First Draft: Compare and Contrast Joe the Plumber with a Shri Lankan journalist who gave his life covering the story. More here.
WCBF: Jindal screwing New Orleans on stimulus projects? Also, Who wants Charity demolished (the Characters behind LSU/VA)? The usual suspects include Ed Blakely and the list gets less illustrious from there.
BONOB: "What Some Say" WDSU gets caught pulling a Fox News. It's also clear that WDSU is Nagin's preferred local news source. Also, don't forget to read the Cerasoli outtakes.
YRHT: Oyster is atwitter awaiting the Crime Camera report. Also, some major power plays between the White House and the Corps of Engineers.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
24 Hours of LeMons Coming to New Orleans!
Not 24 hour of LeMans, but 24 Hours of LeMons.
It's an endurance race (actually about 16 hours or so spread over 2 days) where the goal is survival. The trick? You car must cost less than $500 (minus safety equipment). Dangerous? Yes. Imagine the sort of beaters that show up to the track.
Here is the winner from the last race:
It's a Geo-Metro ("Metrognome") with a motorcycle engine that spends the whole time trying not to be crushed by malaise-era Detroit iron.
Here are all the entrants:
Pause it at 1:19 to see the "ghetto-charged" Miata. That's a turbo with intercooler setup with plumbing parts.
Video of a previous year with narration by one of the drivers.
I'm definitely showing up as a spectator. If they come back to New Orleans later, I'll probably run a car, too. Not quite ready to do one yet. You need at least $2,000 or so to get all the safety equipment and do the car right...
That being said, if there is anyone else out there that's interested in doing it that needs another hand or two, I'm pretty handy with a wrench and welder. Seriously.
Here's an idea of what you can get for $500: Mazda 626 needing an engine rebuild and a barely functional Chystler (with working A/C, though!).
24 Hours Of LeMons coming to New Orleans (actually Belle Rose) June 6-7. Registration deadline is in March. Here's the track's site.
Jalopnik has much, much more.
UPDATE- A few more minutes of racing deathtrap shitboxes for your amusement:
No music, lots of crashes:
It's an endurance race (actually about 16 hours or so spread over 2 days) where the goal is survival. The trick? You car must cost less than $500 (minus safety equipment). Dangerous? Yes. Imagine the sort of beaters that show up to the track.
Here is the winner from the last race:
It's a Geo-Metro ("Metrognome") with a motorcycle engine that spends the whole time trying not to be crushed by malaise-era Detroit iron.
Here are all the entrants:
Pause it at 1:19 to see the "ghetto-charged" Miata. That's a turbo with intercooler setup with plumbing parts.
Video of a previous year with narration by one of the drivers.
I'm definitely showing up as a spectator. If they come back to New Orleans later, I'll probably run a car, too. Not quite ready to do one yet. You need at least $2,000 or so to get all the safety equipment and do the car right...
That being said, if there is anyone else out there that's interested in doing it that needs another hand or two, I'm pretty handy with a wrench and welder. Seriously.
Here's an idea of what you can get for $500: Mazda 626 needing an engine rebuild and a barely functional Chystler (with working A/C, though!).
24 Hours Of LeMons coming to New Orleans (actually Belle Rose) June 6-7. Registration deadline is in March. Here's the track's site.
Jalopnik has much, much more.
UPDATE- A few more minutes of racing deathtrap shitboxes for your amusement:
No music, lots of crashes:
Monday, January 12, 2009
Shooting Outside, 3rd Right Beneath Crime Camera
Glass broken by buckshot
I've blogged about crime problems at Washington and Constance before.
Last night, there was another shooting. I twittered what I saw initially.
Here's the Times-Picayune report.
I've been talking to the neighbors (all of whom either heard or saw something). The victim, however, seems to be leaving out key details of the shooting to the police, especially the number of shooters. While there was only one shotgun blast, there were others in the company of the shooter. I personally observed (although probably not enough to get a clean ID) two suspects fleeing the scene seconds after the shot (a shotgun blast is loud!).
I'm Sorry Dave, I Can't Help You. I'm Dead.
All of these shootings happened under an inoperable/useless crime camera. Someone used to come by to try to fix it, but nobody has even bothered in months.
I will give it up to NOPD: they responded in under 5 minutes. When one of the shooter's compatriots returned to the scene of the crime, an officer gave chase. Not sure whether or not he was caught.
I'll close with one last thing: there were MANY people out and about on the block at that time (hence LOTS of witnesses). It wasn't even 10:30 PM. It also meant there were a lot of people around to catch a golden BB...
Project Truck Update: Floor Work
Since the bench seat is out and we'll be doing some work on the floor of the cab, I wanted to get a good coat of primer and paint on the metal to prevent rust.
Sanded the floor down.
A very rusty and dusty process. Candice and I got our gloves absolutely filthy.
Here is the floor with half a coat of primer. I used the Krylon Rust Tough instead of the Rustoleum Auto Primer this time. I'm starting to like it.
Here it is when the paint is wet. The older, bigger Gambits made excellent masking material.
And here's what the dry paint looks like after the masking is removed. Used flat black because even semi-gloss looks a little too shiny for what a floor should look like.
Sanded the floor down.
A very rusty and dusty process. Candice and I got our gloves absolutely filthy.
Here is the floor with half a coat of primer. I used the Krylon Rust Tough instead of the Rustoleum Auto Primer this time. I'm starting to like it.
Here it is when the paint is wet. The older, bigger Gambits made excellent masking material.
And here's what the dry paint looks like after the masking is removed. Used flat black because even semi-gloss looks a little too shiny for what a floor should look like.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Project Truck Update: Motor Mount Replacement
Got the Driver's side motor mount replaced. Jake Groby found it in an LMC Truck Catalog. Since the 327 is the same block as the 350 (the 350 is just bored larger), the same motor mounts work.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Archbishop Hughes sends NOPD to bust down door, arrest parishioners.
When Hughes left Boston, nobody missed him. Let's just say he had a problem calling the police up there.
Well, looks like he found someone to call NOPD for him this time.
The Our Lady of Good Counsel met every fund raising goal set for them (or at least that's what the parishioners say; given that they have a lot of middle class members, they're probably telling the truth). They were originally allowed to have holiday services and then close after the New Year, but the Archbishop flip-flopped and closed the church in October.
The Parishioners think that the Archbishop wants the land for developers (in close proximity to the gentrified Magazine Street). They point out that they've already reversed course once (St. Aug).
Archbishop Hughes has reached retirement age. Rumor has it, he's out the door soon. The new Archbishop, rumored to be from Mobile, doesn't want to start his term with a huge mess like this on his plate and not knowing the territory. It appears that Archbishop Hughes has taken it upon himself to resolve it, one way or the other.
Horribly mishandled by both NOPD (ARMED OFFICERS IN A HOUSE OF GOD!!!) Seriously, keep your guns in your cruiser for this one. You're dealing with churchgoers, not crack dealers) and Archbishop Hughes (calling the cops on a holy day?).
Karen was there and has more.
Oh yeah, I'll point out one other thing: look at the shiny, new tasers on the belts of the NOPD officers. Looks like the rumors of stocking stuffers were true.
Karen Gadbois: New Orleanian of the Year
Congratulations Karen Gadbois for being Gambit's New Orleanian of the year!
Yours is the blog that launched a thousand investigations!
Yours is the blog that launched a thousand investigations!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Crime in the Big Easy
Updates from Citizen Crime Watch:
Murders down from 210 to 179 (thanks to Gustav).
Cops accuse residents of failing to cooperate:
The police say they cannot solve cases because we fail to cooperate and speak up. My experience gives me real reason to doubt that claim and suggests that any apathy in our communities about helping the police may be motivated more by the futility of the exercise
Murders down from 210 to 179 (thanks to Gustav).
Cops accuse residents of failing to cooperate:
The police say they cannot solve cases because we fail to cooperate and speak up. My experience gives me real reason to doubt that claim and suggests that any apathy in our communities about helping the police may be motivated more by the futility of the exercise
Local Oil News
Lease sales hit 4-year low. Companies have been accumulating leases without drilling them for a while. Now that drilling rig rates have dropped, companies are going to drill some of their existing leases. Everyone is running around like the sky is falling for the state, but as long as the oil service companies (who employ FAR more people than the oil companies themselves) stay busy, I think the state will make out OK. The drop in oil prices mostly effects greedy state legislators who will have to get serious about the budget for the first time in years.
An ROV was cutting into an (empty) pipeline off the coast and a crab walked by:
PHI loses a helo full of oil workers. The copter crashed shortly after takeoff from Amelia. Sounds like a smaller helo. Never like reading stories like this.
First FLNG platform nears approval. As one of the largest outfitters of oil platforms, this could be a huge opportunity for the state over the next 30+ years. Most oil platforms are build in 2 sections: hulls are built overseas (generally, Norway, Italy, or Korea) and then towed elsewhere for topside construction. The hull is just the part that floats. Topsides includes all drilling equipment, housing, processing equipment, etc. Most of the value in a platform is in the topsides. FLNG could be HUGE for the state...
An ROV was cutting into an (empty) pipeline off the coast and a crab walked by:
PHI loses a helo full of oil workers. The copter crashed shortly after takeoff from Amelia. Sounds like a smaller helo. Never like reading stories like this.
First FLNG platform nears approval. As one of the largest outfitters of oil platforms, this could be a huge opportunity for the state over the next 30+ years. Most oil platforms are build in 2 sections: hulls are built overseas (generally, Norway, Italy, or Korea) and then towed elsewhere for topside construction. The hull is just the part that floats. Topsides includes all drilling equipment, housing, processing equipment, etc. Most of the value in a platform is in the topsides. FLNG could be HUGE for the state...
News of the day - New Year's Edition
In world news:
Speaking of gas, a good overview of the Ukraine/Russian oil spat. Neither side can survive without the other and they both know it.
Propaganda in the Israeli/Gaza operation. Anyone who says propaganda isn't all over the place during a war (in fact, most of what you see is propaganda) is either stupid or an intelligence officer spreading propaganda.
Acid attackers go after female engineering students... AND ARE SHOT DEAD!
How to make a billion lives better. Simple, ridiculously cheap glasses that are adjustable in the field, not requiring an optometrist. Speaking of inventions, man uses Prius as emergency generator. Great thinking. Will Prii become the next must-have item for riding out a hurricane?
US News:
So-Cal woman calls 911 while stuck on tracks. Train hits her while she's waiting for help. Darwin award?
CNN spends hardly any time at all talking about the coal ash spill because of their advertisers. The only thing special I know about coal ash (also known as fly ash) is that they sometimes use it as a substitute in concrete partially because of the huge carbon footprint of cement plants.
More video of the spill:
Alberto Gonzalez to write tell-all book about everything he can't recall. The jokes for this one are just too easy.
Zbigniew Brzezinski gets into it with Joe Scarborough Also, it seems Joe might have a Chappaquiddick problem.
US convicts Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia, for sponsoring torture under his watch. Interesting prospects for Bush.
Business:
Chicago School of Economics, RIP.
Hank Paulson and son sucking on the taxpayer teat. Paulson, CNBC's Man of the Year? (Actually, no, it was Bernanke, but CNBC doesn't think that shorting his own companies financial products should disqualify him.)
The year in dumb business moves.
Old article about New York City on the brink of bankruptcy. Worth a read, given the tenuous standing of many local and state governments. I'm looking at you, Governator.
Crime:
Another Republican (this one a parole board member that had it out for sex offenders) arrested for trying to have sex with little kiddies.
Using crime cameras for pranks. Beware, though: the authorities don't like it when you play sneaky.
Gifts:
NOPD gets Tasers for Christmas? Don't taze me, breaux?
Forgot to get someone a Christmas gift? Try a sample of Aerogel for $45. I could also suggest this for the Pikes.
Happy new year!
Speaking of gas, a good overview of the Ukraine/Russian oil spat. Neither side can survive without the other and they both know it.
Propaganda in the Israeli/Gaza operation. Anyone who says propaganda isn't all over the place during a war (in fact, most of what you see is propaganda) is either stupid or an intelligence officer spreading propaganda.
Acid attackers go after female engineering students... AND ARE SHOT DEAD!
How to make a billion lives better. Simple, ridiculously cheap glasses that are adjustable in the field, not requiring an optometrist. Speaking of inventions, man uses Prius as emergency generator. Great thinking. Will Prii become the next must-have item for riding out a hurricane?
US News:
So-Cal woman calls 911 while stuck on tracks. Train hits her while she's waiting for help. Darwin award?
CNN spends hardly any time at all talking about the coal ash spill because of their advertisers. The only thing special I know about coal ash (also known as fly ash) is that they sometimes use it as a substitute in concrete partially because of the huge carbon footprint of cement plants.
More video of the spill:
Alberto Gonzalez to write tell-all book about everything he can't recall. The jokes for this one are just too easy.
Zbigniew Brzezinski gets into it with Joe Scarborough Also, it seems Joe might have a Chappaquiddick problem.
US convicts Charles Taylor, former president of Liberia, for sponsoring torture under his watch. Interesting prospects for Bush.
Business:
Chicago School of Economics, RIP.
Hank Paulson and son sucking on the taxpayer teat. Paulson, CNBC's Man of the Year? (Actually, no, it was Bernanke, but CNBC doesn't think that shorting his own companies financial products should disqualify him.)
The year in dumb business moves.
Old article about New York City on the brink of bankruptcy. Worth a read, given the tenuous standing of many local and state governments. I'm looking at you, Governator.
Crime:
Another Republican (this one a parole board member that had it out for sex offenders) arrested for trying to have sex with little kiddies.
Using crime cameras for pranks. Beware, though: the authorities don't like it when you play sneaky.
Gifts:
NOPD gets Tasers for Christmas? Don't taze me, breaux?
Forgot to get someone a Christmas gift? Try a sample of Aerogel for $45. I could also suggest this for the Pikes.
Happy new year!
Project Truck Update: Roof Complete (Well, almost)
Resumed work on the truck and look what I came back to find:
The rust penetrated through the acrylic. I didn't realize it until I saw the rust that the acrylic is water-based. While it will be fine when fully dry, the water was rust-food and not good! I sprayed on some rust-stopper (basically phosphoric acid) to turn the iron oxide (rust) to iron ferrite (black iron). I sprayed on a healthy dose and wiped the excess off. Within a minute or two, the rust turned purple.
I then painted over that:
Ran out of my main type of primer (a whole can went to waste because the cab and tube popped off when it fell from a shelf), so part of it is a darker shade of primer gray. That should do it for the roof for now though. I won't be doing a topcoat for a while and I'll have to come back and sand before I do the topcoat.
Next up: the floor of the cab.
I'm a bit worried about some of the rust underneath the cab, though. Look at this:
It's underneath the cab on the outside edge of the frame rail. I'll try and weld in a few strips of metal to reinforce it.
The rust penetrated through the acrylic. I didn't realize it until I saw the rust that the acrylic is water-based. While it will be fine when fully dry, the water was rust-food and not good! I sprayed on some rust-stopper (basically phosphoric acid) to turn the iron oxide (rust) to iron ferrite (black iron). I sprayed on a healthy dose and wiped the excess off. Within a minute or two, the rust turned purple.
I then painted over that:
Ran out of my main type of primer (a whole can went to waste because the cab and tube popped off when it fell from a shelf), so part of it is a darker shade of primer gray. That should do it for the roof for now though. I won't be doing a topcoat for a while and I'll have to come back and sand before I do the topcoat.
Next up: the floor of the cab.
I'm a bit worried about some of the rust underneath the cab, though. Look at this:
It's underneath the cab on the outside edge of the frame rail. I'll try and weld in a few strips of metal to reinforce it.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Project Truck Update: Roofing edition
Had a few minutes to work on the truck yesterday. I'm trying to get the truck waterproof. All the holes in the roof are plugged and now I'm replacing the caulk in the "gutter" that runs around edge.
Got some caulk. It's paintable, exterior-duty, acrylic-based stuff. Hope that works.
Smoothed the caulk out with the ever-reliable finger method.
Small progress, but progress nonetheless.
Got some caulk. It's paintable, exterior-duty, acrylic-based stuff. Hope that works.
Smoothed the caulk out with the ever-reliable finger method.
Small progress, but progress nonetheless.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Went to Benjamin Button last night at The Prytania. The ending induced serious Katrina flashbacks for New Orleanians, though. Half the theater was crying at the end and you could hear the sobs of the lower level all the way up on the balcony.
Incredible movie. Two thumbs up. Spoilers in comments.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Project Truck Update: Mystery Engine Mount Edition
Finally got some work done on the truck. The weather if finally starting the behave for the first time in over a month. It's been either too wet or too cold to work (paint doesn't stick well below about 60 degrees). The truck hasn't fared exceptionally well in that time, either. The water pump has continued to rust and leak away, there's still a slow drain on the battery, and I left some tape on there and it bonded to the paint and I ripped off some new primer when I went to remove the masking tape. Oops.
The motor mounts are ancient and they rubber is as hard a rock, so I decided to change them out.
I took the pressure off the mounts by using a bottle jack, undid the bolts (VERY hard to access), and removed the motor mounts.
This is what they looked like:
Which is a problem because this is what NAPA said a 1980 C-10 motor (donor engine) mount should look like (upper half only):
I need to go out and find the right motor mount now. Any ideas on what motor mount I should ask for? I'm pretty sure this truck originally came with a straight-6, not a V-8.
Also, FYI- a set of motor mounts should last most vehicles 100,000+ miles or at least a decade. These things are just ancient and it's one more thing contributing to the engine running rough.
The motor mounts are ancient and they rubber is as hard a rock, so I decided to change them out.
I took the pressure off the mounts by using a bottle jack, undid the bolts (VERY hard to access), and removed the motor mounts.
This is what they looked like:
Which is a problem because this is what NAPA said a 1980 C-10 motor (donor engine) mount should look like (upper half only):
I need to go out and find the right motor mount now. Any ideas on what motor mount I should ask for? I'm pretty sure this truck originally came with a straight-6, not a V-8.
Also, FYI- a set of motor mounts should last most vehicles 100,000+ miles or at least a decade. These things are just ancient and it's one more thing contributing to the engine running rough.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)