What you did today

[Raithe]

I'm not sure why but I spent most of Monday crashing.  Felt completely exhausted most of the day, and managed an early night, then woke up this morning and just dozed for an hour before actually stirring myself to face the day.

[Blarghagh]

I think it's finally time to return there, now and then. ...at least, if this headache would ever go away.

I'm half-tempted to buy a real typewriter, too. Word-processing is not the same. Tons easier....but not the same.

 

Might I recommend freehand? I always feel more creative when writing with a pen on paper. Plus it has the added benefit of not being able to correct mistakes until you transcribe it into the word-processor so (after some early annoyance) you will start to ignore mistakes and just get on with the fun bit, which is writing the story.

[Gfted1]

Id like to read Monte Carlo's writing.

 

Right now its -11F but were supposed to get above zero today, woohoo.

[Malcador]

Waiting for it to get above 0 C so I can launch an assault on some bothersome ice.  Thinking a soldering iron might be a good trick to deal with the formation of ice on the downspout as trying to bash it with a hammer isn't practical due to the proximity of the the spout and the furnace exhaust.

 

But at least it's sunny today.

[Tale]

Had an obnoxious cold yesterday. I feel like I had too much exercise yesterday and someone shoved ice cubes up my nose.

 

But I did get quite a bit of time to view my Clone Wars Blu-Rays since I only worked half a day.

[LadyCrimson]

Dangit, headache still there. Feeling a bit nauseated too. Migrane/pseudo migrane or whatever. I don't get those too often and they don't usually last this long, it's becoming aggravating. Guess I'm snoozing with a towel over my face most of today, too.

 

Might I recommend freehand? I always feel more creative when writing with a pen on paper. Plus it has the added benefit of not being able to correct mistakes until you transcribe it into the word-processor so (after some early annoyance) you will start to ignore mistakes and just get on with the fun bit, which is writing the story.

If you mean pen and paper, that requires long-term finger joint dexterity that I no longer have. Plus my handwriting these days is about as legible as the average doctor. I used to handwrite journals/poetry, but longer fiction was always on a typewriter. Old typewriters you couldn't easily correct any better than handwriting (white-out/manual crossing out with notes squeezed in white spaces), so it seemed the same in that regard really....except it's hard to lug a typewriter to the park. I also like the clattery sound of typewriter keys. Silent typewriters are no fun. I miss my little 70's (electric) Corona 110. Still had the manual push-handle carriage return, something else I loved.

 

 

I suppose the older Corona's are pricey these days when you can get one. Grandparents had one, but I never had one myself.

[Blarghagh]

http://softwaresolution.informer.com/Typewriter-Sounds-When-Typing/

[LadyCrimson]

http://softwaresolution.informer.com/Typewriter-Sounds-When-Typing/

That's hilarious.

 

Do they have software that gives the keyboards of today a feel like you're actually pressing down on keys, too? That missing sensation is one reason I still use my ancient, clunky keyboard...although this one still isn't quite the same as the really old KB's in terms of the hard-push tactile feel, either. Heh.

[Tale]

You could get a mechanical keyboard.

[Woldan]

Spent 1 1/2 hours checking the barrel throats (The most stressed part of a rifle, the part where the bullet enters the barrel and the rifling) with a tiny mirror and a flashlight. Very informative.  110 year old barrels that survived trench warfare with x thousands corrosive military rounds down the tube still look like new and the barrel of a gun I bought two years ago with 800 rounds of high quality ammo through it shows first signs of firecracking and the lands look rounded. The barrel and accuracy is going to be toast during the next 300 rounds. 

 

I don't agree with the saying ''everything was better back then'' but I have to admit craftsmanship was certainly a lot better back then. And all that without modern lathes, computers or computerized furnaces. Thats really sad. 

Edited January 29, 2014 by Woldan

[Walsingham]

Or, and you know what I'm going to say, the old rifles were massively over-engineered.

 

After all, what was the point of building a rifle to last 100 years when it became militarily obsolete within 20?

[Woldan]

After all, what was the point of building a rifle to last 100 years when it became militarily obsolete within 20?

Because people took pride in their work.

Thats especially noticeable in guns, a lot of military guns from the late 1900 century were needlessly over-engineered and even beautifully designed and made.

 

Everything back then was built to last for centuries because of pride in craftsmanship, the best steel was used, parts were hand fitted to ensure the closest tolerances....because thats way cooler than the cheap disposable trash we're using nowadays and no one cares about. if its cheap its good enough. Quality? Just buy a new one when it breaks. Thats the modern mentality. 

Just look at 60 and 70's muscle cars, all steel low revving V8's with massive gearboxes and properly hardened massive cylinder heads. No BS cars. They still run like new cars while modern vehicles nowadays last for 10-15 years max till they start getting irreparable damages due to under engineered cheap cylinder heads, aluminum engine block fatigue and aluminum stampings. Hey, its cheap therefore its good enough, right? 

 

Oh, and to give you an example about obsolete weapon designs, the Swiss made service rifles that they used for up to 50 years. The Schmidt-Rubin general issue rifle G96-11 - Designed in 1896, modified in 1911- was used till the late 50's, the predecessor of this rifle - the K31- was used still the mid 90's and the sniper versions are still used in some military branches of the swiss army. 

Edited January 29, 2014 by Woldan

[Azdeus]

 

After all, what was the point of building a rifle to last 100 years when it became militarily obsolete within 20?

Because people took pride in their work.

Thats especially noticeable in guns, a lot of military guns from the late 1900 century were needlessly over-engineered and even beautifully designed and made.

 

Everything back then was built to last for centuries because of pride in craftsmanship, the best steel was used, parts were hand fitted to ensure the closest tolerances....because thats way cooler than the cheap disposable trash we're using nowadays and no one cares about. if its cheap its good enough. Quality? Just buy a new one when it breaks. Thats the modern mentality. 

Just look at 60 and 70's muscle cars, all steel low revving V8's with massive gearboxes and properly hardened massive cylinder heads. No BS cars. They still run like new cars while modern vehicles nowadays last for 10-15 years max till they start getting irreparable damages due to under engineered cheap cylinder heads, aluminum engine block fatigue and aluminum stampings. Hey, its cheap therefore its good enough, right? 

 

Oh, and to give you an example about obsolete weapon designs, the Swiss made service rifles that they used for up to 50 years. The Schmidt-Rubin general issue rifle G96-11 - Designed in 1896, modified in 1911- was used till the late 50's, the predecessor of this rifle - the K31- was used still the mid 90's and the sniper versions are still used in some military branches of the swiss army. 

 

 

Should be said though, there are some massive drawbacks to the older things aswell, weight, handling, efficiency and fuelconsumption and such. A 4.7 litre V8 with 200 Hp? +20 litres / 100km? It's not all good.

Though when you modernize them...

Edited January 29, 2014 by Azdeus

[Woldan]

I never said that ''its all good'' but today everything is about cost efficiency, nobody cares about quality and longevity anymore because you get more money when you make people buy replacements and parts. It really makes me sick, everything I buy has this cheap ugly feel to it and it will certainly break in a couple of years if not months. Quality is ungodly expensive.
We're truly living in a throwaway society.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Woldan

[Azdeus]

I'm with you, I hate the use and loose mentality, it's **** for us consumers and the environment. I try to go for high quality stuff myself when I buy things, but it's hard as hell to find and, as you say, ungodly expensive.

[Kroney]

Aaaand this is why I own a car as old as my girlfriend.

[Walsingham]

 

After all, what was the point of building a rifle to last 100 years when it became militarily obsolete within 20?

Because people took pride in their work.

Thats especially noticeable in guns, a lot of military guns from the late 1900 century were needlessly over-engineered and even beautifully designed and made.

 

Everything back then was built to last for centuries because of pride in craftsmanship, the best steel was used, parts were hand fitted to ensure the closest tolerances....because thats way cooler than the cheap disposable trash we're using nowadays and no one cares about. if its cheap its good enough. Quality? Just buy a new one when it breaks. Thats the modern mentality. 

Just look at 60 and 70's muscle cars, all steel low revving V8's with massive gearboxes and properly hardened massive cylinder heads. No BS cars. They still run like new cars while modern vehicles nowadays last for 10-15 years max till they start getting irreparable damages due to under engineered cheap cylinder heads, aluminum engine block fatigue and aluminum stampings. Hey, its cheap therefore its good enough, right? 

 

Oh, and to give you an example about obsolete weapon designs, the Swiss made service rifles that they used for up to 50 years. The Schmidt-Rubin general issue rifle G96-11 - Designed in 1896, modified in 1911- was used till the late 50's, the predecessor of this rifle - the K31- was used still the mid 90's and the sniper versions are still used in some military branches of the swiss army. 

 

 

Look, I sympathize, because I take pride. And I'm not saying we couldn't take more pride in most modern products.

 

 

But if it's stupid putting a '£10,000' bolt in a '£100' rifle,

 

...then it's stupid putting a 100 year rifle in the hands of a 4 year rifleman.

 

Your great engineers have given most of the value of that weapon to soldiers and citizens of countries that didn't even exist when they made it!

[Malcador]

I'm with you, I hate the use and loose mentality, it's **** for us consumers and the environment. I try to go for high quality stuff myself when I buy things, but it's hard as hell to find and, as you say, ungodly expensive.

 

Hard to change it on a company side unless all do.  But it silly to see things cheaply made.  But I guess the point is to not build something to last way, way longer than you expect it to be used but to build it for a reasonable time. 

 

I guess something the B-52 designers didn't do.

[mkreku]

Just look at 60 and 70's muscle cars...

 

Jesus Christ, this is so ignorant it hurts.

 

Muscle cars (American) in the 60's and 70's were known for their bad quality (it's unfairly still the semi-general opinion on American cars in Sweden), compared to other types of cars. They broke easily and often. The only reason they're still alive is because of enthusiasts, not because of quality.

 

Also, you're trying to compare a car from the 60-70's to a modern car. That's like comparing a brick to a house and praising the brick for not breaking as often. You're ignoring the last 40-50 years of technological advances and gigantic leaps in complexity of modern cars.

[LadyCrimson]

The complexity of modern cars is why I don't like them. Gets harder and harder to troubleshoot/fix little stuff yourself, unless you're an actual mechanic+computer tech. Their general engine longevity/reliability is, for the most part at least, a lot longer tho. I'd agree.

 

I think one reason US people like the old classic sports cars is that, even with limited ability, as long as they can still get the basic engine parts, they can keep them going "forever." Or you can refurbish the original parts enough to make them useful again. Unlike a lot of newer cars, which have all those very specific gizmos/dependencies as well as it becoming more and more unlikely that companies will make/have the parts, circuits and specific chips (or whatever) for 5+ decades. I'm sure it's possible, but to some it feels like a lot more hassle then with the older cars.

 

Which is the same thing with tons of other stuff, really. Hence the disposable era. Cheaper/less bother to buy a new one then fix the old one.

[Woldan]

Jesus Christ, this is so ignorant it hurts.

 

Muscle cars (American) in the 60's and 70's were known for their bad quality (it's unfairly still the semi-general opinion on American cars in Sweden), compared to other types of cars. They broke easily and often. The only reason they're still alive is because of enthusiasts, not because of quality.

 

Also, you're trying to compare a car from the 60-70's to a modern car. That's like comparing a brick to a house and praising the brick for not breaking as often. You're ignoring the last 40-50 years of technological advances and gigantic leaps in complexity of modern cars.

Mkreku, you seem to like to be laughed at, otherwise you wouldn't have made that post.   

 

A relative works in the car parts industry and the amount of parts he sells for the recent car models of the big manufacturers is just absolutely ridiculous. Its mainly electronics and metal fatigue on stamped aluminum parts, especially the steering assembly.

A friends 2 year old car broke down three times this year because of failure of the electronic controls of the injection pump, failure of the lambda sensor and another electrics problem I forgot. Another friends new car broke down due failure of the electric steering pumps controls.

And this goes on and on with the cars of people I know.

 

Most of those electric problems are impossible on 70' era cars because they simply didn't have that technology back then, what electronics do today mechanical parts did in the 70's. And If you inspect the insides of a muscle car its absolutely amazing how over engineered they are. Whats more likely? To have metal fatigue on cheap aluminum stampings or on forged steel parts?

 

Steel engine blocks, massive gear boxes, very few stamped parts, very simple mechanical injection, properly sized and hardened cylinder heads that don't bang themselves to death every 5 years. I've seen all the parts and modern cars look like toys with half-baked electronics compared to muscle cars.

 

Don't worry, I don't charge you for this bit of education.

 

Unlike a lot of newer cars, which have all those very specific gizmos/dependencies as well as it becoming more and more unlikely that companies will make/have the parts, circuits and specific chips (or whatever) for 5+ decades. I'm sure it's possible, but to some it feels like a lot more hassle then with the older cars.

Well, the Chinese pretty much have usurped that market. 1/2 of the parts that are sold today are made in China after market parts with very mixed quality. Those are usually 50% cheaper but sometimes they fail dramatically, especially brakes, bolts and steering column parts which aren't hardened correctly.  And winter tires, oh god, only buy them if you feel suicidal.  

Edited January 29, 2014 by Woldan

[LadyCrimson]

Some of my fave memories are going to the giant car junkyards with hubby, looking for car parts. Something that in the area I live in, at least, isn't something that's all that productive to do anymore.

 

I'm not a mechanic but I get to hear all about such things from hubby, who's worked on cars all his life. His complaints along these lines are many and full of bitterness.

[Woldan]

Some of my fave memories are going to the giant car junkyards with hubby, looking for car parts. Something that in the area I live in, at least, isn't something that's all that productive to do anymore.

Car junkyards are treasure troves in disguise!   I regularly visit a junkyard that sells parts for very little money, I always find all sorts of cool stuff there. My last fireworks mortar was solely built from scrap metal parts. If I had more time I'd take home those serviceable engines and refurbish them. Big diesel truck engines can be had for 150 bucks or so.

[LadyCrimson]

In other daily news ... I still have a headache. I'd like to take a bath but bending over to scrub the tub first isn't going to be happening. Even tiny exertions make the head pulse like it's being hit with 1000 tiny magical hammers.

 

I'm tired of lying prone, however, so I think I'm going to try playing some mindless game for a while. Maybe try to eat something, too. Is chicken soup good for a migraine? Maybe some steamed veggies...

[Woldan]

I rarely have headaches but when I do...oh boy. What works for me is drinking lots of water and going for a walk, fresh air is crucial. Preferably going for a walk at night, cold air works wonders. I read somewhere that the majority of headaches is caused by a lack of oxygen or beginning dehydration. And avoid eating lots of sugar after dinner and or lots of sugar at once, that leads to blood sugar spikes and thats a common trigger for headaches or migraine.

Edited January 29, 2014 by Woldan