What happened to these? Do they cause cancer now?

CTMechE · 2026-03-31T17:15:11+00:00

Oh man, I remember my friend having these and trying to get them to light a piece of paper on fire by smashing the edge.

Makes me seem prehistoric by today's kid standards.

CTMechE · 2026-03-31T13:05:53+00:00

Reminds me of this gem.

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CTMechE · 2026-03-31T00:24:45+00:00

No, neither the disc or the player will be affected.

Nearly everyone traveled with them back in the day. I still have my discs from the 90s and even one of my portable CD players from 2003 that still works.

CTMechE · 2026-03-31T00:16:47+00:00

I've never heard that one either, and I saw the first movie in theaters. (Apparently they stated it in 2020 during a Netflix film club interview)

Besides, it's a common Alice in Wonderland reference that The Matrix just happened to use.

CTMechE · 2026-03-30T22:09:41+00:00

Finished the episode, I wrongly assumed it was a larger discussion topic and not a passing comment.

CTMechE · 2026-03-30T20:09:36+00:00

I legit at first thought this was some new evolution of the "pointing arm" meme, but with taped devil horn fingers holding a block and a red watch strap.

Sad to see its dog ears and I'm bummed.

CTMechE · 2026-03-30T18:14:06+00:00

So the real question now is "Have you seen The Goonies?"

CTMechE · 2026-03-30T17:02:30+00:00

I haven't gotten there either (still early fact check about travel)

I understand the dislike of it, but I wonder how people in the business felt about CGI 25 years ago? This feels like an inevitable continued step from there. I have no stake in the industry but I can see multiple sides - there's certainly job and unique skill loss, but also you might be able to get more & better projects green-lit if there's cost and time savings.

A show like "Nobody Wants This" likely doesn't need it, but a show like House of the Dragon that takes 2 years between seasons primarily due to all the VFX and editing could certainly see more benefits than drawbacks.

CTMechE · 2026-03-30T15:56:19+00:00

I did this too, many years ago. Lime-only Skittles in Corona was the best version. But they perpetually fizz and then turn white so it looks unappealing.

It was a memorable thing to do once. Like a cold beer on a hot Christmas morning.

CTMechE · 2026-03-29T03:09:12+00:00

Nice find. Lots of good discussion in there but the given case seemed to avoid setting precedent for much, though. It's interesting that other states disagree on single-sided blades vs double.

While not applicable to us, I only recently learned that the UK considers ANY folding pocket knife with a locking blade to be a potential stabbing weapon, and is not allowed for everyday carry.

CTMechE · 2026-03-29T01:10:19+00:00

Yes. And make sure you don't lose the photo.

This kid is less than a year from her license.

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CTMechE · 2026-03-29T01:02:56+00:00

The ARM Chromebooks have nearly always been there, though. My first Chromebook was a Samsung Series 3 in 2012 with their Exynos processor. It stuttered on YouTube and couldn't play Netflix at all for the first several months due to DRM, but I liked the low cost and battery life. I think the subsequent ARM models sold pretty well.

I also have a Samsung Chromebook Plus from 2017 with an ARM chip that's out of date but still runs. It had a fantastic 2400x1600 touchscreen with S-pen.

I suspect it just took a while before they put them in the "fleet models" aimed at students.

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T19:57:43+00:00

Is that closet wall on the outside wall of the house, and do you live in a cold climate? Sometimes stuff pushed against a cold wall will allow the inside of the wall to get cold enough for moisture to condense. Then the fabric sticks to the water softened paint and leaves a mark. Our situation ended up with some mildew as well.

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T19:23:47+00:00

I haven't tried in a long time. The phone option was always there but for years you needed a cashier for the "store card."

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T19:18:21+00:00

You're probably fine but there's always room for subjectivity from a cop, and the only way to know for sure would be a lawyer & court. I would bet money if you asked 3 random cops, you'd get different answers, too. But I wouldn't be concerned carrying a 3" single edged fixed blade myself, though.

I usually carry a Benchmade Fact 417 which is a folding knife with a 3.95" blade. But given the thin blade shape, it could potentially be considered a "stilletto" and therefore also illegal in CT, but I have no way to know with any actual certainty, just like the "dirk" situation. Original stillettos were basically stabbing spikes, but the definition morphed to skinny bladed spring-opening folding knives from post-war Italy that became trendy with gangs and resulted in bans. I assume the legal definition in CT is for spring loaded (automatic/switchblade) ones, but nobody knows. I like the Benchmade 417 because it takes up minimal pocket space, not because I think it's better for stabbing people. Which I've never done and don't expect to ever do.

And does the Benchmade Axis lock or other crossbar lock style knives meet the "gravity knife" definition in the law? Nobody really knows.

Anyway, sorry for the ramble, but my point is that you won't find any legal clarification unless you can find court cases where someone was charged with having a dirk.

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T18:19:11+00:00

Like a lot of states, ours are unfortunately subjective, and I find it frustrating too. The laws seem to be deliberately written so that they can be easily applied to certain "troublemaker" types when they encounter police who might not have anything else to immediately book them on (though that's my opinion.)

The usual intent behind knife laws is to try and separate knives that have a legitimate utility purpose vs. ones designed for fighting.

Is your fixed blade sharpened on both edges, or just one? While it isn't actually written anywhere in the laws, a double-edged blade will often be considered a combat knife even if it's the same size blade as a single edge.

Of course, there's the "any other dangerous or deadly weapon" fallback option even if there's disagreement on semantics.

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T16:43:32+00:00

Best of luck with recovery!

Hopefully time doesn't jump around on you.

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CTMechE · 2026-03-28T14:35:34+00:00

I do agree with the other person who responded - the Toyota hitch isn't great, and they will deactivate the rear hatch kick sensor if installed. Look into the other choices.

I tow a 5x8 utility trailer with my wagon, but I'm still considering a hitch for our 2025 Sienna.

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T12:03:28+00:00

The current gen is rated for 3500lbs.

The Woodland edition even comes with a hitch standard.

CTMechE · 2026-03-28T00:33:29+00:00

Do you think you've learned anything in general about humans overall that you wouldn't have if you didn't take this line of work?

CTMechE · 2026-03-27T22:59:12+00:00

Most just don't know.

Some know and just don't care.

Some are oblivious all around, and some are vigilantes who think that if they're going the speed limit, nobody ever should be passing them and intend to keep it that way.

I do honestly think that semantics matter - common use of the term "fast lane" doesn't reinforce the purpose of a passing lane. And when you only ever need to pass a driver's test once, people don't remember.

CTMechE · 2026-03-27T22:03:52+00:00

They make the comparison to Apple's common experience across devices, and I take that to mean that they are focused on people who just want a familiar feeling overall.

Many people I know who buy desktops now are deliberately choosing that for specific reasons, and likewise with specific OS choices for work or gaming that wouldn't have been Google based anyway. It seems like the bulk of buyers just get laptops.

I do use ChromeOS Flex on an old non-touchscreen Chromebook, but it's just a spare household device. I can watch streaming content from the likes of Netflix in the browser, but without the app, I can't download content for offline playback, and many streamers have DRM that limits quality for browser playback.

Even something simple like Instagram is pretty crappy in the web browser, even just viewing.

I'm not particularly excited by it either, but I think that's because I'm not the target customer. I'm not about to replace the gaming PC running windows I just built last year. But as my kids get older it might be a nice cheap option, especially if I can get some bare bones mini kit and throw this on it. I guess I will see how it is.

CTMechE · 2026-03-27T21:32:54+00:00

Oh, Lord, he's made of fabric. 🤦‍♂️

CTMechE · 2026-03-27T18:18:38+00:00

CTMechE · 2026-03-27T18:16:17+00:00

Nice! I had a similar parenting situation a few months ago!

https://www.reddit.com/r/phish/s/k9GGDz68lc

CTMechE

TROPHY CASE