a hard drive and a few times a year when I visit my parents I take the laptop and back it up to a hard drive at their house. Even if my house burns down with everything in it, I won't lose the pics and video of my 5 year olds life.

Oh, and I also take the best of the pics, print them out and put them in an album.


----------



## Monocrom

Jay R said:


> Formatting is a bit like emptying a filing cabinet. You take everything out and chuck it on the floor then you get the folders and the A-Z index cards and put them all back in the correct place ready for the next lot of filing. Everything else goes in the bin.
> 
> There are different formats for memory cards ( Styles of filing ) so if you take a memory card out of one thing and place it in another it may insist you format the card so that the new equipment can use it though this is rare as most devices use the FAT32 format.
> 
> The problem with memory cards and digital cameras nowadays is that you can easily fit 10,000 pictures on a single card. People have lost years of memories because they don't back up the pictures out of their camera.
> Once a month I copy all pics from my camera to the laptop (keeping them on the camera as well), every few months I back up my laptop to a hard drive and a few times a year when I visit my parents I take the laptop and back it up to a hard drive at their house. Even if my house burns down with everything in it, I won't lose the pics and video of my 5 year olds life.
> 
> Oh, and I also take the best of the pics, print them out and put them in an album.



Just seems that modern technology for taking pictures, and enjoying them for years to come, has made the process more complicated than it used to be.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Monocrom said:


> Just seems that modern technology for taking pictures, and enjoying them for years to come, has made the process more complicated than it used to be.


 
Isn't that what technology is for? 

But formating problems are just scratching the surface. There will soon be specialties, devoted to recovering data from obsolete media. Just imagine trying to get photos off a zip drive in 50 years.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Monocrom said:


> Just seems that modern technology for taking pictures, and enjoying them for years to come, has made the process more complicated than it used to be.


 
Isn't that what technology is for? 

But formating problems are just scratching the surface. There will soon be specialties, devoted to recovering data from obsolete media. Just imagine trying to get photos off a zip drive in 50 years.


----------



## EZO

ElectronGuru said:


> Isn't that what technology is for?
> 
> But formating problems are just scratching the surface. There will soon be specialties, devoted to recovering data from obsolete media. Just imagine trying to get photos off a zip drive in 50 years.



What the heck is a Zip Drive?.................Just kidding. 

Actually, I still have a bunch of SyQuest disks full of data kicking around....and the drive needs a SCSI connector! And zip disks too. One of these days I will have to go through everything and see what's worth transferring or even keeping at all and since many of the files other than photographs will require obsolete software to run.


----------



## ElectronGuru

EZO said:


> I still have a bunch of SyQuest disks full of data kicking around.


 
I was going to say SyQuest but thought it was _too_ far back as an example! I still occasionally plug in a usb or firewire and breath a sigh of relief, no SCSI ID to set. :thumbsup:


----------



## march.brown

Never get caught with another mans wife if you suffer from Asthma.
.


----------



## Monocrom

march.brown said:


> Never get caught with another mans wife if you suffer from Asthma.
> .



Reminds me of a guy from long ago who broke a rather big rule when it comes to cheating . . . Don't mess around with the wife of a Vietnam vet with a gun collection.


----------



## Cyclops942

Jay R said:


> The problem with memory cards and digital cameras nowadays is that you can easily fit 10,000 pictures on a single card. People have lost years of memories because they don't back up the pictures out of their camera.
> 
> Once a month I copy all pics from my camera to the laptop (keeping them on the camera as well), every few months I back up my laptop to a hard drive and a few times a year when I visit my parents I take the laptop and back it up to a hard drive at their house. Even if my house burns down with everything in it, I won't lose the pics and video of my 5 year olds life.
> 
> Oh, and I also take the best of the pics, print them out and put them in an album.


 

I just use Carbonite_[dot]_com and I don't have to worry about it. Automatic off-site, online, secure backup. It's saved my bacon once already when my desktop system took a dive down the tubes. I just restored to my laptop, and kept on going.


----------



## Illum

Monocrom said:


> Reminds me of a guy from long ago who broke a rather big rule when it comes to cheating . . . Don't mess around with the wife of a Vietnam vet with a gun collection.



somethings tells me the guy who messed with your life took a really long time to die....


----------



## Monocrom

Illum said:


> somethings tells me the guy who messed with your wife took a really long time to die....



Sadly, I haven't found a woman yet who was good enough for me to put a ring on her finger. But the search is part of the fun.


----------



## march.brown

Monocrom said:


> Sadly, I haven't found a woman yet who was good enough for me to put a ring on her finger. But the search is part of the fun.


 You could always find a woman that you don't like and give her half of your house !

That way you get to know what a divorce is like , without actually being married.





.


----------



## Monocrom

march.brown said:


> You could always find a woman that you don't like and give her half of your house !
> 
> That way you get to know what a divorce is like , without actually being married.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> .



LOL

I guess I'm not masochistic enough for that.


----------



## nbp

Even if you're still only in your 20's, playing contact sports like football for several hours on a Saturday afternoon without a few previous practice sessions to reacclimate to the activity is painful.

We'll see how well I am moving around tomorrow. :sigh:

I played lineman a lot, and ya take a pounding in there. My hips and hammies are tight, my chest is sore, I have finger shaped bruises on my arms, I have some field rash on my thigh, and I had to superglue down some skin on the bottoms of my feet where blisters formed then popped then started to peel off. 

But I had two sacks, so it was worth it.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Reminds me of my favorite _lesson_. I knew I was no longer young when things started to hurt, with no obvious cause.


----------



## march.brown

ElectronGuru said:


> Reminds me of my favorite _lesson_. I knew I was no longer young when things started to hurt, with no obvious cause.


 *"Death is natures way of telling you to slow down" .




.*


----------



## Monocrom

One day, you'll realize you're getting old when you can no longer cross one of your legs without feeling excruciating pain. (And you didn't injure your leg previously.) Yet you'd swear that just two months ago you could pull it off with no problem at all.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Getting older ain't for sissies. Like many others here, I'm discovering little aches and pains in places that never used to bother me at all.


----------



## nbp

Yeah I'm moving sloooow today. Pretty sore, for sure. One day you wake up and realize you're not 16 anymore.


----------



## Monocrom

nbp said:


> Yeah I'm moving sloooow today. Pretty sore, for sure. One day you wake up and realize you're not 16 anymore.



Back then I could make it through a full day on literally 2 hours sleep.

Now I know why doctors recommend about 8 hours a night.


----------



## march.brown

When I was in the Army I used to go to the Gym and do Bench Presses with very heavy weights.

Now I go to bed and do Blanket Pressing (using my whole body weight which is even heavier).

It pays to keep fit (or so they tell me).

I walk outside to the car and drive a whole half mile to get the daily paper , then drive home and walk from the car to our kitchen ... It is then time for a coffee and a few chocolate biscuits to build up my energy ... Dark chocolate digestives from Lidls by the way.

Old age , Experience and Cunning will always beat Youthful Exuberance ... Cunning is defined as "skilled at deception" , something you learn in the Army or with old age (or better still , with both).
.


----------



## wollie88

When you drop your hot soldering iron, dont try to catch it !


----------



## PhotonWrangler

wollie88 said:


> When you drop your hot soldering iron, dont try to catch it !



Yikes! That's when your brain kicks into overdrive and thinks wait-don't-drop-itmight-burn-the-carpet-almost-got-it-whoops-it's-hot-dont-drop-it-dont-drop-it-yow-that's-hot-drop-it!


----------



## ElectronGuru

I was just reminiscing about having developed (growing up) the instinct to protect/stop delicate falling items (including breaking its fall with my foot) vs getting all apendages out of range, including the decision, in the span of time it takes said object to fall 2 feet.

I was feeling pretty good about this ability until yesterday when I realized I'm calibrated to concrete. I droped a wrench, didn't stop it, and made two good dents in the new workshop floor (wood).


----------



## beerwax

all this whinging about the aches and pains of old age. let me explain something here. 

as we age our bodies shrink thus bringing the nerves closer to the skin thus leading to aches and pains. this is the first stage of ageing. 
in the second stage of ageing the nerves themselves start to shrink and so all the pain goes away. you guys just need to wait a bit. 

the third stage , damn i always forget what third stage is. 

cheers


----------



## Monocrom

beerwax said:


> the third stage , damn i always forget what third stage is.
> 
> cheers



Ah, that's the blessing of not remembering how screwed up the world is. :thumbsup:


----------



## Lite_me

wollie88 said:


> When you drop your hot soldering iron, dont try to catch it !


Or your knife either!


----------



## wollie88

The worst thing is that is stuck to my hand. Had some serious burn marks.
But nowadays if i drop a tool, no matter what it is i dont catch it !


----------



## Monocrom

An expensive Flu shot doesn't protect you from the common Cold.


----------



## march.brown

Don't sneeze when you are using a Nasal Hair Strimmer.

Yup !
.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Learned this one a couple of years ago - 

A bottle of pop that's been opened and reclosed, then left in a warm car for a day or two, will go bad even if it doesn't smell or taste funny. Even if it's diet pop with no sugar.
:toilet:


----------



## Empath

PhotonWrangler said:


> Even if it's diet pop with no sugar.



Especially, if it's diet pop with no sugar. Aspartame breaks down under the heat of a warm car into some nasty tasting compounds.
Aspartame is a sweetener that can't be heated. Alternative sweeteners have to be used when cooking products.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Empath said:


> Especially, if it's diet pop with no sugar. Aspartame breaks down under the heat of a warm car into some nasty tasting compounds.
> Aspartame is a sweetener that can't be heated. Alternative sweeteners have to be used when cooking products.



Hmm, so it's probably not an increase in bacteria count but the resulting byproducts of aspartame breakdown. Duly noted! Thanks Empath.


----------



## Illum

no matter how warm the car is, its probably not 98F year round 24/7, now that Empath mentioned it, I think I'm going to stop drinking the stuff as long as my body temperature remains at 98F


----------



## Monocrom

There are times in life when you have to make a pest of yourself . . . Especially when dealing with individuals who are getting paid to help you.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

The more things you load onto your flash drive, the more likely that it will suddenly quit without warning. Especially if they're important things. I need to get in the habit of backing these things up.

To a media other than another flash drive.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> The more things you load onto your flash drive, the more likely that it will suddenly quit without warning. Especially if they're important things. I need to get in the habit of backing these things up.
> 
> To a media other than another flash drive.



That reminded me of another one . . . Always back-up the phone numbers stored in your cellphone, onto a piece of paper placed in a spot you'll easily be able to find.


----------



## nbp

C'mon 'Crom. Paper is so 2000s. Now we back up our phones to the Cloud.  


I learned that I cannot eat a potpie without burning my mouth.


----------



## Monocrom

Never eat a potpie from the center. Start at the edges, and eat around them as you slowly work towards the center. This also prevents the edges of the pie from getting cold before you finish eating.


----------



## Burgess

:thumbsup:

Yep --

Those are things I learned about eating Pot Pies, at a VERY early age !

How true, how true !




As a side note . . . .


When you "test" your food, to see if it has Cooled Down enough to eat it,

you probably shouldn't use your Tongue for the task !


:eeksign:
_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Ditto for Pop Tarts. Learned a long time ago that the jam filling can be MUCH hotter than the crust.


----------



## gadget_lover

On the same line...

Hot sugar can be MUCH hotter than boiling water. And it sticks to your skin. 

Making candy can be more dangerous than making flashlights.

Daniel


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Certain brands of burnable CDs had a manufacturing defect that caused a version of disc rot called CD Bronzing. I'd heard of "CD Rot" before but I never thought about it much until I pulled out a disc of holiday music the other day and found that it was hit by the bronzing problem, causing the tracks closer to the outer edge of the disc to have errors.

Luckily I still have the original (stamped) discs that I compiled this music from so I can easily burn another one. However if you have any burned CDs with important information on them, check them once in awhile for CD rot and make a new copy from it before the old one becomes unreadable.

**Update**

This was a "Prodisc Diamond True Silver" CD-R. I bought a pack of these several years ago because I liked the idea of a disc that looked like a professionally stamped disc (no yellow-green or blue tint on the recordable side) but now I'm sticking with only the big name recordables.


----------



## eebowler

As I cyclist, I was reminded on the first day of the year that when dogs (and sometimes people) are crossing the road from your side to the other, if you happen to surprise them as you're approaching, they tend to turn around and run back in the direction from which they came... I hit a dog because I didn't shout at it (a habbit developed out of necessity) as I tried passing behind it. (There was about 3ft between the side of the road and the dog, more than enough space for a cyclist.)

Oh Yeah. Do not take apart a disposable camera (with flash) and attempt to look through the lens to magnify something without first removing the battery and discharging the capacitor. 

Plastic sunglasses (optic nerve halogyn) SINK in sea water!


----------



## march.brown

Don't look at your wristwatch whilst holding a hot cup of coffee , the screaming frightens all the other MacDonalds customers.
.
.
I bet you are all going through the action of looking at your watch now.
.
.
p.s... It is safer for you to have the watch face on the inside of the wrist ... That way you scald someone else.

You've just tried it again haven't you ?
.


----------



## Monocrom

march.brown said:


> Don't look at your wristwatch whilst holding a hot cup of coffee , the screaming frightens all the other MacDonalds customers.
> .
> .
> I bet you are all going through the action of looking at your watch now.
> .
> .
> p.s... It is safer for you to have the watch face on the inside of the wrist ... That way you scald someone else.
> 
> You've just tried it again haven't you ?
> .



Ouch! I check my wristwatch often. But thankfully I wear it on my non-dominant wrist.


----------



## Kestrel

PhotonWrangler said:


> Ditto for Pop Tarts. Learned a long time ago that the jam filling can be MUCH hotter than the crust.


A _fascinating_ thermodynamic anomaly, Captain.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you unscrew the cap on a bottle of eye drops and it falls on the floor, no problem - just clean it with alcohol to sterilize it. But make sure the alcohol has evaporated completely before replacing the cap on the bottle, or some alcohol will seep into the eye drop fluid. And the next time you use it, it will hurt.


----------



## GrnXnham

Finish smoking your cigarette before changing the fuel filter on the car.


----------



## Illum

when working with CCFL inverters, do not pinch the wires going to the CCFLs, you will swear the insulator jackets are defective.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you unscrew the cap on a bottle of eye drops and it falls on the floor, no problem - just clean it with alcohol to sterilize it. But make sure the alcohol has evaporated completely before replacing the cap on the bottle, or some alcohol will seep into the eye drop fluid. And the next time you use it, it will hurt.



Ouch!

I prefer hot, soapy, water for cleaning caps that hit the floor. (Along with plenty of rinsing of the cap.)


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

Don't use an old wine bottle cork on Champagne to try and store it.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> Ouch!
> 
> I prefer hot, soapy, water for cleaning caps that hit the floor. (Along with plenty of rinsing of the cap.)



That's a good idea Monocrom.

It just dawned on me - being a flashaholic, I should've used a shortwave UV light to sterilize it. I have several of them.


----------



## Th232

PhotonWrangler said:


> That's a good idea Monocrom.
> 
> It just dawned on me - being a flashaholic, I should've used a shortwave UV light to sterilize it. I have several of them.



Hmm... will sterilise it, but won't get rid of any debris that may have gotten on it from the floor. Wipe then use the UV perhaps?


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Th232 said:


> Hmm... will sterilise it, but won't get rid of any debris that may have gotten on it from the floor. Wipe then use the UV perhaps?



Good point. Sterile debris is still debris that doesn't belong there.


----------



## nbp

Clean the floor?


----------



## Monocrom

nbp said:


> Clean the floor?



Realistically, every house has dust in it. You can clean till your fingers bleed, but that dust is coming right back. Far easier just to clean off the cap.


----------



## nbp

I was teasing you guys.


----------



## Dr Evil

Monocrom said:


> The building you live in was made by the guy who promised to bulid it for the cheapest price possible. (Sometimes even less than that.)
> 
> Where do they cheap out? . . . The gap between apartments.
> 
> My last place was a two-story building with apartments only on the top floor. No one stomping around on top of my head, no loud music, no chairs being dragged across the floor. (Honestly, it amazes me that my upstairs neighbor is so weak that he can't actually pick up the freaking chair properly.)
> 
> Still, he generally does well in being considerate. But every couple of nights out of the week, he comes home drunk as Hell and apparently forgets he doesn't live in a private house.
> 
> An electrician friend of mine has it much worse. An obnoxious couple with young kids who live upstairs from him. When you live in a city with a reputation for having a disproportionate number of @$$holes living in it . . . Yeah, you hold out for a top-floor apartment.



I lived in one apartment that had poor insulation between the floors. I heard the couple above me getting jiggy with it one night...


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When leaving a restroom in a hurry to get back to the office, take the time to check yourself in the mirror before walking out the door. You know, so you won't be walking around in public with a length of toilet paper hanging out the back of your pants.

Learned this one this past Monday.


----------



## nbp

That's like the quintessential foible in any comedy, but I've never understood how it happens. How the heck does a chunk of tp even get in your pants, and then how do you not notice that? I fear ever doing this myself, and now will be more paranoid knowing it doesn't only happen in movies.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> When leaving a restroom in a hurry to get back to the office, take the time to check yourself in the mirror before walking out the door. You know, so you won't be walking around in public with a length of toilet paper hanging out the back of your pants.
> 
> Learned this one this past Monday.



Back of your shoe I can understand. But pants??


----------



## PhotonWrangler

At the risk of providing too much information, a strip that's supposed to fall into the toilet misses it's mark and catches on the back edge of your pants or underpants. This has happened to me twice in my life - once a couple of decades ago and again a few days ago. Lesson learned: never assume that something will always land where you drop it.


----------



## Kestrel

Money spent on car audio, over the long term, is not unlike taking hundred-dollar bills and running them through a shredder.


----------



## nbp

Much as I love Surefire build quality, the plastic lens retaining rings suck and don't hold up to drops...the bezel edge WILL bend. So just buy the steel ring and install it right away before you drop the light on its head and then strip an Oveready removal tool trying to put the steel one on later after the damage is done. :shakehead


----------



## Gene43

Never expose the meaty part of your hand (between the thumb and forefinger) to a parrot you don't know.


----------



## Kestrel

nbp said:


> Much as I love Surefire build quality, the plastic lens retaining rings suck and don't hold up to drops...the bezel edge WILL bend. So just buy the steel ring and install it right away before you drop the light on its head and then strip an Oveready removal tool trying to put the steel one on later after the damage is done. :shakehead


Sorry that you didn't get the bezel ring earlier - like 6 months earlier, lol.


----------



## jch79

This thread makes me miss Rick (Sigman)... I hope you're well, wherever you are Rick! :wave:


----------



## Monocrom

When it comes to posting on watch forums, pretentious snobbery is going to be all around you; and far worse than you actually imagine it being. Yet, that is absolutely nothing compared to the sheer insanity of fans of various brands. Criticize a brand for a well-known, re-occurring issue; and expect to get sheer hatred in typed letter form directed at you. Expect to get stalked over the internet by these individuals. 

I've been into watches for quite sometime now, and have become fairly knowledgeable about certain brands. When you encounter that type of irrational fan-boy, don't even bother responding to them. They're worse than trolls. At least trolls know they're doing it out of "fun," and don't really mean it. They know they're being ridiculous. The fan-boys though, they're completely serious! What makes otherwise rational adults behave this way? No clue! I have a few favorite watch brands myself. I don't bow down at their alter . . . er . . . logo? Perhaps that's the right word? Thankfully, these are just watch brands; and not human cult leaders. Otherwise, there'd be some serious problems. 

Best advice: Completely ignore them. Use the Ignore List feature that pretty much all forums have. You will NOT be able to carry on a rational discussion with them, even if you were smarter than Einstein and had the patience of Gandhi.


----------



## nbp

Kestrel said:


> Sorry that you didn't get the bezel ring earlier - like 6 months earlier, lol.



I should have known better. 

I guess that's why this is the "Learn the hard way" thread. Haha

Interestingly the bezel on the G2L suffered the damage from a 3 ft fall from my pocket to garage floor....not the 60 ft fall from the top of a tower to the concrete slab it was sitting on.


----------



## Kith

1 - Buy quality tools. That little bit of ergonomics or cushioning, the slightly better angle and so on will make your project/workday much better allowing you to do more with more energy.

You don't want to fight with your tools to do the job, and any brainpower or energy spent on focusing too much on the tool takes away from doing the job. Especially long ones.

2 - Always be where you have to be early. The further away the place you have to be, the earlier you should arrive. Planning to be on time inevitably means you will be late. Every time.

3 - Don't use expensive stuff for disposable projects. Don't use cheap stuff for more permanent solutions.

4 - Always save old tools or ones just pass their 'good to use threshold'. Rescue tools others are throwing away. --- Don't loan your good stuff!!! ---

5 - Trying to get one over on Murphy means he will get you. Twice.

6 - Just using any old car battery is not the right answer. If it's too big to fit in your battery compartment, it's probably too much battery for your car. Alternators are expensive.

7 - Prepare for everything. Expect to be confronted with the one thing you overlooked.

8 - Hydrogen peroxide is a component of the glue in electrical tape. This is not a substitute for a sterile bandage.

9 - Trying to hide something from someone else ensures you will be the only one who can't find it.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Kith said:


> 8 - Hydrogen peroxide is a component of the glue in electrical tape. This is not a substitute for a sterile bandage.



Really? I never knew that. Do they use a similar adhesive in duct tape?


----------



## Kith

PhotonWrangler said:


> Really? I never knew that. Do they use a similar adhesive in duct tape?



To my knowledge electric tape is the only tape this is rampant in, not sure of any others that do. I forget why, but remember that it made a lot of sense when I looked it up so long ago.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't even try to use the compass built into a Harbor Freight survival knife to navigate with. After comparing it with another brand survival knife compass, I discovered that the Harbor Freight one had the magnet in the compass on backwards. North was South and East was West.


----------



## Illum

Friends should not let friends use gasoline in a zippo type lighter, even if it came from a reputable source and the description says its compatible. 

http://www.lighthound.com/Mini-Keychain-Lighter_p_4082.html



> Being only 45mm x 15mm, this mini flint lighter is the perfect addition to any keychain. Can be filled with Zippo oil or gasoline.



First off, 87 Octane is not cheap enough to be used in this way; second, it doesn't store for very long if its subjected to any amount of heat; and third, no burnt eyebrows and fingers is not included by the warranty.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When traveling out of your home area, test your cellphone to make sure it's receiving incoming calls. The carrier's routing tables (apparently) don't update automatically every time and you could miss an important call. You can initiate a "forced roaming update" yourself - google the code for your particular carrier.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> When traveling out of your home area, test your cellphone to make sure it's receiving incoming calls. The carrier's routing tables (apparently) don't update automatically every time and you could miss an important call. You can initiate a "forced roaming update" yourself - google the code for your particular carrier.



Yup. There's a certain, small, cellphone provider which is very popular in the NYC metro area. Prices are quite good. Problem is, if you go outside of the 5 Boroughs, your cellphone becomes about as useful as a paperweight on one of their plans.


----------



## eh4

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction... and levers Really work, hence the term "short end of the stick".

-Not meaning to be too obscure or general, but looking back over the years of injuries and mishaps I can boil most of it down to that.


----------



## HardmixS

Buy the best you can afford....Cry once!


----------



## nbp

When shaking the crumbs from the bottom of a bag of chips into your mouth, close your eyes. Those salty particles sting.


----------



## Illum

Do not dispose primed cases in a fire pit, no matter how deep it is. Primers will bite, even from several feet away.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

_The first bite of pizza is the one that will burn the roof of your mouth, leaving your tounge a blister to play with for the next four days.__

~ Chance_


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> _The first bite of pizza is the one that will burn the roof of your mouth, leaving your tounge a blister to play with for the next four days.__
> 
> ~ Chance_



SO TRUE! And it ruins every bit of pizza for the rest of the meal.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

My father learned this one the hard way. So I guess you could say I learned it from him, the easy way. When playing golf and someone yells FORE!! You should duck as quickley as possible. If you look around instead, you could literally have your ear knocked off, then need the services of a surgeon to reattach it. No kidding, his buddy carried it for him to the hospital. 

~ Chance


----------



## Monocrom

Illum said:


> Do not dispose primed cases in a fire pit, no matter how deep it is. Primers will bite, even from several feet away.



Oh! That could have been ugly.

My curiosity got the better of me. So I'll ask . . . Why waste cases and primers that way?


----------



## Launch Mini

I wonder which forum you might be referrring to? LOL

In reference to the watch forum above.


----------



## Monocrom

Launch Mini said:


> In reference to the watch forum above.



The biggest one. The Omega fans are pretty bad. 

The TAG Heuer fans are even worse. I can understand their defensiveness (to a point). Ironically, most of the TAG Heuer critics can only talk about how the brand "sucks." Or, that it's only a fashion brand. (Not true.) But there are real issues. Design flaw with the crown and stem on the 500M Aquaracer model. Similar crown issues nearly across the board on the Aquaracer line. TAG Heuer only very recently decided to cover the issue under warranty. They used to just dismiss warranty work on the crowns of the 500M as abuse by the owner. They still use that line if there are crown problems on other Aquaracer models. TAG Heuer does not keep parts around for even recently discontinued models. (Rolex does. And not just for recently discontinued models.) TAG Heuer's service center in N.J. has an "F" rating from the BBB. I had an opportunity to post a question directly to the man in charge at TAG Heuer about one of these issues. Others did as well. Zero response. Complete silence for over a month. One owner mentioned calling the company's customer service number to find out about getting his older TAG Heuer serviced. It was a discontinued model. The rep. actually told him to just sell it for parts and buy a new TAG Heuer. 

I love the look of some of their Aquaracers. But a company being run in such an unprofessional manner is the reason why there isn't an Aquaracer strapped to my wrist now. I know a pawn shop just a few miles away with a gorgeous example of a Grand Date / Small Seconds Aquaracer in the window for an incredibly tempting price. Practically mint. Better than near mint. I'm tempted . . . But I just don't need the headaches. Certain ones I'll put up with. But not those, and definitely not that many plaguing one brand. (Most of which TAG Heuer could fix on their own and thus be considered a more prestigious brand.)


----------



## Launch Mini

I thought you might have been talking about an "Italian" watch company that has had a resurgence after a 2004 relaunch. I see they are not alone in this behaviour.


----------



## Illum

Monocrom said:


> Oh! That could have been ugly.
> 
> My curiosity got the better of me. So I'll ask . . . Why waste cases and primers that way?



I was gullible and bought a case of ammo from the gun show:ironic:, I didn't bother to check the contents and the guy used very old surplus ammo [8x57] to fill the bottom of the case. So as I worked my way down I was confronted with so many misfires I scrapped about 100 rounds that looked bad [includes the 30ish that failed to fire], pulled the bullets, and dumped the powder. I sold the FMJ ball bullets to a reloader:twothumbs and fed the powder to my mango, kumquat, and papaya trees, which so far hasn't complained:green:. The cases were berdan primed, which can only be reloaded with great difficulty, if at all. 

Our property is agriculturally zoned, so fire pits are legal within limits. I used a digging tool previously used to put in fence posts, about 3ft down and half a foot wide I loaded it with charcoal, stuck an [salvaged] iron pipe about 2" wide into it. Add fuel, light and burn. As the fuel exhausts, the charcoals were glowing red. I shoveled dirt over the pit until only about 4ft of the pipe remains and no coals were visible. Then loaded in the primed brass and started walking down the step ladder... :fail:
In retrospect I should have covered that pipe with something, because within minutes the pipe was pinging and shifting, and something [coal or brass?] about the size of a dime flew out and burnt a blister on my back. Apparently not all the cases I scrapped had dead primers... in fact it sounded like lighting a long string of firecrackers in a muffled bucket. No neighbors came out to inquire though, they probably heard much louder things from my lot in the past


----------



## Gene43

When you are 12 (or any age, for that matter) don't shoot the primer of a live 12 gauge shell with a BB gun. I still have the scar on my arm.


----------



## Illum

Gene43 said:


> When you are 12 (or any age, for that matter) don't shoot the primer of a live 12 gauge shell with a BB gun. I still have the scar on my arm.



I can only imagine... oo:  :duck: :green: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40ylCFeMbgw


----------



## Monocrom

Illum said:


> . . . No neighbors came out to inquire though, they probably heard much louder things from my lot in the past



Berdan primed and cheated. Say no more. Glad to hear you weren't seriously hurt.


----------



## Monocrom

Gene43 said:


> When you are 12 (or any age, for that matter) don't shoot the primer of a live 12 gauge shell with a BB gun. I still have the scar on my arm.



Hope it wasn't a serious injury.


----------



## Slazmo

"In god I trust, however everyone else pays cash!" Found this out the hard way!

Never lend tools to a mate that does his mechanical tinkering's on grass and lives on a canal - got all my tools back full of sand. Paul I'm still shaking my fist at you 7 years later!!!


----------



## Monocrom

In a similar vein, if you've made your commission at the end of the month but your boss hasn't; volunteer to do the paper-work for everyone in the store for that month. One employee did after I left the shop for a new job. He got his higher-end Sensa pen. A certain someone whom I still keep in touch with owes me a titanium Cross Townsend pen. With Cross now having lowered standards in favor of pinching every penny, I'm owed one from the days when Cross pens were still made in America.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Gene43 said:


> When you are 12



Well, if we're talking follies of youth...

No matter how hard it is to do correctly, don't put the hand router upside down and hold a small wood piece with your hands, against the blade. The grain will catch, drawing your hand toward the 20k RPM spinning blade.

Clock still looks great. But I never did get back, the corner of my thumb.


----------



## Illum

ElectronGuru said:


> Clock still looks great. But I never did get back, the corner of my thumb.





Monocrom said:


> Oh! That could have been ugly.



 Grain catches, bones could catch too.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

ElectronGuru said:


> Well, if we're talking follies of youth...
> 
> No matter how hard it is to do correctly, don't put the hand router upside down and hold a small wood piece with your hands, against the blade. The grain will catch, drawing your hand toward the 20k RPM spinning blade.
> 
> Clock still looks great. But I never did get back, the corner of my thumb.




_E Guru,

You had to know somebody was going to ask for a picture.  Please?

~€hance
_


----------



## Rossymeister

Any data worth saving, is worth saving twice. Just took some older fujifilm cd-rs out of storage, and NOT A SINGLE ONE would read on any of the computers that i have. I lost about 6 months worth of pictures. These worked fine a few years ago.

From the website:


Fujifilm Website said:


> low-volume publishing and distribution of data, as well as mass storage and* long-term archiving*.



Luckily, I wa able to salvage most of the photos out of a couple of old hard drives.

Lesson learned!


----------



## Echo63

nbp said:


> Much as I love Surefire build quality, the plastic lens retaining rings suck and don't hold up to drops...the bezel edge WILL bend. So just buy the steel ring and install it right away before you drop the light on its head and then strip an Oveready removal tool trying to put the steel one on later after the damage is done. :shakehead


I agree with this one !

The dent can be carefully hammered back enough to get the new bezel ring in though


----------



## HotWire

Ever had the hood on your car fail to *pop* when you pull the latch? I was told there is *no way* to open the hood! It will have to be cut off! Others suggested using a crow bar and forcing the hood up! Factory car manuals were of no help. I must have read 1,000 posts on the problem in various forums. Then on one small post with a photo.....Bingo! Most latches have a *back door.* I was able to find the *back door* (a small hook) and pop it open with a tool I made from 3/16" rod. Then it was a matter of cleaning and adjusting the hood and lubricating the cable and latch. Cost? Nothing. Piece of 3/16" rod: priceless!


----------



## Monocrom

HotWire said:


> Ever had the hood on your car fail to *pop* when you pull the latch? I was told there is *no way* to open the hood! It will have to be cut off! Others suggested using a crow bar and forcing the hood up! Factory car manuals were of no help. I must have read 1,000 posts on the problem in various forums. Then on one small post with a photo.....Bingo! Most latches have a *back door.* I was able to find the *back door* (a small hook) and pop it open with a tool I made from 3/16" rod. Then it was a matter of cleaning and adjusting the hood and lubricating the cable and latch. Cost? Nothing. Piece of 3/16" rod: priceless!



If it makes you feel better, I knew about the "hook." Forgot about it a few years later, then nearly crushed my fingers before finally remembering about it.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

_The last time my hood failed to open, I had my wife pull the release handle while I gently pounded on the hood. _ Popped right up._ Of course if the cable is broke, the hook is option #1._

"Others suggested using a crow bar and forcing the hood up!" _That is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard. Obviously __"Others" __have no idea how the hood latch works. 

Congratulations for keeping your head and thinking it through. 

~ Chance


_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When opening a bottle of soda that's been sitting in a hot car, open it very slowly, even if it's been opened and partially consumed already. It still has enough built up pressure inside to go splat!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If your business depends heavily on a laptop computer, bring an emergency Linux boot disc with you when you're traveling. My machine went a little bonkers the other day and it was because of a Windows glitch which almost prevented me from completing a crucial portion of a job. An alternate boot disk would've avoided the problem.


----------



## Illum

PhotonWrangler said:


> If your business depends heavily on a laptop computer, bring an emergency Linux boot disc with you when you're traveling. My machine went a little bonkers the other day and it was because of a Windows glitch which almost prevented me from completing a crucial portion of a job. An alternate boot disk would've avoided the problem.



Some laptops don't have optical drives, it pays to figure out the bios of those that don't so you can boot off of USB keys


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Illum said:


> Some laptops don't have optical drives, it pays to figure out the bios of those that don't so you can boot off of USB keys



Good point, Illum. I did make up a Knoppix USB boot disc for these situations.


----------



## Cyclops942

post deleted


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

_Almost without exception, when someone asks for personal advice, they really just want you to listen, not give advice. 

~ Chance_


----------



## Cyclops942

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> _Almost without exception, when someone asks for personal advice, they really just want you to listen, not give advice.
> 
> ~ Chance_


Sorry, there are exceptions. Maybe not in your experience, but definitely in mine. However, it is important to find out which case it is before offering advice. Keeping your mouth shut unless and until they look at you expectantly would probably be safer than asking, "So... is this one of those times when I'm just supposed to listen, or do you really want advice?"


----------



## Monocrom

Don't ever try to have a rational discussion with someone who has studied something which you have enough talent to do, and actually do well. However, they lack that talent. So all they can do is simply study the subject. Then based on their studies, instead of first hand experience, they get upset when you point out their preconceived notions are simply not true. Even if you do it politely. 

There's nothing like listening to someone who fancies themselves an expert based solely on studying a subject.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> Don't ever try to have a rational discussion with someone who has studied something which you have enough talent to do, and actually do well. However, they lack that talent. So all they can do is simply study the subject. Then based on their studies, instead of first hand experience, they get upset when you point out their preconceived notions are simply not true. Even if you do it politely.
> 
> There's nothing like listening to someone who fancies themselves an expert based solely on studying a subject.



“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” 
― George Carlin


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> “Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and then beat you with experience.”
> ― George Carlin



Very true. My situation involved politely disagreeing with someone who is an otherwise intelligent adult.


----------



## Burgess

People sometimes say to me:


" I really like your Softball photos. "

" I wanna' take pictures like yours. What *camera* should I buy ? "


I respond:

" I wanna' play music like Eric Clapton. What *guitar* should I buy ? "




Only a FEW of them actually " catch " this !


 :thinking:

_


----------



## Illum

They assume you would naturally recommend the camera you are using, but almost always overlook two factors that often turns around the blocks your recommendations. One is purpose, the other is budget. a freelance photographer, a wedding photographer, a wildlife photographer, and an astrophotographer do not all share the same camera, nor its price. 

I have been asked that question more than once, and it has lead to a monologue of brand name loyalty and "theres no way a camera like that should ever cost more than..." more than once. If you ask a question, expect an answer that will not always adhere to what you believe in.


----------



## Th232

Not to mention the issue of skill as well. Better to learn how to use a camera as well, whether it's a book or some workshops. Good equipment will help you some, but skill is a lot more important.


----------



## Zeruel

Burgess said:


> I respond:
> 
> " I wanna' play music like Eric Clapton. What *guitar* should I buy ? "



That's a good one. :laughing:


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

_Most people would do anything to be able to play the guitar like Eric Clapton.......except practice.

~ Chance_


----------



## Cyclops942

Monocrom said:


> Don't ever try to have a rational discussion with someone who has studied something which you have enough talent to do, and actually do well. However, they lack that talent. So all they can do is simply study the subject. Then based on their studies, instead of first hand experience, they get upset when you point out their preconceived notions are simply not true. Even if you do it politely.
> 
> There's nothing like listening to someone who fancies themselves an expert based solely on studying a subject.


"A man with experience is never at the mercy of a man with a theory." -- Angelo D'Amico


----------



## Monocrom

Cyclops942 said:


> "A man with experience is never at the mercy of a man with a theory." -- Angelo D'Amico



We need a "Like" button.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

I use this ~ :thumbsup:

C. G.



Monocrom said:


> We need a "Like" button.


----------



## nbp

If you're doing a brake job and replacing the rotors and you see two Phillips head screws holding the rotor on (such as on my Accord), don't bother trying to get them out. They are likely stuck there for good and you will mangle them up (or your tools) in the process and waste time and get frustrated.

Just get your friend the drill, pop in about a 9/32 metal bit, and drill the heads off those suckers. They really aren't necessary as the caliper and the lug nuts will hold the rotor in place anyways, and are mostly there for the original manufacturing process. With the drill you can get done in about 15 seconds per screw what will take you a heck of a lot of irritation if you try to remove them. Put your new rotors on over the old studs and don't worry about them ever again. 

This was my afternoon yesterday. :ironic:

New rotors and ceramic brakes mean the car stops like a dream today though. :thumbsup:


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

_.....Not to put ceramic pads on rotors that weren't designed for them. The steel used to make the rotors on my 91 Cadillac wasn't strong enough, the ceramic pads ate them for lunch.  

~ Chance_


----------



## jnj1033

The extra $2 for signature confirmation is worth it.

Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk 2


----------



## nbp

iPod Touches cannot be submerged. I just dropped mine in water for probably less than two seconds and it is not functioning AT ALL. 

Such a clumsy mistake is super unusual for me and does not make me too happy. :scowl:


Is it dead for good?


----------



## mvyrmnd

nbp said:


> iPod Touches cannot be submerged. I just dropped mine in water for probably less than two seconds and it is not functioning AT ALL.
> 
> Such a clumsy mistake is super unusual for me and does not make me too happy. :scowl:
> 
> 
> Is it dead for good?



Probably.

Liquid damage is considered "repairable damage" by apple and you can pay a nominal fee for a whole unit swap.


----------



## nbp

So they can take my device and have access to whatever personal data is stored on it? Hmmmm, I dunno about that. It's almost 3 yrs old, maybe I'll just write it off and save for an iPad. 

Will try the rice trick though.


----------



## Monocrom

Definitely try the rice trick, and then wait a handful of days more. I've experienced the following situation more than once. Electronic item gets flooded, won't work, then numerous days later it starts working again. The rice trick should speed up the process a bit though.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

nbp said:


> ?.....maybe I'll just write it off and save for an iPad.



I purchased a refurbished iPad 2 from Apple.com for $349. 
It came with a new rear case, and full warranty. 

~ Chance


----------



## nbp

That's actually a heck of a deal! If I can hold off on flashlights and outdoors gear for a couple months that may be the way to go! 

The iTouch is in a bag of rice now. What can it hurt, it's not gonna get any more dead.


----------



## Burgess

point # 1 -- Not all Grapes are SEEDLESS !


point # 2 -- A grape seed can Damage my TOOTH !




_


----------



## Illum

Don't replace a 120VAC relay with a 12VDC relay, even if they look identical in the cute KH packages.:shakehead
If you think its the right wire size, go one wire gauge higher
Do not assume that butane fired solder iron will cool itself down in 20 minutes, it won't.
Do not clean the PCB board with alcohol if you are using a butane iron
Batteries go in the battery bin, not the hardware bin. 
Don't walk around the shop bare feet, a resistor lead stuck in your foot is painful stuff. 
Don't flood the sponge, wet it will do, solder balls tend to jump if the sponge is saturated.
If you suspect theres going to be too much hetsinking, solder the leads to the LED before epoxying it down.
Check your LED to make sure the one you swapped out was defective and the new one epoxied in isn't.
If you have to use a battery as a power source, put an inline fuse in your circuit somewhere. 
Do not heat the heatshrink until you have checked that there is no possibility that the connection is a cold joint. 
Heatshrink cannot replace regular insulation, its just not flexible enough and the dielectric strength sucks.


----------



## Cyclops942

When a Jack-Wagon (substitute your own term here) is in the lane that is about to disappear and therefore must merge into your lane, and he acts like it is YOUR responsibility to slow down and let him in, it does not pay to insist that you are right. 


Although the nice police officer who eventually shows up to a non-injury accident will get to the truth of the matter;
although the nice police officer will politely and firmly inform the Jack-Wagon that he was being a Bone-Head (not the term the nice police officer will use, of course), and that said Jack-Wagon was completely in the wrong;
although the nice police officer will issue the Jack-Wagon a citation listing him as the cause of the accident;
although the Jack-Wagon's insurance company will very politely pay for the damages to your vehicle---
you're still left with the incredible annoyance and delay of the whole incident, and the Jack-Wagon won't have learned a single thing.

Let the Bone-Heads be Bone-Heads in traffic all by themselves; it doesn't pay to be a stubborn Bone-Head along with them just because you're right.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Cyclops942 said:


> Let the Bone-Heads be Bone-Heads in traffic all by themselves; it doesn't pay to be a stubborn Bone-Head along with them just because you're right.



I gather that the Jackwagon didn't seem the least bit repentant at the scene of the accident?


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Pride cometh before a crash. Well at least you showed him. Sorry, I shouldn't mock your pain. 

~ Chance


----------



## Cyclops942

PhotonWrangler said:


> I gather that the Jackwagon didn't seem the least bit repentant at the scene of the accident?


You gather correctly, fine sir. This also gave me an opportunity to see the nice police officer amaze me by staying quite calm in the face of said Jackwagon's verbal expressions of stupidity and anger; he never showed even the tiniest bit of irritation. That is a job I could not do well, and I'm glad that others have chosen to do it. I'm also glad that they get good training in how to deal with idiots.



Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Pride cometh before a crash. Well at least you showed him. Sorry, I shouldn't mock your pain.
> 
> ~ Chance


Actually, you seem to have grasped and re-stated the lesson I was hoping to share rather well.


----------



## redking79

Don't waste time for money. You can always make more money but you'll never make more time.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Cyclops942 said:


> You gather correctly, fine sir. This also gave me an opportunity to see the nice police officer amaze me by staying quite calm in the face of said Jackwagon's verbal expressions of stupidity and anger; he never showed even the tiniest bit of irritation. That is a job I could not do well, and I'm glad that others have chosen to do it. I'm also glad that they get good training in how to deal with.


_
Of course it's a good thing the officer stayed calm, but it would of made for a great story if Jackwagon's verbal abuse had led to a proper tasing, then being cuffed-n-stuffed while you captured the whole event on video, then uploaded to YouTube for us all to enjoy.

I'm amazed at how much people are willing to risk for so little gain.

You would be amazed at how many Jackwagon's we have in Washington State.


~ Chance_


----------



## Ny0ng1

its quite silly really, but i blamed it on fatique and eagerness to go home to start a good weekend.

Don't turn on the engine of your bike when you are cleaning/oiling/wiping/etc the chain-drivetrain. Well, i lost almost a full phalanx of my right thumb because of this


----------



## H-Man

When faced with an electrical issue in a car, check your grounds, the previous owner might have thought it was a positive ground system.


----------



## Monocrom

Thoughtful intelligence and a sense of humor are not nearly as appreciated on some other forums as they are on CPF.

(Guess I got used to the intelligence and sense of humor of those whom Greta picks to be on the CPF moderator / Admin. staff.)


----------



## Cyclops942

Monocrom said:


> Thoughtful intelligence and a sense of humor are not nearly as appreciated on some other forums as they are on CPF.
> 
> (Guess I got used to the intelligence and sense of humor of those whom Greta picks to be on the CPF moderator / Admin. staff.)


Yes, we are rather spoiled here, aren't we?


----------



## will

H-Man said:


> When faced with an electrical issue in a car, check your grounds, the previous owner might have thought it was a positive ground system.



Seldom is this a problem - check the ground connection between the engine and the frame....


----------



## H-Man

I found the reason my dome light fuse would blow: Previous owner wired up the chassis ground wire on the radio to a positive wire, so every time it was connected to ground via the antenna/ the brackets it is attached to, it would blow the dome light fuse. Enigne runs fine (I somehow had the positive terminal clamp break on me and it barely made contact with the battery, still the engine started fine but my fuel economy sucked seeing how I could only get 43 mpg when I didn't have any electrical loads.)


----------



## Monocrom

Cyclops942 said:


> Yes, we are rather spoiled here, aren't we?



When the owner has a brain and a sense of humor, it contributes to the spoilage. 

A mildly spoiled peach tastes better and is juicier than a fresh, rock hard one.


----------



## Admiralgrey

Don't inform someone that the head of your torch has gotten rather hot and expect them not to touch the lense and burn their fingers on it.

Never leave your rod in the bottom of the boat with the bail closed while unhooking a shark too big to come inside; it will be gone in an instant. 

Don't let fish slide out of your hand backwards.

Never bring only crocs on a canoeing / fishing trip somewhere with locust trees. Those spines go right on through. 

If a bulb is corroded into its socket, donning gloves before wrangling it out will prevent nasty surprises.


----------



## Monocrom

If you have a joint _anything_ with another person, *always* be sure your name is first. Otherwise, don't bother. Had to deal with an idiot on the phone. Now because of a stupid misunderstanding, my elderly mother has to take time out of her day this Friday afternoon to join me for an appointment that I could have easily taken care of myself.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Before you buy any significant gadget in a store that's got a great sale price, check it's reviews online. I bought something the other day that turned out to be absolute junk. Then I looked up some reviews to see if maybe I just got a lemon and found others that said - guess what - it's absolute junk! A quick trip back to the store for a full refund, but I can't help but wonder how many others are going to get suckered into buying it like I did.


----------



## Kestrel

When you close a thread, do it *anonymously*; this way posters don't know who to complain to via PM's.

Whoops - did I say that out loud? :devil:


----------



## Illum

People actually complain for that? 
I figured thats how you get banned up here...




H-Man said:


> my fuel economy sucked seeing how I could only get *43 mpg* ...




Sounds pretty good for me, I'm lucky to get 23 out of my SUV


----------



## Monocrom

Kestrel said:


> When you close a thread, do it *anonymously*; this way posters don't know who to complain to via PM's.
> 
> Whoops - did I say that out loud? :devil:



And all this time we've been blaming poor Bill, for those.


----------



## HighlanderNorth

That being a defensive driver is important, but not being an obsessively defensive driver with no offense. In so many ways, life can be compared to football, and this is one of those many examples! When I first became a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles(no, I am not very patient so I dont know why I'm still there!), it was obvious that thier then head coach, Buddy Ryan, was 100% defensive oriented as he was a great defensive coach. Although he did hire a great potential quarterback in Randall Cunningham, he didnt make hardly any effort to build a good offense around Randall, but he did create the best defense that has ever played the game, so they were able to make it to the playoffs most years(still do), but never went all the way. You are never going to succeed without some offense.

That football analogy reminds me of my Mom's driving. Of course I love my Mom, but she is a 100%, hyper defensive driver. She takes these defensive driving courses and takes it all to heart to an extreme. Its to the point that she is a figgity, nervous, paranoid driver who is actually more likely to get into an accident than most non-excessively defensive drivers. In fact, she just got the good news that 2 people she hit(in one accident) 2.5 years ago have both settled their claims, and she wont be losing her license! She will slow wayyyy down in her lane and take her time to move into another lane, therefore holding up traffic, and nearly getting rear-ended regularly! Thats only one of many examples.

I have always been an offensive/defensive driver. As previously mentioned by Cyclops942 in post 665, there are jack-a$$es out there who are terrible drivers, and you must sometimes take the initiative to get out of their way before they hit you! If you tend to be hyper-defensive around these people, you will likely BOTH end up with wrecked vehicles! Some times its best to get away, around, or ahead of those people if it can be done safely. Driving slowly nearby and waiting for bad drivers to suddenly learn how to drive usually ends up in a wreck! Some times you just have to get away from them....


----------



## gadget_lover

The difference between driving 15 MPH over for 60 miles and doing the speed limit is....

Not really what you would think. Driving that fast means that you have to be hyper-vigilant about cops. You have to be extra careful about other drivers as yo pass them, just in case they change lanes without notice. At the end of the hour I am often tired and agitated. 

Otoh, when I drive the speed limit, I get there later, but enjoy the ride and get there relaxed.

Dan


----------



## H-Man

Illum said:


> People actually complain for that?
> I figured thats how you get banned up here...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sounds pretty good for me, I'm lucky to get 23 out of my SUV


Only as in only when certain conditions are met. I can get it down to 14 MPG if I treat it like a rally car (manual transmissions are fun.) 43mpg is insanely high, I had to let it coast without the engine running (manual transaxel gets needed lubrication even without engine) to get that kinda economy. I get more like 36 if I drive it like a normal person.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Tons of good stuff this page...




Burgess said:


> point # 1 -- Not all Grapes are SEEDLESS !


Sometimes thats a good thing. Costco sometimes has these red seeded that are so good, so big, they're more like eating apples. Worth hunting for and eating around the seeds.




Cyclops942 said:


> Let the Bone-Heads be Bone-Heads in traffic all by themselves; it doesn't pay to be a stubborn Bone-Head along with them just because you're right.



Two huge lessons in this story. 1) don't try to save others from themselves. Sometimes we don't know any better and sometimes we are determined to do it or do it that way. 2) School teaches that right is right. In the real world being right is narry a reason to do or be. Particularly when enforcing the 'rightness' costs more than the payoff. Without an enforcing 3rd party, it usually comes down to power or energy, with who has more getting what they want.




PhotonWrangler said:


> Before you buy any significant gadget in a store that's got a great sale price, check it's reviews online. I bought something the other day that turned out to be absolute junk. Then I looked up some reviews to see if maybe I just got a lemon and found others that said - guess what - it's absolute junk! A quick trip back to the store for a full refund, but I can't help but wonder how many others are going to get suckered into buying it like I did.



It seems every year, B&M retail gets worse and worse. With so many shoppers buying solely on price, for what ends up to be a disposable item, going first with mail-order ends up being a massive saver of time and trouble. Recent example: needed to buy some towels. 100 years of development, feeding some cotton into a machine to make a sheet.

After a set from the 90's finally thinned out (from a store no longer in business because their prices were to high), 2 local examples fell apart in a matter of months. Finally found a store online (LLbean) that has them made to their own standards.




HighlanderNorth said:


> there are jack-a$$es out there who are terrible drivers, and you must sometimes take the initiative to get out of their way before they hit you!



Oregonians are some of the most relaxed drivers I've ever seen (sometimes to much). I've learned to relax, but having learned to drive in LA, the inner racing driver is always vigilant, waiting for issues and/or opportunities to present themselves. Sometimes you just have to shout at the windshield.

In traffic, I tend to be a 'light before lane' driver, knowing that making it through before the red, means tons of options for getting over. Mrs Guru tends to be 'lane before light', piling up behind slower vehicles, then waiting a cycle (or two) for the light to let the long/narrow column through.




gadget_lover said:


> Driving that fast means that you have to be hyper-vigilant about cops. You have to be extra careful about other drivers as yo pass them, just in case they change lanes without notice. At the end of the hour I am often tired and agitated.



And that 10% more speed yields 10% time savings, which can be all of 3 minutes on a 30 minute trip, for which you burn 25% more gas because of the increased wind resistance. A real time MPG gauge is the best speed control I've used.


*A couple of new ones...*

From olympic cycling. Stand up from the saddle near the end, _before_ they stand up from their saddles - and pass you. You're going to have to stand up anyway and work your *** off anyway. You may as well get gold in the process. Sort of reminds me of election dates. When you move yours earlier in the year, they are going to move theirs to leap frog you anyway. You may way well anticipate the move and move further the first time.

People least appreciate that which they have the most. One of the big appeals of the PNW is the excellent air and water quality. Never seen (or smelled) so many stinky, polluting cars in my life. Saw one last week, turned the entire other side of the freeway, a sickly blue.


----------



## nbp

Just use the funnel.


----------



## jamesmtl514

Don't leave an unopened softdrink/soda in the vehicle overnight in freezing temperatures.


----------



## Illum

jamesmtl514 said:


> Don't leave an unopened softdrink/soda in the vehicle overnight in freezing temperatures.



heh, don't eave an unopened softdrink/soda in the vehicle rolling around in any temperature


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

There's no easy-way to remove carpet glue from a 700 sq ft cement floor. :shakehead The floor was going to be dyed so all​ the glue had to go. :hairpull:

~ Chance


----------



## nbp

They have machines that do that really nicely. Rent one, it's the only way.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Thanks nbp, that's what we ended up doing. It had a 9inch blade that removed everything but the pigment. After the scraper we scrubbed the floor with hot water, industrial cleaner, and a 17inch buffer. Unfortunately there was was still some pigment from the carpet adhesive and a coat of sealer on the floor. We wanted to color the cement with dye, so we hired a local company to do a three step grind. The entire area was almost 1,600 sq ft. 

One of the two larger grinders used.






And the vacuum.





The end result.





One other thing I learned the hard way: When you change the color of the floor, your wife will want you to change the color of the walls. 

~ Chance


----------



## Cyclops942

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> One other thing I learned the hard way: When you change the color of the floor, your wife will want you to change the color of the walls.
> 
> ~ Chance


Well... yeah! You really didn't see that one coming? Really?


----------



## Monocrom

I hadn't even thought of that either.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Cyclops942 said:


> Well... yeah! You really didn't see that one coming? Really?




Honestly, I was so focused on finishing the floor I hadn't [email protected]@Ked that far ahead. But you're right, (especially after being married 27 years) I should have seen "the painting on the walls". 

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

No matter how much of a hurry you're in, when working with a pocketknife, find a stable surface to work on.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> No matter how much of a hurry you're in, when working with a pocketknife, find a stable surface to work on.



Ouch!

Hey, that reminds me of another lesson. If you're not going to carry a small FAK (First-Aid Kit), always carry a few Band-Aids in your wallet.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> Ouch!
> 
> Hey, that reminds me of another lesson. If you're not going to carry a small FAK (First-Aid Kit), always carry a few Band-Aids in your wallet.



That's a good suggestion, Monocrom. After my pocket knife incident I've been keeping a band-aid and a couple of alcohol wipes in my shirt pocket.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Thought the first lesson of this thread was learning how to bleed


----------



## Monocrom

ElectronGuru said:


> Thought the first lesson of this thread was learning how to bleed



No.

that's the easy part.


----------



## Monocrom

Never try to reason with someone who is busy basking in the glory and self-righteousness of being "offended," and announcing it to the world. Even if you were not the one who offended him.

Just got off the WatchuSeek forums with one such moron. Tried to let him know that he should contact a moderator if he feels that strongly about something another member posted. His response? Blames me for perpetuating the off-topic discussion, and then posts a lengthy diatribe about how he's _entitled_ to be offended. (For some really odd reason, over the last few days, I've seen a trend on WUS with regards to the number of posts that consist of little more than "I'm offended" or "That's racist." In all of the cases, nothing but sheer BS.) The funny thing is, those types actually believe that others care when they announce publicly that they're "offended."

I must have missed the memo. When exactly did being "offended" turn into a status symbol thing? Has it been trendy for awhile? Apparently if you can't afford a real Rolex you have two choices. Buy a really good fake off of the internet. Or . . . Walk around announcing that the least little comment offends you.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

"Just because I offended you, doesn't necessarily mean I did something wrong." 

Rabbi Daniel Lapin


----------



## Monocrom

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> "Just because I offended you, doesn't necessarily mean I did something wrong."
> 
> Rabbi Daniel Lapin



Quoted for Great Justice.

Or Sheer Common Sense.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Monocrom said:


> I must have missed the memo. When exactly did being "offended" turn into a status symbol thing? Has it been trendy for awhile?



I was checking out threads on the new iPad Mini on Wed/Thurs. You'd of thought Apple was demanding their first born for something they didn't even want. Its like people are on intravenous drips of liquid anxiety. Hopefully things will calm down after the elections.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Today I learned that I should really put some GITD tape or paint on my flashlights. We had a brief power outage at work and while I had a flashlight nearby, I couldn't find it because the room I was in was pitch dark! Eventually I fumbled my way to the door and let in some daylight.


----------



## Megatrowned

Speaking of common sense, I saw this one recently (wish I could remember where).

"Common sense is so rare, it should be considered a super power".  

It makes me laugh, but boy have I seen this to be true. This goes along with "make something idiot proof, and they'll make a better idiot."


----------



## Norm

“Common sense is not so common.”
― Voltaire,


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

PhotonWrangler said:


> Today I learned that I should really put some GITD tape or paint on my flashlights. We had a brief power outage at work and while I had a flashlight nearby, I couldn't find it because the room I was in was pitch dark! Eventually I fumbled my way to the door and let in some daylight.



PW, Almost 10,000 posts and you get caught without a AAA torch in your pocket!?

Say it ain't so......

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I know, I have my [email protected]$$ moments. That was one of them.


----------



## Southpaw1925

Life is not defined by what you think or say. It is defined by what you do.

You can't control anyone, but yourself.

The three most important things in life: health, liberty, family.

It's not what happens that matters. It's what you DO with what happens is what matters.

In business, the fish will always stink from the head down.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Never go outside without your house keys.

I went outside to peek at something tonight and a quick breeze caused the door to slam shut, locked. I spent an hour in the cold without a jacket, trying to get back inside. I finally had to walk a half mile to a gas station (the only place open on Christmas) just to warm up and wait to be picked up by my s.o.


----------



## EZO

PhotonWrangler said:


> Never go outside without your house keys.
> 
> I went outside to peek at something tonight and a quick breeze caused the door to slam shut, locked. I spent an hour in the cold without a jacket, trying to get back inside. I finally had to walk a half mile to a gas station (the only place open on Christmas) just to warm up and wait to be picked up by my s.o.



What a bummer, and on Christmas no less! This has happened to me too....several times over the years! Only now I keep a set of keys hidden in a secret outdoor location in an outbuilding and so when I stepped out onto the front porch last winter on a bitter cold night in a T-shirt and the failing doorknob I'd been too lazy to repair got stuck I was able to go and retrieve the keys. Flashaholic that I am, it was a damn good thing I had my SC51w in my pocket or finding those keys in the dark shed would not have been fun.


----------



## BenChiew

Never leave home without your flashlight. It always happen that when you bring it, you never need them but just that one time you don't take it with you and that is the time you really need it. Ironic but it happens all the time.


----------



## thelonewolf1124

1-don't eat onion rings if you still have a bite plate mounted to your jaw after having 4 plates installed in your upper jaw, bits of onion will get under it and rot during the month that it is wired in place, a water pick can't get then out. You won't want onion tongs for 2years after that.

2-when you drop a sweet and sour packet on the floor don't tell yourself youll get it when you get up, youll forget about it, step on it, and need to clean a 4 foot long squirt out of the carpet.

3-dont bet your friend you can stare at the sun the longest

4-always wear safety glasses while soldering, a wire will pop loose and fling a molten bead at your eyes. You will thank your lucky stars you stared into the sun as a child and require glasses to see.

5-don't slam your car door out of anger, the clips holding the door panel on will break causing the door to jam. 

6-don't let your friend flip your new balisong, they don't know what a bite handle is and they will slash their knuckles. They will drop the knife. They will try and catch the knife. There will be blood.


----------



## Johnbeck180

When trying to hill clime on a 4-wheeler make sure you...
A. Have enough speed
B. Make sure the hill is not to steep
C. Don't have any liquid courage before you go out riding 4-wheelers 

You will end up flipping the quad back on yourself, being able to tough your kneecap with the side of your right foot, breaking three toes on the same foot, cracking your left ankle and breaking two toes on you left foot. And when it gets cold and the weather changes your leg will hurt and you'll walk with a limp due to the screws and steel rod you have running the length of your shin. 

And when riding a KTM 125 dirt bike watch out for #9 steel clothes lines, they will dang near rip your bottom lip off when you hit one at 20-30 MPH. 

Two things I've learned the hard way. Hope everyone had a Merry Xmas.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

EZO said:


> Flashaholic that I am, it was a damn good thing I had my SC51w in my pocket or finding those keys in the dark shed would not have been fun.



Good for you Ezo. I had a flashlight on me last night. Didn't do me a darn bit of good though!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

thelonewolf1124 said:


> 2-when you drop a sweet and sour packet on the floor don't tell yourself youll get it when you get up, youll forget about it, step on it, and need to clean a 4 foot long squirt out of the carpet.



Been there, done that. Substitute "ketchup" for "sweet & sour" though. :laughing:


----------



## EZO

PhotonWrangler said:


> Good for you Ezo. I had a flashlight on me last night. Didn't do me a darn bit of good though!



Yup! I'm glad I hid those keys. You might consider hiding some keys somewhere safe too......for next time! Unfortunately, with things like this, there's usually a next time.....sooner or later.

Edit: Speaking of learning things the hard way......If the lock on your front doorknob is acting dicey, don't procrastinate too long about replacing it. You just might get locked out of your house in a T-shirt on a cold dark night.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

EZO said:


> Speaking of learning things the hard way......If the lock on your front doorknob is acting dicey, don't procrastinate too long about replacing it. You just might get locked out of your house in a T-shirt on a cold dark night.



Yep, the lock has since been dealt with. This particular one won't bite me again. We're also taking some other measures to prevent this. Hypothermia would not be fun!


----------



## EZO

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yep, the lock has since been dealt with. This particular one won't bite me again. We're also taking some other measures to prevent this. Hypothermia would not be fun!



I now have a shiny new lock-set on my door, so I won't get locked out on the porch again any time soon! Hypothermia would definitely not be fun, especially where I live as it's been been down in the teens lately during the night. 
........So, I guess I can now go on to whatever it is next I need to learn the hard way. It's always something!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Ok, this one is a little embarrassing and gross but also funny. Mods, feel free to delete it if you think it's inappropriate. I will try to word this carefully.

The other day I decided to try some maple cinnamon oatmeal. This is a microwaveable package of oatmeal from a major manufacturer, the first company that comes to mind when you think of oatmeal. Got it?

Well this product has an unusually heavy dose of maple-cinnamon scent and flavor, possibly to make up for the fact that it's a reduced-sugar version. The scent is almost overpowering, it's that strong. Anyway, I discovered that the next day, while in the bathroom, the cereal produced a maple-cinnamon scented, um... flatulence. I am _not_ making this up. I didn't even know this was possible!

Should I write to their customer service department and tell them about this? :laughing:


----------



## EZO

PhotonWrangler said:


> Ok, this one is a little embarrassing and gross but also funny. Mods, feel free to delete it if you think it's inappropriate. I will try to word this carefully.
> 
> The other day I decided to try some maple cinnamon oatmeal. This is a microwaveable package of oatmeal from a major manufacturer, the first company that comes to mind when you think of oatmeal. Got it?
> 
> Well this product has an unusually heavy dose of maple-cinnamon scent and flavor, possibly to make up for the fact that it's a reduced-sugar version. The scent is almost overpowering, it's that strong. Anyway, I discovered that the next day, while in the bathroom, the cereal produced a maple-cinnamon scented, um... flatulence. I am _not_ making this up. I didn't even know this was possible!
> 
> Should I write to their customer service department and tell them about this? :laughing:



They might say it's a "value added" feature, not a bug!


----------



## Burgess

Their new advertising slogan:


" Smells GREAT -- coming and going ! "


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Burgess said:


> Their new advertising slogan:
> 
> 
> " Smells GREAT -- coming and going ! "


----------



## Monocrom

If I was the company, I'd market it to women as a special "perfume" for that part of the body. 

It would sell too. Though the advertising campaign would have to be done carefully.


----------



## gadget_lover

I've learned that you can lock yourself out of anything. I no longer have self locking door knobs. I have to lock them deliberately and they unlock when the door opens. 

I also find that my car has a neat feature where it relocks itself when you unlock it but don't get in. This backfires when your wife unlocks the car for you so you can get the keys off the seat. She drives away at about the same time the car re-locks.

The cure is simple. I have a key for my car in my wallet. I've ground it down to where it's very thin and only enough of it left to open the door. 

Just to be safe, the back door to the house has an electric combination lock. If all else fails I can get in that way.

Dan


----------



## PhotonWrangler

gadget_lover said:


> I also find that my car has a neat feature where it relocks itself when you unlock it but don't get in. This backfires when your wife unlocks the car for you so you can get the keys off the seat. She drives away at about the same time the car re-locks.
> 
> Dan



Ouch! I'm guessing that feature nails a lot of people and probably keeps Onstar busy.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When testing some neon glow lamps, always verify whether the bulb needs a current limiting resistor before connecting them to AC power. I was going through a collection of small lamps, using a 100k series resistor for the NE2 style bulbs, but when I got to a larger bayonet based bulb, it wouldn't light with the resistor in series. So I mistakenly assumed that this was one of the types of lamps with a resistor built into the base and I applied voltage without the external resistor. Pow!


----------



## Monocrom

If you decide to get a gaming computer, but don't know how to build one yourself, be sure to have a close friend who can do it for you. Do *NOT* buy one from a company, online. They _will_ screw up to a ridiculous degree. And then you'll have to call in a real expert (paid professional) to fix all the $#!% they got wrong.


----------



## StarHalo

"_We want light without darkness, the glories of spring and summer without the demands of autumn and winter, and the Faustian bargains we make fail to sustain our lives. When we so fear the dark that we demand light around the clock, there can be only one result: artificial light that is glaring and graceless and, beyond its borders, a darkness that grows ever more terrifying as we try to hold it off. Split off from each other, neither darkness nor light is fit for human habitation. But if we allow the paradox of darkness and light to be, the two will conspire to bring wholeness and health to every living thing._" - Parker Palmer


----------



## xevious

Time is the most valuable resource of all.

For some reason, this is one of the hardest things to learn as a human being. Unfortunately we feel like we have an endless supply of it when we're young... and it's not until we're older that we can begin to truly appreciate its value (although some people don't until it's really late in the game).

If people were more time aware, things would be different for the better. What is "time aware"? It's one thing to be caught up with short term deadlines, but it's another to be aware of the long term. How it's important to make the most of time, but also realize that spending it wisely is an important thing. And how pushing things too fast isn't always prudent. Sometimes allowing things to take more time is best. It's all about balance.

I woke up one day last week and needed to take stock of a few things... and realized how much time has passed, since I took deliberate notice of it. It's easy to get hard on yourself for not making the most of things, but at the same time it doesn't do any good. All we can do is deal with what is before us today and keep an eye on what's coming. Don't dwell on the past, but be sure to learn from it.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

I didn't write the following, just wanted to share it.

~Chance


You know. . . time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of
the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married
and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons
ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all.
I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.


But, here it is... the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...How
did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?
I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those
older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I
could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.


But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower
and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than
me...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who
were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we
are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.
Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the
day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore... it's mandatory! Cause if I
don't on my own free will... I just fall asleep where I sit!


And so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the
aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things
that I wish I had done but never did!! But, at least I know, that though the
winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that
when it's over on this earth...its over. A new adventure will begin!


Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done...things I should
have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's
all in a lifetime.


So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be
here faster than you think. So, what ever you would like to accomplish in
your life please do it quickly! Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by
quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is
your winter or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of
your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your
loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all
the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

A good measure of a persons intelligence is how far into the future they plan.

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

No matter how dusty it gets, don't vacuum an LCD screen that isn't behind a glass sheet. You might blow a few pixels.


----------



## Illum

If the ammo is too hot for your liking, and its all that is available, invest in some recoil pads. Don't pull the bullet, dump some out, reseat, and fire. Tooting a bolt action with a plunger down the barrel will easily make the muzzleloaders at the range to a double take, shout, and laugh


----------



## gadget_lover

PhotonWrangler said:


> No matter how dusty it gets, don't vacuum an LCD screen that isn't behind a glass sheet. You might blow a few pixels.



A vacuum cleaner with that nifty brush on the end is a very effective static electricity generator. I once cleaned the dust from my motherboard without thinking. It blew the cpu and a few other chips too.

Never use a vacuum on any electronic part. 

Daniel


----------



## PhotonWrangler

No matter how expensive it is, resist the temptation to re-use a basket of coffee grounds to make a second pot. :sick2:


----------



## StarHalo

PhotonWrangler said:


> No matter how expensive it is, resist the temptation to re-use a basket of coffee grounds to make a second pot. :sick2:



Reminds me of _No Country for Old Men_; 

"How fresh is that coffee?"
"I gen'rally make a fresh pot every week, even if there's some left over."


----------



## Monocrom

Never buy a watch before actually trying it on, in person.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

StarHalo is the cowboy drinking gourmet coffee at the campfire, while all the other cowboys choke down whatever mud Cookie is serving. :thumbsup:

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When desoldering something using copper desoldering wick, remember that it gets really hot.


----------



## StarHalo

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> StarHalo is the cowboy drinking gourmet coffee at the campfire, while all the other cowboys choke down whatever mud Cookie is serving.



That was one of the bits that got me in the book _No Easy Day_; turns out Seal Team Six uses a French press and a grinder to make their own fresh coffee, they'll refuse coffee served to soldiers when visiting bases. 

On topic: It's really important to treat yourself, at least at breakfast, even in the most tactical life-and-death setting..


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Seal Team Six drinking fresh ground French pressed coffee.....How cool is that!?  More often than not, it's the journey, not the destination. Reminds me of the coffee scene in Pulp Fiction.

~ C.G.


----------



## Steve K

gadget_lover said:


> A vacuum cleaner with that nifty brush on the end is a very effective static electricity generator. I once cleaned the dust from my motherboard without thinking. It blew the cpu and a few other chips too.
> 
> Never use a vacuum on any electronic part.
> 
> Daniel



as a general rule, any air flowing over surface can generate ESD. The higher the air velocity, the more charge generated. As you might expect, this is worse when the humidity is low, so wait for a moist day if you must vacuum your motherboard!

The whole subject of ESD is intriguing.. fuel flowing through a nonconductive hose can generate static. This is why the gas pump's metal nozzle needs to be inserted into your car when pumping gas, and why it can be dangerous to pump gas into a nonconductive gas container (or a metal container that isn't grounded). In my day job, I recently dealt with a situation where diesel fuel was flowing through a fuel filter that was housed in a non-conductive plastic shell, and tens of thousands of volts of static were generated at the filter. Quite impressive! It did require a fix to prevent that from occuring, though.


----------



## Illum

Steve K said:


> In my day job, I recently dealt with a situation where diesel fuel was flowing through a fuel filter that was housed in a non-conductive plastic shell, and tens of thousands of volts of static were generated at the filter. Quite impressive! It did require a fix to prevent that from occuring, though.



Thankfully diesel is hard to ignite unless compressed


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

How to R/R the front shocks on a 1994 Astro Van. 

The Astro had 307,000 miles on it and the original shocks. I purchased four new KYB Excel's and had at it today. The R/R easily made the Top Five Worst Machinal Jobs List! Four hours of grease, sweat, grunting, cramped fingers, and finally success. Yes, that was just the fronts. Tomorrow I'll finish installing the back two.

Long story short, I had to grind two flat spots on the shaft, and use a pipe wrench to hold it while I removed the nut on top. Sounds easy right? It wasn't! :hairpull: Each step required raising the A-Arm, then lowering it for the next. Otherwise there wasn't enough room to get my hand and tools where I needed them to be. When I was finally able to get a secure grip on the drivers side shaft, and actually turn the nut instead of the shaft.....the shaft broke right at the last thread below the nut. Whatever! It was off.

Man! I hope I don't dream of that job tonight. Doing it once was plenty.
~ Chance


----------



## ElectronGuru

Don't pull a 100 pound ac out of a window, with no one else around and no place ready to put it down.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

It's actually not that hard to break your toe. Bashed it on a cabinet recently.


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

^^^ Ouch!

Apparently it is a bit harder to break your foot though. I dropped my Mac laptop (corner down) right onto the top of my left foot. Felt like it was broke but x-rays showed otherwise.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:


> ^^^ Ouch!
> 
> Apparently it is a bit harder to break your foot though. I dropped my Mac laptop (corner down) right onto the top of my left foot. Felt like it was broke but x-rays showed otherwise.



Oww! Just when you least expect it, gravity shows up. Glad to hear it wasn't broken.


----------



## LupusLynx

Children and old men should not use guns... I was deaf for 2 weeks and very lucky not to make a step back the moment the bullet was fired... :shakehead


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Clothes can break at the worst moments.

My probably 6-year-old Cabela's belt broke this morning.
(The buckle snapped loose on one side of the pin mounts.)


Also,always use shaving cream when shaving.

(nicked my upper lip while shaving earlier this morning.hurts like crazy.)


----------



## PhotonWrangler

This is one from a long time ago that I just remembered...

When driving down the road, try to avoid running over plastic bags.
If a plastic bag happens to get caught under your car and wrapped around the rear axle, take it in to a shop right away.
If you take it into a shop, try to avoid a discount shop that takes shortcuts.
If you take it to a shop that takes shortcuts, don't let them extract the bag with a knife.
If they extract it with a knife, don't let them cut too closely around the differential.
If they have to cut around the differential, ask them, to be careful around the gaskets.
If they cut a gasket, check for leaks afterwards.
If you don't check for leaks afterwards, prepare to buy a new differential.

But watch out for those plastic bags.


----------



## EZO

PhotonWrangler said:


> This is one from a long time ago that I just remembered...
> 
> When driving down the road, try to avoid running over plastic bags.
> If a plastic bag happens to get caught under your car and wrapped around the rear axle, take it in to a shop right away.
> If you take it into a shop, try to avoid a discount shop that takes shortcuts.
> If you take it to a shop that takes shortcuts, don't let them extract the bag with a knife.
> If they extract it with a knife, don't let them cut too closely around the differential.
> If they have to cut around the differential, ask them, to be careful around the gaskets.
> If they cut a gasket, check for leaks afterwards.
> If you don't check for leaks afterwards, prepare to buy a new differential.
> 
> But watch out for those plastic bags.



Paper or plastic? :ironic:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

A paper one would have quickly disintegrated and the issue would've never happened. The plastic one got wrapped very tightly around the differential. :shakehead


----------



## EZO

PhotonWrangler said:


> A paper one would have quickly disintegrated and the issue would've never happened. The plastic one got wrapped very tightly around the differential. :shakehead



Somehow your post made me think of how many times I've heard that "paper or plastic question" but you are quite right. Plastic bags can and do cause all kinds of damage to things.


----------



## Monocrom

A lot of supermarkets don't even offer you a choice anymore. Ironically, it's JUST plastic.


----------



## EZO

Monocrom said:


> A lot of supermarkets don't even offer you a choice anymore. Ironically, it's JUST plastic.



You are right Monocrom. The big local supermarkets around here seem to offer only plastic nowadays. Then again our local food COOP refuses to offer plastic anymore. For awhile they had a huge monster outside the store made out of plastic bags.


----------



## Monocrom

I'd love to see a plastic-bag monster.


----------



## EZO

Monocrom said:


> I'd love to see a plastic-bag monster.



Here's one.


----------



## Monocrom

Aww ... It's adorable.


----------



## Monocrom

Just a moment ago, I assembled a vacuum by Hoover touted on the Home Shopping Channel as the greatest thing since sliced bread. A local Sears Hardware sells the same model. Anyway, mom saw the piece of crap on HSC and wanted it. So, I had to take apart a much better and less expensive vacuum cleaner which I had gotten for her. A little Dirt Devil upright that was absolutely ideal for her home and worked well. But, she's never satisfied. 

She hated that the little Dirt Devil blew cold air from the bottom. Not dirt. Just a bit of cold air. Yeah, nevermind the fact that it works incredibly well for sucking dirt. Yeah, just ignore that fact. So, I spend about two hours taking it apart to box it up. Took it back to PC Richard & Son. Thankfully they took it back with no issue. Then ordered the more expensive Hoover Piece-O-Crap. (If there was truth in advertising, that would be what they'd call it.) Mom thinks there's something wrong with it because it overheats horribly. (No, it says in the manual that it does that. Unlike the Dirt Devil.) It can't even pick up a piece of felt off a rug. Just an idiotic, shiny, little thing she saw on TV and had to have. So now I'm thinking I have to contact HSC to return it. But for some bizarre reason, mom likes it. I finally told her, okay; it's your toy. Enjoy it. Not a real vacuum cleaner. Just a clunky toy that she can push across the floors and play pretend.

_*Conclusion:*_ Never buy anything online or mail-order that you can buy locally, at a store; for at or just barely above the same price. If it turns out to be a Crap-O-Matic, returns are a fricking hassle. (I'm still expecting mom to actually come to her senses and tell me to contact HSC to send the worthless garbage back.)


----------



## EZO

Amazing timing Monocrom....... I just took a break from doing some vacuuming to check my email and was alerted to your last post. I won't go into the details but for years I struggled with all kinds of problems with a Hoover Vac I owned and finally got rid of it last year for a Dyson, which I love. If I didn't have the repair skills I do the Hoover wouldn't have lasted quite so long. It's a shame, Hoover was once the premier name in vacuums to the point where "hoover" actually became a verb, but now they are junk.

So, one thing I've learned the hard way: Never buy a Hoover.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

We have an old electrolux canister vac that still works. The thing is built like a tank. They don't make them like that any more.


----------



## Monocrom

EZO said:


> Amazing timing Monocrom....... I just took a break from doing some vacuuming to check my email and was alerted to your last post. I won't go into the details but for years I struggled with all kinds of problems with a Hoover Vac I owned and finally got rid of it last year for a Dyson, which I love. If I didn't have the repair skills I do the Hoover wouldn't have lasted quite so long. It's a shame, Hoover was once the premier name in vacuums to the point where "hoover" actually became a verb, but now they are junk.
> 
> So, one thing I've learned the hard way: Never buy a Hoover.



Sadly I wish my mother had learned that lesson. Though now she likely will ... and the hard way. 

For some incredibly bizarre reason, she's decided to keep it. Handle feels like it's flimsy as Hell.


----------



## ElectronGuru

PhotonWrangler said:


> The thing is built like a tank. They don't make them like that any more.



When buying appliances, I've learned to buy commercial. They will often cost 2-3x consumer retail, but will easily last 4-6x as long. Even so, the new commercial price is is usually close to the old consumer price, adjusted for inflation. 

Restaurant supply stores are a good place to start. Figure out what brands and models to look for.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

This conversation reminds me of some *thing I learned the hard way,* almost 29 years ago.... When you get married, your going to spend more money on certain things than you ever dreamed. Case in point, the first quality vaccuume cleaner we purchased. $700 DOLLARS!!?  Are you serious? Really, that's how much these things cost!? I had no idea. Oh-well, I want a clean house.  It was a Royal canister. Made in the U.S. of A. We're still using it today.

~ Chance


----------



## JacobJones

Yeah, hang on to those old appliances as long as possible. If something breaks buy replacement parts and you're good for another decade, the alternative is to replace with a shiny new machine... Every two years. 

My grans ancient washing machine has only failed once and that's because the rubber belt had perished, a trip to the ironmongers for a new belt and she had it fixed in an afternoon. New washing machines don't seem to live long enough for a perished belt to be an issue and actually getting to the belt requires major disassembly of the appliance.

I haven't learned this the hard way but I've seen enough people experiencing it (or not, my dear old granny has the right idea) to do my best to avoid it, rock solid old equipment is available for free thanks to the ignorant masses throwing them away.

I apologise if this rant adds nothing of value to the discussion, when you've got to rant you've got to rant.


----------



## ElectronGuru

Washing machines are a good example. These guys make them like those of 40 years ago, including without coin slots. But you wont find them in any standard appliance store:

http://www.speedqueen.com


BTW, these guys know which brands are serviceable:

http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you're spraying lithium grease into a squeaky hinge and you accidentally get even the tiniest bit of it in your hair, you will smell like a gas station for the rest of the day. :sick2:


----------



## Skimo

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you're spraying lithium grease into a squeaky hinge and you accidentally get even the tiniest bit of it in your hair, you will smell like a gas station for the rest of the day. :sick2:



Yeah... I just did some O-rings yesterday, I don't mind the smell, it does linger though.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Buying good,durable boots is worth paying some serious money.

(I paid $480 for my Whites Hunters back in June 2011.They're still plenty comfortable nearly 2 1/2 years later.)


Although,I've read stories of people owning Whites boots for 20 years,still looking nearly new after all that time.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

When a HVAC service tech asks to borrow your brand new FourSevens light, do so only after informing him that it's brand new and cost $75 dollars. Perhaps then he'll return it un-scratched.

~ Chance


----------



## Monocrom

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> When a HVAC service tech asks to borrow your brand new FourSevens light, do so only after informing him that it's brand new and cost $75 dollars. Perhaps then he'll return it un-scratched.
> 
> ~ Chance



Ouch! The fact that he didn't have a light on him should have been a HUGE red flag.

That's why I keep at least a couple of cheap lights around the home I don't care about.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Lesson learned. Thanks MC.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

_*No matter how much you want to trust your fellow man, don't do it when you've been involved in an automobile accident!*_

It's happened to me more than once, and it happened to a friend yesterday. He was involved in a fender bender, but due to the age of his van (a 95 Astro) it will be be totaled by the insurance company. 

The problem, as it *now *stands, the guy who hit my friend when he turned left in front of him, changed his story. At the scene he admitted he was at fault and provided insurance information. He and my friend then both left for work without alerting the police. Neither wanted to wait since they were both heading to work, and there didn't seem to be a problem. Today when my friend called the guy's insurance company, he was informed they are hearing two different stories as to what happened/who was at fault. :sigh:  

If you absolutely have to leave the scene of the accident before the authorities arrive, record everything you can on your smartphone. Take pictures, and ask the other person to provide a recorded statement. If he/she won't, demand that they wait until the police arrive. 

~ Chance


----------



## ElectronGuru

AMD64Blondie said:


> Buying good,durable boots is worth paying some serious money.
> 
> (I paid $480 for my Whites Hunters back in June 2011.They're still plenty comfortable nearly 2 1/2 years later.)
> 
> 
> Although,I've read stories of people owning Whites boots for 20 years,still looking nearly new after all that time.



Seriously. Wear these exclusively in foul winter weather. 200g is enough for silly cold and when things melt, the sealed tongue handles > 6in deep water:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ng-duty-boot&p=3157232&viewfull=1#post3157232


Just don't think even aggressive tread is a good substitute for spikes, when walking on pure ice!


----------



## gadget_lover

Something my kids had a hard time learning;

A casual comment is not a promise, and a promise is not to be made casually.

Young people are especially susceptible to thinking that anything said is a binding promise. My dad gave me his diamond ring because he promised it to me when I was about 7 with the words "when I was big enough that it fit." It became a game for us and I tried it on at least once a month. On my 14th birthday it fit, and he made good on his word. I've been wearing it for 45 years.

Daniel


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you have some stray electronic components sitting on your workbench, be careful where you sit your styrofoam cup of coffee. Tonight I picked up my cup to take a sip and thought "why is a capacitor sticking out of my cu... agh, leak!"


----------



## Steve K

PhotonWrangler said:


> If you have some stray electronic components sitting on your workbench, be careful where you sit your styrofoam cup of coffee. Tonight I picked up my cup to take a sip and thought "why is a capacitor sticking out of my cu... agh, leak!"



My first thought was that this was an ESD story, based on the mention of styrofoam and that the humidity is lower in the winter (for those of us in the northern hemisphere), and this all adds up to more static being generated. 

Getting 'tronics bits stuck in the cup hadn't occurred to me! I guess there is some value to having a clean workbench, eh?? (or using a ceramic mug)


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Steve K said:


> My first thought was that this was an ESD story, based on the mention of styrofoam and that the humidity is lower in the winter (for those of us in the northern hemisphere), and this all adds up to more static being generated.
> 
> Getting 'tronics bits stuck in the cup hadn't occurred to me! I guess there is some value to having a clean workbench, eh?? (or using a ceramic mug)



Yeah, lesson learned. You're right about ESD and low humidity though. The first time I learned about that the hard way, I had just bought a MOS digital clock chip and I blew it out by just touching one of the pins without being grounded first.


----------



## zespectre

Have a fire extinguisher near your workbench... No, have TWO. And make them "ABC" rated!


----------



## Cyclops942

zespectre said:


> Have a fire extinguisher near your workbench... No, have TWO. And make them "ABC" rated!


When you use the fire extinguisher the you keep in the trunk of your car to extinguish a car fire you see at the side of the road, be very sure to recharge/replace it immediately, because your own car will catch fire shortly thereafter, and you will have only a partial cup of coffee with which to fight the fire.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Cyclops942 said:


> When you use the fire extinguisher the you keep in the trunk of your car to extinguish a car fire you see at the side of the road, be very sure to recharge/replace it immediately, because your own car will catch fire shortly thereafter, and you will have only a partial cup of coffee with which to fight the fire.



Yikes! That's a particularly bad thing in a climate like Arizona!


----------



## Cyclops942

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yikes! That's a particularly bad thing in a climate like Arizona!


Thankfully, this lesson was learned in Kentucky... but it was still not fun.


----------



## Illum

zespectre said:


> Have a fire extinguisher near your workbench... No, have TWO. And make them "ABC" rated!




ehh, I'd stick with B:C rated. The extinguishing agent is essentially sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. A:B:C is Mono Ammonium Phosphate, which is corrosive once its gets wet. After the fire is gone, you will need to clean and scrub everything the extinguishing agent touches. If for whatever reason it _must _be A:B:C, I'd consider halon :devil:


There's a class B:C extinguisher beside the "electrical" end of the work bench. for the "Mechanical" end I went ahead and installed a faucet and a garden hose:nana:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Well said, Illum. Much of the fire damage that happens to electronics is from the corrosive effects of Mono Ammonium Phosphate.


----------



## Monocrom

Never trust anyone who is *too* friendly. Especially if they always use your first name every time they greet you.

Neighbor of mine screwed up royally. Pretended everything was fine. When I got upset and spoke to him about it, the nearly 90 year-old respectable man turned into a low-life ghetto piece of trash punk. Wanted to fight me over a verbal argument. (Yeah, okay ... I'm not looking to get charged with "Assault" as an early Christmas gift from the NYPD.) 

I guess you can take the thug out of the ghetto, but not the ghetto out of the thug ... even nearly a century later.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Always better to see matinée versions of movies in the theater.


I just got back about 3 1/2 hours ago from seeing Anchorman 2,at the Pioneer Place Regal Cinemas theater.

The theater was practically deserted,which was nice..as it was quieter.

(BTW,the movie was a hoot.I loved it.)


----------



## Mattaus

Toilet cisterns hold A LOT more water than you think. I flooded my ensuite and half the bedroom this afternoon 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

^ 
Whenever I'm in doubt of my toilets ability to drain (two teenage sons) I remove the lid so as to be able to lift the float and stop the incoming flow of water. An overflow of bio-hazard can be avoided with no drama.  

~ Chance


----------



## inetdog

I do the same, but am more concerned about dropping the flap valve than raising the float.
Especially if the toilet is an older high flow model where the tank holds more than the capacity of the bowl.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I do the same also. Too many bad experiences with overflows.


----------



## Monocrom

Never had a Low-Flow toilet overflow. (That's something that the older ones which generate more water usually would occasionally do.) Though that's like saying the one nice thing about ****-poor alkalines is that you never have to worry about a "vent with flame" situation. I'm guessing you guys have the older, proper, toilets.


----------



## inetdog

With a low-flow, I always take the lid off before flushing a second time in the hopes that the already full bowl will empty with just a little more pressure. 

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

inetdog said:


> I do the same, but am *more concerned about dropping the flap valve* than raising the float.
> Especially if the toilet is an older high flow model where the tank holds more than the capacity of the bowl.
> 
> Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


 
You're absolutely right. First things first. 

1. Push flap down to stop water from draining into bowl. 

2. Lift float to stop incoming water. If needed. 

~ Chance


----------



## Mattaus

Lol I knew what it was capable of, but the catch bucket I had was far too undersized. I was prepared for the accidental flush, just not fully prepared :/

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


----------



## Burgess

:toilet:
_


----------



## AMD64Blondie

People can be absolutely stupid at times.


I was walking back from lunch at The Pita Pit..(if you're a Portland,OR resident..you'll probably know where I'm talking about.)


Saw a old(looked about 80) guy with a portable oxygen tank(the little ones on wheeled stands) pull out a cigarette and casually light up.

I was waiting for him to make a fatal mistake.


----------



## gadget_lover

Learned the hard way....

#1 When you have minor but frequent chest pains the weekend before Thanksgiving do NOT decide to be nice to the wife and wait till the following Monday to mention it to the doctor. Cardiologists are busier the week after Thanksgiving.

#2 Don't understate the severity of chest pains. You may be moved way down the list of people to treat. 

#3 A night in the hospital is no biggie compared to finding that there is irreparable heart damage due to weeks of ignoring it.

I came out lucky in all of the above. Others don't.

Dan


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Get some onion on your hands and the smell is there for the rest of the day no matter what.


----------



## Monocrom

Thankfully, not taking place now. But quite awhile back I learned that if you're at a low-point.... Be *extremely* suspicious of anyone who comes along and happily offers to help you. Even if that offer doesn't include you paying him. Thankfully, though learned that lesson the hard way, it honestly could have been a lot worse.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

I've always know it was an action to avoid. I've always thought I knew why it would be a bad idea. But now, *NOW I KNOW* exactly why it's a terrible idea to allow your ..... 
weed-eater to come in contact with a pile of fresh dog manure. I was moving in sort of random pattern, rotating clockwise when I saw it.. 
TOO LATE! CONTACT WAS MADE!      First thing, I felt it hit me. Second, I was wearing a black long sleeve shirt, so it was very easy to see, I was covered. Third, it, or should I say, I, smelled really really bad. :sick2: 

Nothing to do now but laugh at myself. :laughing: Then tell you guys so you can laugh also.

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Oh, it took a lot of courage to share that! :laughing: Duly noted.


----------



## Monocrom

I smiled a bit, but just couldn't laugh.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I've always know it was an action to avoid. I've always thought I knew why it would be a bad idea. But now, *NOW I KNOW* exactly why it's a terrible idea to allow your .....
> weed-eater to come in contact with a pile of fresh dog manure. I was moving in sort of random pattern, rotating clockwise when I saw it..
> TOO LATE! CONTACT WAS MADE!      First thing, I felt it hit me. Second, I was wearing a black long sleeve shirt, so it was very easy to see, I was covered. Third, it, or should I say, I, smelled really really bad. :sick2:
> 
> Nothing to do now but laugh at myself. :laughing: Then tell you guys so you can laugh also.
> 
> ~ Chance



That's a classic SHTF moment there..if you get my drift.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Never a good idea to laugh with a mouthful of Pringles while browsing the web.

They will try to infest your keyboard.
(Thankfully,I have a 1991 IBM Model M,which doesn't get crumbs in it very easily.)


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Actually, it was a FHTS then me moment. Fortunately I had another shirt in my van.

~ Chance


----------



## Artlav

Never use a very expensive rented thermal camera to look for the light a CO2 laser makes. 

Luckily, the dead blob on the screen dissolved after a few hours into a barely noticeable distortion that no one paid attention to.


----------



## YBCold

The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long...


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

......That even when I treat people well, not to expect that they will always act likewise. The hardest lesson I've learned, is to not be caught off-guard when this happens.

~ Chance


----------



## wmpwi

That was on my original list when I started this thread 9 years ago. Geez it's been a long time. :candle:



YBCold said:


> The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long...


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

wmpwi said:


> That was on my original list when I started this thread 9 years ago. Geez it's been a long time. :candle:
> tvodrd suggested I keep a list and it's a good idea. After only a month, here's a start on mine:
> 
> List of things to I’ve learned (though not necessarily in order)
> 
> May 2005 First post.
> 
> 1. Measure twice, cut once (too important to leave off any list)
> 2. Bench test everything before installation
> 3. When soldering, be advised that heat sinks do just that - transmit heat to fingers very efficiently.
> 4. Everything melts. It helps to know what and when.
> 5. Smoke is usually a bad thing.
> 6. Ask first, someone else has already done it wrong before you and someone else has already done it right too
> 7. There’s no such thing as too many tools
> 8. More power is not always the best answer
> 9. Half the fun can be in the doing, but that assumes you know what you’re doing.
> 10. What ever it is, always assume it’s loaded or plugged in
> 11. Sometimes it's cheaper and easier to buy the damn thing than it is to fabricate it.
> 12. Just because it fits doesn’t mean it will work
> 13. The flame that burns twice as bright actually does burn half as long.
> 14. Just about anything can be fixed if you spend enough.
> 
> 
> More to come, unfortunately. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif



Welcome back! Thanks for a great thread.

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Rule #12 applies to so many things.

Here's another one i realized the other day. When a doctor gives you some medicine that will cause a temporary but drastic change in urine color, they should really warn you first.  Many years ago I was given an analgesic for a UTI and I learned that one after a getting a good scare.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Spilled liquids have a bizarre way of finding the most brightly colored fabric to stain.

(This happened this morning.I was opening a bottle of mouthwash-it's dark green in color...and it spilled all over my bright green work t-shirt.)

Very annoying...


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

When you're fire caulking at a construction site and are running low on caulking, never yell out "I need some more caulk".


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Really? You had to learn that the hard way!? 


Wait for it.


How hard was the lesson?

~ C.G.


----------



## Monocrom

Hooked on Fenix said:


> When you're fire caulking at a construction site and are running low on caulking, never yell out "I need some more caulk".



Reminds me of the Benny Hill sketch in which a guy is in a row boat with only one ore. He looks at the attendant and says, _"I want another ore."_

But the guy can't quite hear him. So the man shouts _"I want an *ore!*"_

The attendant nods, then comes right back with a prostitute.


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

Hooked on Fenix said:


> When you're fire caulking at a construction site and are running low on caulking, never yell out "I need some more caulk".



Maybe I am inept here, but I don't get it.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Really? You had to learn that the hard way!?
> 
> 
> Wait for it.
> 
> 
> How hard was the lesson?
> 
> ~ C.G.



Say that on the jobsite and you'll get endlessly ridiculed. I guess the lesson wasn't as hard as you were thinking.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

And just what are you *guessing *that I was thinking? :ironic:

~ C. G.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Say that on the jobsite and you'll get endlessly ridiculed. I guess the lesson wasn't as hard as you were thinking.



Your lack of a reply, and/or editing your post has been noted. :wave: 

~ Chance


----------



## LGT

When a product says "shake well before using" make sure the cap is on tight.
In my case, it was a bottle of buffalo wing sauce. Tried to twist off the cap to break the tamper proof seal. Didn't work. After cutting the seal, started to shake well again. Wrong move. The cap flew off and this bright orange liquid hit the ceiling, the cabinets and the exhaust vent over the stove, the stove top, the oven door, the draw under the stove, and the kitchen floor.


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

LGT said:


> When a product says "shake well before using" make sure the cap is on tight.
> In my case, it was a bottle of buffalo wing sauce. Tried to twist off the cap to break the tamper proof seal. Didn't work. After cutting the seal, started to shake well again. Wrong move. The cap flew off and this bright orange liquid hit the ceiling, the cabinets and the exhaust vent over the stove, the stove top, the oven door, the draw under the stove, and the kitchen floor.



OMG - the same thing happened to be with a jar of Trader Joe's BBQ sauce. My mother-in-law had not tightened the top all the way - she has a very irritating habit of doing this - and I went to shake the bottle. I didn't do an up-down shake but instead was holding it in one hand a did a twisting shake. The top came off and I literally had a line of BBQ sauce that started on one wall, went up to the cieling, across the top off the ceiling, decked the kitchen lights, and came down the other wall. OMG - I was so fumed!!!! And by the time I got it all cleaned up my awesome ribs that took my 5 hours to cook were cold!


----------



## Sarratt

....I've learned that humans are not long lasting ...but bugs and smaller are ----lesson.... AAA cells for everyone!!! (latter kidding i hope you get)----Brian Cox on tv ------ wow great job


----------



## gadget_lover

Sometimes you need to pay attention to the gender of words in the English language. For instance,

When I ask my wife when she would like to eat lunch, and she answers "Whenever", that means "NOW" in guy language.

If you wait an hour she gets pissed.

Daniel


----------



## ElectronGuru

She was probably taught to put her needs 2nd or 3rd. Through such a filter, she will answer as though waiting until someone else is ready. Better to straight ask how hungry she is, then calculate when based on the answer.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Not to expect a one word answer from my wife, :hairpull: even though I asked her a one-word-answer question.

~ Chance the Listener


----------



## Monocrom

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Not to expect a one word answer from my wife, :hairpull: even though I asked her a one-word-answer question.
> 
> ~ Chance the Listener



LOL ! 

Shame on you for not knowing better.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Monocrom said:


> LOL !
> 
> Shame on you for not knowing better.


 
In my defense, we've been married 29 years and I didn't write how long it took me to learn that lesson. 

However truth be told, I at times still become anxious..... 

Waiting for the period at the end of her last sentence...... 

To the answer of my question....... 

Asked so very long ago. 


~ Chance the Listener


----------



## jabe1

I used to say that my ex wife started every answer with " first the earth cooled..."


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

jabe1 said:


> I used to say that my ex wife started every answer with " first the earth cooled..."



That's so funny ^.

~ Chance is laughing. :laughing:


----------



## gadget_lover

I've learned over time that you can use wood glue to fix carpentry mistakes when you cut it too short. You can use a welder to fix machining mistakes when you drill in the wrong spot. You can use Bondo to cover the rippled fender.

It's MUCH faster to take it slow and not make the mistake in the first place.

Dan


----------



## AMD64Blondie

If you've been sleeping most all day,don't expect to sleep very well at night.

(I'm finding this out right now,sadly..)


----------



## StarHalo

AMD64Blondie said:


> If you've been sleeping most all day,don't expect to sleep very well at night.
> 
> (I'm finding this out right now,sadly..)



The trick to staying caffeinated throughout your day is to stagger your caffeine intake; start off with just enough to make a notable difference, then a few hours later take a significantly larger dose, repeat a third time some hours later if needed. Try to keep it under 500 mg, and no more ~6 hours before sleep. This is how marathon runners keep a caffeine high for an entire marathon [though on a smaller time scale].

Cup of coffee in the morning, a couple cups after lunch, an espresso drink in the afternoon, and after a busy day sleep will come easily..


----------



## Raven-burg

Measure twice, cut once!


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums


----------



## Blueroots1

What is 4chan?.....I'm not sure that I want to learn bout this the hard way.:thinking:


----------



## LGT

If you're going to squat on a toilet in a public restroom, make sure toilet paper is at hand.
Waddling over to a paper towel dispenser will be embarrassing if somebody else walks in,
that's if they don't just have those blown air hand driers.
But if that's the case, hope you're not overly fond of the socks on your feet.


----------



## Monocrom

LGT said:


> If you're going to squat on a toilet in a public restroom, make sure toilet paper is at hand.
> Waddling over to a paper towel dispenser will be embarrassing if somebody else walks in,
> that's if they don't just have those blown air hand driers.
> But if that's the case, hope you're not overly fond of the socks on your feet.



Always carry Wet-Ones travel wipes. Problem solved!


----------



## twiggss94

does just about everything in my life count as an example?


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

twiggss94 said:


> does just about everything in my life count as an example?



Slow learner, eh? Welcome to CPF, twiggss94. :welcome:

~ Chance


----------



## Capolini

1. I can not change anyone but myself!

2. That Acceptance is the KEY.

3. Along the same lines,,,*OUR SERENITY IS DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO OUR LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE. *


----------



## Capolini

Bravo!! Bravo!!! *Fallingwater!


If you've never tasted Italian food you've never truly lived.
*


----------



## fuzzymachinist

After cutting up hot peppers wash your hands, when you think they're clean wash again, then wash one more time for good measure. 
I cut up a small 7-pot douglah, around 1-1.8 million on the scoville heat scale vs a jalapeño at 2,000-5,000 and a habanero at 100,000-300,000 , before lunch, washed my hands, thought I was good to go, wrong. After eating I rubbed my eye, thought that "felt odd", then "... my eye is on fire!!!" After 10-20min of rinsing it feels fine but is still a little blood shot. It didn't help my nose started to run while I was trying to wash this death pepper juice out of my eye. I really hope that salsa worth it.


----------



## P_A_S_1

Capolini said:


> ...*
> 
> If you've never tasted Italian food you've never truly lived.
> *



While I agree it's pretty hard to go wrong with Italian food in general you can say the same of many cuisines. For a long time you couldn't get me near Indian food. Now I enjoy it much and realize I was missing out on something really good for a long time.


----------



## Monocrom

fuzzymachinist said:


> After cutting up hot peppers wash your hands, when you think they're clean wash again, then wash one more time for good measure.
> I cut up a small 7-pot douglah, around 1-1.8 million on the scoville heat scale vs a jalapeño at 2,000-5,000 and a habanero at 100,000-300,000 , before lunch, washed my hands, thought I was good to go, wrong. After eating I rubbed my eye, thought that "felt odd", then "... my eye is on fire!!!" After 10-20min of rinsing it feels fine but is still a little blood shot. It didn't help my nose started to run while I was trying to wash this death pepper juice out of my eye. I really hope that salsa worth it.



Welcome to CPF.... Very sorry to hear you learned that lesson the hard way. Yeah, always wear gloves when handling ghost peppers or anything else that hot.


----------



## Monocrom

P_A_S_1 said:


> While I agree it's pretty hard to go wrong with Italian food in general you can say the same of many cuisines. For a long time you couldn't get me near Indian food. Now I enjoy it much and realize I was missing out on something really good for a long time.



I've found that Indian food needs to be prepared absolutely properly if it is to be enjoyed. Otherwise.... One ends up making an offering to the porcelain gods. Other foods are more forgiving in their overall preparations. By far, out of any dishes, it is harder to find a good Indian restaurant than any other. Just my experience.


----------



## fuzzymachinist

Definitely with peppers like I was cutting up gloves are the way to go, I even have some but didn't think to use them, I got lucky it could have been worse. I've gotten away with washing my hands with more mundane peppers, but those things are a different ball game, gloves and a mask wouldn't be a bad idea for cutting up a lot of them.


----------



## P_A_S_1

Monocrom said:


> I've found that Indian food needs to be prepared absolutely properly if it is to be enjoyed. Otherwise.... One ends up making an offering to the porcelain gods. Other foods are more forgiving in their overall preparations. By far, out of any dishes, it is harder to find a good Indian restaurant than any other. Just my experience.



5 Star Diner next to the Queens bridge, no complaints yet and open until 4am every day. :thumbsup:


----------



## Monocrom

P_A_S_1 said:


> 5 Star Diner next to the Queens bridge, no complaints yet and open until 4am every day. :thumbsup:



Nice! Could you please PM me the name of the place?


----------



## Crazyeddiethefirst

If your wife or girlfriend asks "does this dress make me look fat?", DO NOT ANSWER! Leave immediately, return with a small box of good chocolates and flowers. 99% of the time this works. If she really pushes you for answer as to why you bought them, say "When you asked me that question, I realized that I had not given you a small token to express just how much I love you"...
Been married 33 years, and this always has a better result than answering the question, no matter what you say.

Addendum one: a friend once told me that in marriage, opposites attract. If you were both the same, one of you wouldn't be necessary.


Sent from my iPhone using Candlepowerforums


----------



## inetdog

And the worst possible answer is "It's not the dress...."


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Crazyeddiethefirst said:


> If your wife or girlfriend asks "does this dress make me look fat?", DO NOT ANSWER! Leave immediately, return with a small box of good chocolates and flowers. 99% of the time this works. If she really pushes you for answer as to why you bought them, say "When you asked me that question, I realized that I had not given you a small token to express just how much I love you"...
> Been married 33 years, and this always has a better result than answering the question, no matter what you say.





inetdog said:


> And the worst possible answer is "It's not the dress...."




This teaching/lesson was covered in the *Words To Live By *thread. Post #529 August 4th.

~ Chance Who's first again.


----------



## nbp

Always start in a corner and work outwards.


----------



## Johnbeck180

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. that's why I'm in an appartment and my wife is still living in the house... :0\


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Johnbeck180 said:


> Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. that's why I'm in an appartment and my wife is still living in the house... :0\


 

Telling an angry woman to calm down......works as well as telling your cat, "Just calm down I'm only trying to baptize you." 

Chance Who Knows Better


----------



## Johnbeck180

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Telling an angry woman to calm down......works as well as telling your cat, "Just calm down I'm only trying to baptize you."
> 
> Chance Who Knows Better


Its how I learned this the hard way. I basically learned them both at the same time....double whammy. The best two words you should say to your wife when asked to do something........yes dear.


----------



## Cataract

Check the schematics twice, plug wires once. Then check again 3 times before pushing the on button. 

When giving an estimate for a project, write down the maximum amount of time you think it will take and add 50% to that number. Then multiply by 2. That's the real time it will take to accomplish, give or take 10 to 30%. A multimedia designer told me that and it works for system installations and renovations too. 



fuzzymachinist said:


> After cutting up hot peppers wash your hands, when you think they're clean wash again, then wash one more time for good measure.
> I cut up a small 7-pot douglah, around 1-1.8 million on the scoville heat scale vs a jalapeño at 2,000-5,000 and a habanero at 100,000-300,000 , before lunch, washed my hands, thought I was good to go, wrong. After eating I rubbed my eye, thought that "felt odd", then "... my eye is on fire!!!" After 10-20min of rinsing it feels fine but is still a little blood shot. It didn't help my nose started to run while I was trying to wash this death pepper juice out of my eye. I really hope that salsa worth it.



I won't tell you what a co-worker found out with his wife hours after they ate hot curry... Hot peppers are a good example of how things stick to your skin for a long time. All I can say here is don't lick your fingers and then rub your eyes even hours after eating hot peppers (he was the one hurting and no, his wife didn't kiss his eye...)


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

^ Sounds like they spiced up their love life.  Make it stop!

~ Chance


----------



## Cataract

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> ^ Sounds like they spiced up their love life.  Make it stop!
> 
> ~ Chance



The elevator police took the spicing up down in a hurry!


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Like a frightened turtle. 

~ C.G.


----------



## inetdog

Adding 50% to a time estimate and then multiplying by two is a crude approximation to the metaphysically more satisfactory operation of multiplying by pi.
If s committee is involved, things will go in circles enough to require the use of pi squared.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Committees comprised of five usually work pretty well ......... when three of the members don't show up. But only if the two that do don't have to vote before taking action.

~ C.G.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Committees comprised of five usually work pretty well ......... when three of the members don't show up. But only if the two that do don't have to vote before taking action.
> 
> ~ C.G.



The definition of a committee:

The only living organism with 7 stomachs and no brain.


----------



## Cataract

inetdog said:


> Adding 50% to a time estimate and then multiplying by two is a crude approximation to the metaphysically more satisfactory operation of multiplying by pi.
> If s committee is involved, things will go in circles enough to require the use of pi squared.



I like that. It actually is very close to reality except that if you have troubleshooting to do as well (like in my case, the manufacturer changes something every single time), then multiplying by pi squared is often closest to reality if I take the numbers of those who believe they know how long it takes, but have never seen it done (like my boss for instance).

I also learned that my boss never learns anything the hard way. He just keeps asking why does it take so long every single time.


----------



## Cataract

PhotonWrangler said:


> The definition of a committee:
> 
> The only living organism with 7 stomachs and no brain.



I think the number of stomachs can vary.


----------



## Monocrom

You don't meet someone special everyday.... And if you think you have, then chances are you are absolutely wrong.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine

Lifted from easilyled's signature.

~ Chance who sometimes "borrows"


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Don't trust airport fast food, especially when they don't give a rat's a$$ about the proper temperature to keep food at.
:toilet:


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Laughing while trying to drink beer..ends up with beer up your nose.(The carbonation is what caused this..) 
(VERY painful.)

Learned that at the Yard House(it's a bar in downtown Portland,OR) on Sept.5,2014.


----------



## Cataract

If you throw a water balloon at a mosquito net, it won't pop. You'll probably still need to run, however. 

Car paint is too slippery to walk on when covered with snow.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Open up all of your flashlights periodically and check for corroded batteries. I opned one up tonight that I haven't used in a long time and the AA batteries leaked goo all over the inside, and now they're stuck in there.


----------



## Burgess

Ahhh yessss . . . .

The joys of Alkaline Batteries !


_


Updated to add --

Not JUST flashlights !

ANYthing with alkalines !


----------



## Monocrom

I keep all my non-EDC lights empty.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Sometimes curbs attack with no warning.

(I was walking down to work this morning,and didn't see the curb until it was too late.Tripped and fell face-first,scraping up my right hand.)


Still stings mildly,even now-almost 11 hours later.


----------



## Cyclops942

I'm glad your hand protected your face.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Reading a thread about someone who had trouble with a multimeter recently, I was reminded of something that happened to me several years ago. I was using my favorite meter at the time, a B&D with a particularly large and clear display, and I was poking around in a live circuit. I was measuring logic level voltages so I had the meter on a 10v scale, when I accidentally bumped the probe tip on a portion of the circuit that had high voltage present. Zap! 

The meter was fused, but as Murphy's Law would have it, the meter's chip blew out to protect the fuse. :shakehead


----------



## Cataract

"Bumping your pinkie toe on a hard surface in the dark to the point where it hurts like you have broken it reminds you of how close, hard and heavy the said object is, but never of its exact location." -Me and many others



PhotonWrangler said:


> Reading a thread about someone who had trouble with a multimeter recently, I was reminded of something that happened to me several years ago. I was using my favorite meter at the time, a B&D with a particularly large and clear display, and I was poking around in a live circuit. I was measuring logic level voltages so I had the meter on a 10v scale, when I accidentally bumped the probe tip on a portion of the circuit that had high voltage present. Zap!
> 
> The meter was fused, but as Murphy's Law would have it, the meter's chip blew out to protect the fuse. :shakehead



Is that what they call a "smart" meter?


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Cataract said:


> Is that what they call a "smart" meter?



Yep. One of Murphy's laws is that the $20 IC will blow to protect the 20-cent fuse.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

When it comes to electricity, *TEST IT!*

Last week I replaced a yard light for my mom. What made the job difficult was the original light was mounted about 18 feet up a two inch pipe. The pipe was once about four feet high and at the top of it was a gas pump. The pump serviced a buried 200 gallon gas tank. Many years ago dad stopped using the gas tank and decided the pipe would make a great yard light pole after he added an extension to it. It worked great because it already had power. What made it difficult for me was the area at the base of the pole is now a flower garden (8' x 10') surrounded by large rocks. There was no way to use an extension ladder. The pole/pipe wasn't strong enough to lean a ladder against, and too tall to reach with my 12' step ladder. So........ I decided to back my 74 Chevy truck with the tailgate down as close to the pole as I could. I then place a 12' stepladder in the bed of the truck. Two of the legs were in the bed and the other two were on the edge of the tailgate. I went into the office and opened one of the two 200 Amp service panels and located the breaker. It was labeled *West Yard Light. *Back to the truck, and up the ladder. I could reach the light by leaning over the top of the ladder and pulling the pipe toward me with one hand while working with the other. Everything was a bit shaky, even with my son holding the ladder but this was the only way I was going to be able to get er done. I removed the fixture then the wire nuts. My dad had attached a metal box to the pole and it had to come off, so I grabbed both wires to push them through the hole...*BZZZZZZ!!! * Damn that hurts! Fortunately I was still standing on the ladder instead of landing on my son, or worse, lying on the rocks with a broken back. 
I went back into the office and looked. Yep, the breaker was still off.  I opened the second service panel and started reading......there it was. Plainly labeled ~ *Gas Pump. *Then I remembered, there used to be (about 25 years ago) another yard light on the West side of the property.  I had a voltage tester with me..........

~ Chance who lit himself up


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Whew! Glad you're OK Chance! 

Just because you're a flashaholic doesn't mean you're supposed to light _yourself_ up.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Thanks PhotonWrangler. Right you are. No more playing Uncle Fester for me. 

~ Chance


----------



## ElectronGuru

AMD64Blondie said:


> Sometimes curbs attack with no warning.
> 
> (I was walking down to work this morning,and didn't see the curb until it was too late.Tripped and fell face-first,scraping up my right hand.)
> 
> 
> Still stings mildly,even now-almost 11 hours later.



The corollary to this is learning to fall. Many injuries result from trying to stop yourself while falling. This made sense when the ground was of full of branches and things that could stab you. Spending a month with a broken wrist was better than losing an organ. But with most modern surfaces, rolling while falling can absorb much of the energy and direct it places on your body better able to cope with the impact.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Running white vinegar through your coffeemaker will do a pretty good job of cleaning it out. But the whole area will smell like a pickle factory for awhile. :sick2:


----------



## Monocrom

No coffee-maker for me. One less thing to clean. Sometimes old-fashioned way of doing things is better. (Especially when it comes to making coffee.)


----------



## Norm

PhotonWrangler said:


> Running white vinegar through your coffeemaker



Use the correct descaling product, the results will be better and no pickle smell 

Norm


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Norm said:


> Use the correct descaling product, the results will be better and no pickle smell
> 
> Norm



I will try that next time. Thanks Norm.

_-Sent from the pickle factory_


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> I will try that next time. Thanks Norm.
> 
> _-Sent from the pickle factory_



I wonder if anyone actually likes pickle scented coffee. 

Better patent your process before Starbucks does.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

My sister's boyfriend used to work at Nalley's. When they were processing pickles, dude smelled like a fifty gallon drum of them for a couple of weeks. You don't just wash that odor off with a shower. :sick2:

~ Chance


----------



## Cataract

I don't drink coffee, but water, sugar and ice mixed together will get a blackened pot bottom really clean; just twirl it around for about a minute and let it sit about 15 minutes and twirl again before the ice is completely melted, then rinse. I've seen it done over and over and no soap to rinse out.


----------



## StarHalo

Proud Aeropress disciple here. If you think about it, a standard drip coffeemaker is a somewhat oversimplified design; you put the grounds in a pile and then run a thin trickle of hot water right into the center of that pile, so the center of the pile is completely over-saturated, while the sides just sort of soak. Ideally, all the grounds would be exposed to the water equally, sort of like being churned in a vacuum, and you could control the amount and flow of water in this brewing chamber - this is the Aeropress.


----------



## Cataract

When I was in my early 20's, I once had an extremely vivid dream that I was so weak that punching into a wall with my entire strength was like trying to punch through fozen molasses and it didn't make any impact whatsoever. When I woke up, I felt just as weak as in my dream. The feeling just kept lingering and I really had to do something about it, so I just punched the wall with all my might and ended up hitting right on a beam. the impact was so hard, I saw my 2 knuckles spread apart and it hurt like hell.

I learned that:

-Punching on a wall beam hurts like hell.
-Punching on a wall beam leaves not a mark on the gypsum board (barely anything even if you know where to look).
-It is easier to not explain the absence of damage to the wall to your father than explaining a hole in the wall (I felt weak...)
-When you punch hard enough that you see your knuckles spread, it will hurt for weeks and you can see the broken ligaments when comparing both fists.
-Just don't punch on walls. I once had the noisiest, stupidest and most obnoxious upstairs neighbor and... well, just punch your neighbor instead (no, don't!! Just don't punch anything, that was a joke... use your words, but in capitals instead of lowercase and then wear earplugs until you move out.)


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Need For Speed, is a terrible movie. :thumbsdow

Learned that the hard way, tonight.

~ Chance


----------



## KD5XB

Check the reviews, cheers, and jeers before ordering a new flashlight from a retailer you don't know.


----------



## Cataract

Hard hats are not made for protecting from moving or falling objects (this part I learned the easy way)... they're made to protect moving heads from hard objects (learned that the hard way indeed).


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't use a magnetic extension for drilling holes down in a metal pan deck with a Unibit above the 1st floor.


----------



## H-Man

Mail order pharmacies are about as useful as alkaline batteries in a McGizmo.


----------



## Cataract

Headaches hurt.
Knocking your head hard enough can give you a headache.
My ex must have knocked her head often before getting into bed.


----------



## GunnarGG

Don't sit down if you have a tube of Nyogel in your backpocket.


----------



## Cataract

Saying no is not easy, but if it is reasonable enough to say no, others will support your decision.

Because people do a certain thing on a regular basis does not mean it is reasonable, safe or even sane to do it.


----------



## P_A_S_1

No good deed goes unpunished........

Months ago I patronized a struggling restaurant that was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, the place was even featured on The FoodTV Channel. During the diner the waitress dumped oil over the table and floor resulting in oil stained shoes. The owner insists on taking the shoes to have them professionally cleaned by his 'guy' to which we took him up on the offer. Six months later, no shoes. The owner has dodged all calls, emails, visits, and went out of business. The only reason I went to the place which was to support the guy after the storm....lol, no good deed goes unpunished.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I think I dodged a bullet tonight with my smartphone's battery.

Often I'll leave it plugged into a USB port on my desktop computer to charge it. I'm generally careful to unplug it before powering the computer down so I don't glitch the phone when the power goes off. And when I power the machine down, I wait for it to do a graceful shutdown, then I turn off the power switch on the back of the machine so it's completely disconnected from AC power.

Anyway, tonight I forgot to unplug the USB charging cable from the phone before powering down the machine. A little while later I noticed this, and I also noticed that the blue power indicator on the computer was still on, and the phone was warmer than it's ever been. As soon as I unplugged the phone from the USB port, the computer's power light went out.

Apparently the phone was back feeding DC power into the computer's 5v bus, so it was trying to power the motherboard (or at least the part that manages the 5vdc rail). The phone's hardware does support the USB-OTG standard where the phone can act as a host rather than a peripheral, but I didn't think it would try to power up the computer's 5v bus.

From now on I'm going to be extra careful with that USB charging cable.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Get a little bit of 70% isopropyl alcohol on your hands and it might tingle a little bit.
Get some 90% alcohol on your hands and it stings a little bit.
Get some 99.9% alcohol on your hands and #@%!&#$


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

PhotonWrangler said:


> Get a little bit of 70% isopropyl alcohol on your hands and it might tingle a little bit.
> Get some 90% alcohol on your hands and it stings a little bit.
> Get some 99.9% alcohol on your hands and #@%!&#$



Have to agree with this one. I recently ordered some 99.9% pure alcohol for my project work and when it gets on your hands it is VERY drying.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:


> Have to agree with this one. I recently ordered some 99.9% pure alcohol for my project work and when it gets on your hands it is VERY drying.



...and if there is even the slightest hint of a paper cut, it will find it.


----------



## Burgess

I had * NO IDEA * about this !

Learned something today !


Googled 99.9% Alcohol ,
and discovered it is commonly used in Fiber Optics work.


Let me guess --

That's what YOU were doing, eh ? ? ?


----------



## ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond

Burgess said:


> That's what YOU were doing, eh ? ? ?



Me? LOL, no..... My project work is just modding flashlights. I use it to clean off grease, solder flux, LED lenses, etc. I found 70% would leave a residue on the LED lenses. 90% was much better but unless you blew it off with forced air it would still dry with a residue. The 99.9% stuff is great - it practically evaporates right when you put it on - thus why it makes your hands so dry. It's a very hygroscopic liquid. (Hope I got the right word there)

Fortunately - I have not experienced the dreaded wrath PhotonWrangler did with 99.9% pure and a paper cut!:mecry:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Burgess said:


> I had * NO IDEA * about this !
> 
> Learned something today !
> 
> 
> Googled 99.9% Alcohol ,
> and discovered it is commonly used in Fiber Optics work.
> 
> 
> Let me guess --
> 
> That's what YOU were doing, eh ? ? ?



Guilty as charged.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Black ice is nasty. Slushy black ice on a brick sidewalk is worse. Zing--->fwap!


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

:laughing: Slushy black ice? :laughing: First time I've ever come across such. I hope it wasn't a hard fall/lesson.

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> :laughing: Slushy black ice? :laughing: First time I've ever come across such. I hope it wasn't a hard fall/lesson.
> 
> ~ Chance



Yeah it was. Still hurts to type this actually. There was a thin coating of water on and around the ice so it looked like slush. Evil stuff!


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Sorry PW. Yep, evil stuff. It's amazing how quickly you go down. Almost impossible not to react by trying to catch yourself with your hands. Which is a bad choice since the're such a small area with which to absorb the impact.

Heal quickly.

~ Chance


----------



## Steve K

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yeah it was. Still hurts to type this actually. There was a thin coating of water on and around the ice so it looked like slush. Evil stuff!



wet ice must be the slickest stuff that exists in our daily (winter) lives. I tend to come across it while bike riding in mid to late winter.. the typical scenario is that the roads are almost entirely clear and the temperature is slightly above freezing. There is still some melting snow along the road, so it's common to have wet spots. My problem is that I'll come across a wet spot that is in the shade, and it is actually an ice layer with water on top. It's amazing how fast a bike can slide out from underneath you!! I recall one instance where I suddenly found myself sliding on the ice on my butt, wondering "so how far can I slide before I come to a stop?".

Now I just treat every wet spot as if it is wet ice. It slows things down, but I don't end up on the ground as often.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Steve K said:


> Now I just treat every wet spot as if it is wet ice. It slows things down, but I don't end up on the ground as often.



That is wise. Yeah, I hate it when one moment I'm a pedestrian or bicycle rider and the next moment I'm a physics experiment!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If your bathroom's medicine cabinet is near the toilet, make sure to put the lid down before putting in or taking out stuff from the cabinet. Because gravity.


----------



## Cataract

PhotonWrangler said:


> Black ice is nasty. Slushy black ice on a brick sidewalk is worse. Zing--->fwap!



Slushy black ice? OMG! I once had one of my worse nightmares come partly true: the sidewalks were covered in an inch of ice and the ice rain was still coming down hard. I just stood on the sidewalk and ended up in the street (still standing, though). Fortunately the traffic was stuck at a red light and I walked in the street to where the sidewalk was level, but what an unpleasant experience. I'm now looking for shoe spikes that can be put on and removed with one hand while standing. The search is still going on.


----------



## KD5XB

I used to see one-handed crampons, but it was a long time ago.


----------



## Cataract

KD5XB said:


> I used to see one-handed crampons, but it was a long time ago.



Someone probably learned the hard way they didn't hold in place  Seriously, let me know if you find something like that again (and it doesn't look like it's made to go on top of astronaut boots), I would greatly appreciate it.


----------



## Cataract

I learned the hard way (for the fifth time) never to trust anyone who hasn't proved themselves trustworthy yet. This also made me learn the hard way that it's hard to learn stuff like that.


----------



## dc38

Everybody can do anything. Just not well.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

KD5XB said:


> I used to see one-handed crampons, but it was a long time ago.



I'm looking form something that's somewhere between crampons and golf shoe spikes. I have a pair of golf shoes with filed-down spikes that I use for icy weather but they only work up to a point. They're convenient because I can walk on carpet without tearing it up, so I don't have to switch between indoor shoes and outdoor shoes, but after that recent fall (during which I was wearing these), I realized I need something a little more aggressive.


----------



## bdogps

Do not open your flashlight head unless you want it dust particles inside the reflector. :/


----------



## nbp

PhotonWrangler said:


> I'm looking form something that's somewhere between crampons and golf shoe spikes. I have a pair of golf shoes with filed-down spikes that I use for icy weather but they only work up to a point. They're convenient because I can walk on carpet without tearing it up, so I don't have to switch between indoor shoes and outdoor shoes, but after that recent fall (during which I was wearing these), I realized I need something a little more aggressive.



How about YakTrax?


----------



## KD5XB

You might try wwwi.winterwalkung.cim


----------



## KD5XB

Let me try again... WWW. Winter walking. Com


----------



## KD5XB

Dog gone it! WWW.winterwalking.com


----------



## PhotonWrangler

nbp and KD5XB, thank you for this information. This is most helpful. :thumbsup:lovecpf


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Cataract said:


> I learned the hard way (for the fifth time) never to trust anyone who hasn't proved themselves trustworthy yet. This also made me learn the hard way that it's hard to learn stuff like that.



 From the above I've deduced you're a bad judge of character, quick to forgive n forget, more likely to give people the benifit of the doubt and most importantly, you'd rather trust those around you (even though you get burnt every once in a while) than live your life being suspicious. It's not that it's such a hard lesson, it's just something that goes against your basic nature.

All the above gives me reason to believe you're probably a pretty happy guy most of the time. :thumbsup:

~ Chance


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

KD5XB said:


> You might try wwwi.winterwalkung.cim





KD5XB said:


> Let me try again... WWW. Winter walking. Com





KD5XB said:


> Dog gone it! WWW.winterwalking.com



:laughing: You know? There is an edit feature, ........right? 

Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, it's just that your three attempts/posts struck me as being funny.....especially you being a member for six years and having over 400 posts. I think it was the Dog gone it! that finally cracked me up. That was brilliant. :twothumbs I'm still laughing, and I type really slowly.

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> :laughing: You know? There is an edit feature, ........right?
> 
> Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, it's just that your three attempts/posts struck me as being funny.....especially you being a member for six years and having over 400 posts. I think it was the Dog gone it! that finally cracked me up. That was brilliant. :twothumbs I'm still laughing, and I type really slowly.
> 
> ~ Chance



I've made a lot of silly mistakes because of autocorrect on my phone. Sometimes it's my friend and sometimes it's my enemy. One time it changed "Robert" to "re-poop." I am _not_ making this up.


----------



## nbp

Three subsequent posts is million times funnier. Hahaha. I guess he learned that the hard way. 


For a lot of funny stuff, look at damnyouautocorrect.com. It is hysterical the insane corrections it spits out and people send.


----------



## Tacti'cool'

There is a big difference between knowledge and common sense. Some of the smartest people I have ever met are also the dumbest.


----------



## KD5XB

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> :laughing: You know? There is an edit feature, ........right?
> 
> Sorry, I'm not trying to be mean, it's just that your three attempts/posts struck me as being funny.....especially you being a member for six years and having over 400 posts. I think it was the Dog gone it! that finally cracked me up. That was brilliant. :twothumbs I'm still laughing, and I type really slowly.
> 
> ~ Chance



It's that darned application on my phone. I couldn't find the edit feature!


----------



## Cataract

nbp said:


> How about YakTrax?



Forgot about those because they had bad reviews on hiking forums, but should be great for the city. I'll check them out again when I get to the store, thanks!




KD5XB said:


> Dog gone it! WWW.winterwalking.com



Another interesing option, thanks! ... now I have to research all of these...



Chauncey Gardiner said:


> From the above I've deduced you're a bad judge of character, quick to forgive n forget, more likely to give people the benifit of the doubt and most importantly, you'd rather trust those around you (even though you get burnt every once in a while) than live your life being suspicious. It's not that it's such a hard lesson, it's just something that goes against your basic nature.
> 
> All the above gives me reason to believe you're probably a pretty happy guy most of the time. :thumbsup:
> 
> ~ Chance



You got only one thing wrong: I'm an excellent judge of character in general, which means some people are good at giving the wrong impression... or maybe I just leave my judging skill dormant too often? I did get 90% of the last guy right on the dot other than the... to be polite let's just call it the big (useless) mouth part ...



PhotonWrangler said:


> I've made a lot of silly mistakes because of autocorrect on my phone. Sometimes it's my friend and sometimes it's my enemy. * One time it changed "Robert" to "re-poop."* I am _not_ making this up.



 Okay, this made my day


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Never trust that your razor is sharp.

Nicked myself shaving tonight.

Hurts like crazy.

(Wow,almost a haiku.)


----------



## Monocrom

Drunks, as well as idiots, can sometimes appear perfectly sober and intelligent.


----------



## Lite_me

My girlfriend isn't talking to me because apparently I "ruined" her birthday..

..I'm not sure how that's possible, I didn't even know it was her birthday!


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Lite_me said:


> My girlfriend isn't talking to me because apparently I "ruined" her birthday..
> 
> ..I'm not sure how that's possible, I didn't even know it was her birthday!



This is the Things I've Learned The Hard Way thread. I think you want the Here Are Some Jokes thread. :laughing:

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

This probably seems obvious to most here, but it wasn't to me until recently:

When packing for a trip, pack a few band-aids also.


----------



## Lite_me

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> This is the Things I've Learned The Hard Way thread. I think you want the Here Are Some Jokes thread. :laughing:
> 
> ~ Chance


I considered that. I decided a lesson could be learned here, and thought that this thread could use a bump too.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Most of us have also learned the girfriend/birthday lesson the hard way. 

How goes it with yours? Still in the doghouse?

~ Chance


----------



## Lite_me

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Most of us have also learned the girfriend/birthday lesson the hard way.
> 
> How goes it with yours? Still in the doghouse?
> 
> ~ Chance


Guess you don't remember my posts in the past. I'll be married 38yrs come Nov. 

I was just trying to possibly help others.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Lite_me said:


> *My girlfriend* isn't talking to me because apparently I "ruined" her birthday..
> 
> ..I'm not sure how that's possible, I didn't even know it was her birthday!





Lite_me said:


> Guess you don't remember my posts in the past. *I'll be married 38yrs come Nov*.
> 
> I was just trying to possibly help others.




Have they met?

~ Chance


----------



## Lite_me

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Have they met?
> 
> ~ Chance


I donno.. Do you think it's ok to ask 'em?


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Well, you could. But then you'd have a real lesson you learned the hard way. :whoopin::whoopin::whoopin::whoopin:

~ Chance


----------



## Cataract

I learned the hard way that when you figuratively hit the brick wall with your face, it's time to try something different. If you keep hitting the wall, it's time to think about what it is you're doing. If you're smart, you will learn a lesson and will apply it in the future. 

I have also learned the hard way that no one I know ever does this... ever! Applying lesson one, I learned the hard way that letting them smack their face into the wall repeatedly while standing back is the best way to enjoy the ride. 

“_History teaches us_ that _people_ have never _learned_ anything from _history_.” (well... not me!)


----------



## bdogps

The definition of insanity, "doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."

Might be obvious to others, was not to me, but employers conducting interviews, are like a like a cop trying to get a confession out of you.


----------



## dc38

Contextual changes can render a different end result. Lets say you run away to defend yourself against a murderer you just witnessed who looks similar to you, but others only see you running away from the scene and the real murderer is never aprehended. 

Lets say you do the exact same thing in the same situation, except now there is a camera recording the whole thing. The end result will be very, very different.

Semantics FTW!


----------



## Monocrom

bdogps said:


> The definition of insanity, "doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result."
> 
> Might be obvious to others, was not to me, but employers conducting interviews, are like a like a cop trying to get a confession out of you.



That's the definition of stupidity. The insane don't care about getting any result at all from their behavior.


----------



## Cataract

Sharpening knives razor sharp can be fun, but the fun part comes from actually shaving hair with them. Be careful though; even if you do not care how much arm hair you're missing, you might expose old scars you forgot about or make new ones... 




Monocrom said:


> That's the definition of stupidity. *The insane don't care about getting any result at all from their behavior*.



Do me a favor and run that by my boss


----------



## bdogps

Monocrom said:


> That's the definition of stupidity. The insane don't care about getting any result at all from their behavior.



The insane do not know they have gone insane, just as those who are stupid, are not aware that they are stupid.


----------



## Monocrom

bdogps said:


> The insane do not know they have gone insane, just as those who are stupid, are not aware that they are stupid.



I've known a few insane folks who knew they weren't sane.


----------



## Cataract

Monocrom said:


> I've known a few insane folks who knew they weren't sane.



Actually, me too... I've also met some stupid people who did admit they weren't the smartest person on Earth. These are quite exceptional, though...


----------



## Ruislip

Don't lift and turn at the same time. Make it two separate motions.


----------



## StarHalo

Ruislip said:


> Don't lift and turn at the same time. Make it two separate motions.



"Nose follows toes" is official Amazon.com warehouse policy, has worked reliably for me.


----------



## KD5XB

Ruislip said:


> Don't lift and turn at the same time. Make it two separate motions.



Lo, he dost speaketh a great truth.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When tooling around on your bicycle, remain aware of the road immediately in front of you. I was riding around yesterday when I hit a chunk of concrete sitting in the road and I went flying. No serious damage, just some bruised ribs, but geez. Damn you Newton and your laws.


----------



## Monocrom

Good to hear you weren't seriously hurt.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Thanks Monocrom.


----------



## Monocrom

You're welcome.

We've lost too many good guys on CPF already.


----------



## Johnbeck180

Hello all!! My goodness! It's been such a long time since I've been on here.


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Yikes. I hope the watch is ok. I think that's one of Murphy's Laws - the more expensive and fragile something is, the more likely it will be dropped.

I once showed a silicon wafer (with microscopic chip die etched into it) to a co-worker, and he asked if he could borrow it to pass around in a technical training class. I warned him that it was _extremely_ fragile, and he promised to bring it back intact. Well, the first guy in the class who he passed it to shattered it.


I have a couple more of those wafers but I don't pass them around any more.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

RBR said:


> That wonderful lady managed yesterday to drop my brand new Omega Seamaster, list price ~ 5.5k$, from a height of about 30cm onto our wooden kitchen tray when having a look at it.
> 
> :hairpull:
> 
> Cheers
> 
> RBR



Well, you know, RBR, Chuck Norris wouldn't have just stood there and watched in horror. Nope, he would have caught it before it landed.  Chuck Norris for the win.

~ Chance


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

OK, that makes no sense whatsoever. What job before? Your wonderful lady dropping it? She has a beard? What are you on about, man? Stop drinking, you've had enough.

No more cheers for you!

~ Chance


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

RBR, 

What is your native language? How is your new watch performing? Chuck Norris doesn't need a watch; he tells the sun what time it is. :laughing:

~ C.G.


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

I don't know about all that, ^ but I do know your English is superior to my German.

Chuck Norris and Superman once fought for the fun of it. To make it more interesting they agreed the loser had to wear his underwear on the outside of his clothes.

Chuck Norris for the win! :twothumbs

~ Chance


----------



## Cataract

Steel toed shoes actually protect your toes a lot more than you can imagine. They just do a poor job at protecting the rest of your foot, especially about where the steel cap ends...


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Cataract said:


> Steel toed shoes actually protect your toes a lot more than you can imagine. They just do a poor job at protecting the rest of your foot, especially about where the steel cap ends...


 

Yep. The steel, or composite, is just there for the piggies. Were you hurt, or wounded? 

~ Chance


----------



## RBR

....ö


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

RBR said:


> *Since the Germans quit knocking with howitzers and tanks at their neighbour´s doors about 70 years ago* some of them opened their own battlefields in what they call "third half" around soccer matches, just hools.
> 
> Wearing a blue/white scarf or jersey (colours of Schalke04 from Gelsenkirchen) you would very likely not even make it close to the Borsig-Platz in Dortmund, at least not on your own feet.
> 
> 
> 
> I fear not even C.N. would make it because only the try will make his Delta Force job look like a kindergarten birthday party.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers
> 
> RBR



Chuck Norris was born March 10, 1940. At five years of age he was already making the world a safer place to live. :wow:

~ Chance


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Ah yes, football team spirit clubs. A few years back, I watched Green Street Hooligans. It made me sad to realize so many people would conduct themselves in such a manner. Still, better them fighting each other than marching lock-step toward their neighbor's. :shakehead 

Ich bete es dir gut geht,

~ Chance


----------



## Cataract

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Yep. The steel, or composite, is just there for the piggies. Were you hurt, or wounded?
> 
> ~ Chance




Jumping around in circles after kicking a big block of ice in the parking lot. Good thing I had just finished with that client...


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When picking up an unfamiliar flashlight to try it out, point it away from your eyes before turning it on. I saw a co-worker's flashlight sitting on a desk the other day, so I picked it up to check it out, and (click) OWW!. Yeah, that's a decent light.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

So, you were wrangled by an unfamiliar photon device. How ironic. :ironic: 

~ Chance :laughing:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Lol, yeah. 

I learned two things from that - 

1) Don't look directly at the light while turning it on.

2) I should know this by now, so apparently I'm an idiot. :laughing:


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

....... It must have been a sleeper. Caught you by surprise. 

~ Chance 

Say, how do you like my sig line?


----------



## Wolfy1776

Things I learned the hard way....

Don't toss a baby up in the air right after they have had a bottle.


----------



## Tony Clifton

PhotonWrangler said:


> When picking up an unfamiliar flashlight to try it out, point it away from your eyes before turning it on. I saw a co-worker's flashlight sitting on a desk the other day, so I picked it up to check it out, and (click) OWW!. Yeah, that's a decent light.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

^ Too funny, Tony. :laughing:

~ Chance


----------



## nbp

Learned today that McDonald's mozzarella sticks don't actually have any cheese in them. I found 4 out of 6 had almost no cheese whatsoever and the remaining 2 were certainly not filled with stringy and stretchy cheese like the picture. Look, this is Wisconsin man, I've eaten hundreds of fried cheese curds and sticks in my life, and these suck. Go peddle your crappy mozz sticks somewhere else. [emoji36]


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

How to post so as to avoid the attention :tsk: of the mods and administrators. 

~ Chance


----------



## nbp

You're coming along..doesn't it feel good to behave? Lol.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

SIR! Yes sir, it does sir. May I have another, sir? :laughing:

~ Chance


----------



## LGT

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> SIR! Yes sir, it does sir. May I have another, sir? :laughing:
> 
> ~ Chance


still shakin' it boss, still shakin'


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

LGT, I laughed out loud for at least 45 seconds. :thumbsup: Thank you for that.

~ Chance


----------



## Cataract

I have learned the hard way that falling doesn't have to hurt one bit when you just _let_ yourself fall (and a little help from JUDO classes). The best part is when you get up like a superstar right after people go "I think he's dead!!!" I can't even start telling that story, but what fun it was to know how that asphalt trace got on my favorite t-shirt !


----------



## Poppy

When assembling something for the first time, it pays to read the instructions!

One time... yeah, one of many times, (I guess I am not always the fastest learner) I put together an all plastic bird cage. It was really futuristic looking, and the best part was the food and water cups were built into the rounded corners, so that if the bird spit his food out the side of the dish, as those miserable little creatures do (and make a mess!) the food hits the inside of the rounded corner, and it falls back into the dish. Brilliant! 

So the instructions are slide/snap A into B, snap C into D, and BEFORE you insert part E into F, do XYZ!
OK, so the natural progression is to insert E into F Opps!!! Now try to get those hard plastic pieces that are snapped together, apart without braking them. 

This summer I helped my nephew add a deck to his house. When he was explaining to me about how very careful measurements needed to be made to insure that one of the supports aligned properly with the lower rail of the railing. I thought that it might be easier if we just had a long drill bit and drilled right through it to mark it in place. I decided to READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! and there... plain as day we were told to lie the lower rail in place on the deck and to drill right through it.

My comment to him was along the lines of... when you have kids of your own, and have assembled enough Christmas toys, you'll have learned, that it PAYS TO READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!


----------



## ElectronGuru

Cataract said:


> I have learned the hard way that falling doesn't have to hurt one bit when you just _let_ yourself fall


Some years back I was riding (bike) to work and car came out of nowhere. Rather than roll across the hood, I slammed on the brakes. Front tire locked up and I went over the handlebars and headfirst at the concrete. Tucked and rolled through it. Lost skin in several areas but no breaks or sprains. Healed up in a few weeks. Boss lady was at a party, standing on the grass. Lost her balance and proceeded to fall over. She put her hand out and jammed back her fingers. Few weeks later we were talking, held up her hand with finger split and asked how I recovered so fast.

10k years ago, if you hit the ground there was likely something there ready to puncture your abdomen. Hit it and die. Loosing a finger was way preferable. FFW to today and *embrace the fall* suddenly makes the most sense.


----------



## KD5XB

Things I learned the hard way. Hmm....

Probably the most important I ever learned was NOT to smart off to my Senior Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Boot Camp.


----------



## Prepped

KD5XB said:


> Things I learned the hard way. Hmm....
> 
> Probably the most important I ever learned was NOT to smart off to my Senior Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Boot Camp.



Yut....


----------



## KD5XB

Watch the language. This is a family friendly forum. Thank you.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Having a backup image of your hard drive is a good thing.

Having a _valid_ backup image that you can actually use to restore from is way better.


----------



## KD5XB

KD5XB said:


> Watch the language. This is a family friendly forum. Thank you.



Oops, I forgot which forum I was on!

I was trying to say OOH RAH.


----------



## Steve K

KD5XB said:


> Things I learned the hard way. Hmm....
> 
> Probably the most important I ever learned was NOT to smart off to my Senior Drill Instructor at Marine Corps Boot Camp.



That was an environment where it was good to learn from the mistakes of others. 

Boot camp was one of those places that is much funnier in retrospect than it was at the moment. 
Plus.. now I just feel sorry for my D.I.'s for having to deal with 80 teenagers, where a certain percentage were going to cause trouble. I wouldn't want their job.

Steve 
(MCRD San Diego, platoon 3073, many years ago. Senior D.I. was SSgt Rosario)


----------



## KD5XB

Rosario? I think I remember hearing that name.

MCRDSD Platoon 3041 1977


----------



## P_A_S_1

My brother did rotc w/ the marines. I asked him about the notoriously tough marine drill sergeants and he said our mom was tougher. LOL, when your mom is more intimidating that a drill sergeant that's something.


----------



## Steve K

KD5XB said:


> Rosario? I think I remember hearing that name.
> 
> MCRDSD Platoon 3041 1977



heck, I was just a bit behind you... summer of '77. June till September. 

Maybe I saw you? Were you the one wearing green and with short hair? 

edit: since you've got the F-22 on the image in your signature, I'm assuming you may have been an air-winger.. I went to NAS Memphis after boot camp for avionics school, and then on to El Toro for OJT and finally stationed at sunny Yuma, keeping the Skyhawks flying. Kinda fun.


----------



## KD5XB

After San Diego, I went to Millington and then Cherry Point at H&MS-14. One rotation to Futenma and then home & out.


----------



## Prepped

P_A_S_1 said:


> My brother did rotc w/ the marines. I asked him about the notoriously tough marine drill sergeants and he said our mom was tougher. LOL, when your mom is more intimidating that a drill sergeant that's something.



Drill Instructors, I think you mean. Drill Sergeants are Army. If he was ROTC, he probably got to meet one, who no doubt had to tone it down. Trust me, spend five minutes on Parris Island as a recruit, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Platoon 2074, graduated September of 2011 by the way. Nice to see some old salt dogs on the forum. 
Semper Fi.


----------



## P_A_S_1

Semantics aside most find the story funny.


----------



## Steve K

Prepped said:


> Drill Instructors, I think you mean. Drill Sergeants are Army. If he was ROTC, he probably got to meet one, who no doubt had to tone it down. Trust me, spend five minutes on Parris Island as a recruit, and you'll see what I'm talking about.
> 
> Platoon 2074, graduated September of 2011 by the way. Nice to see some old salt dogs on the forum.
> Semper Fi.



When I was a young enlisted guy in the Marines, I worked with one fellow who had been a D.I. Nicest guy in the world, but he could turn on his D.I. persona and scare the bejezus out of you. 

It's hard to really explain to someone what it's like to show up at boot camp in the middle of the night on an old bus and suddenly have 3 guys start yelling at you. One of the purposes of the first few weeks of boot camp is simply to put the recruits in a very stressful environment and see how they do. 

I'd say that the first half of the movie Full Metal Jacket gives a reasonable idea of what the boot camp environment is (was?) like... except that Matthew Modine's character wouldn't even consider mouthing off to the D.I. We did have one or two jokers in our platoon.. Private Hankins was one of them. There were times during the evening hygiene inspection where the D.I. would get to Hankins and say "Private Hankins, I think you have a nose hair out of regulation!", and then carefully reach up and yank it out. Of course, Hankins has to stay at attention and not move. Pretty funny stuff.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Steve K said:


> When I was a young enlisted guy in the Marines, I worked with one fellow who had been a D.I. Nicest guy in the world, but he could turn on his D.I. persona and scare the bejezus out of you.



By any chance was this "Major Bambi?"


----------



## Steve K

PhotonWrangler said:


> By any chance was this "Major Bambi?"



I heard that story when it aired on NPR. Imagine how well rounded you have to be to be the voice of Bambi and also be in charge of training Marine Corps recruits! Note that this fellow was a major, and not a D.I. (just in case anyone wasn't paying attention). 

Wandering further O.T., I will note that one of the NCO's in my squadron was Gunnery Sergeant Lovely. All I could think about was the kind of hell you'd have in boot camp being named "Lovely".


----------



## Monocrom

I know a truly excellent young podiatrist whose last name is spelled just a bit differently from how it's pronounced. Turns out many new patients, as a show of respect, would pronounce it as "Height."

The nurses seemed to get a devilish delight in correcting the new patients. Turns it IS pronounced "Hate."

Could you imagine when he gets paged? Especially if a young racist comes in with a foot infection..... "Paging doctor Hate. Doctor Hate, please report to room 310." 

Once again, he's excellent in his field. I recommend him highly.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Today I learned that you can injure yourself just from stretching. I stretched my arms this morning, the kind of stretch that usually accompanies a big yawn. I would up pulling a muscle (or group of muscles) around the right side of my chest. It still hurts a little bit to inhale.

What's weird is that I had no warning that I was about to overdo it.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

....... That the saying, If you've got your health, you've got everything. is pretty much true. 

~ Chance


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> Today I learned that you can injure yourself just from stretching. I stretched my arms this morning, the kind of stretch that usually accompanies a big yawn. I would up pulling a muscle (or group of muscles) around the right side of my chest. It still hurts a little bit to inhale.
> 
> What's weird is that I had no warning that I was about to overdo it.



Welcome to nearly middle age my friend. I can no longer sleep on my right side. Left, or back only.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> Welcome to nearly middle age my friend. I can no longer sleep on my right side. Left, or back only.



...and I can't sleep on my left side. What's up with that?


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

You two remind me of Jack Sprat and his wife. :laughing:

~ Chance


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> ...and I can't sleep on my left side. What's up with that?




I don't know, but apparently each of us sprained something on one side.


----------



## Monocrom

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> You two remind me of Jack Sprat and his wife. :laughing:
> 
> ~ Chance




You'll be joining us soon enough.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Monocrom said:


> You'll be joining us soon enough.



Read post #1010; I already have. :sigh:

~ C.G.


----------



## Kestrel

When backing up hard drives to qty.~50 3.5" floppies (yes I'm that old), the hard drive is far more reliable than the backup.

-----

Also, reading some of the above responses, I am reminded of one of my favorite sayings:
"Being dumb hurts; If you're not smart, you better be tough."


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Kestrel said:


> When backing up hard drives to qty.~50 3.5" floppies (yes I'm that old), the hard drive is far more reliable than the backup.



Unable to read drive A. Abort, Retry, Ignore?

Been there, done that also.


----------



## Kestrel

Yep lol.


----------



## Burgess

ah, yes . . . .

Good Ol' floppy disks !



_


----------



## Monocrom

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Read post #1010; I already have. :sigh:
> 
> ~ C.G.




Genuinely sorry to hear that. Also, it *is* my left side as well. I got just a bit confused.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Monocrom said:


> Genuinely sorry to hear that.



Thanks. Not too much to complain about, really. I just miss being in the 30's. 59 this April.



Monocrom said:


> Also, it *is* my left side as well. I got just a bit confused.



A bit confused. That's funny. :laughing:

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you're having some trouble with gas and bloating, avoid eating things with cabbage in it. This will only make it worse. :toilet:


----------



## StarHalo

PhotonWrangler said:


> cabbage



Fartweed, you mean


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Lol, something like that.


----------



## P_A_S_1

Some foods should be seen and heard.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Good: vacumming out your computer. Less dust means the CPU has better cooling and is less likely to throttle down in speed to protect itself from overheating.

Bad: zapping one of your cards with static electricity from the vacuum.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

PhotonWrangler said:


> Good: vacumming out your computer. Less dust means the CPU has better cooling and is less likely to throttle down in speed to protect itself from overheating.
> 
> Bad: zapping one of your cards with static electricity from the vacuum.



Experts have told me, "Never use your vacuum on your computer." Compressed/canned air is the best choice. It doesn't contain moisture. 

~ Chance


----------



## Burgess

to Photon Wrangler --


Didn't you PREVIOUSLY write something here about that ? ? ?


I seem to recall. But I guess I *might* be mistaken.

And don't wanna' read through 10,000 posts to verify.


But when I saw it before,
I immediately stored it away in my Brain,
for future reference of what NOT to do !


_


----------



## StarHalo

The vacuum motor is a big magnetic noisemaker, a quick and easy way to erase your hard drive. But I remember discussing that back in the Pentium days, back when hard drives were magnetic, so that shows you how old that piece of advice is..


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I think the culprit this time was the electrostatic charge that builds up from moving lots of air through a small plastic nozzle. This action just naturally rips some electrons off of the air molecules.

I pulled the bad card out and did a thorough visual inspection to see if I accidentally cracked one of the SMD solder joints but I didn't see anything obviously wrong, so I probably zapped one of the CMOS LSI chips.

I've been considering replacing that card anyway (an old ATSC/QAM tuner card) because I can't get current drivers for it and it occasionally acts up. This event just pushed me over the edge for an upgrade.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Here's a safety related thing I learned today - 

If you're planning on driving on the highway with your windows rolled down, make sure any lightweight paper and plastic items are firmly secured. I was driving along the highway today when suddenly WHAP! All I could see was white. 

A plastic grocery bag became airborne somewhere behind me, when it suddenly blew right into my face and completely obstructed my vision until I grabbed it and stuffed it between the seats.

That will _not_ happen again. :shakehead


----------



## Poppy

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Experts have told me, "Never use your vacuum on your computer." Compressed/canned air is the best choice. It doesn't contain moisture.
> 
> ~ Chance


OK... maybe I am a little excessive.

My box is about 4 years old, so I guess my HD is still magnetic?

At any rate, for years, the way I clean out my computers is:
I take them out into the driveway, pull the cover off, and fire up my leaf blower 

lol

It cleans them out in a heart beat. 

I never had a problem with the EMP that the electric motor puts out.

Have I been LUCKY all these years?
The motor is typically 4 feet away from the hard drive.
As would be the case with a canister vacuum cleaner.
I wonder if they are referring to one of those little hand held vacuums, where it is possible to get the motor very close to the HD.


----------



## Poppy

PhotonWrangler said:


> Here's a safety related thing I learned today -
> 
> If you're planning on driving on the highway with your windows rolled down, make sure any lightweight paper and plastic items are firmly secured. I was driving along the highway today when suddenly WHAP! All I could see was white.
> 
> A plastic grocery bag became airborne somewhere behind me, when it suddenly blew right into my face and completely obstructed my vision until I grabbed it and stuffed it between the seats.
> 
> That will _not_ happen again. :shakehead




Similar but different scenario.

Don't drive to the bank with a few checks, you plan to deposit, on the passenger seat, with the windows down!

Question... which is more distracting:
1. texting while driving
2. trying to catch, checks flying around in the air of the cab of the car, threatening to fly out the window?


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Poppy said:


> At any rate, for years, the way I clean out my computers is:
> I take them out into the driveway, pull the cover off, and fire up my leaf blower



Lol. Youtube or it didn't happen. 

I've seen some anti-static vacuum hose attachments. I don't know how well they work, but they probably help. There are different schools of thought on vacuuming vs blowing out with air. If you use compressed air, you can get into really tiny crevices with the nozzle and you can usually get a pretty good blast of air in there. However you can theoretically blow some dust particles deeper into crevices like sockets.

If you vacuum instead, you don't have the issue of forcing dust into crevices, but you usually can't get enough suction into small crevices to get all of the dust out, so in a way you're left with the same situation. And there's the static electricity issue.

I'm not sure what I'll do the next time I need to clean out my computer, but right now I'm leaning towards compressed/canned air. Or a leaf blower.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Poppy said:


> Question... which is more distracting:
> 1. texting while driving
> 2. trying to catch, checks flying around in the air of the cab of the car, threatening to fly out the window?



Ha! Been there also, but in my case it was a prescription instead of a check.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Poppy said:


> OK... maybe I am a little excessive.
> 
> My box is about 4 years old, so I guess my HD is still magnetic?
> 
> At any rate, for years, the way I clean out my computers is:
> I take them out into the driveway, pull the cover off, and fire up my leaf blower
> 
> lol
> 
> It cleans them out in a heart beat.
> 
> I never had a problem with the EMP that the electric motor puts out.
> 
> Have I been LUCKY all these years?
> The motor is typically 4 feet away from the hard drive.
> As would be the case with a canister vacuum cleaner.
> I wonder if they are referring to one of those little hand held vacuums, where it is possible to get the motor very close to the HD.



Just do what I did, buy a Mac.  There're sealed. 

~ Chance


----------



## StarHalo

The vacuum/hard drive issue is for folks with their old school desktops who put the CPU on the floor and then vacuum around it, bad idea. 

And +1 on the Mac; typing this on a Macbook Pro with an SSD, a computer that has no moving parts and makes no noise (most of the time, there's a cooling fan I can get to kick on when heavy-editing big photos,) those Cupertino folks know their Zen..


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Yeah I have an old school desktop that I built. It doesn't sit on the floor bu it still collects a fair amount of dust over time. I've thought about water cooling it and sealing all of the vents but that would be messy.

MAC does do a nice job with their hardware. I had a friend whose house burned down; he gave me his charred macbook to see if I could rescue any information from it. The plastic connectors were melted in the back, but the inside of the case was surprisingly pristine. I was able to recover everything off the hard drive include family photos.

But I'm still a Windoze user myself. And I like having a machine that I can upgrade any which way I want to. Still looking for the best way to handle dust though. If I ever vacuum it again, I'll probably use one of those anti-static attachments.

BTW a long time ago I accidentally blew out a MOS clock chip just by touching the pins with an ungrounded hand. I didn't feel a static shock; it simply stopped working. Modern CMOS chips are generally more rugged but they're still static sensitive.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

StarHalo said:


> *The vacuum/hard drive issue is for folks with their old school desktops who put the CPU on the floor and then vacuum around it, bad idea. *
> 
> And +1 on the Mac; typing this on a Macbook Pro with an SSD, a computer that has no moving parts and makes no noise (most of the time, there's a cooling fan I can get to kick on when heavy-editing big photos,) those Cupertino folks know their Zen..



Yep, that's how mine was set up. It was amazing how much dust it'd collect. It gave the refrigerator a run for its money. When we purchased the Mac we left the old CPU running 24/7 as a room cleaner.

~ C.G.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Yep, that's how mine was set up. It was amazing how much dust it'd collect. It gave the refrigerator a run for its money. When we purchased the Mac we left the old CPU running 24/7 as a room cleaner.
> 
> ~ C.G.



Old CRT color TVs worked well as dust magnets also.


----------



## bykfixer

Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's good.

Just because it's cheap does not.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you're planning on microwaving some frozen food that wasn't designed for microwave heating, start out using a low power setting. I put some spinach & cheese raviolis on a paper plate and popped them into the microwave on high power for 2 minutes. One of the raviolis caught fire and burned a portion of the paper plate. 

The worst part is the whole place now reeks of burned cheese and paper. :sick2:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Batteries are sneaky little buggers and will leak when you don't expect them to. I just looked at a AAA battery holder that had one cell in it, and it leaked all over the contacts. The battery wasn't very old either. Luckily it was an easy cleanup and caused no permanent damage.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Bought a bug zapper. This unit has 2 10w BL (unfiltered) UV tubes in it. I plugged it in for a moment to test it and confirm that the lamps worked. Then I unplugged it and pulled off the back shield to pull one of the tubes out to get a better look, and I got a strong shock. I noticed a quick whiff of burning flesh from my finger.

The shock felt like AC, which means it's internal HV supply was still running off it's power supply capacitor even though it was switched off and unplugged. _This product is not intrinsically safe_. So I jammed a screwdriver between the electrodes to short out any remaining voltage before removing one of the bulbs for a closer look. In retrospect I should have done this first.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

So, you were bugged and zapped by a bug zapper. I know I shouldn't mock your pain, but I find that hilarious. :laughing:

Way back in this thread I posted about being BIGTIME zapped by a capacitor in a television set I was dismantling. Man, that hurt. So, I've felt your pain.

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When trying out a pepper from a plate of samples, ascertain what kind it is before taking a bite.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Good: making a backup image of your computer to an external drive.

Dumb: Plugging the external drive into a slow USB 1.0 port on the computer.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you store some cans of pop in a cupboard for awhile, check on them occasionally. We discovered that several cans had spontaneously leaked over time, even though they never got particularly hot or cold. I didn't know that pop (soda) did that.


----------



## Monocrom

Don't us Visine or Clear Eyes on a regular basis because once the drops wear out, the redness comes back even worse. They're fine if you're going out on a night on the town and have redness. But not daily use. Basically, you then have to always use them. Natural tears are better. Your best bets are Refresh or Systane. The latter being better of the two.

Just found that out today from a well-respected retina specialist, today.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> Don't us Visine or Clear Eyes on a regular basis because once the drops wear out, the redness comes back even worse. They're fine if you're going out on a night on the town and have redness. But not daily use. Basically, you then have to always use them. Natural tears are better. Your best bets are Refresh or Systane. The latter being better of the two.
> 
> Just found that out today from a well-respected retina specialist, today.



On a related note, I've found that I build up an intolerance to certain eye drop formulas over time. When I try one that feels good in my eyes, I can generally use it for 6-8 months, and after that it causes my eyes to itch.

However I've found one formula that doesn't cause this problem for me - any product where the active ingredient is sodium carboxymethylcelluose. I usually don't remember the full name when I'm shopping for eye drops, so I just remember to look for "carboxy" in the active ingredient section and I know it's ok for me.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Whenever my eyes are dry to the point of being discomfortable, 

....................... I just watch the last five minutes of Lassie Come Home. :mecry: 

~ Chance


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## Monocrom

So true!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Screen printing is a lot trickier than it looks at first. I've been tinkering with it and I've made a number of rookie mistakes. It took forever to finally get a respectable looking result with simple text. Still hammering out problems with graphic reproduction.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Alcohol is great for cleaning a lot of things. Cheap reading glasses with plastic lenses, not so much. The alcohol reacted with the lenses and left a distorted mess.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Don't work with bleach while wearing good clothes.


----------



## Capolini

Keep your EXPECTATIONS in check!

"Expectations beyond logic result in disappointment"!

,,,,,,Capolini 11.24.02


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner




----------



## Capolini

Capolini said:


> Keep your EXPECTATIONS in check!
> 
> "Expectations beyond logic result in disappointment"!
> 
> ,,,,,,Capolini 11.24.02




This is pertaining to OTHER people, NOT yourself.


----------



## liteboy

Do not microwave a hard boiled egg to heat it up. It will explode while heating or worse, explode in your face once you put a fork in it. Lesson learned.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Capolini said:


> Keep your EXPECTATIONS in check!
> 
> "*Expectations beyond logic result in disappointment"*!
> 
> ,,,,,,Capolini 11.24.02





Capolini said:


> This is pertaining to OTHER people, NOT yourself.



Ooh. Like me being disappointed it wasn't written in such a way as to be easily understood.  :laughing:

~ Chance


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

liteboy said:


> Do not microwave a hard boiled egg to heat it up. It will explode while heating or worse, explode in your face once you put a fork in it. Lesson learned.



So, where did your egg explode?  Was this sans shell? Got any pictures? :laughing: 

~ Chance


----------



## blah9

Yeah that doesn't sound good. Wonder if poking a couple holes in the egg would have prevented the explosion? 

I learned the hard way to make sure you're walking through a doorway and not into a wall in the middle of the night trying to get to the bathroom haha. I was pretty sure I was in the right spot but apparently not. Hitting my head woke me up fast!


----------



## Monocrom

Let's say you have a favorite fixed-blade knife. Let's say the sheath is sub-par. Let's say that when you find a custom sheath-maker willing to make a custom *kydex* sheath for it.... You're going to *DEFINITELY* have to send your knife in so it will be fitted properly to the sheath. Unless you want a kydex sheath just too tight or just too loose for your tastes. 

The only exception to this is pre-made kydex sheaths ready to ship. Or, semi-custom sheaths. Full blown customs that will take several weeks to arrive? Yeah, send in your knife.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

I learned that there is a blue film sticker over the lens of Nitecore Tiny Monster lights. I thought for 6 months that my 4000 lumen TM06s was around 2000 lumens on high with a horribly bluish tint. I used it as a worklight with that stupid sticker on thinking it was just the antireflective coating. I only realized it was a sticker today when the heat of the light made the sticker wrinkle. Nowhere in the instructions does it mention this sticker and the little pull tab blended in well in the bezel. Feeling kind of stupid now.


----------



## Thom2022

Lesson one:
Never EVER give your dog that tries to shake toys to death a hammer. It's funny for 5 seconds.
Lesson two:
A fractured shin REALLY sucks!

Yes those two points are entirely related. 
Also just add context, I picked up a hammer, my husky was interested, I showed it to her and she grabbed it by the handle then proceeded to parade it around (the funny part) and then shake it to death (unbelievably terrifying) 
My shin was in the way.


----------



## Monocrom

Ouch! Sorry to hear that. Hope it's not a severe injury.

A bit of irony, I bought a ball peen hammer the day before yesterday. Bought a stubby handle (A.K.A. ~ cut-down handle) hammer a few hours ago. Also, Zippo offers both a brown and a separate black semi-custom image of a hammer you can put on a classic Zippo.


----------



## Thom2022

It was a few years ago, no lasting damage just a split running up the middle and a couple small chips. It woulda made a great fail video!


----------



## Need a Light?

Thom2022 said:


> It was a few years ago, no lasting damage just a split running up the middle and a couple small chips. It woulda made a great fail video!



'Just split it down the middle, it's nothing' lol! That shin bone has gotta be what, at least 3/4 of your lower leg bone support? 

Glad it turned out okay. Story made me chuckle too (I love seeing what the pup will play with/be interested in)though I understand the fear. Had a hammer thrown at me once by a child who was chasing me when I was ~3rd grade and we were building tree forts, he was nice but... not all there. Yeah don't mess with hammers!


----------



## ironhorse

If she's been divorced twice before.....there's a reason.


----------



## blah9

Hooked on Fenix said:


> I learned that there is a blue film sticker over the lens of Nitecore Tiny Monster lights. I thought for 6 months that my 4000 lumen TM06s was around 2000 lumens on high with a horribly bluish tint. I used it as a worklight with that stupid sticker on thinking it was just the antireflective coating. I only realized it was a sticker today when the heat of the light made the sticker wrinkle. Nowhere in the instructions does it mention this sticker and the little pull tab blended in well in the bezel. Feeling kind of stupid now.



Haha don't feel too bad. I made the same mistake. If my wife didn't ask about the blue then I wouldn't have realized as quickly as I did, and that was definitely not right when I got it out of the box. I was a bit disappointed with the tint as well and it was really tough to tell at first because of the hidden tab.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I remember I bought some piece of consumer electronics gear years ago and I thought "man, that front panel is an ugly blue." It took far too long to recognize that it was a peel-away film that was put there for scratch protection.


----------



## Monocrom

Thom2022 said:


> It was a few years ago, no lasting damage just a split running up the middle and a couple small chips. It woulda made a great fail video!




Indeed! You would have easily gotten 1,000,000 views and likely have been trending.


----------



## Thom2022

Need a Light? said:


> 'Just split it down the middle, it's nothing' lol!


When your as accident prone as I am then stuff like this just seems normal. A brief rundown of the major stuff I've done in a 10 year period is as follows,
Hit by 3 cars, hit by a bus (slow moving thankfully), in my car whilst it gone run over by a tractor, came off my downhill bike and landed lower back first on a tree stump, nearly punctured my throat with my collar bone in another bike crash, landed neck first on the edge of a quarter pipe after falling ~2.5m, electrocuted myself with 240v UK mains roughly 5 times, dropped a gearbox onto my chest and lastly that I can remember ripped a steel toe cap out of one of my boots with a metal bladed petrol strimmer when I lost my footing due to a hidden rabbit hole and dropped it at full chat onto my other foot. 
For those reasons I now believe I am immortal.


----------



## Monocrom

I think God hates you. (Just kidding, just kidding. )

Wow! Every time I'm having a bad day, I can just think of one of those above incidents and feel better.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Mental note... don't stand too close to Thom. 

Seriously, glad you're ok!


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> Mental note... don't stand too close to Thom.
> 
> _*Seriously, glad you're ok!*_



*+1* on that.


----------



## scout24

Hooked on Fenix said:


> I learned that there is a blue film sticker over the lens of Nitecore Tiny Monster lights. I thought for 6 months that my 4000 lumen TM06s was around 2000 lumens on high with a horribly bluish tint. I used it as a worklight with that stupid sticker on thinking it was just the antireflective coating. I only realized it was a sticker today when the heat of the light made the sticker wrinkle. Nowhere in the instructions does it mention this sticker and the little pull tab blended in well in the bezel. Feeling kind of stupid now.



I applaud your willingness to share this here. And I can see how east it was to have that misunderstanding...


----------



## roger-roger

Dogs are with us for only a short time. Time flies. Its good to always keep that in mind.


----------



## Crazyeddiethefirst

After the loss of one of my beloved animals, I was really having a hard time with the loss. A good friend told me "you do realize that every pet you have will in all likely hood die before you"? I had never thought about it in those terms. I shared this knowledge with my granddaughter, and then last week her American Bulldog had a stroke and passed. She still cried, but when her dad was telling her it would be OK, she said "Grampa told me that her dying is just a part of living", so I'm sad now, but it will be OK...


----------



## Offgridled

Great thread here


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Offgridled said:


> Great thread here



REALLY!? You've never learned anything the hard way? Come-on, man!  Share.

~ Chance


----------



## Offgridled

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> REALLY!? You've never learned anything the hard way? Come-on, man!  Share.
> 
> ~ Chance


I just learned not to post that in this thread lol


----------



## gadget_lover

Thom2022 said:


> When your as accident prone as I am then stuff like this just seems normal. A brief rundown of the major stuff I've done in a 10 year period is as follows,
> Hit by 3 cars, hit by a bus (slow moving thankfully), in my car whilst it gone run over by a tractor, came off my downhill bike and landed lower back first on a tree stump, nearly punctured my throat with my collar bone in another bike crash, landed neck first on the edge of a quarter pipe after falling ~2.5m, electrocuted myself with 240v UK mains roughly 5 times, dropped a gearbox onto my chest and lastly that I can remember ripped a steel toe cap out of one of my boots with a metal bladed petrol strimmer when I lost my footing due to a hidden rabbit hole and dropped it at full chat onto my other foot.
> *For those reasons I now believe I am immortal*.



I don't think you're immortal. I suspect that you are just killing yourself a little bit at a time.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Offgridled said:


> I just learned not to post that in this thread lol



That'll teach ya. 

~ Chance


----------



## Offgridled

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> That'll teach ya.
> 
> ~ Chance


Well played


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When you're on a business call while you're at a restaurant, be careful of extraneous sounds.

I was talking to someone while I was squeezing a plastic ketchup bottle when it suddenly made s loud, wet pllllllbbbbhhhtttppp! And all I could think of was "gawd, I hope he didn't hear that."


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When buying a gadget at a festival from a vendor that you might not see again, test it first before you walk away. I wound up with a device with a new, dead 18650 battery that won't take a charge.

Update - 

I was able to get this battery over the hump by placing it on a simpler charge for awhile. Now it has enough of a charge for my Opus charger to be able to recognize that it's there, and the Opus is happily topping it off now. I'm keeping a close eye on it though.


----------



## Illum

I can say the same with buying rifles at a gun show from a vendor that might not come the next season. Keep a no-go gauge on you when you attend.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

I'm not the man at 60, I was at 55, and if I tell you that I am, I've surely told a lie. 

~ Chance


----------



## orbital

+

*Molten crack sealer on roads & all-season highway tires* :shakehead
what a xxxx headache problem I now have

== Put down on the one road leading to the building, *on the one day a year* you can contest your taxes.
If I said what I really wanted to say, I'll be banned


----------



## Tacti'cool'

Never pick your nose right after chopping a bunch of fresh jalapeños.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Tacti'cool' said:


> Never pick your nose right after chopping a bunch of fresh jalapeños.



Lol.

On a related note - 

Good: Taking Vitamin C
Bad: Accidentally inhaling some of the ascorbic acid dust from the bottle. :sick2:


----------



## Illum

On that note, don't take vitamin C with calcium fortified milk. The combination causes kidney stones, be warned


----------



## Cyclops942

Tacti'cool' said:


> Never pick your nose right after chopping a bunch of fresh jalapeños.


 Don't use a blender to crush dried cayenne peppers. The blender will make teensy-weensy dust particles that will escape into the air that touches your eyeballs. On another related note, be very careful with those tiny canisters of CS... you know, the ones that look like the tiny canisters of lens cleaner? They are VERY easy to confuse when you have your glasses off so that you can clean the lenses.


----------



## Monocrom

Cyclops942 said:


> Don't use a blender to crush dried cayenne peppers. The blender will make teensy-weensy dust particles that will escape into the air that touches your eyeballs. On another related note, be very careful with those tiny canisters of CS... you know, the ones that look like the tiny canisters of lens cleaner? They are VERY easy to confuse when you have your glasses off so that you can clean the lenses.



Oh!.... Really wish that was one lesson you had learned the easy way. Are you doing okay?


----------



## xdayv

Always have a mantra "if ain't broke, don't fix it." but I do from time to time break that rule.


----------



## ironhorse

Don't wear sandals in a public restroom.


----------



## AO 17

Don't screw in a lightbulb with a wet hand after talking a shower.


----------



## xdayv

AO 17 said:


> Don't screw in a lightbulb with a wet hand after talking a shower.


LOL!


----------



## Cyclops942

Monocrom said:


> Oh!.... Really wish that was one lesson you had learned the easy way. Are you doing okay?


Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks for asking. These both were about 35 years ago, and actually, the bit with the glasses was something my mom did (but I heard about it later that day).


----------



## Monocrom

Good to hear that things worked out in the end.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Today I learned that it's not too hard to overload the shelf inside the fridge door. Splat!


----------



## Burgess

Happened last summer,
but still a valuable lesson here:


My father and I were in our 2013 Ford pickup truck.
Had a flat tire.
Middle of Nowhere. Daytime. Nice weather.


Okay, guess we've gotta' change the tire.
(something we've each done many times
in our lives)


But --

Try as we might, 
just could * NOT * get a single one
of the damn lug nuts loosened ! ! !
Not even a SQUEAK !

Must've been put on by King Kong !

:hairpull::hairpull::hairpull:


So, we had to call Road Service,
to come out for assistance.

* TWO HOURS * later,
the tow truck arrives, and with his
handy X-type tire wrench, he manages
to remove them.


Lesson Learned for me:

That standard "stock" bent lug wrench
is a poor choice for good leverage.
:thumbsdow


Got myself a 3/4" drive 
18" sliding Breaker Bar, with the proper socket.

Also got a two-foot length of steel pipe,
to provide a bit of Extra Leverage,
should it be required. < wink >

:twothumbs


This will * NOT * happen again !



Was truly a Pain in the ***,
but could've been SO much worse !

I've learned MY lesson.


_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Making a mental note of this. Thanks Burgess.

Yesterday I had an occasion to use my EMF meter to check for EMI/RFI sources in a cabling installation. I haven't used it in a couple of years, and like an idiot, I stored it with the battery installed. Well I put it in "battery test" mode and... nothing. When I opened it up, I found that the battery's negative terminal had corroded to the point that it ate off the snap terminal on the instrument's battery connector. Fortunately it didn't damage anything else, and the connector replacement is an easy fix. But I should've learned this lesson by now.


----------



## raggie33

not to mistake hemorrhoids med for tooth paste


----------



## blah9

Good point, Burgess. I had the same problem with my wife's car. Neither one of us could get the lug nuts to budge. Luckily I had a bag with a Hi-lift brand 4 in one tool that did the trick. It has a shovel, pickaxe, ax, and sledgehammer in it from my offroading days and the handle was perfect for increasing our leverage. Just need to get another piece of pipe for the other car now.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Yep! Always request of the guy at the tire store that he use a toque wrench to tighten your lug nuts. Last time I purchased tires the "LugNut" tightened them so tightly I couldn't remove them to R/R the break pads. MAN! Was I %&!8#!. :hairpull:

Go over to mom's house. 
Remove her car from the garage. 
Vacuum the floor. Cuz I'm the only guy that does. 
Drive van into garage. 
Use every tool available, in vain, trying to remove the lug nuts. 
Back out of garage and drive to tire store......... 


~ Chance


----------



## ChrisGarrett

I can actually survive without the internet and you folks!

Chris


----------



## Burgess

* Public Service Announcement *


The rubber hoses behind your washing machine,
which connect to hot and cold water,
NEED to be REPLACED every five years.


Nine years is definitely Too Long !


Ask me how I know this . . . .


----------



## Burgess

And I strongly advise getting replacements
with Stainless Steel fittings, and braided covering.


:thumbsup:
_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Burgess said:


> Ask me how I know this . . . .



I'm guessing there's some unexpected dampness involved.


----------



## Burgess

Fortunately --

I noticed the leaking right away,
and stopped everything Before it became a mess !


Oh, and one more thing . . . .

My very wise Mother (rest her soul)
taught us to always * TURN OFF *
the Hot and Cold water valves 
every time, after doing laundry !

* Every Single Time *


She learned THAT the hard way !



_


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Burgess said:


> Oh, and one more thing . . . .
> 
> My very wise Mother (rest her soul)
> taught us to always * TURN OFF *
> the Hot and Cold water valves
> every time, after doing laundry !
> 
> * Every Single Time *
> 
> 
> She learned THAT the hard way !
> 
> 
> 
> _



Wow. Sorry that she went through that!

We have the stainless steel braided hoses, and we'll replace them before they get close to failing (hopefully). Never thought about turning the valves off after every use but I'll consider that.


----------



## Crazyeddiethefirst

raggie33 said:


> not to mistake hemorrhoids med for tooth paste



Not to confuse Nitroglycerin paste for hemorrhoid cream...actually had a patient in the ER that kept passing out-finally figured out why...


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Crazyeddiethefirst said:


> Not to confuse Nitroglycerin paste for hemorrhoid cream...actually had a patient in the ER that kept passing out-finally figured out why...



Wait, you mean he used hemmorrhoid cream on his chest or nitro gel on his nether region?


----------



## Crazyeddiethefirst

Yep, then stood up, passed out and while in the ER said "and that hemorrhoid cream isn't worth a damn..."


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Today at work I needed to get some goo off of my hands so I thought I'd give them a quick spritz of alcohol. I didn't think I had any paper cuts or scratches that would cause a problem. After applying the alcohol, I quickly found out otherwise


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Crazyeddiethefirst said:


> Yep, then stood up, passed out and while in the ER said "and that hemorrhoid cream isn't worth a damn..."



Hemorrhoids...... That which taketh away all pride. Damn good thing they left me my sense of humor. 

~ Cg


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When opening a padded shipping envelope that uses cellulose padding, be careful how you open it, or you might wind up having a sudden snowstorm.


----------



## LGT

Burgess said:


> And I strongly advise getting replacements
> with Stainless Steel fittings, and braided covering.
> 
> 
> :thumbsup:
> _


thanks for the tip, some things you just don’t think about until it fails.


----------



## zespectre

Burgess said:


> * Public Service Announcement *
> 
> 
> The rubber hoses behind your washing machine,
> which connect to hot and cold water,
> NEED to be REPLACED every five years.
> 
> 
> Nine years is definitely Too Long !
> 
> 
> Ask me how I know this . . . .



Did remodeling estimates for Home Depot part time for a couple of years. Burst washer hoses are responsible for about 80% of the water damage remodeling we handled.
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS turn the master water valve OFF before you go on that two week vacation!


----------



## Julian Holtz

Burgess said:


> Happened last summer,
> but still a valuable lesson here:
> 
> 
> My father and I were in our 2013 Ford pickup truck.
> Had a flat tire.
> Middle of Nowhere. Daytime. Nice weather.
> 
> 
> Okay, guess we've gotta' change the tire.
> (something we've each done many times
> in our lives)
> 
> 
> But --
> 
> Try as we might,
> just could * NOT * get a single one
> of the damn lug nuts loosened ! ! !
> Not even a SQUEAK !
> 
> Must've been put on by King Kong !
> 
> :hairpull::hairpull::hairpull:
> []


This usually only happens when they were tightened in an unprofessional way with an impact wrench, or when they are severely corroded. I always use a torque wrench to tighten them, and for some time I used a bit of grease to prevent corrosion. There are people who advise against grease, and although I never had problems, I must admit they have a point. So some time ago I switched to a drop of the weakest Loctite on each bolt. Loosening them only takes a tiny bit more force, but the Loctite adds a little bit of extra safety and prevents corrosion.
Another trick: Should the rim be rusted stuck on the axle, put the nuts back, loosen them one turn each, and drive a wavy line, but don't brake too hard. This should break it loose.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

In a hurry to take one of those fizzy vitamin C tablets but you don't have a glass of water nearby? Resist the urge to let it dissolve in your mouth. Otherwise be prepared for a lot of gas. :green:


----------



## zespectre

That one literally make me guffaw right in the middle of lunch!


----------



## LGT

Burgess said:


> Happened last summer,
> but still a valuable lesson here:
> 
> 
> My father and I were in our 2013 Ford pickup truck.
> Had a flat tire.
> Middle of Nowhere. Daytime. Nice weather.
> 
> 
> Okay, guess we've gotta' change the tire.
> (something we've each done many times
> in our lives)
> 
> 
> But --
> 
> Try as we might,
> just could * NOT * get a single one
> of the damn lug nuts loosened ! ! !
> Not even a SQUEAK !
> 
> Must've been put on by King Kong !
> 
> :hairpull::hairpull::hairpull:
> 
> 
> So, we had to call Road Service,
> to come out for assistance.
> 
> * TWO HOURS * later,
> the tow truck arrives, and with his
> handy X-type tire wrench, he manages
> to remove them.
> 
> 
> Lesson Learned for me:
> 
> That standard "stock" bent lug wrench
> is a poor choice for good leverage.
> :thumbsdow
> 
> 
> Got myself a 3/4" drive
> 18" sliding Breaker Bar, with the proper socket.
> 
> Also got a two-foot length of steel pipe,
> to provide a bit of Extra Leverage,
> should it be required. < wink >
> 
> :twothumbs
> 
> 
> This will * NOT * happen again !
> 
> 
> 
> Was truly a Pain in the ***,
> but could've been SO much worse !
> 
> I've learned MY lesson.
> 
> 
> _


whenever I have any type of work that requires removing the tires done, I specifically request to hand tighten the lug nuts. I’ve also been unable to remove them to the point of the X type lug wrench cracked.


----------



## sim1tti

Money/cost/pay is a better measure of marketability than value.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Another one from today - 

Keep some cold medicine on hand at home and at work even if you don't need it when you buy it. This could save you from having to pay $2.00 for a single cold tablet at a gas station or quickie mart.


----------



## NorSar

one older one and one from today:

A couple of years ago i was on a 7 day hike across Hardanger plateu in Southern Norway, it was the first evening and since it had gotten late i decided to take a shortcut for dinner. I found a pack of freeze dried expedition food, and my thermos with the plan to use the hot water in my thermos instead of making a fire and boiling more water. I had miscalculated the amount of hot water i had, and the amount i had was way below the recommended fill line in the bag.... but i was hungry and tired, so i dug in. It tasted okay and everything, so i finished my meal and went to sleep.

Most of you have probably figured out the result, but anyhow. The reason there is a fill line is to make sure that the dried food has replaced its liquids before you eat it. If not, it will still absorb liquids after you have eaten it, and thus drying out your digestive systems. The result was me going the next 6 days without needing to go to the toilet, and the last three days i was so clogged up i was unable to eat and i felt terrible. I am less lazy now i guess.


from today: when you cut your timing so short that you have to get your masters degree printed in the print shop on route to the univeristy to hand it in (on the last day of your extended deadline) make sure to have a version of the file in the cloud aswell, so you don't end up having to return home in a hurry when you realized that the only thing on your usb drive is the front page of the paper, not the whole thing. I guess i am still a bit lazy.

all sorted now, and if the paper passes muster i get to replace the word "Nurse" on the back of my flight suit with "Emergency medicine Nurse"


----------



## StarHalo

PhotonWrangler said:


> Another one from today -
> 
> Keep some cold medicine on hand at home and at work even if you don't need it when you buy it. This could save you from having to pay $2.00 for a single cold tablet at a gas station or quickie mart.



Corollary: The leftover box of medicine that you bought last time you were sick will be expired.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> Another one from today -
> 
> Keep some cold medicine on hand at home and at work even if you don't need it when you buy it. This could save you from having to pay $2.00 for a single cold tablet at a gas station or quickie mart.




Same advice, but with the very strongest sore throat medicine you can get at a Pharmacy. I can handle any symptom of a cold.... except that one.


----------



## Monocrom

StarHalo said:


> Corollary: The leftover box of medicine that you bought last time you were sick will be expired.




Sadly, that too! But best not to chance it.


----------



## bykfixer

Burgess said:


> Happened last summer,
> but still a valuable lesson here:
> 
> 
> My father and I were in our 2013 Ford pickup truck.
> Had a flat tire.
> Middle of Nowhere. Daytime. Nice weather.
> 
> 
> Okay, guess we've gotta' change the tire.
> (something we've each done many times
> in our lives)
> 
> 
> <snip>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Got myself a 3/4" drive
> 18" sliding Breaker Bar, with the proper socket.
> 
> Also got a two-foot length of steel pipe,
> to provide a bit of Extra Leverage,
> should it be required. < wink >
> 
> :twothumbs
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I've learned MY lesson.
> 
> 
> _




Good move Mr. B. 

When you torque a bolt to the car it means at X torque there is a tension between part a and part b. 
When applying say... 80#'s of torque to a bolt with dry threads you may be applying say.. 3500#'s of tension. (Hey pixel counters, I pulled that number out of thin air). 
When you apply a lubricant to the threads that same 80#'s can end up applying much more tension. (Think clamping power.) 
When you go to remove a nut from a lubricated bolt it can be much more difficult. Not only that but applying all that extra "clamp power" can stretch the bolt thereby weakening it for next time. 

In bridges and structures bolts are assembled with bond breakers on the threads, but not petrolium based as they provide "too much lubricating property" thereby making it too easy to pass the desired tension between 2 parts at a given torque applied. If parts are not galvenized rust will eventually cease the nut to the bolt. Bees wax is used as a bond preventer and does not provide too much lubrication. 
So if you can, apply bees wax to lugs before putting the nuts back on. You get accurate tension when applying torque and no bond occurs between the two parts. Another McGeyver trick is ordinary chap stick lip balm since it too is primarily wax. Yup, chap stick.


----------



## xevious

bykfixer said:


> So if you can,* apply bees wax to lugs before putting the nuts back on*. You get accurate tension when applying torque and no bond occurs between the two parts. Another McGeyver trick is ordinary chap stick lip balm since it too is primarily wax. Yup, chap stick.


Thank you for this! I absolutely agree, a high slick lubricant can encourage over-tightening and lead to worse problems. This wax method sounds like just the right trick for preventing stuck bolts but without compromising adherence. :thumbsup:


About the intestinal water thing... I've found that as we age, certain biological systems aren't quite as efficient as they used to be. The sad part of getting older. While you don't need to choke down boring bran cereal in the morning, you just need to add more natural plant fiber to your diet and be sure to hydrate. I didn't for a stretch of time when I was going through a rough patch. I ended up constipated to a degree I'd never before experienced. It was like... well, it gave me a very slight feeling of what it must be like to give birth. And yes, there was blood! I had chalked it up to just a one-time thing until I accidentally did it again (though not quite as worse). Needless to say, minor modification of diet and lifestyle has averted a repeat. But man oh man... it's astonishing what predicaments we can end up with our body functions going awry. :ironic:


----------



## StarHalo

xevious said:


> you just need to add more natural plant fiber to your diet and be sure to hydrate.



Oatmeal every workday morning and everything comes out just fine; a dollar per pound/15 servings and a minute and a half to make, with no shortage of ways of making it even healthier..


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Planning on building your own computer? Great. Just stay away from the cheapest cases. One of the reasons they're cheap is that they don't roll or de-burr the edges of the sheet metal. As you're working inside one of these cases, there's a pretty good chance of getting a gash or three in your fingers.


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## StarHalo

RBR said:


> Replacing a simple cooler hose can become real rocket science as soon as you’ve got anything like a Benz, BMW or similar...



German = warranty only, and I say that as a BMW owner. Americans aren't really the crowd to talk about cost-of-ownership to though..


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## scout24

It's taken me a long time to understand the lead-a-horse-to-water adage. I'll be 50 next month, and it still hurts to see them not drink... I am finally beginning to understand though. After years of beating my head into a wall.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

RBR said:


> Replacing a simple cooler hose can become real rocket science as soon as you’ve got anything like a Benz, BMW or similar...
> 
> It´s not just replacing the hose, fIlling and bleeding the system, no, you also need a system checkup, an update or system setup in case ... appears to take a half working day...
> 
> Not seen the bill yet but I am prepared for the worst...:laughing:
> 
> If you want to keep costs low, drive a Ford (what I did for almost 25 years now), FIAT or similar and enjoy every low cost pit stop...
> 
> Cheers
> 
> RBR



I recently dove into this. - 

1994 Chevy Astro with 314,000 miles. Yes, It's a dirty birdie.







I replaced the radiator, water pump, thermostat, three coolant/heater hoses and the coolant. $250 











I learned the hard way that the my hands aren't as strong as they once were. 

~ Chance


----------



## RBR

.....


----------



## StarHalo

scout24 said:


> It's taken me a long time to understand the lead-a-horse-to-water adage. I'll be 50 next month, and it still hurts to see them not drink... I am finally beginning to understand though. After years of beating my head into a wall.



They're going to be their own person, all you can do is set the example.


----------



## Poppy

StarHalo said:


> German = warranty only, and I say that as a BMW owner. *Americans aren't really the crowd to talk about cost-of-ownership* to though..


Oooh.. ouch!
I'm an American. I look at cost of ownership. Back in 1979, I was given a blank check, and the keys to a beat up loaner car to pick up the boss's Mercedes 350 SL at the dealership. It went in for an oil change, and maintenance at something crazy low mileage... I really don't recall, but maybe 10,000 miles. They gave it a brake job, and changed the rotors, and calipers, BECAUSE THEY WERE RUSTY! 
I wrote the check for $850 American dollars, in 1979 dollars!

Right then and there I decided... I might someday be able to afford to BUY a Mercedes, but I wouldn't want to maintain it. 

In 1998 I could have bought any Mercedes under $80,000 but bought a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria for $18,000. 2016 I put it to bed, it was rear-ended and totaled. It had 260,000 miles on it 418429.44 KM. Other than tires, brakes and oil changes, it cost me about $1400 dollars in repairs. $600 was due to a failed fuel pump at about 200,000 miles.

I'm currently driving a 2008 Grand Marquis that was once my father's. It has had no major repairs other than front struts @ 200,000 miles, that cost me about $800, and an instrument cluster repair $60. Otherwise only tires, brakes, and oil. It is at 215,000 miles.

When my fuel pump failed, on the ride back, the tow truck driver went into great lengths, about what he has seen with Beemers, due to their electronics. It is not likely, that any time in the future, I will own one.


----------



## Poppy

So... back on topic.
Things I've learned the hard way.

Last year I went camping and laid down a tarp under my tent. The tarp was larger than my tent floor. I wasn't thinking, and laid the tent upon it, but didn't fold the underlayment underneath the outer edge of the tent. So, when it rained that night, the water rolled off of the tent onto the tarp, and then under the tent floor. The floor was pretty much water proof, but alas Mr. Murphy struck, and in the morning, I reached over for my phone and the back of my hand was in a puddle of water!

That my friends is a mistake I will never make again!


----------



## StarHalo

Poppy said:


> a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria
> 
> a 2008 Grand Marquis



As mentioned over in the Cars thread, FoMoCo will no longer sell sedan or compact cars in North America; the next time you go to a Ford dealer, you will have only SUV/truck-based options to choose from. Other nations will still get cars. Guess why


----------



## Poppy

scout24 said:


> It's taken me a long time to understand the lead-a-horse-to-water adage. I'll be 50 next month, and it still hurts to see them not drink... I am finally beginning to understand though. After years of beating my head into a wall.


Scout my friend, you will find that a time will come that your kids will come to understand that you have acquired SOME wisdom.

We sent my son to a tech school for auto mechanics. So certainly he knew more than his old man did. Yet one day, he was doing a brake job on his Bronco, and was struggling. At the time I was binge watching The Walking Dead, but decided I'd walk out to the driveway to see how he was progressing, because he should already have been done. The rotor, which HAD to be replaced was rusted and solidly frozen, so that he couldn't get it off. I walked over to his tool box, grabbed a BFH and gave it one solid hit with the hammer. It was instantly loose, and I went back to the couch to continue watching The Walking Dead.

One day, he was changing out the radiator on his Jeep. Again, I stayed out of the way until it was taking too long. Two issues came up.
1. there were four mounting bolts. The top two screwed into the upper radiator support, and the bottom two seemed to turn and turn but not come out.

I suggested that maybe they didn't have to come out and that they only acted as posts for the radiator to rest on, and when looking at the set up for the new radiator, where there was a slot so that it could slide over a bolt, that further confirmed my suspicion. When I presented my suggestion, of course, I was wrong, but a friend of his, who had a little more mechanical experience than he, told him that my suggestion had merit. Yeah, I was right and the radiator came right out.

2. then there was the issue that the new, replacement, radiator had two tubes coming out of the bottom of it that his original did not. There was a rubber cap over the ends of each tube, but they wouldn't hold any pressure. They were dust caps for the automatic transmission cooler lines. His standard trans didn't require trans oil cooling. The original radiator didn't have integral cooling lines for an auto trans. He was afraid that the new radiator would leak. I explained to him that they were coolant lines for an auto trans, that they were a separate system, and that they didn't need to be connected. If he wanted to check, he could blow into one, and feel the air come out of the other, and then block one, blow air into the other and there would be no air coming out of the top of the radiator. I might have been happier if he took my word for it, but was delighted when I saw that he tested me and blew air into the system to test it. I believe that I gained a new level of respect that day. 

That was ten years ago. He would tick me off, in that he would do ALL the work on his friend's cars, whatever it was, yet he would give me the bare minimum of assistance when I was doing anything on mine. He gradually came around and is now more helpful.

Now here is a story that I love to tell.

Thanksgiving Day Parade in NYC.
My kids were probably 8 and 13. 
We went to NYC to watch the Macy's Thanks Giving Day Parade.
As usual it was a damp, chilly (if not cold), threatening to rain, kind of day.
I dressed in a insulated mechanic's jumpsuit, with this really ugly smurf blue fleece hat. The hat came down around my ears, and the back of my neck. It was soft and cuddly and warm as heck (no self respecting teenager would be seen anywhere near that hat). Oh yeah... I was carrying two five gallon spackle buckets, one filled with thermoses of hot drinks and snacks, and the other with warm and weatherproof clothing, (just in case).

The plan for the spackle buckets was if we get there early enough, we could sit on them, if we got there late we could stand on them. IN the mean time everything in them would be protected from the elements.

During the five block walk from the bus terminal I heard my 12 y/o daughter tell my wife.... "let him walk a head of us... I don't want anyone to know he is with us!" I asked... "Does anyone want to help me carry one of these buckets?" 
"Oh my God NO!" 
I just smiled to myself.

When we got there, I put the buckets down on the ground. We were five people deep to the curb. It was challenging to see the parade. Immediately, my son grabbed a pail and stood up on it. He could see over every-one's heads! My daughter, on the other hand refused to submit and struggled to see between people, and on her toes, over them, but finally took a bucket and stood up on it!

We laugh about that till this day. That was a turning point for us.

Here is a pic of my son and Grandson 22 years later at the Macy's NYC Thanks Giving Day Parade.


----------



## chmsam

"When I was 17 I was embarrassed by how little my parents knew but very impressed with my vast knowledge. 10 or 12 short years later I was shocked to see how much I'd forgotten but amazed at how much my parents had apparently learned."


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If your hands come in contact with onions, they're gonna smell like onions for the rest of the day no matter what you do.


----------



## AMD64Blondie

Buying good quality hardware will be expensive at first,but last a long time.

(Case in point,the 1991 IBM Model M I'm typing this with.Bought it in August 2007 from EBay..still using it today,11 years later.)


----------



## Crazyeddiethefirst

When work involves a Lathe, any decision to use a “bargain” price tool will eventually cause great pain-whether a work being destroyed or physical damage to your body...I learned this lesson from watching a mentor & it has always made me glad that I have a few really great tools instead of a lot of bargain tools I can’t trust...


----------



## LGT

Poppy said:


> So... back on topic.
> Things I've learned the hard way.
> 
> Last year I went camping and laid down a tarp under my tent. The tarp was larger than my tent floor. I wasn't thinking, and laid the tent upon it, but didn't fold the underlayment underneath the outer edge of the tent. So, when it rained that night, the water rolled off of the tent onto the tarp, and then under the tent floor. The floor was pretty much water proof, but alas Mr. Murphy struck, and in the morning, I reached over for my phone and the back of my hand was in a puddle of water!
> 
> That my friends is a mistake I will never make again!


take a small shovel, or as we used in the military, a foldable entrenching tool, dig a basically rain gutter around your tent diverting the rain water. Also, set up your tent on an incline.


----------



## RA40

Plumbing, my cursed chore around the house. The tub had a small drip so I swapped out the bib washer. Nope, now it was a constant stream. The valve is loose and so the packing has been squished that it's not really allowing the valve to close "straight" and the threading is a bit worn. Bought a Danco set and also replaced the valve seat. Mind you the water is shut off but there is still a bit of flow as it drains through the house towards this open valve body. With the valve closed it is a constant small stream. I pressurize the house and it is coming out as if it was open. Out come all the new parts and back in with the old for the slow drip. I repeated this back-forth for each part of the testing so what *SHOULD* have been a simple swap turned into 3 hours of frustration. 

The other bad part was I dropped one of the valves on the floor chipping out a corner.  :/

I'll live with a drip that equates to about 3 ounces of water/day.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Man, that's a bummer! You don't mind putting in the effort if it ends up fixed. :hairpull: So, what did you learn the hard way? That plumbing sucks? 

~ Chance


----------



## RA40

Yes, plumbing sucks each and every time for me. I do these because the off hours calls when they occur are $250+ calls to the plumber and they take about 30-1 hour to arrive. 

What I think is one part invariably becomes a multitude and multiple trips to the hardware store to get more. The valve on dad's toilet was leaking when he dropped the lid cover on it. This happened at 10:30PM when ALL the stores are closed. Luckily I've learned through past experiences to have spare parts on hand for most basic stuffs. Not only did the valve leak at the supply pipe but the skewed valve caused the water supply line to leak. This was not the flexible line but a hard bent copper line to the toilet. Then that brought about the toilet tank valve not sealing right either so the toilet tank is draining through that gap. Luckily I stopped it but not before there was 1/4" deep of water on his side of the bathroom. Luckily the termites had eaten that corner so there was a natural drain opening for the water to drain through. LOL. 

Other learned plumbing...there will be a clog after hours that backups the back part of the house that services the toilets and tub-showers. Bought a power snake with 75' cable. That has saved me lots so that expense has been worth it. Two uses and I was ahead.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

The first time I attempted a plumbing repair, As I was checking-out at the local hardware store the clerk said, "Good luck. We'll see you in about an hour." I smiled and said I was sure I had everything I needed. The clerk smiled and said, "All DIY plumbing jobs take three trips to the hardware store." I assured him that I had made a detailed list and this was going to be a one trip repair. About an hour later I returned to the hardware store. As he rung me up, the clerk said, "That's two. See you in a bit. ........ 

"Well sir, he was wrong....... I went to a different store for my final trip. 

~ Chance


----------



## Or Olam

Too funny CG!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> ..."Well sir, he was wrong....... I went to a different store for my final trip.



:laughing: Oh yes, this feels very familiar to me.


----------



## MikeSalt

Working with fibreglass bodywork is just horrible.


----------



## RA40

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> The first time I attempted a plumbing repair, As I was checking-out at the local hardware store the clerk said, "Good luck. We'll see you in about an hour." I smiled and said I was sure I had everything I needed. The clerk smiled and said, "All DIY plumbing jobs take three trips to the hardware store." I assured him that I had made a detailed list and this was going to be a one trip repair. About an hour later I returned to the hardware store. As he rung me up, the clerk said, "That's two. See you in a bit. ........
> 
> "Well sir, he was wrong....... I went to a different store for my final trip.
> 
> ~ Chance





PhotonWrangler said:


> :laughing: Oh yes, this feels very familiar to me.



I laugh at my own plumbing adventures but I curse up a storm until done. Funny in the aftermath but not at the time.


----------



## LGT

PhotonWrangler said:


> :laughing: Oh yes, this feels very familiar to me.


Yep. Same boat. Most any plumbing repair is multiple trips. And since two small local hardware stores, where you knew everybody that worked there, have closed down, it’s now a twenty minute ride to Home Depot.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

LGT said:


> Yep. Same boat. Most any plumbing repair is multiple trips. And since* two small local hardware stores*, where you knew everybody that worked there, *have closed* down, it’s now a twenty minute ride to Home Depot.



That's a damn shame. :sigh: I shop HD a lot, but only if/when the smaller store doesn't have what I need. 

~ CG


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When puttering around the house, wear slippers, shoes or some sort of solid coverage for your feet. I've bashed one of my toes really hard, twice, just from walking around the house. Broke it once. A simple pair of slippers would have prevented this.


----------



## StarHalo

PhotonWrangler said:


> When puttering around the house, wear slippers, shoes or some sort of solid coverage for your feet. I've bashed one of my toes really hard, twice, just from walking around the house. Broke it once. A simple pair of slippers would have prevented this.



Gotta say, being the guy that sees what everyone is buying for everyone else for Christmas, a simple pair of slippers is actually a really solid gift..


----------



## Zex

Never buy cheap tools for important Jobs....ever


----------



## StarHalo

Zex said:


> Never buy cheap tools for important Jobs....ever



That includes the cell phone.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Zex said:


> Never buy cheap tools for important Jobs....ever



Always heed the advice from men of few words.  

~ Chance


----------



## bykfixer

PhotonWrangler said:


> When puttering around the house, wear slippers, shoes or some sort of solid coverage for your feet. I've bashed one of my toes really hard, twice, just from walking around the house. Broke it once. A simple pair of slippers would have prevented this.



Man you aint kidding.


----------



## xevious

PhotonWrangler said:


> When puttering around the house, wear slippers, shoes or some sort of solid coverage for your feet. I've bashed one of my toes really hard, twice, just from walking around the house. Broke it once. A simple pair of slippers would have prevented this.


Even better than slippers, just get a pair of soft rubber soled slip-ons. Or deck shoes. Or sneakers loosely laced so you can slip them on/off. And then just keep them dedicated to indoor use. I find this is better than just slippers because of the added protection.


----------



## P_A_S_1

Don't believe the hype...it's mostly fluff. Both the tangible and abstract.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

xevious said:


> Even better than slippers, just get a pair of soft rubber soled slip-ons. Or deck shoes. Or sneakers loosely laced so you can slip them on/off. And then just keep them dedicated to indoor use. I find this is better than just slippers because of the added protection.



Nope! Nothing's better than slippers. :shakehead Nothing......... Nothing nothing nothing.  

~ Chance


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Nope! Nothing's better than slippers. :shakehead Nothing......... Nothing nothing nothing.
> 
> ~ Chance



Just treated myself to a new pair of slippers tonight. To Xevious' point, I also have a pair of deck shoes but they're kind of flimsy. These slippers have a foam lining that should help protect me from what physicists refer to as an _inelastic collision_ involving my toes.


----------



## xevious




----------



## PhotonWrangler

xevious said:


>


 
Doc, whaddya mean my blood pressure is up? I work out all the time!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

From many years ago - 

If you make a backup of your data but you don't check to see if the backup is good, you don't have a backup.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

From this morning - 

Don't let your skin get caught between a large-ish neodymium magnet and anything made of steel.


----------



## Burgess

Yep !

We got some of those magnets, 
each about the size of a Domino.

Told my buddy --
THESE are so powerful, they're SCARY ! ! !
:-O

He LAUGHED and said:
" How can those little magnets be SCARY ? ? ?"


He quickly found out . . . .


_


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Yep! 

We have a pair I removed from an old hard drive. You try to tell people before handing them over. "Be careful. These are Mighty Mouse strong." But for some reason, perhaps their small size, people just have to find out the hard way. 

SNAP! :mecry:

~ cG


----------



## StarHalo

Those are all over the Amazon warehouse; they often aren't packaged well and if they stick to anything that ends up rubbing/abrading other things, the packaging fails and now there's magnets everywhere that everyone finds an irresistible fidget, so they're all over the shelving, the desks, the ceiling, etc.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

StarHalo said:


> Those are all over the Amazon warehouse; they often aren't packaged well and if they stick to anything that ends up rubbing/abrading other things, the packaging fails and now there's magnets everywhere that everyone finds an irresistible fidget, so they're all over the shelving, the desks, *the ceiling,* etc.



:laughing: The ceiling. Reminds me of the scene in the movie Car Wash when they were sticking butter to the ceiling.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If they're not packaged properly they might theoretically never get delivered to the customer because they would stick to everything along the way! :laughing:

BTW mine is about the size of a half a stick of butter. Bring it close to anything steel and it goes >>>THOCK!<<<


----------



## PhotonWrangler

A new bottle of eye wash should never be difficult to open! I'm lookin' at you, B&L.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

PhotonWrangler said:


> A new bottle of eye wash *should never be difficult to open*! I'm lookin' at you, B&L.



Always open the Band-Aid wrapper before you slice your finger open.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Always open the Band-Aid wrapper before you slice your finger open.



Lol. That was the other thing I was thinking of, Chauncey. Band-aids shouldn't be difficult to open either. Usually they're not unless you're bleeding!

Oh, and a metal band-aids box should never be used to store anything except band-aids. Once while I was at a relative's house and suddenly needed one, I opened the box and found q-tips. Found a second box, opened it and... bobby pins.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

PhotonWrangler said:


> Lol. That was the other thing I was thinking of, Chauncey. Band-aids shouldn't be difficult to open either. Usually they're not unless you're bleeding!
> 
> Oh, and a metal band-aids box should never be used to store anything except band-aids. *Once while I was at a relative's house and suddenly needed one,* I opened the box and found q-tips. Found a second box, opened it and... bobby pins.



"HELLO? HELP! ANYONE? I'M BLEEDING, HERE!" :help:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> "HELLO? HELP! ANYONE? I'M BLEEDING, HERE!" :help:



Speaking of...

When opening up a modern, business grade desktop PC from a big name manufacturer, you would expect that the sheet metal parts would be fully de-burred or rolled to prevent sliced fingers.

You would be wrong. I'm lookin' at you, H-P.


----------



## xevious

PhotonWrangler said:


> Oh, and a metal band-aids box should never be used to store anything except band-aids. Once while I was at a relative's house and suddenly needed one, I opened the box and found q-tips. Found a second box, opened it and... bobby pins.


I usually take contact paper and cover over the outside, because those tin metal boxes are pretty useful. Of course today, they're going the way of the Dodo bird.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Awhile back I was starting to get sinus infections far more often than usual. It turned out to be a bad tooth. Once I got it taken care of, the recurring sinus infections disappeared. Take care of your teeth.


----------



## richbuff

First, something I learned the easy way, it couldn't be any easier, by sitting in a classroom and reading it from a book: In the jungle, it is survival of the fittest. Biggest tooth, biggest claw, fasted reaction. Maim or be maimed. Maim or be killed. Kill or be maimed. Kill or be killed. This is the number one law in the jungle. The Law of Survival, in the jungle, the number one law, expressed in the four forms that it exists in. 

Next, the thing in life I learned the hard way. It was very hard, due to years of denial of the truth, and also due to extreme harshness of the lessons. 

The thing that I learned the hard way is that in the single family residential neighborhoods in America, the Number One Law of Survival is _exactly the same_ as in the jungle.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Today I learned that silicone self-fusing tape fuses really fast. I had to re-work a coaxial connection after taping it up, and the only way I could get the tape back off was with a knife.


----------



## Poppy

PhotonWrangler said:


> Today I learned that silicone self-fusing tape fuses really fast. I had to re-work a coaxial connection after taping it up, and the only way I could get the tape back off was with a knife.


LOL


----------



## Fish 14

Water and electricity don't play well together


----------



## chassesauvage

Social distancing has shown me that future jobs can be practiced from home. Most employers will want to have employees who work from home because it is cheaper.


----------



## P_A_S_1

chassesauvage said:


> Social distancing has shown me that future jobs can be practiced from home. Most employers will want to have employees who work from home because it is cheaper.



Less traffic, less pollution, cost savings to both employees and employers, etc. Could be the silver lining. Working from home presents problems that limited how often you could do it or whether you can do it at all however being forced to shows it can work. Not all jobs of course but many, maybe the majority.


----------



## 1606Justin

Know the value of your worth. If you feel like you are underappreciated or exploited, leave the people who are at fault for it behind, no matter how much it hurts.


----------



## Spin

Never take a sleeping pill with a laxative! oo:


----------



## Glenn7

Code Brown!


----------



## Poppy

So here we are staying at home due to Covid-19, I'm not working and the grand kids get their home schooling done in a few hours, so we have lots of free time on our hands.
One of the bicycles has bald, threadbare tires, and my daughter ordered a new set and tubes.
This is a teaching/learning opportunity for my almost 15 y/o twin grand-kids.

So here we go!

The nuts on the axles on the inside and outside of the frame are usually different sizes, so you'll have to get the right size wrenches to fit.

You'll turn them this way, while holding pressure on the inside nut so as not to tighten or loosen the bearings.
You can't just push the wrench onto the nut, you have to line it up... the flat side of the opening goes to the flat side of the nut.

In removing the tire from the rim, you may find it easier if you push the tire on the other side into the center so that it makes the side you are trying to take off a little easier. 

Here is a pair of specialty tools to pry the tire, outside of the rim. Don't pinch the tube.

I didn't realize that I had learned so many little tricks to bicycle care.

Of course... like my son 20 years ago, they didn't need any instruction. 

I strolled into the garage, to plug in my compressor.

I learned... give them some instruction, until they are like... "I GOT this Poppy!"
Knowing darn well, that they don't, I'll walk away. Then after they struggle for a while, I'll come back with a hint or two, and if that doesn't do it, then I'll complete the portion of the task while they are watching, and then give it back to them.

_______________________________

It took a long time before my son learned that *sometimes* I know what I am talking about.

One time, he was doing disk brakes on the front of his bronco. Pads, and rotors. 
I was binge watching The Walking Dead. I realized he was still out in the driveway with a couple of friends. I went out to see how he was doing, cause he should have been done. He couldn't get the rotor off. 

I walked over to his tool box, opened the bottom drawer, pulled out a big ball peen hammer. One strike, the rotor was loose.

I just got a look.

I went back to TWD and 20 minutes later he was done.
___________________________________________

I think the time that was the clincher of "Holy snot, sometimes my dad does know his stuff!" Was when he was replacing a radiator in his Jeep. The bottom bolts were loose, but just wouldn't come out. I suggested that the bottom of the radiator may really have slits in them that you can just slide it in place and tighten up the top bolts. 
No Dad... they have to come out. He had already been at it for a while.

I looked at the replacement radiator, and sure enough... slits.

Son... take a look at this. Try to just lift your radiator out.

Son of a B...

Well, his jeep was a manual shift, no need for a automatic trans cooler lines. The replacement radiator, had lines for the auto trans, and they were just capped off with little rubber caps, to keep dirt or debris from getting in there. He was concerned that coolant would leak out. I tried to explain to him that it was a closed system, and that the tubing just coils around inside the bottom of the tank and comes out the other end. If you don't believe me, then blow into the top of the radiator, and see if any air comes out of the little tubes.

I was pleased to see him blow into the top of the radiator, and check. Then he installed the new radiator, and it worked great!

That I believe was the turning point.
He had lots of little problems with that Jeep, many of them rusted, so he learned about WD-40 and using a heat wrench.
He rarely needs my help any more, but he's no longer too proud to ask my thoughts.

In time.... my grand kids will come around too.
I just hope I live that long. 
Ah... I'm sure I will. 
Long life genes runs strong in my family. :thumbsup:


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Yesterday I learned if you drop your smartphone on your bare foot, it REALLY hurts!


----------



## StarHalo

PhotonWrangler said:


> Yesterday I learned if you drop your smartphone on your bare foot, it REALLY hurts!



Chipped teeth from mishandling a device when laying down is a common phenomenon, be glad it was just your foot..


----------



## PhotonWrangler

StarHalo said:


> Chipped teeth from mishandling a device when laying down is a common phenomenon, be glad it was just your foot..




Ouch! Can't say I've done that one yet. Day ain't over yet though...


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> Ouch! Can't say I've done that one yet. Day ain't over yet though...



Headlamps, headlamps are good to have and use.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

I learned the hard way that it's a good idea to check the area you're about to weed-eat before starting. I was making semicircles in the tall grass when I first saw the large mound of doggy doo.  Unfortunately at that very instant, I was already spreading it at 8,000 rpm. You know when you see someone in the movies yelling - "NOOOOO!" in slow-motion? That was me, but I kept my mouth closed and it wasn't in slow-motion. I took about 30 shots to the chest and face. :green: 

I turned off the weed-eater, walked over to my son and said - "Guess what I just did."


----------



## Sos24

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I learned the hard way that it's a good idea to check the area you're about to weed-eat before starting. I was making semicircles in the tall grass when I first saw the large mound of doggy doo.  Unfortunately at that very instant, I was already spreading it at 8,000 rpm. You know when you see someone in the movies yelling - "NOOOOO!" in slow-motion? That was me, but I kept my mouth closed and it wasn't in slow-motion. I took about 30 shots to the chest and face. :green:
> 
> I turned off the weed-eater, walked over to my son and said - "Guess what I just did."



:rofl: At least you remembered to close your mouth. So many times on movies, the actor has their mouth wide open at the moment something disgusting flies right into their face.


----------



## Poppy

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I learned the hard way that it's a good idea to check the area you're about to weed-eat before starting. I was making semicircles in the tall grass when I first saw the large mound of doggy doo.  Unfortunately at that very instant, I was already spreading it at 8,000 rpm. You know when you see someone in the movies yelling - "NOOOOO!" in slow-motion? That was me, but I kept my mouth closed and it wasn't in slow-motion. I took about 30 shots to the chest and face. :green:
> 
> I turned off the weed-eater, walked over to my son and said - "Guess what I just did."


You were using a weed-eater?!
LOL.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I learned the hard way that it's a good idea to check the area you're about to weed-eat before starting. I was making semicircles in the tall grass when I first saw the large mound of doggy doo.  Unfortunately at that very instant, I was already spreading it at 8,000 rpm. You know when you see someone in the movies yelling - "NOOOOO!" in slow-motion? That was me, but I kept my mouth closed and it wasn't in slow-motion. I took about 30 shots to the chest and face. :green:



Lol! OMG... I'm sure that was a miserable experience at the time, although funny in retrospect. Gads...


----------



## raggie33

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> I learned the hard way that it's a good idea to check the area you're about to weed-eat before starting. I was making semicircles in the tall grass when I first saw the large mound of doggy doo.  Unfortunately at that very instant, I was already spreading it at 8,000 rpm. You know when you see someone in the movies yelling - "NOOOOO!" in slow-motion? That was me, but I kept my mouth closed and it wasn't in slow-motion. I took about 30 shots to the chest and face. :green:
> 
> I turned off the weed-eater, walked over to my son and said - "Guess what I just did."


In many cultures that is considered good luck


----------



## KITROBASKIN

Wow I'm going to have to get a dog and a string trimmer!


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Poop in the face. How can you not laugh at that? :laughing: 

Another thing I recently learned - Grass seed, which is expensive, has an expiration date. Two weeks back I planted an area with grass where the boys and I had removed a dead Rhododendron. Not seeing any sprouts I searched the net for grass seed expiration period. Then I checked the three bags I had. Use by 2008. Use by 2006.  

Off to Home Depot for a fresh bag.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When shopping for a pair of eyeglass frames, before deciding on a model, look at the hinge screws and make sure they go in from the top. I once had a pair of glasses where the screws went in from the bottom (WTH), causing a screw to eventually loosen up and fall out, never to be seen again. It's not bad if it happens while you're sitting at a desk here you have a fighting chance of finding it, but if you're outside and that screw falls out, it's gone. You'll have to find a piece of fine gauge wire to make an emergency repair.


----------



## scout24

Photonwrangler- I keep a small spool of floral wire, maybe 10 feet, in my "to go" bag that I don't leave the house without for various reasons, including the very problem you mentioned. I've worn glasses since 3rd grade, on and off, and that exact scenario has happened more than once...


----------



## bykfixer

When I get new frames I pull the tiny screw out, dab on E3000 and put it back in. Used to use super glue but E3000 is a wee bit easier to work with since it's a gel. Haven't lost a screw from my glasses in years. 

And I aim my weed trimmer so that whatever flys off the string goes away from me. My dad showed me that trick after watching me cover myself with grass clippings while trimming his yard about 25 years ago. Carry it engine up on the right, trimmer head down to the left, swing machine in a clock-wise direction as debris flys away in a counter clockwise direction. If you start "cutting" in a counter clock-wise motion the debris pulls back towards you.


----------



## Poppy

Mr Fixer,
Great tips!


----------



## stanmog

If you have a lot of tools, communication gear, handcuffs, etc. hooked or clipped on your belt, step away from the commode before pulling up your pants.


----------



## bykfixer

Good advice there ^^

Or put the lid down…… not always possible in public rest rooms though. 

I have a medicine cabinet over a commode so before pulling stuff out I put the lid down. 

Mrs Fixer prefers I put the sit down ring down after I stand and do my thing. No wet ring. Cool. 

I told her while we were dating i said "both sit ring and lid go down in this 50/50 relationship because if I have to bend over so do you. 

We even have kid training stickers on ours……






Lid up





Lid down


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Scout24 and Bykfixer, both good tips. Thanks. :thumbsup:


----------



## bykfixer

Can't speak for Scout, but the fixes I mentioned were learned the hard way. 

Dale Earnhardt once said "you can create 90% of your own good fortune or 100% of your own bad fortune". 
I was in my mid 40's before realizing what he meant.


----------



## thermal guy

What I learned the hard way was that some instructions are critical. Take the warning to close the top of your wheeled garbage can before moving it. You know the big ones that are tapered up and get bigger at the top? The lid is so big if you don’t close the lid first and you go to push the can the lid is so big it drags on the ground. At this point you will step on said lid while pushing. This will stop all forwards momentum of the can but your inertia will keep you going and there’s only one place your heading! On a side note they ain’t easy to get out of when your face is smashed into the bottom and your shoulders are wedged against the sides. Seriously who designed these things?!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Lol. I hate it when I take out the garbage and suddenly become a physics experiment.


----------



## thermal guy

When The outside source is the bottom of a garbage can that stop your inertia I agree😁


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

thermal guy said:


> What I learned the hard way was that some instructions are critical. Take the warning to close the top of your wheeled garbage can before moving it. You know the big ones that are tapered up and get bigger at the top? The lid is so big if you don’t close the lid first and you go to push the can the lid is so big it drags on the ground. At this point you will step on said lid while pushing. This will stop all forwards momentum of the can but your inertia will keep you going and there’s only one place your heading! On a side note they ain’t easy to get out of when your face is smashed into the bottom and your shoulders are wedged against the sides. Seriously who designed these things?!


 
My father learned the hard way that it's not a good idea to climb into one of those containers. He did so to stomp the contents down. It rolled. He fell. His back broke. He went to the hospital.


----------



## Katherine Alicia

if you lend a "friend" some money and never see them again, consider it money well spent!


----------



## richbuff

PhotonWrangler said:


> Lol. I hate it when I take out the garbage and suddenly become a physics experiment.


 If you want to do the math, don't forget that work = Kinetic Energy, which in turn is the integral of momentum. Mass times velocity is momentum, but the Work is KE, which is one half mass times velocity squared. When you integrate, don't forget to add + C.


----------



## thermal guy

I have now also learned that I don’t like math!😁


----------



## richbuff

thermal guy said:


> I have now also learned that I don’t like math!😁



It is a whole new world to explore. Math is pure logic. The purpose of math is to quantify science. The integral of something is the area under the curve of something. Circumference is pi times diameter, which is pi times 2 x the radius. The area of the circle is the area contained by the circumference. The integral of kx is equal to one half k times x to the n+1 power, divided by n+1. Any 1/2 kx squared is the integral of kx. So, pi times 2 times r is the circumference, and the area is the integral of that, which is pi times r squared, because the 2 in the numerator and the denominator cancel each other out when you integrate.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Pi is also used in electronics for calculating resonance and reactances. 

And Pi + raspberry = $40 computer.


----------



## Monocrom

thermal guy said:


> I have now also learned that I don’t like math!



I've known that for decades!


----------



## raggie33

that cats are spawn of satan! years ago a cat was rubbing all over me and purring i go to pet it and it went insane


----------



## raggie33

PhotonWrangler said:


> Pi is also used in electronics for calculating resonance and reactances.
> 
> And Pi + raspberry = $40 computer.


im waiting till they make it as fast as todays i7s


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Today I realized that I need to keep a stash of band-aids in my car's glove box. I reached under the seat for something and sliced a finger on a sharp piece of metal. Fortunately I had a couple of clean paper napkins so I wrapped one around my finger and held it there until I got home.


----------



## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> Today I realized that I need to keep a stash of band-aids in my car's glove box. I reached under the seat for something and sliced a finger on a sharp piece of metal. Fortunately I had a couple of clean paper napkins so I wrapped one around my finger and held it there until I got home.




Definitely a good idea. I keep a full First-Aid kit in my Workbag. When not by my side at work, my bag lives in my car.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Handling a 2 liter bottle of pop while you're barefoot is a bad idea


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Don't store packets of condiments in a bag that might get squished. :shakehead


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Don't set a bright flashlight turned on high on top of a black backpack. I went night hiking and set my Nitecore E4K (on at the 1050 lumen high setting) on top of my Golite Pinnacle backpack. It sunk into the fabric a little, aiming the beam at the black and dyneema grid fabric. After a few seconds, the backpack started smoking. I took the light off immediately. The light didn't burn a hole through the pack but did leave a burn mark. I almost set my backpack on fire with my flashlight (at 25% maximum brightness).


----------



## greenpondmike

raggie33 said:


> that cats are spawn of satan! years ago a cat was rubbing all over me and purring i go to pet it and it went insane


They taste good in chinese food though


----------



## greenpondmike

I learned the hard way...before you marry someone go ahead and put forth that ol ugly foot you've been hiding and be yourself. Get them angry just to have a sneak preview of what you're going to live with the rest of your life. If you can't handle it.....run!


----------



## PhotonWrangler

I recently bought a light that requires a 21700 cell. It didn't come with one so I borrowed the Fenix-branded 21700 from my trusty PD-36R and it didn't fit lengthwise in the new light. I checked the label on the cell and it said 21700, So I looked up the specs for a 21700 and fount that it's supposed to be 70mm long, however the Fenix cell comes in at 75mm. So I ordered an actual 21700 for my new light.

The Fenix-branded cell is beefy and lasts for a long time, however I now recall that the vendor mentioned that they were non-standard-ish. Now I know that it's the length. This should really be called a 21750 battery.


----------



## Jean-Luc Descarte

Learned the hard way this Monday that if you spend a year and a half off your bicycle, a basic 7km commute can become a grueling slog. Don't try to match your old rhythm, pace yourself according to what you can do _at this moment._

On a very similar note, I also learned that flabby wheels are VERY demanding to pedal on. Always check your tires' pressure before leaving home, guys.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Apparently it is possible to take in too much dietary fiber at a meal. Still paying the price two days later.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

Using a catalytic propane heater in a three person four season tent between two people in the winter will cost you a heater and a sleeping bag that burned and melted to it.

I use butane and candle lanterns hung from the tent ceiling for warmth now.


----------



## bykfixer

I learned that my digestive system is not a fan of sugar free candy containing what is called sugar alcohol. Sheesh, I ate all 5 fake Resses cups one evening and thought I'd need a diaper the next day. They come in bags of 5 (and not more) for a reason I suppose. 

My system is ok with 1 or two, but who can stop at just 2 quarter sized Resses cups?


----------



## LEDphile

bykfixer said:


> I learned that my digestive system is not a fan of sugar free candy containing what is called sugar alcohol.


You are not alone in this - the Haribo Sugar Free Gummy Bears are an infamous example


----------



## Splitrail

thermal guy said:


> What I learned the hard way was that some instructions are critical. Take the warning to close the top of your wheeled garbage can before moving it. You know the big ones that are tapered up and get bigger at the top? The lid is so big if you don’t close the lid first and you go to push the can the lid is so big it drags on the ground. At this point you will step on said lid while pushing. This will stop all forwards momentum of the can but your inertia will keep you going and there’s only one place your heading! On a side note they ain’t easy to get out of when your face is smashed into the bottom and your shoulders are wedged against the sides. Seriously who designed these things?!


Video?


----------



## ledbetter

Don’t force fasteners. On cars, bikes, stuff in the house. Now I’m finally patient enough to clean, lubricate, soak, and just come back to before I cause a bigger problem than the one I was trying to fix. How many screw ups before I finally learned??


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Along this same line, some screw heads are surprisingly easy to strip.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

bykfixer said:


> I learned that my digestive system is not a fan of sugar free candy containing what is called sugar alcohol. Sheesh, I ate all 5 fake Resses cups one evening and thought I'd need a diaper the next day. They come in bags of 5 (and not more) for a reason I suppose.
> 
> My system is ok with 1 or two, but who can stop at just 2 quarter sized Resses cups?


My dad learned that the hard way. I got him a pack of sugar free (sucralose) York peppermint patties. He just had a delicious porterhouse steak on our church men’s retreat. He spent the next few hours vomitting and had diarrhea. It turns out sucralose is chlorinated sugar. Chlorine is poisonous so your body tries to expel it in any way it can. It’s only sugar free because your body can’t or won’t absorb it.

Stay away from fat free chips containing olestra as well. Your bowels will be spared from expelling a type of grease that is hard to get off of everything.


----------



## RWT1405

These are my lessons learned from over 40 years in EMS and the Fire Service, and over 35 years of teaching EMS (also Nurses, and Physicians)

I think you'll find most relate to everyday life/jobs also.

*RWT1405's Rules of EMS*​
1) Practice does NOT make perfect, PERFECT practice makes perfect.
1.A) Practice until you get it PERFECT!
1.B) Then practice until you can't get it WRONG!

2) Training is learning the rules.
2.A) Experience is learning the exceptions.

3) Experience is a very cruel teacher! (Trust me!)

4) Just because you CAN do something, does NOT mean that you SHOULD!

5) The most important things are simple.

6) The simple things are ALWAYS hard.

7) If there is little to be gained, there is little to be lost.

8) If there is a lot to be gained, there is a lot to be lost.

9) Air goes in and out, blood goes round and round, ANY deviation is a PROBLEM!

*Last, but not least! *​
10) Not everyone is cut out for EMS (or Medicine).
10.A) HOWEVER, Wawa needs good people, to make good hoagies, at 3am.


----------



## 3_gun

The rule is typically the exception

Measure twice then let the guy at Lowes/DIY cut it

2 is 1 & 1 is none

An inch isn't always an inch ; a cup isn't always 8oz, a ton isn't always 2000lbs and a gallon isn't always 128oz


----------



## Poppy

3_gun said:


> <SNIP>
> 
> An inch isn't always an inch ; a cup isn't always 8oz, a ton isn't always 2000lbs and a gallon isn't always 128oz


So true, for example:
How much does a pound of coffee weigh?
How many ounces are in a half gallon of ice cream?


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Poppy said:


> So true, for example:
> How much does a pound of coffee weigh?
> How many ounces are in a half gallon of ice cream?


How many ounces in a cup of cheese? 

Depends on the type of cheese - 
Soft cheese - 1 cup weighs six ounces. 
Semi-hard cheese - 1 cup weighs four ounces. 
Hard cheese - 1 cup weighs three ounces. 

DAMMIT! I'm just trying to make a toasted cheese sammy, not figure out a math problem.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Last week I had a frozen vegetarian dinner made by a company that caters to this market. I heated it up exactly per instructions and when I sat down to eat it, I noticed that it smelled slightly off. I couldn't put my finger on the aroma but I chalked it up to the mix of unusual ingredients and spices and ate it.

A few hours later I had a slight fever, chills, and then the stomach cramps set in. I was out of commission for over two days from severe cramps. I could have avoided that if I'd trusted my nose a little more in the first place.

Trust your nose. The nose knows, ya know.


----------



## Poppy

PhotonWrangler said:


> Last week I had a frozen vegetarian dinner made by a company that caters to this market. I heated it up exactly per instructions and when I sat down to eat it, I noticed that it smelled slightly off. I couldn't put my finger on the aroma but I chalked it up to the mix of unusual ingredients and spices and ate it.
> 
> A few hours later I had a slight fever, chills, and then the stomach cramps set in. I was out of commission for over two days from severe cramps. I could have avoided that if I'd trusted my nose a little more in the first place.
> 
> Trust your nose. The nose knows, ya know.


Cows say that you should eat more chicken.
Cook it to 165 F.


----------



## raggie33

i think im immune to feed posing . comes from being poor and have to eat wht you have lol. i had it once as a kid at a day old bakery both me and mom had a pie or something


----------



## KD5XB

PhotonWrangler said:


> Last week I had a frozen vegetarian dinner made by a company that caters to this market. I heated it up exactly per instructions and when I sat down to eat it, I noticed that it smelled slightly off. I couldn't put my finger on the aroma but I chalked it up to the mix of unusual ingredients and spices and ate it.
> 
> A few hours later I had a slight fever, chills, and then the stomach cramps set in. I was out of commission for over two days from severe cramps. I could have avoided that if I'd trusted my nose a little more in the first place.
> 
> Trust your nose. The nose knows, ya know.



I did just this once with tacos from a "roach coach" in Laredo. Three days I was laid up in the sleeper while my co-drive drove his hours AND mine.

Next time we were in Laredo, here came the same guy and it was all I could do not to deck him. I'm sure those tacos had been on that truck too long.


----------



## Poppy

raggie33 said:


> i think im immune to feed posing . comes from being poor and have to eat wht you have lol. i had it once as a kid at a day old bakery both me and mom had a pie or something


There's something to be said about building an immune system, by exposing it to a variety of pathogens, I suppose. Cody Lundin, the bare foot guy on Dual Survival, noted that a bird or rodent drowned in his water barrel. He didn't remove it, and continued to drink the water. His theory was to build immunity to the bacteria.

A bit strange, but maybe there is something to it. Why do we northerners get dysentery when we drink the water in Mexico, but they don't?


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If you have a container of sanitizing wipes in your car, and they're not alcohol based, and it drops below freezing, you don't have a container of sanitizing wipes - you have a Clorox-scented brick.


----------



## Monocrom

Seems I'm a horrible judge of character. But mostly in one direction.... As in, I encounter someone and have a feeling that they're truly special and different from most folks. That they're worth knowing, worth hanging out with, worth being friends with. And about *25%* of the time; I'm right. But that other 75% stinks. Thankfully I've learned to cut off toxic people at the knees and move on. (Obviously, I don't literally.) 😉


----------



## kerneldrop

To not cook fresh ravioli in boiling water.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

It's good to see you posting, Monocrom.


----------



## Monocrom

Thank you, I genuinely appreciate the Welcome back coming from you.


----------



## orbital

+

_This is from several weeks back for me::_

Don't assume that your storm door cannot lock itself, if caught by a strong gust of wind, 
when slammed shut.

The wind chill was around -15F and it was my only way in.

btw: also, broke off my door knob trying to twist it!!

*problemos'''''




*


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Oatmeal cereal 
Chocolate chips 
Oatmeal cereal with chocolate chips 🤮


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

You can’t fix stupid. You just have to step back. Grab some popcorn. Watch it happen (making sure nobody gets injured). And be there to help pick up the pieces.


----------



## Hooked on Fenix

PhotonWrangler said:


> Oatmeal cereal
> Chocolate chips
> Oatmeal cereal with chocolate chips 🤮


Pancakes 
Chocolate chip cookies 
Grandma substituting pancake batter for flour in chocolate chip cookies


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Flour + water = glue. Mix in some sugar and you've got cookies. Where'd the glue go? Eat enough of them and you'll learn the hard way that the glue is still present.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

This guy learned the hard way not to rush the stage and tackle Dave Chappelle. 





To wit, his elbow is pointing the wrong way. 😩


----------



## Monocrom

Looks like someone thought he was Will Smith.
Hope he has Will Smith levels of money for that attorney he's going to need.


----------



## Poppy

Yeah, that's what Chris Rock said right after it happened, while still on stage.


----------



## raggie33

As a kid I was told to learn from my mistakes. To which I responded I rather learn by other people's mistakes. Lol I still screw up


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

It's good to learn from your mistakes, but it's cheaper and/or hurts less to learn from the mistakes of others.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

If I could learn from my mistakes, I would be the smartest person in the world by now.


----------



## Burgess

I *NEVER* make misteaks !


----------



## raggie33

in my 20 and 30s i ran every where had no car walking was to slow. well one day im running jump over a bush and landed in ice lol . i trully leap before i looked i never did that again


----------



## brachypelma44

Never buy a cheap tripod. You'll just be frustrated by it, and then will spend more money in total by buying a quality one down the road.


----------



## knucklegary

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> This guy learned the hard way not to rush the stage and tackle Dave Chappelle.
> 
> View attachment 27365
> 
> To wit, his elbow is pointing the wrong way. 😩


Either his elbow got the twisty or his head is now looking at his a$$


----------



## PhotonWrangler

When trying to open a difficult skin-pack item with a knife, place the item on a stable, solid surface before working with it.


----------



## knucklegary

^^ solid surface good advice.. I also wear heavy leather gloves with gauntlets


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

PhotonWrangler said:


> When trying to open a difficult skin-pack item with a knife, place the item on a stable, solid surface before working with it.


 
Scissors.


----------



## Monocrom

I won't even EDC a multi-tool in a city setting unless it has scissors.


----------



## 3_gun

A low fuel light on a motorcycle is not as useful as a manual fuel petcock


----------



## KITROBASKIN

Stout scissors in the main room and kitchen. Utility/Game scissors in the truck. Small scissors in the work pack. 

Anti-theft packaging + knife = potential bloodletting.


----------



## knucklegary

I have a pair of small tin snips makes opening clam shell packaging a breeze. The hard plastic dulls my large shears


----------



## Monocrom

Watching unboxing videos on YouTube. Especially when it's not a box, but a blister pack. The content creator, always significantly younger than I am, uses large scissors on the pack.... But opens up the scissors completely or half way, and tries to use them like a knife.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Monocrom said:


> Watching unboxing videos on YouTube. Especially when it's not a box, but a blister pack. The content creator, always significantly younger than I am, uses large scissors on the pack.... But opens up the scissors completely or half way, and tries to use them like a knife.


The additional suspense is what makes the video so entertaining.


----------



## Monocrom

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> The additional suspense is what makes the video so entertaining.


Yes. Especially when you can already see what's inside the blister pack.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Scissors.


Lol - I don't know why I didn't think of that at the time. I was on a phone call while I was doing this and I somehow decided to grab the dangerous stabby thing instead of the scissors.


----------



## Poppy

knucklegary said:


> I have a pair of small tin snips makes opening clam shell packaging a breeze. The hard plastic dulls my large shears


tin snips by far are the best way to go, but they out in the shed.

I typically use my money clip (utility knife blade). Lie it on a stable surface is a better idea than on your thigh. Some of those packages can be a real PIA to open up. Sometimes, I wonder how challenging it might be for some seniors to get the packaging open. Not all scissors are up to the challenge.


----------



## knucklegary

Poppy please don't use that razor knife with package in your lap.. One bad slip and you'll be singing soprano!


----------



## raggie33

true story as a boy scout we had old army tents they wasnt like modern tents i went to mess hall to eat. and sneaked some food out left in pockets woke up with a bunch of racoons in my tent


----------



## Monocrom

raggie33 said:


> true story as a boy scout we had old army tents they wasnt like modern tents i went to mess hall to eat. and sneaked some food out left in pockets woke up with a bunch of racoons in my tent


Thankfully you didn't end up with rabies.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Poppy said:


> tin snips by far are the best way to go, but they out in the shed.
> 
> I typically use my money clip (utility knife blade). Lie it on a stable surface is a better idea than on your thigh. Some of those packages can be a real PIA to open up. Sometimes, I wonder how challenging it might be for some seniors to get the packaging open. Not all scissors are up to the challenge.
> 
> View attachment 29493


 
I see you position your big bills on the outside also.


----------



## raggie33

Monocrom said:


> Thankfully you didn't end up with rabies.


lol ive always had issues with racoons another time we was in the keys eating some crazy yummy seafood soup. we was eating outdoors racoons jumped on table. uncle tried to scare them off .they looked at uncle like screw you human lol. and even younger my freind had a raccoon as a pet thing scared me for some reason


----------



## idleprocess

KITROBASKIN said:


> Anti-theft packaging + knife = potential bloodletting.


Nearly _twenty_ years later I still have a scar on my left thumb from such an incident.


----------



## Jean-Luc Descarte

I've always opened packages with my pocket knives and never had any accidents (mostly because I take all the precautions – cut away from yourself, use a hard surface, and so on), but blisters have always been a pain. The tin snips are an outstanding idea, and now I've written down what tool I'm getting next!


----------



## idleprocess

_Timing_ the euthanization of a beloved terminally-ill pet is one of the more gut-wrenching decisions in life. The information available is apt to be incomplete, balancing the intense pain of separation vs the steady pain of watching a pet's lingering wordless suffering is agonizing, one might start grasping at straws hoping for an improbable recovery or improvement, and the permanence of the act all make for a decision that one is apt to second-guess.


----------



## knucklegary

It is human nature to second guess in these situations. I sure have done my share of feeling guilt making these decisions.. Don't kick yourself Idle, you did the right thing. Nobody likes to see our loved ones suffering. Think about all the good times you had together and smile


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

idleprocess said:


> _Timing_ the euthanization of a beloved terminally-ill pet is one of the more gut-wrenching decisions in life. The information available is apt to be incomplete, balancing the intense pain of separation vs the steady pain of watching a pet's lingering wordless suffering is agonizing, one might start grasping at straws hoping for an improbable recovery or improvement, and the permanence of the act all make for a decision that one is apt to second-guess.


 
Adopting a pet into the family has been aptly described as the beginning of a planned tragedy. It always ends in tears.


----------



## idleprocess

knucklegary said:


> Don't kick yourself Idle, you did the right thing.


The difficulty is that the subconscious is at best a _poor servant_. The second-guessing fits into the _bargaining_ stage of grief.



Chauncey Gardiner said:


> Adopting a pet into the family has been aptly described as the beginning of a planned tragedy.


Certainly when it comes to the common mammalian pets with their fast metabolisms leading to a _design life_ of ~5 years. This can be doubled or tripled through sheltering the animal from the stresses of living by its wits outdoors, but the falloff steepens at a point with those last months of _senescence_ coming on alarmingly fast.


----------



## knucklegary

The smaller breeds can go for few more years. Kinda like the Energizer rabbit, we had a Chihuahua mix lived to 21. Although the last couple years she was total blind with no teeth. We spoon fed cream of wheat three times a day.. Yeah, that mean tempered little dog had a very good life indeed!


----------



## KITROBASKIN

After an animal who is part of the family departs, one expects them to be there when returning home, but they are no longer; so sad.

Having worked at a vet clinic one summer and helped friends with their loved animals at life’s end, it seems the pet tells us it is time for them to go, hopefully we are open to heed the message. That does not make it any easier.

For a couple weeks after a wonderful dog told me it was time, I would carry her outside to relieve herself. But when she couldn’t even stand without me holding her up to pee, that was when I chose for her end to happen.

Any Quality of Life is gone? It’s time. Lessening suffering is something we humans should do. Are there any other species that chooses to do that?


----------



## bykfixer

I chose to put down my buddy Onyx recently and I questioned the decision for several days after. See, his back legs were showing signs of failing. I did short walks with him twice daily and saw progress. Lots of progress. In the meantime his appetite was greatly reduced. Now this was a dog that attacked his daily food like a puppy every day. I don't mean attack like snarling, but like "heck yeah this is the best food everrrrrrrrr"……every time.

One afternoon when I arrived home he could not stand up. In like 3 weeks he had gone from a happy to a saddened demeaner. We took him to a vet expecting not to bring him back home. The vets assistant fed him lasagne until he was full and he went off to a better place. Turns out his spine was ate up with uncle aurthor and he'd been hiding it like dogs do. He had a fever and an erratic heartbeat. I could have kept him on pills or had the doc perform surgeries or who knows what.

As sad as it was it was better in my view to let him go knowing he had a full belly and fell asleep. It still sucks, but had I known he had the arthritis I would have probably done it sooner.


----------



## Monocrom

As hard as it was, you absolutely did the right thing. Did what was best for him under the circumstances.


----------



## Poppy

ah, Mr


bykfixer said:


> I chose to put down my buddy Onyx recently and I questioned the decision for several days after. See, his back legs were showing signs of failing. I did short walks with him twice daily and saw progress. Lots of progress. In the meantime his appetite was greatly reduced. Now this was a dog that attacked his daily food like a puppy every day. I don't mean attack like snarling, but like "heck yeah this is the best food everrrrrrrrr"……every time.
> 
> One afternoon when I arrived home he could not stand up. In like 3 weeks he had gone from a happy to a saddened demeaner. We took him to a vet expecting not to bring him back home. The vets assistant fed him lasagne until he was full and he went off to a better place. Turns out his spine was ate up with uncle aurthor and he'd been hiding it like dogs do. He had a fever and an erratic heartbeat. I could have kept him on pills or had the doc perform surgeries or who knows what.
> 
> As sad as it was it was better in my view to let him go knowing he had a full belly and fell asleep. It still sucks, but had I known he had the arthritis I would have probably done it sooner.



Yeah, Mr. Fixer, no matter what, it just sux. You did the right thing. Don't second guess yourself.

I guess it was a year ago, we put down our little 7 year old terrier. She had liver cancer. Everyone said goodbye, except me. I knew I wouldn't be able to say the words without crying. I hate crying, so I stayed silent.

Drugs are a wonderful thing in that they can bring about the end of life gracefully, peacefully.


----------



## KITROBASKIN

Puppies are amazing


----------



## PhotonWrangler

bykfixer said:


> I chose to put down my buddy Onyx recently and I questioned the decision for several days after. See, his back legs were showing signs of failing. I did short walks with him twice daily and saw progress. Lots of progress. In the meantime his appetite was greatly reduced. Now this was a dog that attacked his daily food like a puppy every day. I don't mean attack like snarling, but like "heck yeah this is the best food everrrrrrrrr"……every time.
> 
> One afternoon when I arrived home he could not stand up. In like 3 weeks he had gone from a happy to a saddened demeaner. We took him to a vet expecting not to bring him back home. The vets assistant fed him lasagne until he was full and he went off to a better place. Turns out his spine was ate up with uncle aurthor and he'd been hiding it like dogs do. He had a fever and an erratic heartbeat. I could have kept him on pills or had the doc perform surgeries or who knows what.
> 
> As sad as it was it was better in my view to let him go knowing he had a full belly and fell asleep. It still sucks, but had I known he had the arthritis I would have probably done it sooner.


I'm sorry for your loss bykfixer. It sounds like you've done the right thing though.


----------



## bykfixer

Like others said bringing in a pet is taking a chance on heart ache.
We had taken in Onyx at 7 months old from a bad situation and for about a year was a real pest. Then one day he stopped acting so crazy. At first he didn't like men. Men with a ballcap even less and with glasses, forget about it. I wear glasses and a ball cap so we had our moments.

At about a year and a half he wrecked a knee so while on a furlough from work I built a handicap ramp out back, got him a bionic tendon installed and became his physical therapist. The vet said his other would go too so I kept the ramp in place.

He went from snarling at me when I arrived home to happy to see me. The Mrs was a dog trainer and taught him how tricks like the shell game where you follow the dog treat in a cup as it is shuffled, how to read simple signs like 2+2= and he'd bark 4 times for a dog treat. Oh, and "bang bang you're dead" where he'd fall over and roll onto his back.

He never tugged on the leash and insisted to walk to my left. And his last couple of years was losing his hearing, and sight. He lived about 50 years worth of life all squeezed into 12 and we feel blessed to have had the pleasure of his companionship while he was with us.





This was Onyx personified


The thing I'm learning the hard way is raising an 8 week old lab at 58 years old.




Here's the new kid "what ya got next for me to do old man?"


----------



## hsa

Does that cutie have a name yet?


----------



## PhotonWrangler

He looks like he's going to break into a play bow at any moment.


----------



## bykfixer

He's a Tralfaz.





So that's his name





We think he's going to be a large dog since his feet have nearly doubled in size.


----------



## Chauncey Gardiner

Spider webbs are sticky.


----------



## idleprocess

bykfixer said:


> I could have kept him on pills or had the doc perform surgeries or who knows what.


I was at that stage. Tried some medications that helped but the improvement was a matter of degree and ultimately they were ... _gone_ ... anyway. The weight loss clinched it - caloric intake was perhaps a third minimum necessary despite much effort to present palatable food, leaving no margin for future procedures thus I had to make the call.


----------



## knucklegary

bykfixer said:


> He's a Tralfaz.
> 
> View attachment 29575
> 
> So that's his name
> 
> View attachment 29576
> 
> We think he's going to be a large dog since his feet have nearly doubled in size.


Courtesy of Hanna-Barbera 😜


----------



## desert.snake

Very useful topic, just finished reading. I think it would be possible to combine this into something like a brochure and save a couple of copies for posterity. We used to publish a book on home economics in the 50s, with a bunch of useful tips, very similar to this topic, but some cases are not described there. There are also no instructions and examples in interpersonal relationships, here they are exist and it is very useful.

As for the bad experience - if there are any injuries that don't seem serious, it's best to get checked out by 1 or more independent doctors, and also don't blindly trust the doctors from public free hospitals.

Here are 3 cases:

1) 6 years ago my friend 62 years old stumbled on the ice on the steps and fell to his knee, he stopped the fall with his hand. His hand hurt quite a lot and he could not raise it above the level of his heart. The doctor decided that it was just a bruise and prescribed a fixation of the hand. But the problem with raising his arm was not resolved, and severe pains began in his shoulder and neck. This time the doctor decided that the friend had a pinched nerve and he needed to rub the ointment and periodically give painkillers. A year passed, the pain became unbearable, then a friend went for an MRI and it turned out that he had a torn ligament, his shoulder dropped and the ligaments healed in this wrong position, now the muscle simply does not have enough length to raise his arm. And had to either live with it further, or have an operation to cut out excess tissue, but it is very expensive, so now a friend can hardly do anything with this hand. And so it lives.

2) 3 years ago my friend's wife (friend from case #1) fell on the steps of the shop stairs (it was winter, the stairs were covered with very smooth ceramic tiles). She dislocated her leg, the doctor prescribed fixation of the leg in a cast, so she lived for about 2 months. When the plaster was removed, she got up and fell down, a second examination showed that initially it was not a dislocation, it was a dislocation + rupture of the ligament. A ligament with a piece of bone just dangled under the skin. She underwent surgery, but not very successfully, now she is limping and cannot walk without a cane, and she cannot squat either. More precisely, she can sit down 1 time and then she will need help.

3) 6 days ago my pianist friend fell down the stairs. She fell on her shoulder and it hurt a lot. The doctor in the state hospital looked with his eyes, felt with his hand and said - there is no fracture, this is not our competence, apply a bandage and do not touch for 3 weeks. I suspected that the level of pain did not match his statement, so I forced a friend to undergo an MRI, it took 4 days to persuade. The result is:
"Rupture of the structures of the rotator interval (rupture of the articular capsule, articular ligaments of the middle and lower humeroscapular ligaments), reactive synovitis with leakage into the subcoracoid space. Osteochondral damage to the outer upper posterior parts of the head of the humerus - by the type of Hill-Sachs fracture; damage to the anterior sections of the articular lip, anterior sections of the bone part of the articular cavity of the articular process of the scapula - according to the type of Bankart fracture."
If it had been left to heal itself, as the first doctor advised, it could have ended badly for the pianist's career. I found a clinic where athletes are treated for injuries, now we will treat them well (and expensively). Joint surgery may be required.

4 more conclusions can be drawn from this:

- Must be very careful when descending stairs, or other inclined surfaces. 

- No need to rush anywhere.

- Need good shoes, comfortable and with the right grip.

- In the current situation (which is unlikely to change in the next 50 years), it is necessary in advance to save money for the treatment of such injuries and other things (teeth, cancer, etc.)


----------



## Jean-Luc Descarte

And another lesson learned: do NOT trust doctors. Always get second and third and fourth opinions.


----------



## desert.snake

Jean-Luc Descarte said:


> And another lesson learned: do NOT trust doctors. Always get second and third and fourth opinions.


Amen


----------



## ledbetter

I think doctors are great and generally trustworthy. I appreciate all the hard work, dedication, and ten years of university education and training that goes into their profession. Do they make mistakes? Of course. I almost died from undiagnosed appendicitis and it burst on the third visit. So basically they almost killed me then they cured me.
Second or third opinions if possible are definitely a good idea. Even then s*** happens.


----------



## Launch Mini

Social Media is a toxic place and generally a waste of time and a source of stress.
159 days clean, and feeling much better. Cold Turkey


----------



## PhotonWrangler

"Scent free" does not mean hypoallergenic. I had a rash around my eyes for the longest time. It came on suddenly and I couldn't figure out the source of it. I made all sorts of little adjustments to my daily routine here and there and I made tiny improvements but couldn't get rid of it. I finally went to a dermatologist about it and the first thing she said was "Do you use dryer sheets?"

Oh crap. 

Yes, we used one that was "scent free" but turned out to have something in it that I'm allergic to. I've since found a brand that's all natural and hypoallergenic and the problem disappeared. 

As for the offending product, the name rhymes with trounce.


----------



## Monocrom

*Never* discuss the topic of food with a Vegan. 
Even the most friendly and polite ones have an _I'm better than you are because I don't eat meat _attitude, deep down inside. 

Amateur actress, used a vegan meat substitute on camera for a character who was supposed to be insane. Substitute didn't look like the real thing. Not even close. I mentioned Basturma would have made a much better substitute for strips of raw meat sliced off an off-camera, unseen, human-being. Since it's smoked meat with spices that make the meat look red even after it's done. But then recalled she's Vegan, and even said that wouldn't work in her case. Wasn't sarcastic about it. Her response was ridiculously passive/aggressive. Apologized for offending her. She said that wasn't it....

She proceeds to tell me I shouldn't talk about how delicious meat is. And then tells me the only bit of honest truth out of her mouth. That meat isn't just meat to a Vegan. Then came the "I'm a better human-being than you are" attitude because I don't eat meat. Followed by her (and likely many a vegan's) belief that all animals are happy go-lucky Disney-like creatures who enjoy life until they are brutally killed, cooked, and eaten at a young age. Where do I even begin with that one. In my defense, had no clue she was that delusional. Always seemed like a good person with a smart head on her shoulders. I didn't reply to that, and don't plan to. 

You literally can't reason with a delusional person. Doesn't matter if they are normal and functional in Life in every other way. While we technically travel in the same circles, those are HUGE circles. Thankfully you can avoid and distance yourself from a particular person if you wish to. And, that's what I'm going to do.


----------



## Jean-Luc Descarte

Monocrom said:


> *Never* discuss the topic of food with a Vegan.
> Even the most friendly and polite ones have an _I'm better than you are because I don't eat meat _attitude, deep down inside.
> 
> Amateur actress, used a vegan meat substitute on camera for a character who was supposed to be insane. Substitute didn't look like the real thing. Not even close. I mentioned Basturma would have made a much better substitute for strips of raw meat sliced off an off-camera, unseen, human-being. Since it's smoked meat with spices that make the meat look red even after it's done. But then recalled she's Vegan, and even said that wouldn't work in her case. Wasn't sarcastic about it. Her response was ridiculously passive/aggressive. Apologized for offending her. She said that wasn't it....
> 
> She proceeds to tell me I shouldn't talk about how delicious meat is. And then tells me the only bit of honest truth out of her mouth. That meat isn't just meat to a Vegan. Then came the "I'm a better human-being than you are" attitude because I don't eat meat. Followed by her (and likely many a vegan's) belief that all animals are happy go-lucky Disney-like creatures who enjoy life until they are brutally killed, cooked, and eaten at a young age. Where do I even begin with that one. In my defense, had no clue she was that delusional. Always seemed like a good person with a smart head on her shoulders. I didn't reply to that, and don't plan to.
> 
> You literally can't reason with a delusional person. Doesn't matter if they are normal and functional in Life in every other way. While we technically travel in the same circles, those are HUGE circles. Thankfully you can avoid and distance yourself from a particular person if you wish to. And, that's what I'm going to do.


The soyboys' smug attitude, constant virtue signaling, delusions about reality and inability to blurt out more than one sentence without a logical fallacy meant to appeal to guilt revulses me to no end. Finding a RESPECTFUL vegan is harder than seeing a fox with a summer coat in the Colorado mountains.


----------



## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> ...You literally can't reason with a delusional person. Doesn't matter if they are normal and functional in Life in every other way. While we technically travel in the same circles, those are HUGE circles. Thankfully you can avoid and distance yourself from a particular person if you wish to. And, that's what I'm going to do.


I'm sorry you had that experience. It doesn't hold true for all vegans or vegetarians though. I'm a vegetarian and I see this only as a personal choice for me, not for someone else, nor do I judge others for their food choices. Life is too short to get your knickers in a twist over someone else's dietary regime. Live and let live.


----------



## Monocrom

I agree, and treat people the same way you do. Was just very surprised at her reaction after knowing her for quite a long while. Silly me for thinking I could have an open and honest discussion regarding acting props. with someone who enjoys making similar content for others to view.


----------



## Poppy

Monocrom said:


> *Never* discuss the topic of food with a Vegan.
> Even the most friendly and polite ones have an _I'm better than you are because I don't eat meat _attitude, deep down inside.
> 
> Amateur actress, used a vegan meat substitute on camera for a character who was supposed to be insane. Substitute didn't look like the real thing. Not even close. I mentioned Basturma would have made a much better substitute for strips of raw meat sliced off an off-camera, unseen, human-being. Since it's smoked meat with spices that make the meat look red even after it's done. But then recalled she's Vegan, and even said that wouldn't work in her case. Wasn't sarcastic about it. Her response was ridiculously passive/aggressive. Apologized for offending her. She said that wasn't it....
> 
> She proceeds to tell me I shouldn't talk about how delicious meat is. And then tells me the only bit of honest truth out of her mouth. That meat isn't just meat to a Vegan. Then came the "I'm a better human-being than you are" attitude because I don't eat meat. Followed by her (and likely many a vegan's) belief that all animals are happy go-lucky Disney-like creatures who enjoy life until they are brutally killed, cooked, and eaten at a young age. Where do I even begin with that one. In my defense, had no clue she was that delusional. Always seemed like a good person with a smart head on her shoulders. I didn't reply to that, and don't plan to.
> 
> You literally can't reason with a delusional person. Doesn't matter if they are normal and functional in Life in every other way. While we technically travel in the same circles, those are HUGE circles. Thankfully you can avoid and distance yourself from a particular person if you wish to. And, that's what I'm going to do.


Dude!
She's a vegan, respect that.

I went vegetarian for about a year. When I came home from school for a couple of weeks, I went back to work driving a beer truck, straight job. One day my route took me near my home and I stopped in for lunch. My mom made me a hot roast beef sandwich. I've been told that cattle know when they are going to slaughter, and edrenalin flows through their arteries into their muscles.

After lunch, I jumped back up into the cab and drove aw ay. Before I made it to the street corner, I started trembling. Shortly after I turned the corner, the trembling stopped. I thought what the heck was that? Then I realized it might have been the edrenaline. 

When offered Chicken Parm, or Veal Parm, I'll always select Chicken Parm. Veal comes from baby cows/ calfs. It is my understanding that they are often tied in a very small pen, so that they can not move around and strengthen their muscles; this makes them more tender. IMO, it is very inhumane. 

I am not a Vegan, nor am I a vegetarian. I recognize the challenges that each group has in blending foods to make a complete protein. Occasionally when I meet a vegetarian, or a vegan, I'll speak to them about food combinations. If they are knowledgeable, I'll learn from them.

When I meet a vegetarian, or vegan, I applaud them for their fortitude. I tried a grain free diet for 3-4 years. I was only successful for one.


----------



## raggie33

After a few to many cold beers and when you go out to pet one of the stray cats make sure it isn't a raccoon


----------



## Monocrom

raggie33 said:


> After a few to many cold beers and when you go out to pet one of the stray cats make sure it isn't a raccoon


You probably didn't get bit because the creature was shocked as hell and didn't know how to react.


----------



## KITROBASKIN

Vegetarianism is not the only belief/lifestyle where people can get all uppity and poopy. Why there are some folk who think a person should have a certain kind of flashlight, and any other choices are clearly ignorant or subversive.


----------



## ledbetter

KITROBASKIN said:


> there are some folk who think a person should have a certain kind of flashlight, and any other choices are clearly ignorant or subversive.


That’s true. People who buy PRC products support commies. That makes them commie sympathizers. I hate commies.


----------



## knucklegary

KITROBASKIN said:


> Vegetarianism is not the only belief/lifestyle where people can get all uppity and poopy. Why there are some folk who think a person should have a certain kind of flashlight, and any other choices are clearly ignorant or subversive.


If your "some folk" is referring to some CPF hard flashlight users?

Those meat eaters (and some could be vegan) are the guys who come running when lunatics are threatening children in schools.
Just saying...


----------



## Monocrom

ledbetter said:


> That’s true. People who buy PRC products support commies. That makes them commie sympathizers. I hate commies.


Well, in fairness; those commies are good for _something._
It's called Organ Harvesting. Waste not, want not. 😉
👍🫀


----------



## raggie33

The most dangerous place on earth even more so then Iraq is being near a McDonald's in my town these big belly's will run you over to get there bic Mac and diet coke and 20 peice mcnuggets


----------



## Monocrom

raggie33 said:


> The most dangerous place on earth even more so then Iraq is being near a McDonald's in my town these big belly's will run you over to get there bic Mac and diet coke and 20 peice mcnuggets


LOL
I actually know another Vegan who once in awhile will happily devour McDonald's chicken nuggets and golden french fries! Can't blame her, either for doing so. Tastes like *WIN!!!*

I know I've mentioned my unlikely friendship with the young Neo-Hippie chick who gives off serious Baby Girl vibes. Yup, same one. 🙂


----------



## KITROBASKIN

I´ve learned the hard way years ago, not eating meat for some years. Dairy and eggs pretty much handled protein cravings, but when I moved back to Louisiana, the lack of non meat offerings at eateries pretty much ended that behavior. Spicy grilled catfish po-boys, oh yeah. Then when we had our child, we wanted him to have a well rounded diet, so meat is on the menu, and he likes it. Hopefully with respect and appreciation.


----------



## Poppy

Monocrom said:


> LOL
> I actually know another Vegan who once in awhile will happily devour McDonald's chicken nuggets and golden french fries! Can't blame her, either for doing so. Tastes like *WIN!!!*
> 
> I know I've mentioned my unlikely friendship with the young Neo-Hippie chick who gives off serious Baby Girl vibes. Yup, same one. 🙂


I have a friend who is seriously allergic to chicken. Once in a while, he'll take a bite to see if he is still allergic to it. He found that he can eat McDonald's chicken nuggets, with no ill effects. Apparently there is very little chicken in those nuggets.


----------



## knucklegary

^ Pigeon meat


----------



## hsa

^Wait, pigeon is pretty good on a smoker.


----------



## knucklegary

I had squab served to me once. It's a little gamey, kinda like duck all dark meat.. I'd think smoked is best way to eat wild birds.


----------



## hsa

I do too. We did a goose at a superbowl party once and it was good. Doves were great. Of course spare ribs and pork steaks. 
There was beer, so I think all this happened.


----------



## bykfixer

hsa said:


> ^Wait, pigeon is pretty good on a smoker.


Tastes like chicken?

Something I've learned the hard way is as you age you must stay active. Especially if you burned the candle at both ends for decades. Otherwise for every action there's an equal but opposite urge to sit on the sofa and watch tv.


----------



## hsa

^ Ain't that the truth. Yep, I burned the candle at all ends, paying for it now. Luckily I got a Black Lab puppy quite a while ago. 
She must be walked in any weather, at any time of the day or night and often. Now you have one, Haha. 😍


----------



## knucklegary

bykfixer said:


> Tastes like chicken?
> 
> Something I've learned the hard way is as you age you must stay active. Especially if you burned the candle at both ends for decades. Otherwise for every action there's an equal but opposite urge to sit on the sofa and watch tv.


As an older guy get the urge too, but it's not on the sofa (-;


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## Jean-Luc Descarte

hsa said:


> ^ Ain't that the truth. Yep, I burned the candle at all ends, paying for it now. Luckily I got a Black Lab puppy quite a while ago.
> She must be walked in any weather, at any time of the day or night and often. Now you have one, Haha. 😍


At least it's not a doberman or GSD. I swear those guys are wired to 220v!


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## knucklegary

^ Dogs give you a reason to get up at 5am


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## Monocrom

knucklegary said:


> ^ Dogs give you a reason to get up at 5am


One reason why I never owned a dog!


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## Chauncey Gardiner

While it's good to learn from your mistakes, it's cheaper and hurts much less to learn from the mistakes of others.


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## bykfixer




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## Jean-Luc Descarte

knucklegary said:


> ^ Dogs give you a reason to get up at 5am


Speaking of 5AM, one thing I learned the hard way: I'm an early bird, not a night owl. Staying up all night and going to sleep when the sun rises wreaks havoc with my stomach acids, and my eyes and brain hurt. By contrast, if I go to sleep early and wake up still in dark hours, I'm essentially good for the entire day.

I could withstand the bad effects of pulling all-nighters in my teen years, but now? Heck to the naw. Much better to meet the sun while well-rested.


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## PhotonWrangler

Swapping out a CPU - the harder I try not to get thermal paste all over myself, the more likely I'm going to.


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## PhotonWrangler

Need to measure out a little bit of acetone for something? Don't use a styrofoam cup.


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## Monocrom

PhotonWrangler said:


> Need to measure out a little bit of acetone for something? Don't use a styrofoam cup.


Oh no! That must've been a helluva realization. 😁


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## PhotonWrangler

Monocrom said:


> Oh no! That must've been a helluva realization. 😁


Yeah. This was many years ago. I poured some into a styrofoam cup and set it on a workbench for a little while. When I came back, the bottom of the cup had been neatly eaten away. Fortunately it was only a small amount of acetone, but I learned a lesson about solvents that day!


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