[Any marine mechanics here...?]

Oh... I forget to mention that the part is cast aluminum...  

[Any marine mechanics here...?]

Now that the Kid finished working on Dad's truck (valve job on my '01 Dodge Ram 3.9) he gets to work on his "new" boat, a 1979 Correct Craft.  It has a few minor issues, of course, but is fundamentally sound.  It has a total of 511 hours on the Hobbs meter, and had been stored in the corner of a shop for the last 18 years.  

 

So one of the issues is a leak in the port side exhaust manifold "log."  Should be a simple gasket replacement, but...!  the "elbow" will not separate.  

 

Note the picture below - the "elbow" is fastened with four nuts on a flange that mounts on studs extending from the end of the manifold "log."

 

Well... the nuts are loosened.  One would expect it to just separate, but it will not budge.  It's been tapped, yanked on, pried, slugged with a dead-blow mallet... it ain't a-comin' off.

 

Suggestions?  Is there maybe something internal we're not aware of?  And why does the simple stuff gotta be not so simple!?  

 

 

                                            

 

 

 

                                                                   

[Tales from Behind the Plate, 2021]

Cyrus, thanks for the afternoon grin~!  

[Another young man shot by police!]

1 minute ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Dana Loesch reported on her radio program that the guy had a warrant out for his arrest because he didn’t show up for a court date for carrying a gun being underage. He struggled with the female cop and broke away to his car. She may have thought he had a gun in his car! The chief of police said the LEO pulled out get gun instead if her taser by accident. Hmmmm...... 

 

In 2002 a local officer intended to TASER a man handcuffed in the back seat of her cruiser, but mistakenly shot him with her "department issued handgun."  

 

A few days later I had a conversation with the recently retired Chief (SASS member and fellow King's River Regulator).  After noting the timeliness of his retiring, the discussion became serious.  The Chief told me that the potential of mistakenly drawing a handgun instead of a TASER had been recognized; he and others had strongly recommended against wearing the two on the same side, and he had initiated a policy change toward that end - it had not yet been adopted.

 

Link to story:  https://www.llrmi.com/articles/legal_update/2011_9th_torres/

 

For what it's worth, the officer did continue her career.  It will be interesting to see if her case us used as a precedent argument with reviews of the Minnesota incident.

 

 

 

 

[How far we’ve slipped]

1 hour ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

Yup. And because of West Side Story they made switchblades illegal. We might as well move congress to Hollywood as they apparently listen to them more than us.

 

Well, of course they do.  After all, the Hollywood types are the Illuminati, don'tcha know.  (Bunch of dim bulbs, if ya ask me).  

 

Sheesh... back in '02, even Mr Elmo Monster (aka Elmo the Muppet) testified before Education and Appropriations Subcommittee.   

[Gasoline prices.]

I saw a Chevron station with premium for $4.75 a few days ago.  

 

Must be why I never buy gasoline from Chevron.   

[Electric Cars]

The Kid just had me watch this with him.

 

Quite cool!  

 

 

 

 

[Tattoos?]

42 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

 

 

Well Pat... are ye a fan of Spinach~?  

[Something Different on a Sunny Sunday Afternoon!]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

Rising Crust California would be when San Andreas finally let go.

 

Naw... That'd be "Falling Soo-Flay."  

 

 

[A New "Thing" Here]

Lordy I hate those things.  Not so much for off-road stuff, but the vast majority of 'em - around these parts, anyway - never see the end of the blacktop.

 

The characters who drive 'em here 'bouts are damned inconsiderate.  Very often they'll have unintelligible sound (can't call it "music") blaring from hidden speakers, with bass so powerful it literally will rattle my dishes as they barrel on past.  Mud and snow tires (that seldom, if ever, see either mud or snow) that sound like amplified sails ripping in a gale.  And elevated headlights that blind me even in my fairly tall Dodge pickup - and are horrifying when I'm in the Miata.  Just last night I nearly went off the road when one of these clods drove toward me.  Not only were his headlights elevated, but he had stacked light bars on his grille, turning the entire roadway into daylight with me staring into the sun.

 

But the worst of all is the effect in an accident - these behemoths can literally run right over a small passenger vehicle.  I once had a "front-row seat" and watched a fella in a "lifted" station wagon (not even a truck!) run over a little sports car.  Sports car was stopped at a red light, the clod in the station wagon missed his turn and ran right over the car.  The young lady in the passenger seat was decapitated.  But hey... I guess the clod felt he looked cool.  

 

 

[Covid Societal Withdrawal Syndrome]

Sheesh... and I thought it was just me.  

 

I think I'm morphing into a hermit~!    

[Sold Out!]

So my cousin's 22-year old son has been drooling over the the prospect of buying a Garand.  Well, last week he sent off all required documentation and a cashier's check for something like $1,080 to the CMP for a Service Grade "Cornbinder" - an International Harvester M1.

 

And today, the CMP posts the following:

 

Quote

 

RM1HCS    M1 Garand IHC Service Grade.  Only part guaranteed to be IHC is the receiver.  Some other parts could be IHC but not guaranteed.  Please see M1 Service Grade description above.

 

SOLD OUT
April 9, 2021

We will try to fill orders that are in house already. An email will be sent if order cannot be filled.

 

 

I hope he made it under the wire!  Maybe he got the last one...?  

 

Otherwise, it looks like all they have left that's functional are H&R or Springfield (no choice) in Field Grade ($650) or Service Grade ($750).  

 

Twenty-seven other listings have "Sold Out" posted next to the description.  Good Golly ~ the CMP is running out of M1's~!  

[Before I shoot myself in the foot....]

There does seem to be a vacuum with deleted posts - and especially deleted threads.

 

I'm not saying that there was not some transgression, but sometimes it would help if we had some sort of feedback, rather than the implied "You know what you did!" 

 

Sometimes we really don't know what we did.  Or didn't do.  

 

And it's not just the "Wire."

 

Here's an example:  I recently bought some socks from Amazon.  A few weeks later, I received an email asking me to post a review, which I did:

 

Quote

From me:

Love 'em!
Probably the most comfortable socks I've ever had. Too early to comment on durability, but considering how well-made they appear to be I'm pretty confident they'll last.  

 

I thought that was pretty benign; evidently, I was mistaken.  Shortly after I submitted my thoughts on the socks, I received this reply:

 

Quote

From Amazon:

Thank you for submitting a customer review on Amazon. After carefully reviewing your submission, your review could not be posted to the website. While we appreciate your time and comments, reviews must adhere to the following guidelines:  Amazon Community Guidelines

 

Did Amazon (or perish the thought, SASS?) hire the Former Missus Hardpan?    

[Cat folks...]

Reminds me of my li'l she-cat, Sherwin...  

 

 

                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lets here your worst Outhouse story]

     Not my story, but I’ll share it anyway.  As told me by my old pard Hank:

 

     I guess it was over thirty years ago... Hank and another buddy had gone to the “Mud Drags.”  Evidently some sort of tractor races in a muddy field.

 

     So as he told the story, it was a hot summer day, and as with most country activities, a large crowd of folks consumed an appropriately large quantity of beer.  And to accommodate those folks and the beer sellers, a number of portable outhouses – “Port-a-Potties” – had been brought in for the occasion.

 

     Well, at some point late in the afternoon, Hank and his buddy were in line waiting their turns at plastic moon-house.  Three or four were in service; one, at the end of the row, was apparently full and had been taken off-line.  The facility was turned around, with an “Out Of Service” sign hung on the door.

 

     As they were waiting, some rather large fella behind them got tired of waiting.  He stepped out of line and walked over to the “Out-of-Service” unit.  He walked around to the door, glanced at the sign, shrugged his shoulders, went right on in and proceeded to tend to his business.

 

     And, as Hank and his buddy watched, the unthinkable happened:  It wobbled; it teetered; it tottered; then over it went.

 

     Hank and his buddy stared, shocked.  As Hank said, “Damn, Hardpan!  There it lay, like a giant, fat, blue sarcophagus!  From inside there was a horrific gurgling and a thumping and gargling sounds, while chocolate fudge just poured outta this smokestack-kinda vent pipe on the roof!

 

      “When it hit us what happened, we ran over and picked the thing up.  We hollered at the dude to get out!  Get out! 

 

      “Well… maybe he was confused or couldn’t see or didn't speak English, ‘cuz he didn’t open the door.  Instead, I guess he leaned the wrong way and over he went again!

 

      “So, we picked the thing up one more time.

 

      “This time, we held on to it and hollered instructions – this time in Spanish and English, and he got the door open.

 

      “Man, it was plumb awful.  That dude stumbled out and he looked like he’d been dipped in chocolate sauce, with brown streamers and worse danglin’ from him... from his arms… his head… he even had one ribbon hangin’ from an ear…

 

      “The poor fella just stood there, gasping, until his pards drove up in their old pickup truck and the dude climbed in the back and off they went.”

 

     So, what’d you then?  I asked.

 

      “Well, whadda think we did?  We watched ‘em drive off and laughed like hell!”

 

 

                                    

 

 

 

 

[Bird Bed]

I'll see your bird and raise ya a chicken:  

 

 

 

I came across these to gals about three years ago... thought they were dead, then one of 'em turned her head and glared at me.

 

Just nappin'~!  

 

[We need a sticky cartoon thread]

 

 

 

[Todays Mary Ann and Ginger—Pictures Added]

Is April sponsored by Binford...?  

[Ketchup on steak]

Generally, no... but I have in my lifetime salvaged many a meal of marginal "steak" with a judicious application of ketchup.  Actually made a barely tolerable hunk o' burned cow somewhat enjoyable.

 

But generally, no.  

 

I do agree with Bob ~ mushrooms are fine!  

[Any Colorado hunters in here]

4 hours ago, Still hand Bill said:

Muzzle loader season is early and short, last time I did it, it was a week In early September.  No separate season for primitive.  For big game, must be 50 cal for shaped bullet, 54 for round ball, no sabots.  Also has to be iron sights.  No scopes. 

 

At least you're allowed to use lead balls.  In this state we are required to use lead-free ammo, which means expensive copper with sabots. 

 

That rules out my Ferguson.    

[Eagle Scouts]

6 hours ago, sassnetguy50 said:

Maybe the girls were granted extensions due to the proximity of the join date and 18th birthday.

 

What Sassnetguy50 said is correct.  Also, since it takes an absolute minimum of 19 - 20 months to earn the Eagle Scout rank, a special one-time extension was made available to allow girls who were at least 16 on Feb 01, 2019 and joined by December 31, 52//2019, a more realistic opportunity to earn the rank.  Even then, it's still quite a challenge.  (And, in the interest of "fairness," boys would also qualify for the extension). 

 

Keep in mind, this is a path that typically takes four to six years.

 

Many kudos to Mud Marine!  As impressive as earning the Eagle rank may be, achieving Quartermaster is quite remarkable.  Those kids have to know and demonstrate an incredible level of knowledge and skill.  Although it's extremely rare, some have actually earned both.  

 

Now, a few random thoughts:

 

• Girls have been active participants in Scouting's Venturing program since 1967.

 

• Although BSA did not formally allow women Scoutmasters until 1988, many had actually served in that position for decades.  The Boy Scouts of America was officially founded in 1910.  However, using Robert Baden-Powell's Scouting Handbook and with the backing of local churches and the YMCA, Ms Josephine Timberlake of Staunton, Virginia, started a troop with 15 boys in 1908.

 

• The girls and boys are in discrete troops - they may share activities, but are not in the same units (as noted by Mud Marine above).  Girls cannot join a boy's troop if they wanted to.

 

• A prediction of many leaders when the announcement was made about allowing girls was that they would excel, and in fact "show up" the boys.  This did indeed happen; at our Council's first "Co-ed" Camporee the first girl's troop literally won every award.  The bar has been raised, men!  

 

• There are something like around 170 countries or territories on this planet with Scouting programs.  Of these, only a dozen or so do not have both boys and girls.  These would be countries like Swaziland, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Pakistan, Yemen... and, until recently, the USA. 

 

I once met a gentleman who was the BSA advisor to the Afghanistan Scouting Association...  even they have girls in their program.

 

Congratulations to the Sonoma County Eagles.  

 

[24 hour campfire]

Down and down hard.  

[Cool Bird pics]

I've seen exactly two.  Escorting ol' Barry O'Bamma, when he took an aerial inspection tour of Central California during the drought - they managed to shoehorn it into his golf trip.

 

He evidently told the gov'ner that he was sympathetic.  We were then told by ol' Moonbeam that we needed to stop using so much water.

 

But the birds were beautiful~!!  

[Sayings About Flight]

3 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

12. Lady, you want me to answer you if this old airplane is safe to fly?  Just how in the world do you think it got to be this old?  ~ Jim Tavenner

 

 

Yup!  

 

Last Saturday, at the local airport.  My buddy Doc Pierce's 16-year old granddaughter having a fun ride in an 80-year old PT-17.  

 

 

       

 

 

 

 

[Ba-Dump Tissssh - Memes]

8 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

 

Ya sure that ain't someplace in Florida...?