Today I Learned (TIL)

johndej said:

Everyone remembers their youth the best  - https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/05/24/when-america-was-great-according-data/

I am fairly immune to nostalgia, for some reason.  I also make a pretty comprehensive effort to recognize it in myself when I do succumb to it.

It's most prevalent in music but I get extremely dubious whenever I hear "They don't make ______ like they used to."

You know cowboys get belt buckles and money, not so much trophies, right?  

Anyway, TIL in 1979 Ron Martin was awarded this buckle as PRCA Stock Contractor of the Year.  He gave it to his 16 year old son who wore it for 40 years, the buckle has been ridden in almost 800 rodeos and seen better days.

While wearing it in Las Vegas for the National Final Rodeos and his daughter's wedding, Wayne stopped at the Southpoint booth and showed Cameron Gist.  Cameron was amazed the buckle was still around and that his grandfather had made it.  He was gracious enough to redo the buckle, they just got it back yesterday.

TIL: There is a Steak and Shake in Monaco

TIL the electric rear motor on the e-AWD Toyota hybrid cars (Prius, Corolla, Camry, Yaris, etc) puts out ~7hp?!  I completely fail to understand.  Based on a few YT test drive vids it seems pretty useless.  Anyway, it's not going to be useful for a go kart or other small/light EV: not cheap enough, not light enough, needs high voltage, and controllers for induction motors are not common.

https://www.toyota-club.net/files/faq/19-10-10_faq_e-four_4wd_eng.htm

Q510

· Layout - 2-shaft type
· Electric motor - 1MM (5.0 or 5.3 kW / 55 Nm or 2.2kW/44nm, 201V), induction type
· Gear ratio - 10.487 (1st stage - 17:39, final gear - 14:64)
· Capacity - 1.2-1.3 l (ATF WS)
· Module weight - 29.2 kg

 


ModelProductionCamry AXVH752019-..Corolla ZWE214W2019-2022Corolla Touring ZWE214W2019-2022Lexus UX250h MZAH152018-..Prius ZVW552015-2022Sienta MXPL15G2022-..Yaris MXPH152019-..Yaris Cross MXPJ152020-..

In reply to Oapfu :

I did a course in college where we calculated the horsepower needed to run a Ford Contour at a constant 35 mph on a flat road.... It was only 12 hp. 

A house <1/2 mile from me burned up.  Mom, Dad, two kids, a dog, two cats and a ferrett all got out fine.

T.I.L. it was started when someone flicked a cigarette butt into the mulch under the bushes near the house.  Once going, it rapidly climbed the vinyl siding and then to the roof.

The homeowners don't smoke.

In reply to Oapfu :

Sounds perfect for dealing with low traction situations. Slippery boat ramps, parking lot entrances, even freeway onramps if the gearing is right. Just enough to get the back end under control and keep making forward progress. 

TIL a new word.  Gram Positive Anerobic Cocci, guess there's some in my swollen knee.

TIL that not only does the Sun-Ra Arkestra still exist as a musical entity, but they have a gig coming up in Milton, DE.  Deep in the heart of "slower lower" Delaware.

I wonder what the local semi-rural pop-country types are going to make of Rocket Number 9?

TIL: In the RV that I've owned for about 8 years now, there is a switch on the 120V system inside the cabinet under the sink.  I have no idea what that switch is for and I have never noticed it before.

That switch is a "Master switch" that kills all AC power to the house part of the RV.  Some folks use it to turn off all power during storage to prevent house battery drain.   I never used mine in 20 years.  But, in storage mine was always plugged into shore power.

In reply to Purple Frog :

Good guess, but flipping it on and off has no discernible effect on anything. 

TIL that having your meal ticket actually means having a ticket to be fed. Mrs NYN picked this up at a garage sale yesterday. Kind of cool, I had no idea. 

Last night I learned if I take the family for dinner, order my drink and meal, then go meet someone in the parking lot to look at swapping cars, the people at the restaurant will think I left the wife and kid there and give them a discount. 

Use this wisely, but don't abuse it. 

TIL-that Sbarro is not just a pizza company but someone used the name to make a supercar. It is Porsche based and, unfortunately, I will nover unsee it. I am sorry:

preach said:

TIL-that Sbarro is not just a pizza company but someone used the name to make a supercar. It is Porsche based and, unfortunately, I will nover unsee it. I am sorry:

That is far from the worst Porsche-based 'vehicle' Sbarro has ever made: http://sbarro.phcalvet.fr/voitures/4x4+2/4x4+2gb.html

...At first glance, it's hard to tell that the 4x4+2 is just a restyled Porsche Cayenne. ...

TIL:

In March California sold 21.3 million cannabis products but came in second to Michigan who sold 22 million. 

California has 4 times the people as Michigan. A Michigan resident is roughly 10% more likely to be obese. 

In other words, Michigan has had the munchies for a bit.

In reply to QuasiMofo (John Brown) :

The last doob I blew was in the 80's and I swore off booze in the 90's.  

I travel for work in Michigan and between the 1,000 billboards and dispensaries the thought sometimes pops into my head that I should maybe pickup a joint and smoke some weed.  

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

I was a very light partaker in the 1980s and 1990s. About two years ago we took a trip up north to a secluded lake and a friend brought a few edibles. I ate an eighth of a brownie and gained 20lbs. 

The lawn clippings we consumed in 1990 are nothing compared to what these folks are using now.

I suggest a scientific application with good friends and recording equipment to remind yourself of why you shouldn't again, or should. We are adults for schnitzel sake. 

Oapfu said:

preach said:

TIL-that Sbarro is not just a pizza company but someone used the name to make a supercar.

That is far from the worst Porsche-based 'vehicle' Sbarro has ever made:

Dear Bob. Did the people who were too tasteless to work at Meinheer go start Sbarro?

Far from the wierdest thing Franco Sbarro has designed so far...He's still at it.

TIL that Royal Purple motor oil is actually purple.  I mean I never bought it before, and I just figured it was a brand name and a purple bottle.

So, as long as we're talking about Royal Purple, does it measure up to the hype?  Is it worth the price? 

And how long has O'Reilly's been carrying it?

TIL:

The Rivian RT1 has a place to stow your gear.

1988RedT2 said:

TIL that Royal Purple motor oil is actually purple.  I mean I never bought it before, and I just figured it was a brand name and a purple bottle.

So, as long as we're talking about Royal Purple, does it measure up to the hype?  Is it worth the price? 

And how long has O'Reilly's been carrying it?

It works well.  However, I prefer redline.  Which is green.  

Lol wut?  Yep.

For years people who built homes at turn 3 of the Albany-Saratoga speedway ((been there since 1956) and bitch about the noise and dust, win.

TIL there's a contract to shut down the track and build section 8 housing and small stores.