Wow Paul!!!! My only question, was it smooth or crunchy?
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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
NJRC Member
Things like that happen to me all the time. I don't know If I put this story of one of my airplane trips on here. If I did, just ignore it. 
Early this week I had to go to Florida on business and I flew Spirit Airlines. I usually go on Jet Blue but Spirit had a flight that was a better time. Have you ever flown on Spirit?
It is an experience and there is a reason Jet Blue charges in excess of $300,00 and Spirit charges $17.67, round trip.
The first thing you notice on the flight is that there are no TVs, no little hole to plug ear phones or charge electronic devices in, no blankets, pillows, magazines or those little papers that keep the grease off your head from the last guy who sat there.
There is also no free soda, water, peanuts, juice or anything else. as a matter of fact, when you take your ticket and scan it at that little kiosk, it asks you how much you want to pay for your seat. There are $10.00 seats, $20.00 seats and $50.00 seats. I took the $10.00 seat as I assume the $50.00 seat you have to sit on the pilot's lap, but I am not sure. If you don't pick a seat I don't know where they put you as I didn't see anyone lying on the floor and it was night time so I couldn't tell if anyone was strapped to the wings. Carry on bags cost you $50.00 and if you want to take luggage there is a "Bank of America" there where you can take out a home equity loan.
The hostesses were friendly but they didn't have much to do as there was nothing they could give you except a smile when they told you "Sorry" we don't have that or Sorry, you have to pay for water and peanuts.
I noticed a guy near the back of the plane with a bow and arrow, I figured he was the air marshal.
I sat by the emergency door and she instructed me that in an emergency I would have to open the door. I said "fine" I have no problem with that. It was a door knob with two deadbolts. So we are flying and it was a very turbulent flight. I spoke to the hostess for a while as she was standing in front of me ironing. It got very rough. She leaned over and took a book out of the overhead compartment. It was a bible.
I read the Bible a few times in Viet Nam, but that was just before we would go into battle, a hostess on a plane reading a Bible in rough weather is not very soothing to me.
Then I tried to remember all the safety features of the plane. Of course, the safety features were the smoke detectors in the bathrooms, the little plastic card in the seat back that has the emergency instructions on it and those little orange life vests under the seat because whenever a plane traveling at 600 miles an hour hits the sea in a fiery crash, we always see all the people in perfect health floating with those little orange vests.
So I looked under my seat to see if there was a credit card slot next to the life jacket just in case I needed it. Then I was thinking, if anything happens I am going to be the safest one on the plane as I will take all the safety devices. The first thing I will do is make my way to the bathroom so I can grab a smoke detector. I will have to be fast as there are only 6 of them. Then I will get that little plastic card from the seat back and swipe my credit card under the seat so I can get the vest and if I have time, I can grab that bible. I may even be able to grab a few more of those plastic cards in the confusion.
I am seated by the emergency door and I know how to open it as I have the key. I am just waiting for something to happen.
Generally if you see the pilot running towards the back of the plane or if the hostess is having no trouble laying on the ceiling of the aircraft, those are sure signs that you can start reading that bible. But none of those things happened. Speaking of the back of the plane, that is the safest place to be as whenever you see pictures of a plane crash you always see that tail in perfect shape sticking up out of a sand dune.
There was one Supermodel on the plane and she was about 7' tall and if I was standing she could probably eat spaghetti off the top of my head. She had a ponytail and she sat a few rows in front of me on the plane. I kept watching because her pony tail almost got stuck in the overhead bins.
Speaking of overhead bins, I was sitting there waiting for the plane to take off and I was bored as I only had that pony tail to look at and the big guy who couldn't fit into the seat. So I take out my book just as the Captain shut off the lights. I wanted to turn on my overhead reading light but I noticed you had to put two, size D batteries in it and I didn't have any. So as I am sitting there in the dark it started to get stuffy and I reached up to turn on those little air things. I turned it and nothing happened. A few seconds later the hostess comes over to me and hands me this little paper envelope.
I open it up and it is one of those little paper fans that they used to give you in cheap Chinese restaurants. You can't make this stuff up.
Anyway the flight was uneventful but it gave me time to think, why don't they just make the entire plane out of the same stuff they make the black box out of? That always survives.
As I left the plane I had to squeeze past the hostess selling time shares as the co pilot was holding one of those cardboard containers with the slot in it for quarters for homeless dogs.
Make believe there is a picture of a plane here, I am standing next to it with a Supermodel who has a ponytail
Early this week I had to go to Florida on business and I flew Spirit Airlines. I usually go on Jet Blue but Spirit had a flight that was a better time. Have you ever flown on Spirit?
It is an experience and there is a reason Jet Blue charges in excess of $300,00 and Spirit charges $17.67, round trip.
The first thing you notice on the flight is that there are no TVs, no little hole to plug ear phones or charge electronic devices in, no blankets, pillows, magazines or those little papers that keep the grease off your head from the last guy who sat there.
There is also no free soda, water, peanuts, juice or anything else. as a matter of fact, when you take your ticket and scan it at that little kiosk, it asks you how much you want to pay for your seat. There are $10.00 seats, $20.00 seats and $50.00 seats. I took the $10.00 seat as I assume the $50.00 seat you have to sit on the pilot's lap, but I am not sure. If you don't pick a seat I don't know where they put you as I didn't see anyone lying on the floor and it was night time so I couldn't tell if anyone was strapped to the wings. Carry on bags cost you $50.00 and if you want to take luggage there is a "Bank of America" there where you can take out a home equity loan.
The hostesses were friendly but they didn't have much to do as there was nothing they could give you except a smile when they told you "Sorry" we don't have that or Sorry, you have to pay for water and peanuts.
I noticed a guy near the back of the plane with a bow and arrow, I figured he was the air marshal.
I sat by the emergency door and she instructed me that in an emergency I would have to open the door. I said "fine" I have no problem with that. It was a door knob with two deadbolts. So we are flying and it was a very turbulent flight. I spoke to the hostess for a while as she was standing in front of me ironing. It got very rough. She leaned over and took a book out of the overhead compartment. It was a bible.
I read the Bible a few times in Viet Nam, but that was just before we would go into battle, a hostess on a plane reading a Bible in rough weather is not very soothing to me.
Then I tried to remember all the safety features of the plane. Of course, the safety features were the smoke detectors in the bathrooms, the little plastic card in the seat back that has the emergency instructions on it and those little orange life vests under the seat because whenever a plane traveling at 600 miles an hour hits the sea in a fiery crash, we always see all the people in perfect health floating with those little orange vests.
So I looked under my seat to see if there was a credit card slot next to the life jacket just in case I needed it. Then I was thinking, if anything happens I am going to be the safest one on the plane as I will take all the safety devices. The first thing I will do is make my way to the bathroom so I can grab a smoke detector. I will have to be fast as there are only 6 of them. Then I will get that little plastic card from the seat back and swipe my credit card under the seat so I can get the vest and if I have time, I can grab that bible. I may even be able to grab a few more of those plastic cards in the confusion.
I am seated by the emergency door and I know how to open it as I have the key. I am just waiting for something to happen.
Generally if you see the pilot running towards the back of the plane or if the hostess is having no trouble laying on the ceiling of the aircraft, those are sure signs that you can start reading that bible. But none of those things happened. Speaking of the back of the plane, that is the safest place to be as whenever you see pictures of a plane crash you always see that tail in perfect shape sticking up out of a sand dune.
There was one Supermodel on the plane and she was about 7' tall and if I was standing she could probably eat spaghetti off the top of my head. She had a ponytail and she sat a few rows in front of me on the plane. I kept watching because her pony tail almost got stuck in the overhead bins.
Speaking of overhead bins, I was sitting there waiting for the plane to take off and I was bored as I only had that pony tail to look at and the big guy who couldn't fit into the seat. So I take out my book just as the Captain shut off the lights. I wanted to turn on my overhead reading light but I noticed you had to put two, size D batteries in it and I didn't have any. So as I am sitting there in the dark it started to get stuffy and I reached up to turn on those little air things. I turned it and nothing happened. A few seconds later the hostess comes over to me and hands me this little paper envelope.
I open it up and it is one of those little paper fans that they used to give you in cheap Chinese restaurants. You can't make this stuff up.
Anyway the flight was uneventful but it gave me time to think, why don't they just make the entire plane out of the same stuff they make the black box out of? That always survives.
As I left the plane I had to squeeze past the hostess selling time shares as the co pilot was holding one of those cardboard containers with the slot in it for quarters for homeless dogs.
Make believe there is a picture of a plane here, I am standing next to it with a Supermodel who has a ponytail
Paul B
NJRC Member
I just got back from my morning walk and while I am waiting for my muffins to bake I got a minute to post.
My walk this morning took me through a grave yard and it is very old. I mean VERY old.
Here are some of the tomb stones.
The round one in the back I think it is the oldest and it was hard to make out the inscription but it reads something like this:
RIP
Here Lies Orgg. (no last name)
"He was a fine Neanderthal who could take down a full grown Mastodon using his breath alone"
He will be missed. +
My walk this morning took me through a grave yard and it is very old. I mean VERY old.
Here are some of the tomb stones.
The round one in the back I think it is the oldest and it was hard to make out the inscription but it reads something like this:
RIP
Here Lies Orgg. (no last name)
"He was a fine Neanderthal who could take down a full grown Mastodon using his breath alone"
He will be missed. +
Paul B
NJRC Member
This post is only for gearheads that know something about engines. If that is not you, read something else. Perhaps Huckelberry Finn.
I finally fixed my boat with the help of our marina mechanic. We, and the rep from Merc Cruiser who built the engines were baffled for quite a while and it was the simplest and stupidest issue.
It started when my exhaust manifold rotted through so I replaced all 4 of them.
This is one part of one of them.
Then I went out and all was well for an hour until one engine cut out. No problem as I have two engines.
The other engine cut out so I had to get towed.
After much testing It was the coils which is ridiculous because those two coils sat in that engine a couple of feet from each other for 20 years and they both croaked minutes apart and the weird part is that the both coils worked. They just didn't work hard enough which I have never seen and I am a pretty good mechanic as is the boat mechanic.
I replaced the coils and spark plugs, wires and went out. After a little while the starboard engine slowed down and sounded like a machine gun and trust me, I know what a machine gun sounds like.
Back at the dock I took a compression test which was good. I figured a lifter was hanging up so I removed the exhaust manifold (again) so I could remove the intake manifold and the lifter, which looked perfect so I put it back together.
Same noise so I found out a valve spring was broken near the bottom so I couldn't see it.
I replaced the spring and went out. Now that big noise is gone but over 3,000 RPM the engine slows down and makes popping noises.
We swapped from one engine to the other the coil, distributor, carburetor, "computer" and fuel pump. Took it out, still no power in starboard engine.
Swapped spark plugs from one engine to the other. AAAhhhha
The other engine, which was fine no longer started.
"Spark Plugs" should not cause that especially spark plugs with less than an hour on them.
Put in new plugs and took it out. Wide open throttle for 20 minutes and it ran perfect.
I am freekin thrilled. The mechanic took it out because I was busy but now I want to take it out to see for myself.
Now all I want to do, besides go out to dinner on it, is to remove one carburetor because the lower butterfly is severly sticking . Easy fix (I hope)
I finally fixed my boat with the help of our marina mechanic. We, and the rep from Merc Cruiser who built the engines were baffled for quite a while and it was the simplest and stupidest issue.
It started when my exhaust manifold rotted through so I replaced all 4 of them.
This is one part of one of them.
Then I went out and all was well for an hour until one engine cut out. No problem as I have two engines.
The other engine cut out so I had to get towed.
After much testing It was the coils which is ridiculous because those two coils sat in that engine a couple of feet from each other for 20 years and they both croaked minutes apart and the weird part is that the both coils worked. They just didn't work hard enough which I have never seen and I am a pretty good mechanic as is the boat mechanic.
I replaced the coils and spark plugs, wires and went out. After a little while the starboard engine slowed down and sounded like a machine gun and trust me, I know what a machine gun sounds like.
Back at the dock I took a compression test which was good. I figured a lifter was hanging up so I removed the exhaust manifold (again) so I could remove the intake manifold and the lifter, which looked perfect so I put it back together.
Same noise so I found out a valve spring was broken near the bottom so I couldn't see it.
I replaced the spring and went out. Now that big noise is gone but over 3,000 RPM the engine slows down and makes popping noises.
We swapped from one engine to the other the coil, distributor, carburetor, "computer" and fuel pump. Took it out, still no power in starboard engine.
Swapped spark plugs from one engine to the other. AAAhhhha
The other engine, which was fine no longer started.
"Spark Plugs" should not cause that especially spark plugs with less than an hour on them.
Put in new plugs and took it out. Wide open throttle for 20 minutes and it ran perfect.
I am freekin thrilled. The mechanic took it out because I was busy but now I want to take it out to see for myself.
Now all I want to do, besides go out to dinner on it, is to remove one carburetor because the lower butterfly is severly sticking . Easy fix (I hope)
Paul B
NJRC Member
Yesterday as I was feeding my fish, of course they get all excited. I am not sure if they are excited because I am feeding them or I am walking around in my shorts.
But, either way, my long nose butterfly was frantically catching mysis next to my larger copperband who shoved the long nose sideways into my Gyre powerhead that takes up an entire side of the tank and is on full blast.
The poor long nose got stuck to the intake and he is very lucky I was there as I saw him and pulled him off.
He went right back to eating but I lost my last long nose butterfly from that thing so I haven't seen the tank today yet so I hope that fish didn't go back and get stuck again.
If he did, he croaked. I have the thing on the slowest setting but I am not sure that is slow enough.
Today, before I go boating I will devise a grill to keep such fish away so I hope it is not to late.
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But, either way, my long nose butterfly was frantically catching mysis next to my larger copperband who shoved the long nose sideways into my Gyre powerhead that takes up an entire side of the tank and is on full blast.
The poor long nose got stuck to the intake and he is very lucky I was there as I saw him and pulled him off.
He went right back to eating but I lost my last long nose butterfly from that thing so I haven't seen the tank today yet so I hope that fish didn't go back and get stuck again.
If he did, he croaked. I have the thing on the slowest setting but I am not sure that is slow enough.
Today, before I go boating I will devise a grill to keep such fish away so I hope it is not to late.
