Noon diners,
Yesterday we built a new set of stairs for the front porch. My brother is painting it now.
Nothing on the train front.
Well I'll be around.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Funny, I just watch the second clip, You come up with the best videos Ulrich..... The guy on the bike was the first one to be brave..... or maybe stupid. I would not ride through smoke where I could not see.
Thanks.... keep them coming, always enjoyed
Thanks Ulrich I never seen that video before. A bit creepy to say the least. May have been a little more appropriate at Halloween time.
I can usually look or watch anything taken with a grain of salt. I tend to not take things too personally. The few images where the reaper was hovering over the book, I must say I didn't care for, not in the least..... maybe sometimes I do take things personally
PS Nothing to do with you. You didn't make the video, you only posted it, Thanks again
An interesting day yesterday to say the least.
A little better than a month ago I went to take my classic car out for a romp. I didn't even get out of the driveway and my brake pedal went to the floor. Better in the driveway then somewhere else, Definitely!
My good friend, a retired mechanic came up to help me put in a new master cylinder. I got lucky (or so I thought) there was only one available in the Twin Cities area at a parts store warehouse.
To make a long story short. After we installed it, the brake pedal was so high my knee hits the steering wheel when I apply the brakes. The parts store swears it was the right part.
So back to "yesterday was an interesting day".
I went out to my friend's house to take this new master cylinder out. It was our thoughts we could swap out pushrods using the old shorter pushrod from the old master cylinder..... we could not get the push rod out of the new master cylinder. We tried everything in the book. We even tried sliding thin spark plug Gap gauges in on both sides to release the O-ring. Nothing worked.
After half a day of trying. We put the master cylinder back in the car so I could get home.....huh,...wouldn't you know it. Now the brake switch doesn't work and I have no brake lights. Sometimes old original parts don't like to be disturbed.
Well I limped myself home using the old pull the light switch one click to parking lights position when I apply the brakes trick..... that worked... like I said interesting day.
Today I ordered a new master cylinder coming from Chicago and a brake switch..... Three Times the Charm! I could probably replace three of them in the same time it took me to install the first one at this point
I've used them both. Zyrtec will make you drowsy. I find it's a good bedtime med as it puts me out pretty quickly. Claritin is a better day time pill as it doesn't put me to sleep.
Your response my differ, so until you've been on it a few days, don't let your dog operate heavy equipment.
Top of the page? Blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup or all.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Haven´t heard of them before, but here it is:
No offense meant, but that´s not exactly my kind of music.
Btw, I don´t fear that fellow. Unlike most people in western civilizations, I have learned to accept death as part of life. I have seen the chap lurking around the corner a couple of times, having survived three heart attacks, two minor strokes and two bad car accidents. Being born in August, I am a Leo and, IIRC, cats have 9 lives. I have spent 7 in 62 years, leaves me with two more to go or 18 more years. I am fine with that!
Edit: I just found this video on Youtube!
Lotsa smoke!
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"
Good morning Alrich 9:00 am in Germany right now close enough. Good morning. Please say goodnite to Grim Reaper. Please post Blue Oyster Cult Don't Fear the Reaper for all of us Forum members today. Thank you TF
Come on it's not too much different than Beaker of The Muppets
Thanks
Good Morning!
It´s Sunday, so time for my virtual big breakfast i only eat on Sundays - scrambled eggs, crispy fried bacon, buttered toast, jams & honey, a stack of hotcakes w/real maple syrup, not that molasses or corn syrup stuff, sausages, a tall glass of OJ, coffee in an IV bag, followed by a trip to the ER.
It has cooled down considerably now and I feel a lot better. Here is to a nice Indian Summer!
NWP SWPP.S. my avatar is a racing car! This is a model railroad forum and my avatar is a dang race car!
I was to comment about that alfrewady some time ago, suggesting a change to an avatar a little closer to the reason why we come here.
Talking of cars and drivers - folks driving BMWs had a reputation of being reckless, while those driving Audis and Mercs were seen as the moderate, family-man type. Boy, has that changed! The torch has been passed on to Audi, followed by Mercedes. They seem to think that the Autobahn is a race track, made exclusively for them. How stupid!
Someone brought the subject of bread up. The only thing I dearly missed while staying in the US was good German bread. I don´t like that soft stuff that you should never load into your shopping chart right at the beginning and pile all your other groceries on top of it. This stuff is made for people who forgot how to chew their food properly!
This is bread:
Have a happy day!
gmpullman Hey, I finally got to use the pizza emoji Cheers, Ed
Hey, I finally got to use the pizza emoji
Cheers, Ed
Soak it up I will use the pizza emoji tonight as well I think
You are entitled to be favorite now.
In fact now you may run my Village
SeeYou190have a Boar's Head Ultimate on their bakery fresh Five Grain
Five grain bread fills me up too quickly. I have to stick with two- or three grain.
One time I bought a large pizza. They told me that it was a twelve-slice pizza. I told them just cut it into six slices — I couldn't possibly eat twelve.
It's kinda like those cars with the two keys, one for regular (aka BORING) driving another for the racetrack, what's to stop some stupid idiot (insert your preferred imbecile here) from taking the road key starting the car and then taking the track key and activating sport (aka Tasmanian Devil) mode? Hmm? There us a time and place for such activities in equipment that's specific for the application, not ones mothers minivan.
And that's coming from me, a young, inexperienced, recently licensed, car enthusiast. Just sayin'
P.S. my avatar is a racing car! This is a model railroad forum and my avatar is a dang race car! A Lotus 43 powered by a BRM H16 to be precise.
Track fiddlerI've never been blown away by any sub sandwich.
.
Come on down here to Florida, go into any Publix deli, and have a Boar's Head Ultimate on their bakery fresh Five Grain Bread with your choice of toppings. Most likely you will be blown away.
gmpullmanBuy our car and you have licence to drive like a nut!
I think that must be posted on a big banner in every BMW showroom.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
gmpullman Track fiddler ...not only that but to show a full grown adult sporting this kind of idiotic behavior... Oh, yeah. Sell the sizzle, not the steak. Like leading cattle to the slaughter. Cheers, Ed
Track fiddler
Oh, yeah. Sell the sizzle, not the steak.
Like leading cattle to the slaughter.
I concur
Not only am I my familiar with these commercials you highlighted on....I'm glad you and others view this the same as I do.... at least I would hope so
NWP SWPThat's a lot of zeros there Kevin!
That is why I think term is better. It is worth more and costs less when you need it most.
At your age, coverage costs very little, because it is highly unlikely that you will die. There is very little risk for the insurance company.
That's a lot of zeros there Kevin!
I guess investment would be another viable option.
You know what that font looks like now that I'm thinking of it, the old GN Empire Builder font!
maxmanI believe that the theory is that the term insurance covers you during the period you need it the most...when you are raising a family, buying a house, raising kids, and so on.
Count me in the Term Life group.
I cariied ridiculously high coverage in my 20s through 40s when I had responsibilities to my family.
Now I just carry $100,000.00 in coverage. We have almost as much cash on hand as we have debt, and our obligations are near zero. No need for coverage now.
When I was young $1,000,000.00 in coverage was almost free. Now I pay just slightly more for 1/10 the coverage. Later in life I will probably need no coverage.
It's funny that commercials have come up, my friend moved into her dorm yesterday and she's going to college for Advertising and Public Relations
I'll know who to call when I need some adverts for my band.
OK so here's the rundown on the font.
I like the KCS grey/white ghost block logo, so I found this site called What The Font, it allows you to upload an image and extract a near match to the font in the picture, so I uploaded an image of the logo and it came back with a font called "Bot Regular" so then I am able to type up samples of the font, well here's where the tomfoolery begins, I can then right click "open image in new tab" on the sample text and download it to the computer.
I actually went into paint and made those into the logo, I'll post a picture in a few days because it's on the office computer at the Holiday Inn, but I think it'll work pretty well.
It's unique, not unlegible, and kinda has a 40s-ish heir about it.
BigDaddyStephen what font is that? The bottom of the "W" seems odd to me. But it's your railroad, so don't let that disuade you.
It almost looks like the distinctive BURLINGTON typeface.
I have bought several graphics from this fellow:
http://www.railfonts.com/
It is a nice site to browse and learn a little about the typefaces used by railroads.
http://www.railfonts.com/Samples/empire-demo.html
I have a Kalmbach book on the painting and lettering of passenger cars that is a good reference, too. Out of print and a bit expensive now but you might get lucky if you look long enough.
https://www.abebooks.com/9780890242919/Pullman-Paint-Lettering-Notebook-Guide-0890242917/plp
Regards, Ed
There is all sorts of weird and dangerous behavior on Youtube.
There is a theory about robots, where humans can recognize that their behavior, emotions, isn't authentic and are repulsed by them. It's called the Uncanny Valley.
We have a woman car dealer who triggers that emotion. Her smile isn't quite sincere or real. The look on her face is contrived. The dialog isn't quite right. She needs more work. The theory goes on to say as the simulation improves, robots, or replicants become more acceptable. Shades of Blade Runner.
Stephen what font is that? The bottom of the "W" seems odd to me. But it's your railroad, so don't let that disuade you.
We had excellent corn tonight with salmon cooked on the grill. Cantalopes have been good and I think they finally succeeded in breeding the taste out of tomatoes. I don't know where winter time tomatoes come from but there is no point in eating them.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Track fiddler...not only that but to show a full grown adult sporting this kind of idiotic behavior...
I have always been amused and annoyed by the antics of the "marketing" of products.
One of my pet peeves are the automobile advertizements showing aggressive behavior behind the wheel of whatever latest & greatest machine they're trying to push.
I recall one where an average family guy gets behind the wheel and suddenly he is transformed into the cartoon character "Tazmanian Devil" then proceeds to drive like a maniac. Once he's out of the car he is back to average Joe.
Buy our car and you have licence to drive like a nut!
Another shows female drivers in two cars vying for one parking space at a shopping mall (back when shopping mall parking lots had cars in them).
Woman in car A drives in the designated lanes, woman in car B kicks her luxury SUV into four-wheel drive, climbs the curb, screeches around a barrier then aggressively skids into the lone parking spot.
Woman in car B arrives shortly after with an exasperated look on her face as driver in car A gives her a smug "too bad you don't have a car like mine" look.
Afternoon Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a and Grim Reper, Rick and Steven what the want.
Whole Life has it's places in life plan. Lets say at 40 you have a heart attack and your term policy is up when you are 41? Yep you are in the ash pit.
In a dark place right now. I knew the house roof had a small leak in the family room when it rains hard. Yes I know no leak is good! Wife found 1/2 of the second bedroom where she stores her crap ceiling is water stained. She seldom goes in there (to much Crap) and only found the problem last night.
Might be the time to move.
Later Ken
I hate Rust
I am up in Idaho this week and the smoke from the distant fires is wreaking havoc on my allergies. I am ready to try some of them new-fangled allergy medicines. Amongst the diners is there a preference, Zyrtek vs. Clariton (or their generic equivalents)?
Richard
Good morning
I seen a rather disturbing commercial this morning over coffee and wanted to see if any of you have seen it and what you think about it.
A sub sandwich company has a new commercial saying you'll be blown away by their sandwich. I've never been blown away by any sub sandwich. The picture on the menu board and the sandwich you get can be two different things.
This commercial shows a father pointing a leaf blower in his son's face... now there's a brilliant idea. Just one little grain of sand busting loose from the filter with that kind of velocity and Sonny Boy no longer has an eye.
Even if they're using a brand new leaf blower does not excuse the chance of an insect flying into the stream and still doing significant damage to an eye... not only that but to show a full grown adult sporting this kind of idiotic behavior Nationwide, I'm sure can give a lot of children bad ideas to try out their dad's leaf blower on their sibling.
You can't fix stupid!
Disclaimer These are statements from personal opinion not fact.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
maxman By the way, I don't think you can borrow the entire cash value, not pay it back, and still expect the survivors to collect the death benefit. I'd have to see that in writing before I'd believe it.
By the way, I don't think you can borrow the entire cash value, not pay it back, and still expect the survivors to collect the death benefit. I'd have to see that in writing before I'd believe it.
Cash value is not in addition to the death benefit, it is part of it. If you borrow the entire cash value and die before paying it back, your designated beneficiary will only receive the death benefit net of cash value.
On the other hand, if you die without borrowing any cash value, your designated beneficiary will only receive the amount of the death benefit, not the death benefit plus the cash value. In other words, the cash value represents part of the death benefit.
Rich
Alton Junction
Here's the font I found for the logo.
Good Evening,
Wow this discussion of life insurance certainly has shown a difference of opinion. Personally I had mostly term insurance during my working life and a small whole life policy that I could convert to other insurance if I wanted to do so. Again the younger you start, the lower the rate. Whenever you do buy such insurance check the convertability as it could save you later. I don't know the tax rules in the U.S. but in Canada the proceeds from a life insurance policy are paid tax free to the beneficiary. I think life insurance is useful but a lot depends on your personal financial circumstances. My wife is 10 years younger than me so it was advantageous for me to carry some. It runs out in a couple of years which is how I timed it. Part of the overall plan.
I was able to convert that disability policy I had to one to cover nursing home costs without a physical. If I had let it lapse before I converted it I would have needed a physical and the monthly cost would have been higher. In Canada you don't have to sell assets to cover nursing home costs. They legally can only take your income, not your assets.
Well we had a great meal tonight to celebrate my wife's birthday. Tomorrow I just might run trains for a little while.
CN Charlie
cudakenNow a Term Policy could be a wast of money unless the person passes in the time frame of its term. Whole Life is another subject. It bulids cash vaule that the person can borrow against and has a fixed payment.
It depends what you want. I am told that a term life insurance policy is a much better deal than the whole life. I believe that the theory is that the term insurance covers you during the period you need it the most...when you are raising a family, buying a house, raising kids, and so on. This is the period where one's death could affect the family the most. Once one reached age 65 or 70 (depending upon the length of the term life policy), in theory the house will be mostly paid off, and the kids are on their own.
The whole life policies are basically touted as investments with all the so called advantages you mentioned. However, they are very poor investments because of what it costs you to invest. There are cheaper ways to invest your money.
And one other thing. Life insurance is the only product in the world that you purchase where the insurance company is betting you will live and you are betting you will die.
BigDaddyWhole life costs almost 10 x as much as term. I would rather save my money than let the insurance company save my money and take their cut.
You are spot on. This has been my philosophy all my life and it has served me well. Get a quote on a whole-life policy. Buy the equivalent coverage in a term policy. Take the savings and invest it in a simple S&P Index fund. In the end you will be $10,000s (if not more) ahead of where you would been by buying a whole life policy. The key is discipline. If you don't have the discipline to invest regularly and leave the money alone, the whole model falls apart.