Today I Learned (TIL)

In reply to RevRico :

Counterpoint: no it's not.

There are currently 60 nuclear power plants being built in the world, half of them are in China. That's a lot of nuclear reactors. 

TIL: Workhorse used the 8.1 Vortec to make a gas pusher chassis!  I knew about FREDs, but I had no idea that anyone ever made a rear-engined gasser.

TIL that "Country R&B" is a thing.  Take a bro-country singer and an R&B music producer and pay them enough to work together. 

I could definitely have done without that knowledge.

It must be one of those marketing-focus-group-driven all-things-to-all-people design-by-committee ideas that is "guaranteed" to make a lot of money.

So, if a heavily armed group of weirdo people wanted to take over one of our nuke plants, could they be stopped?

VolvoHeretic said:

So, if a heavily armed group of weirdo people wanted to take over one of our nuke plants, could they be stopped?

 

How heavily and what do they want to do? If someone is heavily armed enough it is hard to stop them. Bad people gonna do bad things. Infrastructure is hard to protect, bridges, dams, power plants, etc.

VolvoHeretic said:

So, if a heavily armed group of weirdo people wanted to take over one of our nuke plants, could they be stopped?

 

How heavily and what do they want to do? If someone is heavily armed enough it is hard to stop them. Bad people gonna do bad things. Infrastructure is hard to protect, bridges, dams, power plants, etc.

TIL that the Fugees' Killing Me Softly With His Song is a cover.

Appleseed said:

TIL that the Fugees' Killing Me Softly With His Song is a cover.

I have hated their version of that song since the first time I heard it.  Ruined.

That the cost of a track day has gone way the hell up in 4 years.

TIL that the front suspension of a Europa is frightfully flimsy.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

I mean, are you really surprised? It's a Lotus after all, and one of the more batE36 M3 crazy ones

NY Nick said:

VolvoHeretic said:

So, if a heavily armed group of weirdo people wanted to take over one of our nuke plants, could they be stopped?

 

How heavily and what do they want to do? If someone is heavily armed enough it is hard to stop them. Bad people gonna do bad things. Infrastructure is hard to protect, bridges, dams, power plants, etc.

Government sharpshooters assigned to power plants regularly beat the sharpshooters from other 3 letter agencies in competition.  

Duke said:

TIL that "Country R&B" is a thing.  Take a bro-country singer and an R&B music producer and pay them enough to work together. 

I could definitely have done without that knowledge.

It must be one of those marketing-focus-group-driven all-things-to-all-people design-by-committee ideas that is "guaranteed" to make a lot of money.

 

It's been a thing for, oh, 15 years or so. Granted, Mr. McGraw doesn't contribute much to the actual song...

Nelly - Over And Over (Official Music Video) ft. Tim McGraw (youtube.com)

In reply to NickD :

From his description, the lower kingpin/ball joint thingy is just a plastic bushing with no inner sleeve. 

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Pete, the actual lower trunion on the front of a Europa is the same bronze casting as many Triumphs, and so is the upright. The flimsy in a Europa is the rear upper, deadly. The front control arms look flimsy, but are usually stronger than the spindle and the chassis The rear upper is the axle, which at it's inner end is retained by only a 3/16 roll pin. That breaks...

In reply to TurnerX19 :

Well, in his case, he opened up the rear frame and stuck the front of an Avalon under the car (complete with transverse 3.5l V6), so the rear suspension is -probably- different from Lotus.

This same person used to rallycross a Typhoon. That had a C4 Corvette rear suspension.  And a twin turbo LS because why not.

I recall a description of the Lotus method of building a car-  Put it together properly, then cut one tube at a time out until it collapses under its own weight, then weld the last tube back in.

It's not too far off the truth.  A friend of mine used to build new chassis for Elans.  Sold a few.  Same design  but heavier material at the important spots.  He took his to a lapping day on Yoko 008r tires and tore the rear control arms out of it in half a day...

The 1984 Soft Cell hit "Tainted Love" is a cover of Gloria Jones' song from 1964.

Elbow length gloves are a great idea for dispatching problem roosters and turkeys. I learned this because I wore regular work gloves.

TIL:

Sneaking Sally Through the Alley, by Lee Dorsey, 1970

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

Thanks Woody. I love Allen Tousaint's work regardless of who is playing.

Last week I learned, then forgot her damn name, that the woman who killed John Belushi had two songs written about her before that happened, Sundown and The Weight. Apparently her crazy had a history.

TIL that the movie The Villain, a DVD I bought for a quarter at a thrift store because I had never heard of it but recognized the cast , is actually a funny decent movie.

I had it on my shelf for at least 4 years

TIL that Ford has 35K 2024 F-150s of various trims on dealer lots across the US. 

There should be some good deals out there right now.