Intrepidation

This is also something I'd expect Satty to post.

My friend's Camaro doesn't have a Nav screen, but e tested the OnStar turn by turn last week and it's pretty cool. In addition to text to speech voice commands, it'll display the text and the direction to go (indicated with arrows) on the radio and on the screen between the gauges.

Exactly right. The fatigue of structure is the only reason why the current ones are being retired. There are only a certain mount of flight hours that the airframe can safely log. There is the possibility of Atlantis being green lighted for one more mission though. It really is a shame that there is no replacement for them. Hitching a ride on Russian rockets does not a suitable replacement make, IMHO.

Not if they can't afford it.

I'd like to make a trip to see one of the last two ones if funds can afford it it. Always wanted to see the shuttle launch. Once in a lifetime opportunity before long.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/37229661#37205306

LOS ANGELES – Jewelry from two entire lines being sold exclusively at Walmart stores nationwide, including bracelets and necklaces branded by Miley Cyrus, contains high levels of the toxic metal cadmium, according to an Associated Press investigation. Testing of 61 samples purchased by AP reporters across the country from a Cyrus line and from a series of make-it-yourself metal bracelet charms indicated that 59 of the pieces contained at least 5 percent cadmium by weight, with 53 of those measuring 10 percent or higher. And the world's largest retailer knows the items are tainted. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. received test results in February showing cadmium in these jewelry lines, but has continued selling the items. Instead, Wal-Mart revealed in an April 26 statement that as of April 9, it was requiring suppliers to show through tests at a company-approved lab that children's jewelry and other kids' products had little cadmium — or else Wal-Mart would not accept the items for sale. The policy did not apply to products already on store shelves. A Wal-Mart executive told a Consumer Product Safety Commission hearing that testing items already in stores would be too difficult. In its only comment for this story, Wal-Mart said the Miley Cyrus jewelry was for "juniors," without defining that age range. Representatives for Miley Cyrus and BCBGMaxAzria did not comment when asked. To judge the extent of the ongoing availability of pieces that Wal-Mart knew were contaminated, AP dispatched reporters throughout the country last month. They purchased any of 13 items matching those on the test results the company had in February. Those items came from two product lines: three were Miley Cyrus jewelry, a project done with designer BCBGMaxAzria; the other 10 were from a series of make-it-yourself metal bracelet charms. The packaging said they were made in China; all were bought for $6 or less. All but one of the 13 was on store shelves in the eight states where AP reporters looked. At AP's request, the purchased items were then tested by Prof. Jeff Weidenhamer, a chemist at Ashland University in Ohio. He said the average cadmium content was 16 percent, and that the levels are probably higher. Weidenhamer's prior research has shown that the testing method he used — an X-ray gun that can roughly tell the amount of cadmium in an item — typically underestimates how much is present. Representatives of the jewelry industry have argued that the presence of cadmium, even at high levels, is not by itself proof that an item is dangerous. The important thing, they say, isn't how much cadmium is in jewelry but rather how much can escape if the item is sucked, bitten or swallowed. Cadmium in children's jewelry became a public concern in January when the AP published the results of an investigation that showed items at Walmarts — and other large chains — were as much as 91 percent of the toxic metal by weight. Federal regulators have since issued three recalls, including one affecting "The Princess and The Frog" movie themed pendants sold at Walmarts. Long-term exposure to cadmium can lead to bone softening and kidney failure. It is a known carcinogen that recent research suggests can, like lead, hinder brain development in the very young. While AP's January investigation focused on jewelry clearly intended for children, the items tested for AP this time were labeled "not intended for children under 14 years." That is an important legal distinction: Under current regulation, children's items are defined as for kids 12 and under, and children's products have all kinds of regulations that others do not. Federal regulators' own research says that kids start becoming interested in making their own jewelry around age six or eight. As for products featuring Miley Cyrus — she is 17 and thanks to the "Hannah Montana" franchise, her appeal dips down to kids as young as five. The importer of the charms for make-it-yourself bracelets, Cousin Corp. of America, said the jewelry was targeted at adults. Roy Gudgeon, vice president of merchandise at Florida-based Cousin, said that didn't mean high cadmium levels were acceptable. "We recognize that many of our adult customers are homemakers who may have children present in their home," he said. "Our intention as a company is to never willingly cause harm to a child." After checking company records, Gudgeon said that it had imported more than 300,000 of the charms that Weidenhamer tested. Shipment figures were not immediately available for the Miley Cyrus items. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100519/ap_on_he_me/us_cadmium_jewelry

Looks good, congratulations.

LOL!

Well that's that then. The problem went from bad to worse and now they're tired of of dumping money into it. Kinda irrational since they don't have another car but they're junking it. Oh well.

Actually, you can clearly see superior German engineering every time you need to buy anything other than gas and oil for it, because it's so damn expensive.

Actually it's the steering system, and yes it takes hydraulic oil and the reservoir is a labeled hydraulic reservoir. It's German, they do things different (and weird). I know about the radiator! When I looked at the bay for the first time I thought it was so weird.

Neat!

Today was the first day I really took a close look at it. Off the top of my head this things has wrong with it: Driver's tail lights and turn signal were out - blown bulbs and corroded contacts (I fixed them today) Exhaust system has a bad leak about midway between the cat and the muffler (temp fixed) P/S belt was loose (I tightened it) A/C compressor pulley is worn and wobbles A/C doesn't work Alternator buzzes Part of the intake hose not connected (rusted off) Nearly stalls on startup Idles rough Leaks oil Leaks a lot of hydraulic fluid from multiple places Exterior driver's door handle broken Interior driver's door lock broken Both head lights held on by string Passenger side bumper mounted corner light missing Needs tires Brakes suck They don't really have the money to replace it, so I've offered to help repair what I can. My cousin isn't mechanically inclined. She almost opened the coolant reservoir cap while the car was hot before I stopped her... Her husband is handy but not really so much with cars. Tomorrow we make a yard from for some parts, if any yards have these old things. Here's the mighty 2.2 I-5 and the leaky hose we didn't know the name of until I figured it out a few minutes ago. This all being said, it's done 216,000 miles which isn't too shabby (amazing for an old Audi, IMO), and the body is actually in really good shape...no rot.

I figured I'd share what my cousin and her husband drive. It's a 1986 Audi5000S. I've only got one photo of teh car itself, but it's a good indicator of the typical day.

I miss our Dodge Aspen. It was the car we had during my childhood. We called it the green bomber. I loved it when I was little. I wonder whatever happened to it. I've always wanted to get an Aspen. I also miss the Town and Country, though not dearly, we only had it for less than a year. I was really proud of how my repairs to the front end went on it, plus it was so useful for hauling stuff and people. Everything worked on it to, even the dual zone climate control. Pity some retard in a Pathfinder T-Boned it.

Interesting how nostalgia for past cars seems to be happening both her and on the other forum I frequent. This the season perhaps. I'll never know what that's like.

Win.

It's the shiniest thing in the engine bay now. Yeah, there wasn't much left of the old antifreeze and what there was looked old, so I flushed the system and then put new antifreeze in.

This was actually a pretty easy job (all cars should have their waterpumps so easily accessible). It took more time to get it off than on, the fan shroud was a pain because there was no way to get it off without taking the fan assembly off (which is bolted to the waterpump), which is harder to do thanks to the shroud being in the way. That and I didn't have a wrench big enough to get around the hex shaped part of the fan shaft, and the clutch removal kit the parts tore had was too big. Ended up using a pipe wrench...did the job. With the fan and the shroud out of the way, there's tons of room to work. The the pump's pulley was rusted to the pump, so that to some gentle prying with a big screwdriver to get it off. The waterpump itself was easy to unbolt (only 4 easy accessible bolts), however it had fused itself to the engine and required about 10 minutes worth of hammering with a mallet to break the seal and get it off. That took a good 3 or 4 hours to do. One it was off and cleaned up, everything went back on easily, took about an hour I'd say to get it all back together, maybe less. Runs so much quieter now without the noise coming from the worn bearings of the old pump or the squeal of the old belt. Automatic tensioners FTMFW! Also the air that comes into the interior smells like..air...what a crazy concept. On a related note, it's so nice to have a level driveway and a garage I can actually use to be able to do work on.

You must be pretty tired considering you posted this in the wrong section.

Should be pretty easy. It's located right in the middle of the bank, and no hoses run to it. So as long as the drain doesn't give me problems it should go smoothly (I bet it will though).

I noticed a week or so ago that I can smell a bit of antifreeze when the air is on in the Grand Marquis. My first thought is heater core, which would really suck. I also noticed the last time I drove it that the belt was squeaking a bit. Today I took it to the store and it was squeaking a lot, so when I got home I popped the hood to check it out. Turns out coolant is leaking from the waterpump onto the belt and causing it to squeak. So that means it's time to do the waterpump. My question is would a waterpump on its way out cause me to smell it inside when the air is on? Maybe because fumes from the engine bay are getting pulled inside via the intake.