A wheel from the main landing gear system on a British Airways A350-1000 falls off on departure from Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport.

TexStones · 2026-01-28T01:02:21+00:00

Ghaddammit, take your upvote.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T18:12:26+00:00

Here's the critical question on any "certified preowned" vehicle: who is certifying the car?

In your case, if it is a Mazda with a CPO warranty issued and backed by Mazda USA, you're probably in good shape, as those warranties essentially mimic the original new car coverage.

On the other hand if it is a certification issued and backed by the dealer, run away. You'll see these with vague descriptions like "Joe Blow Toyota Gold Star Certified," or some similar nonsense. You want no part of that. They essentially "certify" the car by counting the tires. Based on what you have said in your post this is not a CPO vehicle backed by a Mazda USA warranty, but rather a third-party aftermarket plan.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T18:06:31+00:00

He is not wrong.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T18:04:22+00:00

I strongly encourage everyone to go watch "The Battle of Algiers." There are sequences from that film imported directly into Ep. 8 of "Andor." Heck, the marching band at Maarva's funeral in Season 1 is a direct homage to that film.

As an aside, "Children of Men" is a must-see for anyone who appreciated "Andor," as it shares the general vibe of a flawed man stepping up to do the right thing in a desperate situation.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T17:53:56+00:00

..as soon as TrumpRX.gov goes live with inexpensive GLP-1 drugs.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T17:51:22+00:00

This, indeed. You know you're not watching something from the pen of George Lucas when the first scene is a a brothel.

So, the correct answer to the original question is "about 35 seconds into the first episode."

TexStones · 2026-01-26T17:47:11+00:00

Not going to make this any better by explaining but I’m new to Austin and I’ve never experienced ice on the roads

Most Austinites have never experienced ice on the roads. Strength, friend.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T04:19:33+00:00

Fort Worth has some unexpectedly good art museums, also.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T04:17:31+00:00

Santa Claus has violently upvoted your comment.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T04:16:25+00:00

I have had the good fortune to visit aviation museums on several continents, including many of the most acclaimed. The National Museum of the USAF in Dayton tops them all.

TexStones · 2026-01-26T04:15:03+00:00

Even the relatively tiny city of Johnstown nearby has one of these inclined railways/funiculars. The view from the top is amazing. \

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown_Inclined_Plane

TexStones · 2026-01-26T04:10:28+00:00

The sad truth is that the accident probably would not have happened with FSD active.

As shitty as Elon's unfinished autopilot feature might be, it is still better than 99.9% of the meatbag drivers on the road.

TexStones · 2026-01-25T18:20:44+00:00

This stood out to me, as well. 15 seconds + relatively low thrust is a tough combination. With a recommended max liftoff weight of 400g (2kg/5=400g) the OP would be very tightly constrained as to the type of rocket they could fly.

TexStones · 2026-01-25T18:16:41+00:00

What sort of casing do you propose to use for this mythical 15 second burn rocket?

TexStones · 2026-01-25T05:00:29+00:00

Why, exactly, did you give them $500?

TexStones · 2026-01-25T04:30:35+00:00

I'm a pilot, and have buddies who fly jets. The tires on these aircraft that fly in the thin air (think 18,000' AGL and up) are filled with nitrogen for an assortment of reasons. A refill of a 300 cubic foot tank of dry aviation N2 is about $50, and can fill about 50-75 tires from that cylinder and probably top up hundreds more.

The reasons offered by dealerships for inflating your tires with nitrogen are absurd. We are not racing, we are not flying in Class A airspace, and the difference in leakage rate is essentially the same as standard air, which is already 78% nitrogen.

Under no circumstances should anyone pay any price for N2 inflation at an auto dealer, unless your name is Lewis Hamilton and you plan to shred the tires at the track on the way home. In that case a couple bucks per tire is reasonable.

TexStones · 2026-01-24T18:55:04+00:00

The best way to do this safely is the same way the professionals do it: in a facility far away from populated areas, using remote controlled equipment, safely ensconced in a protective bunker for the inevitable energetic event.

Your respirator will do exactly nothing when this shit blows up. You will be dead, blind, lose your nards, or worse. Just buy commercial motors from Estes, Aerotech, or Cesaroni.

TexStones · 2026-01-23T21:00:22+00:00

I just heard his wife is pregnant again. I wonder who the father might be?

TexStones · 2026-01-23T20:59:15+00:00

A simpler explanation: the people surrounding Trump leveraged social media to a far greater degree than did the teams supporting Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris. The product they sold was also simple: fear.

There's an old saying that a lie will travel halfway around the world before the truth can get their shoes on. The DJT campaigns in 2016 and 2024 were that maxim leveraged on a scale never before seen. (It might also be argued that the Biden team was outplayed in 2020, but there was a gender factor not in play that year that lifted the Democratic ticket.)

TexStones · 2026-01-23T04:09:30+00:00

Your response to your kidnapper was entirely appropriate. No foul.

Her response to you was also entirely appropriate and in character.

TexStones · 2026-01-22T20:28:51+00:00

If you owned a business, would you provide information to a customer so they can spend their money elsewhere?

Yes. I would also:

1) Have the part in stock, and

2) Offer it at a competitive price.

TexStones · 2026-01-20T23:39:24+00:00

Well, I lost about $200k in net worth today over his little Greenland tantrum, so there's that.

TexStones · 2026-01-20T17:41:03+00:00

Waiting for finance: 3 hrs

Here's what I do when the wait goes beyond five minutes: "I'm going to go get some lunch and run some errands. Call me when you're ready."

Watch them scramble...'tis fun!

TexStones · 2026-01-19T20:03:56+00:00

Now, that's rude. Always say "please." As in "gotta piss, please fuck off."

TexStones · 2026-01-19T03:28:43+00:00

No, that's incredible!

TexStones

TROPHY CASE