• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Random Thought Thread

bluemax_1 said:
Nathan the Machinist Nathan the Machinist

Had a random thought today about Abyy's proclivity for finding the inattentive morons on the road. As I mentioned, the overwhelming majority of rear end collisions are the fault of the following driver, due to a combination of following too closely to react in time, coupled with idiots allowing themselves to get distracted by their phones, fiddling with the radio, or whatever.

Years ago, I saw someone's innovative (and brilliant IMO) solution to discouraging idiots from tailgating his work truck.

The guy took a big, old pipe wrench (with a bright red handle IIRC) and carefully welded it onto his bumper, so it looked like someone had accidentally placed it on the bumper and forgotten about it, and it might fall off any time he hit a bump (IIR the photo I saw correctly, he actually welded the wrench onto the steel bumper, so it was already hanging part way off).

He said it worked remarkably well, as every time some moron zoomed up, riding his bumper, they'd see the wrench and immediately drop way back. He did mention that some folks would honk at him, trying to warn him about the wrench he'd 'forgotten', but it worked remarkably well for his primary purpose of discouraging idiots from following way too close (and I see a LOT of morons who follow waaayyyy too closely).

*** Just a random thought, for the 'Random Thoughts Thread'. Not advocating it, as I have no idea if there are any legal ramifications to doing this.

P.S. Found it

View attachment 2021487
Click to expand...


The people that have been colliding with the oldest of my evil spawn would not notice (or comprehend the implications of the presence of) that wrench. Oblivious.
 
Last edited:
Jason M D. said:
What about a “STUDENT DRIVER” sign on the back of her car?
Click to expand...



There could be a General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm hydraulically driven seven-barrel Gatling-style autocannon on the back of her car and I seriously doubt that the people colliding with her would notice.
 
I say a spiked D3V train sized cow catcher... but on the rear of the next car

If you don't want to add spikes.... I'm positive you could figure the numbers and angles to launch the "potential" rear ender over and away from your daughter lol
 
Last edited:
GmpaJim said:
I’ve mentally designed a sprayer that would mist the most noxious, foul, not of this earth, pungent…you get the idea.
into the grill of tailgaters. EVs…maybe the pipe wrench…
Click to expand...
Someone else mentioned that one thing that worked was angling the rear windshield washer nozzle to shoot an arc backwards.

As they descirbed it. "It's like they think I'm spraying them with concentrated acid or something, but they always drop back quickly".

I actually noticed that with my mom's old car; one windshield fluid nozzle arc'ed clear over the roof and would hit a tailgater's windshield, and they'd always back right off. I think mom told dad not to bother adjusting it because of that. 😂
 
Last edited:
My family put a GREAT man in the ground today after 85 years. My uncle Eldon was the last of my moms siblings to die, he had Alzheimer’s and went from one of the smartest people that I have ever known (he had a master degrees in mathematics and science) to a man that didn’t know what a garden hose was. He and aunt Mary never cared about my blended family and always greeted us with open arms when others in the family judged us. He had lived on the farm where he was born for the last 25 years. That aloud him to live our his last years out in peace. The service was at his church where he had been a member for 40 plus years. He had a great relationship with god and him and aunt Mary spend decades teaching Bible study for the children of the church. I know it a blessing that he has passed but the burnt hamburgers will be missed We had family bbqs every year at the farm my kids and grandkids loved to feed the cows and eat cherries on the orchard. I hope to some day be half the man he was. Thank you guys for a place to remember him.5BC4A906-E84E-4C52-ACC7-75645C5FBC34.jpeg
Eldon is in the middle of the back row im in the green vest Cousins and brother grandma and grandpa mom and dad. The picture is from 1970 I think
 
Last edited:
pease said:
My family put a GREAT man in the ground today after 85 years. My uncle Eldon was the last of my moms siblings to die, he had Alzheimer’s and went from one of the smartest people that I have ever known (he had a master degrees in mathematics and science) to a man that didn’t know what a garden hose was. He and aunt Mary never cared about my blended family and always greeted us with open arms when others in the family judged us. He had lived on the farm where he was born for the last 25 years. That aloud him to live our his last years out in peace. The service was at his church where he had been a member for 40 plus years. He had a great relationship with god and him and aunt Mary spend decades teaching Bible study for the children of the church. I know it a blessing that he has passed but the burnt hamburgers will be missed We had family bbqs every year at the farm my kids and grandkids loved to feed the cows and eat cherries on the orchard. I hope to some day be half the man he was. Thank you guys for a place to remember him.
Click to expand...
Sorry for you your families loss.
 
pease said:
My family put a GREAT man in the ground today after 85 years. My uncle Eldon was the last of my moms siblings to die, he had Alzheimer’s and went from one of the smartest people that I have ever known (he had a master degrees in mathematics and science) to a man that didn’t know what a garden hose was. He and aunt Mary never cared about my blended family and always greeted us with open arms when others in the family judged us. He had lived on the farm where he was born for the last 25 years. That aloud him to live our his last years out in peace. The service was at his church where he had been a member for 40 plus years. He had a great relationship with god and him and aunt Mary spend decades teaching Bible study for the children of the church. I know it a blessing that he has passed but the burnt hamburgers will be missed We had family bbqs every year at the farm my kids and grandkids loved to feed the cows and eat cherries on the orchard. I hope to some day be half the man he was. Thank you guys for a place to remember him.
Click to expand...
All the best to you Pease
 
Blues said:
Okay...my Jean Shepherd story.

Background: I was a gigantic Jean Shepherd fan. As a young teen I'd listen to him on his radio broadcast nightly on WOR radio in NYC. I'd listen with my transistor radio under my pillow. Pretty much knew all of his stories about growing up during the Depression in Indiana by heart, backwards and forwards.

So, in 1966 he wrote a book called "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" and it was coming out that October. I was taking Saturday morning classes at the Hayden Planetarium, (I was 14), because I've had a lifelong interest in astronomy.

This particular morning, I had to rush from the Hayden Planetarium down to the "Limelight" in Greenwich Village where Shepherd was going to do a book signing, have hot dogs and snacks etc etc for the kids and his older fans.

I was the first one on line and waited quite a while until we were let in. Finally the moment came and we all rushed in and got seats and were given some stuff to eat and we listened to Jean Shepherd telling some of the stories we all knew so well.

When we were allowed to go up to the dais and have a book signed, I explained to him that I didn't have the money to buy a book but asked if he'd sign my napkin. He refused. He said he would only sign books. I explained that I couldn't afford it, and that he was poor when he was growing up too, and that I was first on line, yada yada yada. No sympathy and he blew me off.

I was crushed. This guy was a huge part of my early years, and now I felt like I had pulled back the curtain and found that Oz was a lie.

So, fast forward to 1999. I'm now 47 and I'm standing on the balcony of the building I lived in on Key Biscayne talking to a friend of mine from Ohio who also loved astronomy and who I happened to be telling the story of what happened that day 33 years earlier.

As I'm telling him the story, a radio he had out with him cut in with breaking news that Jean Shepherd had died. I looked at Louie and him at me as it was too weird to even fathom this bizarre coincidence in time.

I just looked at the radio and said "No hard feelings, Jean". And that was that.

True story. Every word of it. (I've long forgiven the slight, but have always wondered how someone who grew up from meager means could turn his back on a kid from the same sort of background.)
Click to expand...
wow. Awesome story.
 
pease said:
My family put a GREAT man in the ground today after 85 years. My uncle Eldon was the last of my moms siblings to die, he had Alzheimer’s and went from one of the smartest people that I have ever known (he had a master degrees in mathematics and science) to a man that didn’t know what a garden hose was. He and aunt Mary never cared about my blended family and always greeted us with open arms when others in the family judged us. He had lived on the farm where he was born for the last 25 years. That aloud him to live our his last years out in peace. The service was at his church where he had been a member for 40 plus years. He had a great relationship with god and him and aunt Mary spend decades teaching Bible study for the children of the church. I know it a blessing that he has passed but the burnt hamburgers will be missed We had family bbqs every year at the farm my kids and grandkids loved to feed the cows and eat cherries on the orchard. I hope to some day be half the man he was. Thank you guys for a place to remember him.View attachment 2021823
Eldon is in the middle of the back row im in the green vest Cousins and brother grandma and grandpa mom and dad. The picture is from 1970 I think
Click to expand...

Thanks pease pease for sharing some of Eldon's story. He sounds like a great man who left you a lasting legacy. Sorry for your loss.

Phil
 
pease said:
My family put a GREAT man in the ground today after 85 years. My uncle Eldon was the last of my moms siblings to die, he had Alzheimer’s and went from one of the smartest people that I have ever known (he had a master degrees in mathematics and science) to a man that didn’t know what a garden hose was. He and aunt Mary never cared about my blended family and always greeted us with open arms when others in the family judged us. He had lived on the farm where he was born for the last 25 years. That aloud him to live our his last years out in peace. The service was at his church where he had been a member for 40 plus years. He had a great relationship with god and him and aunt Mary spend decades teaching Bible study for the children of the church. I know it a blessing that he has passed but the burnt hamburgers will be missed We had family bbqs every year at the farm my kids and grandkids loved to feed the cows and eat cherries on the orchard. I hope to some day be half the man he was. Thank you guys for a place to remember him.View attachment 2021823
Eldon is in the middle of the back row im in the green vest Cousins and brother grandma and grandpa mom and dad. The picture is from 1970 I think
Click to expand...
So sorry for your loss.
 
pease said:
My family put a GREAT man in the ground today after 85 years. My uncle Eldon was the last of my moms siblings to die, he had Alzheimer’s and went from one of the smartest people that I have ever known (he had a master degrees in mathematics and science) to a man that didn’t know what a garden hose was. He and aunt Mary never cared about my blended family and always greeted us with open arms when others in the family judged us. He had lived on the farm where he was born for the last 25 years. That aloud him to live our his last years out in peace. The service was at his church where he had been a member for 40 plus years. He had a great relationship with god and him and aunt Mary spend decades teaching Bible study for the children of the church. I know it a blessing that he has passed but the burnt hamburgers will be missed We had family bbqs every year at the farm my kids and grandkids loved to feed the cows and eat cherries on the orchard. I hope to some day be half the man he was. Thank you guys for a place to remember him.View attachment 2021823
Eldon is in the middle of the back row im in the green vest Cousins and brother grandma and grandpa mom and dad. The picture is from 1970 I think
Click to expand...
Condolences on you and your family’s loss.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top