redkow97

Ford and Mazda have shared platforms for decades. I presume that's what he was alluding to. The Mazda MX-6 and Ford Probe were cousins, as are the modern Mazda 3 and Ford Focus. The Fiesta and Mazda 2 are even more closely aligned.

I think your analysis is correct, but people's interpretation of "conservatism" is all kinds of jacked-up in the United States. To me, there are few ideas more conservative than the notion that the government has no place in preventing you from growing, smoking, or ingesting a damn plant. Conversely, there are few ideas more liberal than the notion that the government knows better than you, and should have the authority to tell you you can't smoke, grow, or ingest said plant. A large portion of the population uses "conservative" and "republican" interchangeably, and they're not equivalent terms at all.

I'd actually like the utility of a hatchback, but I think my wife would hate the look. That's what intrigued me about the iA - it's the smallest and best proportioned 4-door I've seen on the market in a long time. The Hyundai Elantra might come close, but at that point I may as well buy another corolla. I'm not really looking for a car, but the check engine light on the rolla came on a week ago, so i window-shop. I was pretty convinced I would just end up buying a newer corolla when this one expired, but now they're switching to a CVT, and unless it's getting amazing economy, for some reason CVT's are red-flags for me... I would like to be able to tow a few hundred lbs., and the CVT certainly isn't designed for that. I wouldn't be towing all the time, but it would be nice to be able to use MY car (instead of taking my wife's and swappign the car seat) to drop the XR off at the shop, or drive it down to GA to race at Herrin's.

Yes, but Mazda's average MPG across their product line has to hit the government standards. Cars like this pull down their average. I have also read some troubling articles about engine wear in rotary applications. They simply 'wear out' sooner (or so goes the criticism).

Rotary engines are cool, but didn't the RX-8 struggle to break 20 mpg with a 1.3 liter?? Until they fix that, it's not going to be viable for them to sell.

I saw one of these in the parking lot Monday and it caught my attention. Looked like a nice little 4-door that might almost be called "sporty" if you opted for a manual transmission. Based on its size, I assumed it will put up good economy numbers. The internet says this "scion" isn't really a toyota, but rather a re-badged Mazda 2 with a chassis option (4-door) that Mazda doesn't offer in America. Okay. No problem. It's a 1.5 liter putting out 106hp in a 2400 lbs. car. Still okay with that. And it starts at $16,000, with moer standard features than I expected. I may have to look at this when the 'rolla bites it. Unfortunately I think I would have to go with the 6-speed automatic, but (somehow) the EPA estimates that will increase the fuel economy by a tick, so I'll get over it. Anyone own a scion? I have always liked the TC (despite how girly it comes across), but they get horrible mileage for the class...

Are we taking bets on whether this will pass? Right now I'm betting "no." I am just seeing far too much anecdotal opposition on social media. Not opposition to legalized marihuana, but opposition to the 'monopoly' amendment to the OH constitution. I'm seeing/hearing this from people who I know to be supporters (in some case users) of marihuana. If the pro-pot people can't all get behind this, I think it will be soundly defeated.

If anyone is still following the actual article, they've updated it with some quotes from a state towing association. I don't know that it constitutes a regulating body, but like everyone here, they're saying the bill is inflated. Seems like this will get sorted out in court. My guess is that the Jeep owner ends up paying a few grand in fees and fines. Between the damage to his vehicle and the length of time he's going to be without it pending trial, he's going to have to buy a replacement vehicle no matter what happens - but the same would have been true if he'd left it in the swamp, so that's really not a major factor IMHO. It's fun to get outraged about this kind of thing, but the system really does work (most of the time).

you want to trade plus a some cash or a firearm for the Katana? I know that doesn't exactly fit your needs, but I think you'd have an easy time selling it in the spring for a lot more than $500... (or trading it for a quad) Our new house is on a cul-de-sac, so I'm expecting my driveway to get absolutely blasted by the plow... Plus, despite being shorter than the old house, it's considerably wider.

I find it humorous that someone in Columbus has a blower this size to begin with, but at least you can acknowledge it and put it up for sale. I'm still working with my 200cc Toro or whatever it is... The electric start is broken, and I go through about 2 belts a season, but it gets 80% of the job done. Only really crazy snow is too much for it.

I'm not "arguing for the $48k bill," I'm merely proposing scenarios in which they might be able to rationalize it. $1,200/hr for the supervisor raises a lot of red flags. I have some experience dealing with bureaucracy, and how they calculate costs. I'm not saying I could get to $48,000 with a straight face, but it would not have surprised me to learn that police involvement requires the use of ___________ company with ________ officers supervising and ________ county engineer on site. Then they would bring 10 guys for a job that requires 2 guys, and turn a 2 hour job into a 12-hour job. In the process, they would break some piece of equipment that was either not suited to the job in the first place, or that broke because the operator was using it improperly. Then they'd go get something bigger and blunter, and damage the vehicle in the process of pulling it out. But that's the position you put yourself in when you're trespassing and the police/municipality get to run the show and call the shots for the tow operation. I know that in high school... We got a friend's jeep stuck in a catch-basin of a new development (roads paved, no houses built). It was pretty bad. We got him out with a second jeep and a come-along hand winch. But we were willing to take risks that professionals (especially city employees with a supervisor watching) wouldn't have been allowed to take. I think that would have been a few grand to extract Cory's jeep.

I agree that $1200/hr sounds ridiculous. But the police were involved because it was a trespassing incident. I would liken this to the people who call in a bomb threat, and then get a restitution order for all the wasted resources the police and fire departments spend investigating the hoax. I'm assuming the prices are inflated based on the government involvement, not the tow company in particular. That's speculation on my part, but when else has government intervention led to a fair priced result?

I think $48,000 is excessive, but look at it from the tow company's perspective here - they spent 12 hours (probably with multiple employees, and multiple pieces of equipment that could have been making money elsewhere), and now all they've got to show for a full-day's work is a crappy jeep in impound.

I think that's an unfair characterization. A tow company is providing a service that people need, on an "on-demand" basis, and usually they're rescuing a vehicle that is a large asset to the owner. Yeah, $500 is steep to you or me, because we have more aptitude for self-rescue in a similar scenario. To someone whose resources and knowledge are more limited though, the options are: Wait until spring, spend a lot of hours digging, abandon her vehicle, or pay $500. Paying to make it someone else's problem is highly appealing to a lot of people.

Well, we are moved. Not unpacked, but moved. To make this mildly MC related, I nearly lost the Suzuki transporting it to the new house. My sign-post "outrigger" started to flex waaaaaaaaaaay more than I ever anticipated, and the first left turn caused it to lean over to the point that the bar nearly touched the tank on the Honda next to it. I think I just need to secure the sign-post closer to the edge/corner of the trailer, rather than relying on the inward-mounted eye-bolts to carry that full load. It's never been an issue with lighter bikes, and I have always had the Suzuki centered-up on the trailer, eliminating the need to use the 'outriggers.' Anyway, all our stuff made it to the 'new' house on Saturday before 6:00. I returned the truck an hour early. Sunday was spent fixing all the shit the previous owners completely ignored. It's quite clear that they were lazy. It's also clear that they had a lawn service that they paid to mow, edge, and do literally nothing else. There were large downed branches stacked in the flowerbeds (which are not mulched, and completely overgrown), and there was a portion of the fence that needed repair. I spent about 3 hours just cutting down small trees that may as well have been weeds, and fixing things that would never have been left broken in the first place if it were my house... So the fence is mended. It's a little rough-looking, because my heroic fix involved scrap wood and leftover lag bolts, but it's solid. Only casualty was my right index finger. I stupidly grabbed a nail that I had just cut through with the dremel and burned the shit out of my finger.

we were promised a burnout video...

Statistics are too easily manipulated. The simple fact is that 99% of things worth doing involve 'unnecessary' risks. If you want to live a 'necessary' life, then check yourself into a mental health facility. They'll do their best to make sure you don't hurt yourself.

That won't be brought up until after they challenge competency to stand trial, but he's got to say something...

Finally got the cabinet unpacked, but not fully set up. Initial impressions were positive. Unlike several online reviewers, none of my panels were dented, and my cabinet had keys taped to the top. All the hardware for shelving, butt rests, and barrel rests were either bagged or included in an envelope. It also includes padding for each of the shelves, and the floor in various configurations. As much as I would like to have the cabinet in my bedroom, I don't need it to be so easy for a thief to find, nor do i need my wife seeing it every day and reminding her that it exists. The guest room is where the cabinet will live for now. It fits perfectly into a hidden portion of a closet that is wider than the door of the closet suggests (picture 5' folding doors, but the closet bar continues beyond the door another 5') If I hang up my race suit or anything else close to floor-length, someone probably wouldn't even notice the cabinet. So that's all good. The bad: the door is 'loose' even when locked. Perhaps this is an issue for all 'storage' cabinets that aren't safes, but I thought it would feel more solid. It's also not 90 lbs. as advertised. Either that, or I'm fucking jacked. I carried it up a flight of stairs myself, and while it wasn't easy, it wasn't that hard either. I just had to walk up backward to keep my knees from hitting the cabinet. I'll pop the molding off the interior walls of the closet so it sits flush with the wall. Hardware is included to mount the cabinet through the back (near the top) and also through the floor. I will do that before installing any shelving, etc. I'll also probably drill a couple more holes and fit it firmly into a corner. I don't intend to drill through the carpet, into the floor, but I may convince myself otherwise if the wall studs don't feel solid enough to me.

I was pretty young when people were protesting and picketing in front of his house, but i remember him having snow fencing up around the boarder of his lawn. My teenage memories of eating at the Wendy's are much more vivid than any notion of the Nazi... I confess I have not eaten at the Mexican joint, but a friend of mine lives near there, and he ends up there pretty much every Sunday evening in the Summer. Decent margarita deal, from what I hear.

Behind the Wendy's that's now a Mexican joint, right? There is or was a car wash there I think. Between McCreary and Broadview? I didn't know there was another street behind there, or that you were so close by. Small world.

Too soon? Also, if I've got the right house in mind, MrDemjanjuk's home backed up against a K-Mart parking lot in seven hills.

Got the keys last night. Moved a load of stuff into the garage. Neighbor was out back drinking beers by a fire and stopped to introduce himself. Ed is probably in his 70's. Told me any time the fire is going, we're welcome to come hang out with him and his wife. Then he went back inside and came back to my dad and me with home brew. I like Ed. Actually my verbatim response to him was, "Home brew? Do you have a motorcycle in the garage too?" He said "not anymore." But at least he's friendly and social. Gave me the scoop on the neighborhood and the neighbors. I live between Ed (and wife) and a bachelor with a 2600 square foot house. Hoping he's got some toys. Then on the other side of Ed is a home that's essentially vacant. Widow who lives with her boyfriend, but hasn't sold her house. Other side of the bachelor is a couple with a 16 yr old daughter and a 12 yr old son. Local babysitter. jackpot. I'll let that simmer and just sit back and wait for the inappropriate comments about the 16 yr old...

I'm a lawyer.

This is my take as well. As for issue 2, I've read it, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I don't fully understand it. It's either too complicated for my pedestrian brain, or it's shitty legislation that is too vague for me to support. I'm banking on the latter...