Random Thoughts Thread

[trinacriabob]

I think it's great that coffeehouse culture has become a part of Americana.  And it's not only chains like (cough).  It's so many independents that have rounded out the scene.  There's good coffee, good tea, some food, a place to read, a place to work on a laptop, and usually a relaxing vibe.  You can't beat it.  This is one thing we've really done right in the New Millennium.

[Robert Hall]

12 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

I think it's great that coffeehouse culture has become a part of Americana.  And it's not only chains like (cough).  It's so many independents that have rounded out the scene.  There's good coffee, good tea, some food, a place to read, a place to work on a laptop, and usually a relaxing vibe.  You can't beat it.  This is one thing we've really done right in the New Millennium.

I miss going to coffeehouses.  There was a really good one in downtown Ann Arbor and one in Colorado Springs that I spent a lot of time in my 20s-early 30s inhabiting.  

The Ann Arbor one I would hang out at with other PhD students to study and talk, and the one in Colorado Springs I hung out at with several friends I worked with at 3 different companies, we spent a lot of time coding and planning there back in the dot.com era... 

[trinacriabob]

16 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

I miss going to coffeehouses.  There was a really good one in downtown Ann Arbor and one in Colorado Springs that I spent a lot of time in my 20s-early 30s inhabiting.  

The Ann Arbor one I would hang out at with other PhD students to study and talk, and the one in Colorado Springs I hung out at with several friends I worked with at 3 different companies, we spent a lot of time coding and planning there back in the dot.com era... 

College towns tend to have good indie ones, and which are usually funky and frumpy.  People in that demographic don't want to go to Starbucks unless they don't have other options.

[balthazar]

[trinacriabob]

Per the birthday list, today is NINETY EIGHT REGENCY's birthday.  Have a great day, Landis, and keep cool down there by the Gulf!

[balthazar]

[daves87rs]

On 8/15/2021 at 12:47 AM, balthazar said:

Even love the color and stance of this one!

[A Horse With No Name]

On 8/13/2021 at 4:42 PM, trinacriabob said:

I found this a couple of days ago.  It becomes a great video when this beautiful airplane lands and you can see all 4 thrust reversers in action.

These things were a big deal in just coming from Madrid to New York, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles during the summer.

It was an even bigger deal for these bigger Airbus planes to routinely go from Spain to Central America, Brazil, Buenos Aires, and Santiago de Chile.

This plane (the 600 version) was a little bit longer than the 747-400.  However, the latest 747-800 has reclaimed that distinction.

I flew on this one summer, with the U.S. service provided by American, and picking it up in Chicago on the outbound and returning on the long flight to LAX.  This is an incredible machine, with a more comfortable 2-4-2 seating arrangement and those 4 big engines providing the power.

As they are being retired, I realize how much I will miss the Airbus 340.

One of my favorie jets, I love four engine birds...

 

On 8/14/2021 at 12:58 AM, daves87rs said:

Need to go camping……

 

I plan to do a good bit this fall. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Random truth for Monday.

 

Not just in Politics...

[A Horse With No Name]

So much sad in the world....something happy for the moment. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[trinacriabob]

@A Horse With No Name At first I was thinking, "What's so funny?"  Then, it becomes more apparent.

Along the same lines, this 62 story Seattle building that went up during the office tower boom of the late '80s has gotten a lot of flack.  It was initially named the AT&T Gateway Tower.  

Architects are supposed to build models and look at the building from all angles.  And no one caught on?  The public riding on the ferries from across the sound sure figured it out and had the expected nicknames for it.

From the north and south sides (elevations), you don't see this ... you only see the glass roof that slopes away and over the top.  Its eastern facade, from I-5 and the city, looks clunky.  To give it some credit, the granite and detailing when seen up close is pretty nice.  And so is the fact that they created terraces and bay windows up toward the top.  But, overall, it's just a weird building that could have been nicer.  It occupies a great site and has stunning views toward the south ... the port, Boeing Field, Mt. Rainier, etc.

 

[trinacriabob]

Continuing with the above, I found some other views of the tower and of nearby Seattle buildings ...

This is the building's ugliest side, from the east, IMO.  Columbia Tower (76 stories) is behind it.

The base is something, and so are some of those bay windows up the sides.

While a little up, this is how you'd see it as you approach on I-5 from the south.  It has the blue-green glass roof.  With a skyline that looked like this and not much traffic, this must have been 2 to 3 decades ago!

[A Horse With No Name]

9 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

Continuing with the above, I found some other views of the tower and of nearby Seattle buildings ...

This is the building's ugliest side, from the east, IMO.  Columbia Tower (76 stories) is behind it.

The base is something, and so are some of those bay windows up the sides.

While a little up, this is how you'd see it as you approach on I-5 from the south.  It has the blue-green glass roof.  With a skyline that looked like this and not much traffic, this must have been 2 to 3 decades ago!

I really liked the vibe of seattle when I was out there....

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/world/asia/maki-kaji-dead.html

[A Horse With No Name]

"Things falling apart is a kind of testing and also a kind of healing. We think that the point is to pass the test or to overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy."

~Pema Chödrön

Mike Allen, who I know from Facebook, built this. It is amazing! I love the model work and the picture. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

SSR...

 

Emiliano Achaval turned this. I love his work. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Now then....

 

[oldshurst442]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

 

Ive got a a handful of questions and ideas to this kind of map...

1. why?  (Because I dont understand some of these redrawn states and Ive got a couple of improvements of my own) 

2. Why is NY split and given to Great Connecticut and upper NY is called Generic Northeastern State. 

3. Speaking of Conn., why is Connecticut that long anyway?  

4. if upper state NY is such a generic Northeastern state, then why was Maine left alone?

5. 

a) Why was what it seems like the 5 boroughs of NYC not paired up with New Jersey?

b) As a Montrealer, I truly believe that most of NY State, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire could all be part of Canada. Maritime Provinces AND Quebec. THAT would ALSO include New York City as I believe Montreal in many ways is just a mini New York.  Actually, the way Toronto has grown over the last 30-40 years, Toronto and Montreal TOGETHER  IS New York City.  So NYC would be better served if it be eliminated form the US and just annexed by Canada...  Along with that whole North Eastern corner.  Minus Connecticut and Massholechusetts...

Plus, Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire all produce maple syrup.  THAT is Canada! Quebec to be more exact! 

6. With that being said...

It seems to me  Pennsylvania and New Jersey could be as one since NY is part of Canada now...

7. Where is Florida?

8.

a) If there is a thing such as Generic Southern States, then why is that area NOT enlarged to include the following areas:  the Carolinas, West Georgia AND Texas?  

b) I could understand why Texas is left alone, and called a union on this map, but if THAT was the case by the maker of this map, then the map actually could be re-REdrawn and the following could be a whole big union then:  Texas, Generic Southern States, the Carolinas, West Georgia. 

9.

a) If by creating a redrawn and improved USA, and we have already established that Canada should annex all that Northeastern corner and NYC, then Megakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and  Michigan ALL belong to CAnada now.  These are cold cold states that best describe Canada anyway. These states all  are passionate and  play hockey, and are quite good at it therefore: CANADA!!! 

b)  Alaska is not connected to the continental United State. Alaska is DIRECTLY connected to Canada. Literally. Therefore Alaska is not union. Alaska is part of the True White North...ie CANADA!  Alaska NOW belongs to Canada! 

10.  why Hawaii?

Hawaii is closer to French Polynesia than it is to the continental US. THEREFORE, a redrawn and improved US benefits if Hawaii is now part of France

11.  US now needs a hot, tropical type of island paradise?

THIS is where Cuba and Puerto Rico comes in with the forgotten Florida... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2021 by oldshurst442

[Robert Hall]

^ probably should direct those questions to the mapmaker...we don't have the answers.   This is probably a humor product of some sort.

 Though some of them have some historical connection--like the 'Great Connecticut' stretching across Northern Ohio---as that area was at one time the Connecticut Western Reserve (incl. the area where I live today).    Likewise for the Southern Tier counties of New York.  Western New York has more in common with PA and NE Ohio than it does with NYC. 

Edited August 17, 2021 by Robert Hall

[oldshurst442]

17 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

^ probably should direct those questions to the mapmaker...we don't have the answers.   This is probably a humor product of some sort.

 Though some of them have some historical connection--like the 'Great Connecticut' stretching across Northern Ohio---as that area was at one time the Connecticut Western Reserve (incl. the area where I live today).    Likewise for the Southern Tier counties of New York.  Western New York has more in common with PA and NE Ohio than it does with NYC. 

Id argue though...that Western New York has even MORE in  common with Ontario, Canada rather than PA and NE Ohio...

PA I saw, is also considered Generic Northeast by the maker of this map.  Well...like I said before, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, upper State NY has more in common with Quebec and our Maritime Provinces.  Further more, Pennsylvania is more akin to Massholechusetts, than anything Canadian.   PA has two strong willed cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, unlike any other Northeastern cities including Canada.  Boston, to me, would be similar to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. .   NYC is very different from all others. But very similar to Montreal and now Toronto.  Boston's architecture is reminiscent of Montreal's. So is NYC's.  But Montreal does have a French side that differs from NYC and Toronto but there is something familiar with NYC regarding new immigrants coming to the US that I see with Montreal and Toronto that Boston and the PA cities will NEVER have.   Therefore, I dont see how the maker of this map considers PA as generic northeast.  

Further more, Both States, PA and MA are blue collar states.   Both States have frenzied, DRUNKEN sport team fanatics capable of starting fights in their arenas for petty things.  American Independence have had their spark and fight start in those two States. 

But Id like to know more about Ohio, all of Ohio, as I have little knowledge of this area of the US.  

I know this map is for humour. So was my answer to the map. 

But, there are elements of my questions that are truly sincere and would like to knwo more.

Plus...I do really wish that Michigan, Alaska, the Northeast corner AND NYC was truly part of Canada...  

 

 

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

7. Where is Florida?

Simple answer, 15ft underwater!  

Due to the aqueducts being empty, the Ocean made Florida a sink hole of major proportions due to the ignorant leadership that made it a one grave state!  

After all, ya gotta put the dead somewhere, so now it is underwater and we have our newest southern state of Cuba and the state sandwich is the Cuban!  

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, oldshurst442 said:

Id argue though...that Western New York has even MORE in  common with Ontario, Canada rather than PA and NE Ohio...

PA I saw, is also considered Generic Northeast by the maker of this map.  Well...like I said before, Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, upper State NY has more in common with Quebec and our Maritime Provinces.  Further more, Pennsylvania is more akin to Massholechusetts, than anything Canadian.   PA has two strong willed cities, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, unlike any other Northeastern cities including Canada.  Boston, to me, would be similar to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. .   NYC is very different from all others. But very similar to Montreal and now Toronto.  Boston's architecture is reminiscent of Montreal's. So is NYC's.  But Montreal does have a French side that differs from NYC and Toronto but there is something familiar with NYC regarding new immigrants coming to the US that I see with Montreal and Toronto that Boston and the PA cities will NEVER have.   Therefore, I dont see how the maker of this map considers PA as generic northeast.  

Further more, Both States, PA and MA are blue collar states.   Both States have frenzied, DRUNKEN sport team fanatics capable of starting fights in their arenas for petty things.  American Independence have had their spark and fight start in those two States. 

But Id like to know more about Ohio, all of Ohio, as I have little knowledge of this area of the US.  

I know this map is for humour. So was my answer to the map. 

But, there are elements of my questions that are truly sincere and would like to knwo more.

Plus...I do really wish that Michigan, Alaska, the Northeast corner AND NYC was truly part of Canada...  

 

 

As a guy married to a gal from Western New York (Buffalo Suburb of West Senneca) I would agree on the Canada thing.

 

Saw a gorgeous 70-72 Yellow olds cutty ragtop out on the road, thought of you...

As an electrician, I fully appreciate this....given Davids love for Asian and Asian esque women, I think he will appreciate them also. Although the lady in green looks like she is maybe from Georgia and the lady in red looks like she is from Out west, maybe Colorado or something. 

[A Horse With No Name]

39 minutes ago, David said:

Simple answer, 15ft underwater!  

Due to the aqueducts being empty, the Ocean made Florida a sink hole of major proportions due to the ignorant leadership that made it a one grave state!  

After all, ya gotta put the dead somewhere, so now it is underwater and we have our newest southern state of Cuba and the state sandwich is the Cuban!  

I worry about all of the stuff going on in Florida, not just from a political standpoint. My 10 year old niece goes to school in Florida, she is in quarantine for 14 days because the girl next to her in class came down with a serious, serious case of covid. 

Hard times we live in, a lot of it self inflicted. 

But I really feel for my niece, not meant to be a political post. Just feel a lot of compassion for people in Florida right now. 

 

 

Just like Jimmy Carter tried to be Christ like and had his Borther Billy....

Neat Corvette model, some guys don't like Yellow cars, I do...

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting Wall...

Available locally, this Era of Truck never looks bad...

Pontiac love, in this case 65 GTO. 

Neat vintage picture...

[A Horse With No Name]

The woodworker in me and the Carpenter in Balthy can appreciate this. Thankfully I ahve a couple of really good local places to buy lumber. 

Hurst Olds, for Olds hurst!

[A Horse With No Name]

 

Cobra, you knew Shelby content was coming in somewhere, right?

 

 

[G. David Felt]

40 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I worry about all of the stuff going on in Florida, not just from a political standpoint. My 10 year old niece goes to school in Florida, she is in quarantine for 14 days because the girl next to her in class came down with a serious, serious case of covid. 

Hard times we live in, a lot of it self inflicted. 

But I really feel for my niece, not meant to be a political post. Just feel a lot of compassion for people in Florida right now. 

Yes, while I was being a bit sarcastic in my response, it was not meant to be a political post and just like yours, I do not see it as political either. I will say, I worry for friends who live there due to the lack of leadership and support for PROVEN TESTED MEASURES that can reduce and in many cases stop the spread of a deadly Virus. Sad all the people in Florida and Texas that are starving for oxygen and life due to ignorance and proven science.

[balthazar]

'Proven science'.

[oldshurst442]

Well...vaccines are proven science that they actually work against viruses that makes us sick and/or kill us...

And these new Covid 19 vaccines were put to the test with knowledge of how past vaccines work against viruses and the scientists involved in developing a vaccine for Covid 19 used that tried and true method to develop what vaccine we have now to help us with Covid 19.  

So much so that two different makers of these Covid 19 vaccines using mRNA technology came out with two very similar vaccines to fight Covid 19...   THAT would make it "proven science"

Also...

Wearing masks and keeping a 6 foot safety distance in trying to fight Covid 19 transmission maybe a crapshoot type of prevention method,  they do however have a basis of scientific method that was  CALCULATED and FORMULATED with thousands of hours of tests of how  water particles and droplets behave in the air. And THIS testing has been made and formulated at least 2 decades before Covid 19 was a thing. 

Say what you will about "the science of Covid 19" always changing.  The way we have approached Covid 19 prevention HAS been with proven scientific methods.   And they work to a degree.   When they dont seem to work, its NOT because of the "proven science" is not proven, but rather because Covid 19 is a DIFFERENT type of virus that we HAVENT seen, therefore we have adapted our approach to the best we can to prevent more catastrophe. 

Which means some prevention behaviors have been modified.  Some we have kept. Some of those needlessly, but its nice to uphold just in case...

 

 

[oldshurst442]

4 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Interesting Wall...

 

I wonder...  

How many dead bodies are hidden in these chests and baggages?

[oldshurst442]

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

As a guy married to a gal from Western New York (Buffalo Suburb of West Senneca) I would agree on the Canada thing.

 

(she is sooooooo cute here tho!

 

5 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Saw a gorgeous 70-72 Yellow olds cutty ragtop out on the road, thought of you...

 

I am bewildered by the next one....

 

I have a very good sense on how electricity works. How it conducts and "moves" around and all that...  But honestly, I cannot figure this diagram out for the LIFE of me.    To boot, I dont know how I feels about this either...am I just dumb about electricity and really has no clue or is it because Im slightly aroused by the content and my brain is just processing T&A?   

Have I just discovered a new fetish then? Sexy Anime Japanese porn?     

 

 

[trinacriabob]

8 hours ago, David said:

Simple answer, 15ft underwater!  

Miami put its entire Metrorail (heavy rail) rapid transit system up on stilts.  None of it is underground in any spot.

On the other hand, Houston has its tunnel system below downtown so people can get around on those hot days - just like Montreal has its tunnel system for when it's freezing cold outside - and Houston put their light rail system at grade smack in the middle of the downtown streets.  Go figure.

7 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I worry about all of the stuff going on in Florida, not just from a political standpoint. My 10 year old niece goes to school in Florida, she is in quarantine for 14 days because the girl next to her in class came down with a serious, serious case of covid. 

Hard times we live in, a lot of it self inflicted. 

But I really feel for my niece, not meant to be a political post. Just feel a lot of compassion for people in Florida right now. 

People think that they are going to be appreciated for being martyrs or something.  Instead, they may wind up being another casualty and another number.

Many people lack critical thinking skills.  And most people have never taken a statistics course.  Those two things, taken together, could help them make better choices.

When I was off to grad school, I was given a list of vaccines and shots I should have had.  One of them was the MMR shot.  I don't remember if I ever had them, or if I was vaccinated.  So I marched over to a nearby urgent care clinic and got one.  I wasn't about to grandstand and not go to grad school come September.

- - - - -

My real random thought:

When buying pants, the most common waist-inseam for men is 34"-30."  Which might come in handy if you're at "Cafe 150" and start wandering around.

[oldshurst442]

19 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

just like Montreal has its tunnel system for when it's freezing cold outside

 

 

And the whole underground city we have which is tied and partnered with our Metro system which is below our Downtown. 

[balthazar]

I only like curves (of this degree of radius) on cars/trucks.
 

[trinacriabob]

8 minutes ago, balthazar said:

I only like curves (of this degree of radius) on cars/trucks.
 

You're being economical with your assertion, yet covering a lot of ground (literally in the photo).

What I mean is that, while not voiced, you may also mean that you own one of these stickers in your thoughts:

These used to be somewhat common.  Why did people have to get so politically correct?

[surreal1272]

8 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

You're being economical with your assertion, yet covering a lot of ground (literally in the photo).

What I mean is that, while not voiced, you may also mean that you own one of these stickers in your thoughts:

These used to be somewhat common.  Why did people have to get so politically correct?

To be fair though, most of those stickers were on cars owned by men who had no room to talk, at all, about being fat.

[trinacriabob]

1 hour ago, surreal1272 said:

To be fair though, most of those stickers were on cars owned by men who had no room to talk, at all, about being fat.

True.  Or guys who were of the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" tribe.

[balthazar]

3 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

To be fair though, most of those stickers were on cars owned by men who had no room to talk, at all, about being fat.

What; are red-heads only supposed to like red-heads?
'Opposites attract' 

[G. David Felt]

On 8/17/2021 at 11:56 PM, balthazar said:

I only like curves (of this degree of radius) on cars/trucks.
 

I like a nice ass, but that is one FAT ASS! ?

Course a nice tight well toned ass like this is a benefit!

Hyo ?

 

A far more proper Curve ratio!  

For those that might want to follow this awesome woman.

김효정 Hyony Kim IFBB PRO (@hyo_1013) • Instagram photos and videos

Before she dyed her hair.

 

Edited August 23, 2021 by Drew Dowdell
You know better.... don't do it again.

[A Horse With No Name]

Today....

 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

Pontiac with patina, Craigslist find...

Neat pic, from ana rtistic standpoint. 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

[A Horse With No Name]

[balthazar]

[A Horse With No Name]

25 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Unreal....

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I love European architecture. 

 

[daves87rs]

17 minutes ago, A Horse With No Name said:

I love European architecture. 

 

Time to move in…. ?